About the Library & Trustee Application

MISSION STATEMENT
The Abington Community Library’s mission is to facilitate lifelong learning, provide for leisure-time interests, support student research, and encourage teens, children, and adults to read. Adopted August 2008

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Library is incorporated and its business is conducted by a Board of Trustees, each serving a three-year term (maximum 2 terms). The Abington Community Library Board of Trustees meets the first Monday of each month (2nd Monday in September and not in January or July) at 7PM in the Ryon Community Room. Trustees are 'at-large' meaning none are appointed. An application to serve as a Trustee can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RMYDX6X .

OTHER BOARDS
The Abington Community Library has three other boards. The Abington Community Library ~ Teen Leadership Committee (begun in June of 2002), primarily conducts programming for teens and younger patrons. A Tween Board (begun in 2011) gives a voice to even younger patrons. The Friends of the Abington Community Library (started in 1972) is primarily involved with fundraising through their semi-annual used book sales rounding out a full palette of lifelong learning and entertainment.

LIBRARY STAFF
The Library currently has a staff of eight full-time staff, and fourteen part-time staff including pages. Two staff members have master’s degrees and one is a Provisional librarians (has credits towards a master’s).  The director (since 2005) is Leah Ducato Rudolph, MLIS.  All staff receives continuing education annually.

HISTORY
The Library, originally located in a storefront in what had been the Abington Fabric Store at 420 State Street in Clarks Summit (now the Young Funeral Home parking lot), opened its doors with 2,000 donated books on June 18, 1960. The Abington Heights Junior Women’s Club (now the Civic League) was also instrumental in the early years. The Library was incorporated April 16, 1965. In 1966 the Library moved to a renovated single-family dwelling located at 500 School Street and continued there as an all-volunteer organization until 1967 with the hiring of the first director. In 1983 the Library became part of the Lackawanna County Library System. The current Library building was constructed in 1991 and opened March 2, 1992. The addition of a Children’s Room, which opened in 2002, increased the total size to about 14,500 square feet. A total of 55 parking spaces are available in two lots.

COLLECTION
At the end of 2013 the Library collection held a total of over 83,000 individual items including books, DVDs, talking books, music CDs, and periodicals. The Library System has also added free ways to download talking books and E-books as well as Ancestry.com. Yearly over 232,000 items circulated from this Library.  

INTERLIBRARY LOAN AND REFERENCE
Interlibrary loans (ILL) help meet the needs of our patrons. Annually Interlibrary Loans were made state-wide upon request. Many, many more loans were made, and sent to, other Lackawanna County public libraries. Reference collections are found in both the adult and children’s areas with qualified reference assistance available. Over 800 items were lent on ILL throughout Pennsylvania in 2011, and almost 600 items borrowed.

COMPUTER ACCESS
The Library has 12 public computers with Internet access for adults, 2 for teens, and 5 for children as well as two Early Learning Stations. More than 15,000 reservations are made annually at this Library. Patrons are also welcome to use the Microsoft programs available on the computer workstations. In 2006 the Library received free wireless Internet access for patrons compliments of Comcast. The Library also provides computer instruction provided by volunteers, assistance on using the workstations, and readers advisory. There is a microfilm/microfiche reader to use with the Scranton Times on microfilm from 1895 –1990.

PROGRAMS
Numerous five-week story hour sessions are held Monday through Friday throughout the school year for children birth through 5 years of age. There are also occasional evening and Saturday programs. Special summer story hours are held during the summer months. Summer and winter reading programs are available to both children and adults with numerous book discussions for all ages are available frequently. Other special and educational programs are frequently offered to children and adults throughout the year.  In 2013 over 4,000 people attended programs for children, over 2,500 attended programs for young adults, and nearly 5,000 adults attended programs.

HOURS OF OPERATION
The Abington Community Library is proud to announce it has more service hours (71 hours/week) than any other public library in Lackawanna County.  It is open 9AM-9PM Monday through Friday, 9AM-5PM Saturday, and 2PM-5PM on Sunday.  Holiday closings are noted on the website.

SERVICE AREA
The Abington Community Library’s service area includes the boroughs and townships in the Abington Heights School School District, which is comprised of all lands that lie within the municipal boundaries of Clarks Green Borough, Clarks Summit Borough, Glenburn Township, Newton Township, North Abington Township, Ransom Township, South Abington Township, and Waverly Township in Lackawanna County. Over time, the service area was expanded to patrons from include Benton, Scott, and West Abington Townships. According to the 2010 census our service area now serves 30,686 people. As part of the Lackawanna County Library System it also offers Library service free of charge to any resident of Lackawanna County. 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
The Abington Community Library is a member of the Lackawanna County Library System, a federated system formed in 1982. The Library holds membership in the American Library Association, the Pennsylvania Library Association, and the Public Library Association. In 2005 the Library became a member of the Abington Business and Professionals Association.

AWARDS
The Lackawanna County Commissioners issued a proclamation declaring September 12, 2006, "Abington Community Library Day." The proclamation came in response to the Library's recognition as one of three libraries to receive the annual Marketing Award from the Office of Commonwealth Libraries in June 2006. In 2007 the Library recognized new IDEAL PATRONs: First Lady Laura Bush, and the Honorable Tom Ridge and his wife Michele. The Library has consistently been voted #1 in the Best of the Abingtons as “Child-Centered Activity” with staff winning as librarians.

PATRON COMMENTS
*I have loved books and libraries for as long as I can remember. Now that I have 5 children I love bringing them to the library. We come at least once a week to get books, movies, and audio books. We use the computers and Internet. This saves us lots of money. We don't have Internet, computer, or expensive TV stations at home. We also don't pay to rent movies. Not even $1! I love reading and I don't have much time with the kids being so young, so I fill the void with the listening library. We love the library!
*The library has changed my life by providing me years of knowledge that I never could have afforded on my own.  Especially in a difficult economy, it's comforting to know that the library is there to educate, entertain, and enrich lives. 
*Abington Community Library & Children's Library (Scranton) have made it possible to home-school my children.  Both libraries make experts available in art, writing, earth science, and history.   Our family was able to supplement our curriculum with theman, many programs offered by both libraries.  It has been a wonderful year made easier by our community libraries!
This library is a place where the whole family can find something they enjoy. It's nearby and it's very economical!
* Evening programs are very helpful
* I'm glad there is somewhere I can enjoy coming to on Friday nights
* Great service
* Terrific employees
* Wonderful access to knowledge on any subject...
* If you aren't a regular at your public library you're missing out big time!  Come and bring your unfulfilled desire to: paint, weave, quilt, travel, on and on. There are videos, books, magazines, and lot of classes.  Staff is so willing to help! Come and enjoy!
* Through the support, technology, and direction of staff at the ACL, I finished a Masters of Science in Counseling and took a position as therapist.  Now finishing my Masters of Ed. Administration.

PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE ABINGTON COMMUNITY LIBRARY
Presentations can be made to groups or organizations on the Library and what it has to offer by contacting the director at 570.587.3440. We're happy to 'take the show on the road' with a PowerPoint presentation.

March 2014