An Evaluation of Current Outreach Services at Calvert Library and Its Future Outlook

Abstract

For more than nine decades public libraries have used bookmobiles and Outreach services to connect with and serve their customers, visiting such diverse populations as daycares, nursing and retirement homes, public schools, and prison inmates. Calvert Library, a rural public library in southern Maryland, was the main focus of this study, which examined the Outreach Department to determine its strengths and weaknesses. It analyzed the effort to reach and serve customers who do not have access to library services. Microsoft Excel was used to compile and analyze surveys and outreach statistics from 2008 to 2010. The benefit provided and the future of the service was identified in the conclusion.