Technology Plan

I. MISSION OF THE LIBRARY
The mission of the Uintah County library is to enable and promote literacy as well as provide an alternative source of entertainment to the residents of Uintah County. While our emphasis is on books, reading and literacy; we will provide materials in alternative formats, including online (internet) access. We strive to meet patron requests, needs and interests, however, limitations on our funding and space may necessitate directing patrons to alternate resources. To accomplish our mission, we will cooperate with all Uintah County agencies, local educational systems, the users we serve, and with our community as a whole.

We will assist the public with knowledge of our facility, diligence, and courtesy.

In recognition of the importance of preserving our local history, the collection of the library’s Regional History Center will be protected, publicized, and expanded where possible.

We will provide exceptional library services to all ages and both genders, with emphasis on the early reader and children’s services. We will strive to have our facility and staff
meet or exceed all applicable local, state, and national library standards. We are a publicly funded entity.

II. INTRODUCTION
The Uintah County Library Technology Plan informs purchasing, staffing, and facility decisions in terms of current services offered, areas of inadequacy, and plans for the future. The plan draws largely upon directives from the Uintah County Library Board of Trustees as embodied in the Uintah County Library Strategic Plan. That plan sets the following major areas of service:

  • Connect to the online world: public Internet access
  • Learn to read and write: children, teen, adult, and family literacy
  • Satisfy Curiosity/lifelong learning
  • Visit a comfortable place: physical and virtual spaces
    In seeking to address the needs of local residents to have access to high-quality Internet access the library remodeled former staff offices to create a twelve seat computer classroom where residents enjoy high-speed Internet access through use of the Utah Education Network’s widearea network.

A variety of free-admission computer and Internet literacy courses are taught in the library’s computer classroom to interested members of the public.

III. TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES
This section describes a current overview of services offered, specific equipment utilized, and outlines new areas of demand, growth, or opportunity, and does so with “An appropriate level of complexity” for the nature of the services offered at a given location.

  1. Main Library
  • Overview of Services offered,
  • Anticipated growth and needs.
  1. Avalon Computer Center
  • Overview of Services offered,
  • Anticipated growth and needs.
  1. Senior Center Library Outreach Program
  • Overview of Services offered,
  • Anticipated growth and needs.
  1. Care Center Library Outreach Program
  • Overview of Services offered,
  • Anticipated growth and needs
  1. Anticipated rural Internet centers at Jensen, Lapoint

IV. GOALS AND TIMELINE
The primary technological goal of the Uintah County Public Library is to provide high quality computer access in the library, in a safe environment, sufficient to serve the needs of patrons and visitors.

One-year Technology Plan:

  1. Continue to plan and develop electronic access to Library-held local history materials.
  2. Continue maintenance and enhancement of the Library web page
  3. Continue to investigate, evaluate, purchase, and promote commercially available Internet databases.
  4. Promote through classes, web-advertisement, printed materials, announcements, etc.
  5. The Library will make available Digital Literacy (including Internet safety) tutorials though use of brochures, periodic workshops, and by linking to relevant material.
  6. Continue to define and address public privacy issues.
  7. Work towards addressing public handicapped accessibility to library resources in general and technology resources specifically. Seek grant funding to this end.
  8. Implement self checkout technologies.
  9. Enhance the library’s presence and services in existing (and new) outreach facilities including the following: Avalon Community Center, Uintah County Care Center, and
  10. new Senior Center/Brain Gym
  11. Apply for e-rate funding to connect these sites the Care Center and the Senior Center library areas to the Utah Education Network’s (UEN) wide area network.

Two-year Technology Plan:

  1. Implement a collection-wide inventory on a scheduled basis.
  2. Investigate and implement computer reservation and print management technologies.
  3. Begin tagging library materials with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags.

Three-year Technology Plan:

  1. Maintain a three year schedule for the replacement/upgrade of Library equipment.
  2. Continue to work towards the conversion of Library local history resources to electronic formats.
  3. Continue to develop, refine, and promote public Internet access and literacy.
  4. Continue to utilize modern electronic reference resources in lieu of print resources where practical.
  5. Address network-specific issues, such as adequate backup, bandwidth, and file storage capabilities.
  6. Continue to address and monitor LAN/WLAN and WAN security issues. Employ sufficient firewalls.
  7. Evaluate and assess broadband internet access vendors following expiration of current contracts.
  8. Obtain outside training opportunities for staff members.
  9. Direct, personal assistance is to be provided to the public as time and staff resources permit.
  10. Resources are to be provided in a manner that is as straightforward and simple as possible.
  11. User-oriented brochures, handouts, charts and other aids are to be made available to patrons.

V. BUDGET
The library’s technology budget is paid primarily from county residents being taxed on property and vehicle registration. The current budget covers both software and hardware
upgrades. Telecommunication charges are covered seventy percent by the Federal E-rate and the remaining thirty percent comes from the existing technology budget.

VI. TRAINING FOR STAFF AND COMMUNITY
The library recognizes the need to have an informed staff and encourages participation in training programs offered by the Utah Library Association, the State Library, UEN, and
local resources. The library will also offer training programs for the community at large as demand arises, and as staffing is available.

VII. EVALUATION
The library evaluates its progress toward these objectives and plans for updates to the Technology Plan. Patrons often make suggestions for technological improvements. Board
members also are very interested in library technology and are supportive of new projects and initiatives, and generate thoughtful discussion at monthly meetings. We encourage
dialogue among library employees about problems, solutions, questions, and pitfalls regarding our technology, and ways to better serve our patrons. Current and new
technological services and programs are based on input from visitor (patron), resident, stafffeedback, and professional standards.