Schenectady County libraries to implement temporary modifications starting Monday

November 9, 2024

Updated: November 9, 2024

SCHENECTADY — Starting Monday, Schenectady County Public Library patrons will experience a temporary ‍halt in placing holds on items. This is due to the library system’s initiation of changes aimed at enhancing its services.

This‍ modification is one among‍ several others ⁣that patrons should‌ anticipate in the upcoming weeks. The library system is entering a phase of “significant transition” following ⁣the decision ‍of‌ library‌ trustees⁣ to withdraw from a longstanding ⁤shared ‍catalog system due to disagreements over technology services.

“This transition is designed to enhance our service delivery to the community by making our services more ⁣accessible ⁢and responsive to the needs of our residents,” stated Charity Thorne, the executive director of Schenectady County Public Library. “Despite some⁤ temporary adjustments, these changes ‍will ultimately result in a more user-friendly library experience for everyone.”

Starting ⁣Monday, patrons‍ will temporarily be unable to place holds on materials in ‌the current catalog for pick ‌up ‌at ‌different branches. This service suspension is expected ‌to last until Dec. 5, when ⁣a new⁢ catalog system ⁢will⁤ be introduced, as per a recent news release.

The upcoming catalog system is designed to simplify the process of ⁢finding materials with improved search filters.⁢ This will enable ⁣patrons to check branch locations for items and‍ view⁣ all formats of a specific item, including ‍large print,⁤ audiobook, and e-book options, all in one‌ place.

Starting Nov. 25, Schenectady ‌County Public Library will operate in⁣ “offline ⁣mode” ⁤as it begins ⁣migrating data to the new catalog system. Staff will still be able to ‌check out items, but other functions will be limited, including:

Access to account information.
Renewal of items ‌or ‌processing of payments.
Searching the catalog for materials.
Performing other online services.

In February, the library’s board of trustees decided⁤ to⁤ exit the Joint Automation Project (JA), a shared catalog established in the 1980s between the Mohawk Valley and Southern Adirondack library systems.

The JA provided patrons from over 40 member libraries in‌ both systems seamless access to a ⁣catalog of more than 1 million items. The agreement also included IT services for member libraries.

Library officials have assured that leaving ⁢the JA will⁤ not result in the loss of any services. ⁢Instead, it will allow for greater control ‍over IT, leading to⁣ enhanced capabilities that will enable the library to ⁢better cater to the needs of⁣ patrons.

While Schenectady County Public Library remains a member of the Mohawk Valley Library System, there have ⁣been talks about the library⁤ potentially joining the ‍Upper Hudson Library System.⁢ These discussions have been put on ⁤hold as Schenectady⁢ County works on exiting the JA.

The transition process has already begun.

In August, the library⁢ announced the ⁢termination ⁣of “reciprocal holds,” which allowed patrons in Schenectady County‌ to request items from libraries in different municipalities and have them delivered for pickup at their local branch.

Schenectady County Public Library comprises ⁢nine branches‍ throughout‍ the county. ‍Over the past decade, the library has circulated nearly 10 million items and has seen over 238,000 children ‌and caregivers attend youth programming, and more than 100,000 attend adult service programs.

In September, the library introduced new operating⁢ hours,⁢ a ⁤change that now sees all ‌branches opened‌ on Saturdays, with‍ evening hours twice ‌during the ⁤week.

“We are thrilled about the future and the opportunities this transition will bring,” Thorne said. “We appreciate your⁣ patience and understanding as we strive to create ‍a library system ⁤that is more responsive to the needs of our community. ⁤We promise‍ even better service in the months and years to come.”

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