Officials from the Plain City Library are looking to expand services into Jerome Township.
“We really want to get out of the building and get to people who cannot get into the village,” Library Executive director Chris Long said.
At Monday’s meeting of the Jerome Township Board of Trustees, Long explained that Plain City Library services, “Jerome Township, or a at least a big part of it.” She said that library districts follow school district boundaries. Long added that since Fairbanks does not have a library, Plain City and Marysville libraries try to cover the area.
Long said the library was recently awarded a $49,999 grant through the State Library of Ohio from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Sciences.
With the grant money, the library was able to purchase a van.
“We are mobile now and we want to get out more into our service area,” Long said.
Long said the youth services librarian does a monthly story time for children at the Jerome Village Community Center.
“That has been a wonderful experience,” Long said.
She explained the program was a test but has been so successful it will be extended.
“We are looking for more areas where the library can visit,” Long said. “All we need is space and we will show up and put on a nice presentation.”
The director said the mobile experience is different for each stop.
“We try to customize it to whatever the need,” Long said.
She explained that as part of the grant, the library was also able to buy a variety of technology that can be added to the van and taken to various stops.
She said the library as a 3-D scanner and printer that can be used to make small items. She said things like game pieces or small, missing parts for other items can be made.
“There is no cost to use it,” Long said.
She explained that filament, used to print the items, can cost six cents per gram or more and patrons are responsible for that cost.
Additionally, Long said the library was able to purchase devices to convert analog videos and sound files to digital files. She said one machine can convert 8mm home movies onto a digital file. Another can take mounted slides and convert them into a digital file. She said a lot of places have the capability to convert VHS cassettes and some more common media onto a digital format. She said the library tried to get devices that were a little less common.
“As long as patrons bring their own digital storage devices (generally a CD or thumb drive), there is no cost,” said Long.
Long urged the trustees and others to think of opportunities for the library to get into the community.
“We have a lot of technology in a van and we are mobile,” Long said.
In other news:
Resident Barry Adler said he is “alarmed” about the approach the trustees have taken in response to public records requests. He asked if the trustees have appointed a public records officer to replace Township Fiscal Officer Robert Caldwell who resigned from that duty at the last trustee meeting. He asked if the trustees are doing anything to educate themselves about public records laws.
“Are you interested in operating a transparent government?” Adler asked.
Trustee Ron Rhodes said officials or their designee are required to attend one public records training during each term in office. He said he as attended “six or seven.” He said the trainings are offered in January and are often run, Rhodes said, by Don Brosius, the attorney hired by the trustees to handle many zoning issues within the township.