Category: Press    

I can hardly contain the excitement.  It’s been a busy time with technology lately.  We’re excited to announce that the four libraries in Perry County are working together to share information resources with the whole community via technology.

Perry County is about to break new ground and offer an open source OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) to their customers:

• Hosted installation of koha, an online catalog with great features that allows customers to request items for pickup at any Perry County Library and allows Perry County residents access to authenticate direct into more online resources like ebooks and downloadable audio easily.
• Simple to update WordPress website interface for all libraries to update

Note, the sites above are still in testing and draft stages but will be releasing to the public after complettion in October.

In other technology news: The district is in the process of moving the Capital Area Library District Interlibrary Loan Online Application and the district website to new hosted servers.  The district website is an easy place to learn about what’s happening in other district libraries.   We share news and events on the front page.

Stay tuned for more updates on the new Perry County technology project that is releasing for use by the public on October 3, 2011.

Thanks to all who have helped along the way.

Read a press release about library changes in Lancaster.
Press release–Susan Hauer resigns

Here’s a link to another article: Article at Lancasteronline.com

Check out this press release from Elizabethtown Public Library. http://www.etownpubliclibrary.org/etown/lib/etown/August_closing.pdf

Other library stories in the news include some changes in NJ too. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/08/09/129083757/camden-nj-libraries-get-lifeline

Here are some links to news and stories about the new DCLS library location in Hummelstown, the William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library.

Learn about the library: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/07/hummelstown_library_to_open_we.html

Read about the grand opening from the Patriot News: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/07/new_hummelstown_library_dedica.html

Check out this video of the grant event: http://videos.pennlive.com/patriot-news/2010/07/new_hummelstown_library.html

And here’s a video showing how one piece of art in the new library was created: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0KhBEOSdBA

Enjoy!

Remember to use AFL instead of HUM for local delivery routes.

Read a recent editorial in the Patriot News about public libraries.
link to 4/21 Penn Live editorial

What do you think?
Feel free to comment, correct, ponder, question or share your thoughts and opinions here.

Enjoy an article by a Middletown resident about the library:
Readers Views: Closing the library would hurt our quality of life

A couple of quotes:
“how on earth can a library be a waste when the greatest asset we have is our mind, and especially our children’s minds?”
“It’s time to stop using library removal as the scapegoat for eliminating high electric rates.”
“it is time to realize that as people who care about our children, grandchildren, and our neighbors, we need to consider all aspects of the quality of life, and that definitely includes a library.”

Check out the article in the Patriot News about some problems users and libraries experienced with internet connections this week.
Pa.net service outage affects some area libraries

All of this begs the questions:
-Have you reviewed the service contracts that your library has with its internet service providers?
-What minimum expectations have you communicated to the company?
-What reparations can you expect if service outages through a third party provider impact your business?

Here’s a national perspective: Study of how people use Internet at public libraries
Special thanks to DCLS IT staff for any help they are trying to provide by making a call to MDT.
Note: MDT does not have any active internet service to provide to the public at this time, but their ILS (which connects to HER) is okay. A note will be sent to the district mailing list when their connections are back.

Extra, extra, read all about it: Middletown Public Library in the news

Libraries strive to meet minimum requirements as outlined in the PA Library Laws, one of them being certification for accepting the role of library director with all the responsibilities of leading a community library. This is a case where the Middletown Public Library would write an official letter requesting a waiver of the standards. A library is likely to be granted the waiver of standards for a limited period of time if they can provide a reason why the standard is not currently met and a written plan for achieving the standard within a reasonable period of time.

The minimum standard in the case of libraries with population under 10,000 is Library Assistant. If you want more information about certification, the information is available here: Public Library Certification Application.

The Middletown Public Library Board of Trustees, employees and Friends are hard at work on sharing their plan to best meet the needs of their community within available resources. They are providing strong proof of the impact a public library makes on a community to help make the case for an appropriate level of staffing.

Check out this story at www.philaculture.org. They present a quick summary of the governor’s budget with some impacts outside libraries also highlighted.

Here’s the handout distributed by Office of Commonwealth Libraries: Gov Prop Budg Announcement 2010.11

A link to a recent PA news story about libraries in the education budget: Look for article in Times Tribune

If you want to follow the news, feel free to continue at palibraries.org and watch the state mailing list for the latest information.

Some of the more district relevant info and updates may be posted here for your summary, or feel free to comment and add your own info/links below.

Middletown spreads good news: “The library is a cheap and convenient place to find entertainment, scholastic assistance, and other services.”
Read the whole article from the Press & Journal
“We probably offer a bigger variety than what you might find elsewhere. We’ve tried not just to duplicate what you can get at other places.”

Read about Middletown in the Patriot News

This poll appeared in the Patriot News. What do you think?
Question of the Week: Cumberland and York county libraries are facing funding cuts, so some are cutting hours. Would you pay more in taxes to keep the libraries open?

Check out the poll on Pennlive TODAY!

Link to LancasterOnline story about libraries and budgets
What do you think?

Update on the happenings at Middletown.
How do local politics effect your library?
Link to Patriot News story
link to Press and Journal story
Middletown Library’s hours changes and financial position from the Press and Journal

Dec. 16th article in Press and Journal
Challenges to staffing borough positions

See the actions of IL Libraries: saveillinoislibraries.com

Feel free to comment below if you have thoughts on their reactions to and explanations of budget cuts.

News of the day: Board votes to cut Carnegie Library branches, hours and staff

Read the story here. More details expected soon as they work to find solutions to the funding crisis.

Here’s a story about a PA library system that just can’t survive the loss of city and state funds without making drastic changes: Reading closes three locations.

Is your library thinking of revenue streams that will sustain your current operations?

What fundraising methods can libraries embrace that allow you to support your priorities to provide access to content and quality information via technology, ongoing education, and culture and community to the residents?

Here’s a link to what the Free Library of Philadelphia has published in reaction to the library budget shortfalls.
All Free Library of Philadelphia Branch, Regional and Central Libraries Closed Effective Close of Business October 2, 2009

Feel free to post comments if you’d like.

Check out this article in the Patriot News regarding a local woman who is paying court costs after she didn’t return library materials: Patriot News article

As librarians, we already know that it is important that users return materials–libraries work because we share ownership in the collection with the whole community–this is nothing new, but take a minute to read a few of the public comments posted in response. For example: “Borrowing books should be like borrowing videos at the video store. You give a credit card or debit card. If you do not return it by a specific date, you own it. It is time to consider a nominal fee like 25 cents for chidlren’s books and $1.00 for an adult book – to borrow a book out of the library. OR you can sit there and read it for free. This would take libraries out of the PA budget food chain.”

How can public libraries respond to comments like these? Are subscription libraries the answer to meet the needs for reading materials?

What do you think?

Read the Patriot News story about the budget:
News on State Budget
“It restores funding for the Scotland School, the Scranton School for the Deaf, hospitals, and libraries.”