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ANNUAL REPORT   2006

 

 

HIGHLAND COUNTY DISTRICT LIBRARY

at

HILLSBORO GREENFIELDLEESBURGLYNCHBURG

 

Highland County District Library

10 Willettsville Pike

Hillsboro, Ohio 45133

937-393-3114

FAX: 937-393-2985

http://www.highlandco.org

 


 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 

Fred Yochum, President

Jeff Cloud, Vice President

Margaret Hudson, Secretary

Stephen Hunter

Sara Lukens

George Roush

Craig Turner

Gary West

 

 

Jennifer West, Interim Director

Emily Evans, Clerk-Treasurer

Margaret Magee, Greenfield Branch Manager

Carol Gustin, Leesburg Branch Manager

Elaine Williams, Lynchburg Branch Manager

 


HIGHLAND COUNTY DISTRICT LIBRARY

ANNUAL REPORT

2006

 

 

            This was a year of growth and challenges for the Highland County District Library.  Our circulation continues to climb and the public use of our Internet and word processing computers seems to increase weekly.

             The HCDL cooperated with other entities in offering many services to our patrons.  We remain the U. S. Cargo delivery point for the Hillsboro High School's library.  We scheduled public computer workshops at the three branches and the Highland County Senior Citizens Center.  We provided a collection point for materials donated to the American Association of University Women's book sale, and a volunteer employment opportunity for Hills and Dales employees.  We are able to take part in the recycling program offered by the Turning Point Applied Learning Center.

 The HCDL has also displayed the art, crafts and skills of local residents and authors.  Local writers have met in the downstairs meeting room for both Carol Cartaino's "Let's Write" writing workshops and a newer group, "Milk and Cookies", who formed to discuss writing children's literature.

             Our outreach program has continued to grow with Shirley Foster's visits to local nursing homes.  She gave 45 programs to 692 residents in 2006.  In June we were able to host Karen Land, an Iditarod dog race musher, in the Hillsboro school cafeteria.  Later the same day, she gave repeat programs at the Greenfield and Leesburg libraries.  Over 100 people came to hear Karen's stories and meet "Borage" her shed dog.

             Brenda Fisher, Computer Services Librarian; Elaine Williams, Lynchburg Branch Manager; and Jennifer West, Interim Director, have successfully completed the Ohio Library Council's Certified Public Librarian program and have received our letters of recertification.   We greatly appreciate the opportunity to continue our education.

             We regret the passing of Highland County District Library board member George Roush.  He served both the library and the Highland County community well for many years.  Board member Jeff Cloud took over as vice president and a new member, Gary West, joined the board to represent the Lynchburg area.

             There has been interest in library services out at the Rocky Form Lake area.  Possibly we could have an outreach effort similar to the children's department visits to Head Start, if a building were provided at the lake.  Our own library buildings require continual maintenance from roofing concerns to vandalism and theft.

             The function of the public library is changing due to technology and the public's expectations.  Our doors may shut at night but our services are still available to those who have a computer and Internet access.

THE NUMBERS:

 

County Population (estimated):  42,818

Circulation:  681,204

Per capita circulation is 15.9 items.

 

 

Registered Borrowers:

 

 

 

Adults

22,092

 

 

Juvenile

6,681

 

 

 

28,773

Equals 67% of Highland County's population





 

System Circulation:

 

 

 

 

 

Hillsboro

352,291

Approx. 52 % of total

 

 

 

 

Greenfield

149,516

Approx. 22 % of total

 

 

 

 

Leesburg

88,522

Approx. 13 % of total

 

 

 

 

Lynchburg

90,875

Approx. 13 % of total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 











 

Highland County District Library, as member of the SEO Library System, shipped 147,804 items among other libraries in the system during 2006, an increase of 43% over 2005.  This count includes books shipped among the four Highland County libraries as well.

 

Average library attendance in a Typical Week

4,127

 

 

Average Reference Transactions in a Typical Week

239

 

 

Average Directional Transactions in a Typical Week

631

 

 

 

 

Computer Use:

5,637

Searches done in EBSCO and OPLIN databases

 

3,369

Articles accessed

 

 

 

 

475

Pages retrieved in Automobile Repair Reference

 

 

 

 

9,001

Searches done in Heritage Quest

 

18,823

Citations/Abstracts retrieved

 

 

 

www.highlandco.org

3,080

Website visits per week, or 160,163 for the 

 

 

entire year, a 32% increase over 2006

 

PROGRAMS:

 

System Adult:

374 Programs

 

Attendance:

5,067

Children:

717 Programs

 

Attendance:

10,048

Other Locations:

 

 

 

10,561

Total:

1,091

 

 

25,676

 

 

 

 

 

Hillsboro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adult:

83 Programs

 

 

461

Children:

250 Programs

 

 

2,715

Other Locations:

 

 

 

3,915

Total:

333 Programs

 

 

7,091

 

 

 

 

 

Greenfield Branch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adult:

90 Programs

 

 

1,592

Children:

167 Programs

 

 

3,102

Other Locations:

 

 

 

4,098

Total:

257 Programs

 

 

8,792

 

 

 

 

 

Leesburg Branch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adult:

86 Programs

 

 

1,667

Children:

130 Programs

 

 

2,394

Other Locations:

 

 

 

1,552

Total:

216 Programs

 

 

5,613

 

 

 

 

 

Lynchburg Branch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adult:

115 Programs

 

 

1,347

Children:

170 Programs

 

 

1,837

Other Locations:

 

 

 

996

Total:

285 Programs

 

 

4,180

 

The Storytelling kits reached over 4,900 children in 2006.

 

Outreach was provided to 692 elderly or disabled residents at Laurels of Hillsboro, Heartland, Highland House and Crestwood nursing homes by Shirley Foster.

CHILDREN’S DEPARTMENT

Hillsboro

 

Written by Joan Cockerill

 

            The year 2006 was another busy and fun-filled year in the children's department.  We continue to offer a variety of program for children – lap babies through 12-years.  Each week, children 2 through 5 enjoyed story times with stories, fingerplays, songs and crafts.  Lap babies were also welcomed into our 2 and 3 year old story times.  Our 6 to 10 year old story times include stories, games and crafts.  Once a month we have a special B.A.G. Club for those 9 to 12.  We have 5 story times scheduled each week with added story times scheduled at the convenience of visiting classes.  We also have a special themed story time once a month.  Our story times are presented by Colleen Germann, Betty Daugherty and Faye Thompson.

 

            We presented 250 programs and story times in the library in 2006 with over 2,700 in attendance.  Our outreach programs were given to over 1,600 children.

 

            Visitors to story times were:

 

 

            In January, we started the new year with stories about winter, and the B.A.G. Club made a snowman.  The special themed story time celebrated Winnie-the-Pooh's birthday with a birthday party.  We also had classes in American Sign Language for adults and children.

             In February, the B.A.G. Club celebrated Valentine's Day by making gingerbread houses.  American Sign Language classes continued in February and a special Valentine's Day party.  In February we also introduced our traveling pals.  We have three friends – a fox, a bear, and an elephant – that can be checked out to go home with a child for a week.  Along with the pal is a journal which the children can write in about their adventures with the new stuffed friend.  These have been very popular with the children and the staff has enjoyed reading about their adventures.

             March celebrated Dr. Suess' birthday with stories and prizes given away.  The B.A.G. Club made bird feeders and had a PJ Party.  The children and the staff wore their pj's and brought a blanket or stuffed friend.  Our American Sign Language classes finished up in March.

             National Library Week was celebrated in April with special library stories, activities, and book giveaways.  The B.A.G. Club had a demonstration of Inkle Weaving and then tried their hand at weaving.  The special themed story time was a very popular Bob the Builder night.

             May was a busy month getting ready for the Summer Reading Club.  We visited and passed out information to Bright Local School, Highland County Christian School, St. Mary's Catholic School, preschools and Hillsboro City Schools. The B.A.G. Club made a picture frame with their picture to give their mother for Mother's Day, and we had a stuffed pet show with everyone bringing in their favorite stuffed pet.  May also was our kick-off for our Summer Reading Club with Mr. Cowpie's petting zoo.

 

            Over 800 signed up for our Summer Reading Club, which continued through June and July.  We concluded the program with over 85 children enjoying "Game Night".  The B.A.G. Club made a Father's Day gift and the special themed story time celebrated Old McDonalds Farm.

             In September we celebrated "Library Card Month" by giving a new book to each child getting their first library card.  We gave out 53 new cards.  We had a teddy bear picnic with the children bringing their favorite teddy bear.  The firemen also came and stressed fire safety.

             October brought harvest celebrations and lots of stories about pumpkins.  The B.A.G. Club made foam pumpkins and we had a "spooky pumpkin" story time.  We had a Rub-a-dub-dub fun evening.

             October started our first "Merry Money Club".  The children received "library money" for reading, to be spent at our Library Christmas Store in December.  Out of 363 children signed, we estimated that over 200 came to the Christmas Store.

             Thomas the Tank Engine and friends was our story time in November and was very popular.  The B.A.G. Club made Thanksgiving placemats and we celebrated Peanut Butter Month and National Children's Book Week with a family "peanut butter" story time and party.  We also had a name the book character contest for National Children's Book Week and gave a book to each child that entered.

             In December, the Library Christmas Store was open for 2 evenings and a Saturday.  The children had an exciting time "shopping" for parents, teachers, grandparents, and siblings.  The B.A.G. Club made reindeer ornaments and had a gingerbread babies evening story time.

 

            265 teacher storytelling kits were checked out and shared with over 4,900 children.

 

            We had a variety of passive programs with over 7,900 children participating.

 

            We dedicated 23 books to new babies.

 

HILLSBORO ADULT PROGRAMS:  Computer classes, Black History Month program honoring Mrs. Elsie Young, Jeanne Read, "Antique Evening”, Carol Cartaino, "Let's Write" writer's group, "Open Door Session" with Senator John Carey and State Representative David Daniels, Southern Ohio Genealogical Society's Genealogy Workshops, American Sign Language classes, Hillsboro High School Parenting classes, and Family Story Times.

HILLSBORO EXHIBITS:  Helen Milburn, clocks; African-American Awareness Research Council, Black History Month; Elizabeth O'Dom, Colleen Germann, St. Patrick's Day/Irish Porcelain Dolls; Kathy Bright, Donna O'Dom, Cooking Display; Vanessa Malott, Donna O'Dom, Vicki Carver, Kathy Petzold, Longaberger Baskets; Vicki Carver, Shirley Foster, Kathy Petzold, Donna O'Dom, Drew O'Dom, Musical Instruments; Deborah Lewis, Kiln Fired Glasswork and Jewelry; Leon Hanes, woodcarving; David Lowell, 9/11 Anniversary; Rocky Fork Decorative Artists; Fall Hobbies; Leon Hanes, Jim Evans, Wood carved Santas.

AUTHOR VISITS:  Hillsboro hosted book signings for local authors Teresa Slack, Elizabeth Rea, and Gary Lange Smith.

 

ARTISTS’ DISPLAYS:

 

            Martin Munson

            Sue Roehm

            Barbara Hodge

            Jo Ivers

            Doris Randolph, Guild Members collection

            Vanessa Malott

            Robert Losey, Jr.

            Doris Randolph

            The Film Foggers

            Nancy Green

            Joey Haas

            Jennifer Anderson


 GREENFIELD BRANCH LIBRARY

 

Written by Margaret Magee

 2006 at the Greenfield Library was a very busy but a really great year!  Our statistics show a circulation of 149,516.  We presented 257 programs for children, teens, and adults with an attendance of 4,694, as well as group tours and programs outside our facility.

 Our adult programs included 5 CET Ready to Learn workshops for preschool parents and caregivers, the Bookworms adult book discussion group, Beginning and Internet computer classes, monthly health screenings provided by Edgewood Manor, monthly adult craft club that did projects to include: scrap booking, luminaries, recipe cards, Perennial exchange, 4 CPR classes presented by Debbie Hensley, 2 Job fairs presented by Reserves and Acloche, Dr. Borsini classes on a healthy ;lifestyle, monthly Senior Citizen's Library Mornings, Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 4 IEP writing workshops by Jane Lentz, Eric Matthews investment basics, OSHIIP presentation, Barbara Sweeney & Sarah Spencer – Home Remedies, Master Gardener program, Author Teresa Slack, Bureau of Worker's Compensation, Dr. Ryan Reeves – Chiropractic Medicine, and a HCCAO Financial workshop. 

Our teen YAB group had a busy year.  They got together each month to plan children and teen events.  They led a children's library camp in the summer and also presented programs for children – Frogs Galore, Bunny Bash, Orange Day and Mooseltoe's Christmas; as well as a skit at the elementary school to promote Summer Reading – "Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales".

 Children had lots of programming as well.  There are 4 story hours each week for ages 2-grade 6 and the Head Start story time.  The Summer Reading program had a total of 335 registered, "Cool Cats and Kids have Library Cards" promotion had 160 participating and Season Readings Christmas Club had 136 participating.  These were the most popular programs. 

We had a yearly attendance of 756 Head Start children attending story hours.  We gave school classes, 4-H, Scout groups, preschool and club tours and programs.  We also had a Ronald McDonald program, Iditarod dog musher Karen Land and her dog, Borage, Author Ronda Friend, the Greenfield Fire Department and a Summer Reading Adventure Swim party. 

 We have worked with many local agencies to provide more and better services.  These include: Paint Creek Family Physicians, Edgewood Manor, Hearth 'N Care, Community Action, Concerned Veterans of Greenfield, Head Start, Ohio Division of Water Safety, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Highland County Extension Service, CET, Greenfield McClain teachers, Highland County Board of Elections, Greenfield Chiropractic, C A R E Chiropractic, Rotary, Lion's Club, Greenfield Area Merchants Association, Bureau of Worker's Compensation, Greenfield Soccer Association, and others. 

We received a grant for Summer Reading program from Pamida.  We also received donations from many businesses in town for the Summer Reading and Season's Reading promotions and incentives including: VFW, Veterans of Ohio's Charities, Altrusa, the Letter Shop, New Sabina Industries, Banta, Leesburg Federal Savings Bank-Greenfield Office, Greenfield Research, Waddells, McDonalds, Buckeye Hills, Robbins Village Florist, Subway, Jett's Pro Embroidery, KFC, Kaluau Kreme, WW Cleaners, Ungers Sporting Goods, Stuck on Scrappin', McClain Athletic Department, Dominos, Star Cinema, Magic Waters Theatre, Advance Auto Parts, Buck's Tire Service, Greenfield Rotary, and other patrons gifts.

 Our community room has been in continual use this year.  Besides all of our library programming, 43 community groups with 1,320 people have used the room.

 It has been a very busy and exciting year.  A great staff, wonderful patrons, and a caring community all work together to enhance our community.  I can't wait to see what 2007 will bring!

  GREENFIELD ADULT PROGRAMS:  5 CET Ready to Learn workshops; Bookworms book discussion group, Computer classes, Monthly health screenings by Edgewood Manor, monthly adult craft club projects: scrap booking, luminaries, recipe cards; Perennial exchange, 4 CPR classes presented by Debbie Hensley, 2 Job fairs presented by Reserves and Acloche, Dr. Borsini classes on  healthy lifestyle, monthly Senior Citizen's Library Mornings, Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 4 IEP writing workshops by Jane Lentz; Eric Matthews investment basics; OSHIIP presentation, Barbara Sweeney & Sarah Spencer – Home Remedies, Master Gardener program, Author Teresa Slack, Bureau of Worker's Compensation, Dr. Ryan Reeves – Chiropractic Medicine, and a HCCAO Financial workshop.

GREENFIELD EXHIBITORS:  Tina Roe's African trip memorabilia, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, Greenfield Historical Society Underground Railroad display, Martin Luther King Jr., Presidents Day, Valentines Day, King Kong, March Madness, Sandra McNeil's Thimble collection, Harold Schmidt's vintage cookbook collection, Butch Peabody's Photography, "Patrons reading with their Pets" photos, Saint Patrick's Day, Spring projects, Summer Reading Adventure, Perennials, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Flag Day – "Celebrate Freedom", Big Brothers/Big Sisters, WCET, July 4th, Edgewood Manor – lighthouse display, Elvis Week, Back to school, "Cool Cats & Kids have Library Cards", Earlene Scott's Turkey trip memorabilia, Habitat for Humanity, Constitution week, Deb Wise's Halloween collectibles, Breast Cancer Awareness, Thanksgiving, Debbie Beatty's Coverlet collection, Christmas Crafts, Mary Mick's Gingerbread collectibles, "Beary" Merry Christmas.


LEESBURG BRANCH LIBRARY

 

Written by Carol Gustin

 January 2006 we were pleased to host some quilting classes in our back room.  The retired teachers used our room to mail their newsletter in January as well as other months. The local Girl Scouts used it in January.  We had a Life-Changing Fiction reading group meeting on Fridays to discuss Paradise Bay and Victory Club.  Carol did story times at the new pre-school in town called Quality Care on Tuesday mornings as well as our Wee Ones 0-36 months on Thursdays at 10:00 and Tater Tots 3, 4 and 5 at 10:30 on Thursdays.   We held a Red Hat Club tea for the WNDY Ladies the last Wednesday in January.

 February Kristen Stangle did a Chocolate tasting complete with chocolate fountain and yummy treats for Valentine’s Day.  We held quilting as well as soccer sign ups.  Our Reading group meets on the third Thursday and Life Changing Fiction met on the third Friday morning.  Edgewood Manor does a free Health Screening the second Friday morning of every month, usually seeing a dozen people for blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol. 

March 2 we celebrated Dr. Seuss’s Birthday with a cake from Kroger and a visit from The Cat in the Hat!  On Friday afternoons we held some sewing classes for young people as well as quilting on Monday afternoons.

 April we had an estate planning meeting as well as herbalist Susan Gingerich.  Teresa Cudkowitz offered to host some Spanish language classes for young people on Thursday afternoons.

 In May we continued hosting Spanish classes and Susan Gingerich’s class on allergies.  The Reading group had an outing at Deer Creek.  Highland District hospital sent a representative to teach the young ones about germs.

 June was summer reading.  We had many special guests for the young people. James Carnes did a wonderful outdoor life program, Jared Warner did another outstanding bug program, Dr. Sharp brought his poodle Clipper and for the adults One West did another Library Antique Road Show! We held more soccer signups for the public and had a fantastic Iditarod Dog show!! 

July brought a visit by 2 wolves whose owners are our patrons. This was a wonderful outdoor show for adults. We had an outdoor guest talk about baby eagles and held a pet parade.  Ronda Friend was my favorite treat as she does a wonderful show for children and adults with her country humor.  Ronald McDonald’s book program ended our summer reading specials.

 We took some time to regroup in August but our reading group, Red Hat