Santa Margarita library gets self checkout station
The Friends of the Santa Margarita Library received a grant from the Barbara Baltimore Library Foundation for $2,000. The Friends of Santa Margarita Library contributed $1,329.15 for a self-checkout machine. From left, North County Regional Librarian Joe Laurenzi with Friends of the Santa Margarita board members Pat Zimmerman, Pam McPherson, Jeannie MacDougall, Karen Wilkins and Elaine Taunt.
–Three libraries in San Luis Obispo County received grants the past fiscal year for specific projects from the Barbara Baltimore Library Endowment. One of those recipients is the Santa Margarita Library, which received $2,000 to purchase a self check-out station.
“We got a self-check machine,” Santa Margarita Library Librarian Debra Leal said.” Since I’m the only one here, [the patrons] can have a little more autonomy.”
She said it allows patrons to check out while she answers questions for other patrons, helps someone find a book or answer the phone.
The grant didn’t cover the full cost of the station, so the Friends of the Santa Margarita Library chipped in the rest, Leal said. The total cost of the station was $3,329. The checker has already been installed.
The Santa Margarita Library has grown it programs in the three years that Leal has been the library.
“We do a lot of author talks, children’s programming, summer programs, adults programs, teen book club,” Leal said.
Most of the funding for the small community library comes from the Friends of the Santa Margarita Library group. Most recently, Leal said, the group donated $4,000 to purchase fiction and non-fiction express books for children and adults. She said that the library sees an average of 900 patrons a month. In September, there were 938 patrons, but it fluctuates from month to month.
The library is located at 9630 Murphy Ave. in Santa Margarita. It’s open Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The other libraries that received grants were the Cayucos Library to purchase two Chromebooks for Cayucos Elementary students to use, as well as to purchase patio furniture to provide outside seating and the Nipomo LIbrary to purchase two Chromebooks and an after-school Edge computer for students 6 to 12 to be used for exploration, remediation, enrichment and homework assistance.
The Barbara Baltimore Library Endowment was created in 2011 with a bequest of $195,000 to the Foundation for San Luis Obispo County Public Libraries from longtime library volunteer Barbara Baltimore. According to the foundation, Baltimore’s mission “was to create a program of grants for projects that will be of lasting value to county libraries.” The grant program was established by the foundation. There is an application procedure for those library’s wishing to be considered for a grant. The application process opens July 1 of each year and closes on Sept. 30.
Programs and projects that promise to enhance library resources for coming and are determined to provide the greatest possible benefit to San Luis Obispo County Libraries for the longest period receive the grants.
