Public library association Volume 48 • number 2 •march/aPril 2009 issn 0163-5506 DEPART MEN TS 3 News from PLA kathleen hughes 3 On the Agenda 4 From the President carol sheffer 13 Tales from the Front jennifer t. ries-taggart FEATuRES 15 Perspectives 27 The New Bond Hill Branch nanci milone hill Successfully Merging Two Small Branches kimber l. fender 20 Internet Spotlight Describes how the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton Coun- michael porter and ty worked with the community to get support for a branch merger. david lee king 32 Now Hear This! 22 Bringing in the Money Veterans’ Stories Live On in Oral Narratives As Local lee price Library Assists in Congressional History Project 25 Passing Notes richard baranowski michael garrett farrelly Discusses the Way Public Library’s (in Perrysburg, Ohio) participa- tion in the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. 52 By The Book 38 Marketing the Mount Pleasant Public Library julie elliott to Transitory Residents 54 New Product News joseph sikowitz and ann carlson weeks vicki nesting Examines the use of the Mount Pleasant Public Library in Washing- ton, D.C., by both transitory and non-transitory residents. ExTR AS 45 Problems Associated With Mentally Ill 2 Editor’s Note Individuals in Public Libraries 2 Readers Respond e. fuller torrey, m.d., rosanna esposito, and jeffery geller, m.d. 6 Verso—Characteristics Shows the impact that deinstitutionalization of mentally ill and Trends individuals has had on public libraries. 56 Index to Advertisers cover, table of contents, and interior artwork by jim lange design. Editor’s Note EDITORIAL EDITOR: Kathleen M. Hughes CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Julie Elliott, Michael Garrett Farrelly, Dear readers: Nann Blaine Hilyard, Nanci Milone-Hill, David Lee King, Vicki Nesting, Michael Porter, Lee Price, Jennifer T. Ries-Taggart ADVISORY COMMITTEE Public Libraries is doing a little bit of belt-tightening. We have trimmed the size of the journal to 56 pages and likely Luren E. Dickinson, Shaker Heights Public Library , Ohio (Chair); Clara Bohrer, West Bloomfield Library, MI; Bessie Condos, California State will keep to that size for the foreseeable future. We also are Library, Sacramento, CA; Anne L. Coriston, New York Public Library, planning our foray into the world of online publishing, and NY; Dianne Harmon, Joliet Public Library, IL; Joanne King, Queens Borough Public Library, NY; Patricia Linville, Seward Community hope to bring you PL Online soon. Stay tuned for updates. Library, AK; Cindy A. Lombardo, Cleveland Public Library, Ohio; While we’ve cut back on size, we haven’t cut back Nanci Milone-Hill, Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen, MA; Susan Sexton-Cooley, Sara Hightower Regional Library, GA on quality. To highlight a couple of features, “Problems PLA PRESIDENT: Carol Sheffer, Queens Library, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Associated with Mentally Ill Individuals in Public Libraries” Jamaica, NY 11432; [email protected]. outlines the challenges in serving mentally ill patrons and PAUmBeLriIcCa nL ILBibRrAaRryIE ASs s(oIScSiaNti o0n1 6(A3-L5A5)0, 65)0 iEs . pHuubrloisnh Setd., Cbihmicoangtoh, lIyL b60y 6t1h1e. “Marketing the Mount Pleasant Public Library to Transitory It is the official publication of the Public Library Association, a division Residents” shows how one library developed a plan for oinf mALeAm. bSeurbsshcipri pdtuioens; ptori cneo:n tmo emmebmebrse: rUs .oSf. $P5L0A;, C$a2n5a ad ay e$a6r0, ; ianlcl loutdheedr marketing library services to its oft-changing community. countries $60. Single copies, $10. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Dive in! There’s much more, too. Thanks for reading!—KH IL, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Public Libraries, Editor Kathleen M. Hughes is reading The Elfish Gene: 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Dungeons, Dragons and Growing Up Strange by Mark Barrowcliffe. SUBSCRIPTIONS Nonmember subscriptions, orders, changes of address, and inqui- ries should be sent to Public Libraries, Sub scription Department, American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; 1-800-545-2433, press 5; fax: (312) 944-2641; [email protected]. Readers Respond ADVERTISINg Doug Lewis, Jordan Gareth Inc., 4920 Hwy 9, #141, Alpharetta, GA 30004; (770) 333-1281, fax: (404) 806-7745; doug@ jordangareth.com; Territory: FL, MS, AL, GA, NC, SC, KY, TN, VA, WV, MD, DE, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA, NH, VT, and ME. Dave Adrian, David M. Library Outreach is the Future! Adrian & Associates, 7251 Jameson Place, Canoga Park, CA 91303; (818) 888-5288, fax: (818) 888-0547; [email protected]; Territory: PA, OH, MI, IN, IL, WI, MN, IA, MO, AR, LA, TX, OK, KS, NE, SD, ND, MT, During my sixteen-year public library career, I have worked at four WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT, ID, WA, OR, NV, CA, HI, AK, and all international countries. very different public libraries in the northern and central regions PRODUCTION of Indiana and Illinois. Currently I am director of a library district ALA PRODUCTION SERVICES: Troy D. Linker, Chris Keech, Tim in southwest suburban Chicago (Des Plaines Valley Public Library Clifford, and Justine Wells. District). MANUSCRIPTS My favorite definition of outreach and one I have used often is Unless otherwise noted, all submissions should be sent to Kathleen this: Draw a circle around the central or main library building— Hughes, Public Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; [email protected]. See www.pla.org for submission instructions. every library service, program, or library-related endeavor taking INDEXINg/ABSTRACTINg continued on page 5 Public Libraries is indexed in Library Literature and Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE), in addition to a number of online services. Contents are ab stracted in Library and Information Science Abstracts. MICROFILM COPIES Microfilm copies are available from University Microf ilms, 300 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. The paper used in this publi- cation meets the minimum re- quirements of American Nat- 30% ional Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper Cert no. SCS-COC-00648 for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. ©2009 by the American Library Association All materials in this journal are subject to copyright by the American Library Association and may be photocopied for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprint- ing, photocopying, or translating, address requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. public libraries 2 news from pla News from PLA 2009 Public Library Data Both are great ways to keep up on Service Statistical the latest news from PLA and con- On the Agenda nect with members and staff. Report Order Forms Available ALA Annual Conference July 9–15, 2009 The Public Library Data Service Winners of PLA Chicago (PLDS) Statistical Report, a project of Feature Article PLA, is designed to meet the needs Contest Announced 2010 of public library administrators and PLA is pleased to announce the 2009 PLA 13th National Conference others for timely and effective library winners of its annual feature article March 23–27, 2010 specific data that illuminates and contest. The contest awards cash Portland, Ore. supports a wide variety of manage- prizes to the authors of the best fea- ment decisions. Published annually, ture articles written by public librar- ALA Midwinter Meeting the PLDS report presents exclusive ians and published in the previous January 15–20, 2010 data from more than eight hundred year’s issues of Public Libraries. Boston public libraries across the United The first prize award of $500 States and Canada on finances, goes to Julie Scordato, youth ser- library resources, annual use figures, vices leader, teen services, at the and technology. In addition to these lines, or e-mail Editor Kathleen Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan valuable topics, each year’s edition Hughes at [email protected] for more Library, for her article “Gaming as a contains a special survey highlight- information. Library Service,” which appeared in ing statistics on one service area the January/February 2008 issue. or topic. This year’s special survey Second prize of $300 goes to PLA President’s Program focuses on public library facili- James Keller, director of market- ties. The 2009 PLDS report will be at Annual Conference to ing and communications for the available at the 2009 ALA Annual Feature Cokie Roberts Queens (N.Y.) Library System, for Conference in Chicago. Order forms his article, “Branding and Marketing Cokie Roberts will headline the are now available at www.pla.org for Your Library,” which appeared in the 2009 PLA President’s Program and both the 2009 print version and the September/October 2008 issue. Awards Presentation scheduled for subscription database. The Public Libraries Advisory Monday, July 13, 2009, at 5 p.m. dur- Committee selects the winners ing the ALA Annual Conference in of the contest. The prizes will be Chicago. Roberts is a political com- PLA on Facebook awarded during the PLA President’s mentator for ABC News and a senior and Twitter Program on Monday, July 13, at the news analyst for National Public PLA has expanded its online pres- ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Radio. From 1996 to 2002, she and ence to include a Facebook page Librarians interested in being con- Sam Donaldson coanchored the as well as a Twitter feed. Visit our sidered for the 2010 awards can visit weekly ABC interview program, Facebook page at http://tinyurl http://pla.org/ala/mgrps/divs/pla/ This Week. .com/PLAFacebook and follow our plapublications/publiclibraries/ Twitter feed at twitter.com/ALA_PLA. contest.cfm for submission guide- 3 march/april 2009 from the president Team Building Spring is here and it’s time for America’s game. In training camps across the country, baseball’s managers are trying to build their teams. Baseball teams must be physically prepared, but also must function as a cohesive group, where every member is invested in and contributes to the CAROL SHEFFER is former success of the organization. As librarians, we need to think about how we Deputy Director, Queens build our own teams. (N.Y.) Library; csheffer@ There are many ways to increase spirit among your library’s staff mem- live.com. bers. There are consulting firms and retreat locations which offer a variety of team-building experiences but the costs can be prohibitive and not every- Carol is reading Lady body is open to rock climbing, cooking lessons, or scavenger hunts. Nugent’s Journal of Her What options are there for libraries? They are pretty much limitless and Residence in Jamaica from are restricted only by a person’s imagination. A recent best-selling book tells 1801 to 1805 edited by the story of how one library’s staff came together to save an abandoned kit- Philip Wright and Repair to ten (Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World). I know one Her Grave by Sarah Graves. public library cataloging department that takes advantage of every holiday (including Groundhog Day) to build esprit de corps. Monthly birthday parties are common and a great way of building morale and team spirit. However, parties and celebrations do not always work. I once directed a department of exceedingly skilled and wonderful librarians. The one thing that they could not do was plan a party. Team building for this group of library staff mem- bers came from a different opportunity. We were expecting two librarians from Croatia to study with us. I thought that we should do everything that we could to make them comfortable and decided we should learn Croatian as a group. It was terrific! We found a volunteer teacher and, since no one knew the language, we all started at the same level. We laughed and supported one another and became a team. No one became fluent in Croatian but we learned more than just another language. We learned to become a team. The group that could not plan a birthday party could accomplish other things together. The benefit of involving the entire team in real-world issues also creates a sense of togetherness and stimulates continuous improvement and ongoing achievements. Involve your team in planning library services, creating a mis- sion statement, or even developing a budget. Involve the entire staff in devis- ing solutions to real library issues and improving library procedures. Building a team creates buy-in and builds morale, and in these uncertain times, staff morale is vitally important to the success of your library. We consider our members to be a vital part of PLA’s team and we find your participation invaluable. I invite you to send us your input. Let us know how we’re doing, get involved, join PLAspace, submit an article to Public Libraries—there are many ways to be an active PLA team member. Drop me a line at [email protected] or send e-mail directly to PLA at [email protected]. Together we can have a positive impact on our libraries and our professional organization. public libraries 4 readers respond Readers Respond continued from page 2 place outside of that circle is out- ’Em.” Staff members often report building. While running an outreach reach. that even the people who walk past department at Tippecanoe County and do not borrow any materials (Ind.) Public Library, I conducted a tell them they are glad we are there cost study to determine how much The Need for Outreach providing the service. It is as if our the library spent to circulate one I believe that libraries need success- presence there, and the fact that we item via the bookmobile versus ful library outreach programs for do loan books to many is enough the circulation counter at the main three reasons: to generate in their minds a strong library. Keep in mind that we did this goodwill toward us. comparison properly by assigning 1. Outreach provides library the outreach department its share services to those who for a of the overhead costs based on its number of reasons cannot Current Trends office spaces, utilities, insurance, and physically get to the main As in most other areas of the library so on. The results of this study were library. world, funding is tight for those pro- illuminating. At that time it cost us 2. It turns non-users into users by viding public library outreach efforts. $2.02 per item borrowed from the providing services to those who Throughout my career it has been an main library and just $1.72 per item find traditional library services unfortunate reality that outreach has borrowed from the bookmobile—a to be inconvenient. often been seen as “extra.” No mat- difference of thirty cents! This ratio 3. The existence of library outreach ter if it is by the sheer momentum of services generates invaluable old traditions or a reflection of hard continued on page 24 goodwill within a community. times faced by many librar- Gone are the days when libraries ies, the current Library Acquisitions Staff could be passive institutions. I am state of outreach LGA declaring that this old model of ser- services can be vice is no longer enough. Libraries described as an Here’s a notepad I picked up at the last must not only rethink traditional exercise in doing services, but also things like service more with less. conference. Check out this vendor when you hours. As evidenced by the new hours In the mod- have a chance. Good info on their website. many banks are advertising (nights, ern public weekends), society values the conve- library, where They’re a good source for: nience of unusual hours and alterna- budgets are tive methods of service delivery. tight, we must - material our regular vendor can’t supply Within the boundaries of our be efficient and - genealogy titles library district there are five (soon to cost effective in be six) seniors-only housing devel- all that we do. - videos and other things we order online opments. In lieu of bookmobile ser- It may surprise - standing orders vice to these areas, which we cannot people to learn yet afford, we make a monthly visit that a well run Let’s try them soon! to each of their clubhouse com- bookmobile SINCE 1962 mon areas with an assortment of service can cir- JOBBERS SERVING LIBRARIES new books. We simply set up a mini culate materials WITH ANY BOOK IN PRINT library for a couple hours, spread- more efficiently 208 WEST CHICAGO STREET ing the books across a few tables (i.e. cheaply) JONESVILLE, MICHIGAN 49250 and offering basic service. We call than a tradi- 1-800-248-1146 (517) 849-2117 FAX: (800) 858-9716 this form of outreach “You Pick tional library www.thebookhouse.com 5 march/april 2009 verso Characteristics VIRGIL E. VARVEL JR. is Research Assistant at the Center for Informatics Research in Science and and Trends Scholarship, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign; v varvel@uiuc In the Public Library Data Service .edu. He is reading the 2008 Report book of Exodus in the Bible. XINRONG LEI is Graduate I n 2008, 872 of 1,641 libraries responded to an invitation to participate Research Assistant at in the Public Library Data Service (PLDS) survey, a response rate of the Center for Informatics 53.1 percent. The libraries ranged in size, from serving 884 to 4,018,080 Research in Science and people in their legal service areas. Figure 1 presents the distribution of par- Scholarship, Graduate ticipating libraries by population of legal service area. School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana- Research Method Champaign; xleiuiuc@gmail This study used data from the PLDS 2008 Report. For each of the continuous .com. He is reading variables, the following statistics were obtained: number of reporting librar- Tuesdays with Morrie by ies, minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation. For each of the cat- Mitch Albom. egorical variables, frequency and percentage of libraries were calculated. All calculations were performed using Microsoft Excel. Overall Service In 2007, PLDS libraries served 89,469,248 registered patrons from a total legal service area population of 178,256,883 in the United States and Canada. PLDS libraries also circulated items 1,388,250,736 times (n = 868 libraries; 1.6 million circulations/library reporting), performed 195,939,114 refer- Figure 1. Distribution of PLDS 2008 Public Libraries by Population of Legal Service Area public libraries 6 verso ence transactions (n = 814 libraries; content of their websites, nearly all message. Details of the technology 240,711 transactions/library report- libraries have a website contain- services are presented in table 2. ing), and provided programs to ing a calendar of events, and most 45,043,847 patrons (n = 846 libraries; provide community links, children’s 53,243 program participants/library and young adult pages, staff-created Library Finance reporting). Table 1 provides a statisti- pages, and acknowledgment of The 2008 survey included a spe- cal summary of the characteristics of library Friends. The percentage of cial section on financial practices PLDS libraries for 2008. libraries having these features is the of public libraries. Information on same as or greater than past years. numerous sources and types of Libraries are increasingly recog- library finances was collected. The Technology nizing the importance of expand- most common forms of alternative Technology is increasingly becoming ing technology service provision. library financing were overdue fines, a major component of public library Accordingly, 89 percent of libraries individual/group monetary contri- services as demands for, and avail- surveyed offer Wi-Fi inside their butions, printing services, contribu- ability of, information technology libraries, 44 percent provide access tions from Friends organizations, increase. to locally produced digitized collec- and interest on investment income. The majority of PLDS librar- tions, and 71 percent use Internet The largest monetary contributions ies reported the following features filters on library computers. came from local library foundations, available through their library web- The libraries also reported on however. The largest government sites: Online Public Access Catalog modes of virtual reference services. source of income was state library (OPAC), online databases, personal- The majority of libraries (60 percent) aid and grants. Additional library ized patron accounts, and online offer reference services via e-mail, finance information is summarized reference services. Regarding the followed by online chat and instant in table 3. Table 1. Descriptive Statistics of Participating PLDS 2008 Public Libraries Number of reporting Standard libraries Minimum Maximum Total Mean deviation Circulation 869 3,794 28,925,965 1,391,106,129 1,600,812.58 2,877,446.62 In-library use of materials 326 247 8,240,524 163,650,119 501,994.23 1,051,738.59 Population of legal service area 873 884 4,018,080 178,743,812 204,746.63 375,639.47 Legal service area 761 1 44,475 585,989 770.03 2,237.91 Reference transactions 815 32 9,296,717 196,238,426 240,783.34 641,739.61 Library visits 821 1,000 16,391,516 815,904,441 993,793.47 1,731,337.55 Interlibrary loan to other libraries 856 0 667,880 13,671,600 15,971.50 45,683.42 Interlibrary loan from other libraries 854 0 808,611 13,535,584 15,849.63 49,736.40 Program attendance 865 20 1,966,632 45,178,761 52,229.78 116,303.03 Holdings 869 7,800 21,126,964 494,395,569 568,924.71 1,271,934.23 Bookmobiles 873 0 10 376 0.43 0.86 Total public service hours per month 863 16 5,230 284,517 329.68 560.03 7 march/april 2009 verso Selected Library up (see figure 2). Libraries with a thousand and lowest for populations Services by Population population under ten thousand had of one million and up (see figures approximately twice as many visits 3–5). Similarly, there is a downward The population by legal service area per capita as libraries with a popula- trend as the population increases of individual libraries influences tion of one million and up and a 50 except for a rise in libraries serving many relevant output measures. percent increase in visits per capita 500,000 to 999,999 individuals. Several of these are analyzed in as libraries with populations between The pattern for holdings per cap- figures 2–9. fifty thousand and one million. ita differed from those mentioned Library visits per capita was high- Like library visits, circulation per previously in that the drop off was est for the group of libraries with capita, percent registrations per more significant as the service area populations under five thousand capita, and holdings per capita were increased (see figure 5). Holdings and lowest for the libraries with ser- highest for populations below five per capita decreased substantially as vice populations of one million and Table 2. Frequency of the Libraries with Selected Technology Features, 2008 Number of libraries Percent of libraries (%) Total 873 100.00 Library website features: OPAC/online catalog 832 95.30 Library purchased online databases 758 86.83 Personalized patron accounts 682 78.12 Online reference services 645 73.88 Library website contents: Programming information/events calendar 836 95.76 Children’s/young adult page(s) 729 83.51 Community links 739 84.65 Library Friends’ page(s) 563 64.49 Basic library information 856 98.05 Library staff created content 631 72.28 Libraries that have website: 857 98.17 Wireless Internet access 776 88.89 Wireless extending outside the library 351 40.21 Access to locally produced digitized collections 382 43.76 Virtual reference services via: E-mail/web form 526 60.25 Chat reference 275 31.50 Instant messaging 158 18.10 Filtered Internet access: 623 71.36 Staff 507 58.08 Patron 85 9.74 public libraries 8