#4 Reports A. Activities Report
Hedberg Public Library
Activity Report
July 2009
Central Services
To-date July continues to be the busiest month of this year with circulation surpassing any month
in 2008. The trend for high circulation months has shown July to be in the lead followed by
March and January.
This month, 74% of total circulation comes from Janesville residents. More females (60%)
checked out materials than males.
The summer reading program and associated events has affected checkout activity both current
and in the past. Of the total July circulation 39% was from youth materials with an increase in
use of children’s easy readers and picture books.
Young adult video games, a new collection introduced July 22nd, which consists of 50 games
had a circulation of 87 in ten days!
More new adult biographies were checked out this month. Many adult collection areas such as
Large Type, new fiction and mysteries remained close to July 2008 statistics but not any
substantial increase. Job Resource Center materials circulation almost doubled from last month.
As was the intent, the Playaway display at checkout doubled this formats circulation from last
July.
Of the new patrons registered 20% opted to have their photos electronically inserted into their
library accounts.
Collection Development
The new Young Adult Video Game collection, unveiled in mid-July, has met with great success
as witnessed by the high circulation statistics for the last ten days of the month. Eighty seven
circs for fifty items in less than two weeks may have set a record. It was also nice to see
increases in circulation for both Job Resource Center materials and the Playaway collection. The
decision to move the Playaways (preloaded digital audio-books) as part of a major shift in adult
audiovisual materials increased their visibility, resulting in higher circs. As in real estate,
location is key.
Human Resources/Accounting
Rebecca Haefner, Elizabeth Hough, and Emrick Gunderson received “I Made a Difference”
awards for their exceptional efforts in creating the Young Adult summer reading program.
Jeannie Silbaugh, administrative assistant, retired after 7 years of service. Her HPL career also
included work as a circulation and technical services clerk, and a circulation assistant.
As specified by HPL’s Strategic Plan, a Communication/Training Team has been formed, and it
represents all areas of the library. Members include Beth Webb from Checkout, Laurel Fant from
the circulation workroom (check-in and shelving), Laura Gottlieb from Reference, Hope
Moccero from Technical Services, Stefanie Fleck from Service Desk/Security, Linda Hermans
from Youth Services, and Sharon Alfano from Administration. The team will meet monthly to
work on the objective of increasing avenues of communication and training for library staff.
Reference Services
During the past several months we have been shifting to a new way of tabulating reference
statistics. Contacts between library staff and patrons fall into two broad categories: “Reference
Transactions” and “All Other Patron Transactions”. The definition of a “Reference Transaction”
is set by NISO (National Information Standards Organization), and is very specific. Managers
generally use the combined total of both numbers to track workflow and staffing needs, but
should report only the “Reference Transactions” number to the state.
In a reference question, library staff does one or more of following:
?Uses, uses knowledge of, or recommends one or more information source. Types of
information sources include:
Computer databases and online computer searching, (includes computer-assisted
o
instruction)
Library catalog information
o
Library holdings records (magazine lists, microfilm lists, etc)
o
Communication with and/or referrals to other libraries / institutions or other
o
persons inside/ outside the library.
?Uses Readers Advisory sources and knowledge to assist finding a “good book to read."
?Helps patron interpret information found.
?Shows a patron how to use an information source.
?Computer assistance of a bibliographic nature
Assistance or instruction with search tools and techniques, indexes and index
o
vocabulary, screen navigation tools and techniques (menu bars, browser
functions, help files, web site navigation / FAQs, etc.)
Identifying appropriate choices from a list of information resources (books, web
o
pages, articles, etc).
For “All Other Patron Transactions (Facilitative questions)
?The criteria of a reference question are not met.
?Library staff facilitates patrons’ use of this library and its services.
?Examples include:
Location of restrooms, book returns, meeting rooms, quiet study areas, or other
o
parts of the library facility.
Help and instruction with standard office machines such as typewriters,
o
photocopiers, paper cutters, etc
Troubleshooting computer workstations / printers: paper jams, station restarts,
o
frozen mouse, etc.
Information or instruction about Library procedures
o
The Reference Department started separate counts of “Reference” and “other” transactions in
February 2009, Youth, Teen and Bilingual Services in April 2009, and Service Desk in July
2009. Starting July 2009, we will be reporting the “Total Reference Questions for HPL” to the
State.
Total Patron Questions:
?
Patron questions asked at Reference Desk – 3332
?
Patron questions asked at Service Desk – 2734
?
Asked at Youth Services 3408
?
Asked at Bilingual Desk (when staffed) 4
?
Asked at Teen Central (when staffed) 781
?
Total patron questions 10259
Reportable Reference Questions:
?
Asked at the Reference Desk 1807
?
Asked at Service Desk 444
?
Asked at Youth Services 680
?
Asked at Bilingual Desk (when staffed) 0
?
Asked at Teen Central (when staffed) 63
?
Total Reference questions for HPL 2994
Statistics from InterLibrary Loan:
?
Items requested from other libraries for Hedberg patrons – 513
?
Items received from other libraries for Hedberg patrons – 554
?
Requests received from other libraries to borrow Hedberg materials – 843
?
Items lent to other libraries from the Hedberg collection – 621
Question of the month: Patron had some DVDs in Swedish, from Sweden. They wouldn’t
work in her DVD player, and she wanted to know why not. Reference staff found two Internet
sites with useful information. On Amazon’s Askville the librarian found the question and
answer“What type of DVD player do I need to watch DVDs from foreign countries? Different
areas of the world use different video standards. North America uses NTSC, Europe uses PAL
and SECAM, South America uses PAL-M, PAL-N, PAL and NTSC. Almost every area of the
world has a mixture of video standards. Unfortunately, none of these standards are compatible
with each other.” http://askville.amazon.com/SimilarQuestions.do?req=type-DVD-player-
watch-DVDs-foreign-countries For information as to which countries share the same standards
and produce compatable DVDs, the patron can also check www.foreign-films-for-
you.com/foreign-dvd.html. This website describes the region coding system for DVDs, and
which countires are covered by what region
Technical Services
Technical Services Librarian Rebecca Diedrick attended WILS World, a conference for
Wisconsin catalogers, in July. She brought back a number of interesting ideas on library trends
from keynote speaker Joan Frye Williams. Some of them…Question the good things libraries
have done and decide if they are still good… Everyone has some task or element of their library
work environment that they would like to see end. Now is the time to find a way to do it in the
interest of saving money…Librarians enjoy searching. Everyone else enjoys
finding…Unmediated (self) service is also good service…Libraries have a high tolerance for
procedures. We need to shake up the norm more and play with ideas…It is okay to have more
than one right answer.
Youth Services
Children’s Services
Be Creative @ Your Library successfully concluded with 1,000,680 minutes read by 1150
participants (out of 1817 registrants – a higher percentage of “completions” than in the previous
two years). Five hundred fifty-seven children came to the library at least four out of the seven
weeks of the program and had their photos featured in the Star Reader Gallery. Flat Mosi went
on many special trips around the country this summer and had his own vacation album to prove
it. Over 200 children and adults attended the Grand Finale where they enjoyed a visit with the
real Mosi, a splendid performance by the Beloit Even Start Children’s Ballet Folklórico
(arranged by René Bue), and cookies and punch. The prize store was a popular place, with prizes
being furnished through the generosity of the Friends of the Library, local businesses, and
several children’s publishers.
Storytime attendance continued to be strong, with 1,032 children and adults attended programs
for the full complement of age groups. Baby Lapsit and Baby Walkers had particularly strong
attendance this summer – a testament to the research done by Camille Rammer and Shannon
Murphy-Tollefsrud to be sure they offer not only entertainment, but sound developmental
principles at these programs.
Library Explorers participants learned how to draw their own portraits in a session taught by
parent-volunteer Jessica Lynes, an art teacher. Shannon Murphy-Tollefsrud partnered with Emily
Gruenewald to take Library Explorers on a tour of JPAC.
Children’s Librarian Julie Westby and Young Adult Librarian Laurie Bartz used a Flip Video
rdth
camera to capture the spoken book reviews of 3-5 grade and teen reviewers. Reviews were
shown during the Children’s Finale and have been added to our Web page.
In keeping with the goals laid out in the Strategic Plan, 16 children and 26 adults from
Crossroads Counseling Center came to the library for two behind-the-scenes visits led by Sharon
Grover. The children were astounded to learn that HPL owns 250,000 items.
Brianne Anderson, a field study student from UW-Madison School of Library and Information
Studies had her evaluation on July 24. Brianne, working with Julie Westby, conducted two
storytime sessions for two- and three-year-olds. After observing these storytimes, Dr. Allison
Kaplan met with Sharon Grover and Brianne to discuss Brianne’s work and the success of the
field study from both the student and placement supervisor perspectives. Brianne will be a
wonderful youth services librarian and It was exciting to have her here for the summer.
Sharon Grover attended the ALA Annual Convention in Chicago where she participated in
several orientation and youth division meetings as well as facilitating the meetings of the 2010
Odyssey Award Committee. She also enjoyed the opportunity to hear speeches by several
prominent authors and illustrators.
Young Adult Services
Journey Through Time travelers landed in a great spot having read 8,856 hours this summer!
Teen readers also reviewed 325 books, many using our new online book review submission
form. Reviews were added by teens from a link on our Web page, approved by staff and then
posted on our Web page for public view. Each review included a direct link to RockCat for the
specific book or audiobook title.
Among the 398 who registered for the summer library program, 53 students were from Edison
Middle School, 41 from Marshall Middle School and 34 from Franklin Middle School. There
were 37 students from Craig and Parker High and 27 from Home-school.
Generous contributions from The Friends of Hedberg Public Library, Wildwood Theatres, Pizza
Hut of Southern Wisconsin and Michael’s Cycles made it possible to provide prize incentives to
teens for reading and reviewing books. 709 prizes and prize tickets were sold with the most
popular prizes being movie passes, reading lights, sand timers and chances to win a Twilight
movie basket or iPod shuffle.
Allison Moore completed a successful WFIC internship through support from the Batterman
Foundation. Allie provided excellent service for our teen patrons and volunteers.
Sand art participants created stunning patterns and layers using brightly colored sand art and tall
clear bottles while scratch board art techniques revealed golden Egyptian designs to go along
with our time travel theme.
Kari Klebba from Wildwood Theatres joined staff at the showing of Harry Potter and the Order
of the Phoenix at the library. Those attending the movie received a free pass to an exclusive
showing of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at Movies 10, compliments of Kari and the
theatre. The 9:00 a.m. showing of The Half-Blood Prince on the Saturday of opening weekend
was attended by a group of very thankful library patrons, staff and their friends and families.
Teens volunteered 349 ¾ hours in Youth Services during July.
The SLP Finale and volunteer reception were held in early August. 101 teen volunteers
contributed 675 ¼ hours from September 2008-August 2009.