Allegheny County library systems look to cooperate; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2/2/14

Kaitlynn Riely, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Allegheny County library systems look to cooperate:

"Starting last month, the Allegheny County Library Association and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh began what the organizations anticipate will be a six-month, countywide conversation about the future of library service. Both groups hope the discussion will include input from the people who use the county's 45 library systems and the communities where they are based.

"The question is, how can we create a comprehensive 21st century library service to best serve the citizens of Allegheny County?" said Diana Bucco, vice president of the Buhl Foundation, which is facilitating the discussion.

That question is already being asked. A website -- located at www.countycitylibraries.org -- has been launched to explain the initiative and to obtain the ideas and opinions of community members.

Library users are asked to complete by Feb. 14 a survey that poses questions such as what libraries can do to support communities and patrons and what ideas should be considered for funding and structuring library services in the community.

The ideas are expected to build on some of the collaborative initiatives already in place, such as the Electronic Information Network, or eiNetwork, that provides city and county libraries with their technology structure."