Some of the biggest changes in libraries in the last generation began with computers. Charm Ruhnke, now retired from the Peru Public Library, says she didn’t foresee just how sweeping the changes would be. She went to a class to learn about computers.
Computers made the card catalog obsolete. They let library users find out whether the books they want are available or if they must come from other libraries. And you can even get some library services via computer without being at the library.
Many libraries have stopped charging overdue fines. The Peru library stopped earlier this year. Ruhnke says the result is some people donating far more than they would have paid in fines.
And in the 1980’s, libraries usually had young children’s programs but little for adults and nothing for teens. There are many such programs now.
Ruhnke was the Peru library director for 12 years and a librarian for 39. She says more about her career and changes she’s seen in this interview: