The Windsor Free Public Library is located in the Berkshires with holdings numbering 5,453 and serving a community of 958 residents. The collection is available also to seasonal residents and visitors as well as having access to the WMRLS bookmobile. My first visit took place on March 21, 2008 when Becky (the project coordinator) and I met with the library director, Margaret and we talked about about what she needed from me and discussed the project. Then it was down to work with Margaret and I working as a team weeding the Fiction collection starting at Z since usually the beginning of the alphabet gets all the attention when any time for weeding pops up.
The fiction collection was in great condition and very current so we focused on making room and facing out some books so that they were more visible and attractive to browse through giving the shelves a more open and airy feeling. Going through each book, Margaret not only saw when it had last circulated but who took it out while making a mental note of what other books she could suggest to her users next time they came in. On that first visit we were fortunate to have a volunteer there who pulled Author/Title cards from the catalog, we boxed the books and put them aside until I could haul them to headquarters and into the Got Books container. A key factor is to complete the cycle of weeding, discarding, and boxing on each visit so that no loose ends remain and work piles up.
Now nearly two months later, the adult sections are completed and I have 2 or three more visits and we will be done. Both Margaret and I are very pleased with how the collection is more accessible and inviting.
If all that isn’t enough, Margaret is a retired librarian from NYC and we soon discovered that we both had worked at the same New York Public Library branch on 23rd Street, she in the 70’s and me just last year and here we were meeting up in Western MA.

Here are some before pictures taken on my initial visit. I'm working on the after pictures but as you can see, it is a wonderful small library with a lot of character but very little space so our work began.


Susana Villar

Windsor & Chesterfield Libraries

Circuit Riders have been out riding and libraries are being visited on a regular basis with new ones being added to the mix. It has been two months since we met as a group for the first time and and now a method and rhythm is quickly developing. We were able to get together for a meeting yesterday to exchange experiences, impressions and get feedback so that each of us can do our best work. The general consensus is that we are as happy to be at the libraries as they are having us there.
I have a unique opportunity to be working in two libraries simultaneously - the Windsor Free Public Library and the Chesterfield Library with the focus being on weeding. A few things have stood out for me and hold true for both libraries.
First is how welcome I feel and how willing both director’s are to get this important and necessary task done. They are well aware that weeding a collection is vital, as anyone who works in a library knows, yet it is often neglected due to overwhelming other demands. In the long run it increases circulation and just as important, allows patrons to see books which may have been overlooked before in jam-packed shelves. Also in regards to non-fiction, the collection will be current in certain areas such as health, business, law and have depth in other areas like gardening, cooking, history, art, and community needs. Both have nice selection of local history documents and area guides which we are of course keeping and the focus there is how to make them more visible and attractive.
At both libraries the directors and I have become a team with sharing not only the physical work but just as important the intellectual process that takes place. We are each others second opinion. Decision making works smoothly and we are in agreement almost all the time. More than once each director has told me that having me there once a week has really helped them to set aside a block of hours when weeding is the sole priority. Weeding takes time and effort and cannot be rushed if a good job is to be done. Even so, we have accomplished so much at both Windsor and Chesterfield.

Colrain, Griswold Library: Part 1

For those of you unfamiliar with Colrain, the Griswold Memorial Library stands out as a unique structure. The architecture conveys "library" amongst the New England style town. Its impressive stone presence gives a visitor, like myself, a sense that the Griswold is an important pillar of the community. Colrain sits northwest of Greenfield, near the Vermont border. Just under 2,000 residents can take advantage of a fast internet connection and over 10,000 books, movies, etc.

I'm traveling to the Griswold, on a regular basis, to help with the upkeep of the library through the Thrive Grant. (see grant project page) Under the guidance of the Griswold Library director, my main task is to improve the collection of the library. As a Circuit Rider I will examine the collection and sift out non-circulating titles. Those books we find will either go to new homes at literacy advocacy organizations (such as Hands Across the Water) or go in the library's book sale. Ultimately, the process of renewing the collection is to provide space for the latest arrivals while at the same time maintaining an in-depth, robust collection.

During my first visit, I met with Betty (the Griswold director) early in the morning, before the library opened, to hash out our objectives. Becky, the coordinator of the Circuit Riders was also present to facilitate the first steps. Betty lead us into the building and introduced us to the Grsiwold Memorial Library. From where we entered, recent arrivals wrapped around the small foyer area, on deck for shelving. The foyer opened into a central area where the circulation desk sits. Mirroring the exterior design, dark-wood, Corinthian pillars wrap around the circulation area. Surprisingly, the Griswold has a domed ceiling with magnificent detail with a stained glass piece at the center.

Two rooms branched off from the central circulation room. One area housed an extensive children's and young adult section (among other subjects) and the other end mostly housed the adult fiction and non-fiction titles. A handful of computers are tucked in where ever space is available. Despite the lingering piles of books Betty runs a tight ship.

Becky got the ball rolling and we dived into the stacks. We first focused on adult fiction. Betty maintains an up-to-date collection of fiction and for that reason, required immediate attention. Many books laid atop the shelved books for lack of space. As we considered each book, Betty's energy and expertise provided for invaluable insight into the Griswold's collection, its patrons and how best to accommodate the community. We modified and added criteria as we progressed through the first part of the fiction shelves. For me, the process of review trained me about the Colrain Library and who are the readers. Even with the initial training I still rely on Betty's

Typical library strategies for updating a collection include criteria such as circulation statistics, condition, relevance, etc. Circulation statistics represents a good indication whether or not a book would serve another reader base better elsewhere. Condition is the other easy way to keep a collection renewed by either replacing a book in bad condition or removing it from the shelves. As with my first visit to the Griswold, each library modifies weeding standards to best fit their needs.

Over a few visits Betty and I made our way through the first section of fiction, authors A-E. Now many of the new arrivals will have a rightful place on the shelves. We also made enough room to place books on display as well, giving the section an open and browsable feel.

Before

After

With each additional visit I hope to improve the Griswold collection and make the environment even more inviting than before. More posts on the Griswold will follow as Betty and I make significant progress in each section. I will post what challenges we met, how we overcame them and any other anecdotes . Other Circuit Riders are also in the process of updating the collections of libraries similar to the Griswold. My story will change as well, as I move from one library in-need to the next.

Orientation day for the CR THRIVE program where we all got acquainted and began our first exciting day. We are all proud employees of

Job Posting: Public Library Circuit Riders

Public Library Circuit Riders. The Western Massachusetts Regional Library System, through the 2-year LSTA Together We Thrive grant, seeks highly motivated, experienced individuals to travel to small public libraries in Western Massachusetts to assist with a variety of tasks. Tasks may include weeding, cataloging, collection development, space planning, automation, resource sharing systems and marketing. Please indicate in which of these particular areas you have expertise. Some training will be provided.

These part-time (5-10 hours per week) positions could include evenings or weekends depending upon an individual library's needs. Requirements: Ability to work independently with a minimum of supervision; to communicate effectively in written and oral expression; to apply principles of library science to solve practical problems; and to work and communicate as part of a Circuit Rider team.

Experience: Proven knowledge of professional library methods, resources and practices; Computer skills; Demonstrated patience and flexibility; Some knowledge of and sensitivity to smaller communities, their governance and/or their libraries.

$15.00/hour + mileage, no benefits. Must have a valid Massachusetts Class D Motor Vehicle Operator's License and a vehicle and/or transportation to member libraries and other meeting commitments .

Applications received by February 1, 2008 will receive first consideration. Additional positions will become available throughout the grant period. Please submit cover letter, resume and references to: Becky Marconi, Thrive Project Coordinator, PO Box 609, South Deerfield, MA 01373.