After seeing early success in a partnership between the Ingalls Memorial Library in Rindge and the Jaffrey Public Library, the consortium is adding a third participant – Frost Memorial Library in Marlborough.

This summer, the Rindge and Jaffrey libraries launched the Monadnock Regional Library Consortium, an agreement that allows those holding a library card for either library to use it at both for most items. They can also return items to either library, and browse and reserve books online for delivery to their home library more quickly than using the state interlibrary loan system. It was a low-cost solution to the main issues that plague many small-town libraries – the lack of funds and the lack of space to house a sprawling collection.

Starting in November, a third library has been added to the mix, at a time when space is at an all-time premium in Marlborough. Frost Free Library Director Henry Barker said that his library is currently under renovation, and the library is being run out of a storefront, with the majority of the collection in storage.

“I think it’s really a no-brainer,” Barker said. “Libraries are built on resource-sharing, and the idea that it’s more efficient to share resources in our small communities. When these libraries were interested in a broader collaboration, I was in for sure. I think this is the beginning of a new kind of regional partnership of libraries, this kind of reciprocal borrowing.”

While other consortiums exist, some of them are large networks of libraries. What makes the Monadnock Consortium work at essentially no extra cost, Perrin said, is the proximity of the libraries and the willingness of the directors to be the couriers to bring supplies back and forth. Ingalls Director Donna Straitiff lives in Jaffrey, and can bring items back and forth. Jaffrey Public Library Director Julie Perrin lives in Troy and can, in her commute, pass by either Rindge or Marlborough.

Relying mainly on Straitiff and Perrin to ferry items back and forth on a near-daily basis, the consortium so far has been successful in meeting its goals. The libraries launched their collaboration in July and have seen hundreds of items checked out by members of the opposite town. To date, 170 Ingalls Memorial Library patrons and 240 Jaffrey Public Library patrons have made use of the consortium services. A total of 1,123 items have been checked out in Jaffrey by Ingalls patrons, and 430 items have been checked out in Rindge by Jaffrey patrons.

“We couldn’t be happier,” said Perrin. “The numbers speak for themselves that we are expanding access to both communities in a very equitable way.”

“I couldn’t be more thrilled. It really changed the whole atmosphere of the library for me,” said Straitiff. “Our patrons are thrilled. It’s a great feeling.”

Barker said it would behoove other libraries in close communities to look at similar partnerships. Perrin said the consortium has had conversations with the state’s Inter-Library Loan system about using the Inter-Library Loan van, should the directors ever change. She said the group wants this partnership to continue no matter what, even if the efficiency isn’t as high because the directors cannot make frequent exchanges themselves as easily.

While the partnership allows for sharing of libraries’ collections, there are some items that are excluded. Electronic resources, items purchased by the individual Friends of the Library groups, and select other items are not shared through the consortium. Barker said some large, physical items owned by the Frost Memorial Library will be available for checkout by Rindge or Jaffrey members, but only in person.

While the Marlborough library will benefit in the short term from having access to the Rindge and Jaffrey collections, part of the renovations at the Frost Memorial Library  include more community space, and sharing community events is something Jaffrey and Rindge are seeking to increase in their partnership.

Often, community events are already open to the public, with anyone able to attend, but few people outside their own communities hear about them, said Perrin. Now with three libraries, the consortium is working on a way to create a joint calendar so that at a glance, a member of any of the libraries can see what’s available. It’s one of the few things they’ve found as needing future improvements on the partnership.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.