Crook County reviews library core services; commissioners weigh bookmobile, digital access and room‑use fees

Crook County commissioners and library staff reviewed a draft core‑service description for the county library at a special meeting on Oct. 14, focusing on collections, digital access, programs and outreach as the county recruits a new library director.

Staff summarized the library mission: to be a welcoming community hub providing free, equitable access to information and civic engagement. Library staff reported strong usage figures: "We circulated 131,179 physical items this last year," and "with our digital circs, 41,689," while interlibrary‑loan volume outside the regional network was reported at 42,739 items.

The board discussed technology and outreach, including a 2004 Bluebird bookmobile that staff said is costly to maintain. "I think it was about $20,000 last year to get it back on the road," a staff member said, and they noted that the bookmobile currently "won't start," so a smaller van has been used for out‑of‑town stops. Commissioners argued the county should evaluate whether the bookmobile or the van provides better value and whether other outreach strategies could improve rural engagement.

Staff and commissioners also highlighted digital resources such as Hoopla and the e‑library, which together provide residents remote access to more than a million items. On programming, staff said attendance exceeded projections (9,312 attendees vs. 8,500 projected) and that 1,623 programs were offered last year.

Facility use was another focus: board members raised concerns about wear‑and‑tear in the Broughton Room and discussed potential policy options including commercial rates for non‑community uses, deposits, stricter enforcement of a $25 cleaning fee when needed, and post‑event inspections. Staff reported a recent camera installation and said finance policies limit holding deposits or issuing refunds, so any fee policy would require further research and options for the library board and county to consider.

Commissioners also debated whether to include a planned Juniper Canyon branch in the library's core‑services description, with staff recommending community input and stakeholder coordination before committing to a capital project. The board thanked library staff for maintaining services after the sudden resignation of the previous director.

Staff were asked to return with options and metrics for consideration; no final policy or budget decisions were made during the meeting.