Incorporated in 1894, Jervis Public Library Association, Inc. is chartered by the N.Y.S. Board of Regents and abides by the standards for public libraries established under N.Y.S. Education Law, Rules of the Board of Regents, and Regulations of the Commissioner of Education to provide "for the benefit and free use on equal terms of all people in the community" [Educ. Law 253(2)]. It is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational institution as determined by the Internal Revenue Service.

In our fast-moving, technological society, information is essential to the well being of citizens. The library provides the materials and services needed by individuals and groups to conduct their lives. It is a center for educational, informational, cultural, historical, and recreational materials and gatherings.

Jervis continually strives to meet the changing needs of its patrons by providing an array of technology-based services, including free wireless access to the Internet for library visitors, Microsoft Office on all library computers, computer printouts at a nominal fee, and the ability to scan, fax, and email documents from the library photocopier. The library maintains a website through which many of the library’s unique resources may be accessed for free 24 hours a day, including an online catalog of the library collection, research databases, online language learning, the ability to borrow e-books, digital audiobooks, and digital magazines, and the ability to chat live with a librarian at any hour of the day or night. The library acknowledges its role in enabling patrons to learn the technology skills needed in a global and connected society: Professional librarian staff offer periodic computer and Internet classes and assist and guide people in using their digital devices and library computers one-on-one as time permits.

Jervis Library is a reference and research facility; an Internet access center, including wireless hot spots; a children's reading room; an information and referral center for social services and career information; an adult education facility; a site for historical and genealogical research; a consumer information center; as well as a source of self-help, how-to-do-it, law, business, government, and health information, to name a few of the most heavily used areas of the collection.

The collection includes 125,000 adult, young adult and children's books; over 235 magazine subscriptions; newspapers; books on tape & CD; videos and DVDs, CD-ROMs; music CDs; a business and investment collection; stock reports; a career and college guidance collection; civil service test guides; large print books; microfilm reader-printers; local history and genealogy collection; photocopier; e-books and e-book readers; various projectors; state and federal tax forms, and much more. There is a public computer lab with six computers connected to the Internet; two children's multi-media Macintoshes; six children’s and eight adult/teen Internet access computers. The library catalog can be accessed using any computer with Internet access, in or out of the library.

As a member of the Mid-York Library System comprised of all public libraries in Oneida, Herkimer, and Madison counties, our collection is augmented by access to the 1.5 million items owned by those libraries and to interlibrary loan services throughout the state and country.

Special services offered include public meeting rooms; tours for school classes and community groups; introduction to research for high school and college classes; book discussion and special topic programs; story hours, arts and crafts workshops; performances by musicians, storytellers, puppeteers, and more. Classes that teach the public the ins and outs of Internet access are taught on every level from basic mouse and keyboard skills to advanced searching of the Internet. The children's librarian visits area schools, and hosts public and private pre-school and elementary school classes.

Updated 10/24/05 PAC