Some residents have said the community was left out of the loop amid the Boone County Public Library’s decision to reopen Petersburg’s library as an unstaffed or “Express Location.”
A recent meeting with Boone County Public Library Executive Director Carrie Herrmann focused on issues that have surfaced since the Chapin Memorial Library reopened on Oct. 30, Petersburg resident Deborah Dutton-Lambert said.
The branch had been closed since April 2022 due to staffing issues.
Now that it is reopened, the branch functions as an “Express Location” library outpost where patrons pick up their bookholds through a locker system. The branch, which is part of the Petersburg Community Center, also offers a Wi-Fi network, and books available to community members via the honor system.
“Ms. Herrmann noted that a third party was brought in to access the needs of the Petersburg community, including county officials, city government, workforce development, TANK and planning and zoning,” Dutton-Lambert said. “This third party did not meet with anyone in the Petersburg community and I personally find this egregious. Why would you put a plan in place without any consultation with residents of the community?”
Implementation of any new process or system requires effective communication in order for all parties to be aware of what to expect and when Dutton-Lambert said.
“It is our contention this entire process was flawed from the beginning either intentionally or just without forethought, as to how residents might feel about this process,” Dutton-Lambert said. “We now have a library that’s open with a number of problems.”
Among the issues is a malfunctioning scanning system the prevents patrons from retrieving from the lockers the books and materials they have requested from the library, residents said.
“People have ordered books over three weeks ago and there has not been a single person who has been able to retrieve their books,” Emily Steidle, of Petersburg, said. “Carrie (Herrmann) said that they (books) would be delivered on Tuesdays and Fridays.”
Among the other concerns, according to some Petersburg residents, are:
- No onsite signage informing residents the unstaffed library is now housed within the Petersburg Community Center and no details outlining the point of entry.
- No onsite signage detailing the unstaffed library site days and hours of availability.
- Once inside the site, there are no instructions available with regard to scanning cards or computer operation.
- Venue security cameras are mounted too low.
- There are issues with the location’s alarm system.
“We are aware of an issue with the locker system,” Herrmann said. “We have been delivering the materials to the lockers. They are in the lockers, but they’re not releasing when you scan. We tried several updates on the system. This is the same system we have at the Hebron location that we’ve not had this issue with. We’re looking into that.”
Part of achieving success for the community’s 139,000-plus people requires the library to reimagine the spaces and services offered – and the Express Location is an example of reimagining, Herrmann said.
“The Express Location is a new service model for Boone County Public Library,” Herrmann told LINK nky. “We expected when we opened the location on Oct. 30 that there would be adjustments while both staff and community members familiarized themselves with the new concept. We are making every effort to address the concerns that have arisen.”
The library is evaluating what additional signage is needed. Once the list is determined, signs will be hung at the location, Herrmann said, adding that there is also the possibility of installing a digital screen to provide library updates.
“We just didn’t have the staff to send down there and I didn’t want to close it forever,” Herrmann said regarding the Petersburg venue. “That was never a thought. I wanted to look at doing it as an unstaffed location, if we could not get staffing for it. We had to think outside the box.”
What Petersburg ultimately wants is a staffed library, Dutton-Lambert said, adding the resident group would continue to correspond with state legislators to attain that goal.
“There’s got to be a process where you engage folks in the community as you’re making these decisions,” Boone County Public Library Board of Trustees Board Member Eric Jackson said. “If it’s just a survey. You can have a town hall. I’m not saying the decisions were made badly or maliciously. The process of engaging communities in bigger decisions has to be more intentional.”
