Crook County Library is strategic planning, preparing for changes to OverDrive

The Library Planning Project Team is gathering community input about our library’s future goals and directions, 2025-2030. As we plan for the future, please take a few minutes to complete the Crook County Library strategic planning survey at tinyurl.com/5n7mn33j. This survey is collecting your ideas for the Crook County Library Strategic Plan. It is also asking you to rate the Community Vision statements, Community Challenge statements and the Roles of the Library that are rising to the top through the strategic planning process.

Please help us by offering your input and lending us your voice. Please encourage your friends, neighbors and groups to complete the survey. Paper copies are available at the Crook County Library in Prineville April 3-22. Please call 541 447 7978 ext. 314 to request paper copies for your group. Survey results will be posted on the website in May. 2025-2030 … here we come!

Crook County Library will be joining the Oregon Digital Library Consortium (ODLC) and purchasing eContent through Libraries of Eastern Oregon (LEO). OverDrive eContent (Libby) through Libraries of Eastern Oregon will be available starting May 1. If you are currently using Libby, you may need to log in again and select Crook County Library.

In the current contractual agreement with Deschutes Public Library, Crook County Library pays $1 per eBook, eAudioBooks and EMagazine checkout for OverDrive titles available on the Libby app. By joining the Oregon Digital Library Consortium through Libraries of Eastern Oregon (LEO), Crook County Library will pay one flat yearly fee. The eContent fee through Deschutes Public Library for 2023/2024 is estimated to be $42,832.

After the switch to the Oregon Digital Library Consortium through LEO for OverDrive eContent (Libby app), Crook County Library will pay less than $10,000 per year. In order to be good stewards of public funds, we are making the change.

Crook County Library patrons will have access to both systems during the month of May. At the end of May, access to OverDrive through Deschutes Public Library will be turned off and patron holds and checkouts will be moved over to the eContent through Oregon Digital Library Consortium purchased through Libraries of Eastern Oregon. Our new digital collection will give Crook County residents access to more than 30,000 eBooks and downloadable audiobooks. The slight change will give Crook County residents even more great eContent titles.

Why change? The reasons are threefold.

1. To reduce wait times for popular titles.

2. Crook County Library staff will be able to add new titles requested by Crook County residents. Crook County Library staff will have an additional OverDrive account to purchase high-demand holds just for Crook County Library patrons.

3. The switch to purchasing OverDrive eContent through Libraries of Eastern Oregon will save approximately $30,000 per year.

Also, Access to more than 4,000 eMagazines will continue to be available.

So, even more great eContent and patrons will still be using the Libby app.

Will this change Hoopla? No. Crook County Library is already paying a separate monthly bill to purchase great Hoopla eContent for our residents.

Thank you for your interest and support of Crook County Library as we move into the future. The library team will be available to help with any questions, and print and electronic instructions will be available. Here’s to many great chapters ahead at the Crook County Library!