Bledsoe gives funds to city
Three departments benefit
State Sen. Cecile Bledsoe presented a $20,000 check to city officials Tuesday, April 18. The money will be divided between the Police Department, the Library and City Hall.
Librarian Megan Bryant said the $5,000 from the senator was used to buy a new cataloging system.
“The money that Senator (Cecile) Bledsoe gave us will be paying for Atriuum,” Megan Bryant, librarian, said.
“Atriuum is the new cataloging system. In the library it is a wonderfully fast system to help my li- brarians and I manage the library.
Atriuum is a centralized library automation solution sold by Book Systems. It is a web based library management program, according to its website.
“Most importantly though, it is what it does for our patrons,” Bryant said, explaining that there is a website set up for the library where library patrons can see events, peruse the books in the library, hold a book, renew a checked out book and request a book be ordered.
The website is https://prclar. booksys.net/opac/prclar/index. html#menuHome.
The system sends daily text
messages or emails to patrons reminding them of when their books are due or if fines need to be paid. Bryant said there is also a smart phone application to make the website even more accessible for the community.
Police Chief Ryan Walker said the $10,000 the Police Department received will be used for pepper guns and radios for patrol officers. He said pepper guns are a “less lethal” option for officers and provide a different option than tasers. He said he would purchase seven guns arming half the department with them and eight radios providing new radios for patrol officers.
Mayor Jackie Crabtree said the $5,000 for the city was used to change the door used by the judge for access into the courtroom so it would swing out away from the court room for safety purposes.