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G2S Project Code: 2023-AK-93306
State: Alaska
Fiscal Year: 2023

Grantee
JUNEAU PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Project Director
Director Name: Catherine Melville
Director Phone: 907-586-0443
Director Email: catherine.melville@juneau.org

General Information
Title: Alaska Library Extension
State Project Code: NGTS24-010
Start Date: 07/01/2023
End Date: 06/30/2024
Abstract: The Alaska Library Extension provides library services, including but not limited to, circulation of physical materials by mail, access to electronic materials, readers advisory, and reference service to Alaskan residents who live in areas of the state without a library that receives funding from the Alaska State Library, thus fulfilling the Alaska State Library duty to “[provide] library service directly to areas in which there is not sufficient population or local revenue to support independent library units” AS 14.56.030(4). The program has existed for decades in various permutations and since FY15 Juneau Public Libraries have provided this service to eligible residents of the entire state.
State Goal: Goal 1. Lifelong Learning

Budget Information

LSTA

MATCH-State

MATCH-Other

Total

$247,375.80

$0.00

$247,375.80

Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Other

Activities
Activity Details
Title: ALEX Books by Mail program
Narrative: The Alaska Library Extension program undertakes to provide as many library services as possible given the constraints of distance between our staff, collections and resources and our patrons. In addition to access to the physical collection comprised of both items purchased specifically for Alaska Library Extension as well as all Juneau Public Libraries physical materials, we provide our patrons with access to all JPL digital resources, answer reference questions, perform readers advisory, invite patrons to participate in those programs that don’t require physical attendance (e.g. summer reading challenges), as well as helping our patrons with the process of becoming card-holders and with any circulation or account issues they may experience.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

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

Quantity
Number of hardware acquired: 0
Number of software acquired: 0
Number of licensed databases acquired: 0
Number of print materials (books & government documents) acquired: 433
Number of electronic materials acquired: 336
Number of audio/visual units (audio discs, talking books, other recordings) acquired: 0

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: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Rural
For what age groups: All Ages
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Ethnicity Not Applicable
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: No

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types

Public Libraries: 0
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 0
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 0
Other: 0

Activity Details
Title: ALEX Loans and Borrows
Narrative: All ALEX participants have the ability to request physical materials to borrow or submit interlibrary loan requests. Most of the physical materials come from the Juneau Public Library, with some materials coming from the Alaska Library Catalog. Interlibrary loans are requested through the Anchorage Public Library's 800# program and are either mail from the Juneau Public Library to borrower or from the lending library to the borrower.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

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

Quantity
Total number of items circulated: 3,986
Average number of items circulated / month: 332
Total number of ILL transactions: 15
Average number of ILL transactions / month: 125

Partner Information

Public Libraries: 0
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 0
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 0
Other: 0

Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Our goal is to provide library services to our patrons, who would otherwise not have access to any library. This year Alaska Library Extension staff sent 539 shipments, lent 3,986 items, facilitated 332 interlibrary loans of items our patrons requested that couldn’t be fulfilled by our local collection, and additionally had 43 walk-in circulations, from those patrons able to visit Juneau over the course of the year. The program added 32 new household accounts over the course of the year.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
In the past, this service operated out of multiple public libraries rather than a single public library.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
Given Alaska’s vast size geographically and the cultural variety, in the event that there might someday be ample funding to make it possible, a return to multiple service points organized by region would potentially allow for more targeted service. In general, higher staffing levels would result in more time to promote the service to eligible residents.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
No
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:

Exemplary: Yes
Exemplary NarrativeThe Alaska Library Extension, previously known as Alaska Mail Services, quite simply makes it possible for Alaskans who live far from a library to nevertheless receive and benefit from the wide variety of resources that libraries provide. Without the program, our patrons would not have access to physical library materials delivered by mail, digital access to the wide variety of resources made available through Juneau Public Libraries, and access to library staff to assist them in accessing those resources.

Project Tags: rural library services, books by mail