LAKEPORT – The new year is bringing with it a new librarian for the county's library system.
On Wednesday, Susan Clayton spent her first day as the county's librarian, overseeing a dedicated group of 17 staff and 25 volunteers, a literacy program and a countywide collection of 156,000 books, DVDs, reference materials and other items.
The day before, Kathleen Jansen, who served as the county's head librarian for 29 years, celebrated her retirement.
Library staff and Jansen, who along with husband Larry is heading for a Hawaii vacation on Friday, were decked out in leis made from colored library cards on Tuesday. She also was feted with a “bon voyage” party.
Clayton, 59, joined the county on March 20 as deputy county librarian. By the time Clayton was hired, Jansen said she already had announced her plans to retire. So the two women began working together to prepare Clayton for the transition into the new post.
The Board of Supervisors made that transition official on Dec. 9, when the supervisors unanimously appointed Clayton the county's new head librarian.
“The board is very pleased that Ms. Clayton has agreed to accept this appointment and we know she will make an excellent department head,” said Board Chair Ed Robey, adding that the county is fortunate to have someone with Clayton's qualifications for the post.
Clayton and Jansen have formed an amiable working relationship in their nine months of working together. Sitting together at a table in the Lakeport Library's children's section on Tuesday, they joked and smiled as they talked about the work of managing the library system and their love for books. Clayton said she didn't want to see Jansen go.
She said Jansen has been great and incredibly patient in training her. Clayton anticipated that she'll find herself turning to ask Jansen questions – only to find she's not there.
Jansen, however, has faith that Clayton is well-prepared for the task ahead. “She's ready,” said Jansen.
Clayton, who currently lives in the Clear Lake Riviera with her cat Buddy, previously held positions in the libraries of the University of Redlands in San Bernardino County as well as in western New York at Finger Lakes Community College.
She received her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Davis, and her master's degree in library science from the University of Michigan.
Clayton also has authored several articles on library services and reviews in the Library Journal and made presentations at library conferences and symposiums.
With her mother living in Windsor and her brother in Rohnert Park, Clayton was looking for an opportunity to return west when she applied for the deputy county librarian spot in January.
Clayton sees opportunities and challenges – “There are lots of both” – as she steps into her role.
Her job includes not just keeping the library stocked and ordering books – a fun but time-consuming part of the job – but budgeting, overseeing the buildings and supervising personnel.
The biggest challenge will be the budget, said Clayton, who will begin the process of preparing for the 2009-10 county budget in February.
This year, property tax – a major library funding source – was flatter, said Jansen, but she said the the library system should be fine for the rest of the year.
The future state budget could have an impact on the system. When the state is involved, Clayton noted, funds for local programs “are never safe.”
Jansen recalls hard times, successes for library system
On Tuesday, Jansen, 57, recalled her time with the local library system, which began 31 years ago.
After graduating with a library sciences degree from San Jose State University, Jansen ended up working as a children's librarian in a small Iowa town.
She said she missed California. Her family had vacationed in Lake County when she was a child, and Jansen said she thought Lake County would be a great place to work.
So she sent a letter of inquiry and fortune smiled – a job opening happened to be available.
She took the job and returned west, taking over the head librarian spot a short time later.
Jansen raised two daughters with Larry, who has been retired for three years. Their daughters are Heather, who is a teacher in Kelseyville, and Sarah works in the county's human resources department.
The Jansens live in Lakeport, and plan to remain here, but are looking forward to doing some traveling. She said her retirement has been in the planning stages for a few years.
But she said Tuesday, “Today is the first day it feels really real.”
“For me, too,” said Clayton.
Jansen has witnessed important transitions and achievements for Lake County's library system.
A major challenge for libraries came in June 1978, when voters passed Proposition 13, which capped property taxes and reportedly reduced them statewide by 57 percent, according to California Tax Data's Web site.
The library system depends on property tax revenue, said Jansen, and Proposition 13 “really decimated libraries.”
Jansen, who started with the county shortly before the measure became law, said local libraries were able to weather the reduction in funding by reducing hours. No local branches had to close, as was seen in other areas.
Libraries did OK until more state funding shifts in the 1990s, she said.
Since then, the only service the library system really has lost has been its bookmobile, which needed to be replaced. The replacement was expensive and the bookmobile wasn't being used that much.
During her tenure, Lakeport and Clearlake have had new library buildings constructed. She's hopeful that Middletown's proposed new library also will become a reality soon. While it's still on the drawing board, Jansen said the first steps have been taken. For that project, as for many others, funding has been a critical issue.
Beginning in 1999, the library began to have public computers, and in 2001 – following a yearlong process – the library's catalog became computerized. “It was a big job because you have to handle every book,” Jansen explained.
As part of the automation process, the catalog has expanded online, and joined a shared/catalog circulation system that includes Sonoma and Mendocino counties. That shared system gives book lovers online access to more than one million books, which Jansen said are delivered quickly and seamlessly throughout the three counties.
An added benefit of that system, she noted, is that the state reimburses the libraries for transporting the books.
Library usage remains strong
One might expect to hear that the Internet has eaten into library usage, but that doesn't appear to be so, based on Jansen's estimation.
Book lovers' attachment to the physical wonder that is a book hasn't waned. They continue to come to local libraries to feed that need to read, said Jansen.
Joining those more traditional library users are people who come to the library to use the public computers and Internet connection, she said.
Jansen said the library sees people of all ages, although it's children and older people who appear to use the library the most. The 20- to 30-somethings tend to drop off a bit until they come back later, either from a desire to read more or to bring their children.
The library's books are tailored to local interest. Jansen and Clayton said. The county is home to many avid gardeners, so gardening books are popular, as are books on fishing. Green building and sustainability also are hot topics.
“I'm very proud of all we have at the library,” said Jansen.
She is particularly proud of the children's book collection, which recently saw additional rows of shelves added in the Lakeport library. The big room features not just books but videos and audios for children to enjoy.
“It's had a huge growth,” said Jansen.
The publishing industry, like other industries around the country, is having upheavals and major changes, but Jansen said so far they haven't seen the impacts manifesting locally.
“I would expect something might happen but we just haven't seen it yet,” she said.
However, what is noticeable for the county libraries is the impacts of the country's economic downtown, Jansen and Clayton said.
“We always increase when it's a down economy,” said Jansen.
Clayton said they're seeing more people coming in to create resumes on the computers available for public use, a good indication of what's happening in the economy.
“I think we're really meeting a need for people,” she said.
She's also noticed the growth of people borrowing DVDs, which they can do at the library for free.
Clayton said the library has many resources a lot of people don't know about, including a fine collection of books on small business and general business.
That's a collection she'd like to expand. Clayton also hopes to hold workshops for local business people to let them know what's available.
So, what do these two head librarians say when asked about their favorite books?
Clayton, a fan of history and biographies, recommends “Eleanor and Franklin,” about the Roosevelts.
Jansen said she can't really name just one. “I have so many favorites.”
She did, however, point to a few books of which she is particularly fond, including the children's book “Rufus M.,” Eleanor Estes' Newbery Medal-winning book about an adventurous little boy, and “How the Heather Looks,” about former children's librarian Joan Bodger's journey to British sites where famous children's stories – like “Winnie the Pooh” and “The Wind in the Willows” – are based.
When she gets back from her travels, Jansen said she's looking forward to helping out as a volunteer, a suggestion Clayton welcomed enthusiastically.
“I'll be sitting on your porch when you get back,” Clayton said with a smile.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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