This might be old news to a lot of you because there was a story in The

Robesonian just a week or so ago. But, you may not have seen it or you may have skipped over some of the information I wanted to emphasize.

On April 14, I spoke to the Lumberton City Council and to the Robeson County Board of Commissioners. I gave them an update on the status of the library’s computer system and the computers used for public access to the Internet.

We just finished installing a new computer system. We had the old one since 1996. The new system is much more helpful. You are now able to check the library’s catalog, check your library record, and renew your books from home. And, in the near future, you will be able to place a book on reserve. The library’s computer system can be reach from our Web site, robesoncountylibrary.com.

The new system is the result of many years of planning and fundraising. It cost $160,000. The project was supported by grants from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

They awarded the library $100,000 toward the purchase of the system. The Friends of the Library has been raising funds for the last seven years for renovation and modernization projects.

It provided $40,000. The county Board of Commissioners appropriated $10,000. And the city of Lumberton appropriated $10,000. This system is state of the art and should serve us well for many years to come.

We are also working on a project to allow the public greater access to the Internet. It will cost $20,000 and the Friends of the Library has agreed to fund it. It should be installed in the next couple of months.

The library has had computers for public access to the Internet for about eight years. After a couple of years trying to find enough computers