Local public libraries will be one step closer to offering a greater variety of books, DVDs and more after next week.

To make that happen, they are asking patrons for patience as the libraries reduce their services or close to the public from August 13-15. During those three days, the Lehighton, Palmerton, Jim Thorpe and Slatington libraries will change to a new catalog system that will eventually enable patrons to quickly borrow items from any library in the two-county area.

Dimmick Memorial Library, Lehighton Area Memorial Library, Palmerton Area Library, and Slatington Area Library will all launch the new SPARK catalog early next week. This is the next step toward the four libraries joining the Lehigh Carbon Library Cooperative, which will allow library patrons from any participating Lehigh or Carbon library to have access to the cooperatives’ half-million print and digital books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks.

“It’s a two-prong thing,” said Palmerton Area Library Director Diane Danielson. “There will be some changes now. But January is when the big changes will come.”

In January 2019, all 11 libraries in the cooperative will merge their catalogs and release one shared library card.

That’s when the real magic of the cooperative will begin, librarians say. A van driver will deliver materials from home libraries to the lending library each day, allowing patrons to borrow a book from any LCLC library within one to two days of requesting the book. Books can also be returned to any library within the cooperative, and a driver will transport returned books to their proper location.

“If there is a book that you want that we do not have, but it’s available in Lower Macungie, we can have it here the next day,” said Danielson.

Any user with a LCLC library card can also borrow books from any of the 11 libraries in the cooperative without filling out a new library patron application.

Items that are not available within Carbon or Lehigh counties will still be available through the state’s interlibrary loan system.

Next week’s switch to the SPARK catalog won’t cause a lot of changes, but they will mirror some of the bigger changes to come. Starting next week each of the local LCLC libraries are moving toward a more uniform lending, renewal and fine policy. In many cases, this means that patrons will be able to borrow more books at a time — and keep books for a longer period.

“Our loan periods will increase and the total amount of items one can have out at a time will increase from seven to 15 items. This includes up to three DVDs,” said Lehighton Area Memorial Library Director Melissa Hawk. “Fines will change. Some will increase, some will decrease.”

She noted that patrons will be able to borrow books for three weeks now, an extra week longer. New books can be borrowed for two weeks, also an extra week longer. And while late book fines will increase from 15 cents to 25 cents per day, late DVD fines will decrease from $1 to 50 cents per day.

“One of the biggest changes Lehighton patrons will see is the requirement that they present their library card each time they borrow items,” said Hawk, who noted that patrons will need to start showing their library card next week.

She added that patrons’ loan history will not transfer to the new system. Patrons who want to print out a copy of their loan history will need to contact the library before Monday, or print their history out using their library’s website. To do so, go to dml.tlcdelivers.com and log in using your library card number and pin. Click on the account link with your name in the upper right corner, then select account activity and loan history. There is a “print loan history” option on that page.

While there are changes coming, what won’t change is the personality of each library, the directors agree. Each library will keep its own board of directors and finances separate. There will be no staffing changes as a result of the cooperative. Libraries will also continue to plan their own events and cater to their community’s unique needs — all while benefiting from a much larger catalog of books, audiobooks and DVDs for patrons to borrow.

“The Lehighton library is growing and evolving, and one of the most exciting changes is the formation of the cooperative,” Hawk said. “In fact, it is one of the reasons I accepted the position at Lehighton. I have worked in the Berks County Library System, which has a very similar structure and I know what an amazing benefit it is, especially to smaller libraries!”

“I think they’ll be happy with it, especially that when they want to take a book that belongs, for example, to Whitehall or Parkland,” said Slatington Public Library Director Rosanne Pugh. “They’ll be able to drop it off here and it will wind its way back to Parkland on time.”

Pugh is also looking forward to the cooperative’s shared library card.

“Instead of registering at every library, we’ll already see the information that they’ve provided. That will make people a lot happier. It’s a lot less work,” she said.

Beyond expanding their catalog and offering a larger selection of books and more, libraries will also save a significant amount of money. Palmerton Area Library expects to save approximately $3,000 each year with the SPARK catalog system because the cooperative’s new system was partially subsidized by the state.

“That is a lot of money to us,” Danielson said. “To a small library, that is significant to our budget.”

Staff members at each of the libraries are continuing to prepare for the new system and eager to see patrons enjoying the benefits of the Lehigh Carbon Library Cooperative when it launches in January.

They have also enjoyed the chance to network with other area libraries as they worked together to make the cooperative a reality, said Danielson.

“It helped us to know each other better, and to know what goes on at the different libraries,” she said. “It was great to get us together and find new ways to help our patrons.”

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