$280,000 Christy-Houston Gift Enables Linebaugh Library To Better Serve Patrons

November 25, 2009

The Christy-Houston Foundation has awarded more than $280,000 to Linebaugh Public Library System for the implementation of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, to help boost efficiency and allow staff members to spend more time working one-on-one with its patrons. Along with the RFID system, the library will be able to purchase some much needed items that were not funded in the normal operating budget.

The library system currently maintains over 281,000 items, circulates over 1 million items annually, and has a patron base of over 125,000 at its four branches and bookmobile. RFID technology will assist the library’s staff members in their efforts to meet increasing patron needs for services, said LPLS Director Rita Shacklett. The system will also enhance the security of the library’s collection.

Despite the overall national economic downturn, Rutherford County continues to be ranked as the fastest growing county in Tennessee (U.S. Census Bureau, May 2009). “Our county’s residents deserve to have a library system to meet their increasing needs. With the state of the economy, many of our patrons coming in need resources for jobs,” Shacklett said. “We will be able to offer more one-on-one customer service once we have the new technology.”

RFID will allow for materials to be checked out and returned faster, which helps put the items into the hands of library patrons more quickly. RFID will also enable the library system to exercise better control of the books, DVD, audiobooks, music CDs, and other materials in its collection, by allowing it to more easily conduct inventory. “We consider library materials to be a community resource, and it is important for us to be good stewards of materials purchased with public funds,” Shacklett said.

An independent nonprofit agency, LPLS is jointly funded by Rutherford County and the governments of Murfreesboro, Smyrna, and Eagleville. This year, it received level funding, or no budget increase from the previous year. Although the library system did not have to cut hours or services, there were many budget areas where cuts had to be made, to offset increased costs. The grant from Christy-Houston will help the library acquire much-needed equipment and materials that were not funded in its budget, including:

New materials for all LPLS branches. Up to $20,000 will be spent to purchase books, audiobooks, and DVDs to replace existing materials which are out-of-date, worn out, or have been lost.
A new microfilm reader/printer for Linebaugh Library’s Historical Research Room to replace the current 10 year-old machine
A new service desk for the Youth Services Department at Linebaugh Library to replace the recycled 50 year-old circulation desk which is not child friendly or ergonomically designed.
A DVD cleaner, to extend the life of the library system’s DVD collection.
A new public copy machine for Linebaugh Library. Currently, the library leases its public photocopiers, receiving none of the revenue. By owning the photocopier, Linebaugh Library will recoup its costs for paper, as well as potentially gain a new revenue source.
Replacement computers and other equipment, such as a carpet steam cleaner and a vacuum cleaner.

“We want to say, many thanks to the Christy-Houston Foundation for their generous donation. LPLS is very grateful for their support. Their forward thinking will allow our library system to provide faster, more dependable service to our patrons by providing this latest technology,” Shacklett said.

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