TFML Staff Exchange

Reference Statistics for November 2005

Adult Services Staff

Walk-Ins 425

Telephone 214

Instruction 53

Other help 278

Virtual reference 25
Instant message reference 25
Email reference 29

Total adult reference 1049

This was slightly slower than October 2005 as well as a little under November 2004.

Hi all,
Did anybody use the Borders card this past month for the purchase of 5 books and a $50 gift card for anything? The invoice was in my bills but our department didn't make these purchases. It is five children's type books on the invoice, with gift card purchase it makes $99.32. Let me know if it is yours so I can get it to you for the next bill run. I'm doublechecking with all the YS staffers just in case too. Thanks, Shannon

Rick,
Cannot connect to the Chicago Tribune search page. The Bookmark seems to be gone.
Do we still have a link to the historic houses?
Kris

We are so sad to say that Jack is bidding us s'long. Jack was offered a full time post at Westmont (he has been there PT as well) and has decided to accept. Please wish him good luck in the new job and for his new baby that is on the way. Shan

Here's something to read that will make you think warm, summery thoughts! Although this has to do with the adult program, Youth Services may get some ideas from it too. I recommend making note of any ideas that appeal to you, and bringing them to the next staff meeting.

Planning Adult Reading Programs
MLS Group Discussion
November 15, 2005

Nancy’s Notes

The meeting was held at Indian Prairie (due to the flood damage at MLS) and was facilitated by David Seleb. There were about 30 participants from all over, including outside MLS. There was no presentation or agenda, just a general discussion that ran for almost 2 hours, with people sharing what their Adult Reading Programs are like, asking questions, and asking for suggestions. I came away with several ideas that we might use to freshen up our program at TFML.

Some libraries have their adult reading program in the winter, or have both a summer and winter program. Most have a summer program that corresponds to the children’s program, as we do.

Some of the larger libraries (notably Chicago Ridge) have big extravaganzas. CR does a duel program for parents and kids, called Family Readers. The whole family works together, reading 40 books. For each 10 books, they get to put up ¼ of a castle (for their medieval theme). After they’ve finished, each family gets a tote bag filled with prizes. The staff said families really got competitive in coloring their castles, though there was no prize for that. (Note: The Chicago Ridge budget is $1000 for both summer and winter reading programs.)

Riverside seems to have a successful program. Although they serve 9,000 people – fewer than Ford Library – they have had 200 adults and 400 kids sign up for their programs. They have their sign-up outdoors, with the children’s table and adults’ table next to each other. However they typically only have 40-50 who complete the program. (The low completion rate seemed to be a common experience among the libraries.)

It was generally agreed that the better the prizes, the greater the participation. Glen Ellyn said their best year was when they gave everyone who completed the program a mug with a Glen Ellyn picture on it. (I didn’t catch whether it was a picture of the library or something else.) It was also generally agreed that associated programming was not worthwhile during the summer due to low attendance, though some libraries are forced by their boards to do it.

Some suggested involving the rest of the library staff in planning the program.

At Indian Prairie, the YA and Adult programs end around Labor Day.

Themes

At Helen Plum in Lombard, they did a movie theme and handed out microwave popcorn packets at sign-up.
At Westchester they don’t use annual themes. They have an overall on-going theme of “Page Turners,” like a club. They use this for winter reading programs as well. In the summer they gave out little packets of instant lemonade or iced tea at sign-up, so people could enjoy a nice, cold drink while they read.

One library created a big list of 100 books related to their theme. If patrons read one of those books, they got a prize.

Promotion

At Chicago Ridge, buttons and T-shirts were made for the staff to wear, promoting the summer reading program theme. They mentioned an annual ice cream social that anyone in the community may attend, regardless of whether they have signed up for the reading program. They said it’s a big event, and the teens do the scooping.

It was noted by many that the Circ staff is in a great position to push the program and increase sign-ups.

In Orland Park’s old library, Adult Services was located near Circulation, so people had to pass by on the way to the children’s sign-in, and they were able to pull people in. They learned that some people who didn’t plan to sign up thought that the books were pre-selected, and that they had to attend programs. They were able to clear up these misperceptions and get people to sign up.

Business sponsors are placed on a sign that is displayed at the front desk.

Some libraries place the prizes on display, especially gift baskets.

Sign-Up, Logs, Tracking and Turning In

For Chicago Ridge’s Family Read program, each family receives a folder that they can use to hold each family member’s log, and families seem to like having that. (I know I would.)

At Helen Plum, they just hand out the logs without signing up. Then when people come in with filled-in logs, they sign them up.

At Bloomingdale, they have forms that people fill in about the books they’ve read. It includes author and title, comments, and a star-rating system. The 4-star books go into a notebook for everyone to see. (I’m not sure what they do with the lower-star reviews.) This gives people an idea of what others are reading. After the program ends, they make a bibliography of the 4-star books. Orland Park also keeps a list of what people are reading for others to see.

Many libraries have an incentive to get people to come in weekly with their logs. This allows them to track how much people are reading, even if they do not complete the program, and it gets people into the library for various other purposes. Other libraries only see people at the beginning and the end, as we do.

Getting people to come in regularly:

Indian Prairie had a weekly raffle of movie tickets that did very well.

Instead of log books, one library uses cards that get punched by Circ staff when they turn in their books.

Riverside offers a weekly bibliography based on the theme.

One library offers chances on the drawing, based on the number of books you’ve read. After the first book you get one chance, after the second book you get two chances, and so on. This way, even people who couldn’t complete the program could participate in the drawing.

Bloomingdale offers a prize for every 5 books that are read.

Prizes

A grand prize that is popular at several libraries is a basket with items donated by or purchased from local businesses (including gift certificates). Several communities said that local businesses liked the collaboration between themselves and the library – good exposure and good community relations.

Some libraries had small prizes for each book completed, similar to the children’s program; many items were donated by local businesses, such as screwdrivers from the hardware store. Some placed them in grab baskets so people could choose what they wanted.

Staff can obtain autographed books at conferences or at bookstore signing appearances, which make good prizes.

Dinner-for-two certificates from a local restaurant are also commonly offered prizes.

At Chicago Ridge, their quilting club and knitting club made prizes.

At Riverside, staff members competed for a prize (dinner for 2) by decorating rocks for their “Reading Rocks” theme. Patrons voted on which one they liked best. In other years they decorated totem poles or video boxes, depending on the theme.

At Riverside, they offered a personalized reading list to those who finished the program, not as a prize but as a service. They gave them a questionnaire, then offered 1-4 pages of read-alikes. This helped to promote Readers’ Advisory and to build staff skills.

Berwyn offered a bullet thermos with the library logo as a sign-up prize. (I wonder what that cost!!)

Magazine deletion will be starting in the next three weeks. We will start in childrens and then move on to the adult stacks. If anyone has brown paper grocery bags I would appreciate you bringing them in since we use so many during deletion. Just drop them off at the magazine desk. Magazines that are being deleted will be available to patrons and staff and will be placed on the west wall of the reference area.

Thanks!

Since we have been having problem with Chicago Magazine being stolen even in its binder I will be keeping the January issue behind the circulation desk. It will be kept with the cooking magazines and have a one hour check out. I will also make a copy of the Top Doctors article and leave that behind the reference desk in case anyone wants to read it.

YS is on the hunt for old CD's to make a display with. If you have old CD's that you don't want anymore (or AOL junk you get in the mail) save them for us. Thanks! Shannon

Everyone,

I will be off the week before Christmas and come back on Tuesday, December 27. I will even be away from email Tuesday and Wednesday. I should be reading it again sometime late Thursday.

I noticed that I scheduled myself 1-9 on most Thursdays in January. Those should all be 9:30-5. I do not know what I was doing. Does anyone else?

The meeting at 8:30 a.m. on January 11 is a go.

Have a Merry Christmas.

Rick