Based on the amount of public expectation of services, and on discussions among the librarians, the Board has identified some services as core library services that should always be provided ("Tier I"), other services as desirable at most locations ("Tier II"), yet other services that might be offered at some locations ("Tier III"), and identified others as not expected by many people and therefore ancillary to the Library's mission ("Tier IV"). Note that the services named in this section are broadly defined and may include several of the specific services described in the previous section.
These services should always be provided through all Library outlets.
Note that the Board intends to keep seven library buildings in operation throughout Athens County:
These seven locations serve every area of the county where there are at least 3,000 residents in the community and adjoining townships.
This service involves checking materials out to borrowers, receiving materials as they are returned, re-shelving returned materials, and managing reserves on materials.
Lending library materials is, by definition, the primary activity of a lending library. All Library outlets should provide all of the services listed in the preceding paragraph during all business hours. While not all libraries will have each type of material available, all outlets will have books.
Note that this service also must include moving materials from library to library, to get reserved materials to the requested branch where the patron will check them out. It also includes finding materials in other libraries, borrowing them, checking them out to patrons, and then sending them back.
In order to lend materials, the Library must own materials. This essential service is provided centrally from the main library in Nelsonville and involves selecting materials, selecting vendors, ordering materials, managing the budget, and physically preparing materials for circulation.
The library catalog is the heart of the Library. People do not know what materials the Library owns without access to a good catalog. Storing information materials is of little value if there is no efficient way to find the materials whenever there is a need to retrieve the information.
This service is provided by the catalogers in Nelsonville, and by the computer systems administrator and the webmaster. The catalogers have the task of describing the Library's materials in enough detail to make retrieval easy and efficient, and organizing that description in an electronic format that can be distributed to computers in our libraries, in patrons' homes, and in other libraries. The systems administrator has the task of maintaining servers and networks to send the catalog information to all these computers, and the webmaster has the task of presenting the catalog in a clear and understandable form.
Once called "reference" service, the task of providing information to patrons has evolved in recent years to include "online" reference services as well as the more traditional in-person and telephone services. It also includes distribution of informational materials about basic Library policies. This service therefore involves every Library staff member who has contact with the public, as well as the webmaster, who provides access to electronic databases and such services as the State Library's KnowItNow online reference, and anyone doing public relations work by providing information about the Library to the public.
Note that this is a very broadly defined service and ultimately involves everyone on the Library staff, with the exception of custodial and maintenance staff.
This service is very much expected of public libraries now. People expect to be able to walk into a public library and find computers for general use (not just library catalog computers), and particularly for use in accessing Internet resources. The Library currently provides public access computers in all buildings, so we are meeting this demand. As more and more information is delivered to the public in digital formats, the presence of these computers becomes increasingly vital.
These are services which the Library should strive to provide at most outlets.
This is another service that is very much expected of public libraries. Since around 1900, when the children's "story hour" first appeared in large public libraries, children's programming has become an important component of the public's image of a library. The expansion of the story hour concept to special programs for certain ages of children, for school class visits, and for home schoolers has increased the demands on the childrens librarians' time to the point where it would be impossible to completely satisfy public demand without a significant realignment of staff resources. This makes children's programming an expensive service, and one which the Library should not require in every outlet, but should try to provide wherever resources permit.
To some degree, every public library is a repository for local information. Within our Library, the outlets vary widely. In one branch, we have an entire room devoted to local history materials. Other branches may have no more than the local school board agendas and HEAP applications, or even just state and federal tax forms. This service is thus one that can consume a lot of Library resources, or almost no resources. It can also be tailored to the resources available.
These services might be available through some outlets.
All public libraries have become community meeting spaces in recent years, where members of the community can come together formally or informally and hold discussions. In many communities, there are no other venues which provide such a neutral, inviting meeting space. This service, unlike most library services, places relatively few demands on staff, other than maintenance and custodial staff, requiring for the most part only that the Library Board design new buildings to include accessible and efficient meeting spaces.
The service whereby libraries deliver materials to those who cannot come to a library has taken several forms since the practice started in the 1920s, first as deposit collections (in hospitals, fire stations, etc.) and bookmobiles, then later as individualized service to the homebound. The principle has always been to take materials to those who were unable to get a library building. As people become more mobile, this service has increasing focused on those who are physically impaired from travelling. It may take the form of individual home visits, visits to nursing homes, and deposit collections in hospitals, etc. Some Library outlets, but not all, are able to spare staff time for selecting materials and taking them to homebound patrons.
One related service which the Library currently offers is Talking Book service through the Library of Congress. The Library distributes new machines to qualifying individuals and maintains a small collection of the tapes, which individuals can also have sent directly to their home.
Information comes in many forms, including verbal transmission between people. Library-organized informational programs are popular, but organizing these programs requires a significant amount of staff time. Not all Library outlets are able to spare staff time for this service.
Researching family histories has become popular, and it is natural for genealogy researchers to turn to libraries for the records they need. This research requires specialized materials and specialized staff skills, neither of which is available at all Library outlets, but is currently available at the main library and to a lesser extent at the Athens Library. In our county, the Athens County Historical Society is a more consistent resource for genealogy research.
Libraries need copiers and fax machines to do library business. It has become our habit to share these office machines with the public for a nominal fee, a practice that started because libraries often had the only copier or fax machine in a small community. Our Library currently provides this service in all outlets, but as other copiers and fax machines become accessible to the public, it is possible the Library might discontinue portions of this service in some communities.
This is a service that might be overlooked. The Library creates brochures, posters, and bookmarks to inform people of other Library services. The Library also sends out press releases and articles to local media outlets to inform people of Library services. Finally, the Library maintains telephone, mail, and e-mail correspondence with patrons in order to handle problems, suggestions and requests.
In addition to the expected children's programming, the Library also currently provides some unexpected services for children. For example:
Visits to schools by children's librarians;
Visits to pre-schools and Head Starts by children's librarians; and
Summer Food Service Program (with the Ohio Department of Education).
These services may be provided if there are sufficient library resources available once other services have been provided. All of these services could be provided by other entities within the community using other resources. This list is not intended to be complete; many services of this type are started and ended as warranted.
Many people would like to have formal computer instruction through the Library. Other agencies in the county already offer this service, so the Library currently limits itself to "informal" instruction when people have specific problems operating Library computers.
The Library is a community resource, and as such is actively involved with several other community organizations in working to improve community life. These activities require various amounts of staff time at various times of year, often involving Library managers. For example:
Chambers of Commerce, especially in Nelsonville and Albany;
Athens County League of Women Voters; and
Organized community festivals.
Other government agencies often share the Library's needs and concerns, and working with them can be beneficial for both. These activities require widely varying amounts of staff time, and often involve the Library administration. For example:
Joint activities with other libraries, especially through the Ohio Library Council and the regional library system;
Outreach services to the local juvenile detention center (HVCRC); and
Advisory service to the Hocking Correctional Facility library.
Other than school visits by childrens librarians, the Library is also actively involved with one other educational institution. This involvement required considerable staff time to establish, but little staff time now:
Hocking College / Nelsonville Library partnership.
One active and defined group in the community, with no formal organization, has received special attention from the Library. Since this group is not formally organized, demand on staff time can be considerable:
Art in the Library program to display works by local artisans.