Grace A. Dow
Memorial Library Board
2005–2006
Annual Report
Submitted to
City Council August 14, 2006
The
Library Board worked toward addressing each of the goals included in last
year’s annual report. All of these
goals were reviewed by the Board midyear for progress and also presented at the
Joint Council/Board meeting in November along with our strategic plan and
library statistics. The goals are
reviewed below with resulting actions.
Goal 1:
Continue to
explore new ways to improve communication within our community. We specifically
hope to reach out and advertise our services to the Midland Townships not
currently contracting Grace A. Dow Memorial Library services (Geneva, Warren, Jasper, and Porter).
Results:
The Board
continues to place a high priority on improving communication with the
community. In response to a patron suggestion, the Board began placing and
archiving all responses to patron compliments and concerns in the Board’s
minutes that are accessible on the Library’s website. This allows community members who miss the Board meeting on TV to
still locate the response given to any patron question.
Another
suggestion implemented from patron comments was to allow the return of audio
books in the outside drop. The Board
addressed a comment about the labeling of the biography section and agreed that
the signage should be changed to include the word “autobiographies.” Comments about cell phone use in the
computer area were discussed and the Board supported use of a printed cell
phone etiquette card reminder to be given to the offender.
The Library Connection newsletter has continued to offer us a vehicle to communicate with our
patrons as well. Our Frequently Asked Question section has addressed such topics as: Why can’t files be downloaded
and uploaded on the library computers? Can the Library provide a drive up book
drop? We have also used this space to encourage patrons who do leave comments
and suggestions to include a contact name and number or email address; our goal
is to respond personally to those who wish to be contacted.
The Library
Board remains committed to maintaining existing and establishing new
communication between all Midland townships. A letter of invitation was sent to
non-contracting townships that offered personal assistance from the Library
Director or any board member to answer questions. This letter also included a
summary of all Library services. In addition, a letter of gratitude was sent to
contracting townships that also included a summary of what they can continue to
expect from their community library.
Goal 2:
Consider application to the
2005 State Librarian’s Excellence Award.
Results:
We are thrilled
to report that the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library was chosen as the winner of
the 2005 State Librarian’s Excellence Award! This award will always remain a
very tangible example of the Library’s commitment and execution of excellence
to all our present and future patrons. The award celebrations, including a
“Meet the Board” reception for the community and other announcements held to
communicate this event, were done to reconfirm to the community that the
Library would always remain committed to the pursuit of excellence. The award included a $5000 cash prize that was used to
re-upholster furniture that was moved to the Mezzanine to create an area for
patrons to read, study and visit.
Goal 3:
Continue to review and support success
of the Cup and Chaucer Coffee Bar.
Results:
The
Library Board and the community of Midland have been very pleased with the
Library’s collaboration with the Arnold Center in the successful operation of
the Cup and Chaucer. Recently, a new
manager has been hired and made some creative changes, such as a “drink of the
month.” Library patrons have offered their suggestions and requests, one of
which was allowing drinks in the library. This request was successfully
instituted using covered containers and is allowed everywhere except in the
Local History/Genealogy Room and by the computers. To celebrate two years of
operation, Mike Shea, and two Cup and Chaucer employees gave a 2nd
Anniversary report to the board on what this opportunity has meant to them.
Goal 4:
Continue to
review any Grace A. Dow Memorial Library and/or City of Midland policies in
need of attention. The Board will be
addressing the library fines and fees this next year. These amounts have not been reviewed since 1999.
Results:
Staff is still in the
process of preparing a report for the Library Board. Reviewing the fines and fees will continue as a goal for
2006-2007.
Goal 5:
Continue recognizing the financial
support received from the Friends of the Library for library projects and
programs.
Results:
Board
members Stein, Heard, Brink and Soules attended the annual meeting of the
Friends of the Library Board on April 26, 2006. Ann Heard spoke on behalf of Board members to express their
thanks and appreciation to the Friends of the Library for their continuing and
generous support.
Goal 6:
Continue
support of the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library Strategic Plan.
Results:
The
library staff continues to impress both the board and the community with their
progress on the Strategic Plan goals: Technology Excellence and Customer
Service Excellence.
Accomplishments
for 2005-2006 include:
·
Implementation of a wireless network in the library! This creates a
major new “hotspot” with high-speed Internet access for the many Midland
portable computer users.
·
Continued offering of computer training classes, using the mobile
computer lab provided by the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative. Staff
finds especially high demand for basic computer skills, i.e. use of the mouse
or pointer.
·
Access to MeLCat, a statewide library database that adds access to the
on-line catalogs of 105 participating libraries. Patrons can place holds on materials held by these libraries that
are not available in our library collection.
·
Exploration of new technologies and further consideration of requested
technology services such as word processing.
·
Improved staff communication tools to enhance customer service.
·
Annual customer service workshop for staff.
The
Board is confident that the library will continue to excel in new technology
development and implementation and customer service skills. Our hats are off
again to the staff for tackling the numerous technology improvements while
maintaining existing library service excellence. The Strategic Plan has been
extended for another 2 years to continue the forward progress.
In addition to
the goals, the Board also:
·
Met with City Council to present the
Board’s Annual Report for 2004-2005 and review the Library’s Strategic
Plan. It was a productive and
informative exchange of ideas.
·
Appointed Ann Heard to participate with a
staff committee in developing an exciting new community outreach program, known
as a Community Read. The goal of the program is to encourage the community to
read the same book and meet to discuss the book. The program will promote
reading and the library, and bring our community together. Heard reported
to the Board that in the fall of 2006, the library will host a community read
event, entitled “On the Same Page: One
Book, One Community.” The Community
Read program will be announced in the September/October Library Connection newsletter
and the book title announced in early October.
There will be book discussion groups meeting in various locations in
Midland. The author has agreed to speak
at the library on November 9, 2006.
2006-2007 with an
explanation about the proposed capital projects.
The Board has identified the
following goals for 2006-2007:
Receive
and discuss the parking lot and book return recommendation presented by the
consultant. A recurring patron request
is for a drive-up drop box. The current placement requires patrons to park, and
walk to the drop box. Often cars are left in the no parking lane to do this,
which creates a potential safety risk.
The recommendation will also address the traffic flow in the library
parking lot.
Explore
at least one new method to communicate with the community about library
services in order to preserve and expand our patron base.
Review
year-end statistics to evaluate and discuss the use patterns and future
directions of our library.
Receive
reports on the community public spaces project and how it might impact the
library. Provide input as requested.
Review staff
recommendations on revising the fines and fees schedules and recommend
revisions to City Council.
Goal 6:
Proactively support
the Arnold Center regarding the upcoming wage challenges facing the Cup and
Chaucer in order to keep this service viable.
2005-2006 Library
Board Members
Judy Stein, Chair
Maxine Brink,
Vice-Chair
Stu Bush
Ann Heard
Cherie Hutter
Kathleen Kinnish
Marilyn Soules