Janet Lyon, in the library
Library District Assumes Management of Dayton Memorial Library in ‘08
Beginning with the new year, the Dayton Memorial Library will be open 41 hours per week and CCRLD Director Janet Lyon will become "Head Librarian".
by Ken Graham
Starting January 2nd, the Columbia County Rural Library District (CCRLD) will begin operation of the Dayton Memorial Library. The new management role is the result of an agreement signed in 2007 between the CCRLD and the City of Dayton, which owns the library.
"The most significant change will be the expanded hours," says CCRLD Director Janet Lyon. Beginning in January, the library will be open 41 hours per week. Earlier this year, library hours were increased from 21 hours per week to 32. The library will continue to be open every day except Sunday, and it will now be open Tuesday and Thursday evenings until 8:00 p.m. "These hours will be held through 2008, but we hope to be able to expand them further at some point," says Lyon.
Another important change at the library in 2008 will be a four-fold increase in the budget for purchase of books and materials. According to Lyon, the total acquisition budget will be $20,000 per year, with $17,000 for books and $3,000 for other materials. This is a dramatic increase from the $5,000 annual book-buying budget the City of Dayton has provided the past few years.
Because payroll and utilities account for nearly two-thirds of the library's overall expenses, the budget to operate the library is increasing significantly over previous years. The additional funding provided by county taxpayers is allowing the expansion of open hours, staff and purchase of materials.
As Director, Lyon will serve as "Head Librarian". She is replacing Lynn Williams, who is retiring after serving as Dayton's Library Director since 1989. "Everyone will miss Lynn. She's been the heart of the library for so long; it just won't be the same without her", says Tanya Patton, CCRLD Board Chair. "My children think of her as an extra grandma and she knows what practically everyone likes to read." Sue Hagfeldt, who has worked at the library for 20 plus years, will become the library's day-to-day Branch Manager. And Heather Stearns and Sandra Dare will work as part-time Library Assistants.
The CCRLD was formed after voters in the unincorporated county approved a 2005 ballot measure to establish and provide funding for it. Lyon became the CCRLD's Director in August 2007, after a long career with the Pend Oreille County Library District. She received her Master of Library Science degree from Emporia State University in 2003.
In February of 2007, the CCRLD and the City of Dayton entered into an agreement that provided for the library district to assume management of the library, starting in 2008. The City will pay the CCRLD $56,800 per year to provide library services to Dayton residents. The City will maintain ownership of the library facility, fixtures and current collection of materials, and will retain responsibility for maintenance and upkeep of the building. The contract will renew automatically each year unless one of the parties decides to renegotiate the terms or the city is annexed into the Library District.
In May, the City hired Assistant Librarian Heather Stearns and substitute Sandra Dare, and increased its hours from 21 to 32 per week. This was made possible by an agreement in which the CCRLD provided funds to the city for additional library staff in 2007.
Since coming to Dayton, Lyon has been working on setting policy for the library district and establishing the district's budget. She has also written job descriptions for library employees and has been getting to know the community. She has begun writing grants to help establish new programs at the library. Some of the new programs planned at the library are:
• Preschool Reading Program (begun
in September 2007)
• Quarterly Family Night
• K through 12 Book Discussion
Groups
• Adult Reading Program and Book
Discussion Groups
• Computer Training Programs—
especially for Seniors
Lyon has hired a web design firm to create a comprehensive web site for the library. She hopes to have the site up and running by February 2008. "We will have our complete catalogue available on line," says Lyon. There will be many databases available on the web site as well. New library cards will be issued to users who wish to take advantage of online services. "Anyone will be able to search our catalogue, but only someone with a library card number will be allowed to reserve and renew books online or access the databases remotely," says Lyon. The web site will be hosted free by the Washington State Library. The address will be www.ccrld.lib.wa.us.
As part of its agreement with the City, the CCRLD will manage the library and adjacent Delany Building as one facility. "We'll be referring to the Delany side as the Delany Room, since it's really all one building," says Lyon. The Delany Room will be open and available for use during all regular library hours unless it is reserved in advance. Use of the Delany Room will now be free of charge.
An open house is planned at the library in April. In the meantime, everyone is invited to come and meet Janet Lyon and welcome her to Dayton as our new "Head Librarian".
Copyright (c) 2008, Blue Mountain News