10.26.07
Welcome!!
Welcome to the blogspot for SERLS! In this blog you will find pictures and comments from my visits to member libraries as well as snippets about the workshops we have offered. To look at blogs on library visits, click library visits listed under Categories. Workshop blogs can be found under the category of continuing education. Please share your comments, but most of all -enjoy!
Mary Leffler
Executive Director
SERLS
10.25.07
Visit to the Hocking College Library
My travels on 10/23/07 ended at the Hocking College Library. What a lovely library! It is very clean and neat (thanks to hard working library staff and student workers) and looks like it was newly remodeled last month instead of built over 10 years ago. Library Director Carrie Ator-James took time out of her busy schedule to give me a detailed tour and to answer my many questions. (Thank you Carrie!) The library serves not only Hocking College students, but college faculty, staff, and the general public as well. Upon entering the library, I gazed around and found sleek new computers, the latest art display, lots of tables and seating for students, and an easily accessible circulation desk and reference desk. Tucked in room behind the computer area was an awesome faculty/stafff resources room where one could laminate, use Ellison Dies, use a computer, cutting table and utilize many other resources. Did you know that Hocking College Library has a “one card” agreement with the Nelsonville branch of the Athens County Public Library? Here is an excerpt from an article about their collaboration:
One card, two libraries — a new partnership between Hocking College and Nelsonville Public gives those with a Hocking College ID the opportunity to connect to both libraries. “A separate card is no longer required at each location,” said Sandra McConnell, branch manager at the Nelsonville Public Library. She and Carrie Ator-James, director for the Hocking College Library, formerly the Learning Resource Center, collaborated to create a seamless lending system while McConnell was fulfilling a practicum requirement as part of her master’s degree program.
I truly believe that cooperative projects among libraries will help us to continually improve our services in an affordable manner. Way to go Carrie and Sandy!
Visit to the Herbert Wescoat Memorial Library
My second stop on 10/23/07 was the Herbert Wescoat Memorial Library (HWML), which is a nice-sized beautiful library that serves the residents of Vinton County Ohio. It is also the library in which I “cut my librarian teeth”. It was great to see my pals there! HWML is well known for their annual event, the Spring Literary Arts Festival. New York Times best-selling authors Jeffrey Deaver and Lisa Scottoline have made an appearance in past festivals as well as Pulizter prize-winning authors. In Spring of 2008, Brad Metlzer will offer the keynote presentation. It is definitely worth a trip to Vinton County!
Staff was busy decorating the library and preparing for upcoming seasonal events like the Festival of Trees and the Helping Hands Christmas tree.
Fall is in the air there and even the squirrels think you are “nuts” if you don’t stop by to say hello!
Visiting at the Sylvester Memorial Wellston Public Library
On 10/23/07 I started my first round of library visits at the Sylvester Memorial Wellston Public Library(SMWPL) in Wellston OH. Boy did director Jackie Shaw have a lot to share! Her library had just completed the first phase of implementing the “Trading Spaces” philosophy which was promoted by the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative at a workshop earlier this year. The trading spaces philosophy employs visual merchandising techniques (like book stores do!) Changes could be simply adding slat boards and gondolas to display books, or be more involved by adding new environments, catered to specific populations such as children, teens, seniors, etc. SMWPL made a lot of changes, including making the community room a new space for young children, moving furniture and adding special shelving to make the library feel more spacious, adding gondolas for new material and facing library materials forward on the shelves to capture attention. Additionally, early reader books that were award winners, or holiday-themed were pulled out to make a special collection that lines the hallway to the new kiddie area. It looks wonderful! Stop by for a visit!
