Successful libraries thrive, despite budget cuts and economic downturns, when they are able to evolve in order to meet the needs of the citizens in the community, says Susan Hildreth, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Three goals make success happen: providing engaging learning experiences, becoming a community anchor, and "providing access to content even as the devices for accessing that content change."
The Carson City Library is taking a giant leap toward meeting all of these benchmarks with Thursday's installation and grand opening of the BranchAnywhere library vending system at the Boys & Girls Club. Operated with a multi-axis robot, this machine has the ability to provide a variety of materials - books, audiovisual materials and Lego robotics kits (these must be used at the Boys & Girls Club). Patrons can view the storage shelves within the machine, make a selection, slide their library card, and the item is immediately "delivered." BranchAnywhere also reshelves the materials to the machine.
The Carson City Library and the Boys and Girls Club have the distinction of being the first in the country to install this cutting-edge, fully automated machine. Purchased through an LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) innovation grant and assistance from the Mae B. Adams Trust, the fully automated BranchAnywhere will bring materials customized to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to the youth at the club. The technology demonstrates the continued partnerships with the community and the school district. The BranchAnywhere initiative would not be possible without the tireless input of the library staff and school district educators involved in the program. Efforts in selecting materials, specialized cataloging, planning and training have brought about the aforementioned evolution. The State Council on Libraries and Literacy will tour the Boys and Girls Club on Thursday to observe the system in action.
January activities
Bookmasters/Toastmasters meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the library auditorium. The group has been reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" and will be discussing the final chapters. Bookmasters will also choose a new book Tuesday night, so this meeting will be perfect for those wishing to join in the literary fun.
Nevada Legal Services continues to offer assistance to Carson City citizens in need of information regarding self-representation, elder law education and completion of legal forms. Two programs are available this month: Self-Help Forms Completion at 1 p.m. Thursday, followed by a workshop on Elder Law Education at 3:30 p.m. the same day.
Explore the World @ Your Library features Yun Guam, who will offer insight on China. The presentation begins at 6 p.m. Thursday in the auditorium.
Jared Dempsey will be the focus of a special Story Time at 1p.m. Saturday. Jared's programs are always inspiring and his ability to demonstrate how technological advances have enabled those with disabilities to communicate with others makes for a great afternoon.
Love on a Leash, the wildly successful program that enables children to read to trained therapy dogs, will will run from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, in the Children's Room. After the children read to the dogs, they will receive a free book for their home library. Children love to read in a non-threatening environment, and this program improves both reading and social skills.
Book Suggestions
Library Board of Trustees member Maxine Neitz counted the Community Read, "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" in her "Tops of 2011" reading list.
The historical fiction novel is based on a true account of a place and time in history that is little known, the German occupation of the Guernsey Island in the English Channel during World War II.
Andi Moore, the library's programming/outreach coordinator, selected a memoir, "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls, as her most memorable read for 2011.
Ms. Walls and her three siblings grew up with nomadic, nonconformist parents who exposed the children to a childhood that was at times creative and imaginative, while at many other times, it was harsh, destructive and dysfunctional.