Riverside County Library System

Last updated

Riverside County Library System
Riverside County Library System
LocationLibrary Management Offices
5840 Mission Blvd.
Riverside, California, 92509
951-369-3003
Fax 951-369-6801
Hours: M–F 8–5
Established1911
Branches35, 2 museums and 2 resource vans
Collection
Size1,550,173 books and periodicals
52,742 audio materials (CDs, audiobooks)
23,731 video items (DVDs and VHS tapes)
Access and use
Circulation3,464,547 items
42% are children's materials
3,170,424 visits/year
127,717 program attendance/year
Population served1,094,681
Other information
DirectorBarbara Howison (Director and County Librarian)
Employees214 (FTEs)
31 ALA-accredited librarians
Website www.rivlib.net

The Riverside County Library System (RCLS), located in Riverside County, California, United States, is a public library system composed of 35 libraries, two museums and two mobile resource vans. The RCLS is a member of the Inland Library Network. [1] It is the first library system in the nation that turned over its entire operation to a private company. [2]

Contents

Management

Prior to July 1997, the Riverside County public libraries were managed by the city of Riverside, California. When property tax money was diverted from libraries to schools in the early 1990s, the library system began to experience cut in hours, dwindling collections, and staff lay-offs. In July 1997, the County hired Library Systems and Services, Inc., located in Germantown, Maryland to operate its sprawling public library system. All library employees, except for the county librarian, janitorial service, and landscape maintenance, work for the private company. [3] LS&S divided the library system into three districts, increased hours within each district and added staff. [2] For its success, the RCLS Management Outsourcing Program became the 1998 National Council for Public-Private Partnerships Project Award Winner. [4]

Services

Retrospective

In November 2007, RCLS sponsored a retrospective exhibit of photographs portraying 125 years of Riverside County library history, "The Libraries of Riverside County: A Millennium of Service" in the lobby of the UC Riverside Science Library as well as traveling over 250 miles throughout the county. The exhibit was viewed by over 275,000 people during its year long exhibition. It commemorated public, private, academic, medical and tribal libraries in Riverside County. [6] In 2022, the System celebrates 25 years since the merger with LS&S.

Members

Library Connect Mobile Resource Vans

Libraries

Museums

References

  1. ↑ "Riverside County Library System". Your Electronic Library on the Web. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "One Year Later: Private Management in Riverside Co., CA". School Library Journal. July 1, 1998. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  3. ↑ Oder, Norman (October 1, 2004). "More on LSSI". Library Journal. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Riverside County Library System Management Outsourcing Program". ncppp.org. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  5. ↑ "2005 John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Winners". John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Winners. EBSCOHost.
  6. ↑ "Exhibit Honors History of Riverside County Libraries". Office of Strategic Communications, University of California. November 9, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2008.

33°58′57″N117°22′18″W / 33.9825°N 117.3716°W / 33.9825; -117.3716

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