KCLS Insights January Edition

Community Liaison Contact: Carol Van Baalen

LOCAL NEWS

New Year’s Resolution:  Take Time to Read in 2011! s part of the Take Time to Read initiative sponsored by the KCLS Foundation, KCLS is inviting adults in King county to participate in a Winter Reading program.  Participants will be entered to win a $5 coffee card from Starbucks and other great prizes.  For more details about the program, click on this link:  http://www.kcls.org/taketimetoread/ or check it out at Take Time to Read on Facebook.  Or visit your library to pick up forms beginning January 1^st.

If you’d like to discuss what you read with other readers, why not join a local book group at one of our libraries?  Here is the January schedule for book groups at Woodmont, Des Moines, and Kent libraries:

January 6, 6-8pm, Woodmont Library:  Thursday Night Knit Lit Group.  Author of the month is James Michener.  If a Michener book sounds too daunting for one week’s reading, you can start on the February selection, Eve Green by Susan Fletcher.

January 12, 1pm, Kent Library:  After Lunch Book Bunch.  Book to be discussed:  Collector of Worlds by Ilija Troyanow.

January 20, 7pm, Woodmont Library:  Woodmont Book Group.  Book to be discussed:  Bright Sided:  how the relentless promotion of positive thinking has undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreich.

January 26, 7pm, Des Moines Library:  Des Moines Book Group.  Book to be discussed:  Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

Copies of the book selections are always available at each library’s front desk.

For a complete list of programs at your library, click here:  https://intranet.kcls.org/calendars/DESM-Jan11.pdf  https://intranet.kcls.org/calendars/KENT-Jan11.pdf  https://intranet.kcls.org/calendars/WDMT-Jan11.pdf

Upcoming Meetings:

Des Moines – Woodmont Library Advisory Board:  Wednesday, January 12, 7pm at the Des Moines Library.

SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS FROM December

  

The InfoToGo topic for January is Free Computer Classes, a web page that has been updated for ease of use and improved information about how to access these classes at most KCLS libraries. For more information on the current month’s InfoToGo card, click here.

 FROM THE DIRECTOR’S REPORT (To view the complete December report, please look here.)

One of the highly anticipated KCLS traditions is the publication of the annual Best Books list compiled by Collections Management Services (CMS).  The list is based on account reviews, awards, popularity and the professional judgment of CMS’ selectors. By some accounts, this was not a great year for Adult Fiction and Non-fiction. As one staff member said, it seemed like many great writers were treading water and not breaking new ground.           

A few months ago, KCLS’ Outreach department advised the Board that delivery service to homebound seniors would only be available to patrons with documented medical certification of immobility. The transition has gone smoothly and the use of volunteers to deliver items to homebound seniors has freed up eight staff members to provide additional services to nursing homes, retirement communities, low income senior apartments and rehabilitation facilities, and the numbers continue to grow. Outreach plans to expand services in a manner similar to Library2Go by working with library staff to identify additional senior facilities in need of library services. Anyone interested in helping Outreach as a volunteer can find out more by visiting the KCLS Outreach Volunteers webpage.

           

Over the last year, Adult Services has developed a number of community partnerships to deliver new programs and services at KCLS libraries, including partnerships with community colleges to deliver citizenship, employment and English as Second Language programs at KCLS libraries. The King County Law Library, which offers programs on Family Law at its facilities, is excited to be able to provide training to the general public at five KCLS libraries. Staff from the Law Library will also provide training for KCLS librarians on legal reference service and later in the year will deliver programs on other topics, such as employment law and landlord/tenant legalities. More information for Adult Learners is available here.

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

KCLS will begin the process of negotiating an inter-local agreement with the City of Enumclaw in the event that voters approve annexation to KCLS. The Renton inter-local agreement is being used as the template to outline roles and responsibilities. KCLS will meet with Enumclaw City Administrator Mike Thomas this month and the agreement should be ready for both the Enumclaw City Council and KCLS Board of Trustees to review and approve early next year. The annexation vote is likely to occur in April 2011.

KCLS STAFF NEWS

The annual KCLS Service Awards Reception was held on December 8. Fifty four staff members were honored for 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service, representing a combined 1,265 years of experience. Julia Gibson, Librarian in the Shoreline/Richmond Beach/Lake Forest Park cluster, received this year’s Bradley Award for her “Write Idea” suggestion to provide acrylic holders for posting library closure signs. 

KCLS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECTS

View all at http://www.kcls.org/bond/ or sign up here to receive automatic updates on the KCLS Capital Improvement Projects!

 Almost two months after the Newcastle Library groundbreaking, it looks like construction is about to begin. Mayor John Dulcich has been a persistent advocate to expedite the project. KCLS’ contractor is also prepared to get the project underway.

 Upcoming Dates

The next Planning Committee Meeting takes place on Thursday, January 13, 12 noon at Burien Library.

The next Finance Committee Meeting takes place on, January 25, 4pm at Service Center.

The next KCLS Board of Trustees Meeting takes place on Tuesday, January 25, 5pm at Service Center.