(This is the first of a two-part article on public Internet access at the library. The next will appear on January 25.)
I've been running some focus groups lately, and a surprising fact has emerged about Douglas County's residents expectations about libraries. People EXPECT us to be leaders in the field of information technology.
In other words, the old stereotype of the librarian as the steely- eyed matron who will brook no noise has begun to give way to a sort of cleaned-up hacker image, an "information professional." On the whole, that's progress.
Some of the focus group comments have been very specific: when, people wonder, will the Douglas Public Library District be connected to the Internet?
Why do people want Internet access? There are several reasons: in the past year, there has been a veritable explosion of information, as documents that were once available only in print are now instantly available online. This includes everything from the transcripts of last night's Public Broadcasting System interview to reams of government documents, to technical information on such topics as Artificial Intelligence or computer products, to online weather maps, updated hourly.
Beyond that, there's a lot of media hype about the "information superhighway."
Well, the Douglas Public Library District been connected since August of 1994. Every time you use our "Gateway" menu to connect to the Access Colorado Library and Information Network (ACLIN), or the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries (CARL), or the Pikes Peak Library District, you're using a "telnet" Internet connection.
As it happens, libraries jumped on the Internet bandwagon fairly soon. As of June of last year, 20.9% of U.S. public libraries were already online. The number is much higher now.
However, based on that same June, 1994 study:
* public library access to the Internet is not equitable. Public libraries serving larger communities are more likely to have access to Internet than public libraries serving smaller communities.
* there are regional variations in public library Internet connectivity.
* few public libraries offer direct public access to the Internet.
* there are wide variations in public library Internet costs: libraries for smaller populations report annual costs of $412. Libraries for larger populations report annual costs of $14,697.
At the Douglas Public Library District, our costs look like this: as of this year, Colorado SuperNet, Inc., our Internet provider, has assessed an annual $4,000 "subscription" charge. U.S. West charges us $150 monthly for our high speed dedicated phone line connection -- that's $1,800 annually. Beyond that, the library also pays SuperNet for several staff Internet accounts, enabling us to participate in electronic mail and library discussion groups around the world.
These connections have often proved useful both for professional development, and to answer reference questions. Each staff account costs us about $15 a month, and we have five accounts, for a total of $900 annually.
Add them all up, and the Douglas Public Library District is spending $6,700 a year for the Internet connection. I find this steep, given that until recently, all we were able to offer was a "telnet" connection to other library catalogs.
So in the past couple of weeks, we've been trying to explore some ways to deliver more Internet bang for the buck. In fact, we think we've got a couple of plausible strategies that we can offer the public as early as the next couple of months.
Next week, I'll describe these strategies, and probe some of the key issues regarding public access to the Internet.
Wednesday, January 18, 1995
Wednesday, January 11, 1995
January 11, 1995 - 1994 in review
In some ways, I hate to admit this. But January 2 is probably my very favorite day to come to work. Everybody else takes their vacation day, and I have all those wonderful end-of-the-year statistics to tickle out of our computer, work up into spreadsheets and graphs, and ponder.
The year of 1994, as it happens, was record-breaking in several respects. Here are some of the totals:
Items checked out (all branches): 1,029,739 (That's an 18.15% increase over 1993.) Items now owned by the district: 208,885 Number of individual titles: 111,311 Number of patrons who used their cards in 1994: 63,304 Percent of checkouts by location (exclusive of our satellite libraries in Cherry Valley, Larkspur and Roxborough) -- Castle Rock - 30 Highlands Ranch - 28.9 Parker - 27.7 Oakes Mill - 11.7 Louviers - .7 Percent of items owned by location - Castle Rock - 33.4 Parker - 27.9 Highlands Ranch - 18.2 Oakes Mill - 17.7 Louviers - 2.8
In 1994, Highlands Ranch for the first time ever checked out more books than any branch but the Philip S. Miller Library in Castle Rock. In part, that's because the folks in Highlands Ranch (both public and staff) are wildly enthusiastic readers. In part, it's also because that library is among our most "consumer friendly." Located on a major residential and business artery, it's a spacious storefront that nonetheless manages to capture the warm feel of a family room. Of course, the balance may change again when the new Parker Library opens.
Dave Letterman style, here are the top ten most popular categories of materials in Douglas County (based on the number of checkouts at all branches throughout 1994):
10. Periodicals - 2.09% of all checkouts. 9. Paperback fiction - 2.72% 8. New (hardbound) fiction - 3.68% (This is a little misleading. After six months, "new fiction" becomes "adult fiction," so many of the numbers wind up in that statistical category by year's end.) 7. Juvenile fiction - 5.19% 6. Adult fiction - 6.1 % (Again this includes both new books and old.) 5. Books on tape - 6.45% (These items, especially the unabridged versions, are real up-and-comers in the commuting community of Douglas County.) 4. Video tape - 9.85% (I should note here that we don't buy feature films, except those that win major awards. Most of our videos fall into the category of "made from children's literature," and "adult how to's.") 3. Juvenile non-fiction - 15.93% (This is something of a jump from previous years, and deserves comment. Does this reflect home schooling and charter school activity in Douglas County? Or is it just that more people have discovered that some of the clearest, most focused writing you'll find is in the children's area? Or both) 2. Non-fiction (excluding biographies) - 19.26% (In most public libraries around the country, the use of fiction far outdistances non-fiction. The anomaly probably reflects Douglas County demographics: college-educated professionals. 1. Picture books - 21.44% (This is actually something of a drop from previous years, but still indicates that Douglas County parents are getting lots of books into their young children's hands and lives. With luck, the appetite will stick. As my grandfather used to say, "The only thing you're born liking in this world is the taste of your mother's milk. Everything else you have to LEARN to like.")
Here's another batch of numbers I find of interest: 927,496 items were checked out by Douglas County residents. Non-residents -- people from surrounding areas, mostly Elbert and Arapahoe County -- accounted for a combined 46,303 checkouts. But staff, all by themselves, checked out 48,614 items in 1994. We only have about 100 people, most of them part-time. I suspect that their high degree of library use is a big part of what makes us so successful.
I have tons of other numbers, too, (such as the 12.4% jump in the number of questions our reference staff has handled since last year). But let's just say that I can clearly demonstrate that last year was great.
The year of 1995 will be even better. You can count on it.
The year of 1994, as it happens, was record-breaking in several respects. Here are some of the totals:
Items checked out (all branches): 1,029,739 (That's an 18.15% increase over 1993.) Items now owned by the district: 208,885 Number of individual titles: 111,311 Number of patrons who used their cards in 1994: 63,304 Percent of checkouts by location (exclusive of our satellite libraries in Cherry Valley, Larkspur and Roxborough) -- Castle Rock - 30 Highlands Ranch - 28.9 Parker - 27.7 Oakes Mill - 11.7 Louviers - .7 Percent of items owned by location - Castle Rock - 33.4 Parker - 27.9 Highlands Ranch - 18.2 Oakes Mill - 17.7 Louviers - 2.8
In 1994, Highlands Ranch for the first time ever checked out more books than any branch but the Philip S. Miller Library in Castle Rock. In part, that's because the folks in Highlands Ranch (both public and staff) are wildly enthusiastic readers. In part, it's also because that library is among our most "consumer friendly." Located on a major residential and business artery, it's a spacious storefront that nonetheless manages to capture the warm feel of a family room. Of course, the balance may change again when the new Parker Library opens.
Dave Letterman style, here are the top ten most popular categories of materials in Douglas County (based on the number of checkouts at all branches throughout 1994):
10. Periodicals - 2.09% of all checkouts. 9. Paperback fiction - 2.72% 8. New (hardbound) fiction - 3.68% (This is a little misleading. After six months, "new fiction" becomes "adult fiction," so many of the numbers wind up in that statistical category by year's end.) 7. Juvenile fiction - 5.19% 6. Adult fiction - 6.1 % (Again this includes both new books and old.) 5. Books on tape - 6.45% (These items, especially the unabridged versions, are real up-and-comers in the commuting community of Douglas County.) 4. Video tape - 9.85% (I should note here that we don't buy feature films, except those that win major awards. Most of our videos fall into the category of "made from children's literature," and "adult how to's.") 3. Juvenile non-fiction - 15.93% (This is something of a jump from previous years, and deserves comment. Does this reflect home schooling and charter school activity in Douglas County? Or is it just that more people have discovered that some of the clearest, most focused writing you'll find is in the children's area? Or both) 2. Non-fiction (excluding biographies) - 19.26% (In most public libraries around the country, the use of fiction far outdistances non-fiction. The anomaly probably reflects Douglas County demographics: college-educated professionals. 1. Picture books - 21.44% (This is actually something of a drop from previous years, but still indicates that Douglas County parents are getting lots of books into their young children's hands and lives. With luck, the appetite will stick. As my grandfather used to say, "The only thing you're born liking in this world is the taste of your mother's milk. Everything else you have to LEARN to like.")
Here's another batch of numbers I find of interest: 927,496 items were checked out by Douglas County residents. Non-residents -- people from surrounding areas, mostly Elbert and Arapahoe County -- accounted for a combined 46,303 checkouts. But staff, all by themselves, checked out 48,614 items in 1994. We only have about 100 people, most of them part-time. I suspect that their high degree of library use is a big part of what makes us so successful.
I have tons of other numbers, too, (such as the 12.4% jump in the number of questions our reference staff has handled since last year). But let's just say that I can clearly demonstrate that last year was great.
The year of 1995 will be even better. You can count on it.
Wednesday, December 28, 1994
December 28, 1994 - "Parker: a Folk History"
This is the time when you look both backward (the end of one year) and forward (the dawn of another).
As I look back over 1994, I can't help but notice that the library branch that's at the center of Douglas Public Library District action, the branch that's hot and happening ... moves around. At the beginning of the year, the Highlands Ranch Library was getting a face lift and expansion. In the latter part of the year, we managed to both purchase a new Parker Library (to open in 1995) and sell the old one (to Parker Water and Sanitation District).
In years past, our efforts have focused more on the Oakes Mill and the Philip S. Miller Library. Their time will come again.
I find it helpful to recognize patterns, to understand that every institution, and each of the smaller institutions that make it up, has its own distinct rhythms, its hours of glory alternating with spans of more modest accomplishment.
This is as it should be. After all, even Olympic athletes are asleep about a third of their lives. Rest, too, is a part of achievement.
Besides, the real turning points in people's lives aren't necessarily the things that hit the papers. Those moments happen behind the scenes, in the back rooms, when only one or two people are looking.
The story of all these moments -- both glorious and quietly key -- is the larger story of history. It's what history means -- the folk lessons along with the dry chronologies.
These days, the Town of Parker is hot and happening. What better time then, to reflect on the days that came before?
On January 8, 1995, local author Sandra Whelchel will be the guest speaker for the Douglas Public Library District's Second Sunday Series talk. We're calling this one, "Parker, Colorado: A Folk History."
If you haven't attended one of our previous Sunday Series talks, then it's time you gave it a look. All are held at the Philip S. Miller Library in Castle Rock, beginning at 2 in the afternoon. (We hold it at Castle Rock in part because there's more meeting space, and in part because it also houses our still young Local History Collection.)
Our first session for this round, back in November, was on the history of Perry Park, and featured local author Ardis Webb. Our third and final Second Sunday Series lecture (on March 12) will be "Castle Rock: A Grassroots History," by another local author -- Robert Lowenberg.
Who knows? By the time March rolls around, it just might be Castle Rock's time of tumult (and I don't just mean earthquakes). Be sure to pencil in both dates in your spanking new, 1995 calendars.
As I look back over 1994, I can't help but notice that the library branch that's at the center of Douglas Public Library District action, the branch that's hot and happening ... moves around. At the beginning of the year, the Highlands Ranch Library was getting a face lift and expansion. In the latter part of the year, we managed to both purchase a new Parker Library (to open in 1995) and sell the old one (to Parker Water and Sanitation District).
In years past, our efforts have focused more on the Oakes Mill and the Philip S. Miller Library. Their time will come again.
I find it helpful to recognize patterns, to understand that every institution, and each of the smaller institutions that make it up, has its own distinct rhythms, its hours of glory alternating with spans of more modest accomplishment.
This is as it should be. After all, even Olympic athletes are asleep about a third of their lives. Rest, too, is a part of achievement.
Besides, the real turning points in people's lives aren't necessarily the things that hit the papers. Those moments happen behind the scenes, in the back rooms, when only one or two people are looking.
The story of all these moments -- both glorious and quietly key -- is the larger story of history. It's what history means -- the folk lessons along with the dry chronologies.
These days, the Town of Parker is hot and happening. What better time then, to reflect on the days that came before?
On January 8, 1995, local author Sandra Whelchel will be the guest speaker for the Douglas Public Library District's Second Sunday Series talk. We're calling this one, "Parker, Colorado: A Folk History."
If you haven't attended one of our previous Sunday Series talks, then it's time you gave it a look. All are held at the Philip S. Miller Library in Castle Rock, beginning at 2 in the afternoon. (We hold it at Castle Rock in part because there's more meeting space, and in part because it also houses our still young Local History Collection.)
Our first session for this round, back in November, was on the history of Perry Park, and featured local author Ardis Webb. Our third and final Second Sunday Series lecture (on March 12) will be "Castle Rock: A Grassroots History," by another local author -- Robert Lowenberg.
Who knows? By the time March rolls around, it just might be Castle Rock's time of tumult (and I don't just mean earthquakes). Be sure to pencil in both dates in your spanking new, 1995 calendars.
Tuesday, December 20, 1994
December 20, 1995 - Changes for 95 - loan periods, book budge
There will be some changes in the library next year.
Perhaps most significant to most people is that the library will lengthen some of its loan periods. Thank you to the many folks who responded to my informal survey back in November. Thanks also to the Library Board, who unanimously approved the changes at our December Board meeting.
Effective January 1, 1995:
* Most materials that now go out for 2 weeks (most books, periodicals, paperbacks, audiocassettes) will be checked out for 3 weeks.
* These items may only be renewed twice (or until someone else places a hold on it, at which point no more renewals can be made).
* Our new fiction (called "Green Dots" because of the green sticky dots we put on them) will have only one renewal, and again, only if no one else has a reserve on it.
* Our former "grace period" (which allowed patrons to return a book up to six days late without receiving any fines) will be shortened to three days for most materials. That is, if you return the book within three days after the stamped due date, there will be no fine. On the fourth day after the stamped due date, you'll be fined for four days overdue. New fiction, as always, will NOT have a grace period. We want to encourage you to get them back, because odds are good that people are looking for them even if they haven't put them on hold.
* The videos that now circulate for 2 days will circulate for 4 days. There will be no grace period, and no renewals.
* Instructional videos will continue to circulate for 1 week, with up to two renewals, and with the 3 day grace period.
There are also a few other library changes I'd like to highlight for 1995.
* We expect to see a significant build-up of our overall collection. The basic inflation rate for most library materials is about 4 percent. In 1995, we'll be increasing expenditures for books by about 13 percent. Our goal since 1990 has been to have at least 4 books (or other library materials) per Douglas County resident. We're up to about two-and-a-half. This will enable our collections to maintain an aggressive growth rate, and to build up an "opening day" collection for the new Parker Library, projected to open in the last quarter of 1995.
We've beefed up our budget for Audio and video cassettes by even more -- 17.7 percent (although this will still constitute a fraction of our budget for books). AV materials have somewhat less of an effect on overall space needs in the library, and, after books, have become our most popular offerings.
* We're budgeting new money for electronic resources. We will replace a lot of our older public terminals with terminals that make it easier to cruise the Internet (and other Colorado libraries, such as the joint catalog of the Arapahoe Library District and Aurora Public). We'll be picking up some new CD-ROM titles. We're still working on installing full text periodical articles through our system, and hope to have a demo up by February 1.
Overall, thanks to your support, we believe the Douglas Public Library District will be an even better library next year. Thanks again for telling us what you want.
Perhaps most significant to most people is that the library will lengthen some of its loan periods. Thank you to the many folks who responded to my informal survey back in November. Thanks also to the Library Board, who unanimously approved the changes at our December Board meeting.
Effective January 1, 1995:
* Most materials that now go out for 2 weeks (most books, periodicals, paperbacks, audiocassettes) will be checked out for 3 weeks.
* These items may only be renewed twice (or until someone else places a hold on it, at which point no more renewals can be made).
* Our new fiction (called "Green Dots" because of the green sticky dots we put on them) will have only one renewal, and again, only if no one else has a reserve on it.
* Our former "grace period" (which allowed patrons to return a book up to six days late without receiving any fines) will be shortened to three days for most materials. That is, if you return the book within three days after the stamped due date, there will be no fine. On the fourth day after the stamped due date, you'll be fined for four days overdue. New fiction, as always, will NOT have a grace period. We want to encourage you to get them back, because odds are good that people are looking for them even if they haven't put them on hold.
* The videos that now circulate for 2 days will circulate for 4 days. There will be no grace period, and no renewals.
* Instructional videos will continue to circulate for 1 week, with up to two renewals, and with the 3 day grace period.
There are also a few other library changes I'd like to highlight for 1995.
* We expect to see a significant build-up of our overall collection. The basic inflation rate for most library materials is about 4 percent. In 1995, we'll be increasing expenditures for books by about 13 percent. Our goal since 1990 has been to have at least 4 books (or other library materials) per Douglas County resident. We're up to about two-and-a-half. This will enable our collections to maintain an aggressive growth rate, and to build up an "opening day" collection for the new Parker Library, projected to open in the last quarter of 1995.
We've beefed up our budget for Audio and video cassettes by even more -- 17.7 percent (although this will still constitute a fraction of our budget for books). AV materials have somewhat less of an effect on overall space needs in the library, and, after books, have become our most popular offerings.
* We're budgeting new money for electronic resources. We will replace a lot of our older public terminals with terminals that make it easier to cruise the Internet (and other Colorado libraries, such as the joint catalog of the Arapahoe Library District and Aurora Public). We'll be picking up some new CD-ROM titles. We're still working on installing full text periodical articles through our system, and hope to have a demo up by February 1.
Overall, thanks to your support, we believe the Douglas Public Library District will be an even better library next year. Thanks again for telling us what you want.
Tuesday, December 13, 1994
December 13, 1994 - managing your money
This may not be the right time of year to raise the subject. On the other hand, it would be hard to find a time when the need was greater.
What IS the subject? -- Managing your money.
Beginning Wednesday, January 18, 1995, CSU's Extension Office, as well as the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), 1st Bank, Castle Rock Senior Center, and the AAUW (American Association of University Women), are sponsoring a 7 session series entitled "Is Money on Your Mind?" I'm betting that around Christmas, it is.
The meetings will be held at the Castle Rock Senior Center, and run from 7 to 9:30 p.m. There is a cost for the program: $25. But that buys you a workbook and numerous useful handouts.
Who is the intended audience of the series? -- Women. As one program flyer declares, "Take Charge of Your Life by Taking Charge of Your Money!"
The flyer also proclaims: "It's never too late to make changes in the way you handle your money. Whether you're 20 or 70, the best things in life are worth planning for." The program will focus on the following useful topics:
* Getting organized: where do you want to be? I know: you want to be rich. Declaring a goal is the first step to reaching it. HOW you want to be rich is another one.
* Cash flow. Let me guess: it flows all right, but it's all downhill. Taking a look at where your money goes can be an eye- opening experience. There is a pattern to your spending. Once you recognize it, you may want to amend it.
* Banking and credit. As with most public institutions: you can use them, or they can use you. Credit is the key.
* Managing your risks. Let's face it: you can't AVOID risks. But you can calculate the odds before you act.
* Investment choices. No investment at all is another kind of choice, but the return is fairly predictable. Maybe it's time to try something else.
* Where and how to get professional help (presumably for managing money). As with any other area of human activity, there are professionals and amateurs. When is it time to ask an expert? And when DON'T you need one?
I've spoken to several women who have taken the classes in the past. They say they learned a lot; the information can literally change your life.
It goes without saying -- not that I would LET it go without saying -- that the public library has a host of books on financial planning, covering everything from pricing a wedding, providing for a new baby, buying a house, paying for college, to planning your retirement. We've also worked up some new bibliographies on the subject.
But sometimes there is no substitute for more formal instruction. To register for the course, give the CSU Extension Office a call at 660-4183. They'll get you a registration form.
Few institutions in Douglas County have the credibility of the sponsors of this Women's Financial Information Program. Signing up for this worthwhile program may be the best investment you can make in your financial future.
So before you feel the holiday "sting" (in the form of January bills for December indulgences), why not make this program one of your more "cents-ible" New Year's resolutions?
What IS the subject? -- Managing your money.
Beginning Wednesday, January 18, 1995, CSU's Extension Office, as well as the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), 1st Bank, Castle Rock Senior Center, and the AAUW (American Association of University Women), are sponsoring a 7 session series entitled "Is Money on Your Mind?" I'm betting that around Christmas, it is.
The meetings will be held at the Castle Rock Senior Center, and run from 7 to 9:30 p.m. There is a cost for the program: $25. But that buys you a workbook and numerous useful handouts.
Who is the intended audience of the series? -- Women. As one program flyer declares, "Take Charge of Your Life by Taking Charge of Your Money!"
The flyer also proclaims: "It's never too late to make changes in the way you handle your money. Whether you're 20 or 70, the best things in life are worth planning for." The program will focus on the following useful topics:
* Getting organized: where do you want to be? I know: you want to be rich. Declaring a goal is the first step to reaching it. HOW you want to be rich is another one.
* Cash flow. Let me guess: it flows all right, but it's all downhill. Taking a look at where your money goes can be an eye- opening experience. There is a pattern to your spending. Once you recognize it, you may want to amend it.
* Banking and credit. As with most public institutions: you can use them, or they can use you. Credit is the key.
* Managing your risks. Let's face it: you can't AVOID risks. But you can calculate the odds before you act.
* Investment choices. No investment at all is another kind of choice, but the return is fairly predictable. Maybe it's time to try something else.
* Where and how to get professional help (presumably for managing money). As with any other area of human activity, there are professionals and amateurs. When is it time to ask an expert? And when DON'T you need one?
I've spoken to several women who have taken the classes in the past. They say they learned a lot; the information can literally change your life.
It goes without saying -- not that I would LET it go without saying -- that the public library has a host of books on financial planning, covering everything from pricing a wedding, providing for a new baby, buying a house, paying for college, to planning your retirement. We've also worked up some new bibliographies on the subject.
But sometimes there is no substitute for more formal instruction. To register for the course, give the CSU Extension Office a call at 660-4183. They'll get you a registration form.
Few institutions in Douglas County have the credibility of the sponsors of this Women's Financial Information Program. Signing up for this worthwhile program may be the best investment you can make in your financial future.
So before you feel the holiday "sting" (in the form of January bills for December indulgences), why not make this program one of your more "cents-ible" New Year's resolutions?
Wednesday, December 7, 1994
December 7, 1994 - one million books
On the eve of my 13th birthday, my favorite aunt asked me to sit down for a little talk. "Tomorrow," she said, "something horrible will happen to you. It will last for about 7 years. Please don't take this personally, but I really don't want to talk to you for that period."
I laughed. "Aunt Edith," I said, "just because I'll be a teenager doesn't mean that I'll be any different."
"Oh yes it does," she said. "And it's awful."
I don't know how to explain this, but the very next day, I had an uncontrollable urge to buy a polka dot sweatshirt and shades. At almost precisely that moment, I developed strong musical preferences that seemed -- at least to those around me -- predicated on how offensive they were to my parents.
In short, my aunt was right. The teen years were, even for me, mostly horrible. It's that time when you're no longer allowed to be a child, but nobody will let you be an adult. It was a time, I do believe, when what I really needed was some kind of special rite of passage. Our culture isn't very good about providing those.
It was a time of transition, a time of development and/or reinvention of a personality. Therefore, life often felt awkward. I made mistakes, then struggled to learn from them.
It isn't surprising that public institutions -- being founded by people, and consisting of nothing BUT people -- mirror human growth. The Douglas Public Library District has in just four years gone from being among the quieter public libraries in Colorado to being the fifth busiest (after Denver, Jeffco, Pikes Peak, Arapahoe, and Aurora, all of them serving a much larger population base). This is a lot like growing 4 inches a year. We've had growing pains, right down to our bones.
This month, probably sometime around the 17th, our library will celebrate the checkout of our one millionth item in 1994. Since we won't know exactly where that will occur, we'll plan some kind of surprise for whoever checks out the millionth item AT EACH BRANCH.
If you'd like to help us track how quickly we're approaching this milestone in our development, you can get a daily update. From any of our computers, type BB (for Bulletin Board) from our main menu. I'll post the date, the current circulation count, and how many checkouts still remain.
A million items: that's a lot of books, magazines, videotapes, and books on tape. Over a quarter of those will be children's picture books. Almost a hundred thousand will be audiocassettes. As always, however, the overwhelming majority of our business continues to involve books.
Reaching the million mark represents both a quantitative and a qualitative change. Libraries that do that volume of business cannot quite operate the way smaller libraries do. Changes will be with us for a long time to come.
For instance, next year, we're going to be making some adjustments in our loan periods. I got many calls, e-mail messages, and letters about my proposal to go to a 3-week loan period for most materials. To date, all my public messages endorse the change; none oppose it. So come January, we'll do it. We'll also lengthen our loan period for videos.
As a result, in 1995, it's likely that our circulation count will drop back below a million. The shorter loan period makes items move faster.
Nonetheless, we won't be moving backward. We're just going to have to get used to being one of the bigger -- and better -- libraries in Colorado.
I laughed. "Aunt Edith," I said, "just because I'll be a teenager doesn't mean that I'll be any different."
"Oh yes it does," she said. "And it's awful."
I don't know how to explain this, but the very next day, I had an uncontrollable urge to buy a polka dot sweatshirt and shades. At almost precisely that moment, I developed strong musical preferences that seemed -- at least to those around me -- predicated on how offensive they were to my parents.
In short, my aunt was right. The teen years were, even for me, mostly horrible. It's that time when you're no longer allowed to be a child, but nobody will let you be an adult. It was a time, I do believe, when what I really needed was some kind of special rite of passage. Our culture isn't very good about providing those.
It was a time of transition, a time of development and/or reinvention of a personality. Therefore, life often felt awkward. I made mistakes, then struggled to learn from them.
It isn't surprising that public institutions -- being founded by people, and consisting of nothing BUT people -- mirror human growth. The Douglas Public Library District has in just four years gone from being among the quieter public libraries in Colorado to being the fifth busiest (after Denver, Jeffco, Pikes Peak, Arapahoe, and Aurora, all of them serving a much larger population base). This is a lot like growing 4 inches a year. We've had growing pains, right down to our bones.
This month, probably sometime around the 17th, our library will celebrate the checkout of our one millionth item in 1994. Since we won't know exactly where that will occur, we'll plan some kind of surprise for whoever checks out the millionth item AT EACH BRANCH.
If you'd like to help us track how quickly we're approaching this milestone in our development, you can get a daily update. From any of our computers, type BB (for Bulletin Board) from our main menu. I'll post the date, the current circulation count, and how many checkouts still remain.
A million items: that's a lot of books, magazines, videotapes, and books on tape. Over a quarter of those will be children's picture books. Almost a hundred thousand will be audiocassettes. As always, however, the overwhelming majority of our business continues to involve books.
Reaching the million mark represents both a quantitative and a qualitative change. Libraries that do that volume of business cannot quite operate the way smaller libraries do. Changes will be with us for a long time to come.
For instance, next year, we're going to be making some adjustments in our loan periods. I got many calls, e-mail messages, and letters about my proposal to go to a 3-week loan period for most materials. To date, all my public messages endorse the change; none oppose it. So come January, we'll do it. We'll also lengthen our loan period for videos.
As a result, in 1995, it's likely that our circulation count will drop back below a million. The shorter loan period makes items move faster.
Nonetheless, we won't be moving backward. We're just going to have to get used to being one of the bigger -- and better -- libraries in Colorado.
Saturday, November 26, 1994
November 26, 1994 - thanksgiving
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It has that cozy feeling of settling in for the winter, touching base with friends and family, and not to be overlooked, building up the reserves of body fat. You never know when you might need some extra body fat.
Unlike Christmas, Thanksgiving hasn't been so commercialized. You don't have to buy anybody anything. Although you usually bring food to the occasion, so does everyone else, and you all get to eat it.
Besides which, the holiday has a nice message: let us be thankful. On behalf of the Douglas Public Library District, let me say that we have much for which to be thankful.
* Our patrons. You so clearly love books, and not a day goes by without one of you taking the time to tell us something nice. You bring your children to see us, you trust us to provide solid information, and you're always interesting to talk to. On top of that, you pay our salaries. No business has better customers.
* Our Library Board of Trustees. Here's the roll call: Maren Francis, Cindy Hegy, Juli Lester, Tom McKenzie, Bob McLaughlin, Sue Meacham, and Jerry Poston. These people donate many, many hours of their time to oversee library finances, set library policy, establish long range planning objectives, make sure I'm doing the things I ought to be doing, and much more. Douglas County is fortunate to have one of the best public library boards in the state: fiscally conservative, actionoriented, and thoroughly convinced of the need for strong library services. Most of our Trustees are also regular customers, and bring a sharp service perspective to all our operations.
* Our staff. They're friendly. They're knowledgeable. They're interesting in their own right, and interestED in the lives of our patrons. In general, they're a lively bunch of people who clearly care about library service. Every single accomplishment the Douglas Public Library District has made is directly attributable to the high standards of service they have established, and they maintain, day after day, right at the "front line," which is where it counts. I am VERY thankful for them.
* Our collection. The growth in our collection of materials (books, videotapes, audiocassettes, magazines, pamphlets, electronic reference tools) is amazing. Over 10 percent of our purchases are direct requests from our patrons. This gives us the chance to let our collection grow in areas that the people who use the collection most want it to grow.
As a result, the collections of our branches aren't very much like one another. They reflect the unique interests and needs of the areas they serve. They have character, and are as fascinating and unpredictable as the communities they mirror.
* The opportunity to serve. While all the above are significant, we are especially grateful for the chance to deliver library services to county residents. We have a product that absolutely cannot be beat. We have people who want it, and tell us, and thank us for doing it.
From all of us at DPLD, have a great holiday.
Unlike Christmas, Thanksgiving hasn't been so commercialized. You don't have to buy anybody anything. Although you usually bring food to the occasion, so does everyone else, and you all get to eat it.
Besides which, the holiday has a nice message: let us be thankful. On behalf of the Douglas Public Library District, let me say that we have much for which to be thankful.
* Our patrons. You so clearly love books, and not a day goes by without one of you taking the time to tell us something nice. You bring your children to see us, you trust us to provide solid information, and you're always interesting to talk to. On top of that, you pay our salaries. No business has better customers.
* Our Library Board of Trustees. Here's the roll call: Maren Francis, Cindy Hegy, Juli Lester, Tom McKenzie, Bob McLaughlin, Sue Meacham, and Jerry Poston. These people donate many, many hours of their time to oversee library finances, set library policy, establish long range planning objectives, make sure I'm doing the things I ought to be doing, and much more. Douglas County is fortunate to have one of the best public library boards in the state: fiscally conservative, actionoriented, and thoroughly convinced of the need for strong library services. Most of our Trustees are also regular customers, and bring a sharp service perspective to all our operations.
* Our staff. They're friendly. They're knowledgeable. They're interesting in their own right, and interestED in the lives of our patrons. In general, they're a lively bunch of people who clearly care about library service. Every single accomplishment the Douglas Public Library District has made is directly attributable to the high standards of service they have established, and they maintain, day after day, right at the "front line," which is where it counts. I am VERY thankful for them.
* Our collection. The growth in our collection of materials (books, videotapes, audiocassettes, magazines, pamphlets, electronic reference tools) is amazing. Over 10 percent of our purchases are direct requests from our patrons. This gives us the chance to let our collection grow in areas that the people who use the collection most want it to grow.
As a result, the collections of our branches aren't very much like one another. They reflect the unique interests and needs of the areas they serve. They have character, and are as fascinating and unpredictable as the communities they mirror.
* The opportunity to serve. While all the above are significant, we are especially grateful for the chance to deliver library services to county residents. We have a product that absolutely cannot be beat. We have people who want it, and tell us, and thank us for doing it.
From all of us at DPLD, have a great holiday.
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