Joan Sherif, director of the Northwester Regional Library System, went to Elkin Monday to give the board of county commissioners her thanks for allocating Invest in Surry funds to the library, “Which made an enormous difference in what was going on.”
“Our numbers last year went up as people are coming back to the library. We want to be able to continue to serve their needs and add services needed while maintaining services,” she said.
Each of the five Surry County libraries in the system received funds to help with purchases including new furniture in Dobson and 28 new computers in Mount Airy. Invest in Surry funds were granted to the following branches: Lowgap received $7,204, Elkin got $13,110, for Mount Airy it was $39,700, Pilot Mountain was allotted $41,693, and $60,000 was designated for Dobson.
Two programs she eyed for funding included a plan to continue a mobile hot spot program and increase access of digital streaming content across the system.
Rana Southern, branch manager of the Mount Airy library, said she wrote a grant application asking for the funds for Mount Airy, “To replace our aging computers and to purchase a new digital scanner for microfilm.”
While it may be known as the home of books, the role of a modern library is more than just the receptacle of the written word. To keep people coming in the door in the digital world means libraries need to offer more services and change with the times.
“At the library, on a daily basis, we help patrons with job applications, resumes, applying for SSI, unemployment benefits, uploading documents to emails, update their electronic devices, find resources either print format or electronic, setup appointments virtually with the DMV, print out W2’s, help teens file for worker’s permits, help teens print out driving logs, assist people with renewing their license online, and print out tax forms,” Southern said.
“We needed some updated computers to assist patrons and for the patrons to use, which included updated Microsoft Office programs. The digital scanner comes in handy when people are doing historical research or genealogy research,” she said, which illustrates one of the many larger communities functions the branches serve.
With the use and access of digital content via streaming becoming more common the Northwest Regional system wants to establish a system for patrons to check out digital content not limited to books.
“We are trying to add another streaming service to our borrowing content,” Southern explained saying she wants to be able to provide access to even more.
“We are looking at Hoopla, which provides videos, audiobooks, e-books and music. Hoopla offers over 600,000 eBooks and 155,000 eAudiobooks. They have some of the lesser-known authors who may not be available in our current e-service, Libby/Overdrive, which already provides nearly 50,000 eBooks and almost 20,000 eAudiobooks.
One program that Sherif mentioned to the board she wanted to expand upon was the use of digital hotspots. Southern explained, “We currently have a federal grant from the FCC that provides the hotspot service, but it is about to run out. We are accessing part of the grant that provides funding for devices and Internet service to eligible schools and libraries to support unserved students, school staff, and library patrons.”
“We are hoping that the city and county will include increases to our budget to accommodate this service. Our patrons who cannot afford the internet at home can check out a hotspot and use it,” Southern said and noted the use of some local nursing school students of the hotspots and added they have Chromebooks that can be checked out.
Southern added that all these services are available at one of the 13 local library branches of the Northwestern Regional Library System, and emphasized they are free to use.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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