Field Services Division - Serving Public Libraries

The Field Services Division provides support to public libraries to better provide library service to the citizens of Kentucky. Through consultation, technical assistance, and financial aid, this Division supports the development of all aspects of public library services as mandated by KRS 171.140. It provides direct state aid to local public libraries as provided in KRS 171.201. In addition, reading materials and services are provided to Kentucky's blind and physically disabled population and to its institutionalized population as required in KRS 171.145 and KRS 171.150.

Public Libraries - Customer Service

Field Services Div. Director Judith Gibbons and Public Library Development Manager Michael Jones present Menifee County staff with a bookmobile seal.

Over 50 Years of Kentucky Bookmobiles

In November and December 2004, over 150 public librarians attended local events to celebrate the Golden Anniversary of Kentucky’s Bookmobile program. Former and current KDLA staff discussed the history and development of public library outreach efforts, as well as the program’s present status. Events were held at 7 locations across the state. Both current and former bookmobile and outreach staff were awarded a 50th Anniversary vehicle decal, and a pin to commemorate their service. The highlight of each gathering was when participants reminisced and shared stories of the joys and trials of being a Kentucky “Bookmobiler.”

The purpose of Bookmobile and Outreach services is to provide library services and resources to all Kentuckians, especially those who are unable to travel to the library because of age, disability, poverty, or lack of transportation. The program dates back to 1887, when a Louisville literary club started the Traveling Book Project. From 1934 -1943, rural residents of Eastern Kentucky were served by Packhorse Librarians, who traveled 50 - 80 miles a week on horseback to provide reading materials to those who did not have access to them. At its peak, 30 traveling libraries served more than 10,000 Kentuckians.

The modern Bookmobile program began on September 16, 1954 with a parade. A mile of bookmobiles circled the old State Fairgrounds in Louisville, and 100 vehicles were presented to recipient counties by the Friends of Kentucky Libraries. Kentucky has the largest bookmobile program in the country, with a fleet of more than 100 vehicles ranging from a small hatchback, to traditional step vans, to modern “cybermobiles”—complete with Internet access. They are the most efficient and least expensive way to provide library services to those who otherwise would not be able to access them.

The bookmobiles serve all ages in urban, suburban and rural communities, with scheduled stops at day care centers, schools, after school programs, senior citizen centers, and nursing homes. Whether on horseback or on wheels, if you cannot come to the library, the library can come to you.

Kentucky Talking Book Library

In September 2004, KTBL celebrated 35 years of providing library service to Kentuckians who have visual or physical disabilities which prevent them from reading print. The occasion was marked with a public reception on Tuesday, September 14, at KDLA's Clark-Cooper Building in Frankfort.

About 75 people attended, including Education Cabinet Secretary Virginia Fox, authors David and Lalie Dick, and National Library Service Consultant Deborah Toomey. There were also representatives from several organizations who serve the visually impaired, such as the Charles W. McDowell Center and the Low Vision Services of Kentucky. Most importantly, it gave patrons the chance to meet KTBL staff and volunteer narrators face to face.

The heart of KTBL’s services lies in its sending out books and magazines in Braille and on cassette tape, as well as special cassette players used for playback. This service is free and materials are delivered to patrons’ homes via the US Postal Service. The program is part of a nationwide network of cooperative libraries headed by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, which is a division of the Library of Congress that was established in 1931.

Kentucky’s own Talking Book library began in 1968 when Governor Louie B. Nunn appropriated funds to establish what was first known as the Kentucky Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Prior to that, Kentuckians received service from the Cincinnati Regional Library. Patrons appreciated the service, but it took 3 - 4 weeks to get recorded books. The library opened on April 1, 1969 with a collection of 4,000 books on record for 1,700 readers throughout the state.

Today the Kentucky Talking Book Library and its two subregional libraries have gone from serving 1,700 Kentuckians to roughly 5,000; from only 4,000 titles to over 50,000. Future plans include the introduction of a new, digital format for talking books. Whatever the future holds, KTBL looks forward to continuing, expanding, and improving its service.

Read patron comments about the Kentucky Talking Book Library.

Poster Art from the 2005 Summer Reading Program, "Dragons, Dreams, and Daring Deeds."

Summer Reading Program

DRAGONS, DREAMS, AND DARING DEEDS was the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives’ 2005 statewide summer reading theme. To help students maintain their reading skills while on vacation, public libraries scheduled exciting book-based programs and activities featuring medieval history topics and fantasy literature. There was a related program focused on teens, called JOUST READ. Program participants dreamed of times long ago, read terrific tales of daring and adventure, and enjoyed activities filled with magic, merriment, dragons, castles, knights, and fun!

To help librarians prepare for summer reading programs, KDLA organized a 3-day workshop series. Presentations, activities and exhibits gave the 200 attending librarians ideas for promotions, activities, programs and decorations. Each librarian was provided a manual to use in planning a successful summer reading program, a CD of clip art, posters, and bookmarks. In addition to the workshops and materials, the KDLA website provided helpful resources such as bibliographies and product resources, as well as information on heraldry, Renaissance dance, and the Society for Creative Anachronism.

Every year sets a new record for participation, and this year was no exception. 121,967 kids and teens earned prizes by logging the number of books read or time spent reading. They also came to the library to take part in programs such as making a family crest, building a castle from refrigerator boxes, fencing demonstrations, magic shows, music performances, and Renaissance fairs. Summer reading programs weren’t just for kids—entire families joined the kids for the festivities, and an additional 10,092 adults took part in programs developed just for them. Whether young in age or young at heart, public libraries made summer reading enjoyable.

Librarians Talk About Memorable Summer Reading Program Participants

KDLA’s Regional Library Consultants

Kentucky has public library services in 118 counties. The resources and abilities of these libraries vary greatly, so KDLA provides a support network of Regional Library consultants, located in offices throughout the state. When public libraries are confronted with a difficult question or problem, they can turn to their regional consultant for guidance on topics such as personnel, budget, public relations, planning, and legislation. They also serve as liaisons between libraries, their boards of trustees, local government and KDLA.

These seven consultants travel quite a lot and face a variety of issues every day. This year they made 136,087 contacts and traveled 145,233 miles to make 1,120 site visits. The consultants organized 315 meetings dealing with construction, long-range planning, library cooperatives, and many other topics.

The regional offices help to support continuing education efforts for Kentucky librarians. They organized 86 sessions which drew 1,479 participants, and they used LSTA funds to reimburse library staff for registration fees and tuition incurred by other continuing education events. The regional consultants also held 56 library trustee orientations to familiarize new library board members with their responsibilities.

Children’s and Young Adult Services for Public Librarians

KDLA supports public librarians who serve children and young adults by providing training, consultation, and coordination of statewide reading promotions, such as the Summer Reading Program. KDLA administers federal grants for enhancement of early childhood services in public libraries and for projects to promote school and public library partnerships. Examples of such programs are:

• Prime Time Family Reading Time® is a unique intergenerational six-week program of reading and discussion designed for at-risk children aged six to ten, along with their parents. Developed and sponsored by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the program features award-winning children’s picture books that stimulate discussion about themes and problems encountered in everyday life. Discussions are held in public libraries and led by a storyteller and a humanities scholar. In 2005 KDLA partnered with Kentucky Humanities Council to bring Prime Time projects to eleven public libraries (Bracken, Clay, Fayette, Fleming, Laurel, Logan, Marion, McCracken, Owen, Pike, and Warren Counties). Approximately 195 families participated in the program statewide.
• Live Homework Help is an online tutoring service that contracts with public libraries nationwide to provide web-based services through which individual students work in real-time sessions with subject-area tutors. Students and tutors use online tools for instruction—“Instant Messenger” style communication, white board technology, and hot links to web sites related to the topics of tutoring. Tutors are trained teachers and graduate students with special expertise in online instruction. The average homework help session is twenty minutes. To evaluate Live Homework Help, KDLA made grants to eleven libraries (Grayson, Logan, McCracken, Nelson, Ohio, Oldham, Pike, Robertson, Rowan, Shelby, and Trigg Counties). During the school year, students across the state used online tutors an average of 758 times per month.

Library Construction

Seventy-eight of Kentucky’s public libraries are over 30 years old. This means their infrastructure cannot support 21st century technology needs nor meet the needs of disabled patrons. It also creates problems due to lack of space for collections and programs. KDLA helps libraries address these problems by providing a state-wide facilities specialist to help them make the best use of their building, or to guide them though renovation or construction projects. This consultant traveled over 20,000 miles to meet with libraries about facilities evaluation, space planning, security, maintenance, the Americans with Disabilities Act, site and architect selection, building codes, and to monitor construction and renovation projects. KDLA also offers construction grants for the Public Library Facilities Construction Fund, when money is available.

KDLA Publications

KDLA library consultants produce several publications designed to help public libraries better serve their communities. Current and archived editions are available online at http://www.kdla.ky.gov/resources.htm.

• The Kentucky Public Library Newsletter is a bi-monthly publication sent to approximately 1,100 librarians to keep them up to date on library issues and events held throughout the state.
• T-3—Trustee Training Tips is issued quarterly to 700 trustees as an aid in library governance.
• SelectioNotes is issued online on a quarterly basis to assist small and medium-sized libraries in their material selection process. The site had 15,125 hits over the year.
• The Kentucky Library News Digest is a collection of articles from newspapers and other sources pertaining to Kentucky libraries and topics of interest to the library community. It is emailed daily to 220 recipients.
• The Listening Post is periodically sent to all patrons of the Kentucky Talking Book Library to keep them up-to-date on issues related to their service and to inform them about organizations, events and products that may be of interest to those who are visually impaired.
• The One Page, a monthly online newsletter published by KDLA's Commissioner's Office, is designed to provide assistance to public libraries in the creation and maintenance of their websites. Past issues have examined various topics like Helping Patrons Find Your Website, Selecting Fonts, Using Color Correctly, Selecting the Appropriate Layout, and Manipulating Photos for Web Publication.

Public Librarian Certification

Pursuant to KRS 171.230-300, public librarians in Kentucky must fulfill requirements to earn a Public Librarian Certificate by attending local, regional, or statewide training events. Library staff must increase their skills and knowledge through continuing education in order to keep abreast of developments in the information age. This enriches the individual librarian, and in turn, promotes quality library service throughout the state and enhances the library profession as a whole.

KDLA works with the State Certification Board to administer the process. This year 243 library staff members earned or renewed their 5-year certificate by attending various continuing education events. Our Commonwealth now has a total of 882 active certified professional librarians, paraprofessionals, and other staff who have appropriate levels of education and experience to serve Kentucky’s need to know.

Continuing Education for Public Librarians

Throughout the year KDLA plans, organizes and conducts a variety of training activities to facilitate Kentucky’s public library staff and trustees in performing their duties. This training also helps them earn or renew their public librarian certification. 2,043 individuals participated in a wide variety of training topics; including:

• Widening Circles Vll: Stories and Laughter was a conference for Kentucky’s public librarians who serve children and young adults. It was held September 22 – 24, at General Butler State Resort Park in Carrollton. A total of 183 library staff took part in presentations that centered on folklore and storytelling.
• The first Library Managers Institute was held at the Leadership and Conference Center of Georgetown College with 57 new and experienced managers in attendance.
• The editor of The CREW Manual presented an encore session of her weeding workshop to a capacity crowd. The day-long session included hands-on practice weeding the collection of the host library.
• Thirty-seven attended the third edition of the week-long Network Administrator Boot Camps. Participants received a comprehensive introduction to managing current library computer networks.
• Get'em Started Finding Great-Great Grandpa: Genealogy Basics for Librarians was held with full houses at two public libraries. A KDLA staff member provided information-packed sessions for 52 people. “I have learned more in this workshop that I can use than in several workshops put together,” said one attendee.
• Thirty-seven librarians completed the two-week 2005 edition of the Public Library Institute. Some topics covered during this intensive introduction to the world of public libraries were library history, governance, intellectual freedom, customer service, collection maintenance, technical services, reference resources, children’s and youth services, and programming.
• The 2005 Trustee Institutes were held in July at four different state resort parks. They attracted 180 trustees, directors, and guests. The speaker challenged trustees to proactively plan for current services and future needs by effectively utilizing and managing library resources.
• The two-day Kentucky Bookmobile and Outreach Services Conference was held in Lexington in early August. The 99 participants from 63 counties could choose to attend various sessions. The keynote speaker made a dynamic and entertaining personal safety presentation.
• Two sessions of Secrets of the Super Grant Writers provided an excellent opportunity to learn and practice the steps of writing winning grant proposals.
• Not all CE is attended in person. In western Kentucky, 49 library staff registered for a short, online workshop provided by the University of North Texas School of Library and Information Sciences. The regional consultant acted as the monitor. To earn or renew certification, librarians around the state take online library science classes through KYVL. The regional consultants may choose to offer tuition assistance and 14 such grants were awarded.
• A new program of tuition reimbursements was established for courses taken by full-time public library employees at American Library Association-accredited library schools. Eleven libraries submitted 33 grant requests in an effort to “grow our own” professional librarians.

KDLA's Second Public Awareness Leadership Institute

KDLA conducted its second innovative "Public Awareness Leadership Institute" during the period of this annual report (the first Institute took place in 2002-2003). Eighteen Kentucky library professionals participated in the second Institute's four sessions, which were supported by LSTA funds. The Institute is intended to graduate a class of Kentucky public library "public relations professionals" who will seek to intensify the positive public awareness of their local public libraries.

The concept for this Institute arose from KDLA's 2001 series of public forums throughout the Commonwealth, which served to identify the community-held values of public libraries, to stress their importance to local communities, and to emphasize the need to raise citizens' consciousness about their local public libraries.

The participants were selected through a nomination and application process, and agreed to attend all four two-day sessions (March, May, July, and September, 2005) held throughout the state. The topics for the sessions, which were led by well-known figures in the library and communications fields, were "Discovering Your Strengths," "Crafting and Telling Your Message," "Working With Your Community," and "Presentation of Major Projects: Bringing It All Together." Leadership skill development and public awareness logistics permeated the Institute, and participants developed local public awareness projects for their libraries, to be presented at the final session.

Enrolled in the Institute were Pamela Walker, Allen County; Amanda Gilmore, Boyd County; Randall Winchester, Calloway County; Regina Merrick, Crittenden County; Beverly Cooper, Fleming County; Barbara Caron, Grant County; Tin Snyder, Hancock County; Peggy Stanifer, Laurel County; Kay Peppard, Lincoln County; Kathy Crouch, Madison County; James Mitchell, Meade County; Robin S. Ison, Mercer County; Sharon Shanks, Nelson County; Leeann Louella Allen, Pike County; Helen Williams, Rowan County; Paul M. Poland, Scott County; Elaine Munday, Taylor County; and Sammy Hancock Cundiff, Woodford County.

The participants gave the Institute sessions excellent evaluations, as they increased their skills in positioning themselves as community leaders, and became more skilled in energizing their public libraries -- and their partnerships with decision makers in their counties. A fifth wrap-up and evaluation session will be held in April, 2006.

Public Libraries - Innovation and Technology

Public Library Statistics

Each year Kentucky’s libraries submit statistical information to KDLA. The agency then compiles the data and distributes it as the Statistical Report of Kentucky Public Libraries. Libraries and their boards use this information in planning programs and policies, to review their progress, and to compare their library with others in the state.

Kentucky is in its third year of using Informata Collect, an online system for collecting public library statistical information. The Statistical Report details 77 categories within the topics of finance, staff, collections, circulation, attendance and technology. KDLA provided a training session in which a statistical analyst demonstrated the system and answered questions for 19 attendees.

In addition to the print version, the Statistical Report is available online at http://www.kdla.ky.gov/libsupport/statistics.htm. Those who subscribe to the online service Informata Bibliostat Connect can use it to create charts and graphs to organize and illustrate information collected by federal, state, and ALA sources.

Technology Consultant for Public Libraries

Technology keeps advancing at a rapid pace and it is difficult for a library to know how to best use it. KDLA provides a technology consultant who works with Kentucky’s public libraries so they can keep abreast of the latest trends and use them to their best advantage. The most common questions come from libraries who are in the process of either purchasing their first automation system, or replacing an outdated one. Many libraries have had questions about Internet filters and compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). The KDLA consultant sent out 38 email Technology Alerts this year to 120 library directors on these topics and more.

To further support technology in Kentucky’s public libraries, KDLA administers federal subgrants from the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Nine libraries shared a total of $169,762 in funds used for the equipment and other materials necessary to automate their systems. Another six libraries received a total of $118,238 in subgrants for developing new and innovative technological solutions to customer service problems.

E-rate

The Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism’s Educational Rate, (commonly referred to as E-rate), is a federal program that provides reduced-cost telecommunications and Internet services to libraries and schools. The discount received is based upon poverty levels in the library service area--anywhere from 20%-90%. Fifty-six Kentucky libraries sought guidance from KDLA in order to take advantage of the program. Kentucky public libraries received $681,668 in discounts this year, at an average rate of 70%. The awards ranged from $147 to $266,613, but the average amount was $12,172.

Tax Rates

Most county library systems in Kentucky receive funding from local taxing districts. KDLA assists the process by receiving tax assessments from the Revenue Cabinet, then computing the allowable tax rates. KDLA furnishes the information to the appropriate libraries so they can set their rate for the coming year. This assistance was provided to 104 counties.

Listservs for Public Libraries

KDLA monitors two email discussion lists to aid public librarians in their duties. Kentucky Bookmobile Outreach Services (KBOS) is devoted to Kentucky’s bookmobile and outreach services librarians. By using this listserv, 144 individuals from around the state have the opportunity to share ideas, voice concerns, and make valuable contacts through their e-mail. Kentucky’s Youth and Children (KYAC) is tailored to librarians who serve infants through teens. The 288 subscribers can seek advice or share ideas at their convenience, plus stay informed about upcoming events. A third listserve, for Library Directors, is monitored by the Kenton County Public Library.