Adult Services & Circulation Division

Role

The Adult Services and Circulation Division promotes adult reading and life long learning through a variety of means, including collection development, programming and displays and is committed to meeting the cultural, recreational, informational and educational needs of our diverse population. The division has a proven record of success in bringing people together to explore the many different viewpoints on varied subjects and works to nurture life-long learners through a multi-disciplined approach. Maintaining the circulating collection, issuing library cards and overseeing the use of library meeting rooms by community groups are some of the other duties of the division.

Services

Adult Summer Reading Club

The Adult Summer Reading Club is available to high school graduates or anyone 18 years of age or older. Participants can read books, attend programs, participate in activities, etc., and win small prizes and rewards. The theme of the Reading Club changes each summer and is held annually during June and July.

Audio/Visual Collection

The Adult Services and Circulation Division is responsible for maintaining the Library's large audio/visual collection which consists of videos, DVDs, books-on-cassette, books-on-CD and music CDs.

Circulating Materials

Books, magazines, books-on-cassette, books-on-CD, music CDs, videos, DVDs, paintings and sculptures are available for checkout from the library, for a set amount of time, to persons holding a valid East Baton Rouge Parish library card. The Adult Services and Circulation Division registers patrons for library cards and updates expired cards. Staff members help patrons locate titles at other branches and place holds on popular titles. Staff members also process materials that are returned damaged.

Programming and Exhibits

Adult Services staff hosts a wide variety of interesting programs. These programs include the RELIC series from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the annual Attic Treasures and Collectibles, the annual Louisiana Literary Marketplace and informational programs on topics such as gardening, health issues, music, literature, science and current events. Some of the RELIC series presented recently includes "The American West," "Indians of the Southeastern United States" and "The Newest South." Two original series, "From Hobbits to Harry" and "Shakespeare," both featured a number of programs and were planned and presented jointly with the Young Adult Division. "Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature" (an exhibit organized by the National Library of Medicine and ALA with funding from the NEH and the National Library of Medicine) offered another opportunity for YA and Adult Services to develop a series of related programs. The prototype of Prime Time Family Reading Time, now an award-winning, nationally recognized program of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, was conceived, developed and presented here in 1992-94, with funding from the LEH.

This division also schedules exhibits in the display areas throughout the building. Some of the exhibits relate to the programs offered by the library and others come from individuals, groups and organizations from the community.

Reader's Advisor

Adult Services librarians provide reading guidance in the Fiction and Biography sections. The staff creates bookmarks as an aid in selecting fiction and offer one-on-one help in selecting books by author, subject or genre upon request. Displays of library materials are created by the staff to feature different genres, topics of seasonal interest, current events or to promote programs.