Wauconda Area Public Library District

 

The Year In Review

 

Annual Report

 

Fiscal Year 2006 / 2007

 

The following report covers the time period of July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007.

 

 

Board of Library Trustees

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Library Usage Highlights


Highlights of library usage statistics:

  • Library patrons visited the library this year a record 236,932 times, averaging nearly 20,000 per month

  • 2,986 patrons registered for library cards this year

  • Total circulation is up by 3.1% -- 560,225 items were checked out --  a new all-time high

  • DVD checkouts have increased by 32%

  • Total Music CD checkouts (42,761) decreased by 2.4%, but total audiobook checkouts (15,141) increased by 5.7% and circulation of audiobooks for teens nearly doubled

  • Circulation of Adult books (91,376) increased by 4% this year, while circulation of Young Adult books (15,931) increased by 4.2% and Children's books (136,932) decrease by 2.2%

  • Total reference and information transactions (243,571) increased by 1.9%, including an 11% increase at the Adult Services reference desk and a 4.2% increase at the Information Desk in the Circulation Department

  • Program attendance averaged nearly 3,000 per month at an annual total of 35,837

  • Library website (www.wauclib.org) visits increased by 27.4% usage also hit an all-time annual record of 233,097 online visits involving 445,781 page views

  • There were 37,654 online visits to the library-sponsored Wauconda Area Community Website (www.waucondaarea.info)

  • Online renewals of materials done by patrons themselves hit an all-time high of 22,123 for the year

  • The Self-Checkout station was used 9,470 times -- 38% more times than in the previous year

  • A record 727 audiobooks were checked out via downloading from MyMediaMall and NetLibrary


Library Usage Statistics: FY0506 Compared to FY0607
 
  FY0506 FY0607 % Change
Population Served* 22,136 25,150 0%
Total Active Borrowers 17,948 19,622 17.9%
       
Total Information Transactions      
Adult Services Department 44,714 49,626 11%
Children's Services Department 56,757 50,616 -10.8%
Circulation Department 137,486 143,329 4.2%
   Library Total 238,957 243,571 1.9%
       
Reference Transactions      
Adult Services Department 23,172 25,577 10.4%
Children's Services Department 46,565 42,386 -9%
       
Circulation Statistics      
Adult Materials Loaned 300,926 356,333 18.4%
Children's Materials Loaned 242,496 203,892 -15.9%
   Library Total 543,422 560,225 3.1%
       
Interlibrary Loan      
Items requested and received by our patrons from other libraries 4,707 4,360 -7.4%
Items request by and sent to other libraries for their patrons 3,516 3,539 0.7%
       
Program Attendance      
Adult Programs 13,652 12,838  -6.0%
Children's Programs 25,752 22,999 -10.7%
Non-Library Meeting Attendance 2,465 1,641 -33.4%
   Library Total 41,869 35,837 -9.1%
     
Internet Usage      
Library website page views 268,574 445,781 66%
       
Circulation by Wauconda Area patron age group      
Adults (18+) 351,667 355,729 1.2%
Teens (14-17) 23,148 21,733 -6.1%
Child (5-13) 59,580 67,274 0.4%

*  FY0506 population figure is based on the 2000 Census.  Population increase in FY0607 figure is based on special census of Village of Wauconda in 2006

 

 


Administration

  • Further increases in all library materials and program budgets in order to enable continued upgrading of all collections and attract more library patrons

    •

  • Improved Security – In response to a developing trend of mischief and misbehavior of teens in the Adult Services department – particularly in the Computer Resource Center –  measures were taken in order to improve security and curtail the trend, such as requiring scanning of actual library cards in order to use library computers, more frequent monitoring of the CRC, less tolerance of disruptive behavior and loitering, and increased video monitoring

  • Made improvements to in-house web page for use by library staff and trustees, designed to improve trustee access to library information, policies and documents

  • Competitive wage adjustment approved for all non-exempt staff, increasing library's wage levels to average levels of public libraries in the North Suburban Library System

  • Successful implementation of $18,900 “Creative Use of Libraries” grant project, culminating in the addition of more than 2,000 ebooks and audiobooks to the library’s web-based collection, along with the preloaded ebook devices and iPods, BookLetters enewsletter service, TumbleBooks web-based multimedia books for children, and an instructional brochure promoting these new services, all of which was paid for by the LSTA grant

  • Trustee training sessions were presented at regular board meetings.  Topics this year included: Audiobooks on iPods; FIRST (Families Involved in Reading Stories Together) program; Your Library's Contribution to the Community” (LCTYC) program; an overview of Evanced Events; Intergovernmental Utility Purchasing Coop

  • Library Director served on the Cultural Diversity Committee of the United Partnership for a Better Community

  • Revised or established policies:

  • Lost and Found Policy

  • Circulation Policy (confidentiality statement and reciprocal borrower restrictions)

  • Patron Behavior Policy

 

 


Public Relations (See also School Outreach and Outreach to the Business Community, below)

 

  • Four 8-page full-color newsletters for the first time (previously only 3 per year)

  • 8-page full-color “QuickStart Guide” promoting new eBook and eAudiobook services

  • Website additions and improvements, making access to online services easier and more up-to-date

  • More coverage of library events in local newspapers

  • Improved utilization of display cases has resulted in better visibility of in-house advertising of library programs

  • FIRST Program – The library has played an essential role in the success of the Families Involved in Reading Stories Together (FIRST) program in the Wauconda area.  The Library director worked closely with the Wauconda Park District, School District 118, and the College of Lake County to bring this program to the library and ensure its proven success.
  • United Partnership Participation – Library Director increased his participation in the United Partnership for a Better Committee this year, serving on its Cultural Diversity Committee and hosting most of that committee’s monthly meetings at the library.

 

School Outreach

 

  • All the programs initiated in FY0506 year have been continued, and several new services have been initiated or are in the planning process
  • Family literacy classes partnership with WHS, CLC, and the Park District; expanded programming for ESL students and Hispanic students, and several important online academic databases. 
  • The library again participated in the school district’s “Show Them What You know” campaign, promoting parental and community support for students taking ISAT and PSAT exams in March. At the request of the school district’s curriculum director, Library director wrote a letter in support of a grant application.
  • Acquisition of required textbooks from local area schools for a centralized School Textbook Collection in both the adult and children's reference departments of at the library
  • Improved ESL resources, including addition of a bilingual reference staff member and automatic web-based translation of the library website
  • Hosted New Faculty Visit
  • Hosted School Librarians Breakfast
  • Attended school librarians meetings at Curriculum Office
  • Hosted visits to Children's Services Department for District 118 5th Grade classes
  • Hosted behind-the-scene tours for District 118 3rd Grade classes
  • Hosted library visits for Messiah Lutheran preschool classes
  • In cooperation with District 118’s bilingual team, the library welcomed ESL families and conducted tours of the library
  • Library presence at Curriculum Nights at Dist. 118 schools during September
  • Library presence at Family Reading Night at the Wauconda Grade School
     

Outreach to the Business Community

 

  • Business After Hours @ the Library – The November 16 mixer, a collaborative effort with the Wauconda and Island Lake Chambers of Commerce, drew approximately 100 attendees from the Wauconda Area business community.
  • Worked with Wauconda and Island Lake Chambers of Commerce to promote their programs Community Website and Community Calendar
  • Library Card Sign-Up Month (September, 2006) business partnership with 125 participating businesses.  The library promoted these businesses in print and on the Internet.  In return, the participating businesses provided free or discounted products or services when customers showed their library cards.
  • Participated in Wauconda Chamber Expo
  • Worked with Wauconda Women in Business Council in initial formation of the group, providing meeting space with amenities
  • Provided meeting space for Wauconda Chamber Industrial Alliance (CIA)
  • 2-page article in the Wauconda Chamber Community guide
  • Inclusion in the Island Lake Chamber map of Island Lake, promoting the library and the Wauconda Area Community Website
  • Attended Wauconda Economic Development Committee meetings
  • Attended Wauconda Chamber's Main Street Group meeting


Library Facility and Grounds

  • Replaced carpeting in Genevieve Lincoln Community Meeting Room with carpet tiles for more cost-effective maintenance

  • Parking lot was seal-coated and re-striped

  • New large white pines was planted, replacing one which had died

  • Repaired front stairway


 

Adult Services Department

 

REFERENCE AND RESEARCH

·         Reference and research was a focus for the Adult Services Department, which had an 11% increase in total information transactions.

·         In-person assistance at the Adult Services Reference Desk increased significantly from just over 33,000 requests to 38,600 requests, or a 16.4% increase.

·         The library began a subscription to GVRL, the Thomson Gale Virtual Reference Library of eBooks.  Included were hundreds of titles covering all subject areas and were particularly focused at those in need of research and homework help.

·         The print reference collection continued to be weeded of outdated resources and replaced with newer, current ones.

 

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

 

IN PRINT

·         Ongoing updating of the non-fiction circulating collection took place throughout the year. 

·         8,169 books were withdrawn while 11,255 new titles were added, brining the total number of books in the collection to 93,169.

·         To address the needs of the growing Polish population, a Polish-language materials collection was started.  Approximately 90 titles have been added so far.

·         Notable increases in Adult print materials included:

·         A 4% increase in total circulation

·         A 4.6% increase in Large Print

·         A 6.4% increase in Mystery

·         A 10.8% increase in Romance

·         A 50% increase in Foreign Language

·         The Young Adult print collection circulated almost 16,000 books, or a 4.2% increase from last year.

·         The following periodical titles were added:

Aviation Week and Space Technology

Memory Makers Scrapbooking

 

 

Backpacker Magazine

Motor Home

 

Birder’s World

Progressive

 

Bulletin of Atomic Scientists

Self

 

Cottage Living

Tropical Fish Hobbyist

 

Dwell

Vogue Knitting
         

 

AUDIO VISUAL

·         A new format of audiobooks, called Playaways, was acquired for both adults and young adults.  Smaller than a deck of cards, these preloaded audiobooks allow anyone to listen to a book without having to own a special device or download files from a computer.  Playaways allow users to place digital bookmarks and control the speed and volume of the narrator’s voice.

·         Audiobooks on cassettes continued to be weeded as replacement audiobooks on CD’s were purchased.

·         VHS movies have also been phased out as DVD replacements were purchased.

·         Notable increases in Adult Audio Visual materials included:

·         Audiobooks on CD for adults increased 23.3%. 

·         Young adult audiobooks on CD almost doubled for an increase of 96.6%.

·         DVD circulation increased 11.6%, with a non-fiction DVD increase of 37% and fiction DVD increase of 13.2%.

 

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

·         The Adult Services Department offered 182 programs for adults and 84 programs for young adults.  Included were 43 computer classes, 57 sessions of adult book discussions, 30 sessions of young adult book discussions, 13 concerts, 30 feature films, 4 bus trips, 18 instructional programs for young adults and 36 informational and instructional programs for adults.  Regular Young Adult clubs, such as Anime Club, Chess Club and a new Teen Knitting Club, met 36 times.

·         Due to the success and popularity of the Adult book discussions, a non-fiction book club was started in May.

·         Free weekly tax assistance to individuals over the age of 55 was offered by two experienced AARP volunteers.  Over 145 people took advantage of this service.

·         Reading Program highlights:

·         Summer Reading Program 2006, X Marks the Spot: Reading Adventures Begin @ Your Library

·         Annual Winter Reading Program2007, Books Blow the Winter Blues Away

·         Summer Reading Program 2007, Catch the Beat @ Your Library

·         Rebecca Caudill Reading Club for Grades 6-8

·         Read and Win with Abe:  Abe Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award for Grades 9-12

·         Wrestlemania Reading Challenge sponsored by the American Library Association

·         Author event highlights:

·         Marilyn Pocius, author of A Cook’s Guide to Chicago

·         Jeff Libman, author of An Immigrant Class: Oral Histories from Chicago’s Newest Immigrants

·         Jeff Biggers, author of In the Sierra Madre

·         Eric Hansen, author of Hiking Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Hiking Wisconsin

·         Additional program highlights:

 

Adult

Young Adult

 

 

Simply Signing with Baby

Project Linus Quilts

 

Kraig Kenning in Concert

Teen Read Week Photography Exhibit

 

Centerpiece Workshops

Non-Fiction Book Club

 

Cleaning Your Home Naturally

First Annual Teen Tech Week Trivia Contest

 

The Life of Harriet Tubman

Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Obituary Contest

 

Family LEGO Event

Harry Potter Bookmark Contest

 

Ravinia Festival One Score

Mario Kart Double Dash Tournament

 
         

 

OUTREACH
 

SCHOOL

Outreach to the area schools increased dramatically over the year with more opportunities to strengthen the relationship among the library, faculty and students. 

·         Summer School Success – Staff welcomed summer school students for library tours, activities and book talks.  An end-of-the-summer celebration was held for 6th and 7th graders who completed summer school.  Environmental health educator, Jack Kaufman, presented heart-felt ballads and a multi-media slide show about the importance of recycling.  After the performance, students created rain sticks with recycled materials.

·         A new faculty luncheon was held for District 118 in August.  Library tours were given as well as demonstrations of the library’s various online homework resources.  Each teacher was given a binder with subject guides and how-to information for using the library.

·         Staff attended parent open houses at the schools to promote library services to parents and their children.  Opportunities to sign up for library cards and programs were provided.

·         A breakfast for the School Library Media Specialists was held in October.  Binders of library resources and subjects guides were presented to each school. 

·         Young adult staff discussed outstanding biographies and autobiographies for eighth grade students at the Wauconda Middle School library in November.

·         Letters were sent to teachers offering extra credit opportunities for their students to attend library programs.</