A look at the ways our public libraries stay relevant in an ever-changing world
Libraries face a number of challenges today. The unfortunate fact is that around the country, budgets for public libraries are being slashed. This makes it harder to provide great resources, keep technology updated, fund new projects and even keep the library doors open.
“Our library was built in the 1950’s, so keeping up with it can be hard. Some of our challenges are keeping the building updated, both structurally and aesthetic wise,” stated Cina Shirley, director at the Douglass Public Library. “In the past four years the roof has been replaced, there has been new paint inside, new windows, new carpeting and tile, new shelving in the kids’ area, and a new circulation desk.”
Both the El Dorado and Augusta libraries have enjoyed expansion and renovations in the past few years so infrastructure maintenance is not the same challenge as in previous years.
El Dorado’s Bradford Memorial Library has a rich history in the community and began as the El Dorado Free Library in 1897 and established on the second floor of the city building. With a $10,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie, the first public library opened on Dec. 2, 1912. In 1957, Mrs. Ruth Bradford, a library trustee, donated $200,000 for the erection of a new library building as a memorial to her husband, Robert Bradford II, a leading citizen of the El Dorado community.
A $1.3 million renovation project was completed in 2015 and was a combined public/private partnership that provided a number of external and internal improvements to the local library.
It was obvious in 1958 that the Augusta Public Library had outgrown its location at the city building. In March of that year, the library board requested Ford Rockwell of the Wichita City Library to conduct a survey of the local library and its future needs.
Rockwell completed his survey and recommended actions should be taken to secure an adequate building and it should be located north of 7th St.
Not until Sept. 5, 1961 did the Augusta City Council approve the library board’s request for a special election on issuance of bonds to construct a building.
Later that year - in October, voters approved a $100,850 general obligation bond issue to build a new library.
The library board voted the next month to recommend acquisition of property in the 1600 block of State for the library site.
Construction on the new library began on June 15, 1962 and was completed on Nov. 15, 1962.
The building served the community well, but more space was needed and Augustans went to the polls on July 11, 2000 and voted in favor of the library expansion. The new $1.5 million library expansion was completed and an entire week of special activities were held May 31 - June 5, 2002.
Along with more room for books, shelves, and work space, the new addition featured offices, a new circulation desk, an elevator, meeting rooms on the upper level, as well as the lower, and a spacious children’s department.
While it may be true that fewer citizens overall are visiting the physical sites, many more than ever are accessing the library’s digital space to access the Internet, renew a book or to simply stay up-to-date with events via the library’s website or Facebook page.
The libraries are becoming both a physical and virtual space for the community. Their mission of providing knowledge and education hasn’t changed. In the digital age,the mission is more critical than ever.
Services, resources and personnel
“One of our biggest challenges has been a lack of input from the community as to what other services they would like to utilize. What people tell us they want is what we try to give them, so we value input from people who would actually use specific materials or services,” advised Mica Hunter, Public Services Librarian at the El Dorado Library.
Hunter explains that the library specializes in being able to obtain the resources that patrons want or need. The process involves purchasing the materials that they expect a number of people would want to use, and having services available to track down the items that individuals need and can’t find in the local library’s collection.
“This could be religious texts, technical books, or even just an obscure work of fiction that someone is having trouble finding,” Hunter continued, “Since Kansas libraries work together around the state, most things that patrons request can be borrowed from another library. For those who utilize the library and our services, this is a great money and time saver.”
Perhaps libraries are even more important in smaller communities. The Douglass library provides a number of convenient services, but there are challenges.
“We really do have a very nice library for a town our size. We receive compliments all the time on how nice it is, but I think that newcomers and sometimes even residents who have lived here a long time, don’t know about the library and all we have to offer,” explained Shirley, “Our library is important for those who don’t have access to the Internet, a computer or a printer. Sometimes we have people pop in to print something off because their printer isn’t working or they ran out of ink,” explained Shirley. “I believe we are the only place in town that has free WiFi.”
Augusta’s Public Library Director Lisa Daniels shares that paying and keeping quality staff members can be difficult.
“I’m very fortunate at the moment to have a wonderful, intelligent, creative, dedicated staff. However, I live in fear every day that one of them will hand me their letter of resignation because they cannot live and/or provide for their family on what we can afford to pay them.”
Daniels explains that staff members are required to have a certain level of computer and technical skills over and beyond what most part-time jobs require, making finding the right person even more difficult.
“My board is aware and is dedicated to solving this somehow. There are just too many demands on our small budget. I think that it’s important that people know that we are not a part of or “owned” by the City of Augusta. We are an independent entity, as most libraries in Kansas are.”
Another challenge shared by the area libraries is keeping up with and maintaining the technology that patrons expect - all on a small budget.
Next week learn about services offered by our libraries and how their roles exist now and continue to expand in our communities.