River Forest Public Library

Suggestions Received

Thank you for your suggestions.

The mission of the River Forest Public Library Staff and Board of Trustees is to develop, publicize and deliver a wide range of high-quality library services to the community. We welcome patron suggestions, comments and ideas for improvements.

Suggestions from:

July 2004 | August 2004 |September 2004 | October 2004 | November 2004 |December 2004|

July 2004 Suggestions

1. Three suggestions were received regarding a preference for the date due cards rather then the date due receipt.

Patrons may request a date due card in addition to the receipt, at the time of check out.

2. The ability to cancel a hold/request through the online catalog would be beneficial, because if someone while waiting for an item to arrive, decides they do not want the item, they can cancel it themselves online without making a call or visiting the library.

This is an excellent idea, and will be discussed with the Metropolitan Library System administrators who are responsible for the development and enhancement of the SWAN (Online) catalog.

3. I am delighted with the nametags for the staff. This is a suggestion I gave several years ago and it never happened. Good Job! I like the new countertop too!

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August 2004 Suggestions

4. Could you possibly subscribe to the New England Journal of Medicine? It is the best medical journal.

This journal is too costly and too specialized for our collection at this time. However, we would be happy to assist you in searching Medline for particular articles from this journal and then we can request the full text articles for you through Interlibrary Loan.

5. I would like a wooden step stool (like the one on the first floor) for reaching videos on the high shelves. The existing stool on the second floor is wobbly.

6. The copy machine on the first floor is in an inconvenient location and there is not a table upon which to place ones things while copying.

Other possible locations will be considered.

7. The Homework Zone should be put in the Barbara Hall Meeting room.

Homework Zone students need to have access to library materials and equipment that are not available in the meeting room.

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September 2004 Suggestions

8.  Please purchase more Looney Tunes movies.

We currently own Looney Tunes Back in Action and we have ordered Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. 

9.  The catalog instructions would be more effective if they were on heavier stock and done in color.

We agree. The text is being updated and light blue card stock has been  ordered.

10.  Make all of the computers all for kids.

It is hard to know exactly which machines you are referring to. However, we hope that you will be pleased to learn that very soon there will be two computers in the Childrens area that will have Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

11.  You need two new computers to allow patrons to look for books in your  collection. Tonight both of the existing terminals were in use.

You will be happy to know that the two machines by the periodical room now both have access to the catalog. Also, the Internet terminals may be used to access the catalog if one is available, there is a designated catalog terminal in the Childrens area and we will consider adding more catalog terminals on the 2nd floor in the future.

12. Bring the stamps back, the paper receipts are very impersonal.

The manufacturer has discontinued the date due card system, so we are unable to use it any longer. When you check out if you would prefer a hand stamped date due card, please ask one of the clerks to do this for you.

13. The front door is heavy and the switch to open the door is not working.

Occasionally the door sticks open, then in the process of closing the door, the switch is mistakenly turned off. If you find the door is not working when you visit our library, please report it to staff immediately, so we can check the switch.

14. In the periodicals/back issues room, there is potential for 1 or more spots for laptop users, etc. If some of the things there were moved to the basement storage and things shifted over.

We would love to be able to move some of the back issues you are referring to into storage. The problem is we have no basement and no storage. We are considering reducing our back issues collection to create some much need space on the 2nd floor. In the meantime, laptop users are welcome to use any of the study tables or nooks throughout the 2nd floor.

15. Bring back the card index file. Half the fun is looking in the card file and the other half is finding the item. Newberry Library has both systems.

We do not have the space, or the manpower to retain both systems.

16. I really liked the glass display case by the meeting room entrance and the types of displays you were able to place in it. I would like to see something like that again.

We are brainstorming to determine if we have a spot where we might be able to house a glass display case in the future.

17. Make a computer in the library for Internet use only.

If you would like to have Internet access and do not have a River Forest Library card, you will be happy to know we will soon be adding an Internet express station on the 2nd floor. Ask at the Reference Desk for more details.

18. The book display on the top of the bookshelf by the elevator blocks the sign mounted on the wall.

Yes, indeed it does. The signage in that area will be changed soon.

19. Could you please get the following books, The Clique, Best Friends for Never, Beijing Doll and Cut.

The Clique, and Best Friends for Never are both on order. Cut has been backordered.

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October 2004 Suggestions

20. Please tell people on the main page how to access their account.

The main page of the SWAN Online Catalog has a link with instruction to access your account. Are you referring to our main webpage. Please let us know.

21. Two individuals expressed this concern I would like to be able to obtain a replacement library card without being yelled at and rejected.

We would be happy to replace your lost library card. There is a $2.00 fee for a replacement card. The Circulation desk staff will be glad to assist you the next time you visit the library.

22. Please purchase more PG-13 rated movies.

We will see what we can find. Are there specific titles you were looking for?

23. Could you add spam guard to your computers?

The e-mail service you are using would need to provide the SPAM guard protection. We provide access to your e-mail, but we do not control the e-mail service that you select.

24. I would like you to provide computer classes. Something like How to use the Internet.

This is a service we want to offer very soon in a class setting. We are looking for the proper resources to be able to set the meeting room up as a classroom for just this purpose. For the time being any of the librarians would be happy to spend a few minutes showing you how to get to a particular website, or how to search for a particular subject on one of the Internet access PCs.

25. I love your books and the library.

Thank you we are so glad to hear it!!

26. There were three suggestions that we provide free snacks/food.

We often provide snacks at Adult, Teen and Childrens programs.

27. Is there a chance to take on-site computer classes-for beginners? I would be happy to pay a small fee.

This is exactly what we would like to offer. We are in the process of brainstorming to find equipment we could use in our meeting room to provide these types of classes.

28. Please consider purchasing The Teaching Co. This is an excellent source of University level lectures on video, DVD or Audio. You could even show Shakespeare-The Word and Action in the meeting room as a afternoon or evening program. Hundreds of titles are available.

What a wonderful idea. We will look into it.

29. I miss the step stool by the front desk and water fountain. It was helpful for my child to see and communicate.

The stool has had some safety tape added and is back in place in front of the circulation desk.

30. Varnish the exterior front door before winter.

This is one of several repairs that are to be completed on the outside of our facility before winter.

31. We had two comments regarding quiet, one specifically about the upstairs.

We have a security monitor roaming both floors of the building including the front of building from 3:30-5:30 to remind patrons to be quiet. If at other times you experience high levels of noise please tell any of our desk staff and we will assist you.

32. Please make more games available for children to play on the computers.

We are in the process of doing just that. Soon we will have new software in place that will allow you to sit at any of the Childrens terminals and access all of the games loaded on our system.

33. Please expand your books on tape selection. Also, consider extending the checkout to three weeks instead of two. Many people listen to these in there car and they average 12 hours long with a commute of 30 minutes a day you need more then two weeks to listen to the whole story.

First, you will be happy to know we will soon provide access to over
2,200 titles in MP3 format both fiction and non-fiction that will also be able to be played through your car stereo using a tape cassette adaptor. In addition we are actively working to add more books on tape and CD to our collection. Please feel free to suggest specific titles. Finally, you make a valid point about loan period and listening time, please be aware you may renew a book on tape or CD twice and this may be done over the phone or the computer.

34. Please purchase Geranomo Stilton books.

We just received 10 new Geranomo titles.

35. Please purchase Hemingway on tape!! Shouldnt we have a complete collection of E.H.s works? Also, more classics on tape.

You will be happy to know we are actively building our audio collection.

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November 2004 Suggestions

36. Please subscribe to Real Simple and Cuisine at Home magazines.

A subscription for Real Simple will begin in January. We will investigate the cost of a Cuisine at Home subscription.

37. I think the library should provide a room where you watch the movies.

It is possible we may offer a video viewing room in the future, where students and educators may preview a movie before checking it out to see if it will be helpful for their class or presentation.

38. Three suggestions were received regarding removal of the step stool from the Circulation/Information Desk.

The step stool has been removed and a lower desk will be established by the copy machine.

39. Be aware the end of the sidewalk to parking area has a metal strip exposed and the black topping does not reach it.

Thank you for pointing this out. We will investigate possible solutions.

40. A patron suggested we might like to use a Library User Evaluation form.

We will take the form under consideration.

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December 2004 Suggestions

Thank you for the great idea. This has been done.

42. I would like to be able to print in color from your Internet terminals.

Color printing is available for $1.00 per page.

43. I just wanted to tell someone what a wonderful library this is. I get excellent service always and always pleasantly. Thank you very
much.

Thank you for the compliment.

44. Put a marker in the back of book telling when it is due.

Date due cards have been replaced with a receipt printer, because the date due card system is no longer manufactured. You may request a hand-stamped card when you checkout if you prefer.

45. I would like a longer loan time for DVDs.

Starting January 15 the DVD loan period will change to seven days.

46. Just a note to let you know your reference librarians are worth their weight in gold. The circulation desk staff is tops as well.

Thank you for the nice compliments.

47. There were two requests to subscribe to Coin World weekly newspaper instead of Coinage magazine. Coin World is the favorite of numismatists with over 100 pages of information in each weekly issue.

We investigated and will be adding Coin World and dropping Coinage.

48. I would like to see you return to the date due card system.

Date due cards have been replaced with a receipt printer, because the date due card system is no longer manufactured. You may request a hand-stamped card when you checkout if you prefer.

49. Please make two spots for Library Use Only. I waited 1 hours to get to the library.

The limited parking is an ongoing issue. We are always looking for ways to improve this situation.

50. The drinking fountains on the first floor are in need of repair and cleaning.

This will be investigated.

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Thank you for the Suggestions, if you have more please let us know.

Revised: 9/15/07