Progress at IPL
Progress at the Independence Public Library?
Your first thought may be, “I don’t see any!”
It isn’t visible by looking at the outside of the 109 year-old library
building! The building probably looks about the same on the outside as
it did when it opened in 1895 as a library, YMCA, and as a boys and girls
school.
The true progress at the library is what is happening
inside (and sometimes outside) the 109 year-old walls. We are still restricted and limited in our small space of
2341 square feet. But, there are
many positives and, yes, even progress!
The Independence Public Library has made substantial gains
in the last several years. Progress,
defined as gradual betterment, is exactly what the library has been striving
towards. Some of the highlights are
offering more programming, an increase in patron visits and checkouts of
materials, and the beginnings of work towards a different facility.
One of my goals when I started as director was to offer
additional programming and to keep you aware of the programs, services, and
happenings at your library. I hope
that you have noticed, and read, and listened to the different ways I have been
using to communicate the events of the library.
Some of those methods are articles, public service announcements,
posters, presentations, brochures, and our website www.indylibrary.org.
Maybe you have even attended some of our events!
We offered 118 programs with an attendance of 2780 people
from July 1 ’03 to June 30 ‘04. Part
of this was offering adult and young adult programming in addition to
children’s programming. Some of
the programs that we offered for adults and/or young adults were a movie night,
the Bovee and Heil Concert, the BUS-eum focusing on Midwest POWs in WW II, free
basic computer classes, poetry open mic night, a Donald Harstad author signing,
and a magic workshop.
Increases in patron visits and circulation (checkouts) have grown a huge amount in the last five years. We have seen an increase in patron visits of 55.7% over the course of 5 years, an increase in circulation of 20.3%, and an increase in total budget (city, county, and state) of 4.9%. The following graph illustrates the growth in these areas.
We’ve grown in services, we’ve grown in patrons, we’ve grown in materials offered (having added different formats including DVDs, books on CD, large print, and electronic databases). We’ve grown slightly in the area of funding. Our facility and space has not grown. Actually, it has diminished in size. Because of restrictions in fire code, the public is not allowed on the second floor (or any floor aside from the main floor). We have thousands of books belonging in the library collection on the second floor as well as a room that used to be utilized as a meeting room. Only staff can retrieve books from the second floor, which really cuts the circulation down and eliminates any ability to browse those books. We have 2341 square feet of library space. Compared to other cities from 5000-7000 in population, we are 8318 square feet below average. You may have seen a similar graph in one of the Your Library Connection articles. Some of the numbers have changed as other libraries build/renovate/and add to their libraries. Anamosa has a new library, and Oelwein has plans to build a new library in their community. See the graph below to find out how we compare.
Earlier in the article I mentioned that we are beginning to
do some work towards a different facility.
Currently the library board of trustees has an architect doing a study on
the feasibility and cost estimates needed to renovate the north section of the
existing high school. We do not
have the results of the feasibility study at this time.
After we have that information and the library board discusses the issue
at one of their next public meetings (all library board meetings are open to the
public unless specified as a closed session), a decision will be made about
whether to pursue a renovation of a section of the high school following a
successful high school bond vote. If,
for any reason, we would not continue to pursue the north end of the high school
as a possible library facility, we will begin to explore other facility options.
Progress has been made, and the Independence Public Library will continue to strive towards further growth. Thanks to all those people who have been supportive of the library and our efforts. If you would like to become more involved in any aspect of the library, please call Laura Blaker at 334-2470 or e-mail indylib@indytel.com. Also, feel free to contact a library board member about involvement or concerns. Those individuals are Bill Stamper (president), Mary Stevenson (vice-president), Jacquie McTaggart (secretary), Craig Ankerstjerne, Ronda Howard, Nancy Muir, and Mark White.
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