Annually at this time of year, Meg Wempe, library director, prepares an annual report for the library’s board of trustees summarizing the highlights of the past year. The information also is used when your library applies for grants and it is required to be shared with state, county and town governments to keep them informed.
Here are some details about your library’s 2022 operations. They show your library continues to flourish and 2022 was a banner year. You can pick up the infographic version of this report at the library.
Collection development: Providing our patrons with materials that are current and relevant to the diverse interests of the community is one of our principal goals. We have 27,216 items in our collection. In 2022 we added 3,025 items, up .66%, including 205 from donations worth $3,475. The materials budget is 11.7% of our total expenses.
Usage stats: We checked out 89,447 physical items, an increase of 5.8% over 2021. As well, patrons downloaded 9,816 items – 5,601 e-books and 3,796 e-audio books. We welcomed 21,846 website visits, up an impressive 26.7% from last year, and handled 10,184 computer uses, also up more than 26% over 2021.
Programming: Providing programs for all ages is a very high priority. In 2022 we hosted 550 programs with 4,739 attendees, up 10% over last year. Examples of popular programs: 19 adults attended our GED program, 42 adults were helped in our monthly legal clinic, 172 attended English as a second language (ESL) classes, and 292 took advantage of our Tech Time sessions.
Volunteers: We are very fortunate to have the ongoing support of the community. Our volunteers contributed 1,575 hours valued at $49,628, up 1.5 hours over the year before.
Resource sharing: AspenCat allows our patrons access not only to the 27,216 items in our collection but also to 1.6 million items in the other AspenCat libraries. The Colorado Library Consortium courier service provides five-times-a-week delivery to subscribing libraries throughout the state. In 2022 we borrowed 9,913 items and loaned 2,358. By taking advantage of the purchasing power of the State Library and Colorado Library Consortium, we subscribed to multiple educational databases including EBSCOHost, Learning Express and the Encyclopedia Britannica at substantial savings. You can access these electronic resources and more by clicking on “Online Resources” on our website.
Library closure
Your library will be closed on Monday, February 20 in observance of Presidents Day.
Events calendar
To be sure you don’t miss any of the free library activities available to you and your family, we encourage you to pick up a copy of the events calendar each month. Its new streamlined format combines all the activities and events for children, teens and adults on one handy two-sided page.
Gaming tomorrow
Enjoy free all-ages video gaming on the X-box 360 Kinect tomorrow, Friday, February 17 from 3-4pm
Makerspace on Saturday
Kids, tweens and teens are invited to a free Makerspace session on Saturday, February 18 from 11am to noon when we’ll provide the materials so you can build, design and create.
Adult DIY next Tuesday
At the free in-person adult DIY next Tuesday, February 21 from 1-2 p.m., we invite you to make your own draftstopper. It is a handy device to keep you warm if you have a draft at the bottom of a door or window that you would like repaired. As always, we’ll supply the materials.
Knowledge Bowl next Thursday
Our second free Knowledge Bowl is next Thursday, February 23 from 4-5 p.m. for tweens and teens. Participants form teams of up to six people to compete against each other by answering questions that cover a range of topics from math to spelling to pop culture. Knowledge Bowl will run every second and fourth Thursday for the remainder of the school year. It is open to students in grades four–eight, or ages 11-14.
Homework and tutoring help
Our highly popular free homework assistance and elementary tutoring are available for K-fourth grades on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. There is a registration packet for parents and guardians to fill out to enroll your child that you can get by emailing the library or coming in. This program has been a big hit because it helps build essential skills in core subjects. You still can register your child but you may be put on a waitlist.
PALS/GED adult education
Mark is available for free PALS sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 – 8pm to help with high school equivalency, GED, college prep, financial aid, tutoring and more. No registration required.
Tech Time
Free in-person slots are available from 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and 2-4pm Thursdays. Judy will help you with basic questions relating to computers, smartphones and tablets and also provide assistance in accessing any of the library’s online resources. No appointment needed for these drop-in sessions.
Nonfiction
“Spare” by Prince Harry is a memoir of his life as a child, adult and especially since he married Meghan and left the Royal Family. “On Savage Shores” by Caroline Dodds Pennock uses surviving literature and poetry to tell the story of Indigenous Americans who discovered Europe. “The Bill of Obligations” by Richard Haass introduces 10 commitments Americans should make to save our democracy.
Large print
“Devil’s Delight” by M.C. Beaton with R.W. Green is an Agatha Raisin mystery. “Hell and Back” by Craig Johnson is a Walt Longmire mystery.
Mysteries and thrillers
“The House in the Pines” by Ana Reyes features a young woman testing her memory about a best friend’s death. “All the Dark Places” by Terri Parlato begins with a party celebrating a man’s 40th birthday. “Code 6” by James Grippando is set in the world of Big Data.
Other novels
“The Night Travelers” by Armando Lucas Correa follows four generations of mixed-race women going back to Berlin 1931. “The Daughter of Doctor Moreau” by Silvia Moreno Garcia is an historical sci-fi story set in 19th century Mexico.
DVDs
“John Wayne Westerns, part of the Silver Screen Icons collection, contains four films. “House of the Dragon” is set 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones.” “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom” is the PBS film.
Books on CD
“The Cabinet of Dr. Leng” by Preston & Child is a thriller featuring FBI Special Agent Pendergast and Constance Greene. “The Other Eden” by Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Harding tells of a prejudiced schoolteacher who disrupts the lives of a diverse group of people by trying to educate their children. “Without a Trace” by Danielle Steel features a man with the opportunity to walk away anonymously after an accident.
Donations
Many thanks to Susan and Terry Arrington for their generous monetary donation and to Medora Bass and our anonymous donors for their materials donations.
When we are open, material donations are accepted for the Friends of the Library at the front desk – not down the outside returns slot at the library or the dropbox at City Market, please.
Quotable Quote
“You are never too old to reinvent yourself.” — Steve Harvey, TV host, actor and comedian.
Website
For more information on library books, services and programs – and to reserve books, e-books, books on CD and DVDs from the comfort of your home – please visit our website at https://pagosalibrary.org