New Catalog System For Local Libraries

BERLIN – The Worcester County Library will receive a new catalog system this summer that will give users access to publications from eight counties in Maryland.

Jennifer Ranck, director of the Worcester County Library system, said the changeover from its current Lower Shore Library Consortium to a new Integrated Library System (ILS) will take place later this summer.

“We anticipate making the transition the middle of August,” she said.

Ranck explained that Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset and Dorchester counties are all members of the current online catalog system. The new consortium, however, will include the Eastern Shore Regional Library and eight member counties, the Lower Shore’s four library systems as well as Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Kent and Caroline counties.

“Patrons will be able to access the collections of all eight counties with the click of a mouse and we look forward to expanding both the number and variety of resources we can offer,” Ranck said. “We are also fortunate to have a regional daily delivery service that will help us move requests, often within 24 hours.”

In FY 2016, Ranck said the five county library branches had 251,962 items. With the new consortium, she estimates library users will have access to more than double that number.

“It will grow our collection and make it that much stronger,” she said.

Similar to the current system, the Worcester County library system will split the costs of the new ILS with member counties.

As it stands, Worcester County is expected to pay 18 percent of the costs. Ranck said this percentage is based on circulation, items and patronage.

“It’s pretty in line with what we have currently,” she said.

Ranck said the new consortium is one of the few changes the Worcester County Library is making to its branches. The Pocomoke branch’s meeting room will also receive a facelift in the coming week.

With funding from the Worcester County Library Foundation and the Eastern Shore Regional Library’s Grants to Libraries program, the room will receive new audio-visual equipment, including a ceiling-mounted projector, screen and speakers.

“Many different organizations and community groups utilize the library’s meeting room and this will improve the set-up for delivering presentations or lectures and for showing films,” Ranck said.

About The Author: Bethany Hooper

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Bethany Hooper has been with The Dispatch since 2016. She currently covers various general stories. Hooper graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 2012 and the University of Maryland in 2016, where she completed double majors in journalism and economics.