Organization Description

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

The mission of the Lakeland Library Cooperative, a governmental agency, is to strengthen member libraries in eight West Michigan counties by providing the means to share resources, services and expertise for the benefit of individuals and communities.

To that end, Lakeland is organized under Michigan Public Act 89 of 1977, which provides for the establishment of cooperative libraries. Lakeland is a publicly-funded governmental agency, and as such it is incumbent upon everyone at Lakeland to make the wisest possible use of taxpayers' dollars in providing services to our member libraries.

Lakeland?s members include 41 public libraries in all or in part of the following Michigan counties: Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo and Ottawa. By contractual agreements on the part of member libraries, additional townships in Gratiot, Mecosta and Oceana counties are also served. The total population served by the member libraries is 1,229,681 (2000 Census of Population). The member libraries range from the large metropolitan Grand Rapids Public Library with its seven branches and suburban Kent District Library with its eighteen branches to the very small rural libraries such as the Home Township Library in Montcalm County. In addition, the Cooperative has ?Affiliate Memberships? which it offers to schools and other institutions.

The Cooperative is governed by the Cooperative Board, which is comprised of representatives from member libraries. The Board meets monthly. The primary funding for the Cooperative is from the State of Michigan and from fees charged to member libraries for services provided to them. Member libraries also receive financial aid from the State of Michigan for their membership with Lakeland.

A few of the services Lakeland provides to its member libraries are:

A shared on-line system, which includes a circulation system as well as an on-line catalog that allows patron access to all of the member libraries? holdings;

A delivery system that allows patrons from any of our member libraries to borrow from and return items to the most convenient location;

Cataloging of library materials;

Group discounts for member libraries and affiliate members purchasing books and other materials;

Continuing education for the staff of member libraries.