Behind the programs, resources, and services available at the library is a wide range of responsibilities that keep everything running. Across the seven branches of the Colusa County Free Library, a small team works together to provide welcoming and reliable service to residents throughout the county.
Library staff help patrons find materials, access technology, print important documents, locate information, and connect with educational resources. They prepare programs, assist students, support adult literacy, and create spaces for people of all ages.
Much of the library’s daily work also involves caring for its collections and maintaining its spaces. Staff manage tens of thousands of books, selecting and ordering new materials, cataloging and preparing them for checkout, shelving returned items, repairing damaged books, and organizing collections.
Providing services across seven branches requires flexibility, with employees frequently taking on responsibilities beyond their primary roles. Fiscal staff manage budgets, process invoices, and oversee public funds while also providing circulation desk coverage. Circulation staff help prepare and coordinate programs alongside their regular duties. The collections librarian and literacy coordinator also provide branch coverage while continuing their work in collection development and adult and family literacy services.
These additional responsibilities require careful coordination as employees balance their regular workloads with the changing needs of individual branches. Their willingness to step into different roles helps maintain consistent services throughout the library system.
Library service cannot be measured solely by circulation numbers, program attendance or the number of hours the branches are open. It is also reflected in the assistance provided to someone learning new technology, the connection made between an adult learner and a literacy tutor, and the preparation required to make library materials and programs available and effective.
Much of the work that supports these services happens outside of public view. With strong ties to Colusa County and years of service to its residents, library staff bring local knowledge, professional expertise, and a genuine commitment to the communities they serve. Their flexibility, teamwork, and willingness to take on responsibilities beyond their individual roles help keep all seven branches operating and serving their neighbors.