On March 18, appointee Jim Hehner updated the city council with an overview of the Carmel Clay Public Library’s progress and five-year plans. Hehner opened his report with thanks to library director Wendy Phillips, stating “she’s one of the reasons our library runs so smoothly.”
The building is 14-years-old and projects have included updating carpet and repurposing rooms for book club and middle school student activities. Security officers have been hired for after school hours when the number of patrons sometimes more than doubles.
“In a large way, (they) act as a relationship-building tool with the young patrons of the library,” Hehner said. “We’ve worked on improving the traffic flow in the parking lot. We’ve done the best we can with the space that we have.”
Radio-frequency ID check-out systems and self-check kiosks throughout the library have eliminated long lines. Hehner said these features “have been very well received.”
Hehner highlighted an immediate focus on “exploring new ways to serve patrons who are geographically distant from the actual, physical building.”
To increase convenience for patrons on the city’s west side, a remote drop-box was installed at the CVS pharmacy at 131st Street and Towne Road. Patrons with extenuating physical circumstances can now register for Homebound Service by contacting the Reader’s Advisory desk to coordinate home delivery.
“We have a ton of online databases,” Hehner said. Access to Tutor.com through the library website provides live online tutoring for students of all ages. The service is free to patrons and includes assistance for job seekers. Plans include making the website more “virtual” by increasing access to additional online databases.
With a financial literacy grand award from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, the library will soon provide patron access to financial software.
Hehner recognized the dedication of the Library Foundation Guild and the Friends of the Library volunteers as a vital part of the library’s success. Community donations fill the library bookstore where all sales benefit the library. The Friends Spring Book Sale will be April 26 and 27.
Hehner announced the library will also be refreshing its brand.
“Keep your eyes open for a new logo in the next several months” Hehner said.
Visit Carmel Library Online
With a library card ID number, patrons can access free databases:
- Geneaology – Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest
- Pronunciator Language Learning
- Freegal Music
- Tutor.com
Visit CPL at www.carmel.lib.in.us.