Chicago Public Library’s 80th Branch is Online
We were sharing our excitement about the launch of the new
Chicago Public Library website with some business partners when one noted that
he was amazed that, in this digital age, libraries seemed to be expanding. It was
then that Jeanne Toohey, the project manager who has lead the CPL website
project from conception to birth noted that the Chicago Public Library actually
viewed their online presence as their 80th branch. And it is. (CPL
has 79 physical locations).
Short of signing off of your online session with the new CPL
website with a book in hand, you can now conduct many of the functions that you
had to be physically at a branch to do. Learn of author events, research tools, renew
and reserve books, access reading lists and more. Do we think this will diminish visits to the libraries. Are you kidding? Only for the unnecessary trips – like renewing
a library book. In fact we’re predicting continued growth in library demand and
visits to the branches that are even more productive for patrons and staff
alike.
