Washington County Library (Pat Conley, Director) and Carver County Library (Melissa Brechon, Director) received a federally-funded LSTA grant, administered by State Library Services last year. See “Two Public Libraries Extend Lending Methods”, Streaming News, August 2010.

Yesterday the Wall Street Journal wrote an article about their idea of putting book lockers in heavily used public centers distant from a public library, notably Hugo, MN. For a thought-provoking article, read New Library Technologies Dispense With Librarians, WSJ.com, 10/25/2010.

Patrons love the new service and circulation is high. To read the referenced Library Journal opinion piece, written by James R. Lund, Director, Red Wing Public Library, MN, click here, A Vending Library Is No Library (4/15/2010).