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Director pitches uniform two‑week due dates and Librista app as part of borrowing‑policy review
Summary
Director proposed simplifying all loan periods to two weeks with one automatic renewal and highlighted a third‑party app (Librista) compatible with the library’s ILS plus joining digital sharing through Libby; trustees said policy reviews are required every three years and any change would be communicated before implementation.
The library director proposed making borrowing simpler by standardizing due dates across loan types to two weeks with an automatic one‑time renewal unless an item is on hold. The proposal is exploratory and would be considered as part of the library's periodic policy review.
"So what if we just made it super simple and everything is checked out for 2 weeks?" the director asked, adding the system could automatically renew items "unless it was on hold for someone else." Trustees expressed concern about operational complexity, stamping dates, and public confusion and noted that policy reviews occur every three years by statute, so any change would be planned and widely publicized.
The director also spotlighted a free third‑party app compatible with their Integrated Library System (Atrium) that allows patrons to view due dates, renew items and request materials; she said city IT staff will help create a short video walkthrough for social media. Separately, the director said the library has joined digital‑sharing arrangements (via Libby and partner consortiums) with Siouxland and the Black Hills consortium to expand e‑content for patrons.
The board did not adopt a policy change at the meeting but directed staff to research technical capabilities and public‑communication needs before returning recommendations.
