Join us for some great programs and contests today, as libraries around Illinois record "a day in the life" to share with their legislators and communities! Today, programs include Bounce and Tickle, Fun With Music, Fablehaven Book Club, Conservation Plainfield, Computer Help for Jobseekers and Vintage Spring Holidays. Does seven programs in a day seem like we're loading them up just for Snapshot Day? Not so! The Library regularly has 8-10 programs in a single day.
With all that going on, you'd think it would be an exciting day throughout the Library. You'd be wrong. I will be writing reports and compiling information for next week's Board meeting. Definitely not the most exciting thing I do :-)
Stop by the Library today and get you picture taken. Send us a comment via email, text or make a comment on the Library's Facebook page to share your own library story as part of Snapshot Day and National Library Week. We love your comments!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Celebrate National Library Week With Us!
National Library Week (April 10-16, 2011) is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association to celebrate libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support.
Join in the fun: find a golden Book and win a prize, enter our raffle or bring in non-perishable food items in lieu of fines. Share your story about how your library makes a difference in your life. Stop by on Wednesday for Snapshot Day , focusing on a day in the life of Illinois libraries.
Here's an idea from Onlinecollege.org on 50 great ways to celebrate your library!
Join in the fun: find a golden Book and win a prize, enter our raffle or bring in non-perishable food items in lieu of fines. Share your story about how your library makes a difference in your life. Stop by on Wednesday for Snapshot Day , focusing on a day in the life of Illinois libraries.
Here's an idea from Onlinecollege.org on 50 great ways to celebrate your library!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Strip Mall Site for Branch Would Require Drastic Cuts of Other Services
A resident recently asked me about the possibility of off-loading some collection or service to satellite facility that could be located in one of the vacant strip malls around town. Surely, the library could get space donated and then could run a branch?
This is an idea that the board of Trustees have investigated before - and will again. The concept of leasing rather than building an additional library facility as part of a revised referendum plan is under consideration by Library Board of Trustees. Over the next year, you will see and hear more about the reworking of the referendum and that planning process. Without additional funds, the Library’s budget today is insufficient to support a second facility unless major cuts are made to existing services. With demand for service outstripping income, plus an aging building that costs more to maintain every year, the cost of furnishing and stocking even a small strip mall space and the ongoing cost of rent, staffing and utilities are beyond our means. Checkouts increased 318% in the last ten years while the Library’s income increased only 161%. For now, the Library Board of Trustees is investing the Library’s limited funds in maintaining the existing building and making maximum use of the existing space. In the future, with funding from a referendum, a leased facility in a strip mall may be possible.
As for receiving a donated space, both the Library and Park District need more space, but so far there are no offers of donated space for either entity. Even if a benefactor gave us a furnished and stocked branch today, drastic cuts to existing services would have to be made in order to operate it.
Yes, the Library's budget is that tight. No, there is nothing left to cut that won't leave a community need unserved. Last year, I posted "Drafting the FY11 Budget" about the Library's budget freeze, despite a use increase of more than 20%. As always, the Library will make do within its means. But taking on something new can only happen if it comes with money to support it today and into the future.
This is an idea that the board of Trustees have investigated before - and will again. The concept of leasing rather than building an additional library facility as part of a revised referendum plan is under consideration by Library Board of Trustees. Over the next year, you will see and hear more about the reworking of the referendum and that planning process. Without additional funds, the Library’s budget today is insufficient to support a second facility unless major cuts are made to existing services. With demand for service outstripping income, plus an aging building that costs more to maintain every year, the cost of furnishing and stocking even a small strip mall space and the ongoing cost of rent, staffing and utilities are beyond our means. Checkouts increased 318% in the last ten years while the Library’s income increased only 161%. For now, the Library Board of Trustees is investing the Library’s limited funds in maintaining the existing building and making maximum use of the existing space. In the future, with funding from a referendum, a leased facility in a strip mall may be possible.
As for receiving a donated space, both the Library and Park District need more space, but so far there are no offers of donated space for either entity. Even if a benefactor gave us a furnished and stocked branch today, drastic cuts to existing services would have to be made in order to operate it.
Yes, the Library's budget is that tight. No, there is nothing left to cut that won't leave a community need unserved. Last year, I posted "Drafting the FY11 Budget" about the Library's budget freeze, despite a use increase of more than 20%. As always, the Library will make do within its means. But taking on something new can only happen if it comes with money to support it today and into the future.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Smart Money Week Highlights Great Resources
April 2-9 is Smart Money Week. Smart Money Week is all about making the most of what you have. Your Library can help with programs and resources to support you! Programs at the Library include Build Up Your Finances and Morningstar Investment Research Center Online Training.
Take a look at the Business and Personal Finance online resources available through the Library's web site. Remember, the little lock symbol means that a Library card is required to access some sites.
Smart money starts at the Library!
Take a look at the Business and Personal Finance online resources available through the Library's web site. Remember, the little lock symbol means that a Library card is required to access some sites.
Smart money starts at the Library!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Admiring Fountaindale's New Library!
The new 96,000 sq ft Fountaindale Public Library is open! The Grand Opening event is Saturday. If you have a chance, head over for a look at this $39.5 million 21st century facility. With the failed $30 million referendum for expanding Plainfield's downtown site to 70,000 sq ft and adding a 30,000 sq ft branch, we can only admire their facility for now while we plan for the future. Fountaindale has given us an example of what IS possible in a modern public library. We can use this example to help our planning process to find what is right for our own community.
Congratulations to the residents, staff and Board of Trustees of the Fountaindale Public Library District.
Congratulations to the residents, staff and Board of Trustees of the Fountaindale Public Library District.
Monday, March 14, 2011
How to Put 10 Gallons in a 5 Gallon Bucket
I've stated it before: the Library's building was designed to hold a maximum collection of 67,830 items, plus all of the required seating for library users and staff, according to Serving Our Public: Standards for Illinois Public Libraries. Today, the Library houses over 134,000 physical items.
To maintain services through the next 4-5 years without more space, Library Trustees and staff are once more figuring out how to squeeze more into the precious space we have today. Something's got to give. We're looking at each room, each area, each use of each room to determine how we can reallocate the space to maximize every inch, from increasing shelving height to removing interior walls to eliminating built in desks. The reality is that this project will be choosing priorities and lesser evils - trading seating for shelf space and accessibility for collection growth. There will be tough trade-offs. Not everyone will be happy with the choices.
But we'll make the best decisions we can to balance cost vs. demand to continue to provide the best possible service for you.
To maintain services through the next 4-5 years without more space, Library Trustees and staff are once more figuring out how to squeeze more into the precious space we have today. Something's got to give. We're looking at each room, each area, each use of each room to determine how we can reallocate the space to maximize every inch, from increasing shelving height to removing interior walls to eliminating built in desks. The reality is that this project will be choosing priorities and lesser evils - trading seating for shelf space and accessibility for collection growth. There will be tough trade-offs. Not everyone will be happy with the choices.
But we'll make the best decisions we can to balance cost vs. demand to continue to provide the best possible service for you.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Ebooks Limited to 26 Loans by Publisher HarperCollins, Prompting Outrage
For you non-librarians out there, this may be the first you have heard of this. For those in the know, skip to the video which shows the wear-and-tear of 26+ loans.
On Friday, publisher HarperCollins announced that they would be limiting the use of their ebooks for libraries to 26 loans. This prompted outrage from throughout the public library community. With declining revenues and increasing demand, public libraries like Plainfield are struggling to provide the things our residents need and want. You may recall that demand for ebooks following Christmas resulted in the crashing of the OverDrive site, through which Plainfield provides ebooks and downloadable audiobooks.
HarperCollins responded on Tuesday with additional information about their decision. While one understands their desire to maintain their own revenue stream, 26 loans is an extremely low and arbitrary number. In the normal course of operations, libraries do purchase replacement copies of older books in order to continue making them available. What is not acknowledged is that public libraries also make use of donated books for replacement purposes, a practice that is not available with ebooks.
To demonstrate the point that 26 loans is not a realistic reflection of use before replacement, the Pioneer Library System in Oklahoma pulled few HarperCollins books that had been loaned more than 26 times to show typical wear-and-tear:
Time Magazine's online edition included another take on the issue.
The question of licensing and the limiting of ebook use isn't settled. Perhaps a tiered system, similar to the lease program for books, may come into play. As it stands now, HarperCollins decision will hamper the ability of this public library to meet the high demand for ebooks, so recently expressed by our residents.
On Friday, publisher HarperCollins announced that they would be limiting the use of their ebooks for libraries to 26 loans. This prompted outrage from throughout the public library community. With declining revenues and increasing demand, public libraries like Plainfield are struggling to provide the things our residents need and want. You may recall that demand for ebooks following Christmas resulted in the crashing of the OverDrive site, through which Plainfield provides ebooks and downloadable audiobooks.
HarperCollins responded on Tuesday with additional information about their decision. While one understands their desire to maintain their own revenue stream, 26 loans is an extremely low and arbitrary number. In the normal course of operations, libraries do purchase replacement copies of older books in order to continue making them available. What is not acknowledged is that public libraries also make use of donated books for replacement purposes, a practice that is not available with ebooks.
To demonstrate the point that 26 loans is not a realistic reflection of use before replacement, the Pioneer Library System in Oklahoma pulled few HarperCollins books that had been loaned more than 26 times to show typical wear-and-tear:
Time Magazine's online edition included another take on the issue.
The question of licensing and the limiting of ebook use isn't settled. Perhaps a tiered system, similar to the lease program for books, may come into play. As it stands now, HarperCollins decision will hamper the ability of this public library to meet the high demand for ebooks, so recently expressed by our residents.
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