HomeMy Public PortalAboutLibrary Dept. report 07.2021Memo /
To: City Council
From: Meg Lojek, Library Director
CC: Anette Spickard, City Manager
Date: 7/31/21
Re: Monthly Department Report – July 2021
Classes, Workshops, Events:
All summer reading registration is now full. There are over 300 children participating, which maxes out our space and budget. This month 30 people enjoyed our first adult in-person programs
in quite awhile, with an outdoor presentation about aviation in McCall, featuring Walt Sledzieski, Barbara Perry Bauer, and Richard Holm. We also began a new tutoring program under
the umbrella “Wise Owl Tutoring” in which the library acts as facilitator with tutors and students. All sessions are full but we maintain a waiting list and hare happy to partner with
volunteers, teachers and students in this new educational initiative.
Other:
We continue to host programs outdoors and ask participants to come prepared depending on the weather.
Grants:
Construction on the Story path began, thanks to help from the Parks department crew as they installed the posts along the bike path behind the library. Program librarians are now designing
the panels and will install prior to our September 18th grand opening.
Library Stats:
Current statistics are included in this report. Library checkouts are up 41% since May 2021. That is a 27% increase from last year. Staff have issued 345 new library accounts and renewed
1,052 existing accounts this year.
Calendar:
Please see calendar attached for upcoming August events, including a Blue Zone nutrition info with Marcella Hatfield, and a Barbara Kingsolver climate change book talk (including free
book) with University of Idaho professor Jennifer Ladino. We also offer a “Libby 101” session and are always available to help people learn to use their device with our Libby app to
access e-books and e-audiobooks for free with their library card.