BY ANDREW BAILEY
BG Independent News Correspondent
The libraries of Wood County have used their collaborative nature to serve their communities while the statewide book delivery service regains its footing.
The State Library of Ohio offers a delivery service to paying members, where libraries can request books, and other libraries in the state fill the order. Books are then delivered to one of the multiple hubs in the state, and then dispersed to their respective libraries, via a courier service.
Contracts for the delivery services are managed by the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. As a result of a required “competitive bid process,” the state library switched from Priority Dispatch to STAT Courier on July 1.
Due to factors like statewide labor shortages, backlogged orders from the transition, and STAT not receiving all the ordered tote bags — which are used to carry the books — there have been statewide delays in delivery.
The Wood County District Public Library received two of the expected 13 deliveries between July 1 and July 23, with the closest statewide hub being in Toledo. As of July 23, the deliveries have been coming in as expected, according to Michele Raine, deputy director for library services.
But Wood County libraries still needed to provide reading materials to their communities. On July 9, they began a “mini-hub” in their garage to meet these needs.
Raine credited the mini-hub to the “creative problem solving” that comes from Woodlink — a collective of Wood County libraries.
“Woodlink has been instrumental in making our libraries what they are today. Whether it’s giving advice, sharing catalogues, or just having great working relationships, we’ve done a lot,” Raine said of the organization formed in 1990.
The mini-hub serves the libraries of Pemberville, Perrysburg, Weston, North Baltimore, and Fostoria. The Wayne and Rossford libraries are part of Woodlink but do not participate in the mini-hub, Raine said.
Staff from the participating libraries drop off books in the garage and pick them up, sometimes using their personal vehicles or making multiple trips in a day.
“It’s not as easy as having the statewide service do it, but we’re proud of how we figured this out,” Raine said.
Raine said the mini-hub is “working amazingly.” She credits its efficiency to the staff of each library and the three decades of collaboration and experience Woodlink has provided.
According the State Library of Ohio’s website, delays are gradually decreasing and delivery routes around have has less disruption.
In an email, Raine said “it looks like the situation is resolving itself.” But until the statewide service is fully functioning again, the Woodlink libraries will continue to use mini-hub.
