2012 Provincial Library Grants Report

Libraries and Literacy

2012 Provincial Library Grants Report

Salmo Public Library

Part One: Goals and Outcomes

The goals of the Salmo Public Library for 2012 fall into two categories: those that were established as part of the 2010 – 2012 Strategic Plan, Building a Better Library, and one that resulted from unanticipated intervening circumstances.

1. The number one goal of the strategic plan was “to make the library a more welcoming facility” by expanding the library’s physical space. Work toward achieving this goal commenced in the summer of 2010. The Library Board first had to secure sufficient operational funding to be able to double the size of the space it rents in the building it occupies. It then had to obtain permission from the society that owns the building to expand into this additional horizontal space and to renovate both the new space and the existing library. These steps were completed in April of 2012. Meanwhile, the library has been actively fundraising since May of 2011 in order to secure monies necessary to complete this project.

During 2012, the Board and staff of the library:

• Received permission to expand and renovate library premises;
• Worked with an architectural draftsman to complete detailed plans for the proposed expansion/renovation;
• Worked with an architect to secure approval of these plans, a detailed code analysis for the project, and letters of assurance required to get a building permit;
• Applied for, received and paid for a building permit from the Village of Salmo and Regional District of Central Kootenay (preceded by many meetings and hoops to jump through);
• Received a grant for replacing all the windows in the expanded library with energy efficient units (done);
• Replaced lighting in the facility with energy efficient bulbs;
• Applied for a number of grants to help fund the project;
• Received a grant for building new circulation desks for the expanded library; desks have been completed and delivered, ready for installation when the renovation is complete;
• Continued an active fundraising campaign which has resulted in raising approximately $30,000 for individuals and service groups largely within our small community.

The outcomes are:

• We are well positioned to be able to secure the funding we will need to undertake the expansion/renovation. We have very credible, approved and permitted plans and are able to demonstrate substantial community support by virtue of the amount of money we have been able to raise locally.
• We are moving forward with important pieces of the project and are making sure that any improvements contribute to the overall plan.
• We have already improved our existing facility with new flooring, windows and lighting.
• We have generated a lot of positive interest in the library through our fundraising campaign and through both fund and fun raising events. This has increased the positive buzz around all things library in our community.
• Through regular updates and presentations, we are showing local government how committed we are to improving library service in our community, and we have increased Council’s awareness of the scope, importance and relevance of this service in our small town.

This challenging goal will continue to be of primary importance for 2013 – 2014 (see new Continuing Expansion Strategy developed and adopted by the Board in December 2012).

2. The number two goal of the library this year was thrust upon us by the abrupt resignation of our Library Director in August of 2011. The position was advertised widely twice (each cycle took a couple of months), and although many qualified (and unqualified) candidates applied, it became increasingly clear that the Board simply could not afford to pay the salaries that these candidates were seeking. Luckily, the Children’s Librarian had agreed to accept the position of Acting Library Director in the interim.

The goal became to develop and implement an affordable staffing model for our library.

Outcomes were:

• A Library Clerk position was created, along with a detailed job description, and a highly experienced volunteer was hired to manage the library for one day a week and to assist with cataloguing and interlibrary loans.
• A new job description was created for the Acting Library Director. (She now does almost everything, as opposed to everything.)
• A new position called Librarian in Training was created. A job description was developed. The concept was to hire a high caliber candidate who was willing to train on the job as a potential Library Director, while taking courses toward a Library and Information Technology diploma through an accredited college.
• The new position was posted, several excellent candidates applied, and a thorough interview process was conducted by Board and staff. This resulted in the hiring of a bright and committed young woman, who is a long time community member and library user. She is enrolled in the LIT program through Langara College and is currently taking two courses per semester, in addition to working in the library.
• This new staffing model is working extremely well for the library. Key factors are staff’s commitment to continuous learning, development of a collaborative and supportive working team, professionalism, and focus on excellent customer service.
• Achievement of this goal has created stability for our library and means that everyone can focus on important programs and projects. Frequent change in directorship is extremely challenging for a small library. Circulation in all categories has increased in 2012, as have library memberships, further evidence that the staff we have in place are addressing community needs and fulfilling expectations.

3. The third goal was to increase and improve the online presence of the library. The following outcomes demonstrate our success in meeting this goal:

• The Librarian in Training has updated and improved the appearance and functionality of the library’s website, and she makes sure that website information is timely, useful and up to date.
• The Librarian in Training has created a Facebook page for the library, which she updates at least weekly. It is steadily gaining in readership, both within the library and among more far flung “friends.” The page provides news and information about the library and its programs, has lots of great pictures, as well as literary and literacy related quotes, encourages comment and feedback, and provides links to other community organizations and programs both locally and in nearby communities. (The library performs an important role in advertising what other groups are doing.) Staff members have noticed that many people are coming into the library or attending programs because they’ve “read it on Facebook.”
• The library has increased its database subscriptions. Zinio and Global Warrior are two recent additions. Staff members are actively promoting the library’s databases and are providing ongoing assistance to patrons in accessing and using the sites. Patrons are impressed with and enthusiastic about the array of information available to them that they previously knew nothing about.
• Staff and Board members are taking greater advantage of webinars, library blogs, and recently, The Commons.

Attached are the library’s mission, vision and values, a current strategic plan, and a copy of our report to donors.

Part Two: Priorities for Provincial Funding

In many different ways, the Salmo Public Library is sharing library resources, collaborating with other libraries and community partners to enhance services and programs, extending the reach of the library, leveraging shared costs, and engaging with the community to understand their needs and wants. All of these priorities for providing high-quality service are being addressed, but byhighlighting our community partners we hope to bring attention to the quality and quantity of our community service.

A. Library Resource Sharing

The Interlibrary Loan program is an undeniably valuable service for our library patrons. Our small rural library cannot afford to purchase every information resource that our patrons might need so we rely heavily on accessing, through Interlibrary Loans and the BC OneCard, items that are not available in our collection. There has been a continuous increase in items both borrowed and lent from 2011 to 2012. Direct patron requesting is gaining more and more momentum, and library users are appreciating the ease of this simple service. Staff and volunteers encourage patrons to use this option and give instruction on how this process works. The addition of a library clerk to our staff team means that we are processing ILL books more often during the week, so patrons are receiving their requests much more quickly. ILL staff regularly participate in Outlook webinars to keep abreast of new information.

Perhaps because our library is centrally located in the West Kootenays, we see a fair bit of action with the BC OneCard. We are within 30 minutes of several neighbouring communities, and the BC OneCard opens the doors to other libraries for our patrons. This helps to ease the financial burden of meeting every patron’s needs. Patrons love this service and being able to use their library card at other libraries. We see many visitors in our library either borrowing or returning materials thanks to this service, and they are very complimentary about what a lovely library and good collection we have. Now with all our neighbouring libraries on Sitka, OneCard program is going more smoothly with only a few kinks to iron out. Patrons and visitors to our library are continually surprised when they discover this wonderful resource.

B. Collaboration

Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy(CBAL)

In 2012, we continued to strengthen our relationship with our local CBAL representative. We have always worked hand in hand with CBAL on Literacy Day activities and to support our mobile children’s librarian. Both of these programs are highly successful. CBAL supports our children’s librarian in traveling to Ymir, one of the outlying communities that we serve; she goes twice a month with books in tow to a mom and tots playgroup. This service has received much positive feedback from users. One parent said, “I am so very grateful that you come all the way here, I wouldn’t be able to borrow books for my kids as often as I do without it!”

GOAL: To increase access of young children and family to high quality children’s books and

literacy based activities by taking the service to an outlying community.

OUTCOME: 16 sessions – 294 attendees

Family Literacy Day is a big annual event that library staff and the CBAL coordinator work together to produce. We ask for and receive pictures of families doing literary activities and then make a great window display which always attracts a lot of attention and receives wonderful compliments from passersby. Our theme for 2012 was “Hats Off to Literacy,” in which participants of all events were encouraged to wear a hat. Throughout literacy day, we host a variety of events for all ages up to and including the first annual adult spelling bee. The event is actively promoted with posters, radio and newsletter announcements and classroom visits to the elementary school. Through this collaboration with CBAL and local businesses we are able to provide food, prizes, and books for all participants making it a much anticipated day.

GOAL: To highlight the importance of lifelong literacy and celebrate how the library supports

literacy for people of all ages.

OUTCOME: 72 attendees

In 2012, CBAL and the library came together to start a new program targeted at teens. The library hosts a teen (ages 12-18) game night twice a month, once in Salmo and once in Ymir.It is run by two local teens. This is a new service as of November 2012, and is being adapted based on what works and what doesn’t. Overall this much neededservice has been a success, and we plan to continue to offer it. Again, this is an event that is a collaborativeendeavor with CBAL and is made available through a community directed youth fund that is provided for through the Columbia Basin Trust and the Salmo Valley Youth and Community Centre

GOAL: To attract teens to the library through a peer delivered, fun program.

OUTCOME: 24 attendees

Friends of the Salmo Public Library

The Friends of the Salmo Library are strong supporters of the library and work hard to raise awareness and encourage the library’s development.They promote community awareness by organizing a monthly social on the last Friday of each month, writing monthly newsletter articles, and hosting an information table at the annual Fall Fair. They organize volunteers to come out for our annual book wash and support the library again and again in the many events we host. All of these are wonderful ways for people to connect with the library and the community. Together we host two book sales a year, selling donated and weeded books. Both these events are quite successful, not only in bringing in extra fundraised dollars, but in creating a buzz around the library that seems to attract volunteers and great community involvement. Not only the buzz and the money benefit the library. It may just be that it is fostering a community relationship that helps the community see the library as theirs; somehow donating books to the library reminds people that they are a part of it and part of a reading community.

Salmo Valley Local History Group

A newly organized local history groupholds its monthly meetings in the library and hosts talks and presentations on the history of our area. We are working with this group to find suitable space in the library for a historical display that can be changed regularly.We have a special book shelf for local history in the library.

Collaborating with this group has produced many positive outcomes. We support them by offering space and they support us with a strong, distinct, and noteworthy local history collection. Our local history shelf really is a unique stand alone in our community and sees much activity. One of the people who founded this group mentioned, “You know this group has really started to take hold this year because the library offered up the space for us to be able to meet. Thank you!”

Kootenay Library Federation (KLF)

The Kootenay Library Federation continues to be a key partner for our library. By being a member of the KLF, we are able to take advantage of consortium purchasing, shared databases, shared programming, professional development and support. In 2012, we were able to participate in Book for Babies, One Book One Kootenay and host 3 adult author visits and 4 youth author visits, all thanks to the KLF. In return, we annually host a day for local West Kootenay Libraries to meet with a book selling agent. We hosted the 2012 Summer Reading Coordinator training session for KLF libraries and their summer students; 27 youth attended this event. Librarians attended two KLF Library Directors Advisory Group sessions to share information. By belonging to and working with KLF we are able to increase the level of library service we offer to our patrons.

GOAL: To participate actively in the Kootenay Library Federation (from 2010–2012Strategic

Plan)

OUTCOMES:

• Library benefits from access to otherwise unaffordable databases.
• Other consortium purchases allow us to save money.
• Strong supportive relationships with other library directors and KLF staff.
• Participation in regional professional development opportunities by staff and Board.
• Board Chair serves as Treasurer of KLF Board; LD on conference planning committee.

Salmo Arts Council

The Salmo Arts Council has a mandate to support and promote arts and culture in our community. This year we collaborated with the Arts Council on a variety of community events. We have hosted an art opening and art displays throughout the year, and we were one of the locations on the Art Walk. The arts group started hosting in the library a monthly drop-in group for artists calledOpen Studio. The Arts Council also holds monthly meetings in the library. This is a solid and supportive partnership. Outcomesin 2012 showed continued growth in participants at all collaborative events and lots of positive feedback about seeing local art in the library.

Salmo Chamber/Museum

Our library shares building space with the Salmo Museum Society, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Salmo Valley Newsletter. This space is called The Salmo Square and is overseen by the Salmo Square Society. In 2012, two Library Board members sat on the Board of the Salmo Square Society. One of the benefits of sharing this space is thatwe are inevitably supporting each other in many different, small unseen ways. We worked with the Museum to present a newly published book on local history and are selling copies at the library for them.We are the drop off place for articles people are submitting for the Salmo Valley Newsletter. Last year we took part in the first local Business Trade Fair hosted by the Chamber, raising the profile of the library within the business community.