By: Stacey Zwald Costello, Library Director
People often think libraries are about books. And of course, they are, but books are only the tip of the iceberg.
Public libraries are technology hubs. Public computers, free Wi-Fi, and faxing and copying services open doors to essential resources. Staff guide patrons to navigate government websites, download e-books, print court forms, reset forgotten passwords, and access other critical services. Sometimes one jammed printer consumes an entire morning.
There is also the work of everyday care. Staff dust shelves, and shelve and shift hundreds of books each day so they are ready and waiting to be checked out again. They clean puzzles and children’s toys, and reset spaces so they are ready for the next family.
Staff answer quick homework questions, offer suggestions on how to find the missing information someone needs, or pair a struggling adult reader with a trained tutor and ongoing support. Sometimes it is as simple as providing a quiet table or a patient explanation. None of these fits neatly into a circulation statistic, yet they fill entire days.
Behind the scenes, policies are interpreted, rewritten, and taught. Staff train constantly, keeping up with new catalog systems, privacy rules, and accessibility standards, so every patron can use the library with confidence.
Finally, there is stewardship. Library budgets are public dollars, stretched thin across many towns. Every replacement decision, every program supply order, and every repair request are weighed carefully. That work does not happen at the circulation desk. It happens in back offices and in conversations about how to serve the greatest number of people with limited resources.
When a library works well, most of the effort behind it remains invisible. You walk in, find what you need, and leave without ever seeing the hundreds of decisions that made that moment possible. Across the seven branches of the Colusa County Free Library, a small but dedicated team delivers that experience every day. Their unseen work adds up to one clear result: a library that is easy to use and welcoming to all.
As Library Director, I am deeply grateful for their professionalism and commitment, and I thank them publicly for the exceptional service they provide to our community.