Your Library Connection
 

A Snapshot of the Library:  2006-2007

What did the library provide to the community from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007?  The Independence Public Library compiles a report just as many businesses and organizations do.  Our annual report can help demonstrate a return on your taxpayer investment, and show a picture of what has happened during the year.

The Independence Public Library provided many services and also met their minimum fundraising goal of $3 million for a new library facility in July ‘06- June ’07!  Here is a snapshot of the year:

• The volunteer leadership team raised over $1.7 million dollars of money for a new library facility from individuals, families, and businesses (total of 514 pledges and donations).  Thank you to our donors and volunteers!! 
• The library received the following building grants:  Community Attraction and Tourism (Vision Iowa) Grant $550,000; R.J. McElroy Trust $75,000; Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, $60,000 in addition to $700,000 from the city of Independence and $15,000 from Buchanan County.
• The community broke ground for the new Independence Public Library on May 12, 2007.  It was a joyous day as over 250 people celebrated the momentous event, digging with their own decorated shovels and listening to Christie Vilsack and many local dignitaries!
• 169 volunteers put in 2,325 hours of work to benefit your library.
• The library received the following grants:  Buchanan County Community Foundation $1,800 (a portion of funding to all county libraries), and Building Directions for Families $500. 
• 2.1% of the library's income was from the state, 2.7% came from fines and fees, 17.6% came from Buchanan County residents, and 77.6% came from the residents of the city of Independence. 
• Of the total budget of $160,733, 8% of the library budget expenditures was put towards building operation (heat, AC, electricity, phone), 65% was expended as salaries, 3% of the budget was used for non-print library materials (DVDs and audio books), 14% was allocated towards print materials, and 10% of expenditures went towards technology, equipment, supplies, programming, and professional development.
• 49,158 people came through the doors, which averages 158 visits each day.  This was an increase of 10.7% over the previous year.
• The 6,024 cardholders checked out 59,589 materials, with 43% being adult books, 31% being children's books, 17% being video recordings (videos or DVDs), 5% being audio recordings (books on tape or CD), and 4% being periodicals.
• While adult fiction had the most checkouts, video recordings in the collection had the most turnover, averaging over 8 uses per video and DVD during the year.
• Your library loaned 235 items to other libraries and received 871 from other libraries in return.
• Computer usage climbs 38.4% over the previous year with 36,290 uses.  Highlights from this usage are 12,204 in-house uses of the 7 desktop computers available to the public and16,646 visits to the library website <http://www.indylibrary.org>.
• 4,786 people attended the 131 programs offered, a 9.9% increase over 05-06.
• 10 adult programs, like BUS-eum, an author presentation and signing by Rosa Lee Copenhaver Snyder, Riverside Cinema’s Field of Dreams, Keepers of the Frame, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and groundbreaking attracted 883 people.
• 4 young adult programs including 2 planning meetings for the teen section in the new library, Picture This, and October Sky movie night brought in 167 people. 
• 117 programs for children, including events like story times, summer reading program events, the Lollipop Concert, Make and Take Fun Day, and Riverside Cinema’s Barnyard drew 3,736 participants.  
• The children's summer reading program participants were 411, a record number for the Independence Public Library.

For not quite $21 per resident, many services, opportunities, and materials have been provided in 2006-07.  If you would like a copy of the full annual report, please contact Laura Blaker at the library, 334-2470 or lblaker@indytel.com.  I’d be happy to get one to you!

Thank you for the incredible support for the new library building project that made the dream of a new library a definite go in 2006-2007!   It has been a thrill to watch the new library take shape at the new site, 805 1^st St. East.  The next several years will continue to be very exciting as we move into the new facility which will enable us to offer much more to the community.  

Funding will play an important part in what new opportunities will be available.  The library’s funding streams begin at the state level with property tax revenues allocated to the city and county level.  The Independence Public Library Board’s five-year goal is to be funded at an average level from the city and the county.  Our library has developed plans to reach these funding levels as a short term goal and they have been shared with our county supervisors and city council.  Your help is also needed in educating state representatives, county supervisors, and the city council on the important role the library plays in your future and the future of your community.  To make the plan a reality and get our funding on target it will take the support of our local decision-makers at both the city and county level.  If you are interested in more information about the library’s funding or planning documents, please let me know (334-2470, e-mail lblaker@indytel.com, or stop in at the library).

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