Partner Spotlight - Athens County Public Libraries

by Elise Aiello on Apr 26, 2023

This month, our Partner Spotlight will focus on the Athens County Public Libraries in Ohio. We spoke with Becca Lachman, Communications Officer, to tell us more about the library.

Tell us a little bit about the library

Our library system in rural SE Ohio runs 8 physical locations, counting the Bookmobile– 12 with our four Locker Libraries!

Tell us something unique/interesting about your library

We have a bit of a reputation for trying new things! We started one of the first 1) library bike-share programs in the nation, 2) one of the first free summer lunch programs for area children/teens in the nation, and 3) the first in Ohio to stop charging late fees. We were also the first system in the U.S. to implement a complete library automation system using only open source software (hurray, Koha!).

How does being a part of the open source community help ACPL?

We strive to keep our dedication to innovation and increasing access alive and well in all that we do–and being part of the open source community ensures that we do that. ACPL has been closely involved with the development of Koha from the very beginning. We’ve funded development, contributed over 3000 code changes, hosted Koha informational meetings, and promoted Koha at library conferences."

Tell us a bit more about your outreach programs

Our Outreach department has grown–and keeps growing!--to meet the expanding needs of all ages in our area. In a typical week, you can find Outreach team members delivering hand-chosen items to home-bound library users or the Locker Libraries, visiting a festival or school with the Bookmobile, and leading themed workshops or walk-in appointments for people interested in strengthening their everyday tech skills/knowledge.

Learn more about Athens County Public Libraries here.