For the Kennett Public Library, the name game will continue a bit longer.
The board had planned to vote on a new moniker for the facility at its monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 19. However, presentations focused on the process the board used to determine the best name have been so well-received that two more sessions are scheduled.
In February, the Kennett Public Library Board of Trustees hired Carl Francis, chief strategist for Envisian, a Malvern-based advisory firm, to assist the library in developing a strategic plan. Ultimately, the goal is to build a new facility for the library, which has outgrown its space in the 200 block of East State Street.
But first, the board had to revisit some decisions by past boards that threatened to make fundraising for a new library more challenging. One of those was a seemingly abrupt change a year ago from the Bayard Taylor Memorial Library to the Kennett Public Library, a decision that incurred considerable wrath.
So rather than finalizing the expected winner of the selection process, the board agreed unanimously on Tuesday to delay a decision until its May 17 meeting. And even then, the name won’t be official until after the Home and Garden Tour on June 4 since those materials already display the Kennett Public Library title, explained Jeff Yetter, the board's vice-president.
The board also unanimously passed an “affirmation” of support that will enable Francis to move forward with a branding plan that includes changing the name to the Kennett Library and integrating Bayard Taylor into the brand through a variety of ways, from being part of the library’s location – the Kennett Library at Bayard Taylor Commons – to adding Taylor's image to design and educational elements.
The two additional public sessions to explain the library’s branding plan will be held on Tuesday, May 3, at 3 and 6 p.m. at the Kennett Township Building.
In other business, the board heard from from Ivy Noelle Weir, the library’s program coordinator, and Dan Pennacchia, the library’s communications officer, about the results of a pilot program sponsored by T-Mobile. The program provided mobile Wi-Fi hot spots for library members to borrow and use for free .
The pilot program, which was expanded to six weeks, proved popular and positive, said Weir. Once patrons checked out the device, they had free Internet access anywhere for tasks ranging from schoolwork to job hunting to social networking. Weir noted that 36 percent of the users were primarily Spanish-speaking, a growing population the library is working to reach.
“It was incredibly successful,” said Weir, noting that the program appeared to have more demand than availability.
Weir said 58 people checked out the devices, many of them more than once, and 73 percent of them responded to a survey asking them about the program. “This is a truly fantastic and revolutionary program for KPL. I do hope it becomes a permanent offering,” one user wrote.
Donna Murray, the library’s director, said she plans to continue using the program; however, it will cost patrons $1 a day. That fee won’t cover the library’s cost of $29.40 for each of 10 units per month unless the devices all circulate 100 percent of the time, Murray said. She said the library didn’t want to charge more for fear of making it unaffordable for some patrons.
Trustee Chris Britt suggested getting business sponsors for the program and asked whether a company could have its logo affixed to the devices. Weir said that T-Mobile would permit that arrangement.
Murray reported that the library has experienced a 70 percent increase in usage compared to the same period in 2014; circulation rose 3 percent and e-books jumped 52 percent. Murray explained that she used 2014 for comparison because the renovations in 2015 necessitated closing the library for a number of days.
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