The following report covers the time period of July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012.

• Library patrons visited the library this year 253,846 times, averaging 21,154 visits per month, 4,882 per week, and 695 per day.
• There are a total of 145,431 items in the library's collection -- a net increase of 2,675 items since last year.
• Checkouts of library materials totaled 608,390 this year -- down by about 5% from last year, due in part to a 7% decrease in checkouts by patrons from other library districts, fee-based online resources such as Netflix and Amazon, and likely due in part to the high price of gasoline.
• 2,101 patrons registered for library cards this year, bringing the total number of active cardholders to about 22,000.
• At 22.3 checkouts per resident, the library ranked 16th best in circulation per capita among the 41 public libraries in the North Suburban Library System. The average for these libraries was 20 checkouts per capita. The national average is 10.5 checkouts per capita.
• The library ranked 10th and 11th best out of the 41 libraries for operating cost per checkout and payroll cost per checkout, respectively, at $4.44 and $2.26 per checkout. The highest NSLS library costs in the survey were $13.05 and $6.31 per checkout, respectively.
• Total reference and information transactions (270,899) were up by one percent.  Questions in Children's Services (42,863) were up by 3.4 percent.
• The library hosted a total of 727 instructional or entertainment programs, with a total attendance of 26,097, averaging 36 attendees per programand up 20% over last year.  Reading club registrations totaled 2,761, up 8.2% over last year.
• Library website (www.wauclib.org) usage reached an all-time high, with a record 369,421 online visits and 275,473 logins to the library catalog system
• There were 29,241 online visits to the library-sponsored Wauconda Area Community Website (www.waucondaarea.info)
• Online renewals of materials done by patrons themselves this year hit an all-time high of 41,819
• The self-service checkout station was used for 21,490 checkouts
• A record 4,929 audiobooks were checked out via downloading from MyMediaMall

• Received Illinois State Library certification of a new 3-year Technology Plan (2011-2013), as required in order to obtain the $6,000 federally funded erate discount.

• Successfully completed all phases of migrating the library’s integrated library system (ILS) from Dynix “Classic” to Polaris, including a negotiated special contract discount of $10,856 for the best ILS available.

• Negotiated and administered the upgrading of the library’s operating system from Windows XP to Windows 7, including the final phase of replacing all of the library’s 21 outdated PCs that would not have been capable of running on Windows 7.

• Upgraded Microsoft Office from Office 2003 to Office 2010 for all library computers.

• Added Wowbrary enews service that automatically showcases the library's newest books, DVDs, and CDs each week, including those on order, while also enhancing the main search page of the online catalog.

• Purchased and configured 3 Nook Simple Touch ebook readers for 2-week checkout and 3 iPads for in-house checkout (funded by the Friends), as well as 3 additional iPads for staff use.

• Started the process of purchasing two new self-checkout stations – one in Children’s Services, and one near the Circulation Desk.  Presented the concept to the Friends and received their advance approval of a $7,500 donation to the library for purchasing the self-checkout station in Children’s Services.

• Made many additions and improvements to the library website, and greatly enhanced the library’s online social networking presence (Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Flickr, etc.)
  

Adult Services Department

Reference and Research

The Adult Services Department answered:

		Annual % Increase/Decrease
Telephone Questions	10,922	-4.3%
In-Person Questions	43,985	2.6%
Email Questions	126	-11.3%
Total	55,033	1.1%

Reference	28,376	-4.0%
Information	10,705	4.4%
Equipment	15,826	8.9%
Email	126	-11.3%
Total Questions	55,033	1.1%

Tutor Room

249

7.8%

Three new online databases were added: Chilton Library, Legal Forms and Price It! Antiques.

Collection Development

• Ebook circulation through MyMediaMall exploded with a 76% increase from last year.

• All collections were analyzed.  Unused materials were withdrawn, worn out copies were replaced and collection gaps were filled.  The majority of the reference collection is moving to the circulating collection. 

• 66 thematic book displays were created throughout the year.

• The library started a small collection of titles in Russian.

Programs and Services 

Programming played an important role in bringing the community to the library.  Adult attendance increased 27.8% from last year.  Young adult programming attendance increased 67% from last year.

228 programs were offered for adults.  107 programs were offered for teens.  Various programs included computer classes in both English and Spanish, author events, book club discussions, feature films, informational and instructional programs, and music programs.

Additional program highlights include:

• Author events for adults:
  • Wife 22 author Melanie Gideon
  • What’s Your Problem author Jon Yates
  • Under Their Thumb: How a Nice Guy from Brooklyn Got Mixed Up with the Rolling Stones author Bill German
  • Mystery author Nancy Atherton
  • Chick lit authors Rachel Bertsche, Tasha Alexander, and Lauren Willig
  • Web chat with Jim Minick non-fiction author of The Blueberry Years
  • Cabin Fever author Tom Montgomery-Fate
  • Local authors, Kathy Catrambone and Marianne Folise discussed their book, Wauconda.
• Author events for teens:
  • Laurie Halse Anderson
  • Michael Grant
  • Laini Taylor
  • Paul Griffin
  • Dave Cullen author of Columbine
• Regular Tai Chi and jewelry classes.
• Teen guitar classes and Project Create art club.
• Several cooking and healthy eating programs were presented, such as Scrumptious Savory & Sweet Summer Dishes, The Lore and Lure of Spices, screening and discussion of Forks Over Knives, teen pizza taste-off, Know Your Farmer – Know Your Food, Springtime Cleaning with Herbs, and Creative Gifts from the Kitchen.

School Outreach

The library and school district continued to partner on several programs throughout the year and build on this relationship by adding new opportunities like the 8^th grade Social Studies Fair.  Collaborations include:

• Author events mentioned above
• District 118 Art Show and awards
• 8^th grade Social Studies Fair
• Wauconda High School book discussions of The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
• Class visits and tours throughout the school year
• Staff gave presentations at the end of the school year to Wauconda Middle School, Matthews Middle School and Wauconda High school students to promote the summer reading club and programs.

Community Outreach

The library had great opportunities this year to work with various community groups in promoting its services.

• Senior New Year’s Party at the Wauconda Park District
• Wauconda Chamber of Commerce Business Expo
• Summer Concert Series with the Wauconda Park District
• Wauconda Township Historical Society Ice Cream Social and Open House
• Friends of the Library
• Wauconda Bunny Hop
• Community Shredding Event
• AARP tax assistance
• Money-Smart Week
• Homebound deliveries
• NISRA After-Hours Movie Events
• Maintenance of the community website

Technology

• The library’s website was maintained and updated as needed.
• Eleven issues of the eNews were created and distributed.
• Ipods and Nooks were updated and added to the collection.  User guides were also created.

 

Children's Services Department

• Two hundred and ninety-eight book and audiovisual resources displays were created and fifty-nine bibliographies were developed, facilitating access to popular and prominent elements of the Children’s collections.

• The Children’s staff developed and presented over 350 programs for children. Some highlights include: Fun With Max and Ruby, Captain Underpants Party, Mad For Madeline, Gingerbread Time, Lego Club, Tutu Terrific Ballet Day, Donut Dash, Day With Thomas, 39 Clues Party, Bad Kitty Olympics, I Will Survive Dance Class, Movies, Drop-in Crafts, My Grandparents and Me Bingo Night, Happy Birthday, Scaredy Squirrel, Loteria, and family evening storytimes presented in Spanish.

• The Children’s department offered many reading clubs, multi-generational book discussion groups, and literature-based programs over the course of the year and over 2,300 patrons signed up to participate.  The Friends of the Library generously supported both the Winter Reading Club and Summer Reading Club by purchasing paperback books for children who achieved their reading club goals.  The Friends also paid for Great America passes which were used for grand prize drawings at the end of the Winter Reading Club.

• The Children’s department hosted various annual, traditional events (such as the Teddy Bear Picnic, the Preschool Halloween Party, and the Polar Bear Picnic) as well as a wide variety of entertainment for families which included the Barry North, Yo-Yo Man, Magic Show, Snakes, Spiders & Stories, Frog Lady, Flying Fool, Roz Puppets, Dr. Gadget’s Robot Show, Magic Mike’s AbraKIDazzle, and Circus Boy.

• To serve the early literacy needs of very young children, 140 sessions of preschool storytime and lapsit storytime were presented. Over 3,100 children and their caregivers attended.

• The Children’s staff provided outreach services to the Wauconda Area community by conducting library tours for visiting Cub Scouts and Daisy Scouts and by participating in the Annual Village Holiday Walk in December and the Business Expo in February.

• A Preschool Expo was held in the Lincoln Room in January, providing parents with an opportunity to visit and talk with directors, teachers, and child-care providers from preschools and daycares serving Wauconda and surrounding area communities.

• Sixty-five classes of preschoolers and elementary school students (approximately 1,700 children) visited the library, toured the facility, and enjoyed literature-based presentations and booktalks.  Additionally, the Children’s librarians visited fifteen classes of preschoolers, conducting outreach storytimes for over 435 children.

• In order to promote the library’s resources and services, the Children’s staff published monthly student newsletters (in English and Spanish) which were delivered to over 2,500 children attending the district’s public and private elementary and middle schools.  The Children’s staff also filled approximately twenty Teacher Book Bag requests, attended the Battle of the Books tournament at Wauconda High School, and participated in the Family Literacy Night at Robert Crown School.

• To encourage use of the library’s technology, the Children’s librarians hosted the Wii Gamers Club and offered several online activities such as Dig In, Mango Time, and Mission Polaris to help children develop skill in using the library’s new catalog and web resources.

Last Year's Annual Report (2010 / 2011)