the import of the nation's public libraries continues to grow.

>> More than twenty five million Americans use their public library more than twenty times in the past year according to the American Library Association.

In our area Allen County Public Library continues its own growth with thirteen branches, a 24 hour virtual library and audio reading service Maker Labs, a seed library, broadcast studios, a library of things and the second largest family research center in the United States and more and we'll talk about many of these local offerings and the essential role of public libraries with Susan Bayer, the new executive director at the L.A. County Public Library on this edition of Prime Time and good evening.

>> No Saints prior to arriving at Fort Wayne earlier this year, Susan Pyr was the director of the McCracken County Library in Paducah, Kentucky under her leadership library there fostered strategic partnership supporting community initiatives with Workforce and economic development, STEM education and health and wellness.

>> Before her Kentucky appointment she served for several years as an administrator in the Los Angeles library system.

>> She received her Emelle at the University of Kentucky and is a graduate of the American Library Association Certified Public Library Administer Program.

>> Susan Buyer checks in.

Welcome to the show.

Thank you for being here.

This is fun.

>> Thank you for having me Bruce .

So excited to be here.

You know going over that list of assets I'm sure folks have already discovered the omission.

>> They're like wait, you didn't talk about what is arguably one of the largest collections of two dimensional objects for the sixteenth president of the United States and we did that deliberately because it seems the prominence of that already sufficient.

>> The profile is going to get a lot bigger later this summer.

Yes, it really is.

We are so excited about the opening of our Roland Center for Lincoln Research that is targeted for later this summer .

We have this immense collection of Lincoln historical artifacts ,primary sources, information about his boyhood, his young life , his presidency, information about his family and all of those are going to be available for the public to come view.

>> We're just thrilled.

>> You know, the linkage between the Library and Lincoln is also interesting because it goes through a corporate name and benefactor and philanthropist and civic leader and that's how you and Roland, correct?

>> Correct.

It's just such a coup for us to have something like this right here in Fort Wayne , Indiana we envision that Lincoln scholars from all over the country from all over the world will be coming to visit it.

>> Yeah, in fact when the museum closed the Lincoln Museum closed in 2008 I believe a wonderful arrangement between Allen County Public Library and the State Museum.

Correct.

Came to play.

They got the three dimensional things and you got the more easily manageable two dimensional things but even they are giving you a chance to see I saw one report that mentioned they were going to get a little more daylight perhaps.

>> Right, right.

They are really going to come to life and be seen in a new and exciting way.

>> We're going to have some digital experiences as well.

It's truly going to be an immersive experience and we just can't wait to offer this to the community.

>> Just think of all the school groups and the young children that will be coming in and learning about Lincoln for the first time.

>> Yes, everything truly old is is going to be new again and to have it out in in this way there may need to strip out a few more parking spots.

>> Let's do it.

Let's do it.

I'm excited.

Visit one comment that came up related to Lincoln which is probably true across the board with all things with the public library is that when you say that there's not just one public is there there are multiple publics like folks who come to the Lincoln Research Center are going to be school groups or citizens just in search of wanting to improve themselves may maybe scholars and authors.

>> I think that's one of the beautiful things about the American public Library is that it's such an intersection of a community and we are open for everybody.

We're one of the few if only places in a community or you can come in and you can just be nobody's asking you to buy anything.

>> No one's asking you to only sit for 30 minutes and move along.

You know, we just have our place is open for everybody to enjoy and to experience on their own terms that might be using a computer.

It might be reading a book or a magazine.

It might be coming to a program.

>> It might be sharing a book with your child.

It might be looking at the fish in the tank and children's area at the main library.

>> There's just so much to do and see and discover and in fact before we leave Lincoln entirely, I loved the reference to the linkage you have with Abraham Lincoln.

>> You call it the Lincoln trifecta.

I know it's great all that happened right.

So I was born and raised in Illinois, the land of Lincoln and then I was in graduate school and then later moved back to Kentucky, his boy his birth home and now I am an Indiana and all those states seem to fight for that Lincoln creed and I've lived in the motto well and it's one where it's a lovely affirmation.

>> It is if you look for things that say show me a sign that this was meant to be and so on to see it all through all roads led to here and you know, a library to think of the things that we shared at the top of the program that this one has and that others do reminds me of the days when in my mother's volunteering at the elementary school it went from the library to the media center.

>> You know, it was still had books, it still had everything else but it had another layer and another layer.

>> Give me your sense about how libraries have been evolving since if you will, half a century.

>> In fact, I know I get questions sometimes which do you prefer print or electronic and I say yes and because it's all available for us at the library books are not going away.

>> I want to reassure everybody out there everybody loves the way they feel and the way they smell on that tactile experience and we love that as well and we are always going to have a very rich environment in our libraries and also people are wanting other forms of media as well at one point that was DVDs and we still have those of course but now we offer services where you can stream movies.

We have all kinds of electronic resources whether it's databases you can use for your research, for your genealogy or for your homework or to research a business.

We also have a very large collection and growing of electronic books and electronic e-books which we really leaned heavily upon during the pandemic which unfortunately many public libraries across the country had to temporarily close the doors.

>> But with that collection we were still serving our community and checking out items and is that related to what I have seen is something called library at home that is something different.

>> Yes.

So the library home program and it's perfect timing that you asked me because I just went on a ride along with them so it was our department, the library that they get out in the community in big vans and they deliver reading material and they go to assisted living facilities and they also go to private homes of folks who aren't able to come to the library due to a physical condition or due to age and it is just a remarkable service.

>> I got to ride along with them and to a person everybody who took a book delivery said I don't know what I do without because these are folks that would not be able to give to us otherwise and for them to still have the joy of reading in their life and for us to bring it directly to them that just gives me all the feels it's just wonderful and it also is is one that heightens how much of a separation there was for so many of us during these last fifteen or so plus months of not being able to connect with our life .

>> Right, right.

And even when we were in the peak of that we were still delivering books to doorsteps.

We may not have been able to have a conversation with folks or shake their hand but we were still doing porch drops during that time because it's just such an important way to connect with our community and it really was a lifeline for a lot of people.

>> Yeah, my assumption would be the online aspects of libraries increased as we were all hunkered down very much so.

>> I think we introduced a new group of people to resources.

We heard from people they would say Well I've read every physical book in my house.

I guess it's time I try e-books now and they were almost forced into it in some way but it ended up being a positive thing because they discovered that they can be very easy to use.

>> It's free with the library.

We were able to coach them over the phone or over the Internet with how to use them and it's great.

>> I mean when you travel I'd rather take a Kindle with five books loaded than put five books in my suitcase.

That's just me but a lot easier that way for me a lot of other people.

>> And you're also tapping into something where when we think of genealogy in the online connections with that field and when you link electronically to Salt Lake City we go from number two to number one or number three point five or something it seems.

But but talk about how it is that this is not a competitive technology but perhaps it's more of a complementary technology, those things digital and online relative to the card catalog right down this aisle and it's the third shelf up.

>> Right, right.

Readers or readers no matter what the format and people who like print books also like electronic books and also like electronic audio books I would be one of those I usually have multiple formats going at one time so they all just complement and enhance one another.

>> They don't compete well when we're looking at library services writ large one of the things that motivates your work is where understanding is to make library service equitable and inclusive.

>> Yes.

How so?

>> We did something earlier this year that I'm really proud of and it's called Fresh Start.

We saw that we had many children in our community who through no fault of their own were blocked from using the library due to fines and fees.

There were over 5000 youth in our community who currently couldn't use the library because of excess fines on their card and that just didn't sit well with particularly during this pandemic year where it was just so important to get kids reading again so they can come back to school this fall ready to learn.

So our board agreed to forgive the fines and fees that were outstanding on every youth library card so starting in June all the kids got what we called a fresh start.

So if they had outstanding fines and fees on their card they were wiped away so they could all start square one fresh start and enjoy the library again.

And we got just some remarkable stories.

I heard of a little boy who was coming to the desk with his allowance money.

He had about a seventeen dollar fine and he had saved up his allowance and he walked in with his mother and our staff said hey, guess what?

>> Forgiven that and just the pure delight on his face.

And then we heard a story from a mother who said when she got her daughter a few years ago I believe it was a foster situation.

Her daughter had hundreds of dollars from books that had been lost over six years ago and all that time they had not been able to use the library and this mother said now her daughter could come back and use the library.

Removing those barriers allows the library card to really then become the key that everyone really wants to have to unlock all of the various things that they could use if only absolutely.

>> It really is a key to discovery.

Yeah.

One of the things that seemed a key to your success in Kentucky were these strategic partnerships that the library would have with a variety of areas as we said at the open talk about how important it is to have those kinds of professional relationships and community.

>> It's so critical and I was delighted when I came here to discover that Allen County Public Library was already doing so much with so many wonderful agencies throughout town.

Key to that is our partnerships with the schools, with all of our school districts public and private.

We are regularly doing school visits and hosting school visits and bringing materials about our summer learning program out to schools.

>> We are also working with groups like the Boys and Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne and going to their summer programs and bringing books.

>> We're going to places like the Juvenile Detention Center.

We do a regular storytime at the Fort Wayne Housing Authority and we also do some programing with agencies that serve adults.

>> We have done several programs with places like the Knick and Work One and these are programs that support workforce development and entrepreneurship teaching people how to apply for jobs and write resumes and build their business and research marketing plans for their business.

So we're really there at every stage of life for our community partnering with some fantastic agencies and even when you don't have a pandemic there is concern in the summer months that there is a slump of a kind right enter spark.

>> Exactly.

Exactly.

So we really want to combat what they call the summer slide.

We want kids reading and learning discovering all summer long so spark of Summer Learning Program encourages that and they also win some prizes along the way and we all like that right?

>> Oh very much so, yeah.

We used to talk about earning bonus points.

We were never sure for what but it was always better to have them right.

>> And the wonderful thing is the learning program is for everybody adults can earn prizes as well because you're never too old for a prize.

>> There are so many fun things I want to ask about that seem like you win the prize along the way and one of them would be the makerspace in the library.

>> What are those?

So we have to make her labs in our libraries we have the largest one in our main library.

There's also one in our Georgetown branch and these are labs where you can create and learn and explore and they have equipment that you can use for free.

They have things like a 3D printer.

>> They have laser cutters, they have sewing machines, they have sound booths.

So really all these tools that you can use to create an even better there are guides there who can teach you how to use it.

>> Wow.

The 3D printer thing is just still something that sounds the work of science fiction then modern reality.

>> It's really wild to see I walk by the Maker lab every day on my way out it's all my way out to the car and they're always printing something fun in there.

>> Yeah.

Now what I would end up calling something if I were in your position would be exactly what you've called it and it has more meaning when you say it what is the library of Things?

>> So this is brand new late breaking news here.

>> I'm so excited to talk about it.

Our little turtle branch has something called the Library of Things where you can check out with your library card things and those things include a sets, lawn darts, a cake decorating set, a karaoke set which right there is your party right.

Your cake decorating set your, your karaoke there is a portable wi fi projector just items that you may want to try before you buy somewhere or maybe you only need it for a short period of time so you can just borrow it from the library if you go to our website you'll see library things and you can put a hold on any of those items just as you would a book and you can pick it up at any location in our library system and we're just so excited to dabble in this.

>> Wow.

And for people who are there, you see the contact information where you can literally take an online tour of so many different aspects of what it is that the library has to offer in the library of things also how to access the audio reading service which is a wonderful partnership between this station among other colleagues in arms to help connect people again with the news of the day and features and so on.

But let me have you have you share the because a lot of audio reading services find their homes in partnership with libraries.

>> Absolutely.

So we I think are really unique in that we are a public library that houses the service, the audio reading service.

We have many dedicated volunteers throughout the community come and read and they are reading things like the Journal Gazette.

>> They are reading periodicals, they're reading books, they're reading recipes and they are recording this for broadcast to folks who may have difficulty reading the printed word so they can still enjoy the love of reading and experience that but they can listen to and with the relationship with PBS Fort Wayne and you can find us on both of our websites.

>> You can go to PBS Fort Wayne Dog.

You can go to the county public library site .

>> But any television in a person's home could actually be an audio reading service radio in our case using secondary audio channel that can be found on our thirty nine for service PBS Fort Wayne Explore It only changes the audio source in that channel but nevertheless you're right there and for some they are caregivers to an individual in the same home who would benefit greatly from having that.

>> Yes I don't think you're too old to hear a story or have someone read to you.

It's just such a wonderful experience and you are correct.

You can listen to it through your television.

You can listen to it through an HD radio and if you do not have one, if you contact the library we can help you acquire one for free.

You can also listen to it through our website and I believe you can even listen to it through Alexa.

>> She's everywhere and she is ubiquitous.

Yes.

And never takes the weekends off access Fort Wayne is something pretty much all the time as well and that is not only for broadcast for eyes but also LTE is available to hear by ear.

>> That's another unique aspect of having community radio and television.

>> It really is.

I don't know of very many other public libraries that have a working license radio station and television station in their building and we just create this incredible local content.

We also provide coverage for a lot of community and civic government meetings which is so important and we have the equipment where you can be your own television host and your own television producer or radio producer and we have staff who are there to teach you how to do that.

>> Yeah, and you can also learn to be your own genealogist.

>> I want to share just a few more moments on on the expansive nature of the genealogy department and how we become a tourist destination for folks with boxes going upstairs to the department saying I'm going to put this together one way or the other.

>> It just needs some help.

>> Oh, absolutely.

So we are the largest public library genealogy center in the country.

We have a collection of millions of items.

It grows by the thousands each year.

>> It is truly a national tourist destination.

People come from all over the country for our collection.

It is truly remarkable and besides the actual collection which is vast, we have some of the top genealogists in the country working for us who can really help you connect the dots and discover all those family secrets and family connections and with the community as family as individuals who are looking for a place to have a meeting.

>> Yes, that's the library.

Yes, I need a certain form.

I need certain additional help or support.

>> I need to go to reader services and have them point me to a periodic there is no same day twice.

>> That's what makes it a lot of fun and we're helping people find books.

Of course that's our bread and butter in so many ways but we're helping with so much more than that and I say that we see people at some of the happiest moments of their life and we see people sometimes that some of the saddest moments of their life when people if they've lost a job, if they've lost a loved one, if they've received really devastating medical news often one of the first places they go is the library because they need information and they need to be connected to that information and we're there for them.

>> Yeah, I'm sure this came up in conversations as you were making your transition here but inspirationally what's what's what are some things that you're thinking OK, step one get settled in step to look around, see what's going on right.

>> Step three maybe add some of this stuff over here what what are some things that might be in the works with the library in the next three to five or so years?

Well, the work they're already doing is so incredible and I also think there is a lot to build on.

I am somebody who likes to look outward and make those community connections and I like to bring the library out in the community as much as I like to have people come to the library.

>> So I'm going to be looking at opportunities where we can take the message and the resources of the library out in the community whether that story times off site, whether that's pop up libraries throughout the community just ways to make us even more visible and more accessible.

>> I'm also really interested in how library support local economies, particularly entrepreneurship.

So thinkig of ways that we can help people start and build and maintain their businesses is something of great interest to me.

>> Yeah, as you're looking outside the library we all know there supplies are there.

>> Yes, sometimes it's Rakan I just this summer a little caution are we nudging the plaza this year?

>> What do we think this is?

This is you know as also perhaps aspirational for a year from now.

>> Yes.

Yes.

Those that was a pre covered time photo.

Isn't it amazing to look at here we are dipping our toe back in in a safe and responsible way.

So earlier this summer we had the Philharmonic on the plaza which was rocking in its own way and we are looking at how we can bring some of that outdoor programing back in a safe way over the summer.

>> We're doing a lot of story times outside.

>> Several of our locations are serving free lunch to children outside.

So in this interesting summer where we're kind of getting back out there as a community, we're looking for ways to do that safely and enjoy our beautiful outdoor spaces.

>> Yeah, they're asking I'm sure they're asking what is she reading now?

>> Oh goodness.

I am reading a lot now.

I have a few things going simultaneously on hoopla.

I am listening to a book called Start Here Start Now and it's about being anti-racist and anti biased in your community and for fiction as a hardcover it's on my nightstand.

>> I'm reading a book called The Ginkel by Stephen Rowley and in a few weeks I'm going to be leading my very first directors book club.

>> I'm going it's going to be a walking book club so we're going to walk and get steps in and talk about the book as well.

>> And that book is called Such a Fun Age.

>> So I've got a full reading list this summer that that's wonderful.

Well, as you turn those those pages we look forward to the narrative you'll be writing with the community in your role as executive director of the L.A. County Public Library.

>> It is a true pleasure to have you here.

Thank you.

So welcome aboard.

Thank you for having Susan Bayor is the executive director of the L.A. County Public Library.

>> And for more information again, let's share the contact with you.

>> You can do it online ACBL that Libby and taught us you can always reach for the phone to the phone number always available two six zero four two one twelve hundred again the public library always open at a computer near you.

>> I'm Bruce Haines for all of us with Prime time.

Thank you for being available to join us tonight.

Stay with us as great programing continues on the station.

We'll see you back here again next week.

Until then, take care.