Wauconda Area Public Library District

 

Library Facts and Figures

Annual Report

 

Fiscal Year 2003 / 2004

 

The following report covers the time period of July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004.

For a brief listing of current progress for FY0405, click HERE.

 

 

 

Board of Library Trustees

Other Library Information

 

Return to Home Page

Administration

• Hired Head of Adult Services

• Hired a graphic artist for new design of the library's printed newsletter 

• Designed and administered an effective promotional plan for establishing a debit card system for photocopies and computer printouts, resulting in the quick public acceptance of an important change in procedures

• Volunteer Policy and system for welcoming and encouraging volunteerism at the library

• Full compliance with General Accounting Standard Board Statement No. 34, Basic Financial Statements -- and Management's Discussion and Analysis -- for State and Local Governments, providing an analysis of the district's overall financial position and results of operations, including a statement of fixed assets.

• Designed the “Remembrance Trees” tree donation program (implementation pending board approval).

• A three-year financial plan was established

• Enhanced the library’s image among other community leaders and organizations through work with the United Partnership for a Better Community and the Community Calendar project

• Substantially improved the library website, resulting in greater usage and usefulness

• Negotiated and facilitated a nine-month exhibition of exceptional original art, enhancing the library’s image as a cultural center for the community

• Negotiated Friends purchase:  state-of-the-art digital projector ($1,699) and 12-foot screen ($727)

• Wauconda Rotary grant ($1,500) for Language Lab project

• Administered various staffing shifts and hires in order to better accommodate library and staff needs

• Served on the North Suburban Library System's NorthStarNet Policy and Planning Advisory Committee

• Trustee Training sessions at each Board Meeting

 

Public Relations

 

• Patron Appreciation Reception and daily "Coffee Hour" during National Library Week
• Library Card Sign-Up Month and Business Partnership including over 100 local businesses
• Participant in the “First Class Community” initiative with the United Partnership for a Better Community
• New screensaver system promoting utilizing dormant computer monitors to promote library services
• Welcome Packets for all new patrons 
• Book Cart Drill Team participated in MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
• Set up and ran booth at WaucondaFest 
• School Outreach – Attended Curriculum Nights at Dist. 118 schools during September
• Attended Family Reading Night at the Wauconda Grade School
• Three editions of FOCUS, the library newsletter, including new full-color 8-page format, were distributed to nearly 12,000 households and businesses throughout the library district. 
• Food for Fines
• Voter registration service
• Notary Public service

 

Library Facility and Grounds

• Added new 12-foot movie screen to Genevieve Lincoln Community Meeting Room (funded by the Friends of the Library!)

• Improved lighting of the main stairway

• Added several more video security cameras

• Video security monitor at Reference Desk

• Moved items to the storage facility and installed shelving for more efficient storage.

• Purchase of a workbench and tools for repairing items around the library.

• Touched up painting in the interior of the building.

• New tables for the Genevieve Lincoln Community Meeting Room.

• Made improvements to landscaping surrounding the library (i.e., shrubs and groundcover).

• Added handicapped sign in parking lot

• Added bench in main entrance

 

Adult Services

 

The Adult services staff presented 187 programs and activities for adults and young adults this year, including 22 book discussions, eight live music events, reading clubs for adults and teens, 30 feature films, five field trips, 19 instructional programs, and 76 events for young adults.  Of the many programs presented, highlights include: 

 

·         Greatly increased the number of DVD's, resulting in a 59% increase in video checkouts.

·         Summer 2003 Reading Club, “Lights! Camera! READ!”

·         Summer 2004 Reading Club, "Discover New Roads!"

·         Winter Reading Club, “Just Chill at Your Library!”

·         Annual Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale

·         Field trip: Twilight Tour, Dinner & Concert at the Chicago Botanic Gardens

·         Field trip to the musical, Hairspray

·         Field trip to the musical, the Producers

·         Field trip to the Cedarburg Settlement

·         Field trip to a Chicago Cubs game

·         Teen Poetry Slams

·         Teen Advisory Boards

·         North Suburban Teachers and Librarians Tour

·         Annual School Library Staff Breakfast

·         National Library Week, a performance of “The General’s Lady” about Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant.

·         Summer 2003 “What’s the REEL Story” game

·         Summer 2004 “Are We There Yet?" game”

·         AARP Tax Assistance

·         Daily Herald annual Big Ticket Program

 

During the year the Adult Services Department exhibited over two dozen topical book displays and created new informational areas in the Computer Resource Center and the Reference area.   Significant effort was given to collection development in the Reference, Fiction, Large Print and portions of the Non-Fiction collection.  Numerous outdated, worn, and obscure materials were weeded, and new items were purchased per patron requests and professional library reviews.  The Friends of the Library donation areas were revamped.   New materials were added to the Literacy collection, a bilingual librarian joined the staff, and tours for ESL students from the local community college were conducted.   Printed materials created by staff included subject bibliographies, read a-like lists, and lists and brochures explaining the library’s database subscriptions and reference materials.  Hands-on computer instruction classes were instituted including word processing, internet navigation, and e-mail basics.    The DVD collection was dramatically expanded with multiple purchases of popular titles

 

Children’s Services
 

The Children's Services staff presented 243 programs for children, which included over 75 sessions of preschool storytime, reading clubs, book discussion clubs for children, parents, and teachers, and numerous special events and activities. Over 14,500 children enjoyed programs at the library this year. Some of the program highlights include:

 

2003 Summer Reading Club: Lights! Camera! READ!

2004 Family Reading Club: On a Snowy Day Find Your Way to the Library

2004 Summer Reading Club: Explore the Reading Trail!

Big Ticket Program sponsored by the Daily Herald

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The circulation of Children's materials increased in several notable areas: juvenile nonfiction (+16%), juvenile fiction (+7%), easy readers (+25%), holiday books (+10%), parent/teacher resources (+21%), and CDs (+68%). Ninety book and audiovisual resources displays were created to make elements of the Children's collections more accessible, and twenty-seven bibliographies were developed to promote various high-interest areas of Children's print materials. Several collection maintenance projects were undertaken to remove old, inaccurate, and damaged resources in the following collections: juvenile nonfiction 600s, children’s videos (fiction and nonfiction), books and cassettes, board books, big books, and the periodicals.

 

The Children's Reference desk was extraordinarily busy this year, handling nearly 33,000 requests for information, reference, readers' advisory services, and equipment assistance - and increase of 10% compared to last fiscal year.  Outreach services to elementary schools increased, through newsletters, visits, and forty-eight book bag requests filled to support numerous curricular needs.

 

The Children’s Services staff submitted two grant proposals, one to Target Corporation and one to the Illinois Reading Council, which were both approved.  Over $2,000 was awarded, and this funding supported early literacy programs as well as the teacher book discussion group.

 

Circulation Services
 

	FY2003	FY2004	Increase
Check-outs, check-ins and renewals	812,398	861, 357	6%
New library cards issued	1,903	2,452	29%
Information or service transactions	79,831	99,875	25%
Fines collected	$32,752	$38,029	16%
Voters registered	150	250	67%

Library Automation and Technical Services

• Firewall system installed

• New more effective security gate

• Self-check system (FlashScan)

• Debit card system for printing/photocopy fees

• Slim/flat monitors installed where needed

• Acquired a video cleaner, DVD cleaning system, DVD player, and CD player for Technical Services workroom.

• Numerous improvements to the library's automated catalog and circulation system to make the system more effective and more user-friendly, including the addition of a keyword index

 

 

Net Growth of the Library's Collection After Weeding Old Materials

 

	FY2003	FY2004	% change
Books	87,282	90,310	+3%
Periodical subscriptions	521	502	-4%
Videos (VHS and DVD)	11,099	12,041	+8%
Audio Recordings (Audiobooks and Music CD’s, and CD-ROM's)	11,178	11,426	+2%
Total holdings	110,080	114,279	+4%

 

Library Usage Highlights

Highlights of library usage statistics as compared to the previous year:

• Total circulation is up by 13%

• While VHS video checkouts have decreased by 11%, DVD checkouts have increased by 59%

• Music CD checkouts have increased by 17.5%, including  52% increase in "Most Wanted" CD checkouts and a 68% increase in Children's CD checkouts

• Circulation of Adult books increased by 3.1% this year, while circulation of Young Adult books increased by 20% and Children's books by 3.4%

• Total reference and information transactions increased by 20%, including a 15% increase at the Adult Services reference desk, an 11% increase at the Children's reference desk, and a 25% increase at the Information Desk in the Circulation Department
  
  

	FY2003	FY2004	% Change
Population Served*	22,036	22,036	0
Total Registered Borrowers	18,701	19,639	5%
Reference Transactions
Adult Services Department	19,869	22,404	13%
Children's Services Department	9,562	15,885	66%
Information Transactions
Adult Services Department	11,400	13,513	19%
Children's Services Department	20,340	17,401	-14%
Circulation Department	79,265	99,385	25%
Circulation Statistics
Adult Materials Loaned	256,044	299,817	17%
Children's Materials Loaned	154,688	157,764	2%
Total	406,199	457,581	13%
Interlibrary Loan
Items requested by our patrons from elsewhere	3,794	3,411	-10%
Items sent to other libraries for their patrons	3,349	1,708	-49%
Program Attendance
Adult Programs	6,584	6,661	1%
Children's Programs	15,937	14,644	-8%
Internet Usage
Library website page views	146,804	134,130	-9%
Circulation by area of residence
Wauconda	205,600	225,589	10%
Island Lake	107,715	117,893	9%
Fox River Valley Gardens	12,221	13,295	9%
Portens	9,798	7,644	-22%
Other locations within library district	11,085	23,657	113%
Outside of library district	59,780	69,503