During 2001, it became more convenient for customers to use Eastern Shores public libraries.  This is particularly true for those who live in rural areas, but who have access to computers at home, school, or work.  Customers have had walk-in access to all libraries for many years, but they had to either call the library or drive to the library to see if a specific item was owned and if it was currently on the shelf at that library.  That has changed with the implementation of EasiCat, the new shared automated system that contains the holdings of 13 public libraries, the Eastern Shores bookmobile, and Lakeland College.

Customers can now travel “electronically” via the online catalog at www.easicat.net.  When they locate the item(s) they want, they can place holds on them and select the library that is the most convenient as the pickup location.  That library will contact them when the item is delivered there.  The Eastern Shores delivery van delivers items among all of the libraries five days a week.  This results in items arriving within a day or so after they have been requested.

EasiCat is also available at the public libraries.  Staff at the libraries can help customers learn how to use the new catalog.  In addition to searching the library’s catalog, customers can also view their patron record online.  They can see how many items they have checked out, when they are due, how many items they have on hold and where they are in the hold queue.  This information is secured with a password.

Instead of having to carry multiple library cards, one library card can be used at all libraries.  There is one central database that holds all of the registered borrowers in the Eastern Shores Library System.  107,200 residents of Sheboygan and Ozaukee Counties have a library card, which they can use to check out items at any public library in the two counties, the bookmobile, or Lakeland College.  During 2001, residents of the two counties borrowed 2,096,804 items from the public libraries and the bookmobile.

The Eastern Shores Library System has as its mission: to improve and extend public library service to all residents of the library system.  Many of the residents of the two counties live in areas that do not have a public library.  The library system requests funds from the counties to provide a bookmobile that has regular stops in non-libraried areas and also to reimburse the thirteen libraries for providing service to residents from outside their local municipalities.  The attached table reports the number of items borrowed from the public libraries and the bookmobile by residents who live in areas that do not have a public library.