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Computers link 5 libraries in McKean County |
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Written by Publisher
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Thursday, 11 June 2009 |
Photo by Ted Lutz
Susanne Zampogna, director of the Friends Memorial Library in Kane, shows off a new computer that links all five libraries in McKean County. The computer has access to collections in each of the libraries. Area residents now can easily borrow books and materials from the libraries.
By Ted Lutz
Republican Staff
A computerized management system allows the five libraries in McKean County to act as one.
“The collections at all five libraries are now ‘searchable’ through one access point,” Susanne Zampogna said in explaining the system. She is the director of the Friends Memorial Library on Chase Street in Kane.
Zampogna said library visitors have “immediate access” to books and materials in all five libraries in the county. The Mt. Jewett Memorial Library also is linked with the system along with libraries in Bradford, Smethport and Port Allegany.
The system was set up through a Library Services and Technology Act grant of $55,572, Zampogna said. The Bradford Area Public Library administered the grant.
According to Zampogna, the system enables the five county libraries to “link their collections and share their assets much more efficiently.”
Zampogna said the grant was used to purchase new computers for each library as well as a “central server” and Follett’s Destiny Library Manager software.
Zampogna said Destiny enables the five county libraries to act as “virtually one comprehensive countywide library.”
By going to the new computers, residents can check on collections in all five libraries and borrow books and materials. Residents can either go to a specific out-of-town library to borrow a book or wait until the books are mailed to their “home” library.
Zampogna said the new “streamlined” system “makes it faster” to obtain books and materials from out-of-town libraries. She said the computerized system is “another tool” to improve the circulation of library books and materials in McKean County.
Zampogna pointed out that library-users are able to access the new service on the Internet at onescreenmckean.org.
The director at the Kane library also said that area residents still are able to access virtually any library in the state or U.S. to borrow books.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 30 July 2009 )
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