Thursday, October 28, 2010

Insights October 2010


Insights  is an email newsletter designed to keep you informed with local and System wide news and information.  I will be sending them to you once per month. 

Community Liaison Contact: Carol Van Baalen
LOCAL NEWS
Book Sale Results!
The Des Moines Friends held their annual book sale on September 11 and 12.  They made $1200 to support library programs!
The Kent Friends held their book sale the following weekend, September 17, 18 and 19.  They made nearly $3000 in their 3-day sale!
Thank You, Friends, for your hard work and generous support of our libraries!  You are Awesome!
 October Program Highlights:  
Digital Discovery Zone at Des Moines at Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market, Saturday October 9, 10am-2pm
 Don’t miss your opportunity to visit the Digital Discovery Zone (DDZ) at the Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market. The DDZ looks like a bookmobile, but is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including five MacBooks. On the DDZ you can check your email, browse the Internet, download audiobooks from the library's web site, create games or videos and much more. We'll see you on the DDZ!



Culinary Herbs, Sunday October 10, 2pm, Des Moines Library
Many culinary herbs grow well in our area. Joan Helbacka of the King County Master Gardener program will talk about using herbs in the kitchen and as part of an edible landscape.

Citizenship Class, Tuesdays, beginning October 12, 7pm, Kent Library
Get help with the Citizenship interview process, including civics and government questions, reading and writing English and practicing your interview skills.

Thursday Night Knit Lit Group, Thursday October 7, 6-8pm, Woodmont Library
Do you love to knit or crochet? Do you love to read too? Then our Knit Lit Group is for you. Discuss your favorite books and share your knitting or crocheting techniques with others. Come for all or part of the two-hour meeting. All ages and experience levels welcome.  Next Month’s Date:  November 4. 

For a complete list of October programs at your branch, click here:  https://intranet.kcls.org/calendars/DESM-Oct10.pdf; https://intranet.kcls.org/calendars/KENT-Oct10.pdf;

Upcoming Meetings:

Friends of the Woodmont Library:  Thursday, October 14, 6pm at the Woodmont Library

Friends of the Kent Library:  Thursday, October 14, 12 Noon at the Kent Library

Des Moines – Woodmont Library Advisory Board – Presentation to the Des Moines City Council:  Thursday, October 28, 7:30pm at the Samoan Church, 20827 3rd Ave S in Des Moines. 

KCLS Friends Day:  Saturday, October 23, 8:30-Noon at the Service Center, Issaquah.  More details below. 


SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS FROM AUGUST
 

The InfoToGo topic for October is Live Homework Help. Students in grades K-12, entry level college and adult learners can receive specialized one-on-one tutoring help in the areas of math, science, English and social studies.  This service is also available in Spanish.  Professional tutors are available online from 2pm-Midnight, 7 days a week. For more information on the current month’s InfoToGo card, click here.
Summer Reading Program has ended, with 47,271 kids signed up! Three lucky winners were chosen to receive a laptop computer each! Congratulations to our Winners: Bhavana G., Bellevue; Aureliana W., Maple Valley; Dhamanpreet K., Renton.

A group of KCLS staff participated in Day of Caring on Friday, September 24. They painted three houses at the Multi-Service Center in Kent, which provides families with transitional housing. Also, for the first time, KCLS participated in collecting items for United Way’s Community Resource Exchange.


Staff Donated:
• 87 backpacks and other bags
• 283 books
The items were delivered to United Way of King County and were handed out at the Community Resource Exchange on Day of Caring. The event connects homeless individuals and families with services they need.

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

After years of planning, grant writing, programming and stress testing, Evergreen launched on Thursday, September 22. Millenium was shut down at the end of business on September 20 and patron, collections and transaction data was migrated to Evergreen. Several Evergreen programmers have been on-site to optimize the system and fix bugs. Libraries around the country and even some in Europe and Asia are keeping an eye on the implementation. The Board will be updated at the September meeting.


Circulation during the month of August increased 7% over the previous year. Year-to-date, System-wide circulation is up 8%, with only two percent of that attributable to the Renton Libraries. The Renton Highlands Library, which had an increase of 48%, may be drawing patrons away from the nearby Renton Downtown and Fairwood Libraries, which were both down by 2%. The newly opened Federal Way and Kirkland Libraries had eight percent and twofold increases respectively over usage in their temporary facilities in 2009. eBook circulation was up by 53% for the month and 46% for the year. The implementation of the Evergreen circulation system may cause a hiccup in this year’s uninterrupted monthly increases.

The future of the book and the impact of eBooks on libraries will be a focus of discussion at next month’s Board Retreat. KCLS has recently learned that Baker and Taylor, the largest provider of print materials will soon be offering everything they sell in print in a corresponding downloadable electronic book. Baker and Taylor will be using a new software system that will allow content to be seamlessly downloaded to a whole host of devices. eBook usage by KCLS patrons increased over 50% for much of the last year even with a limited collection and clunky download process. The breadth of coverage and increased convenience offered by Baker and Taylor’s system will likely spur greater usage.

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

The Tukwila City Council voted 6-1 in favor of consideration of a standalone library at Tukwila Village. Derek Speck, Economic Development Administrator who spoke to the KCLS Board last month believes that all of the Council Members favor the library on the site but want to ensure that the property is developed as a cohesive unit. The architect selection process will focus on each firms’ ability to analyze various site options within the context of a larger development. There is strong community support to construct the library which is believed will spur other development.

The City of Renton is moving closer to a decision on sites for the Renton Downtown and Renton Highlands Libraries. KCLS has completed its Service Area analysis and the information has been forwarded to the Renton City Council. The newly appointed Renton Library Advisory Board will likely weigh in with their preferences as well.

The City of Bothell will try again to annex a 5.7 square mile section of Snohomish County. KCLS has been asked to work with the Sno-Isle Library System to ensure adequate library services are maintained in the event of annexation. Even though the proposed annexation area is in a different county, the property taxes for library services in that area would be directed to KCLS. If all requirements of the boundary review are satisfied, the annexation election could take place as soon as November 2011.


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 Project!




An overflow crowd was on hand for the Lake Hills Library Grand Opening on Saturday, September 11. A line of more than 1,000 people wound around the building and down the street. Elected officials cut the ribbon and found themselves spending the rest of the morning and much of the afternoon meeting and greeting constituents. Food and book bags provided by the Bellevue Friends of the Library ran out before noon. Mayor Don Davidson said the amazing turnout  demonstrated the community’s obvious affinity for the Library and said that he would never “complain” about property taxes for KCLS again.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Newcastle Library has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 20 at 3:45pm.

Events 
__________________________________________________________

2010 Friends Day
Saturday, October 23
KCLS Service Center, Issaquah
8:30am–Noon
Reservations Deadline: October 15 to dschneid@kcls.org or 425.369.3319.


2010 Library Advisory Board Forums - Save a Date!
Please mark your calendar now for the date and location that works best for you.
Monday, November 8, 6-8:30pm – Kirkland Library
Tuesday, November 9, 6-8:30pm – Renton Downtown Library
Wednesday, November 10, 6-8:30pm – Federal Way Library
Light dinner generously provided by the KCLS Foundation. Please RSVP to klhansen@kcls.org or 425.369.3466.


Upcoming Dates
The next Planning Committee Meeting takes place on Thursday, October 14, 12pm at Burien Library.
The next Finance Committee Meeting takes place on Tuesday, October 26, 4pm at Service Center.
The next KCLS Board of Trustees Meeting takes place on, Tuesday, October 26, 5pm at Service Center.