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About First Regional Library
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First Regional Library is a five-county library
cooperative with thirteen branches located in Northern Mississippi. The
regional headquarters is located inside the branch in Hernando, MS, located
about 20 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee.
The System has experienced tremendous growth
in the past ten years. Today, it ranks highest in circulation among
all library systems in the state.
The circulation total for FY 2003 was 1,369,348.
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HEADQUARTERS STAFF
Catherine
Nathan, Director
Carolyn Head,
Assistant Director for Public Services
Marty
Coleman, Assistant Director for Technical Services
Clara
Gipson, Head Cataloger
Victoria
Penny Early Childhood Services Coordinator
Judy Card, Youth Services Coordinator
Ruth
Pierce, Regional Reference Librarian
Sandra
Childers, Business Manager
David
Brown, Public Relations Specialist
Libby
Weir, Acquisitions Order Clerk
Lee
Smith, Clerk Typist
Angie
King, Library Technology Specialist
Louise
Fox, Interlibrary Loan Clerk
Jennifer Fuller,
Business Office Assistant
Judy Sowell, Reference Clerk
Scott Vann, Technology Assistant
Michelle Williams, Clerk
Gilbert Marsh, Courier
Sherry McOwen, Processor
Ann Couture, Administrative Assitant
First Regional is governed
by an administrative board of trustees which meets monthly. The Regional
Board of Trustees is comprised of five members, one from each county.
Mrs. Marie Carlton,
Tate County
Mrs. Laurie Ryals Evans,
Tunica County
Mrs. Nora Dalton, Lafayette
County
Dr. Bonnie Buntin, DeSoto
County
Mr. Bobby Lewers, Panola
County
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YOUR
LIBRARY CARD
Your First Regional Library card
can be used at any of the thirteen branches in the system. Anyone who lives,
works, owns property, or goes to school in one of the five counties is
eligible for a free library card. The replacement cost for a lost card
is $1. The Library began to offer a special key-ring library card in 2000-so
if you want to turn in your old card for the new one, it will only cost
you a dollar.
BORROWING & RETURNS
Most materials can be checked out
for three weeks. Some audiovisual and reference materials have different
loan periods. While there is no charge to borrow library materials, overdue
fines are applied when items are not brought back by their due date. The
charges are 10 cents a day for books, magazines, audiocassettes, etc. Overdue
fines for videos and reference materials are $2 a day. Most items can be
renewed by phone or in person. Items on hold for other patrons may not
be renewed. You may return items at whichever FRL branch is most convenient
for you.
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LIBRARY SERVICES
These are just a few of
the services offered by the First Regional Library.
*Copy and fax machines
*Adult literacy facilities
including computer stations loaded with PLATO
educational software
*Interlibrary loans (borrowing
requested materials not owned by FRL from other library systems)
*Meeting rooms
*Adult and children's exhibits
and programs, including preschool storytimes and the Summer Library Program
*Information and Reference
services
*Daily courier service for
fast delivery of requested material
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The
following list gives the annual
circulation figures by branch:
Batesville
165,521
Coldwater
12,652
Como
24,262
Crenshaw
11,050
Hernando
181,017
Horn Lake
104,374
Olive Branch 203,515
Oxford 266,539
Sardis
23,615
Senatobia
120,994
Southaven 188,316
Tunica
36,525
Walls
30,968
*These figures only represent
the numbers of books and other materials checked out of the libraries.
They do not reflect the countless items used in-house.
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BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW:
While circulation statistics (number
of books and other library materials checked out) are not the only measure
of library service, they do give us an understanding of the sheer volume
of use. 2003 saw this volume increase to an all-time high of
1,369,348, the highest
in Mississippi.
The Library produces a number of
brochures, bookmarks, and other publications, including a quarterly newsletter
entitled What's Happening. Our mascot, Reggie the Reading
Racoon, generously allows us to use his likeness on everything from shirts
to bookmarks.
The Library offers access to many
different informational
databases which can be accessed from the
library, home or business.
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OTHER SERVICES
| The First
Regional Library was busy building its services in many directions past
year. Programs, Meeting Rooms, Reference Services, and the Children’s
Summer Library Program are a few of the many services provided by the First
Regional Library.
Last year the hard-working FRL staff
added 34,133 books to the collection. They also added 6,905 other
media items such as CDs, audiotapes, DVDs and videos. They are ALL
part of the total FRL collection of well over 551,000
cataloged items.
Last year 176,253 reference
transactions took place in FRL branches. In addition to these, thousands
of questions were answered through the helpful information provided on
our library web page (www.first.lib.ms.us).
In 2003, an estimated 156,052
hours of computer time were logged at branches of FRL by users searching
the Internet, doing word processing, or using any of the library educational
software programs. For many people, the public library provides their only
access to the ever widening array of information available only through
the Internet.
Last year FRL branches had over
1 million visits from people wanting
to check out books and other materials, find answers to questions, use
the library for research and/or e-mail, and sometimes, just to sit and
read or visit with the friendly library staff. |
In 2003,
First Regional Library branches held over 1447 programs for young people
from toddlers to teens, with over 55,223 kids attending. Many books were
checked out by eager young readers during the summer vacation months. A
record number- 6,674 children - registered for “Books Ahoy! @ First Regional
Library”, our Summer Program in 2003, and over 3,992 read at least 5 books!
3,316 items were interlibrary loaned
to other libraries in Mississippi and across the U.S., even as far away
as Washington State!
The Library continues to develop
its Internet access services. We invite you to explore ways we are
building your future by visiting our FRL web site at www.first.lib.ms.us. |
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