610 Quincy St. Ÿ Rapid City, SD  57701

605-394-4171 Ÿ www.rapidcitylibrary.org

 

 

DIRECTOR’S REPORT:  JANUARY 2005

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

Community, Governmental and Interlibrary Relations:  Annual memberships to SDLA: Eight staff have signed up as new SDLA members for 2005, and eight more have renewed their memberships. G. Chapman attended the Pre-legislative Crackerbarrel sponsored by the Chamber;  along with staff, attended an SDLN Executive Board meeting to discuss the ILS implementation; drafted ILMS Federal Grant for staff and board review; made a presentation to the noon Cosmopolitan Club; hosted the management group of approximately 30 people of the RC Police Dept. for their monthly meeting.

 

Building & Grounds: Procedures continue to be identified and written for the ongoing maintenance of equipment and seasonal grounds maintenance. End of the year completed projects include: replacement of Hoyt room ceiling; flushing the A/C system, along with adding glycol lubricating anti-freeze; addition of new mini-split A/C unit for Gates computer room; installation of a digital security system to help prevent vandalism; installation of new carpeting in business office and manager’s office; painting of the Director’s and manager’s offices. In addition, a pressure washer was purchased for all sidewalks, building and covered parking area cleaning, which will save approximately $1,000 per year by canceling vendor service. Research is being done on elevator contract to reduce cost from $1,600 to $600.00 a year.

 

Public Information and Programming:

 

·         Publications – Jan. newsletter and calendar; Spanish resources book mark, Readers’ Corps recruiting postcards; assisted Foundation in preparing mailing list/labels and bulk mailing the most recent fundraising campaign information

·         Grant – “Get Fit” grant (Youth Services)

·         Signage – replaced all computer station signage; Ask A Librarian posters for posting around town; No School Days Gadgets series; January Family Story Time; 2005 staff appreciation card,

 

Training:  Staff members from Youth Services and Reference were introduced to the new “live homework help” online service available to patrons. A conference call and internet demonstration was used by the tutor.com company to facilitate the training session.

 

Selectors were introduced to the “acquisitions module” of Aleph in a special selector training session.  Selectors will be placing orders directly into the Aleph system beginning in December.

 

Jason Walker and Kim Baumberger, from the Circulation Department, attended a day-long training session on the new interlibrary loan module of Aleph.

 

PUBLIC SERVICES/YOUTH

 

The Youth Services Department assisted an ExLibris representative in testing the new Kids Catalog.  Over the course of three days, fifty children used the wireless lab to access the new catalog and assisted in determining what features need to be modified. The “Kids’ Cat” is scheduled to be available mid-January. 

PUBLIC SERVICES/ADULT SERVICES-REFERENCE

 

Programs: The last two of the 6-part World War II Sunday afternoon movie series were presented. The Friends of the Library sponsored the series, and for the most part they were well attended. The videos will now go into the circulating collection for others to enjoy.

 

Services: Reference staff continues to teach computer classes and proctor tests. Staff proctored 16 tests this month.

 

Collections: Staff continued evaluating their assigned collection areas and ordering materials.

 

SUPPORT SERVICES/CIRCULATION AND OUTREACH

 
  • Christina Farnsworth was hired as a new library page.
  • The May We Suggest meeting focused on cooking, and a list of staff suggestions on the subject is forthcoming on the web site.
  • Postcards were sent to local book clubs to invite them to schedule a customized book talk for their group.
  • Outreach is coordinating Readers’ Corps volunteer recruitment and training, and placement in nursing homes that would like a reader to visit one hour per week. Youth services will train volunteers in techniques of reading aloud.
  • Homebound brochures have been distributed to home healthcare facilities and caregivers, low income housing managers and St. Martin’s Monastery.
  • Tours have been promoted to Volunteers of America, Black Hills Area Council of Boy Scouts, and Families with Mentally Ill Children. Wellspring Healthcare provider for children with family behavioral issues is interested in an Institution card for their live-in clients.

 

SUPPORT SERVICES/NETWORK SERVICES

 

Services: 

  • Ordered PC COP to replace Pharos;
  • Upgrade ordered for  Web Events;
  • Worked on Ariel;
  • Looking into end note and Aleph.

 

 

SUPPORT SERVICES/TECHNICAL SERVICES

 

Services: 

  • Continued to work on a solution for automatically replacing temporary acquisitions records with permanent catalog records;
  • Set up 2005 budget in Aleph acquisitions;
  • Tested prototype password for selectors allowing them to use specific acquisitions budgets;
  • Developed work routine for loading order confirmations and electronic invoices into Aleph acquisitions;
  • Developed training for selectors on how to place orders in Aleph acquisitions.