7QUESTIONS+PLUS

Doug Baker, Kenosha’s Public Library Director. Baker began his library career in 1974, and moved to the Kenosha area from northern Wisconsin in 1986 to take his current role. This week he offers some insight to some of the library’s programs and what lies in its future.

Doug Baker will now take your questions ...

If you weren’t the director of Kenosha’s libraries, what else would you be doing? After 21 years as Library Director, it is hard to imagine doing something different. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with library staff and trustees, community leaders, the Friends of the Library, and the Library Foundation. But the most rewarding part of my job has been building project management for the History Center and the Northside and Southwest libraries. I would be very tempted if I were given the chance to manage another public building project.

What communication device could you not live without and why? The book. It’s a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It’s so easy to use even a child can operate it. Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere — even sitting in an armchair by the fire — yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD.

Why doesn’t the Kenosha Library send an e-mail notification that your books are due two days in advance? The Racine Library does this and it is a wonderful reminder to get those books back. We updated our computerized system last year, and this feature is among several capabilities using e-mail that we plan to make available later this year. Library customers can help us out by entering their e-mail address into their personal data in the “My Account” section of the Kenosha Katalog. The more e-mail addresses we have in the system, the better. Then we can e-mail our customers alerts on books and programs of interest, as well as reminders and overdue notices.

What is a book you think everyone should check out? Who is an author everyone should check out? One of the best things about the library is that we offer so much for such a wide variety of people. We pride ourselves on providing options for people to pursue their own interests. I would much rather help someone find a book or author that matches their interests and needs, than to direct people to the books I feel are important.

What do you think the Kenosha library system will be like in 20 years? Libraries will continue to play a significant role in the future as organizers and repositories of information of all types. It is impossible to predict now what forms that information might take. Looking back 20 years, who could have predicted the Internet’s impact on modern society, let alone the delivery of library services? We will need to be flexible, as well as capable of investing in the innovations of the future. Bequests or memorials to the Kenosha Public Library Foundation will position the library to take advantage of innovations we can’t even dream of now.

What is the outlook for Kenosha’s library facilities? Does the city have any plans for expanding or renovating other facilities the way Southwest was done a few years ago? Last year, we completed a 10-year long range strategic plan. Kenosha is steadily growing, and use of library resources is changing. While checkouts of books and audio visual items have stabilized, the use of the Kenosha Katalog and our electronic resources via the Internet is growing steadily. Now our customers can use of library services at home, at work, and at school, as well as at a library building. This trend indicates that our current library facilities should be adequate to meet Kenosha’s needs for the next decade.

Is there a stereotype of librarians that you’d like to dismiss? Contrary to any possible reports otherwise, I am not “Marian the librarian.”

What do you think is the most under-appreciated or under-used asset of the city’s libraries? As we expand access to Internet based services, many of our customers don’t utilize the full range of them. We have on-line subscriptions to magazines and newspapers, e-books, repair manuals, and encyclopedias. We also have downloadable audio and video titles and a 24/7 reference service. All of these are available through our Web site www.kenosha.lib.wi.us

What is something about Kenosha’s libraries you think needs to be improved? We are always looking for ways to make using the library simpler for our customers. Our services could be improved with the development of one search engine for our Internet resources, like Google. Since our electronic resources are available only by subscription, a Google search will not find them.