PCPL materials delivery continues in Bookmobile's absence

The discontinuation of Bookmobile service on March 1 certainly brought about a change in the way the Putnam County Public Library does community outreach.

Yet even as residents were questioning the wisdom of pulling the plug on the Bookmobile after 55 years of service, the staff and administration at the library were working on the next phase of materials delivery.

At the monthly library board meeting on Wednesday, PCPL Executive Director Grier Carson addressed the Bookmobile issue, highlighting the efforts of one particular employee who has been striving to maintain relationships with patrons at stops throughout the county.

"Over the past few weeks during the publicized 'delivery hiatus,' we have maintained our nursing home stops," Carson said. "Jill Hawk is doing an outstanding job making the rounds using a privately-owned vehicle and is working closely with circulation and technical services staff to prepare for adjustments in the way we process and circulate outreach materials."

Much of this has been due to Hawk's initiative, as there was originally supposed to be a "hiatus" in which the library was not making deliveries and planning next steps. With the Bookmobile out of service and no delivery vehicle in place, Hawk has been making deliveries in her own vehicle.

"She was very forthcoming about wanting to do that," Carson said, praising Hawk for her commitment.

As for the final form that the library's overall outreach program will take, Carson and his staff are still in the process of formulating plans.

"I have been reaching out to each organization, confirming scheduled stops and discussing possible changes to our arrangements as well as explaining aspects of our new approach to delivery service.

"As planned, the updated schedule starts this week," he continued. "Once we have acquired the new vehicle and have settled into a new routine with regard to staff workflow and scheduling, we will assess whether additional stops may be added to the schedule in the near future."

Carson told the Banner Graphic the library is probably 80 percent of the way through setting up the schedule.

Beyond this, he said the process is about assessing the needs at the individual stops. While the materials delivery program is designed primarily around use of the Internet to order books, other avenues are possible.

Questioned during the meeting about the issue, Carson said patrons without Internet access are always welcome to call and speak to a librarian about their interests to set up a reading list.

Additionally, following the meeting, Carson mentioned the possibility of setting up rooms in some of the county's smaller communities so that patrons can actually touch and examine the books they might borrow.

A big key moving forward seems to be seeking public input, which was one of the main criticisms leveled against the library board and administration following the Bookmobile decision.

Carson made a statement addressing the public outcry, saying it was "no small thing" to retire the vehicle.

"The transition from the former Bookmobile to a new delivery program has been difficult for some people, and the library acknowledges that the vehicle and the people who managed its schedule were a beloved part of the PCPL identity," Carson said.

While not going into specifics, Carson also reiterated his belief and the board's that they made the right decision financially.

"We are steadfast in our belief that it was the right thing to do," Carson said.

While a number of members of the public were back, again questioning the decisions, several seemed impressed by the steps the library is taking in seeking input on future decisions.

Marianne Novak of Heritage Lake, one of the most outspoken critics of scrapping the Bookmobile, thanked Carson for his statement.

"I just wish we had heard that statement a few months ago and we could have had some input," Novak said. "I am encouraged to hear this now."

In terms of the actual business of moving forward, Carson said the Bookmobile bus is currently being cleaned and prepared for sale. The exact nature of the sale, or even donating to a charity, has not yet taken form, but a solution is being sought.

The library has also reached out to York GM as well as other area dealers for options on acquiring a delivery van. Carson said they are currently focusing on a Ford Transit Connect model.

Regardless of what form the final solution takes, community members remain steadfast in their insistence that no one be left behind, particularly not the youth of the county.

Cathy Boyce, a Fillmore Elementary School second-grade teacher, gave a moving account of kids now cut off from the books they treasured.

"The children at Fillmore Elementary School, especially in my class, are very heartbroken and disappointed that the Bookmobile isn't coming anymore," Boyce said. "When the day came that I returned their (library) cards, they said, 'What are we supposed to do with these?'"

Boyce went on to describe how many of her students' parents were either unable or unwilling to actually take them to Greencastle to the library, with several students not knowing where the library even was.

While perhaps coming at this particular issue from a different angle than some of the concerned citizens, Carson expressed the library's ongoing commitment to serving the community.

"Outreach service in any form is first and foremost about community," Carson said, "and though the library remains committed to improving aspects of this service by replacing the vehicle and some of its associated programming, we intend to honor the spirit of the Bookmobile by continuing to provide highly-personalized service and making meaningful connections with the patrons who use it."