HomeMy Public PortalAboutLibrary Dept. report Aug20Memo
To: City Council
From: Meg Lojek, Library Director
CC: Anette Spickard, City Manager
Date: 8/31/2020
Re: Monthly Department Report — August 2020
City of McCa11
1. Classes, Workshops, Events
This month, staff are wrapping up the online children's Summer Reading Program and giving away
final raffle prizes with local businesses and sponsors. We will also begin to phase out some virtual
programming, in preparation for some back to school programs and some outdoor programs including:
• After School Adventures: small group of 5 elementary aged students per day will be admitted
to this program to assist working parents.
• Study Buddies room reservations: need a safe, quiet place to study or do homework? Free,
reservations available in 2 hour blocks.
• Outdoor Preschool Story Time: in library front lawn, limited capacity, weather dependent.
• Let's Walk About It: outdoor "book walks" for adults, led by local retired teachers and
supported through Idaho Humanities Council grant funding.
2. Staff
The library maintains regular open hours with limited entry. Staff members remain very busy with the
extra book cleaning requirements, managing entry, and continued curbside services. In September, the
Library will offer virtual Dungeons and Dragons, AAUW Zoom book club discussion, Voter
Registration Day, and a Library Card Sign Up month. Come in and sign up for your first library card
with us, and receive entry into a drawing for a free Kindle, sponsored by Friends of the Library. Staff
also transitioned Doing Democracy online to a virtual format that has been very well received for two
programs now; Public Endowment Lands and Public Art "Meet the Artists" for the downtown project
in McCall.
3. Other
The Library aims to ease the transition into the new school year with access to technology, tutoring,
and a place to study. A limited amount of new equipment (laptops, hotspots, ipads, teleconferencing
devices) is available for checkout; the Idaho Room can be reserved for Study Buddies in middle and
Monthly Department Report — Library
high school; and staff are doing their best to connect students with tutors through the Community
Cares platform, in partnership with the Shepherd's Home.
Here are the current COVID library adjustments:
• Curbside service available M-F l0a to 6p, and Saturdays 10a-2p (regular library business
hours)
• Building is open and entry limited to 2 parties at a time. Staff manages this at the front door.
• Free WiFi in parking lot surrounding building, 24/7, no library card required if the McCall
WiFi is utilitzed. Wireless usage is up.
• Stand up computer kiosk in front entranceway during business hours.
• No late fines.
• Memberships that come due during this time: if customers are not comfortable entering the
library, they may call us at 208-634-5522 and staff will renew via phone. People can pay any
associated fees online by logging into their library account, or they can call to get the fee
temporarily waived so access is not interrupted. Staff are now catching up with patrons who
have outstanding balances.
• Staff can set up new users with a new library account via phone but patron eventually must
sign agreement
• Staff are investing more than usual in OverDrive e-books and e-audiobooks accessed free on
Libby app with a library card. There have been hundreds of new titles added and usage is up
by 30%.
• Dial -a -Librarian: People should not hesitate to call if they have questions or want a
professional to kindly guide them through renewing an account, setting up Libby app on their
phones, or accessing the Lili.org database for quality information during uncertain times.
• Staff are also able to help guide people to other helpful resources in our community, through
the County's EOC Community Cares site.
4. Library Stats
Please see attached for July and August.
5. Calendar
Please see attached for September events.
Summer Reading Program vending machine
Monthly Department Report — Library