How Much Does Your Library Mean To You?

How valuable is your local library? Use this handy library value calculator, created by the Massachusetts Library Association.

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/advocacyuniversity/toolkit/makingthecase/ALA_print_layout_1_525989_525989.cfm

Librarians know intuitively that public libraries provide great value to their communities. It’s hard to express the benefits in terms that decision makers and residents understand, and harder still to quantify.

In recent years, efforts have been made toward that elusive goal. Glen Holt and Donald Elliot proposed one model in “Measuring Outcomes: Applying Cost-Benefit Analysis to Middle-sized and Smaller Public Libraries.” (Library Trends, Winter 2003). Also see the oline publication, "Placing a Value on Public Library Services" by Glen E. Holt, Donald Elliott, and Amonia Moore (http://www.slpl.lib.mo.us/libsrc/restoc.htm). Another is offered in The Library's Contribution to Your Community: a Resource Manual for Libraries to Document Their Social and Economic Contribution to the Local Community (IER Planning, Research and Management Services in association with Cameron Consulting Services and C.N. Watson and Associates, Vaughan, Ontario, 1998.)

The Value of Public Library Service tool provides a concrete, practical, measure of the market worth of services provided by a public library. Typical library services were selected and included. Each value was tested against the question: “Will an average consumer understand and accept the value that’s been assigned?”

The spreadsheet can be downloaded into Excel by saving the file to your local computer. It can be used as is by opening the file in most browsers and filling in data for your library. Alternatively, each library can assign values that are more meaningful locally or add services that have not been included in the model.

Ways to use the results:

· To provide ammunition for advocacy by your Board of Trustees

· In budget presentations

· In conversation with community officials

Your suggestions for making the tool more effective are welcomed.

How Much Does Your Library Mean To You?

Quincy gears up for The Big Read 2009!

The Quincy Public Library, in partnership with Quincy Public and Private Schools, presents The Big Read 2009. This month-long initiative, designed to get members of the community to read the same book, at the same time, will begin on September 17th with a Big Read-In at Washington Park and Quincy Senior High. The sole goal of the campaign is to spark reading and discussion as a whole by the community.

The Quincy Public Library has received a National Endowment for the Arts Big read grant that will make it possible to distribute a minimum of 500 copies of the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The Library will host a film series and lecture series, and a final event will be held in the Adams County Courthouse. The Circuit Judges of Adams County have graciously agreed to participate in a new READ poster.

The generous support provided by the Quincy Herald Whig, Quincy Society of Fine Arts, Great Debate Books, and WGEM made our first attempt a wonderful success. We were delighted to have over 270 pick up their free copy of the book, and see over 350 patrons participate in the programs and discussions offered throughout the month. The "Get Caught Reading" ads designed by the Quincy Herald Whig and the Cover feature for the September Quincy Society of Fine Arts magazine added tremendously to the visibility of the campaign.

This year, the Big Read promises to be bigger and better with more books, community partners, book discussions, and lecture programs. We hope we see larger numbers of participants to reflect all our hard work!

Summer Reading is ending

Read on the Wild Side was great fun! All our programs saw record attendance numbers, which makes us very happy. For instance, last July 2008, 238 patrons participated in the Thursday FANtastic Craft series. This July, 514 patrons attended the Wild & Crafty program series. Last July, 223 patrons participated in the Tuesday All-Star Sports Series. This July, 607 patrons visited the library to meet and greet various animals during the Tuesday Animal Express program series. Last July, 819 patrons attended the Grand Slam Family Fun Friday programs. This July, 937 patrons attended the Spectacular Friday programs. We hope this is just a taste of great things to come!

Next up, the Quincy Public Library will be busy with The Big Read starting September 17. Please visit our blog http://www.quincybigread.blogspot.com/ for more information.

"Read on the Wild Side!" Summer Reading Kickoff

The Quincy Public Library kicked off summer with the Annual Summer Reading Kick-off Saturday, May 30th. Although the skies were dark the morning of Kickoff, nothing could damper the spirits of library patrons, who came in droves to enjoy free food, activities, and entertainment. As the sun began to shine in the sky, over 2,500 patrons arrived at the library to in order to pick up their summer reading logs and get a jump on their summer reading. Ben Marth of WGEM radio emceed the event, encouraging all patrons to not only take advantage of the free Kick-off activities, but to remember to participate in all summer activities. Every activity and event was packed, and 1,500 children’s reading packets, 300 Teen logs and 500 adult logs were distributed.
The Summer Reading Kick-off Party included favorite activities such as a bounce house, face painting, and a University of Illinois-sponsored food craft, but also featured new activities such as a petting zoo complete with camels, llamas, fainting goats, miniature horses, and a baby reindeer. The entertainment stage, located on Sixth Street, was host to a local baton-twirling troupe, the Twirl Girls, at 11:00 and the local musicians of RagTag at 1:00. Chris Camp the Whip Guy encouraged patrons to get crackin’ on their summer reading during his dangerously entertaining demonstration of bullwhip tricks at high noon.
Not to be outdone, the Teen Advisory Board also unveiled a puppet show written and performed by six members of the group showcasing Leo the Library Lion and his little lion cub, Lennie. The show was so popular that an additional show had to be added to the roster. Overall, this was the most successful Summer Reading Kick-off Party to date with an increase of over 600 patrons from last year.
A big thank you goes out to all members of the staff who either worked or supported this huge effort, and to our TAB volunteers. Library staff members have worked hard over the last several weeks to prepare for the kick-off by putting together packets, cutting out crafts, and preparing logs. Front-line staff handled the overwhelming crowd on kick-off day with grace and poise, and the maintenance crew came through once again attending to the overwhelming needs that accompany 2,500 people! Over 30 teens, some who have already graduated with a year of college under their belts, joined us on Saturday morning to pop popcorn, paint faces, construct crafts, man the bounce house and assist with the performers. The library was a sea of red; bearing witness to the fulfillment of our mission statement to promote volunteerism in our community. These young people made the library shine! We hope that this is only the beginning of a very successful summer!

This is not the end of "Living Green"

The month of May in Quincy is a wonderful thing. The dogwoods are in bloom, the weather is great, and the grass has already been cut several times. On the library programming front, we definitely have to be a bit more creative in trying to get our patrons to come to our programs. People want to be outside to enjoy the weather, and coming to the library seems to be the last thing on their minds. What can we do to make them see us as a great place to be when the weather becomes nice? That is the challenge. Programming needs to be taken outdoors, but we want them to come back inside to check out our books. Any ideas?

This week heralds the end of the adult side of our Living Green series. "Medicinal Herbs" will be presented on Thursday, May 7 at 6:00pm. Deborah Lee from the University of Illinois Extension Office does a great job on this program. She really knows her herbs, as she should since she has a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Natural Health, a Masters in Environmental Education Administration, and a Bachelors in Psychology. I really like the way she presents this material.

There is still another Going Green program on Saturday, May 16 on "Scrapbooking," the ultimate green craft. There are 2 time slots, so there should be no excuses about not being able to go because "the time just wasn't right." LOL!

Remember, our Living Green series should have given everyone great ideas on how to take care of our environment and ourselves in a "green" way. Please try to take these concepts that you've learned and implement them in your everyday lives.

Local Flavors: Spring Greens

New week, new program! This week's offering is "Local Flavors: Spring Greens"on Thursday, April 30 at 6:00pm. To keep within the Going Green theme, we decided to have a cooking program-YUM! It's always a treat to make food at the library. I just wish we had the facility to have a kitchen island with a large mirror over the top for easier viewing-just a wish, sigh...

Our local University of Illinois Extension Office has been great with giving us program ideas and presenters. Their variety and appeal can't be beat! But I wish our participation at these events would be more consistent. Our turnout has been average so far for spring, with large numbers at one program and small ones at another. I guess it all evens out in the end.

National Library Week April12-18, 2009

It's the end of National Library Week, and I hope all you librarians out there had a great time! I know it's hard when budget shortages are on your mind, but try to think of all the good you've done and think positive thoughts.

Our library gave away "go green" reusable book bags to patrons who signed up or renewed their library card. They can also receive one if they bring a friend to sign up or renew their card. I think we're almost out, and we had 250 to give away. Very cool!

Our next program is our 11th Annual Teen Poetry Slam on Thursday, April 23 at 6:00pm. Teens are invited to share their original works of poetry. Prizes are awarded to 7th through 12th graders. I don't know if my teens will share anything, but they usually go just to listen.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.

I want to know how buying that computer, car, or lawnmower impacts my environment. If I ate that organic cereal from my local grocery store is going to be a good choice. Which choices that we can make today can be good for the earth's future? I'm hoping other people are asking themselves those very same questions. We are having a program at the library this Thursday, on carbon footprint reduction that was picked up by our local newspaper. I saw it in last Sunday's paper, and I hope other people saw it, too.

Foreign Flicks: "Elling" (Norway)

Foreign Films at our library has really been a big draw! Tonight's presentation is no exception. We have several people already registered for the Norwegian comedy, Elling, and I hope to see more just show up (which is usually the case). Elling is one of those movies that you wonder if you should laugh at a scene or not because it might show to others how deranged you really are. This movie is a cross between The Odd Couple and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. If you liked either film, I think you would like this one.

Here's a summary:

This Norwegian comedy (nominated for an Academy Award®) concerns two men being released from a state home. Until the death of his mother, Elling rarely left the apartment where they lived; Kjell has lived in institutions most of his life and is obsessed with sex, as any virgin in his 30s might be. Thanks to a new social program, the two roommates are given an apartment in Oslo--if they can manage to live independently. At first simply answering the phone or buying groceries is a struggle, but as they taste freedom, their lives become an exciting adventure. In a Hollywood movie, these two would be cute goofballs; what makes Elling so very engaging is how genuinely awkward and uncomfortable Elling and Kjell are. Their difficulties in the world are treated with respect and realism, which makes their progress bracing and their success delightful. A charming film. --Bret Fetzer

This film is rated R for language and some sexual content.

Going Green is going well

Library programs for this month have really done well! We have had many participants with our usual standby programs (storytime, foreign flicks, book discussions, etc.) and have attracted more than usual numbers for our Going Green presentations and workshops. Hopefully, we see that same interest in April and May.

Upcoming events include: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint on Thursday, April 9 at 6:00pm and Colossal Craft Clean-Up Day on Monday, April 13 from 1-3pm. These events are going to be around the same time as when our school-aged kids will be out of school, so it can either be very well-attended or not so much. We're hoping for the best.

Our Foreign Flick for this month is Elling from Norway. This movie will be shown on Monday, April 6 at 6:00pm and Tuesday, April 7 at 1:00pm. I hope many come to see this, since it is hilarious! Try The Odd Couple meets One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. It was nominated for an Academy Award, and I can see why! It is rated R though for language and some sexual content (but pretty tame, really).

Library Gaming

The last week has really been busy with all the new programs and getting ready for future ones. We're trying to get a grant from the American Library Association for video gaming at the library, and getting all the paperwork involved is a lot of work! I called a library that had been awarded an LSTA grant from the State of Illinois, and the children's librarian there was wonderful! Magi Henderson at Glen Carbon Public Library was very helpful and encouraging; she gave a lot of insight into what needs to be done to make video gaming at the library work. Great practical ideas come from libraries that have this program under their belt. Thanks so much, Magi!

I looked into what other libraries have tried from their websites, and I am so impressed with what is out there! If anyone ever needs the information to write a grant, it's all available for anyone who is willing to look. I didn't have to look too hard to find what I needed. Thanks to all the librarians out there for all their work in detailing their "best practices!"

Foreign Film: "Silent Waters" (Pakistan)

It's foreign film night at the library! Tonight, we will be showing Silent Waters (Khamosh Pani) from Pakistan. I watched it several months ago, and decided to make it part of our series because of its emotional and visual impact. It just struck me as something everyone needs to watch so that the events that were being portrayed in this film should never happen again. The story was so gripping that I remember crying when I first viewed it. This film is part of the Human Rights Watch film series which "annually endorses selected First Run titles that shed light on human rights abuses throughout the world." I hope that everyone who comes to see this film takes away from it something special and fulfilling as I did. This movie will be shown twice: Monday, March 9 at 6:00pm and Tuesday, March 10 at 1:00pm. Free popcorn and soda will be provided. Go to our website to sign up or find more information http://www.quincylibrary.org

We're getting our new book club newsletters out in the mail. The copier is working overtime trying to print them all out. Katie Kraushaar, book club coordinator, and I will try to get all the labels printed and attached. Those newsletters need to go out to as many people as possible! Please read about all the great books our book clubs have planned for the next three months. Our foreign flicks will also be included, with their descriptions and show times.

Going Green @ your library!

We are on the first week of our new library programming series-Going Green @ your library. We decided on this theme because Earth Day just happens to be in April; and with the new focus on "green" topics, we thought we would have humongous amounts of people people interested in learning more about taking care of the world we all share. And boy, did we ever! The first day that we put the new brochures out, we had several calls on signing up for programs, purchasing our new "green" tote bags, and getting more information about some of our presentations. This gave us lots of encouragement! If we have people curious about our topics, they might actually come to our programs!

Our first program will be this Thursday, March 5 at 6:00pm. Carrie Edgar, from the University of Illinois Extension Office, will speak on Go Green: Eat Local! She'll speak on locally grown produce and why buying these fruits and vegetables will help the environment and your pocketbook. I have a give-away basket to raffle off with plenty of local products. I wish I could win it!

We lots more in store for Going Green. The locally grown foods program is part of our Living Green program series. We'll have those every other Thursday from March to May (give or take some Thursdays-you'll have to check out our website for the dates). Then, we have our Trash to Treasures Recycled Art Workshops on Saturdays (not all Saturdays-just choice ones. Ditto on checking out the website for specific dates).
www.quincylibrary.org

We also have a Green Teen Challenge that asks local teens to be more "earth conscious" by writing down times that they have been good to our planet. Little things like turning off the lights when they aren't being used and biking to destinations instead of driving are some examples. The big prize is a Wii Fit! I hope the person who wins, owns a Wii or I'll have to take it home myself (lol).

End of Picturing America

This is the last week of our Picturing America program theme. I hate to see it go, but we're ready for something new. Since spring is almost here, we decided that Going Green @ your library would be very appropriate. We've had quite a large and immediate response once we sent out the new flyers. Several patrons called to sign-up for the new programs the same day they received them. We even had a patron ask to purchase one of our new tote bags! This makes us all very excited for our upcoming events.

But before the new programs get under way, we have two this week from Picturing America: our American Visions video lecture series and the Blackhawk Performance Company dance troupe both on Thursday, February 26. At this point, we almost have 300 sign-ups for the Native American dance troupe and it's only Tuesday!!! This 12-member American Indian group from the Chicago area, is generating a lot of excitement. Black Hawk Performance Company performs songs and dances from many tribal nations including: the Traditional Men's and Women's Dance, the Grass Dance, the sacred Jingle Dress Dance, etc. Come and see what all the excitement is about!



The video lecture series will conclude with The Age of Anxiety on Thursday, February 26 at 1:00pm. Our final program explores how American art has reflected the upheavals of the last 25 years. This should make for a very interesting lecture! Carol Nichols, Culver Stockton and John Wood Community College lecturer, will once again lead the discussion following the video. This program has been quite the surprise for all of us! Imagine getting at least 20 adults to come to a daytime program. We have never had this kind of success during this time of day, and for this demographic. The grant was definitely worth the paper it was written on!



On to Going Green @ your library... We have so many new and exciting programs slated for March that I don't know where to begin! I guess I'll have to get my thoughts in order and get back with you for next time. If you can't wait to see what programs we have in store, check out our website at http://www.quincylibrary.org/ and click on the Going Green link: http://www.quincylibrary.org/going%20green.html

Quincy Public Librarian: Gearing up for the end of "Picturing America"

Quincy Public Librarian: Gearing up for the end of "Picturing America"

Gearing up for the end of "Picturing America"

Happy Tuesday after Valentine's Day! Hopefully, everyone was loved by somebody and gave some love back. The Quincy Public Library had a very nice program on Friday, February 13 for all preschoolers and their parents. The "Be My Valentine" Party was a big success!!! Leo the Lion gave out 115 valentines for the 10:00am program , and 41 for the 11:00am program. There was a puppet show, and lots of songs to dance and sing. Heather and Kathy do such a great job with getting this program together!

Our next program will be on Wednesday, February 18 with Steve Tieken, archaeologist with the North American Archaeological Institute based in Quincy. He will speak on sacred meaning in Native American Art. We decided to make February the month that we would focus on Native American Art in our Picturing America library initiative, and it seems to have been a good pick. We had a craft in the beginning of the month to make Medicine Bags, and had a good turn out. This Wednesday's lecture will not be as hands on, but will be interesting nonetheless. Steve really knows his stuff. I hope everyone comes out to hear him speak!

We also have another video lecture on Thursday, February 19 1:00pm on our American Visions series. This will be the seventh lecture on the history of American art led by Carol Nichols. This week's lecture will be about abstract and pop art of the 50's and 60's with artists like Pollock and Warhol. We were able to get Carol through a grant from the Quincy Society of Fine Arts, and was it a good thing we did! She is one knowledgeable teacher! This has been such a well-attended series that I hate to see the last one come yet. I hope everyone came away with learning something new, because I know I did!

First Blog

Happy 200th Birthday Abraham Lincoln!!! I hope everyone is celebrating our 16th President's Birthday somehow. I would like some cake, myself. Baldwin School celebrated, with the help of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, with some cake; and I wish I had taken the time to stop by for the celebration (for the cake!)

The Quincy Public Library celebrated by going about it's job of checking out library materials to our patrons. (Not really celebrating as we should.)

We had a very nice video lecture on depression era American Art led by Carol Nichols. This is the sixth installment of our American Visions video lecture series, and it has been well attended so far. We have had at least 20 people attend each week on Thursdays at 1:00pm since January 8, 2009. I think that is quite an accomplishment! Good job everybody for attending! We had received a grant from the Quincy Society of Fine Arts, and we wanted to make sure it was worth people's time to attend.

Our next program at the library is about Native Americans and their art on Wednesday, February 18 at 6:00pm. Steve Tieken, president and founder of the North American Archaeological Institute based in Quincy, will be presenting Windows of the Spirit: Sacred Meaning in Native American Art. I hope we see you there!