renew Issue 4 • Winter 2019
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Technology advances and programs for 2019 are making your library better than ever before!
Table of Contents
PAGE 1
Letter From Our Interim Director, Abby Carpenter
PAGE 2 & 3
Annual Report, Most Circulated Books, and Library Card Month Feature
PAGE 4 & 5
Tech Advances, RFID, and New Self-Service Stations
PAGE 6-8
PAGE 9
PAGE 10 & 11
PAGE 12 & 13
STEAM Initiative for Kids and Teens
Police Officers Join FLPL Family
350 N. Wood Ave Florence, AL 36530 (256) 764-6564 www.flpl.org
Friends of the Library
Memorials and Honorariums and Donation Form
Hours
Mon-Thurs 10am-7pm Fri-Sat 10am-5pm Sun 1pm-5pm
renew is a publication of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library and is made possible by the Friends of the Library Edited by Jennifer Butler Keeton
Photography and design by Liz Reburn
Library Board of Directors: Andy Frith (chairperson), Dion Johnson, Vince Brewton, Julie Trapp, Evan Thornton
“You never know ahead of time what something's really going to be like.” -Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia
Message from the Director We never could have imagined what the future of our library would look like. Even ten years ago, we couldn’t envision that you (our patrons) would eventually be able to easily check out your own books, pay your own fines, place your own holds, or renew your own books through a one-stop selfservice station. We couldn’t imagine that we would have the Collaboratory, a space for community members to create and make with digital technologies, such as 3D printing and audiovisual recording and editing. We couldn’t fathom that our children and teens would be able to interact with science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics software and kits just by coming to the library. But here we are.
Abby Carpenter Library Director
I hope that as you look through this issue, you’ll appreciate what we have worked on this year and the new services we are able to offer. Our vision is to be indispensable to community success by providing every citizen with a reason to use the library. Every program, service, and initiative is created with the goal of making this vision a reality for our community. We are a gathering place for new ideas, a technology hub, and a center of learning, creation, and diversity. We want to be your go-to resource for books, technology access, information, community meetings, family events, and so much more. We’d also like to hear from you. If there’s a need you have that is not currently being met by the library’s offerings, let us know. And if you would like to contribute towards a new program or service, whether monetarily, by volunteering, or simply by suggesting your ideas, we’d love to collaborate with you. We’re excited about the direction that the library is heading and the plans we have for our future. We hope you’ll continue on the adventure with us as we strive to put you (our patrons) first, to remain innovative and relevant, and to engage diverse populations in our community through outreach and programming.
Abby Carpenter
Interim Library Director 1
2018 AT-A-GLANCE A FEW FLPL STATS FROM OCT 1, 2017 - SEPT 30, 2018
227K
LIBRARY VISITORS
people visited the library to check out books, attend programs, use technology, and more . . . about 650 people a day!
169K
PHYSICAL CHECKOUTS
books, audiobooks, and DVDs checked out from our physical collection
27K
DIGITAL CHECKOUTS
ebooks and digital audiobooks downloaded through OverDrive
40K
24,436 PEOPLE ATTENDED 1,879 PUBLIC MEETINGS IN OUR MEETING SPACES
COMPUTER SESSIONS
number of times our public computers for adults, teens, and kids were used
14K number of times patrons accessed our public WiFi on their own devices
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16,021 CHILDREN, TEENS, AND ADULTS ATTENDED 608 LIBRARY PROGRAMS
WIFI SESSIONS
7,093 ITEMS ADDED TO THE COLLECTION, FOR A TOTAL OF 85,119 PHYSICAL BOOKS, AUDIOBOOKS, AND MOVIES
Our Most Circulated Books of 2018 Picture Books
1 Where the Wild
Things Are by Maurice Sendak
2 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
3 The Fancy
Nancy Books by Jane O'Connor
Juvenile
1
2
Teens
Adult
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
1 The Hate You
1 The Rooster Bar
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
2 Turtles All the
3 The Magic
Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne
Give by Angie Thomas Way Down by John Green
3 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
by John Grisham
2 The Late Show by Michael Connelly
3 Deep Freeze
by John Sanford
Nonfiction
1 The Keto Diet by Leanne Vogel Fire and Fury:
2 Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff
3 Educated
by Tara Westover
Library Card Sign-up Month! Evelyn and Yao Chuang have had library cards at FLPL since 1976, and they visit the library regularly to check out books and use our public computers. The Chuangs have also taken several of our computer skills classes.
Ethan Lee, age 6, recently got his very first library card! He is excited to use his card to log on to our public computers to play games on the Roblox website and to check out Power Rangers books. His favorite Power Ranger is the Red Ranger.
Betty Davis is a regular patron here at FLPL and uses her library card to check out DVDs and to use our computers to access her favorite online games, find new recipes, and to find reading resources for her Bible study classes. Betty's favorite parts of the library are the people she gets to interact with and the quiet, peaceful atmosphere.
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BETTER SERVICE WITH NEW TECH If you’ve visited the library this fall, you have probably noticed our new security gates and self-service stations. This equipment is part of our new RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system, which libraries around the world use to manage and protect their collections. All of our books, audiobooks, and DVDs are now tagged with microchips that can be read by our special RFID equipment. Below are just a few benefits that you can expect to see in the coming year.
MORE SECURITY = MORE BOOKS FOR YOU RFID helps us protect the library collection. These books and movies belong to the community, and it is our job to make sure that they are available to everyone. By curbing the loss of materials, we will be able to build a more complete and diverse library collection.
MORE RELIABLE LIBRARY CATALOG You may have had this happen before: You check the library catalog and see that the book you want is available, but when you get to the library, you find out that the book is missing from the shelf. Over time, this new system will make it less likely for that to happen because RFID helps us make sure that every item that leaves the building has been properly checked out.
FASTER CHECKOUTS With RFID, you can place a stack of books or movies (about a foot high) onto a checkout pad, and the items check out to you all at once. Whether you check out with a staff member at a desk or use a self-service station, the checkout process will be faster and lines will move more quickly during busy times.
MORE ONE-ON-ONE HELP FROM OUR STAFF The faster checkouts will free up our skilled and knowledgeable staff to serve you even better. Instead of spending hours scanning individual barcodes, they will have more time to help you find books and other resources.
BETTER PRIVACY THROUGH SELF-SERVICE STATIONS You can use our new self-service stations to discreetly check out sensitive material (perhaps a book about a health issue or another personal matter). You can also use cash or card to privately pay any fines on your account, and you can place holds and renew books on your own at the stations.
A MORE ORGANIZED COLLECTION With RFID, we can perform inventory simply by waving a wand across each shelf of books. This technology will let us keep the shelves neater and our catalog more accurate.
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HOW TO: Self-Checkout at the Kiosk Our new self-service stations are easy for anyone to use, and we have one on each floor. Scan your library card under the monitor or enter your card number on the touch screen. Your PIN is the last four digits of your phone number. Place the items you want to check out on the pad. You can simply stack them in groups of 4 or 5 items, and they check out all at once! Take a look at the screen to make sure each item was checked out. You may select whether or not you want a receipt. You’ll also see an option for My Account. Selecting this option will show a summary of your current library account, including Items Checked Out, Overdue Items, Holds, and Fines/Fees. You may select these options to manage each category and perform tasks such as paying a fine, placing a hold, or renewing a book. Another option you will see is the Request Help button. If you are having trouble with your transaction, simply press this button and a staff member will be notified to come and assist you.
Our new RFID system and all the benefits listed above have been made possible by a generous gift from our late friend, Dr. Mitchell Burford. Mitch was a longtime member of the Friends of the Library and a dedicated volunteer. His gift will help the community for years to come, as this new system allows us to provide more books and better service to all of you. See page 13 to learn how you can make a difference to your community through donating to the library.
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STEAMpower FLPL has BIG plans for 2019 to implement a comprehensive new STEAM initiative for kids and teens! What is STEAM? STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics. It is an extension of STEM (which originally did not include the “A” for Arts), as it focuses on integrating the sciences with the arts, in order to help develop more well-rounded students and to encourage critical thinking.
STEAM Initiative for Kids (10 & under) A new STEAM-based Stay-and-Play area in Youth Services Our children’s area is popular for kids and families for both reading and play. We want to make the most of that family playtime by adding handson learning activity kits. These learning stations will help kids of all ages use their creativity while developing their understanding of traditional STEM concepts. The learning stations will include soft building blocks for babies, a kit to design your own mini roller coaster, and Cubelet robotics blocks. We also have already installed special children’s computers that feature easy-to-use educational games. We plan to debut the full Stayand-Play area during Summer Reading 2019. More STEAM technology to use during children’s programs We will be purchasing 10 Osmo Explorer Kits, which attach to iPads, to use during our children’s programs. The Osmo Kits include seven games that incorporate both the iPad's touch screen and hands-on physical pieces. These games cover a variety of STEAM subjects, from coding to drawing to puzzles. We have used Osmo devices in the library before, and the kids loved them, but we didn’t have enough to use during regular programming. Beginning in Fall 2019, the new devices will start being used in our afterschool programs. Zane Smith is a 9-year-old faithful library user and a 4th grader at Underwood Elementary. He loves science, technology, and art so much that he wrote a letter of support for a grant to help us start our STEAM initiative. In his letter, he explained why he loves the Osmo devices and wants the library to have more.
Zane Smith
Zane is a fan of all things STEAM and has taken coding classes at the library and at school. He says he was ahead of the rest of his school class because of the code.org curriculum he had gone through at the library’s summer coding class. “You never know what you are going to get out of coding until you do it, whether you get it right or wrong the first time,” Zane said. He used what he learned in our class to make his own Star Wars game. “I like that you have to reach a certain objective [when coding a game]. When you make a game, it’s [like freeplay]. You can do whatever you want. There’s no limit on what you can do besides the materials you have.” Zane can’t wait for the new STEAM activities to start at the library. “I think that will be really cool [for the library to have more STEAM programs]. I like learning about stuff like that. I think more kids would, too, if they learned about it.”
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for Kids and Teens STEAM Initiative for Teens (11-17) A Comprehensive Filmmaking course We are partnering with the filmmakers at Wellspring Advertising to offer an in-depth filmmaking course for teens. These classes will cover the entire process of writing, producing, filming, editing, and marketing a short film. Teens will have access to high-quality cameras, lighting, and editing software through FLPL’s Collaboratory, and they will get one-on-one guidance from professionals as they create their own short films. Filmmaking is an excellent STEAM skill, since teens will learn to use technology to implement an artistic vision. These classes will be held in Spring/Summer 2019. Email teens@flpl.org if you would like to be placed on the interest list for the course. A Teen Film Festival The culmination of the filmmaking course will be a one-day film festival dedicated to short films by local teens. The festival will be open to the public, so the entire community will be invited to see the artistic expression and technical skills of Shoals teens. The festival is tentatively scheduled for July 2019. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (LS-00-18-0001-18).
I think a combination of the use of art/artistic expression along with a sense and understanding of technology is paramount for anyone, but moreover for young people. It will also be a lot of fun for all of our instructors, most of whom have graduated from UNA with degrees in digital media, to convey what they’ve learned to the students – and to impart their “from the trenches” experiences in using those skills and techniques in the real world. I know in my 30+ years of production, I have used academic approaches and even invention to get something captured on camera. It really becomes an art form at those times! We’re all looking forward to this wonderful series from Florence-Lauderdale Public Library and their Collaboratory. Project Instructor: Keith Sims
-Keith A. Sims, CEO/Creative Director at Wellspring Advertising
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Erin Cody, teen filmmaker Erin Cody is an 18-year-old student at Florence High School. She is a young filmmaker who worked with FLPL in developing the plan for a filmmaking course and film festival for the library’s Teen Program. Like Zane, she also wrote a letter of support to help us secure grant funding for the project. How did you get into filmmaking? “I was 14 when I was first interested. I remember watching music videos and being amazed by the production. I didn’t mean to get into filmmaking (in school). I actually signed up for a graphic arts class, but I was put in TV production instead.”
Tell us about your experience as a young filmmaker. What are your goals for your films? “Florence High School hosts a film fest. I did a movie all by myself, no crew, no help. I had a few teachers and friends act in it. The film didn’t get a good review, but I was motivated by it because it was a learning experience. The best part of this movie was that it was my first real project, and it motivated me to keep creating even though my first one wasn’t a total success. I really want to make my audience laugh. It makes me feel good when I hear the audience laugh. The main tones I want in my movies are humor, happy crying, and realization.”
Why do you think the filmmaking course and festival at FLPL are important? Erin says that, understandably, the film training within the school system is limited, as is the one-on-one guidance that the school can provide. She is excited that FLPL’s film course will provide more individual mentorship and will include classes on topics from storyboarding to filming to post-production. “A lot of (the library’s) program is going to be hands on. We can ask ‘Why does this happen?’ and really learn to work with the camera.” Specifically, she’s hoping for guidance on topics like how to hide a mic in a scene, more professional camera handling, how to create a call sheet, and location scouting. She’s also excited to get to present her work at a community event. “I think that FLPL’s film fest will bring a larger audience from the community because different ages will be attracted to the event.” She’s excited about getting broader feedback than from just teachers and classmates.
Why did you write a support letter for FLPL’s grant project? “I feel like a lot of teens don’t get their voices out, especially when it comes to something they are interested in. Having a teen or kid say we need something or want something is a big deal because we don’t get to say much.”
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POLICE OFFICERS at FLPL Sergeant Randy Lee didn’t plan to host an impromptu storytime, but that’s what happened one morning during his shift at the library. He was making his normal rounds when a little girl walked up to him, held out a book about seahorses, and asked, “Will you read this to me?” “She’d never met a stranger,” said Sgt. Lee. “She came up and just sat right beside me. And then all the other kids just came rolling up.” The children gathered around him on the colorful benches in the Youth Services Department as he read to them. Beginning in July 2018, the City of Florence and Lauderdale County began coordinating to provide police officer shifts at the library. Officers and security guards are common fixtures at public libraries across the country. In addition to helping to curb bad behavior, officers assist library staff in identifying patron needs and helping people find resources. “People ask me why the police are at the library, and I say, ‘We’re here to provide a service,’” said Sgt. Lee. He has called an ambulance for a pregnant woman who went into labor at the library, and he provides another friendly face and helping hand to our homeless patrons. Sgt. Lee also works shifts at Room in the Inn, so he has gotten to know many local homeless citizens, who have come to feel comfortable asking him questions when he’s at FLPL.
Sgt. Randy Lee, Florence City Police Dept.
"We're here to provide a service." -Sgt. Randy Lee
Lauderdale County Deputy Sheriff Michael Gean, who also works shifts at FLPL, agrees that it makes sense to have a law enforcement presence at the library. “Most people get into law enforcement because they want to help people, and being at the library is another way to help. I’m always answering questions, and one day I helped a lady figure out how to get her car alarm turned off. Just today, two people have come up to me to say ‘thank you’ and to say that we make them feel safe. Being at the library is good public relations, and it’s good to work with local law enforcement like the Florence Police Department. We want people to know that we’re here to help.” Community members have already become accustomed to knowing that officers are available at the library. On at least one occasion, a crime victim in downtown Florence came to the library first, knowing that it was the closest place where she could find an officer to talk to in person.
Corporal Michael Gean, Lauderdale County Deputy Sheriff
Our officers have quickly become a treasured part of our library family. We thank them for their work, and we thank our city and county officials for working together to provide this important community service.
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Friends of the Message from the President Gloria Brown has been a Friend since she moved to Florence 25 years ago. She creates the wonderful handmade bookmarks sold in the Friends Bookstore. Gloria thinks the library is one of our most important community spaces, & she is happy to contribute in her own way.
Thank you to all who support the Friends of the Library through volunteering in the Bookstore, donating books, purchasing books, and through your membership. During 2018, the Friends were able to contribute $66,000 to the Library. This financial support contributed to new reading materials, technologies, security measures, and youth programs. Please stop by the Bookstore and shop our exciting collection of books, magazines, DVDs, and musical CDs. If you do not carry cash, we accept Debit and Credit Cards. With your help, we can make an even greater contribution to the library in 2019.
Betty Achorn President, Friends of the Library Board
Dan Waterman has been a Friend for 15 years & a Friends board member for 2. He sees FLPL as one of the great treasures of Lauderdale County. He appreciates the internet access & helpful staff. He also loves seeing his grandkids enjoying children's events in Youth Services.
2019 Friends Officers President: Betty Achorn Vice President: Caleb Banks Secretary: Jacqueline Osborne Treasurer: David Curott Bookstore Manager: Anne Smith
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No Cash? No Problem! The Friends Bookstore now accepts debit and credit cards! Stop in today to stock up on used books, music, movies, and magazines. The Bookstore is open Mon-Sat, 10am-4 pm, and Sun, 1pm-4pm.
Library In 2018, the Friends of the Library gave FLPL $66,000. These funds paid for the following: • Genealogy databases & microfilm • Audiobooks • Large print books • Print magazines & newspapers • RBdigital online magazines • Overdrive ebooks • Mango Languages • Summer reading programs • Handy Festival programs
Katherine Speaker (left) has been a Friend for 3 years. She supports the library because she loves having fun with her 16-month-old daughter, Tillar, at our children's programs. This quality time together is one of the reasons she loves FLPL. Caleb Banks (right) has been the Vice President of the Friends since 2016. He believes FLPL is vital to the community because of the diverse range of services offered for people with many different types of needs.
If you agree that services like these are important to the community, please consider joining the Friends of the Library! Every penny of your membership donation is used to help the library provide more free books, services, and programs. (And remember, so does every penny you spend in the Friends Bookstore!)
Join the Friends! Name:_______________________________ Phone: _________________________ Mailing address:_______________________________________________________ Annual Membership Fees (check one) __ Individual - $15 __ Family - $25
__ Business/Organization - $50 __ Patron - $100
Total Amount Enclosed: ______ (we will happily accept any donation above the membership fee) Make checks payable to Friends of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library Mail this form and your check to P.O. Box 1178, Florence, AL 35631
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Help us help your community In these pages, you've seen a small glimpse of how the library is enacting our mission to provide learning and enrichment opportunities to everyone in our community. Below are just a few more ways that we've been working to make the Shoals an even better place to be. Your support is vital to us continuing to expand our educational programs, book collections, and technology.
Youth Outreach This year, we've hosted a weekly afterschool class at the YMCA. Our YMCA outreach makes our programs accessible to kids whose parents work in the afternoon and are unable to bring them to library programs. We've also partnered with Focus-Scope Child Enrichment Center, a local child care center that provides culturally diverse education, especially to low-income children. Instructors at FocusScope bring children to the library for ABCs Under the Trees, and Mrs. Jessica visits the center to bring library programs to them. These outreach services require additional staff time and supplies, and your donation will help us reach even more children in the community in our work to encourage the love of reading.
Job Search Help Late last year, we hosted a Job Search and Resume Workshop. A representative from Lyons HR talked about finding job opportunities, and our staff members provided in-depth, individualized assistance with resumes. Two of our participants called after the event to let us know that they had gotten jobs because of our workshop. We also help people everyday with job applications on our public computers. Your donation will help us have the staff, technology, and other supplies needed to provide even more one-on-one help to job searchers.
FLPL Donation Form Support your library by filling out this form below or visiting www.flpl.org/donate
Name: ____________________________ Phone: ___________________________ Email: ____________________________
This gift is made: ☐ Anonymously ☐ In my name ☐ In memory of: _______________________________ ☐ In honor of: _______________________________
Send acknowledgement to: Name: ___________________________ Address: _________________________ _________________________________
Payment information: ☐ check to Florence-Lauderdale Public Library ☐ credit or debit card (fill out info below) Card #: ___________________________ Name on Card: ____________________ Security Code: ______ Exp. Date: _____ Billing Address: ____________________
Fine-free for kids and teens 2018 has been the first full year that we have been fine-free on kids' and teen books. This change has removed barriers to reading and learning for our youngest patrons, who depend on parents and guardians to bring books back on time. Now kids and teens can check out books without worrying about building up late fees if their family gets busy. Your donation will help us maintain high-quality children's and teen collections while continuing to remove barriers to learning.
__________________________________
Donation Amount: $_______ Mail to: Florence-Lauderdale Public Library 350 N Wood Ave Florence, AL 35630 13