Letter From Gloria and Pat
Summer 2013
East Fishkill Community Library
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HOURS Mon-Thurs: 10-8 Friday: 10-6 Saturday: 10-5 Sunday: Closed
348 Route 376 Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 845-221-9943 • 845-226-1404 fax
ur library has been growing and reinventing itself for decades and it’s time, past time actually, for a new invention. Ironically, our new idea is really a very old one. We need a dedicated Children’s Room. We need it for the children, their parents and siblings and for the adults who are at the library without children. Why? Because although we’re a community library and we welcome everyone with the same smiles, we have observed that while everyone is equally welcome to use the space, users have conflicting needs. Children want to act like children, which gets noisy. Their parents often want to connect with other parents while adults who come without children want to apply for jobs, read, relax, and do research in a quieter space. A dedicated Children’s Room will benefit all of our patrons. Think about some of the benefits; new shelving on castors in the children’s area so that we can rearrange the space to match the day’s activities; relocation of children’s crafts and story times into their own space with kiddie-size furniture which is more comfortable and safer; a redesigned adult non-fiction area that is near the adult fiction section, bringing all adult books together; additional seating areas for adults for quiet reading; replacing items that are nearing the end of their useful life, such as floor coverings and paint. With the children’s programs being held in the dedicated space the library will be able to oper-
ate more efficiently as there will no longer be a need to set-up and breakdown meeting rooms for children’s programming, a savings of about five hours per week of professional time. This will also free up our meeting rooms for other purposes. This IS a win/win, benefitting children, adults, library staff, community groups and taxpayers! However, it will take money to become a reality. Our community is very fortunate to have an independent group of “champions” and library advocates, Friends of the East Fishkill Community Library (http://www.befriendyourlibrary.org/) who have accepted the challenge to raise the needed funds for this project. If you are passionate about our library, we ask you to be open to supporting them in this effort. What’s left? We are a very busy library – we are in the top tier of patron activity in the entire 66 library Mid-Hudson Library System. We also are in a community with a very high number of residents who commute south to work. Our patrons are telling us that there is a high demand for our library to be open 7 days a week. As we develop our 2014 budget, please note that expanding our hours will have a very high priority. Expanding our hours will not be cost free but with our history of being one of the most fiscally efficient libraries in the area, we are committed to bringing a proposal to the public that responds to the needs of our community with the least amount of cost to the taxpayer. Our community is growing, our library is growing. As we move forward, you will be seeing the slogan: “Proud Heritage, Bright Future.” And doesn’t that say it all?
Patrick C. Moore President
Gloria W. Goverman Director
THE PATIO IS OPEN This spring we have finally been able to open the patio for use by patrons. It took a while, but we think it was worth the wait. The patio was always envisioned to be a place where people could gather. It was created in 2000 when the library expanded. Then, in 2004 a very generous donor contributed the funds for the installation of the stamped concrete flooring. In 2007 we were approached by Boy Scout Michael Lynch for a project that would benefit the library that he could use for his Eagle Scout project. We asked Michael to make a path from the side entrance to the patio gate. No sooner said than done! The following summer, Michael and his troop had done a fantastic job and he joined the proud ranks of Eagle Scouts and the library had a beautiful winding path. In 2011, Boy Scout Brian Keyes designed and built a beautiful curving seating area for reading and catching the sun. Another Eagle Scout and another element added to the patio. And then last year, Boy Scout Jonathan Baker did his Eagle Scout project. He pulled up all of the previous unsuccessful attempts to create a garden, laid landscaping material and put in rubber mulch. He also built two planters and, in a lovely echo of an earlier project, added some evergreens. We love the new space. It is clean and spare and peaceful.
This year, we cut a few pennies from here and there and purchased four outdoor patio chairs, two ottomans and some outdoor throw pillows. And the space was ready. Rules – yes, we have a few. Please be sure that you check out your library materials before going out to the patio. Please don’t leave any garbage outside. And please enjoy the new beautiful space. PS – check out the birdhouse that was made by Cub Scout Pack 48/Wolf Den 14!! The vision of three young men over five years allowed us to build upon the gift of the original donor to create a patio that is finally just perfect.
That’s What Friends Are For Does this Burt Bacharach title sound familiar? You might’ve even sung along with Dionne Warwick to this melody. Well, we the Friends of the East Fishkill Community Library are here for you, the community, and the library staff. Our board of ten is the fundraising arm of the library. What do we do? We raise monies for the library’s needs that the budget does not cover. For example, we recently spent $1,800 for three new computers that the library desperately needed. In previous years we’ve worked with Carol Wall is a founding member of the Friends and the library to expand the Gallery Wall, install a is the Chair of the Fundraising Committee for the Wifi Café and acoustical fabric panels. new Children’s Room initiative So what’s next? We’re joining with the library to fund the new dedicated Children’s Room and consolidation of the adult collection. It’s the unanimous opinion of the Friends Board that these changes will impact all patrons of the library for the better and we have happily agreed to initiate some major fund-raising activities in support. So for starters, if you would like to become a Friend, you can go to the circulation desk and request a membership form. Or, you can go to our website which is www.befriendyourlibrary.org where you’ll find lots of information about us in addition to a membership form. Oh, in case you’ve forgotten, the song ends, “In good times, and bad times, I’ll be on your side forever more, that’s what Friends are for.”
Featured Artwork Every month the library showcases information about Hudson Valley historic sites or unique work done by local artists and craftspeople. The photographs to the left feature the work of Val Hafner who shared his remarkable paper sculptures of musicians and acrobats. Also pictured is the work of award-winning felt artist Luanne Donnadio who loaned her felt dolls and animals. And finally, Faith Adams, potter extraordinaire, showed her porcelain tea sets and plates which incorporate line drawings on pastel glazed pottery. This is just a small sampling of our exhibitions which give our patrons a window into our neighborhoods and a peek into the artists’ studio.
East Fishkill Community Librar Library
Some Changes to the Property and Building Over the last year we made some improvements to the building and grounds. The funny thing about change – on Day 1 after a change is made everyone looks around and asks what’s different. By Day 2, everyone acclimates and the space looks ‘normal’. SHELVING Last March, we added eight shelving units, one on the end of each stack of adult fiction. It was a colossal job because not only did we have to move every single book, we also had to slide all of the units down to make room for the new units! We had to remove thousands of books (in order), move them to the side, (in order), and put them back after the empty shelving was moved. Our custodian measured and lined up the units so that they were all even and he rolled them on dowels. Then, the staff put the books back, (in order), and started over with a new section. Then our custodian installed the new unit and put the ends back on. We could have hired someone to do this – it would have gone a bit faster and easier, but would have cost a few thousand dollars, so our amazing staff came in and we did it in a day. Kudos!! We also added additional shelves to the DVD collection and one additional unit to the New Book area. That went a lot easier and it gained us some additional space for audio books and DVDs. We’ll keep looking for ideas to make more room for popular and expanding collections. GROUNDS CLEAN UP Last September, we were the lucky recipients of a grounds cleanup by the Friends of the East Fishkill Library. They gathered together several master gardeners, a cadre of volunteers with wheelbarrows, gloves, pruners and energy and they spent the day cutting, pruning, pulling and mulching. And did we mention that the Town of East Fishkill donated approximately 9 yards of mulch? It was a wonderful day – even though it rained intermittently. And the best part was that the Friends received $3,000 from IBM through their On Demand Community grant program. And not only was the hard work noticeable in the fall, now that its spring, the foliage is coming in so beautifully. Nice job!! continued
GREEN HAND DRIERS In the public bathrooms (yes, just what everyone wants to talk about!) we installed new HEPA Dyson Airblade hand dryers. First of all, the really great thing about them is that they were donated, a cost avoidance of over $4,000. The Airblade has a HEPA filter, is more energy efficient and uses technology to dry your hands quickly and without actually touching the unit, reducing the chance of coming into contact with bacteria. It will dry your hands in 12 seconds using cool air running at 400 MPH and shut off as soon as you remove your hands from the unit which reduces the cost per year to run. CPR/AED TRAINING Because the library has an External Automated Defibrillator (AED), we are required by New York State to have staff trained in its use and in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) . We are trained by The American Heart Association at Dutchess Community College. In the past, we have applied for, and gotten, a grant from John T. Sloper Community Fund of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. This time, however, we asked for a tad more money so that we could also train members of the community in CPR and proper AED use. We are proud to say that after training, 30 members of the community passed their CPR/AED training with ying colors. Of these, 11 were staff members. We’re grateful to the American Heart Association and the John T. Sloper Fund for allowing us to be agents of positive change!
OUR BUDGET Careful monitoring along with unanticipated income and lower-than-expected expenses allowed the library to operate at a surplus of $30,000.
Source of Funds Using Actuals Tax appropriation State Fines Donations Grants Interest & other Income
2012 $765,672 $7,195 $25,738 $11,591 $200 $15,226 $825,622
1% 3% 1% 2%
93%
Use of Funds Using Actuals Human Resources Administrative Library Materials Utilities and Maintenance Bond Expense Bond Principal
2012 $477,480 $82,317 $119,799 $57,291 $8,675 $50,000 $795,562 $30,060
surplus 11%
60% 15%
E-READERS We have two Nooks and two Kindles that are pre-loaded with books and ready to roll. Just call the library (221-9943 ext 0) and ask to reserve one.
7% 6%
1%
East Fishkill Community Librar Library
Lenny Costable started working at the East Fishkill Community Library in December 1989. At the time he was working for the Mahopac School District and also had a home business doing commercial cleaning. Word of mouth/ grapevine things happened and Lenny was asked if he would be interested in cleaning the library as part of his regular customer base. He was glad to be asked. “I said, sure, it’s in my backyard” Lenny said when retelling this favorite story. After a while, as he got promotions at the school district, eventually becoming Director of Facilities in 1995, Lenny gave up his cleaning business, building by building. Except the library. That, he kept and has been coming in daily for 24 years. Lenny Costable standing in the staff Lenny’s background was in construction but he’s one of room in front of the kitchen cabinets those people who learns exponentially and can do just about that he built in 2000 anything he puts his attention to, so his work at the library went from cleaning to carpentry, to electric work and plumbing. And he oversees all the maintenance and repair when bigger jobs are required. If you ask Lenny what he’s passionate about though, you might be surprised at the response. His eyes light up and he starts to talk about product lines, trade shows, light bulbs and green cleaning. “We started with 40 watt bulbs and are now down to 28 watt bulbs. They’re much more efficient and save money and resources” said Lenny. “It started when Governor Pataki signed the Green Clean bill which went into effect in 2006 to promote indoor health in public schools. We don’t need to be spraying chemicals around. Green cleaning is the right thing to do.” Ask Lenny about hand dryers. “You can stick any dryer on the wall but that’s not always good. The Dyson dryers – they’re very energy efficient and are the only dryers, as far as I know, that have HEPA filters.” Lenny works whenever the library isn’t open, often coming in at 5:00 AM, once to discover a broken water heater that was pouring out water at a ferocious pace. If he hadn’t been there it would have been another 24 hours or more before anyone would have discovered the problem and there would have been thousands of dollars of damage. Lenny is also first on the emergency call list when the monitoring company gets a burglar or low temperature signal. When asked why he volunteered to be first on the call list, Lenny said, “I don’t mind jumping out of bed at 2:00 in the morning. I like feeling responsible for this building. It’s such a positive place. Funny, I’m not a library guy, but I love this place. It’s been a part of my life. “ spotlight on
Lenny Costable
Highlights of the YEAR •
Therapy Dogs – Kona and Brendan!!
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Food Drive • Toy Drive
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Collected Pet Food
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Keurig Coffee
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Summer Reading for Grownups
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Summer Reading for Kids
East Fishkill Community Librar Libraryy