East Fishkill Community Library 348 Route 376 Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 845 221-9943 voice 845 226-1404 fax
What’s been going on at your library? 2011 was a busy year – We added more than 8,000 items to the collection – more than 3,000 were books and the rest were a combination of magazines, newspapers, DVDs and audio books. Our total library collection is up to a whopping 77,909 items! And they circulated a total of 243,929 times. That works out to about 9 circulations for every man, woman and child in our service area! To put that in perspective, that’s like getting nine FREE books or DVDs per person (at a cost avoidance of $225 per person)! And it doesn’t count the number of times people read magazines, newspapers and books in our building. Our computers were used about 16,000 times, which works out to almost constant use over the course of one year. Our facebook page has more than 620 ‘likes’. It’s an active page and it’s probably the best way to get current information about what’s going on at the library. In addition to the 500-plus library programs that we held, the library’s meeting rooms were home to 95 nonprofit groups, 37 of which were Scouts. Some of the library programs that generated buzz: Tai Chi, run by Hopewell resident Scott Grimes; Troubleshooting Computers, run by Stormville resident Steve Dawson; Genealogy Basics and Beyond run by members of the Dutchess County Genealogical Society; Enchanting Korea, a cultural program run by the Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project; and The East Fishkill Community Library Photography Workshop, by local resident Len Sanchez. We weeded our reference section and instead are promoting a wonderful database called CREDO. With the library’s subscription you have access to 1,164,793 full text articles in 100 reference books, from your home, always, every minute of every day and night.
Monday – Thursday 10 – 8 Friday 10 – 6 Saturday 10 – 5 Sunday Closed
What else?
2011 brought us some wonderful projects. The Friends of the East Fishkill Community Library were in good financial shape after their first year of active fund-raising and paid for an expansion to the Gallery Wall, doubling the library’s capacity to show the works of local artists. “The Gallery Wall exhibits change monthly and having twice the space gives the artists more options in the number of pieces that they can show,” said Gloria Goverman, library director. “We’re grateful that the Friends are able to support the library in this fashion. The Gallery Wall expansion also turns the corners on either side which
can draw viewers in to look at the full exhibit. What a treat this is!” The Friends also enabled the library to install a Wifi Center. Lenny Costable, the library’s custodian/ maintenance worker/carpenter and guru in all things relating to the building, constructed the tabletop for the Wifi Center from donated materials. The Friends, using a matching grant from IBM, purchased the chairs and paid for the electrical hookup. This new area has increased available seating and outlets for the library’s patrons on an everyday basis, but in the fall of 2011 it really provided shelter. In the
Kinderprep is a six week course that prepares preschoolers for kindergarten. They do this program without their parents, get comfortable with being dropped off, practice using scissors, do crafts, learn the months of the year and the days of the week, the seasons and the Pledge of Allegiance. They review the alphabet, learn how to take instruction and end with a review of the school bus and a short ride around the parking lot. In the photo they’re going out of the emergency exit of the bus.
This multimedia presentation brought to life Korea’s rich and unique cultural herita colorful art to modern Korea. After viewing a presentation including a documentary fi the reenactment of a traditional Korean wedding, participants enjoyed a traditional Ko meal prepared by members of the Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project. Work including paintings, objects, and costumes, were on display.
Is Your Life Changing? So Is Your Library’s! There have been times in history when things have changed so quickly that all of the landmarks that we use to make order out of our days just disappear. The Industrial Revolution, the birth of television, the Civil Rights Movement have all been powerful agents of change, sometimes so profound that the full significance is still being sorted out to this day. We are in the middle of such a transition; our global interconnectedness is more evident daily and we are affected by decisions that are made thousands of miles away. The Internet is the motor of the machine that moves us forward. How is your life changing? Bills are paid online or through your smart phone, letters are written without pens, birthday cards talk and books aren’t always paper. We’ve all heard how information is so bountiful and easy to access that there’s no need for libraries in this brave new world. If you own an eReader you already know the joy of taking hundreds of books with you where ever you go and having your newspaper delivered daily to your inbox knowing that there’s no clutter and not a single tree died. For some, nothing will replace the weight of a book and the feel of the paper and for others, it really doesn’t matter what the delivery system is – audio, e or paper, they’re all good. Your library has books, ebooks and audio books, downloadable content and physical content. Your library has traditional books and eReaders to take home. And your library does this not to sell you more widgets and make a huge profit, but to make your life better. Peter F. Drucker said it best: “The non-profit institution “product” is neither a pair of shoes nor an effective regulation. Its product is a changed human being.” The books change you, the databases change you, we change you and you change each other. It happens here every single day. As long as we have physical bodies we need physical places; and what better place to change a human being than a library?
Pat Moore
Board President
Gloria Goverman Director
aftermath of the Halloween Storm, when so many of our neighbors were without power, the Wifi Center was filled to capacity, allowing people to stay in touch with family, friends and coworkers and to minimize the disruption to their lives. Following the successful installation of the Wifi Center, the Friends also paid for the installation of acoustic panels/bulletin boards over the Wifi Center and in the Alley Room, giving both areas a polished look and functionality in noise reduction. It’s good to have Friends!
Source of Funds Tax Appropriation State/County Fines Grants Donations Interest & Other Income
• • • • • •
2011 $743,742 $12,767 $27,907 $$10,926 $13,802 $809,144
Use of Funds Human Resources Administrative Library Materials Utilities & Maintenance Bond Expense Bond Principal
2011 $478,622 $81,233 $108,807 $45,883 $10,362 $50,000 $774,907 $34,237
• • • • • •
Surplus
We were rigorous in monitoring our expenses and benefited from lower utility costs, saving us $10,000. On the income side, we did not budget any state funding but received $12,767 in support. In addition, donations to the library were $5,000 over budget. These one-time improvements enabled the library to operate at a surplus of $34,237.
age, from film & Korean ks of art,
You’ve Got a Friend Remember the last time you sat in a classroom and the teacher said, “Tomorrow there’ll be a quiz”? If you were like me, your thought was, “Yikes, only one day to study!” Hopefully you no longer have to take tests, but here’s a quick query for you: What do the following three items found in the library have in common? The Wi-Fi Center • The acoustic panels • The metal tracking by the ceiling that displays art work. If you’re beginning to get that sinking feeling in your stomach, fear not, because I’m going to tell you the answer. The Friends of the East Fishkill Community Library purchased those items for the library. Are you wondering, “Why did the Friends buy these items and not the library?” Good question! The answer is that the library’s budget can only be stretched so far. Thus, like the knight in shining armor, the Friends come to the rescue. The Friends of the East Fishkill Community Library is an organization that holds fundraising events throughout the year and then supports the library by funding specific projects that are developed by the staff and trustees of the library. Although a fairly new organization, we have settled into an annual calendar of events that are dependable, fun and benefit the library. For example, every spring we host an English High Tea. But, if eating scones is not literally or figuratively your cup of tea, here’s what you can do - you can become a Friend by filling out a form that is found at the library or you can go to the Friends’ web site at http://www.befriendyourlibrary.org/. Once there click on Membership Form and voilà! It’s just that easy. So, the next time you’re in the library, remember James Taylor’s famous song, You’ve Got a Friend, or better yet, become one. Carol Wall, Board Member, Friends of the Library
Eagle Scout Nails It With Project The library was the proud sponsor of an Eagle Scout project conceived and implemented by Hopewell resident Brian Keyes with the help of his family and members of Troup 182 of Freedom Plains. For his leadership project, Brian designed and built outdoor seating, creating a multi-level seating platform that incorporates organic curves into a natural and playful design. Brightly hued planters serve as accents reflecting the library’s colors of blue and green. Achieving Eagle Scout rank was the culmination of 12 years of scouting and allowed Brian to incorporate many of the skills that scouting values while presenting him with an opportunity to develop and share his personal interest in design. Brian came up with the plan for seating after walking around the grounds and identifying a need. The library now has an opportunity to use space we’ve never been able to use before. The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest achievement in scouting and is awarded to only 5 percent of scout membership. To earn this leadership award a scout must progress through five ranks , earn 25 merit badges, serve six months in a troop leadership position, plan and develop a project, take part in a Scoutmaster conference and successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review. Brian is studying industrial design at Rochester Institute of Technology and visits the library whenever he’s in town. Good job Brian!!