Libraries mark 30 years of coordination
Patrons can check out more than a book at their local library come Tuesday. That's when the public libraries in Butler County will each mark the 30th anniversary of the Butler County Federated Library System.
As part of the celebration, every library will have an event Tuesday. People are encouraged to drop by their neighborhood library to see how it's marking the 30 years of the countywide system.
Lori Hinderliter, executive director of the Butler Public Library at 218 N. McKean St. and administrator for the library system, said the system was founded by resolutions of the County Commissioners on Sept. 18, 1987.
“Through an action by the county commissioners, the system was founded at that time,” said Hinderliter. “Back in the day, Prospect did not come on board until farther down the road.”
She said today the system ties together the eight public libraries of Butler County: Butler, Cranberry, Evans City, Mars, Prospect, South Butler (Saxonburg), Slippery Rock and Zelienople.She added that the Chicora library and North Trails Library in Cherry Township are considered branches of the system itself, not independent libraries.The Chicora branch is a room in the Chicora Medical Center, 160 Medical Center Road, staffed by volunteers and, for a few days a week, Kathy Kline, the Chicora and North Trails libraries' director, and Kathy McElravy, the children's librarian at North Trails.North Trails itself began as a book depot for the now defunct county bookmobile and eventually evolved into a full-service library, Hinderliter said.The federated system is funded by state, county and local municipalities. The system in turn sends money to the individual libraries based on an allocation formula, Hinderliter said.Their unique status means Chicora and North Trails do not receive state money, she added.The system tries to provide the highest quality public library service possible for all residents of Butler County, Hinderliter said.“Basically what that means is we share resources in print and electronically,” she said. “We have a shared catalog system, so if you like an item in Mars, you can see what other libraries are holding it.”
Michelina Stickney, director of the Evans City Library at 204 S. Jackson St., said membership in the system makes things more convenient for library users.“We can get books from every library in the system, and people can drop books off at every library in the system,” Stickney said. “We all collaborate together.”“We all work together to improve each other's library and improve the experience for the patrons,” she said.Hinderliter said the system contracts with the Alliance for Nonprofit Resources to provide the courier service that moves books and other materials among the 10 libraries four days a week.Hinderliter said, “Sometimes you can literally put a book on hold, and it will arrive at your home library that afternoon.”The system coordinates library services offered by the individual member libraries and its two branches that serve those areas of the county that do not have member libraries.In addition to the contracted couriers, the system employs Hinderliter, a full-time IT manager and a part-time assistant.The system is governed by a seven-person board whose members are nominated by the boards of the system's member libraries.Hinderliter said in addition to physical books and recordings, the system has a website where patrons can access and download e-books, magazines, music and audio books. These services also are available on each individual library website, she added.
The North Trails Library, 1553 W. Sunbury Road, plans to mark the system anniversary Tuesday, said Kline, its director.“We are going to be doing refreshments and handing out free stuff from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We are going to be doing a little open house,” Kline said.She said North Trails evolved from the old bookmobile that served the northern parts of Butler County.“This was the book depot for the bookmobile,” said Kline. “And it evolved and grew to the point where people were coming here to ask for books.”The bookmobile, which began in 1942, was finally discontinued in 2011 because of the high cost of fuel, Kline said.Hinderliter added, “The bookmobile itself had a lot of mechanical issues. When it died, it was not financially responsible to repair it.”North Trail and Chicora were created to service the parts of northern Butler County that don't have their own libraries.Kline said, “We cover from Route 308 to Armstrong County and up to Venango County. That's a lot of territory that used to be covered by the traveling library.Stickney in Evans City said her library will mark the occasion with a slice of cake. “We're going to have a sheet cake. Patrons can come in for a piece between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.,” she said.The Mars Library, 107 Grand Ave., also will be offering refreshments from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, said Joanne Tisdale, a member of the library board.“It's been a bit of a transition for us,” Tisdale said. “We lost our director, and we are looking for another one.”Still, Tisdale said, “We are going to have doughnuts and refreshments. It will be kind of a thank-you to the community.”
According to a year-end report filed in 2016 with the state, the Butler County Federated Library System had:372,851 items cataloged78,272 card-carrying members896,556 items checked out79 computers available for public use88,119 individual sessions on computers22,760 individual sessions on the free Wi-Fi access spot in every library1,464 programs for children 11 and under29,895 children attendees239 programs for teens 12 to 182,359 teen attendees532 adult programs8,189 adult attendeesSOURCE: Lori Hinderliter, system administrator
