Suggestions & Questions from Our Library Users MARCH 2011 1. I would like to be able to say “no” to a receipt for my books. I don’t really need one. I can get the info online. Thanks for the great suggestion, an environmentally responsible one! We will be installing our new self-checkout terminals when we finish the first phase of our construction project in May. At that time we are hoping to give you and all patrons the option of having your checkout receipt emailed to you. Watch for this and other improvements over the course of this very busy year of facility upgrades. 2. Library hours: suggested changes: Monday through Friday 9 AM to 9 PM; Saturday 9 AM to 6 PM. Thanks for letting us know of your need for more library service. As I’m sure you realize, remaining open more hours increases our overhead and adds costs to operations. In this tough economic climate our library district is running one of the leanest public libraries in the land, and, as much as we might want our building to be more available to you, we really can’t afford the added labor and utility costs required to open the extra hours that you suggest. I will bring this suggestion to the new library board when the members begin their long-range planning later this year. In the meantime, please don’t forget that many of our services, including homework help, are available online through our Website. 3. How about a book on DJANGO (web development). Thank you for your suggestion. We will be ordering several titles about Django. Please watch our catalog or ask for help from a member of our Reference staff if you are interested in placing a reserve for any of the titles. Also, if you are a WNPLD cardholder, interlibrary loan can also be a resource for obtaining titles that you are interested in, that we may not own in our collections. 4. Is it possible to label books within a series with B1, B2, B3, etc? We are always seeking new ways to aid you in connecting with the books that you want. We will consider your suggestion for making it clearer what books are related in a series. I would remind you that the online catalog is a useful tool to help you locate the books in series. Please don’t hesitate to ask a librarian to show you how to use the catalog to search for series titles.  5. School teens (high school, etc.) are noisy and disrespectful regarding library rules. People do not know what libraries are for. I’m sorry to learn that you’ve been disturbed while visiting the library. Please see a security monitor or other library staffer as soon as you experience a disturbance so that we can intervene right away. We do our best to police the area constantly but cannot always be at the spot of a behavioral problem at the right time. That said, I must say that our students for the most part obey our library rules. When the large numbers of students come into the library after school lets out, we do experience a rise in the volume level. After a while, as the students get down to work, the amount of noise is reduced. 6. I love the books. I want to see many more! Reading is my favorite thing to do and I always find the best books here! Reading is our favorite thing to do, too! I’m doubly glad to learn that we share the love of books and that we have the best books for you. 7. The automatic return inside the library needs to be larger, i.e., able to facilitate quicker return of checked-out items when there is more than one person returning library items. Thank you. In order to insure the accuracy of check in for library materials, the automatic return inside the library can only check in one item at a time. If you need to return your materials more quickly, please use our 24- hour return located just outside the library entrance or our drive-up book returned located at the north end of the parking lot. 8. Rebecca saved my grandson from being very sad! She is a hero in our family since she found a game my grandson wanted so badly and had on hold and nobody could find, but she did!! Thank you! You’re welcome! Thanks much for recognizing Rebekah, one of our star librarians. All of us on staff are pleased to be at your service. 9. The telephone renewal system is now more difficult. The automated voice used to read back the titles; now the patron must read in the barcode numbers. You can’t do this if the items aren’t at hand. Also “renew all” just gives the bar codes. 10. It’s really frustrating with having to list book numbers when renewing. The new system is slower and more complicated. Can you go back to titles? Please? We apologize for your frustration with our new telephone renewal system. If you have your library card handy, you can always call the library and ask to speak to a circulation clerk. The clerk will be happy to renew your materials for you without the bar code of the item you are trying to renew. If you have internet access, please try renewing through our Website, www.wnpl.info . All you will need is your library card number and your PIN. No other numbers will be necessary to renew your library materials. 11. Let family members check out items reserved by other family members. This is INFRURIATING!!! 12. I would like to express my dislike of the new policy that does not allow holds to be checked out by other family members. I was here to check out books and was not allowed to take my daughter’s book that she had on hold. Now, she is required to make a trip to the library – not very eco-friendly! Beginning on November 1, 2010, the library began notifying our patrons that our new integrated library system would not have the ability to transfer holds from one library card to another. We now have new library cards which have a duplicate library card in the form of a key tag. We encourage you to use these duplicate cards if you are picking up holds for other family members. Thank you for taking the time to help us improve our service to you. Stephen Bero, Director Patron comments appear here unabridged and unedited.