The Arrowhead Library System (ALS) and the North Country Library Cooperative (NCLC), both of Mountain Iron, have announced plans to merge the two agencies.
The Arrowhead Library System was established in 1966 and is one of 12 regional public library systems that cover all 87 counties in Minnesota. ALS provides coordination, support, and technology for 29 public libraries in the seven-county Arrowhead region, as well as delivering services directly to residents via Bookmobile and Mail-A-Book services.
The North Country Library Cooperative is one of the state’s seven “multi-county, multitype” library cooperatives designed to foster cooperation between all types of libraries: public libraries, K-12 school libraries, academic/higher education libraries, and special libraries in public and private agencies.
“Both agencies serve the same geographic area,” said Jim Weikum, ALS executive director, “and there are commonalities in some of our services.” NCLC has leased office space from ALS since 2002. “There has often been confusion about the distinctions between the two agencies on the part of our customers and some officials,” Weikum added. “As we began to look at operational efficiencies, particularly in these challenging economic times, a possible merger of the two library systems became a viable option.”
The merger will become official with approval by the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education to designate the Arrowhead Library System as the “multi-county, multi-type” library system for northeastern Minnesota. The merger will be effective July 1, 2012.
During this transition, the two agencies will engage in a collaborative strategic planning process to determine service priorities, staffing needs, and other administrative and operational functions. “The boards of the two agencies would not have approved the merger unless they felt the end result would be improved services,” commented Weikum.
Linda Chappell, director of the Grand Marais Public Library, said she doesn’t think the merger will be of much consequence to the local facility, which is part of the Arrowhead Library System. “We do not yet know all the effects the merger will have on us, but an increase in Interlibrary Loan requests for books from our collection is a possibility,” Chappell said. “I do not anticipate any major impact at this time.”
The merger will also include a change in board structure, with a reduction from the 24-member board of the Arrowhead Library System to a 13-member board. In addition, board meetings will be held quarterly rather than monthly. These changes are expected to lower the cost of travel expenses getting board members from a wide region together in one place by $10,000-15,000 a year.
Previously, Cook County had two designees on the ALS board: one appointed by the county board and the other appointed by the Grand Marais Library Board. The new structure will eliminate the designee from the library board. Four of the 13 ALS board members will be elected by the participating library boards, with one being elected by each of the following library groups: public libraries, school libraries, academic libraries, and special libraries. The St. Louis County Board of Commissioners will be allowed to designate one board member from the City of Duluth and two from outside the City of Duluth. The other six counties will each be able to designate one board member.
Weikum told the Cook County Board of Commissioners on April 10 that an analysis showed that the library system would benefit by $4 for every $1 spent on the merger. Grand Marais Library Director Chappell told the board, “I feel confident that it would have a good effect on our library.”
The Cook County Board of Commissioner’s designated seat on the ALS governing board has been vacant for some time. Audrey Stattelman of Hovland has been the Grand Marais Library Board’s designee on the governing board. The county board appointed her to the vacant seat.
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