GEN: Community sign-outs

[Shelley Lochhead <s_lochhead@MENTOR.UNH.EDU>]

I just sent this off to Betty, and then thought maybe I should have sent it
to the whole list, too.  So here it is....

I've allowed community check out for years - 21 years, now that I think of
it - with little trauma.  We are a very small town - 4500 folks - and the
town library is open about 4 days a week (up from 2!)  The town librarian
and I agree that she should send people my way, particularly for reference
stuff (we have by far the better reference collection) and computer
databases.  I also think the more adults the kiddos see using our library,
the better.  Bring on the grown-ups, sez I.

And it is an opportunity for the school to return value to the town in a
concrete way.  I have trouble telling the people who paid for everything
that we will not loan to them.  To send inter-library loan books to any
school in the state, and not lend a book to the guy down the block?
Unh-unh.

I am a tiger on overdues, and warn folks that if a student needs what they
have checked out, it will be called back in early.  We have a "community
member" borrower type set in the circulation system, which flags their
overdues for "special attention".

The pr outweighs the bother, so far.

But, again, this is a very small town.  It is hard to see it working so
well in a larger community.

Shelley



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Shelley Lochhead, Librarian      ____/|               603-746-4167  x230
Hopkinton High School            \ o.O|               603-746-5109 (FAX)
297 Park Avenue                   =(_)=        S_Lochhead@mentor.unh.edu
Contoocook, NH   03229              U             S_Lochhead@conknet.com
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