Lemont Library Holds Open House to Celebrate New Cooperative

The will host an open house Monday to introduce patrons to its new card catalog.

Library staffers will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the "Taste of Pinnacle," a special event to celebrate Lemont's transition to the system, a partnership with the , , Shorewood-Troy, Fountaindale and library districts.

The event will feature refreshments, demonstrations, contests and a special appearance by Clifford the Big Red Dog from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The new card catalog has been up and running since Thursday.

"It's much more powerful and will be very intuitive for patrons," Lemont Library Director Sandra Pointon said of the Pinnacle system.

The new database has an enhanced search feature, Pointon said. Patrons also have the ability to create usernames, rather than having to remember their 14-digit library card number, and are able to keep track of their reading history.

The system also has app available through iTunes, Pointon said.

"We'll have plenty of new features that will make the library experience much better for patrons," she said.

The six Pinnacle districts to form the new group.

Fountaindale Executive Director Paul Mills, chairman of the Pinnacle governing board, said the primary motivation of the new cooperative is to provide better service to patrons.

"(The six libraries) have a shared history of collaboration, so we're looking to build on that history with Pinnacle," he said.

While patrons can no longer place items on hold from all 76 PrairieCat members, they can still use their library cards at any of the libraries in the new Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) “mega-system.”

The Lemont Public Library is located at 50 E. Wend St. For more information, visit www.lemontlibrary.org.

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