One card for all Wayne Co. Libraries

On April 27, Wayne County Public Libraries will celebrate being the first county in the Pioneer Library System to be fully circulating on OWWL Access, a shared on-line library catalog accessible via the web.

The catalog enables patrons to access over one million items owned by public libraries in Ontario, Wayne, Wyoming and Livingston counties. Patrons can also use their library card to reserve, renew and check availability of items. Items can then be picked up or returned at any Wayne County public library or the OWWL library of their choice. Pioneer Library System, which serves Ontario, Wayne, Wyoming and Livingston counties, now has 35 of its 42 public libraries on-line with OWWL Access.

On January 31, Red Creek became the final Wayne County library to become part of OWWL. The first Wayne County libraries joined in 2002.

Kim Iraci, Systems Librarian at Pioneer said, 'Libraries who are part of OWWL have noticed that their circulation is soaring and it's due to better patron access. Patrons no longer have to travel from library to library to fulfill their informational and recreational reading needs. They can log on at home, search for titles of interest, reserve the titles and have them delivered to the library that is convenient for them - often wiithin a couple of days. It also enables libraries to stretch their materials budgets. One library may have a large collection of books on tape, while another library has extensive collection of feature films on DVDs. Patrons can now view these holdings and take advantage of resources that are county-wide.'

The System is also looking at integrating electronic databases and other informational features into the catalog, to make it even easier for residents to do research remotely and from the comfort of home, at a time that is convenient for today's busy lifestyles.

The 13 public libraries in Wayne County will hold an open house and ribbon cutting on April 27, at the Red Creek Free Library to celebrate. Events include a special story time for pre-schoolers from 10 to 11, and then cake and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The library is located at 6817 Main Street in Red Creek.

In addition to the open house, each Wayne County Public Library will be accepting entries for a raffle basket filled with good things from Wayne County.

Entries will be collected April 25-30 with the drawing to be held the first week of May. The basket with the theme 'Another Good Thing' features representative items from each of the 13 public library communities. Basket items highlight Wayne County businesses and artisans and include donations from Mott's Foods and selections donated by Wayne County library directors.

Wayne County residents are invited to see all they can do with their OWWL card at

http://owwl.org

or to join us at the open house at Red Creek to celebrate. Start-up funding for OWWL Access was provided by Senator Michael Nozzolio, Assemblyman Robert Oaks, The McLean Foundation, The Bullis Advised Fund and Wayne County Supervisors. Wayne County Public Libraries who are part of OWWL Access:

• Clyde
• Lyons
• Macedon
• Marion
• Newark
• Ontario
• Palmyra
• Red Creek
• Rose
• Sodus
• Walworth
• Williamson
• Wolcott

Please feel free to contact the Wayne County Public Library closest to you for additional local information.

(Pioneer Library System, 2557 State Route 21, Canandaigua, 585.394.8260)

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