CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CCCLS!
WE ALREADY KNOW YOU'RE GREAT...
BUT, IT'S NICE TO KNOW THE NATION AGREES!
1. Purpose
To proudly announce a significant achievement by our Contra Costa County Library System. The System was recently awarded the "2012 National Medal for Museum and Library Service" at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The award was presented under the auspices of "The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)"
Sections 3, 4 and 5, below, are interesting excerpts selected from the ceremonial brochure, which may be found, in its entirety, at this website (click here)
2. Background
This evening, I had the privilege of attending a meeting of the County Library Commission, sitting in as an alternate (prospective) for Library Commissioner, District 5, Greg Enholm. Approximately 25 board members were in attendance, representing the various Cities and Communities of the County. There were about 10 guests also present to show their keen interest and support for the System. County Supervisor Candace Andersen, District 2, was also present and spoke kind words of enthusiastic support and commitment.
I was surprised and delighted to discover this achievement and wanted to make sure you were all aware of another tremendous advantage we enjoy as residents of this remarkable County.
3. From First Lady Michelle Obama
“Congratulations to the winners of the National Medal for Museum and Library Services. This year’s recipients share a common commitment to excellence, spirit of innovative thinking, and determination to serve their home communities. By pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and embracing new ideas and approaches, these award winners have challenged the conventional notions of what a library or museum can and should be. Congratulations again. I wish you all the best.”
I am pleased to present the recipients of the 2012 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The Medal is the nation’s highest honor for libraries and museums.
- It celebrates libraries and museums that make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.
- Medal winners are selected from a nationwide nominations process.
- Successful institutions demonstrate innovative approaches to public service, exceeding the expected levels of community outreach.
- This year five libraries and five museums have been selected to receive the award.
- The ten institutions honored this year serve communities in both large cities and small towns, with users of all ages.
- The winners are representative of the great diversity of U.S. libraries and museums and include art, children’s, and science museums, a botanical garden, a school library, and several public libraries.
- They all share the common bond of having achieved extraordinary success at reaching out to the communities they serve in effective and inventive ways.
5. The Contra Costa County
Section of the Brochure
Section of the Brochure
Library Services on the Go
In today’s age of mobile platforms and social media, libraries are looking to extend beyond their buildings, and Contra Costa County Library is at the forefront of using new technologies to bring itself to its customers. “Technology is a means to an end,” says County Librarian Barbara L. Flynn. “And the end here is reaching our community and customers.”
Contra Costa County is situated across the bay from San Francisco, and many of its 1,066,696 residents endure long work commutes. A 2001 study by the U.S. Census Bureau confirmed that, at an average of 34.4 minutes, Contra Costa commuters have the longest slog on the West Coast.
To meet the needs of the commuting population, Contra Costa created Snap & Go, a mobile application for smart phones. When library cardholders with the app want to read an e-book, they simply snap a picture of a Quick Response (QR) code using a smart phone.
Within minutes, they’re able to download an e-book and begin listening. The library teamed up with the local transportation system, placing bus ads with QR codes that commuters could photograph as they traveled. “We could meet people where they are,” says Flynn.
Innovative Programs:
Cultural Access and E-Books
A new program, Discover & Go, helps library customers find free or low-cost entrance passes to local cultural institutions such as museums and galleries.
- Many libraries offer discount museum passes in paper or laminate form, but patrons must physically go to the library to acquire them. If the pass is not returned then no one else can take advantage of the discount.
- With Discover & Go, customers can order, download, and print passes from their home, work or library computers.
- The program allows cultural institutions to reach under-served populations while library customers can explore more of the Bay Area.
- In August 2012, the library system teamed up with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to offer a thousand $10 metro passes for those ordering museum tickets through the Discover & Go program.
- This partnership enabled lower income residents to visit cultural destinations without worrying about transportation costs.
Other initiatives include bringing e-book readers to homebound seniors, who often find turning pages and enlarging type easier on such devices, and holding workshops and fairs to teach library goers about available technologies.
That’s not to say that the library doesn’t embrace the basics.
For example, Project Second Chance trains tutors for adults who want to develop reading skills—sometimes to gain better employment, sometimes to read to their children or grandchildren. “We don’t limit ourselves to just technology. We excel at being at the forefront of a lot of technologies and services,” says Flynn. “Technology is just one way to provide what customers are asking for, what they are looking to libraries to provide.”
All Original Content © 2012 , The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved -- BUT, I hereby suspend those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along, if you think it will do some good -- as long as it's free of charge, unchanged, and you include this statement.
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