With the sluggish economy creating challenges for everyone the past few years, I feel like a broken record talking about the challenges of library funding. However, over the past two years, the Library System has had to reduce its spending by more than 10%.
This required real cuts to service around the county. The Board of Trustees of the library attempted to make these service cuts where they would make the least negative impact on overall library access for the residents of the county, but it has caused some pain.
Even though we have had to make a number of drastic cuts the past years, the library has seen its use increase by more than 10%, proving that citizens need its services more than ever.
Additional funding cuts mean that in the coming year further reductions to the library’s materials and technology budgets will have to be made. However, the library is committed to find any savings we can to guarantee that we do not reduce operating hours.
Although this may seem like a gloomy outlook, there are a number of positive developments coming in the next year.
The Library System has been working on a much needed project in Littlestown. A little more than a year ago, a location was found for a permanent home for the Littlestown Library. The Friends of the Littlestown Library have been raising the funds to turn that space into a modern library. This will provide a home for library service in the Littlestown region for years to come. The new library will be opening sometime in January.
Another positive aspect of this library facility is that it will not cost much more to operate than it did to operate the previous facility. Because of efficiencies and advances in technology, we are able to help keep costs down and service up.
Advances in technology are clearly a tool for progress for the library. However, they can also be a challenge. The library tries to make sure that all of our computers are up to date and operating. However, there is never enough bandwidth to do all the things which we and you want to do.
The library has been hoping to launch a new website, but that seems to be set back again because of the budget cuts we have had to absorb. However, the library website continues to be the primary gateway to a new world of library offerings.
For centuries libraries have been about books, but in the last two decades libraries have been about books, technology and literacy, “literacy” in terms of getting the information you need to operate in the world in the 21st Century. Libraries are places to learn about democracy, health issues, financial issues, technology and life-long learning.
One of the largest trends this past fall and continuing for years to come is the development of eBooks. An electronic version of a book (eBook) means a many different things to many different people.
Libraries have been dealing with eBooks for more than a decade. Early eBooks were only available on the computer. About eight years ago, the library purchased two RocketeBook readers. RocketeBooks were supposed to be the end of the printed page. In no time at all, new devices were to be launched on the market which were better than the RocketeBooks. However, it didn’t happen. The publishing world continued to publish more books than the year before.
Most people have become familiar with the eBooks concept from Amazon. Amazon’s Kindle has made the eBook more viable than it was 8 years ago. Unfortunately, Amazon’s sales model makes it impossible for libraries to offer eBooks in their format (think VHS vs. Beta) to the general public. So, if you buy a Kindle you will have to buy your books from Amazon.
However, there are other formats for eBooks which will be available for libraries to purchase. This is something we are investigating. eBooks are going to make an impact on libraries.
Just like we have transitioned to other formats (think VHS to DVD) over the years, we will make this transition when it is the most economically feasible. We do not want to waste money on formats which will not be used.
Information in Electronic format is now the foundation of what libraries collect. Books are important, but the information in the books is what people use to learn. The conversation between the author and the reader is the spark of learning. The container is not as important to the library as the fact that you can get to that information in a way which is fair to all concerned.
Go to the Library website at http://www.adamslibrary.org and see what is available for you to use from home.
Often libraries and librarians are given a negative reputation for being backwards looking or steeped in tradition. However, libraries in Adams County are modern entities, taking advantage of the newest technology when prudent and waiting for technology to catch up to the public when necessary.
Progress for the library in 2011 will be measured in the advances we will make in getting more information to the public in the best container available. Maintaining a modern library is our most important goal for 2011, come and check it out.
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