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G2S Project Code: 2015-NM-75938
State: New Mexico
Fiscal Year: 2015
Grantee
New Mexico State Library

Project Director
Director Name: Amber Espinosa-Trujillo
Director Phone: 505-476-9723
Director Email: amberk.espinosa-tru@state.nm.us
General Information
Title: Rural Services
State Project Code: 601187
Start Date: 07/01/2015
End Date: 09/30/2016
Abstract: The New Mexico State Library provides direct library services statewide to rural and under-served populations. The Rural Services program provides these library services by operating three bookmobile programs and a books-by-mail program.

The three bookmobiles and books-by-mail serve New Mexico residents who would otherwise be without library services. All types of library formats and genres are offered. 
State Goal: Goal 4. Provide library services to visually impaired, rural, homebound, and underserved NM residents, while exploring new models for delivery of services.
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$590,364.51
$0.00
$0.00
$590,364.51
Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Arts, Culture & Humanities
General (select only for electronic databases or other data sources)
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Direct Library Services
Narrative:

The Rural Bookmobile Program, established in 1956, provides life-long learning opportunities by offering library services to citizens living in rural areas without access to public libraries. DIrect Library Services to rural New Mexico patrons are delivered through three bookmobiles and the Books-by-Mail programs. 

The State Library operates three bookmobiles that provide information and services to persons in underserved and rural communities.  Each bookmobile carries up to 4,000 volumes and travels a monthly route of regularly scheduled stops to the rural communities in its region. There are over 4100 registered library card holders with the Bookmobile Programs.

Books-by-Mail is a book delivery service offered to rural residents of New Mexico who do not live near a public library  or  Bookmobile stop.  The service is also available to individuals in New Mexico who are home-bound because of a physical disability and unable to visit a local library or people who can only read large print books due to a visual disability. The books are mailed to the user and are returned to the State Library by postage-paid mail. Books that are not available at the time of request will be put on reserve, and will be sent to the requesting patron when returned by another patron.  Books-by-Mail serves 677 households statewide.

Now that Rural Services has converted to an online format, it is possible to migrate all records to the New Mexico State Library's Polaris system.

The NE Bookmobile was involved in an accident on January 4, 2016.  There was extensive damage to the vehicle which had to be rebuilt once parts were specially made.  This took the bus out of commission for six months.  To minimize the downtime for NE patrons, we attempted to repair the engine on the spare West bookmobile.  This resulted in a cost of $26K for the engine and repairs.  The NE Bookmobile was able to provide services with the spare Bookmobile until the NE Bookmobile was fully operational again.

 


Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Content
Mode: Lending
Format: Combined physical & digital


Quantity
Total number of items circulated: 36,346
Average number of items circulated / month: 3,029
Total number of ILL transactions: 6,834
Average number of ILL transactions / month: 569


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types
Public Libraries: 0
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 1
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 0
Other: 0
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important findings or outcomes from your project:
Every twelve months, the three bookmobiles collectively serve 24 counties 93 stops per month with a collection of 66,500 books, audio, and video items.Every year the bookmobiles travel approximately 55,000 miles, an average of 4,547 miles per month. The Rural Services program continues to implement Koha, our Integrated Library Service (ILS) catalog. Books-by-Mail went online first with their Koha ILS called Eclipse. Bookmobile West started circulating books in Koha on 06/10/2014; Bookmobile East started circulating books in Koha in 10/2014 and Bookmobile Northeast started circulating books in October of 2013 on both the bookmobile and the extension library in Cimarron, NM. Koha data entry consists of two parts: library card holders registered in the patron database and book/item entry into the catalog. Books-by-Mail and Bookmobile NE are fully operational with Koha. Both Bookmobiles East and West finished their library card holder entries into their patron database. Bookmobile East entered books and started circulating books followed shortly thereafter by Bookmobile West. During the 2015 LSTA grant period - 47,080 items were circulated through the following three bookmobiles: East - Tucumcari 4,770; Northeast - Cimarron 9,892; and West - Los Lunas 10,319. Total registered card holders: 5,605 with 1,615 actively checking out books. Books by Mail has circulated 10,942 items to New Mexico residents via their online and paper catalog from 07/01/2015-09/30/2016. Books by Mail has a total of 677 households with 364 active patrons currently requesting books.
Please briefly describe importance of findings:
The three bookmobiles work on an offline circulation system, thus the information will not be downloaded into the Koha ILS until they return to the office and connect to the internet. The availability of broadband throughout rural New Mexico is a challenge still, we are trying to bring the library services of the bookmobiles into the 21st century. All three bookmobiles will have all books entered into Koha as of January 1, 2016. We have accomplished the entry through the use of additional NMSL personnel, including other bureaus sending out their staff to assist in entry. ANECDOTES: From Bookmobile East: Jaime Tate, White Oaks.Bookmobile East had two vacancies from December of 2015 until September of 2016. "We are so glad you're back, we were afraid you would never return to see us. We love our bookmobile and the staff and are glad you are fully staffed and able to come see us again!" Bookmobile Northeast from patrons at the stop in Carson, NM. "This is the best day of my life. I love when the bookmobile comes for a visit.” “I've gone all over looking for books and your bookmobile is the only place that has what I'm looking for. Thanks for coming.” Bookmobile NE was in an accident in January 2016 and was in the repair shop until June, thus no onsite services were provided. Bookmobile Northeast from Des Moines, NM. "I didn't think I would miss the bookmobile as much as I have since the accident Great to see the bus up and running again!" From Bookmobile West: "When one of our patrons told us she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, we were able to refer her to several books that she said were very helpful as she coped with the diagnosis, treatment and recovery." From Books By Mail sent by Lupe, a patron of Hope, NM, "Good Morning, This was so helpful. I surfed the web page and found some other books too. I placed my order as this is so handy and convenient. You guys are doing an awesome job! Thank you so much! Have a super wonderful day!"
What methods did you use to determine your findings? Check all that apply:
Review of Administrative Data
Based on outputs, outcomes and/or other results, explain any significant lessons learned from these findings for either the SLAA or others in the LIS field:
All 3 bookmobiles converted all paper records to an Inter-library Loan Service - Koha. Next steps offline circulation and utilizing inter-library loan capabilities between the three bookmobiles and further shared collection development. Our evaluation of offline circulation have resulted in improved workflow for uploads and downloads. Data collection to evaluate collection,
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort:
No
Do you anticipate any change in the project's scope:
Yes: Yes converting to Koha will be completed as of January 2017, allowing for automation between all sites.
Do you anticipate any other changes in the project:
No
Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative
Project Tags: direct services, rural services, reference library