[Publib] Curbside depositories

[Michael Golrick]

Hi Cris,

I'm new here in Eau Claire, but we have a whole set of boxes at the curb in front of the Library building, plus....and this is amazing and wonderful...eight other sets around town located at major grocery stores. I know well the one at the store closest to where I live, and there is one box for books and one for the "non-print media" [aka CDs and DVDs]. We have a staff member who takes the Library van around at least once a day to empty the drops. Right now, I think, that person goes out in the very wee hours of the morning, so that we advertise that if you put something in, it will be marked as returned on that day. Here is what they look like, and our promotion:
http://www.eauclaire.lib.wi.us/services/borrowing_materials/returning_materials.htm 

The drops in front of the building are emptied several times a day, and remember this is not the sunny Southwest of Arizona (Will Manley's legendary book return comes to mind, along with PUBLIB stalwart Joe Schallan). They are emptied in rain, snow, etc. [My first official visit here was in a 7.5 inch snowfall on November 10, and my first day of work had an equal amount on December 4. I saw the book drops emptied each of those days, in spite of the miserable weather conditions.]

The staff here is incredibly dedicated to public service, and that is why we have the book drops.


Michael A. Golrick
Library Director
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library
400 Eau Claire Street
Eau Claire WI 54701
voice: 715/839.5001
fax: 715/833.5310
mailto:michaelg at eauclaire.lib.wi.us

>>> "Cris Adams" <cadams at elin.lib.nm.us> 12/13/2006 5:37 PM >>>
Does anyone out there have the kind of curbside depository that has two
slots---one for books and one for AV?  I've been checking catalogs, and they
look neat and would definitely make our patrons happy.  But I have several
questions:

(First I have to say that we don't lock our book drop.  This library sits in
the middle of a park, and the front door is quite a distance from the
street.  So we leave our book drop open 24/7 for people who just want to
drop off their books and go on, and we empty it every few hours when the
library is open.)

1) The depository openings are 3 inches high instead of the 4 inches for
regular book drops. Do you find some of your books won't fit well?

2) Is your drop fully enclosed, including the floor?

3) Do you find you have to empty your depository more often because there's
less room inside just for books?

Any other pros and cons you can give for this setup would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks,
Cris Adams
Hobbs Public Library
509 N. Shipp
Hobbs, NM   88240


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