Janet Fabio
Last year the three SaddleBrooke community libraries loaned out over 50,000 items! How did this happen?
Personalized service and relevant collections are a big part of the libraries’ appeal. We tailor the collection and services to meet the interests of the community we serve. Our book buyers know what will be popular and what will just sit on a shelf. Our volunteers can interact with residents on a more personal level than is possible in a large public library.
Our 80 volunteers enjoy providing this much-appreciated amenity for SaddleBrooke residents. While many volunteers work regular shifts in the libraries, others work behind the scenes to select, purchase, and catalog new library materials.
Last year the libraries added 1,365 new fiction and nonfiction books, large print books, audiobooks, movies, and TV series on DVD. Did you know that not one penny of your HOA dues is used to purchase all those new materials? Funding to buy new items for the library collections is dependent on annual grant funds from the Friends of SaddleBrooke Libraries (FSL), a 501(c)(3) organization. FSL raises funds to support the libraries through memberships and events. FSL funding is what sets our libraries apart from many other senior communities.
Your libraries would not exist if the HOAs didn’t provide such inviting facilities. The HOAs also share the annual cost of our online catalog system. This cloud-based system supports not only the catalog but also the circulation and reserve process at the SaddleBrooke One and DesertView Libraries. The system also allows access to professional catalog data for subjects and keywords to help you use the library more effectively.
All these groups are necessary to make our libraries an amenity used by more than 2,150 registered SaddleBrooke households. The Cholla Library at MountainView and the paperback collection at SaddleBrooke One Library are available to SaddleBrooke residents without registration, but don’t let that limit your choices. Registration is easy and free for all residents!
The libraries offer materials in a variety of formats. Vision issues? We have large print books. If you enjoy movies and TV series, check out the extensive DVD collection at the DesertView Library. Like to listen to books? We have audio CDs. Fiction includes not only well-known authors, but newer authors to enrich your reading experience. Nonfiction books include history as well as current topics to keep you up to date and support lifelong learning. Libraries are the cornerstone for an informed citizenry in our democracy.
SaddleBrooke readers are a unique community and environment. The Local Author collection is a one-stop place to find books by our talented SaddleBrooke authors. The Southwest collection at DesertView pulls together books on all topics about Arizona and the Southwest, making it easy to find information on desert gardening, identifying wildflowers, birds and Sonoran Desert animals, local history, hiking in Arizona, and attractions in the Tucson area. SaddleBrooke residents enjoy exploring the world. The Travel and National Parks collections at the DesertView Library have many resources to help plan your adventures.
We listen to you—you wanted more time to read! We recently phased out the 7-Day Fiction designation for shorter new novels. Going forward, new fiction added after March 1 have either 14-day or 28-day loan periods. This change would not have been possible without FSL funding to buy extra copies of high-demand books so we can better manage long reserve lists.
Stop in or learn more on our website www.sblibraries.com, which also provides an easy link to the online catalog that lists over 10,000 items.