Round Lake Library

The Round Lake Library is located in the village of Round Lake, New York, USA. The village is located in Saratoga County, northeast of SchenectadyThe Round Lake Library was established in 1897 by the Woman's Round Lake Improvement Society (W.R.L.I.S) , a not-for-profit organization of men and women from the community who sponsor activities to improve the village. The mission of W.R.L.I.S was "to make Round Lake desirable and attractive as a place of residence and in all ways to study to keep pace with the progressive spirit of the age." The Round Lake Library has stayed true to W.R.L.I.S' mission and is a beloved centerpeice of the Round Lake community that has thrived for the past 110 years.

History

The Round Lake Library was originally known as The Free Library and Reading Room and opened July 6, 1897 with 400 books donated by residents of the village. It was the second library in Saratoga County and the first to have its own building. W.R.L.I.S rented the Clark House for $150 per year in order to house the Library and the building was bequeathed to the Library after its owner, Caroline Garnsey, passed away. The Library's first three librarians were members of the same family: Louise Lodewick Stevens, followed by her daughter Grace Powers and then her granddaughter Dorothy Northup in 1954.

The Village of Round Lake has decorative wooden homes crowded closely together and while this makes for a quaint community, it also created a fire hazard. On July 10, 1921, 17 buildings were destroyed as a result of a fire that started in a cottage located on the Library lawn. The Library was one of the few buildings that was not completely destroyed. The Round Lake Library is still housed in its original Victorian-style building at 31 Wesley Avenue. The Kate VanDembers Memorial Committee Room was added following the loss of the social room in the 1921 fire and the W.R.L.I.S. meeting room was added later.

In 1908, New York State aided the Library in instituting and using the Dewey Decimal Classification. In 1955, the Vischer Ferry Library donated many books to the Round Lake Library's collection, which significantly enhanced its offerings. The Round Lake Library was also the first Library in Saratoga County to join the Southern Adirondak Library System (SALS) in 1957, a voluntary association of public libraries in Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties. As a result, the Library received funding for books, equipment and reference materials and by 1968 it offered the borrowing of books, records, art prints and films, as well as providing reference services and eventually interlibary loan services.

In the early 1980s a popular summer activity at the Library was the coupon and refund form club's coupon exchange that was available during regular library hours. In the late 1980s summer hours were Tuesdays 6-8pm and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10am-8pm. In the winter the Library would remain closed from Friday through Tuesday in order to cut down on heating costs. Currently, the Round Lake Library remains open 39 hours per week for most of the year.

Today

W.R.L.I.S. continues to support the Round Lake Library today, primarily through proceeds of the annual antiques and arts and crafts festivals. The society also sponsors the Round Lake Victorian Village House Tour and story hours for children. The Town of Malta began its financial support to the Library in 1965 with a gift of $1000. This amount has steadily grown and is now approximately $53,000 per year. The Library is chartered by the New York State Education Department Board of Regents to serve the village of Round Lake and the town of Malta.

Although the Round Lake Library is housed in cozy quarters, it is prepared to meet the needs of its residents and patrons in the twenty-first century. It offers non-fiction, fiction and children books (including a distinct Victoriana and Parenting collection), audio books, videotapes and DVDs, musical recordings on CD, children computers, eAudiobooks, an updated medical reference section, Internet access, online Library Catalog and databases, Inter-Library Loan services, fax machine and copier, a book shop as well as meeting space for non-profit groups.

Library Services and Policies

The Round Lake Library is open Monday through Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday 10-6pm and is open Saturdays 10-2pm from Labor Day to mid-June.

The Round Lake Library [http://www.roundlakelibrary.org/ website] provides access to the library's catalogs and databases, and has information about the library's events. It provides cardholders with access to their patron account to renew books and place items on hold. Recently added is the option to download [http://netlibrary.sals.edu/ eAudiobooks] from the catalog that can be played on portable mp3 players. The library staff is committed to providing technological resources to its patrons and engaging emerging trends in library science.

Books, Books-on-Tape and Books-on-CD Policy:
Books and audio books may be borrowed for four weeks with three renewals.
New and Popular Fiction and Non-Fiction may be borrowed for 14 days with one renewal.
These itmes may be renewed by phone or online and can be left in the Book Drop after hours.

Video and DVD Policy:
DVDs and Videocasettes may be borrowed for 1 week with three renewals. There is a limit of 6 DVD or Videocasettes per family.
These items may not be left in the Book Drop. These items are loaned only to adult patrons. Children with a signed and dated permission slip may take out videos and DVDs with the adult's library card.

Overdue books are fined $.10/day
Overdue DVDs and Videocasettes are fined $2.00/day
More than $10 in unpaid fines results in the loss of borrowing privileges until the fine is paid. Fine money is used to purchase new library materials.

Round Lake Library Statistics from 2006:
Library Materials Owned: 18,194
Library Materials Borrowed: 47,317
Library Visits: 16,697
Programs Held: 87
Public Computers: 3

References

*Round Lake Association 1868-1968" booklet compiled by Women's Round Lake Improvement Society for Centennail Celebration August 11-17, 1968.
*"Round Lake: Little Village in the Grove" by Mary Hesson, David J. Rogowski and Marianne Comfort (1998)
*http://www.malta-town.org/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=44&TPID=5769
*http://directory.sals.edu/index.php

External links

*http://www.roundlakelibrary.org
*http://www.roundlake.org
*http://www.sals.edu/libpacs/rdlpublic2.shtml