MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
Posted: Sunday, December 14, 2008 7:53 am

Rita Shacklett was named director of Linebaugh Library this week.

 In honor of Linebaugh Public Library System’s new director, Rita Shacklett, The Murfreesboro Post brings you the Top 10 (11, because we love the library) facts about and a few of the programs and services offered by Rutherford County’s public library system.

1. Shacklett was named as the new director for Linebaugh Public Library System last Monday.

Shacklett has worked for Linebaugh Public Library since 1975, including serving as assistant director since 1985 and interim director since previous director Laurel Best left this summer to become the Huntsville-Madison County (Alabama) Public Library system’s director.

During Shacklett’s 33-year tenure at the library, she has worked in many of the library’s departments, including circulation, reference, children’s services and cataloging.

As director, she will oversee all four LPLS branches, its 84 employees and $2 million annual budget.

2. Linebaugh Public Library System has four branches – downtown Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Eagleville and its latest addition the Myrtle Lord Glanton Library in Patterson Park Community Center.

Before Best left for Alabama, the library board completed Master Facilities Plan that recommended a new, larger main branch and the addition of two smaller branch libraries.

Currently LPLS is looking into the possibility of building a branch in north Murfreesboro and a new main library in the Cason Lane/Medical Center Parkway area in the future.

3. The library system received a $10,000 Community Enhancement Grant this year from the state of Tennessee to renovate the Eagleville Library.

The improvements include new carpet, furnishings and, generally a new look.

4. Almost one million books were checked out system-wide last year by 107,749 library patrons.

LPLS has 265,748 books, DVDs, CDs and other media in circulation with 157,888 just at Linebaugh.

Shacklett said 527,042 people visited the downtown library last year, averaging 1,500 people per day.

“There’s always stuff going on,” she said. “We’re a goldmine and we need to let people know what’s going on.”

5. One thing that’s going on is also one of the library’s longest-running programs: Story Time.

“It’s was before me,” Shacklett said about when Story Time started. “Let’s just say over 50 years. It’s been going on a long time and is one of the most fun things we do, other than the Bookmobile.”

Registration begins Feb. 10 for Spring Story Time at Linebaugh. Murfreesboro parents must register because of space limitations, Shacklett said. There’s no limit on Story Time at the Smyrna branch.

6. LPLS provides access to more than 3,000 books to patrons in Murfreesboro and Smyrna with the Bookmobile.

Visitors to the “library on wheels” can sign up for a library card, check out books, request items and then pick them up.

7. During December, the Linebaugh and Smyrna library branches display Giving Trees decorated with ornaments representing materials from LPLS’s wish list, including recently released titles and classics it does not own.

 The Giving Trees work much like the Angel Tree program, where visitors simply pick an ornament and donate that item as a memorial or just to help out the library.

“It helps our book collection because our book budget isn’t that good,” Shacklett said.

After an item is donated, the library will place a bookplate in selected books identifying both the donor and the honoree.

8. LPLS also partners with local groups and MTSU to encourage reading at all levels.

Linebaugh partners every year with Read to Succeed for One Book, a community read.

The library also has a summer read featuring MTSU’s summer convocation speaker. This year Michael Gates Gill, author of “How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else,” will be the featured author and speaker.

LPLS also has a variety of book discussion groups that cover both fiction and nonfiction, and many genres of books, from mysteries to science fiction to the Civil War.

9. If it’s history you’re interested in, Linebaugh has extensive genealogy and historical collections at its branches in Murfreesboro and Smyrna to aid in research.


The Historical Research Room, located on the second floor of Linebaugh Public Library, features local, state and national historic materials and genealogical resources, including more than 10,000 books and more than 5,000 rolls of microfilm.

Types of material include census records, passenger lists, military rosters, court records, tax lists, marriage records and cemetery records. 

The collection at the Smyrna branch library includes materials from Sewart Air Force Base, a collection of printed material on Rutherford County, copies of books and magazine publications by local authors, and a collection of photographs and materials from Smyrna’s Old Rock School. 
 

Recently, Linebaugh also added access to HeritageQuest Online to its research resources.

HeritageQuest combines digital, searchable images of U.S. federal census records with the digitized version of the popular UMI Genealogy and Local History collection, and other valuable records.

Linebaugh also offers access to Ancestry Library Edition to all library patrons through its Web site, www.linebaugh.org.

10. Linebaugh offers a variety of ways to get your hands on old and new books.

Patrons can request books through the library’s Web site and, when reserved items are available for pick up, the library sends out e-mail notifications. E-mails are also sent when items are overdue.

But if you just can’t wait for the latest bestseller, try Hot Reads.

Hot Reads allows patrons to check out new books for one week for a $2 rental fee. The books are available on a first-come, first-served basis, cannot be placed on hold and cannot be renewed.

Or you can buy books from MyLibraryBookstore (linebaugh.mylibrarybookstore.com), which carries books, DVDs and CDs like other online booksellers. Proceeds from purchases directly benefit LPLS.

11. If you’re a fan of audio books, try the R.E.A.D.S. kiosk, where library patrons can download free audio books to MP3 or WMA audio players.

R.E.A.D.S. offers popular fiction titles, consumer nonfiction and selections for children and young adults.

Linebaugh Library is the only library in the Highland Rim region of Middle Tennessee offering a download kiosk.

Audio books can also be downloaded for free through the library’s Web site.