The Chester County Library (CCL) was recently named as one of America's Top-Rated Libraries - earning the designation as a Star Library by Library Journal, a leading publication for the profession.
This is the second year that CCL has received this distinction in the 12 years that Library Journal has published the index. This year, the index evaluated 6,333 public libraries across the country. CCL joins just 261 other libraries honored in the nation.
The designation groups libraries with similar operating budgets together, then rates the libraries in five main categories: number of visitors, circulation, program attendance, public internet use and electronic circulation.
Libraries were evaluated and compared based on expenditure categories. In order to qualify for consideration, libraries must be a public entity, have a service area with a population of at least 1,000 residents and have a total operating expenditure of at least $10,000. CCL received a three-star designation within the $5 million to $9.9 million expenditure category.
The Star Library designation is just one of the many honors that the library has received recently. In 2019, it earned the Pennsylvania Library Association's State Library of the Year Award.
Marguerite Dube, director of the Chester County Library and Henrietta Hankin Branch Library, attributes the accolades to the library staff members and the resources available at the library.
"Our staff members are creative and innovative and are always looking for new ways to serve our patrons. We get comments all the time about how helpful they are," Dube stated. "We also have a wide variety of resources that people are always surprised to discover, (including) museum passes, (Wi-Fi) hotspots, business resources, e-books and Digital Media Lab equipment, such as a 3-D printer and virtual/augmented reality equipment."
She also expressed gratitude to the county commissioners, the Friends of the Chester County Library and the Chester County Library Trustees for their support.
Dube said that the most popular uses of the library include its internet access and its variety of children's programs. "We do get a lot of people who come just to study or work quietly using our Wi-Fi. We have even seen people in the parking lot using the Wi-Fi before and after hours," she said.
"The children's section is probably our most popular place," Dube continued. "We do quite a few story times each day, and our Summer Reading Club and Science in the Summer programs are very popular."
Dube commented that the library has changed dramatically over the nearly 20 years that she has been on staff. "As I mentioned, people use the library to access the internet through our Wi-Fi. They also use it as a gathering place to hold small meetings and collaborate," she said.
"There has been a much larger emphasis on technology, and our Digital Media Lab has become very popular, bringing people in who want to make, invent and tinker with the latest software and electronic gadgets," she shared. "We just added a 24/7 Holds pickup locker in front of the library so people can access their items after hours. Of course, in addition to print books, we carry e-books, electronic magazines, a language learning database and many more electronic resources for education and business."
Future plans at the library include some structural changes. "The county actually approved a plan to redesign the first floor of the library beginning in 2021," Dube noted. "The plan opens up the lobby area to relieve congestion, making it more accessible for wheelchairs, scooters and strollers," Dube pointed out. "We will also be adding glass-enclosed workspaces for private or collaborate use in the reference area. Finally, we will be combining the reference and multimedia desks to provide more efficient service to our patrons."
The Chester County Library is located at 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton. For more information, readers may visit http://www.chescolibraries.org.
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