PEARL RIVER COUNTY —
The Pearl River County Library System’s mission is to provide service, technology, reading and reference materials; respect the freedoms and rights of each individual; carefully plan for the future; listen to patron needs and concerns; and support the people and communities of Pearl River County. Through programs and services, the two libraries in the system, Crosby Memorial Library as Headquarters in Picayune and the Poplarville Public Library have consistently measured up to this mission. In most cases the services offered have been at no or very low cost to the public. The library system gets its funding from a variety of places. It receives a small amount from the federal government. The funds received from the state is a little more, but that, too, is being reduced. Most of the library system’s funding comes from local governments, the cities of Poplarville and Picayune and Pearl River County. The cities have been able to maintain their funding commitments. But, the recent budget cuts from the county have forced the library system to reduce its operating hours and increase some of the fees charged for certain programs and services. Pearl River County Board of Supervisors reduced the 2012 budget by $50,000.00 nine months into the budget year; $25,000 of that was returned, but the supervisors are cutting the library system an additional $19,200 for the 2013 budget year.
The reduction of hours was due to the severe cuts and the cash flow problem they have created. The staff was encouraged to use vacation time due to them during these closed hours, and to make appointments with doctors at this time. The professional staff has been furloughed four hours per week or 16 hours per month. The library system has lost 5 employees through attrition that have not been replaced. The library system no longer has the staff to maintain the open hours it did just a year and a half ago.
In order to increase cash flow to continue services and be more in keeping with libraries around the state, the Board of Trustees of the Pearl River County Library System decided to increase fees for certain items as follows:
Overdues:
Books 20 cents per day; audio books & MS Collection 50 cents per day; DVD & Interlibrary Loan $1 per day; other overdues will stay the same. All overdue fines will be capped at the cost of the item.
Photocopies and computer printouts : 20¢ for black and white of all sizes and $1.25 for color copies of all sizes.
Fees charged to use the meeting room:
Daytime (2 hours): $25
Evening or when library is closed: $35
Whole day: $50
Whole day & evening: $75 to $100 – at the discretion of the library director.
$100 deposit for any large meeting or reception where there is food served or at the discretion of the director.
Many of the fees are remaining the same such as:
First card - free. Simply bring a picture ID and proof of physical address to get a card. A replacement card is remaining the same at $2.50 for the first replacement and $5 for each replacement after that.
Interlibrary Loan - free. The cost of postage is being paid by a grant provided by the MS Library Commission.
The new fines and fees are in effect as of Monday, October 1st.
To meet the reduced library operating budget, the book budget has been reduced to nothing. To help acquire new books, the library system is instituting a “Sponsor a Book” program.
As of Monday, October 1st, each library will have placed a ‘wish list’ of books that would normally be bought for the collection. A person may choose a book from the list to sponsor and donate the cost of the book to the library. In this way, the library will be able to purchase the book in a binding that is special for libraries and many times at a lower cost than can be purchased at a retail store. A book plate will be placed on the inside front cover stating by whom the book is sponsored.
Each library has a donation jar at the circulation desks. The money collected in these jars will be used exclusively for the purchase of books for the respective library.
Along with the new fees, the library has had to reduce hours that it is open to the public. As soon as more operating capital is available in the new 2013 budget year, which will begin on October 1st, the trustees hope to reinstate some of the “open” hours that have been lost, perhaps in November 2012.
Features
New policies in effect at Pearl River County Libraries
- Features
-
-
southern gardening
Every spring the home gardener is bombarded with new and improved petunias for the garden and landscape, making it hard to decide which to bring home from the garden center. In my opinion, you simply can’t go wrong selecting any of the Supertunias.
-
arboretum paths
Spring is now in full swing at the Crosby Arboretum, and the show is well on its way toward a crescendo. The blooms of native purple Iris can be seen along the edge of the Piney Woods pond, pink “honeysuckle” azalea is flowering near the Pinecote Pavilion, and the yellow blooms of the pitcher plants — called “buttercups” by local residents — are beginning to carpet the south Savanna Exhibit.
-
USM set to host Children’s Book Festival
One of the most anticipated events celebrating children’s literature, the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at The University of Southern Mississippi, will be held April 10-12 at the Thad Cochran Center on the Hattiesburg campus.
-
Amber Bounds breaks six-year-old state swimming record
The Southern MS Aquatic Club (Mantarays) participated in the Santa’s Best Swim Invitational in Biloxi Nov. 30-Dec. 2. The Mantarays finished 6th out of 22 teams competing from LA, AL, FL, and MS.
-
Capitol Pages
Jonathan Fail of Picayune, and Lorrie Warren of Poplarville recently served as pages for the Mississippi Senate.
-
Yellow jasmine brightens yards
According to the calendar, we are just a few days away from the official start of the spring season. But if you have been watching the garden and landscape like I have, you’ve seen signs of spring for at least several weeks. The plants are starting to wake up.
-
Native blooms abound at the Arboretum’s spring plant sale
The long-awaited weekend is upon us – that time which comes but once a year. Yes, it’s the Crosby Arboretum’s spring native plant sale.
-
Welcome Center celebrates arts and literature in March
The Mississippi Development Authority, Division of Tourism will be celebrating “Arts and Literature” during the month of March. Each of the Welcome Centers will be decorated differently for this celebration.
-
Lamont Rowlands house important to historical heritage
Pat Crosby first moved to the Lamont Rowlands house in 1992.
Although she found the home in disrepair, she couldn’t imagine not living there and knew that was her new home.
“It just spoke to me, and it still does,” said Crosby, the wife of the late Tommy Crosby, son of R.H. Crosby. Tommy Crosby completely renovated the home and grounds. -
Pearl River County Arts League Art Show and Sale
Pearl River County Arts League Art Show and Sale will be held on Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 24, from noon till 4 p.m. at The Knights of Columbus Hall, 408 Carroll Drive. The show is open to all artists and admission is free to the public.
- More Features Headlines
-
Obama Offers Drone Strike Defense
Raw: Heckler Interrupts Obama on Guantanamo
A Slice of Apple History Up for Grabs
Johnson: Don't Blame Islam or UK Policy
Raw: 80-Year-Old Climbs Mount Everest
Wash. State Man Arrested Following Ricin Scare
Chain-Reaction School Bus Crash Injures About 50
Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness
New Forecasting Tool Eyed for Hurricane Season
Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge
Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe
Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor
School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones
Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage
