by Mike Knaak
editor@thenewsleaders.com
The growing popularity of the library lockers at Sartell’s Community Center has created challenges for readers as well as library staff.
Book orders outpace the number of available lockers, so readers have to wait longer than they’d like to receive books.
The program, launched in October 2017, allows readers to place online orders for books from any of the Great River Regional Library’s 32 brick-and- mortar libraries.
Library staff deliver the books on Tuesdays and Fridays for patron pickup. When the books are delivered, the patron receives an email to pick up the book order by scanning their library card at the locker control panel and the correct locker pops open.
Demand for books is so great that the 44 lockers are constantly full.
Library officials estimate more than 11,500 materials were checked out during 2018.
Started as a joint venture between the library system and the city of Sartell, the three-year pilot project is the only one of its kind at a public library. Sartell paid $66,000 for the lockers and pays for staff while the Great River Regional Library picks up the $5,820 maintenance bill.
“It’s an awesome service. I had a library card for 20 years, I didn’t use the library because it wasn’t very handy. This is incredibly handy,” said Sartell resident Ann Doyscher-Domres. “My husband had never been a library user. He had never ordered a book before the locker system.”
On a recent Friday, Heavenly Christensen, a library distribution assistant, delivered bags of books and placed them in the 4-inch by 14-inch lockers. Christensen delivers between 70 and 100 items per trip that includes books, CDs and DVDs. Most orders included multiple items bundled together with rubber bands.
“It’s a fantastic system,” said Sartell resident Gary Orman. “It has always worked very well for me. The books are there when they are supposed to be and the locker has functioned correctly.”
Orman usually orders fiction such as mysteries, thrillers and spy novels. He used to travel to the Waite Park branch but with the locker system, he doesn’t make that trip as often.
Users offer two solutions to the locker logjam – add more lockers or shorten the pickup time window.
Adding more lockers comes with a price tag. But all users can free up locker space by picking up books right away when the email notice arrives. Now, readers have seven days to pick up their books, the same time period for the branch libraries. Cutting that hold time to, for example, three days would free up more space.
Delivery wait time varies throughout the year. Summertime is busy, then demand slows when school starts and picks up again in October. During slow periods, the wait for books is usually less than a week. During busy periods, it can be up to two-and-a-half weeks.
In addition to picking up books at the community center, readers can drop off books for return as well as use a kiosk to conduct library business including paying fines.
“It’s a great service,” Doyscher-Domres said. “I hope it continues.”
Heavenly Christensen, Great River Regional Library distribution assistant, places books in the lockers at Sartell Community Center.
