Technology vision statement

The library trains staff in, provides, and evaluates technology primarily serving patrons’ productivity and information access needs to enrich their knowledge and growth. Technology that creates significant efficiencies in staff workflow is also pursued to better utilize and redistribute limited library resources and staff time.

Primary Guidelines

Staff tech training must be documented.

Whenever possible, the library staff will offer 1:1 assistance to patrons with each of the technologies that the library offers; requiring all staff to become familiar with those patron technologies. They should be trained in the existing patron and related staff technology within the first three months of onboarding. Branch management will train their staff. The library director will verify the training of the branch management, particularly with new technologies, before they train the staff.

Recent budget cycles have shown that the following allocations are needed to support the library’s technology offerings:

  • $7,000 to upgrade existing technology for the library each year
  • $60,000 for digital collections licensing
  • $6,000 for telephone services & hotspots for outreach services
  • $17,000 for patron digital interfaces/software including:
    • Integrated library system/catalog
    • User interface/discovery layer
    • Patron computer session management software
    • Patron computer drive shield protection
    • NoveList subscription & integration with discovery layer
    • Princh wireless printing cloud-based solution
    • Room reservation & library event calendar
    • Self-checkout kiosks
  • A total of $90,000 as of 2026.

Technology Enhancement, Community Library Enhancement Fund, and Library Services and Technology Act grants administered through the Utah State Library Division have also provided important supplemental revenue sources to accomplish these projects and experiment with new technology. Each July, the library board and director initiate the annual budget cycle. They review expenditures and trends from the current and recent years. They will reallocate library funds for technology needs if any of the categories listed are falling behind in meeting the library’s technology needs or if new technologies will require a significant increase in long-term funding. Total expenditures will likely increase to ~$95,000 by 2028 as expenditures on software, service providers, and materials inflate. Digital collections, software, and equipment will be evaluated for utilization, return of investment, and cost.