Friday, November 4, 2011

November 2011

Community Liaison Contact: Carol Van Baalen


LOCAL NEWS

Congratulations!  To Ed Heineman, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the KCLS Foundation last month.  The award was presented to him at the October meeting of the Kent Friends of the Library.  Ed has been a member of the Friends for 25 years, and takes charge of the set-up and take-down for the annual book sale each year at the Kent Library.  He is pictured here with his wife, Mary Gene, and other members of the Friends.


The Des Moines-Woodmont Library Advisory Board will attend the KCLS Board Forum/Budget Hearings for their November meeting.   The first half of the meeting will be the Board Forum, which begins at 5:30pm.  Board members will have the opportunity to meet with other library advisory boards from KCLS, and to discuss what should be the role of the board in the library system and in the community.  The second half of the meeting will be the Budget Hearing, which begins at 7:15pm.  Library Director Bill Ptacek will present the proposed budget for 2012, and opportunity will be given for questions and discussion about the budget.

Dates and locations are given below in this newsletter.  The south county location will be Kent Library, on November 10.  Please RSVP for the date and location you plan to attend.  Friends members are also invited and encouraged to attend.
November Programs

 Don’t miss these free programs for adults, happening at the Des Moines, Kent and Woodmont Libraries in November:

A Reader’s Journal

Create a unique journal for recording the books you read, using decorative papers, text, clip art, rubber stamps, and more.  Bring a blank journal to decorate and register in advance, please, at your library.
Kent Library, Sunday, November 6, 1:30pm
Woodmont Library, Saturday, November 12, 1pm

Beyond Ancestry.com:  Searching for your Ancestors Online
Kent Library, Saturday, November 12, 1-4pm

Things to Come:  Visions of the Future on Film
A look at how movies have imagined what the future would look like, from utopian visions to dystopian nightmares.
Des Moines Library, Sunday, November 13, 2pm

For a complete list of November programs at your library, click here:
http://www.kcls.org/programs/library_programs.cfm
or open the attachments above.
   


The InfoToGo topic for November is InfoBiz, which is the new KCLS resource center for small business owners. Whether you’re starting a new business, or looking for ways to grow the business you already have, InfoBiz will connect you to resources and advisors who can help you find the information you need to succeed.


 SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS FROM OCTOBER


FROM THE DIRECTOR’S REPORT(To view the complete October report, please lookhere.)

OPERATIONS
At a Board meeting earlier this year, Outreach staff reported on the first year of Library2Go (L2G) service, presenting survey results from staff who work on the vehicles and from daycare providers who use the service. Nearly 50% of daycare providers who responded gave L2G a 9.66 out of 10 rating for overall service and a 90% approval rating of the collections, especially the availability of themed kits. Most respondents indicated a preference for visits later in the morning and liked the newsletter, activity sheets and programming that have been incorporated into the visits.

The eBook phenomenon continues. Digital downloads increased 155% in September and 130% for the year, due mostly to eBook circulation. As mentioned last month, Amazon has announced it will release its new Kindle Fire at the end of November. Amazon’s preorders are very high and will likely drive circulation even higher. At the end of October, Baker & Taylor will soft launch new eBook content, mostly non-fiction and children’s materials, that will be accessible through its Blio platform.

KCLS has one full year of data since Evergreen launched and circulation for the month of September was up 3% over last year. Most libraries experienced increases except for the Bellevue Library as patrons have been encouraged to use other libraries during construction of the parking garage. The Kenmore Library which opened on July 9 has seen a 34% increase for the year and a 128% increase compared to September 2010.

More than 1,800 students are participating in this year’s Global Reading Challenge. Staff is still accepting students from schools that made late decisions to participate. KCLS will once again host the “Grand Challenge” at the Service Center next spring where top schools answer challenge questions and compete for the title of Grand Champions.

Godbe Research is conducting community surveys to identify subjects of interest to patrons in order to inform KCLS programming. The surveys will also assess the level of interest in online or virtual programming as well as the best times and locations for programs to be held throughout the System. Godbe will present their findings to the Board later this year.

KCLS has 1,295 active volunteers who serve as library, Study Zone, NetMasters, Talk Time/Citizenship and Outreach volunteers. Since the beginning of May, volunteers have been able to record their hours online and 706 have entered a total of 7,439 hours. Beginning January 2012, all volunteers will enter their hours online and will also complete their application process online.


OTHER

The Urban Libraries Council (ULC) is taking the lead in encouraging public libraries to take on a greater role in fostering civic engagement in their local communities. Next month, ULC is hosting “Partners for Success: Civic Engagement and Building Community” in Miami, Florida. The conference will create a conversation between public library directors in North America, key civic leaders that share the public library’s commitment to civic engagement, thought leaders and young people who will shape the future of American communities. KCLS has earned professional development credits from ULC to cover all conference-related expenses, which will allow Julie Brand, Community Relations & Marketing Director and incoming KCLS Foundation Board President Kari Glover to attend the conference. KCLS’ expanded programming in 2012 will likely include a focus on civic engagement.

Nadine Strossen’s presentation on Intellectual Freedom and civil liberties in public libraries was well received at the 2011 Board Retreat. The court case she mentioned involving the North Central Regional Library (NCRL) is scheduled in federal court on October 25. In a 6-3 decision, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled in favor of NCRL in a 2006 lawsuit brought by the ACLU, which opposed NCRL’s internet filtering policy, arguing that the policy “bars adult patrons from reading tens of thousands of constitutionally protected Web sites.”  The case is back in federal court for further rulings, including the plaintiffs' claim that the state ruling abridges free speech under the U.S. Constitution.
 

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

The Bellevue Library parking garage project started this week. The entrance
from the street to the temporary parking lot adjacent to Ashwood Park will be constructed first. During construction, parking will be limited to approximately 50 spaces in the temporary lot and any available on-street parking. The City of Bellevue has approved all of the permits that are necessary to start the garage project but has not been as prompt addressing an issue affecting the sale of the property where the old Lake Hills Library is located. The Boys & Girls Club has made an offer to purchase the property but the purchase is contingent on the City revising its land use requirements for that area. The process has taken longer than anticipated and the City Council is not scheduled to consider the matter until December. In the meantime, the building is vacant and KCLS continues to maintain the grounds.
KCLS met with the Mayor of Tukwila to discuss how to get the Tukwila Village project moving forward. Marie Parrish, a member of the Tukwila Library Advisory Board attended the meeting and reinforced the community’s interest in seeing the project get started. At the Mayor’s request, KCLS submitted a memo to the Mayor and City Council members, which outlined KCLS’ preference to own the property where the new Library will be located and work directly with the Senior Housing Assistance Group (SHAG) to develop the site plan. The Mayor responded favorably to that concept and KCLS hopes to hear back soon so that KCLS’ architects can resume design work prior to the end of the year.
Progress is being made on both the Renton and Renton Highlands Library projects. Design work for the downtown Library is underway. The building will be 15,000 square feet and KCLS’ architects are considering input from last month’s public meeting. The building will be oriented towards several public amenities, including a nearby Park and Ride, Renton High School, a civic plaza and the Renton Pavilion Event Center, which serves as the site of the Downtown Renton Farmers Market. The Renton Highlands Library will be part of a mixed use development and the concept has been explored in some detail. The current plan places the Library above an underground shared parking facility with housing units located immediately adjacent to the Library. The plan also calls for KCLS’ architects to design the Library and the City’s developer to design and build the parking and housing. Both projects will be reviewed by the Renton City Council at their meeting on November 14.
The Burien City Council voted on October 10 to file a “Notice of Intent to Annex” the remaining unincorporated area of North Highline. City Manager Mike Martin said that the City must first work with King County to address several issues surrounding the potential annexation and must also receive approval from the Boundary Review Board in order to proceed. An election could take place as early as next spring but a summer or fall election is more likely.

You’re Invited! 2012 Preliminary Library Budget Meetings


The King County Library System (KCLS) is holding community meetings to discuss proposed strategic plans and budget allocations for the coming year. It is an opportunity for public discussion to help shape the way KCLS provides service in libraries, online and in the community.
2012 Budget priorities include:
  • Effectively delivering service goals
  • Enhancing print and digital collections
  • Providing innovative technology, software and equipment
  • Maintaining current staffing costs as KCLS moves toward the Future Services Model
  • Continuing responsible fiscal management to sustain quality libraries
  • Conserving revenue to cover annual operating expenses for several years to come

Please join in the conversation:


Tuesday, November 8, 7:15pm
Kenmore Library
6531 NE 181st Street
Kenmore 98028
425.486.8747

Wednesday, November 9, 7:15pm
Redmond Library
15990 NE 85th Street
Redmond 98052
425.885.1861

Thursday, November 10, 2pm
Mercer Island Library
4400 88th Avenue SE
Mercer Island 98040
206.236.3537

Thursday, November 10, 7:15pm
Kent Library
212 2nd Avenue N
Kent 98032
253.859.3330
 







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!
   

Upcoming Dates
The next Planning Committee Meeting takes place on Thursday, November 17, 12 noon at theBurien Library.

The next Finance Committee Meeting takes place on Tuesday, November 29, 4pm at theService Center.

The next KCLS Board of Trustees Meeting takes place on Tuesday, November 29, 5pm at theService Center.