PWPL Annual Report FY 2023

FY 2023

July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023

CHAIR/DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

As we reflect on the achievements and milestones of the past fiscal year, it is with great pleasure that we present Prince William Public Libraries’ Annual Report for FY 2023. This Annual Report culminates the focus from the past five years as our 2019–2023 Strategic Plan wraps up, and we usher in the next five years of bringing people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and build community in a welcoming, inclusive environment.

We want to thank those whose contributions can be found in the following pages: our staff, the Library Board of Trustees, volunteers, and everyone whose commitment and unwavering focus in providing access to resources, programs, and spaces empowered our community to explore, learn, and grow.

Significant strides have marked this past fiscal year in our efforts to enhance accessibility, foster community engagement, and promote lifelong learning for patrons of all ages and backgrounds. This year's Annual Report provides seemingly minor snapshots into a much larger, impactful picture of all we've achieved together. We implemented several initiatives to enhance technological accessibility and empowerment and remained committed to fostering a sense of community and belonging among our patrons.

Our efforts to support lifelong learning were achieved time and again by actively engaging patrons in hands-on experiences and educational programs, thereby serving as a catalyst for personal and professional growth within our community. In addition, FY 2023 demonstrated key advancements in our strategic goals of Versatile, Inviting Spaces, Community-Responsive Enrichment, and Physical and Virtual Media Collections.

We hope you see a part of yourself in the Annual Report and know that our collective efforts have been instrumental in achieving these successes. As we look towards the future, PWPL remains focused on introducing new and innovative services, resources, and collections to be your hub, connecting you to the transforming power of information.

Brian Murphy Chair, Library Advisory Board

Deborah L. Wright Director, Prince William Public Libraries

CHROMEBOOKS Now Available

Three-Week Checkout

Chromebook laptops now available. Chromebooks do not come with Wi-Fi. Check out a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot to connect the Chromebook to the internet.

pwcva.gov/library

FUTURE-READY, EASILY ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY

Chromebook Laptop Lending:

Beginning Monday, September 5, 2022, PWPL began loaning Chromebook computers for the public to borrow. The laptops were checked out 913 times in FY 2023.

Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots:

Hotspots continue to grow in popularity. In FY 2023, they were checked out 4,214 times, a 123% increase from the previous fiscal year.

Upgraded Online Catalog:

PWPL introduced a new online catalog with a modern, intuitive design that is more patron-focused and user-friendly.

COMMUNITY BUILDING

PWPL Creates New Community Outreach Services:

The new division was created in January 2023 to travel around Prince William County and the City of Manassas to offer story times, teen and adult programming, digital literacy classes and workshops, older adult programming, and more.

Imagine a Day Without Water:

PWPL partnered with Keep Prince William Beautiful and Prince William County Service Authority to Imagine a Day Without Water. Story times, activities, water bottles, seed packets, and activity books were distributed at three branches.

Job Training Workshops at the Prince William County Juvenile Detention Center:

PWPL extended library services by offering job training workshops to the Prince William County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC). Students learned about vocational career options, navigating trade schools, starting and running a business, and the best practices for applying for positions. This initiative was made possible by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation's Youth Literacy Grant.

"Our students have greatly benefitted from the library's intervention with career and self-exploration skills training. The students were taught how to be goal-oriented and tap into their strengths, skills, and talents to put their best foot forward when applying for jobs when they leave the detention setting."

JDC Literacy Coach

Susan brought in jewelry that once belonged to her mother. She hadn’t worn them in 20 years because they were broken. Jewelry expert Marth helped fix those pieces so that Susan could once again wear her mother’s beautiful gifts to her.

APPROACHABLE, ADAPTIVE EXPERTS

Repair Cafés:

PWPL staff at Bull Run and Montclair Libraries coordinated with community partners and vendors to set up bike, musical instrument, clothing, and jewelry repair stations to offer three Repair Cafés in FY 2023. Repair Cafés emphasize the library's commitment to lifelong learning by actively engaging patrons in working together to bring "broken" items back to life. The Repair Cafés were funded by the Community Challenge grant from ChangeX, supported by Microsoft three times in FY 2023.

FIRST LEGO Discovery League:

Manassas City Library staff introduced a new STEM program to encourage young learners to build learning, confidence, and creativity. The program was funded by a Community Challenge grant from ChangeX, supported by Microsoft. In total, more than 200 children ages 3–6 participated.

Pollinator Gardens:

In FY 2023, four new pollinator gardens were planted, bringing the total to six throughout the county. Funded by a ChangeX grant, the gardens at Bull Run, Central, Haymarket Gainesville, Independent Hill, Montclair, and Nokesville Libraries are wonderful places to relax amongst butterflies and bees and enjoy special programs. Library staff continue to maintain the beautiful outdoor spaces.

VERSATILE, INVITING SPACES

Trex “Recycle Beyond the Bag” Initiative:

In FY 2023, PWPL collected more than 1,000 pounds of plastic. Since the start of this initiative, we have received three benches thanks to plastic donations from the community.

Bull Run Library Renovation:

Bull Run Library reopened on September 12, 2022, after an extensive renovation that included an updated look, open spaces, enhanced services, and the first Makerspace in the region with an HQ Moxie long-arm quilting machine.

Nokesville Library Renovation:

To support library staff, the Nokesville Library staff workroom was reconfigured to accommodate an additional staff person.

Sunday Hours at Chinn Park and Bull Run:

A year and a half after libraries initially closed in response to the pandemic, Bull Run and Chinn Park Libraries reopened on Sundays beginning September 18, 2022.

Funding Received for New Story Trails: Prince William Public Libraries was awarded grant funding as part of Sentara’s #SentaraCares initiative to support "Improved Community Spaces, Literacy, and Well-being Through Story Trails" at Chinn Park and Haymarket Gainesville Libraries.

COMMUNITY-RESPONSIVE ENRICHMENT

We Demand:

Women’s Suffrage in Virginia, a free Library of Virginia exhibition commemorating the centennial of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote, was displayed at Montclair Library in August and September 2022. In addition to panels that highlight the history, there were book and photo displays, an interactive kiosk, and a coloring station.

The Courageous Four:

Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation created an exhibit on the Courageous Four, the first African American educators to teach in Prince William County’s all-White schools, which paved the way for the integration of schools in the county. The “Courageous Four” exhibit was displayed at Montclair Library in June 2022.

Summer Reading:

More than 6,380 readers participated in Summer Reading, and almost 1,830 completed all 10 reading challenges. There were more than 200,000 library visits during Summer Reading. Thank you to 38 area sponsors for their generous support.

Winter Reading:

Over 1,500 participants earned more than 12,500 digital badges and prizes. Thank you to our sponsors: Nora Roberts Foundation, Prince William Ice Center, and SYNERGY HomeCare of Lake Ridge.

PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL MEDIA COLLECTIONS

New STEM Programming Supplies:

Thanks to support from BAE Systems, Micron Technology, Micron Foundation, and SPARK Education Foundation, PWPL added air rockets, Bits & Bytes card games, digital microscopes, fossil and gemstone dig kits, Squishy Circuits, and more to be used in STEM programs.

Enhancements to the Digital Library:

• Magzter: Access to thousands of digital magazines from around the world.

• JobNow: Brainfuse expanded JobNow to provide additional career content and live help.

• Transparent Language: Transparent Language offers language learning from more than 100 languages, a more comprehensive range of lessons, and other upgrades.

Inclusive Financial Literacy Programming Kit:

The American Library Association and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation selected PWPL as one of 100 libraries nationwide to receive an Inclusive Financial Literacy Programming Kit to help provide diverse financial literacy titles and programming for children and young people.

2022 “You Saved!” Receipt Contest:

Totaling all entries, $163,516.77 was saved in 2022! The top three contestants saved over $10,000 each.

In 2019, Mia went to Montclair Library to ask for resources about architecture. Three years later, she came back to share that because the librarian had recommended LinkedIn Learning from the Digital Library, Mia developed the necessary skills to get her dream job in architecture. She is in a degree and licensure program now and shared that "the library has had a huge impact on my life and career."

"

For my work, I'm overseas most of the time, where getting English language books is often difficult or impossible. Prince William Public Libraries to the rescue! I'm able to check out books and keep up with the latest and greatest in literature, never at a loss for a page-turner, even if I'm in the wilds of India or in the heart of bustling Jakarta. You can't beat this service and I love it!

"

Ubah, Library Patron

LIFELONG LEARNING

Career Online High School:

Tadele's daughter, a former winner of a teen writing contest at PWPL, learned about the Career Online High School program at Haymarket Gainesville Library and encouraged him to apply. Now, as PWPL's third COHS graduate, Tadele hopes his success will encourage others to apply for the program, too.

"I would like to share how sometimes it's hard to go back to school for adults like me (who came from different backgrounds, cultures, decided to work hard and support families here and back home...). We know we have potential to do it but it's too hard to start. My oldest daughter was four years of age when she came to the States, and it was easy to understand the system and what needs to be accomplished in her education.

It is never too late to go back and finish high school and to earn a diploma online. A great way to do it and it is a convenient way to meet college entrance requirements.

It can be stressful, and it takes a lot of planning and balancing with your family, work, and other unnecessary habits developed over time.

The reasons to consider completing high school diploma is of course it's free, thanks to PWPL, for better career opportunities, higher pay, and first and foremost to improve skills.

My goals are to improve my skills, and I love what I do right now, and I want to learn more about the auto industry that can benefit me later in my career."

A graduate of COHS Sara wanted to share her experience:

"One of the biggest goals in my life is to be a professional and thanks to Prince William Public Libraries I achieved my first diploma, and I got my certificate on Childcare. I am very happy to accomplish the first step of my big dream. I am very happy and proud of myself. My big inspiration and also my biggest support was my family, especially my three-year-old son.

Now, I have better job opportunities. I already applied for a job as a teacher assistant in a kindergarten and I expect to continue with my career as a kindergarten teacher soon.

Achieving my COHS certificate was one of the best experiences in my life. The system was easy, clear and very helpful. As a mother, I appreciated the flexibility and ability to manage my time. I am thankful and very happy with the results."

Teen Writing Contest:

Congratulations

Anjali! Anjali won the $300 grand prize for her essay, funded by Prince William Library Foundation. “I was constantly bullied or harassed. A few times, they even threatened to beat me up. So, I delved into books, immersing myself in worlds where the ability to wield a sword was far more important than wearing Nikes on my feet. These books made me cry, made me laugh, and served as my escape. The books held in the library served as my escape from reality, from fear, and from the crushing feeling that I did not belong…”

AWARDS

ALA Core PR Xchange Award

MAGIC Minute Video Series; Materials Promoting Collections, Services, Resources Category

AVA Digital Awards

Gold Award for PWPL Winter Reading 2022-2023 Video; Digital Video Creation I Motion Graphics

dotCOMM Awards

Platinum Award for the 2021 Annual Report; Online Media Design Category

Gold Award for Digital Summer 2021 Explore Magazine; Owned Media, eMagazine Category

Honorable Mention for PWPL’s Wi-Fi Has Left the Building!; Video Category

Hermes Creative Awards

Platinum Award for How to Get a Library Card Video; Electronic Media | Social Media | Interactive Media | Video | Informational Category

Gold Award for Annual Report FY2021; Print Media | Publications | Annual Report Category

Honorable Mention for 2022 Explore Magazine; Print Media | Publications | Magazine

Honorable Mention for 2022 Staff Day Explore; Print Media | Publications | Magazine

MarCom Awards

Gold Award for Visit Prince William Public LiBEARies; Video/Audio Category

Honorable Mention for No Pets Allowed at Central Green; Video/ Audio Category

Viddy Awards

Staff Day – Tribute to Employees video; Non-Broadcast I Short-Form

Web Video I Tribute Category

Office of Communications and Marketing; Team Achievement Category

RELIC: Your Genealogy and Local History Questions Answered Video; Non-Broadcast | Social Media Videos | Short Form Category

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten at PWPL Video; Non-Broadcast | Social Media Videos | Short Form Category

ALA Core PR Xchange Award

MAGIC Minute Video Series; Materials Promoting Collections, Services, Resources Category

Hermes Creative Awards

Platinum Award for How to Get a Library Card

Video; Electronic Media | Social Media | Interactive Media | Video | Informational Category

FUNDING SOURCES

Funding Sources:

• Revenue from Other Localities .................. $1,424,652

• Misc. Revenue .............................................. $831

• Charges for Services .................................... $186,718

• Revenue from Commonwealth.................. $293,064

.................................................... $1,905,265

Prince William Public Libraries implements many programs and services without a direct cost to county taxpayers. This approach helps build community partnerships and provides community members with opportunities to invest in literacy. The Friends of the Library groups and the Prince William Library Foundation help Prince William Public Libraries achieve this goal.

Friends of the Library

Prince William Public Libraries has seven Friends groups that help PWPL fund programs, purchase equipment and supplies, and build community relationships. The Friends of the Library are individual 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations committed to providing support to their designated library and the five smaller libraries. The Friends raise money through book sales, membership dues, and other fundraising efforts.

Revenue ................... $93,962

Expenditures ........... $88,054

Donations from the seven Friends of the Library groups supported 2,645 PWPL programs in FY 2023.

Prince William Library Foundation

The Prince William Library Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established to encourage community-minded citizens, organizations, and businesses to support Prince William Public Libraries. The Foundation's mission is to serve as a catalyst to develop innovative library services, serve as a conduit to acquire grants to provide programs and services, and raise funds through community interaction, all of which support programs otherwise unavailable to PWPL.

Revenue ...................$75,081

Expenditures ...........$123,984 (including prior fiscal year available fund balances)

PWPL STATS AT A GLANCE

Circulation (Print and Digital)............2,580,642

Library Visits........................................2,013,866

Number of Registered Patrons............ 345,537

Information Requests........................... 577,102

Wi-Fi Users................................................

64,487

Programs Offered......................................

4,131

Program Attendance.............................

173,671

Outreach Events and Partnerships.............194

People Reached at Events........................

2,565

PWPL Celebrates 70 Years

In FY 2023, Prince William Public Libraries celebrated its 70th anniversary. Library service to eastern Prince William County residents began in September 1965 with the opening of the Leesylvania Branch Library located on the first floor of the Prince William County Administration Building. After a decade, the collection got its own building and became Potomac Library.

Prince William Public Libraries has grown to include 12 branches throughout Prince William County and the City of Manassas that offer free access to books, e-books, e-audio, print and digital magazines, Digital Library, DVDs, and educational and entertaining programs for all ages. Every library offers free access to computers with internet, Wi-Fi that extends to parking lots, printers, Wi-Fi mobile hotspots, and Curbside Pickup. Information about each library can be found at pwcva.gov/library.

PRINCE WILLIAM LIBRARY

pwcva.gov/library