University City Library Awarded Technology Grant; Mulls Freestanding Book Return

 learned last month that it was awarded a technology mini-grant of $8319.00, said Library Director Patrick Wall at Wednesday's Library Board meeting.

The money will be used to revamp the library's computer lab. The library plans to buy eight laptop computers, two digital projectors, a digital video camera and a digital still camera. 

Wall also announced that the library had ordered two more hand dryers to be installed in the upstairs youth services bathroom. They cost $440 each. The library hopes to decrease the number of paper towels it uses. "We are still going through what seems to be an enormous amount of paper towels," stated the Librarian's Report.

The library also hired two new circulation clerks. Both have previously worked in public libraries.

Wall said the library is working on redoing and renaming its Homebound delivery service, which he said everyone calls Home Service. He said the library is working on improving the service it provides to seniors.

"We're going to try and get books and DVD's to more people who are relatively homebound, without an increase in investment and staff time," said Wall. 

Wall said the library is exploring ways to give people more options to return books. One is to install an exterior book return on the library grounds. Wall said one patron wrote in, expressing dissatisfaction with the library for not having a way to return CDs and DVDs when the library is not open.

"One way to do that is to get a freestanding book return," Wall said. "Basically, a giant mail box designed specifically for books and items." He said ideally they'd like to install one that patrons can drive up to and drop off their items.

However, Wall said the current traffic pattern is not conducive for an exterior drop box. "You go around the library in a clockwise rotation, so the passenger side of any vehicle is always facing the library."

The next Library Board meeting is slated for Wednesday, May 11.