Scenic Regional Library System To Expand Service in Gerald Area

Beginning Feb. 1, Gerald area residents will have direct access to Scenic Regional Library’s collection, which includes 235,000 books and 19,300 CDs, DVDs, and audio books. The library’s courier service will drop off and pick up books and other materials at the Gerald Area Library every Tuesday and Thursday.

Gerald area residents with a Scenic Regional card will be able to place requests online from any computer by visiting catalog.scenic.lib.mo.us. People will be able to apply for a Scenic Regional card at the Gerald Area Library, although it will take a few days for the card to be processed and they can begin placing requests.

People also will be able to return Scenic Regional books and other material to the Gerald Area Library, according to Scenic Regional Library Director Steve Campbell.

“We have one of the lowest library tax levies in the state and we’re already stretched thin with seven branches,” he said. “While we can’t afford to operate a branch in Gerald, I think it’s important that we serve the area in some capacity. Making the town a drop-off and pick-up location is a good start.”

The library district also will provide the Gerald Area Library with access to two of its online research databases, ALLDATA Auto Repair and Ancestry.com.Ancestry.com is the popular genealogy database advertised on television that includes U.S. Census records from 1790 to 1930.

ALLDATA contains the same auto repair information found in print repair manuals for vehicles from 1982 to present. Previously, these two databases could only be accessed from inside a Scenic Regional Library branch.

Now, people will be able to search these two databases on computers in the Gerald Area Library. Scenic Regional’s 38 other online databases, which provide everything from information about medical conditions and prescription medication to GED and ACT online practice tests, can already be accessed from any computer with a library card.

Scenic Regional Library also plans to offer some computer training classes in Gerald in the near future on topics such as downloading ebooks and using their online databases.

“The Gerald Area Library is already an excellent volunteer library,” Campbell said. “Our arrangement is simply going to help them provide even better service.”