Let Your Voice Be Heard at Library Town Hall Meetings
The Birmingham Public Library staff would like to invite residents of Birmingham to participate in the upcoming "Town Hall Meetings @ Your Library". We are seeking input from the community to help plan for the collections and related services in each location. Citizens of Birmingham are encouraged to share their ideas with us and explore the connections between quality public libraries and improved community life.
Adults and children may also fill out surveys online or pick up a survey at any Birmingham Public Library location.
Town Hall Meetings @ Your Library:
Place: Birmingham Public Library locations
Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Dates:
Tuesday, October 7 Central Library
Monday, October 13 Five Points West
Tuesday, October 14 Avondale
Monday, October 20 North Birmingham
Tuesday, October 21 Springville Road
Surveys: Adult and Children
The staff of the Birmingham Public Library is updating its collection management policy. A collection management policy is a tool that guides the planning, selection, maintenance, and distribution of library materials. This policy always includes a community analysis.
Adults and children may also fill out surveys online or pick up a survey at any Birmingham Public Library location.
Town Hall Meetings @ Your Library:
Place: Birmingham Public Library locations
Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Dates:
Tuesday, October 7 Central Library
Monday, October 13 Five Points West
Tuesday, October 14 Avondale
Monday, October 20 North Birmingham
Tuesday, October 21 Springville Road
Surveys: Adult and Children
The staff of the Birmingham Public Library is updating its collection management policy. A collection management policy is a tool that guides the planning, selection, maintenance, and distribution of library materials. This policy always includes a community analysis.
Comments
I won't be able to attend the Town Meetings, but my comments on collection management would be to take public opinion for things like the balance of fiction to non-fiction or anything else to do with books to be loaned out. But more importantly are the following.
>>>I would increase the holdings of original materials. Genealogy, art, poetry, history, letters and papers of known (and those who should be known) Alabamians.
>>>I would recomment that the library have several 10 megapixil (at least) digital cameras for patrons to use in the library for making copies of materials that should not be exposed to the copy machine. (UNC Chapel Hill Manuscript Dept. has them. Very helpful.)
>>>I would like to see state of the art copying machines allowing patrons to copy books without bending their spines.
>>>I would hold regular instructional sessions for researchers in archiving their own original materials.
>>>I would also like regular instructional sessions in how to cite the material in the library for adults and students. Many people are interested in genealogy, but in their later years they have forgotten the importance of citing their research and how to do it even if they know they should.
>>>I have heard that the books for the blind program has been dropped. I would encourage you to reinstate this invaluable program. It is essential to blind and disabled people. I would not only reinstate it, I would publicize it and actively seek out new members. And I would do anything of a similar nature to help disabled people have access to the wealth of information and entertainment that the rest of us take for granted.
I'm sure I could come up with other similar suggestions, but you get the idea I'm sure. Looking forward to coming back 'home' to my favorite library.
If you haven't already done so, would you fill out our online survey?
http://tinyurl.com/4mvsr9
We appreciate you taking the time to let us know your thoughts and ideas and may I extend to you an early welcome back home to Birmingham.