rural

The Bemidji Public Library, located only a few blocks away from scenic Lake Bemidji in Northern Minnesota (and near the statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox), is the kind of library that checks out puzzles, fishing rods, and life jackets in addition to lending books and hosting lectures.

The Yuba County Library, located on the banks where the Feather River forks, is the county’s sole branch, serving a population of 70,000 people spread over 600 square miles. Over the past few years, Yuba County has been among the fastest-growing counties in California, making the need for modern library services even more urgent.

In a small mountain town in southeastern New Mexico, Phyllis Reed directs Ruidoso Public Library with little outside technical help. Despite its somewhat oxymoronic name (Ruidoso means “noisy” in Spanish), and the fact that the clientele population snowballs during the winter, the library runs smoothly and efficiently. This efficiency is due, in large part, to the director’s unspoken rule of thumb: give people a fish and they’ll eat for the day, but teach them how to fish and they’ll eat forever. Reed believes that everyone – colleagues and clients alike – benefits best by sharing, by not hoarding information, and by daring to problem solve and learn as a team.

For Renee Goss, Director of the Richland County Library in Sidney, Montana, bringing the Internet to her rural community wasn’t easy. Despite limited funds and few resources, Goss' creativity, willingness to learn, and business savvy persevered, allowing her to bring the advantages of the information age to her small county of fewer than ten thousand residents.

Faye Hover, the director and IT Manager of the Smith­Welch Memorial Library manages a slim staff—just three full­time librarians—yet manages to offer programs, services, and a lot of heart to the people of Hearne, Texas.

Calhoun County, located in northwestern Florida in one of the state’s five poorest counties, isn't home to any IT companies, nor does the county government have a system in place to help its agencies with their technology needs.

(Sherry Millington and Sarah Washburn)

When you're one of two staff members in charge of fulfilling the technical needs of eight libraries spread across three rural counties, you can lose a lot of time simply driving between branches—unless you've got a plan like Sherry Millington's.