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Harrison Memorial Library sees rising e‑checkouts, faces vendor shakeup after Baker & Taylor insolvency
Summary
Interim director Melinda Cervantes and staff reported rising electronic checkouts and program attendance for 2024–25, and warned that the national vendor Baker & Taylor is winding down operations; the library has shifted orders to Ingram and will re-evaluate purchasing and budget impacts.
Interim library director Melinda Cervantes told the trustees that electronic checkouts and program attendance at Harrison Memorial Library are rising while the industry faces disruption after long-time vendor Baker & Taylor failed to complete a sale.
“We received a Groundworks grant in the amount of $17,514.09” to pay for nearly transparent UV window film at Harrison Memorial Library, Cervantes said, adding that the film will protect the local-history collection while longer-term restoration work is pending.
Cervantes and library staff outlined circulation and programming trends: electronic checkouts increased by about 13 percent; youth services visitor counts rose nearly 11 percent; summer reading participation was up 98 percent (456 participants); teen program attendance increased about 37 percent; and Wi‑Fi use grew roughly 40 percent, which staff said may partly reflect employees using public Wi‑Fi.
On acquisitions, Cervantes and staff reported a major vendor disruption. “Baker and Taylor is closing after nearly 200 years of service,” she said. The company attempted a sale that collapsed in September, and the library expects Baker & Taylor to remain operational only through December. Staff have shifted many orders to Ingram and are purchasing some items from Amazon that will need in‑house processing. The library’s acquisitions lead has been “tracking this for about six months,” Cervantes said.
Library staff cautioned that some new‑item holds and requests may be delayed while the library adjusts suppliers and pricing. Trustees agreed to consider the procurement and budgetary effects during the January budget update.
Cervantes also described progress on patron data management: the library performs periodic purges of inactive cardholders so the cardholder database remains current, and inactive patrons may reactivate their cards.
The trustees received the report; no formal board action was required.
The report also introduced Melinda Cervantes to the board as interim director; Cervantes said she is in her fourth week and is reviewing projects and community programs while the city proceeds with the search for a permanent director.
