Libraries plan new chapter

Additional space is key to the future of Hernando's library system, which is bursting at the seams, says its new leader, Barbara Shiflett.

By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 15, 2000

Barbara Shiflett considers the Hernando County Public Library System a work in progress.

It has made significant strides since she joined the six-member staff 18 years ago as a part-time aide, Shiflett said. Yet, as the community changes and grows, the library must adapt.

Named library services director Tuesday, Shiflett, 42, sees the improvements coming incrementally. The library must compete with all other county services for the bulk of its money, she said, and it must modify its plans accordingly.

A goal to completely upgrade the library's database systems, which include information about book titles and borrower profiles, will take two years instead of one because of budget constraints, said Shiflett, who replaced Laurel Solomon, who resigned in November for health reasons.

Plans to add another staffer to the reference team also were put off, stifling an effort to offer additional classes to the public.

"There's a difference between wanting and getting," Shiflett acknowledged.

Still, she holds out hope that the system can make progress under her watch. Leading the way will be resident desires.

"I see our goal as to meet the information needs of the community," Shiflett said.

That's a smart way to plan, said Mary Jo Lynch, director of research and statistics for the American Library Association.

"The key fact about public libraries is to look at where the money comes from," Lynch said. "Eighty percent is local, which means the public library is a creature of the community."

That's why the association stopped reporting national averages, such as books per person, back in the 1980s. Even so, it still offers some library axioms.

For instance, a collection must be "live," Lynch said, and not simply a holding place for ancient tomes of limited use.

"Old junk does not attract people," she said.

Technology, especially computer access to the Internet, must be available as the information available there becomes more complete. More than 80 percent of public libraries, including Hernando, offer Internet access.

People old and young jammed a 10-station computer lab in the West Hernando/Staffordene T. Foggia branch Thursday afternoon. They surfed the Net, visited chat rooms and, in some cases, learned to use a mouse.

Ang Stanco of Spring Hill said he would like to see more programs for the computer "illiterates," among whom he counts himself. A professed military history buff, Stanco flipped through a book of battleships away from the computer room, unsure of how to join the classes.

"I understand they have a program, but I don't seem to get information on when they are available," he said.

Otherwise, Stanco praised the library staff as courteous and professional, and said he had no complaints about the library.

"I'm quite proud that we have a facility like this in Spring Hill," he said.

Jack Vigneau, also of Spring Hill, said he would prefer to see a branch more centrally located to the county's largest population.

"It would be nicer if we had the original one they planned on Spring Hill Drive," Vigneau said, noting that he drives 20 minutes to get to the branch on Cortez Boulevard at Deltona Boulevard. "And we could use more books."

In the main library in Brooksville, Jackie Carlton said she found plenty of material to home-school her 6-year-old daughter, Shanley.

"I certainly like the library," Carlton said, watching Shanley read a computerized book. "Almost always I can find (a title), and if I can't, they can get it from another branch."

Her main complaint was the length of time it takes to get a best seller.

Shiflett said she planned to deal with all of these matters, over time.

One of her first priorities is to open a free-standing branch in eastern Hernando County. The rent at the system's storefront branch in Sunrise Plaza is not cost-effective, Shiflett said, and the community deserves better.

County Administrator Paul McIntosh has put the move on hold until staff can evaluate all possible sites. He said he wants to have a facilities master plan that will look at the most strategic sites to place any county buildings.

"I don't think we should invest resources without having a sound plan in place," McIntosh said.

A new Spring Hill branch is "beyond the horizon," Shiflett said. But additional space remains a key for the library's future, she said, because the system is bursting at the seams. Hernando has 0.26 square feet of library per resident, compared to the state average of 0.41 square feet.

The system added 14,798 new titles last year and has plans to begin leasing bestsellers rather than buying them to get more of the books on the shelves. A plan to begin a compact disc collection is in the works, as is a reciprocal agreement with other libraries in the Tampa Bay area.

The library also participates in an interlibrary loan consortium to get research materials it does not have.

"I think the county has a library system it can be proud of," Shiflett said. "Staff and volunteers are well-trained and dedicated. Our technology is progressive. Our programs are creative. We're trying to meet the needs of our patrons to the best of our ability."

On the agenda

Establishment of a permanent, free-standing branch in eastern Hernando County.

Creation of a new, 20,000-square-foot branch in Spring Hill.

Full automation of the library lending and borrowing databases.

Increased availability of technology.

Continued addition of programs and classes.

Developing a larger collection of books, compact discs and audio books.

-- Source: Hernando County Public Library

Stacks stats

217,432 books, or 1.66 volumes per resident.

80,111 registered borrowers, or 64 percent of the population.

367 programs serving 12,301 patrons.

6 service locations open 57 hours a week.

$1,895,759 in operating expenses.

88,416 reference questions.

10,513 dial-a-story calls.

-- For information, visit the library online at www.hcpl.lib.fl.us.

Sources: Hernando County Public Library, Florida Division of Library and Information Services)

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