2018 Annual Report

2018

at the

Arlington Heights Memorial Library

2018

Message from the Executive Director The Arlington Heights Memorial Library has undergone many changes since its inception, and 2018 was no exception. The library continues to adapt to

2018

meet the needs of our community, and we began the year with a community-wide survey. More than 4,000 community members participated.

Thank you for this impressive response! In addition, we held feedback sessions with staff and a daylong retreat with more than 50 community leaders, business owners and residents of all ages who shared their experiences about using the library.

In short, we asked. You answered. We listened.

The knowledge gained provided us with a clear direction and formed the basis of our newest strategic plan for 2018-2022. Already, we have begun to see some of the goals outlined in the plan taking shape from increasing connections across our varied communities to increasing access to library services. And we’re just getting started.

On behalf of all of the staff, thank you for visiting AHML. I invite you now to look back on some of the highlights of 2018.

There are so many resources for you at the library. We look forward to helping you discover them in the year ahead.

Mike Driskell

Message from the President of the Library Board of Trustees

With my term as President of the Library Board of Trustees coming to an end, I want to thank you for your continued support. 2018 has been a year of celebration and change.

• As our community has changed, we

have adapted with services for various

• The Friends of the Library celebrated their 50th anniversary this year. Their

ages, economic and cultural

volunteerism and financial support of the

backgrounds.

library is outstanding. With the addition

• The board has appointed a new

executive director whose passion, commitment and vision matches our community.

• We take pride in our fiscal

responsibility; raising taxes only twice in the last 12 years. The vision,

of the newly formed library foundation, we continue to build new revenue streams beyond property taxes.

• Our most valuable resource, and what makes our library special, is our staff.

We strive to make the library one of the best places to work in our community.

commitment and professionalism of

I look forward to the future where our

our board is second to none. They are

library continues to be a place of learning

not afraid to make hard decisions to

and experience for everyone.

better library services for today and focus on the vision for tomorrow.

Debbie Smart

2018

LIBRARY

FACTS ANNUAL USERSHIP Active Cardholders New Library Cards Issued

POPULATION SERVED Village of Arlington Heights

Number of Materials Loaned Visitors to the Library

75,101

Reference Questions Answered

GOVERNING BOARD

Library Programs Offered

Seven-member Board of Library Trustees

Library Program Attendance

Debbie Smart • President Joan Brody Garkisch • Vice President / Secretary Greg Zyck • Treasurer Carole Medal John Supplitt Christine Tangney Marianthi Thanopoulos

STAFF Full time staff 79

Part time staff 170

ESL Program Attendance ESL Students

2018

42,254 6,680 198,330 1,037,065 198,277 3,064 105,330 4,851 398

Conference Room Use

18,332

Conference Room Customers

42,285

Public Computer Use Website Visits Drive-up Window Users

122,697 1,166,116 75,536

Visitors to the Bookmobile

24,431

Visitors to the Senior Center

21,993

Library Delivery Services/Items Delivered

10,151

VOLUNTEERS Number of Volunteers Volunteer Hours Donated

640 28,297

COLLECTIONS Downloadables Circulation

198,998

FACILITIES

Audiovisual Circulation

Main Library 500 N. Dunton Ave. • 132,000 sq. ft. building

Print Book Circulation

1,044,411

656,386

Total Circulation

1,998,330

Senior Center Reading Room, 801 W. Central Rd. Library Bookmobile

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY

BUDGET

The Friends of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that raises funds to provide gifts (programs, materials, equipment, and artwork) for the library. The Friends sponsor four yearly used book sales and maintain a book boutique offering used books, magazines and other items for sale throughout the year.

2018 Annual Operating Fund Budget: $14,599,856 For our most recent budget and audited financial information, please visit ahml.info/about/information/audits

Community brings mural to life on MLK day JAN

Nearly 100 Arlington Heights residents experienced the art of community service on January 15 when they created a three-panel mural at the library honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Being able to participate in something where you are part of the whole is so important,” said Arlington Heights resident Julie Kurka, who brought her 11-year-old sixth-grader to paint. “Rather than just doing for yourself, it’s nice to do more and give back.”

Twenty-five students from District 214’s Newcomer Center, which provides services to students who are new to the United States, also joined in.

Working under the guidance of renowned local artist Gino Savarino, participants painted side-by-side and shared family stories of immigration in small groups between sessions. The completed mural was displayed in the library during February, at Village Hall in the spring and is now permanently located at the Newcomer Center.

The library continued to reach beyond its walls with Library Delivery Services, a free service that brings books, movies, music and magazines to Arlington Heights residents who are homebound due to physical limitations or illness. Eligible participants meet one-on-one and share their preferences with a reader’s advisor who then carefully selects materials to create a customized

Library Delivery Services

2018

reader experience. In 2018, Library Delivery Services visited homes and health care sites and placed more than 10,000 items into the hands of what may be some of the library’s most grateful customers.

“It’s like Christmas morning. You open up those bags and can hardly wait to see what’s in them,” said Pamella Davis, who reads items delivered monthly to the Arlington Heights health care facility where she lives.

Brings the library to you

2018

Bookmarks to brighten Library Delivery Services inspired a special service project for the Payne sisters of Arlington Heights who joined with other students at the homeschool co-op H.E.A.R.T. to create more than 150 personalized bookmarks for the library’s homebound customers.

2018

BOOKSMOVIESMUSICGAMESTOYSELECTRONICS

WE ADDED

60,259

WE PURCHASED

WE CHECKED OUT

5,429

1,998,330

NEW ITEMS

ITEMS RECOMMENDED

BY CUSTOMERS

ITEMS

FEB

Local teen lands first job through the library

Connecting area teens with potential employers was the goal of the library’s sixth annual Teen Job Fair presented in partnership with the Arlington Heights Youth Commission. The 2018 event marked record attendance with 26 local businesses and organizations and 403 teens including Arlington Heights resident Genevieve Hill.

“I checked out a lot of the tables and there were so many different options that I didn’t know about,” said the 16-year-old Hersey High School student. “I liked the Park District because I thought it would be so nice to work outside.”

The Arlington Heights Park District liked Hill too, and last spring, she landed her very first job –an assistant referee for soccer. Score!

XOXO exhibit offers family fun Close to 500 people stopped by the library on January 20 to get a first look at the library’s newest exhibit, XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness. “It’s nice to see so many different families. So many different ages, so many different faces,” said Sheila Whiteside, who came to the party with her family. “I think [the exhibit] reminds us to come back to the basics. It reminds us of what is really important. My kids are smiling and we’re happy.”

The exhibit was created by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh with support from The Fetzer Institute and was made possible thanks to the Friends of the Library.

FEB

Kids came to the library and made things

EVERY DAY in

2018

Seniors discover technology can be virtually amazing A new library outreach program for seniors that utilizes Google Expeditions, a virtual reality experience, gave older adults the thrill of visiting virtually anywhere in the world. “It was an out of body experience,� recounted Ida, a resident at The Highlands at The Moorings of Arlington Heights, who at 91-years-young, experienced virtual reality for the first time, along with 30 other residents.

The library's travel series for residents at local memory care, assisted living and skilled care communities has included visits to Brazil and Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello.

JUN

Fancon returns for biggest year yet The library celebrated its biggest FanCon yet as more than 900 visitors of all ages stopped by the third annual comic book and pop culture convention on July 14.

"It's fun seeing a bunch of people into the same thing as you," said 12-year-old Colin Ryan, who was a runner-up in the Super Smash Bros. tournament hosted by the cosplay group The Age of the Geeks.

The tournament was one of more than 20 activities convention-goers took part in throughout the day, including lightsaber training, fandom-related arts and crafts and the ever-popular Artists' Alley, featuring some of Chicago’s leading comics artists. Another highlight was bestselling author and illustrator Jeffrey Brown, known for his Jedi Academy series and Darth Vader and Son series.

JULY

Miniature therapy horses were a big hit with customers of all Miniature therapy horses were a big hit with

ages in October. More than 500 people showed up to meet

customers of all ages in October. More than 500

the horses from Mane in Heaven as the library’s kick-off

showed up to meet the horses from Mane in

event to Inclusion Awareness Month, intended to raise

500 customers met miniature Heaven as the library’s kick-off event to Inclusion Awareness Month, intended to raise awareness of therapy horses the library’s programs and services geared toward audiences with disabilities or impairments.

OCT

awareness of the library’s programs and services geared toward audiences with disabilities or impairments.

Art and music took to the streets in the fall with the Piano Project, the library’s interactive public art event that featured six pianos, donated by Arlington Heights families and transformed by local artists into works of art for the community to enjoy. The project kicked-off with a community ribbon-cutting in in Harmony Park.

Library celebrates The Piano Project

"Words can't explain how it feels," said artist Teresa Meyanci after meeting Trish Srnak, the original owner of the piano she designed, "For her to see it and be as excited as I am, it's amazing."

The Piano Project was inspired by the 2018 One Book, One Village selection, Every Note Played by Lisa Genova. The pianos were on display in September and October at the library, Arlington Heights Metra Station, Harmony Park, the Senior Center and Northwest Community Healthcare Wellness Center where they invited passersby to experience the spontaneous joy of music.

OCT

And the music continues. Artist Tom Rybarczyk’s piano, Rainbow Zebra, remains at the library for people to enjoy.

Tech learning

EVERY DAY in

2018

OCT

Author Lisa Genova reminded us to make every day count

"Fiction is a place where you get to walk in someone else’s shoes," said author Lisa Genova to an audience of nearly 350 people who came to hear the New York Times bestselling writer speak at Forest View Auditorium on October 18 as part of the library’s fifth annual One Book, One Village community read. Genova talked about her desire to write stories that shed light on subjects that can be difficult to talk about like ALS, a neurological disease that is central to her novel Every Note Played.

“To really understand the brain, I had to become a storyteller,” said Genova. “While the book is about ALS the disease, it is also about the things we all wrangle with – fear, blame, regret.”

Since late August, when the library first announced Every Note Played as its 2018 selection, copies of the book had circulated close to 1,700 times. An Evening with Author Lisa Genova was supported, in part, by the Friends of the Library.

Author Jason Reynolds met thousands of students By the end of his two-day visit last November, author Jason Reynolds had spoken to 1,870 Arlington Heights students at Our Lady of the Wayside School, South Middle School and Thomas Middle School, in addition to an audience of more than 300 at Forest View Auditorium. Reynolds is best known for his young adult novels like Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Long Way Down and Ghost. His visit was made possible by a partnership between the library and area schools.

"There was a sense of accomplishment for a lot of kids who've never read a book," said Anthony Como, an English teacher at Rolling Meadows High School. "One of my students [told me]: 'This is the first book I've finished and now I enjoy reading.'"

Reynolds told students it is important to know that everyone's story matters. "I want you to love my stories, but not as much as I want you to love your own.�

NOV

Kids heard stories

EVERY DAY in

2018

NOV

Musicians found common ground in Tea & Talk class Two English as a Second Language students had the opportunity to communicate not only through English, but also through the language of music, thanks to the library’s Tea & Talk program, a monthly group that helps participants improve their conversation skills.

Piano teacher Yu Konno moved from Japan to Arlington Heights two years ago without knowing English. She began taking a library Beginner ESL class in 2016 and both she and Jeanne Hyejin Bae, a flutist from South Korea, were paired with library tutor Kathi Lieb in March 2018. Lieb learned that both women are classically trained musicians and decided to organize a concert featuring her students, aware that English was the only language they shared. In July, Konno and Bae played for an audience in the library’s Hendrickson Room, and again at the Arlington Heights Senior Center in November.

“It was not a difficult decision to continue. We have good chemistry," Bae said. "It is true that we have some language and culture barriers, but music is a common language that brings everyone together.”

Library offers relief following storm During the snowstorm of November 2018, some 3,000 local customers were without power. Every table, chair and power outlet was in use in the library over several days, as Arlington Heights residents packed the library to work, warm up and seek refuge from the storm.

NOV

Awards FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF SERVICE In recognition of their 50 years of service to the community, the Friends of the Library were honored at the Village of Arlington Heights Board Meeting on March 5. Mayor Tom Hayes presented Friends of the Library President Mike Dennehy with a plaque honoring five decades of accomplishments by the not-for-profit organization that raises funds to provide gifts (programs, materials, equipment, and artwork) for the library. The mayor thanked the Friends for their outstanding contributions to the library including more than $1.5 million in assistance raised through a book boutique in the library and quarterly book sales.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS MEMORIAL LIBRARY WINS JOHN COTTON DANA AWARD The Arlington Heights Memorial Library was a recipient of the 2018 John Cotton Dana Award, provided in conjunction with the H. W. Wilson Foundation, the American Library Association and EBSCO. This national award honors outstanding library public relations and marketing.

The library took creative inspiration from social media themes in its 2017 One Book, One Village community read selection, The Circle by Dave Eggers, and built #beinthecircle, a communications campaign combining traditional marketing with a heightened emphasis on social media. A key component of the campaign was the first-time use of influencer marketing using social media partners.

The awards were presented at a reception hosted by EBSCO during the American Library Association annual conference in New Orleans on June 24, 2018. Also at the annual conference, the ALA’s PR Xchange awarded designers Brian Benson and Colleen Kelly four design awards.

2018

2018 LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS MADE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE In May, the Annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon, funded by the Friends of the Library, honored the library's 426 volunteers who contributed 28,413 hours of service in the previous year. "Volunteers are not in this for the recognition," said library Volunteer Coordinator Kelley McCoy. "They just do it because it's in their hearts."

Volunteer of the Year Al Hong contributed 322 hours of service in 2017 in the library's ESL office. "[Volunteering] lets me have a chance to encourage younger people and new immigrants in our community," Hong said.

ADDITIONAL MENTIONS Staff members Shannon Meyer and Julie Jurgens participted as inaugural members of Illinois Library Association’s Elevate Illinois Libraries Leadership program. Shannon Meyer participated in the Library Leadership and Management Association Mentoring Program.

Manager of Youth Services Trixie Dantis was appointed to the board of directors of YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association. Twelve staff members hold appointed leadership positions with local, regional, state and national level library associations.

MEMORIAL

2018

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS

500 N Dunton Avenue • 847-392-0100 • ahml.info

2018