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January 5, 2008

Changes at Cullman Library

By Karen Williamson

Cullman County Public Library System Librarian Max Hand took over after longtime librarian John Paul Myrick left the position in August. Hand served under Myrick as Assistant Librarian.

Hand graduated from the University of Alabama with a Masters of Library Science Degree, the only accredited program in the state, and was hired in February of 1998.

He talked about recent accomplishments on Thursday.

The interlibrary loan program is vigorous, he said. The library loans 8.5 times as many books as it borrows from other libraries.

“We borrowed 74 items and loaned 629,” he said.

Many requests were for books in the library’s special collections.

The special collections at the main library are mostly history and genealogy.

“You have to sign in for security reasons,” he said. “You’re only allowed a notebook and a pencil — no pens.”

Other achievements include completion of collections.

The Times is available either on microfilm or hard copy dating back more than 100 years, said Hand. Prior to leaving, Myrick made sure the library had older copies predating issues on microfilm.

“One of the things Mr. Myrick did before he left, he made sure we got back issues. We didn’t have that far back. Those we got from the state archives,” Hand said.

Hand said the library is doing “fairly good with its new up-to-date fiction purchases. It may take a little longer getting it than Books-A-Million.”

It is working on improving its DVD and music collections.

“We’re buying more country and religious pop lately,” he said.

Wireless Internet access is still popular. In good weather, residents can plug into the outlet at the front of the building and use their computers. Otherwise, it’s not uncommon to see people working on laptops in their cars, said Hand.

The Cullman library has 15 computers, Hanceville, seven; Garden City, one and two each in Colony and Fairview which are used heavily, according to Hand.

The Cullman branch will have a greater selection of tax forms, but branches will have basic forms.

While the library has a position open for a Book Mobile driver, it is using a smaller van for its Raising Reader program.

The Raising Reader van carries kits to schools and daycare centers for teachers to use in their lessons.

The van is loaded with plastic containers filled with books, articles and arts and craft ideas for holidays like Halloween, or on the subject of promoting manners or on indigenous groups like Native Americans.

The Book Mobile was provided through a grant from the Library Services and Technology Act.

“A lot of the money for the Book Mobile was locally funded as well,” said Hand.

The grant had a 50 percent match.

Hand said the library files for book grants that have a 25 percent match.

“This last year we got a $10,000 grant for popular law books,” he said.

The books cover topics such as divorce, bankruptcy and custody laws.

The year before the library received a grant for audio CDs and the year prior for science books.

“It’s a good way to beef up our collections and get extra money to do it,” he said. “It’s competitive so you don’t always get it.”

This year the library is hoping to get funds for a microfilm scanner that will allow patrons to send articles or images to their homes via an e-mail at no charge, said Hand.

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