Suggestions & Questions from Our Library Users MAY 2011 1. To: Steve Bero Hi! How are you? Sandy at the Reference Desk is really very outstanding. The reason why is: Sandy is gracious in not only helping me but others. I have been in here a lot and got stuck with a few things. Ask the other lady, she was very snappy and I walked away quietly. Sandy then came and asked what I needed help with. She helped me and was also kind to the other lady, waiting. Sandy delightfully and joyously helps people. She goes beyond just work but her attitude and professional is a blessing to this Library and reflects the positive attitude that needed to be extended to people. Thank you, Sandy! Thank you and God Bless You. Dear Patron: Thank you for contacting me and taking the time to commend and compliment Sandy, one of our star librarians and a model of superior customer service. I thank you on her behalf. She and all of us on staff are happy to be of service to you and all of our patrons. Steve Bero 2. Please have a sign to return newspapers to the reading area so disabled people do not have to walk all over the library looking for them. It’s worse than it’s ever been. We regret that there have been times that you’ve been unable to locate newspapers that other patrons have been using. We do have signs to instruct the public how best to use the library, including signs stating where to return items. Our staff regularly polices the library to make sure that newspapers, magazines, and books have been returned to their proper places so that you and others can easily find them. Since we share library materials on a first-come, first-served basis, please be patient with your fellow library patrons who may be using the newspapers at the time you want them. 3. Bookmobile service is the best! We appreciate the public shout-out for our bookmobile service, indeed the best! 4. Hi, I have two reasons for this email. The first is to let you know that I believe that you have a wonderful library and a friendly, helpful staff. I use this facility often. My only suggestion would be that I wish you were open on Sundays all year. People are so busy these days that Sundays are really an important day for the library to be open. Saturdays are so filled with chores and for families activities with the children. My guess is that it is a funding issue which I understand but wanted to express my opinion that the public would welcome this great facility being open on Sundays the whole year. I’m pleased that you’ve told me how much you benefit from our library, and I thank you for your compliments. I understand your wish that we were open on Sundays all year round. And you are correct in your assessment that to open on Sundays in the summer would require additional funding that the library district does not have right now. Please know, however, that I have communicated your desire to the library board, who will take it under consideration when they develop a new long-range plan later this year. 5. If the WNPL closes again can you please at least have special time for book-on-hold pick up during construction? Kids back to school August 24 – where do they go? Close in July be better? You’ll be pleased to learn that we are going to enable pickup of reserved material during our next library closing. I’m afraid, though, that we cannot schedule that closing any sooner than the end of August. Indeed, we will be unable to welcome the school children back into our building until the next construction phase is completed at the end of September. We beg your indulgence during this closing as we work hard to bring you an improved facility on schedule and on budget. 6. Checking out material across multiple family members today is difficult and will get worse in November. Can the library make a Family account? One account with multiple cards. Our policy restricting checkout of holds to the card that placed the hold is in effect because we set a high value on individual privacy. That said, I understand where you’re coming from in your request for a family account and offer these suggestions. As our new library cards come as a duo of credit card size and keytag size, you can share cards among family members. You can also set up Library Elf, our email service that notifies you of holds, pickups, due dates and overdue items, to handle multiple cards. Please see a librarian for assistance in using Library Elf. 7. Vending machines – hot and cold beverages. They’re coming, they’re coming! The public vending area, which will include machines vending drinks and snacks, is on schedule to be open this fall. 8. Please put book descriptions on books “on-order.” Very frustrating! I’m pleased to learn that you find the book descriptions in the catalog beneficial. I’d like to inform you that the library has no control over this enriched content, which comes from book reviews and other external sources. Many of the books that are on order are new books yet to be published. The descriptions for these new books usually appear at or near the time of publication. Both you and we must wait until that time to see the enriched content appear in the catalog record. Thank you for taking the time to help us improve our service to you. Stephen Bero, Director Patron comments appear here unabridged and unedited.