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| Established | 1873 |
|---|---|
| Location | Columbus, Ohio |
| Branches | 20 |
| Access and use | |
| Population served | 771,097 |
| Other information | |
| Budget | $50,000,000 |
| Director | Patrick Losinski |
| Staff | 794 |
| Website | http://www.columbuslibrary.org/ |
The Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML), located in the capital city of Ohio, opened its doors in 1873 in the New City Hall in downtown Columbus.[1]. Today CML is one of the most used libraries in the country. CML was ranked #1 in the United States for the third time by Hennen's American Public Library Rating Index for 1999, 2005 and 2008.[2]The ranking is based on such categories as circulation of materials, patron visits per hour and number of volumes owned per capita. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, in fiscal year 2005 CML patrons borrowed more than 16.5 million items, made 8.4 million visits to the library and asked nearly 1.2 million reference questions[3]
The library serves an area of more than 870,000 residents and has a collection of 2,500,000 books and periodicals. In addition, there are 260,000 CDs, records, cassettes, and other audio materials, as well as 176,000 video items, such as DVDs and VHS tapes.[4]In 2006, the library was ranked by Hennen's American Public Library Rating Index as #3 for libraries serving populations of 500,000 or greater.[5] The library is state funded and strongly supported by the citizens of Ohio which is shown by the passing of the renewal of a 2.2-mill property tax that will help fund Columbus Metropolitan Library development and expansion through 2012.[6]
The library consists of the main library and 20 branches conveniently located in neighborhoods throughout Franklin County. The branches are Driving Park, Dublin, Franklinton, Gahanna, Hilliard, Hilltop, Karl Rd, Linden, Livingston, Martin Luther King, New Albany, Northern Lights, Northside, Northwest, Parsons, Reynoldsburg, Shepard, Southside, Whetstone and Whitehall. Eleven out of the 21 locations are open on Sundays. CML also jointly operates the Northwest Library in cooperation with Worthington Libraries, Southwest Public Libraries and Worthington Libraries also share resources with CML.[7]
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Staffing
Staffing at CML consists of 794 employees, of whom 154 are fully-accredited librarians, plus volunteers. The system has 2 bookmobiles. The annual expenditures for the library collection totals $8,000,000. Patrons make 7,200,000 visits annually, and check out materials 15,400,000 times. It was found that thirty-five percent of all check-outs are children's materials.[8]
Services
The CML mission is "to promote reading and guide learning in the pursuit of information, knowledge, and wisdom. This mission is accomplished through the number of services and classes offered by CML. CML provides help for adults with GED classes, technology training for basic computer knowledge, adult basic learning classes, introduction to Microsoft word and learn to surf a basic internet classes. The library understands that today's children are their future. To keep the youths coming back to the library, they provide homework help centers that are currently in 11 branch locations. These are also accessible online. There is also help for children who are home schooled. They also have several teen gaming nights, book groups and a Manga & Anime club. Due to the growing population of Mexicans and Somalians, the library has an extensive ESL program at several branch libraries[10]. There is also Spanish reading time and classes for technology training taught in Spanish.[9]
CML has several Outreach Services programs. The bookmobile program, started in 1951, reaches kids and adults who can't get to the library in their neighborhoods. This program also goes to daycares and to Columbus Public Schools that are located in "at risk" areas. The Ready to Read program goes to daycares and reaches 1,200 low-income parents a year. The Lobby Stop program is for senior citizens in retirement apartments. It utilizes a specially-designed truck to transport book carts with large print books, DVDs and other materials and set up a temporary library in the common areas. The Book by mail program which started in 1977 is for the homebound. Large print books and other materials are mailed monthly or bi-monthly through the US postal system.[11]
Innovation
CML first offered its patrons a public computer in 1977 and internet access in 1997. CML now has computers at all library locations and some have laptops for loan. CML is WiFi enabled. CML was rated 3 times as #1 by Hennen's because it continues to put patrons first and continues to stay current on technological advances. In 2004 CML started the program "Know-It-Now", a 24/7 virtual reference service. [12]The "Proactive Reference" approach is another way the library is geared towards maximizing patrons' satisfaction; this approach ends the passivity of the reference librarians by taking the chair away and having the librarians interact with patrons throughout the library.[13]
References
- ^ http://www.columbuslibrary.org/
- ^ http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/10/03/clibrary.html
- ^ "NCES data for Columbus Metropolitan Library". http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/librarysearch/library_detail.asp?Search=1&LibraryID=OH0057&LibraryType=LS&LibraryType=CE&LibraryType=BR&LibraryType=BS&LibraryType=BM&ID=OH0057&details=. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
- ^ http://www.ohwy.com/oh/p/ploh0057.htm
- ^ "HAPLR 100 for 1999 to 2006". http://www.haplr-index.com/HAPLR100.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
- ^ http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/resources/selectedarticles/ALA_print_layout_1_24231_24231.cfm
- ^ http://www.columbuslibrary.org/ebranch/index.cfm?pageid=17
- ^ http://www.ohwy.com/oh/p/ploh0057.htm
- ^ The AIA Guide to Columbus.
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-12-16-who-we-are-columbus_x.htm
- ^ http://www.columbuslibrary.org/
- ^ http://www.columbuslibrary.org/ebranch/index.cfm?pageid=22&history_yr=4
- ^ http://winslo.state.oh.us/newsletter/sept07cma.html
External links
Coordinates: 39°57′40″N 82°59′22″W / 39.961238°N 82.989516°W
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