WebJunction

Something had to be done: Vineland is in New Jersey's poorest county, and the need for public access computing at the library was desperate. Head of Reference Holly Rogerson says the library realized, “We have to do more than the basics or we'll be so far behind.” In other words, the poorer the population, the better the public library has to be. With the help of the Vineland Public School District, the library had secured a grant to set up a 17-computer. But “more than the basics” meant they had to go further.

Sometimes when you face a big problem, it's time to think bigger. As the Vineland staff considered their options, their mantra was “access ... access ... access!” Though they can't quite remember whose idea it was, one day they looked at each other, took a deep breath—and decided to allow their patrons to walk out of the building, carrying the library's precious laptops under their arms, for a week at a time.

If you're imagining smashed laptops strewn through the streets of Vineland, you can think again. The young people in particular have been wonderfully responsible: Since the program started in late 2000, not a single laptop checked out by a young person has suffered serious damage or been lost. With an initial forty laptops in nearly continuous circulation, after 28 months only six have not been returned. The expected share of minor damage and other issues has been mitigated by the generosity of Apple Computer (the laptop vendor), which has provided some non-warranty repairs at no cost.

Of course, the program has been a huge hit with the public. Parents who have never darkened the library's door are getting first-time access to the Internet on computers checked out by their children. And families that have never been to the library at all are coming in, lured by the appeal of this remarkable opportunity to gain access to technology right in their own homes.

How did those crazy, visionary New Jerseyans make it work? There have been several key factors. First was the seed money, an Access-Collaboration-Equity grant obtained for the library by the Vineland Public Schools from the New Jersey Department of Education. Second was a passionate and committed staff — the program required extra duty in just about every library department, from circulation and technical services to reference and technology. And the program could not have succeeded without a carefully thought out, rigorous, and consistent plan for tracking the circulation of the laptops, addressing repair issues, and dealing with problem patrons.

So, suppose you're a resident of Vineland, you don't have a computer, and you need to bring one of the library laptops home. What do you have to do? First: pay all your outstanding fines. (This policy has been a tremendous boon for the circulation department, acting as a great incentive to get patrons caught up on what they owe.) Second: sign an agreement that outlines laptop checkout policies. In fact, the rules are remarkably simple, since the key to program is ... access! For example, if you ever caused any damage to a checked-out laptop, or returned your computer more than two days late, you are out of luck — no future borrowing privileges. Third: show up and check out the machine ... but you'd better come early, since an available laptop typically stays on the shelf for less than an hour before the next eager patron snaps it up. You get to keep the machine for a week, with a second one-week waiting period before you or your family can check out another. If you don't return your laptop on time, you get a certified letter from the library — and then, a few days later, a visit from Vineland's police department (to date, they've retrieved five wayward laptops).

The introduction of the laptops has required some adjustments to the library's circulation system. Since it can take time to identify problems with returned laptops, a paper-based checkout process has been introduced to work around the time limits on records in the library's online system). A spreadsheet inventory keeps track of laptop problems and when they appeared. And laptops must be carefully stored according to their status, so machines that aren't functioning properly don't get checked out until they are in ship-shape.

The course of true laptop lending does not always run smooth, and Vineland has had its share of issues to deal with. Holly Rogerson suggests that other libraries thinking about such a program should consider first the impact on library staff. At Vineland, there was an anticipated increase in circulation desk and technical services department workloads due to managing checkout and ordering and preparing the laptops. But in addition, the reference department has also been hit fairly hard with questions about laptop problems. And an already overburdened technology department has been faced with the task of keeping the laptops tuned up and running --replacing broken keys and fixing configuration problems, for example. Fortunately, the library's talented student assistants have made a huge difference by taking on much of the routine maintenance work.

A visionary idea and a needy population produced an exciting move into a new arena of library services. The Vineland library has taken up the challenge, and it has delivered success. This accomplishment took hard work, careful planning, and some gutsy, groundbreaking creativity. Has it been worth it? Just ask that kid over there, leaving the library with a broad grin and a laptop under his arm!

Thanks to Holly Rogerson, head of reference at the Vineland Public Library, for providing the information and photo for this article. You can read Holly's detailed article about the program in the November/December 2002 issue of Public Libraries; or drop her an email at hrogerson@vineland.lib.nj.us . Holly's WebJunction user name is hrogerson.