Alton, Mo. – The Alton Public Library has an outside drop box that has problems. While the choice of books inside is great and the location of the library is superb, the after-hours drop box is inadequate.
Problem
If you have ever tried to return a book after hours into the box, you would see why. The returned item does not usually fall into the container. One has to shake, push, wiggle, and try various means to return the item. This can be frustrating. From the librarian’s perspective, they have difficulty opening the box to retrieve the returned materials and often using a tool and shaking the entire container. From all appearances, this does not look good.
Solution
Hooray for our tax dollars going to work. The Alton Public Library is getting a new Dropbox! It is on order and should arrive soon. This new box will open as expected and close properly, dropping the returned material inside. The librarian will also be able to open the box and retrieve the returned materials without using tools to break into the box. If you try to return an item soon, be aware that the current broken dropbox is closed until further notice. Please return items when the library is open.
Thank you to the library, its board, and all concerned for finding a solution to this ongoing problem.
