At the November 1st board meeting, it was unanimously decided to bring our library into the 21st century by going fully automated. Efforts will begin in January of 2023, utilizing an automation grant provided by the South Central Kansas Library System (SCKLS).

We will be utilizing TinyCat, a service specifically designed for small libraries, and currently used by the Nora E. Larabee Memorial Library in Stafford.

While most automation services are simply out of the question for us, because of their extraordinary costs and the fact they cater to larger libraries with larger collections serving larger populations, TinyCat is specifically designed for small libraries with small collections, like us. They are entirely web based, meaning there is no software or hardware we need to purchase. TinyCat is the most economical way for us to provide the advantages of automation without the exorbitant costs.

You may not notice any changes at first, but as the new year rolls in, standby. We will be inventorying and updating the collection with barcodes to make sure every item is ready to be checked out. We will also be updating library cards and issuing brand new physical cards to each patron.

As the new system rolls out, we will update you with the brand new features available for your use. We are excited and encouraged by the efficiency and usability automation will provide, but ask for your patience and understanding while we undergo this major overhaul of our operations.

As always, we could not do this without the outstanding support of our community! Thanks for all you do.