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BUILDING ON SUCCESS
THE GRADE LEVEL READING CAMPAIGN
WINTER 2018
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Building on Success ANDREW BREIDENBAUGH, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES
The 2020 Vision Strategic Plan was published setting
In the coming year we will focus on training and
the service framework for our next few years. It has
security, keeping new initiatives to a minimum. We
been a successful year with our new classifications and
will continue to strengthen our ties to local
the elimination of library fines and cash handling.
organizations that share goals with the library and
Passport application services continue to grow in
enhance our participation in the community.
popularity. We started circulating wifi hotspots and preparing for the next generation of customer
As you get ready for a few well-deserved days off,
interaction with our collection - HCPLC Connect.
I want to wish each of you Happy Holidays! No matter which holiday you are celebrating - or if
We have also taken steps to improve our footprint in
you are just relaxing at home - enjoy and be safe!
the community. Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library opened for a community that has
Thank you for your dedication and hard work in
waited nearly 20 years for this library to be completed.
making our library a great success and a vital asset
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Public Library is approaching
to Hillsborough County.
substantial completion and the design work for Riverview Branch Library is complete and ready for construction. We have also secured the funding for the initial phases of replacing Brandon Regional Library in the next few years.
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We Are Constantly Adapting DAVID WULLSCHLEGER, MANAGER OF LIBRARY OPERATIONS A few months ago we opened the new Arthenia L.
Over the years we’ve either renovated, replaced,
Joyner University Area Community Library and in the
expanded, or built new libraries in order to provide
coming months we’ll open the new C. Blythe Andrews,
the types of spaces necessary to meet evolving needs
Jr. Public Library. We’ll also be starting construction on
– enclosed children’s spaces; community meeting
a new building to replace the Riverview Branch Library
rooms and multi-purpose rooms in various sizes for
and begin looking for a site for a replacement
quiet, reflective learning, collaboration, or tutoring;
Brandon Regional Library. Why? We are constantly
makerspaces for creative exploration and learning;
adapting.
recording studios; space for circulating collections
and special archives; space for our Friends of the
Our 2020 Vision Strategic Plan emphasizes that our
Library partners; all with convenient locations and
libraries must be adaptable so they can continue to
ample parking.
provide convenient access to information resources as they keep pace with the social, economic, and technological changes in the world around us.
Our libraries must remain central places in our communities for people to "Discover, Engage, and Transform."
Our progress continues with these projects beginning this year: Renovation of the Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library to create an enclosed children’s area, various multi-purpose rooms, and additional seating. Installation of solar power systems at seven libraries to showcase and educate the community on solar energy technology and to reduce TECO bills. Preservation and digitization of the prints and negatives of the Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection so it can remain a community treasure for years to come. Reconfiguration of the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library parking lot to improve pedestrian access to the building and improve traffic flow for general parking, the drive-up window, book returns, and covered drop-off. Renovation of landscaping throughout the library system by repairing irrigation systems and enhancing or replacing plant materials.
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Importance of Merchandising the Collection RENELDA SELLS, MANAGER OF LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY & COLLECTIONS
Each year an increasing number of customers choose to virtually interact with the library through many of the online resources. Our data indicates that 51% of that circulation still comes from customers who choose to check out the books, magazines, movies, and other physical items found on the shelves in each of your libraries.
Benefits of Merchandising Enhances the customer experience Motivates discovery Drives circulation
One of the priorities of the 2020 Vision Strategic Plan is to facilitate access to information and resources of all kinds and support community interests by offering a variety of popular print, audio, visual, and digital materials. The work however does not end with the selection and purchase of materials. First impressions matter when customers visit the library, and merchandising our collection with professional displays is paramount to establishing ourselves as the place where people go to discover books. Libraries have typically just placed their materials on book shelves with an occasional display of new books and waited for the people to come. In this age of easy online access we must be proactive about promoting our
Good visual merchandising with attractive and well-managed displays is a priority and it is everyone’s responsibility.
product and strive to be a book discovery service. We must give customers a reason for visiting the library to find something they didn’t know they wanted.
It takes a team to make it happen. 4
The Grade-Level Reading Campaign LORIE TONTI, MANAGER OF LIBRARY LEARNING EXPERIENCES Many (if not all) of you already know that Summer Reading is one of our busiest times of the year, especially in regards to children’s programming. Many of you also know that Early Literacy classes have year-round high attendance at most of our locations. What you may not be aware of is why offering library programming for children is so incredibly important, and how it impacts our community. It’s actually quite simple – the short answer is:
Reading is a fundamental skill that impacts every aspect of a child's academic success and is a key component for quality of life. The longer, more involved answer addresses gradelevel reading. The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a national initiative that was launched to reverse the alarming rate of children (67% nationally, 80% of those are from low-income families) who are not proficient readers by the end of 3rd grade. In the 2017-2018 school year, only 52% of Hillsborough County Public School (HCPS) 3rd grade students were at or above grade-level as measured by school testing standards. The district literacy goal as outlined in the Comprehensive Reading Plan for the 2018 school year is that 56% of students in grades 3-10 will be at or above grade-level. By offering free engaging, educational classes and
What are our libraries doing to support the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading? Early Literacy classes help families become ready to support their children’s learning, and help children get ready for school by providing the essential skills they need to begin to learn how to read. Summer Reading activities help children stay engaged in learning, which prevents learning loss. This “Summer Slide” has a huge impact on children’s academic success. If children are not engaged with learning activities over the summer, up to two months of learning is lost. This is cumulative, so by 6th grade, students who do not engage in summer learning could be up to two years behind those who do. Community Initiatives such as MILO (Mobile Interactive Literacy Opportunity), with the Junior League of Tampa, and Read to Dream: The John Germany Young Readers Initiative, with the Hillsborough County Bar Association and HCPS, provides reading opportunities to at-risk children and get books into their hands to help them build their home libraries.
events for children, accessible to all, we aim to increase school readiness skills and prevent summer reading loss. Hopefully this helps move the needle towards grade-level reading proficiency.
HAAL Pass provides full library access to all HCPS students using only their lunch number, removing barriers for children who may not have the opportunity to obtain a traditional library card.
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How does grade-level reading affect communities? Reading proficiency by 3rd grade is the most important predictor of high school graduation and career success. If not addressed, high school dropout rates will increase and these children may not be prepared to successfully enter the workforce, participate in higher education, or succeed in growing our economy. The likelihood of incarceration also correlates to high school graduation rates. Here’s a snapshot of the economic impact of grade-level reading in our community:
The Cost of Below Grade-Level Reading-------------------------------Our 3rd Grade Population At-Risk Readers in Our Community (25%) 16% of At-Risk Readers Drop Out of High School Value of a High School Diploma Minimum Wage Value Lost to OUR Community % of High School Dropouts in Prison Number of OUR 3rd Graders Destined for Prison Cost of Minimum Security Prison Future Cost of OUR 3rd Graders in Prison Total Future Annual Cost of OUR At-Risk 3rd Graders
15,801 3,950 632 $10,386 $6,593,952 60% 379 $18,476 $7,002,404 $13,566,356
The Consequence of Dropping Out of High School (Oct, 2009). Center for Labor Markets. The Price of Prisons: What Incarceration Costs Taxpayers (Jan, 2012). VERA Institute of Justice.
So while planning and implementing those approximately 8,000 youth programs each year, please remember...
the impact that you are all making in the lives of those children, and in our community as a whole, matters.
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What does HCPLC Mean to You? CHELY CANTRELL, MANAGER OF LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT
them
This is us
At first glance you may say “it’s our logo” or “it stands for Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.” You may see it as the branding we put on our flyers and posters that is also conveniently our web address. How often do we stop and ask what that “logo” or “brand” actually represents? We are accosted by logos in our daily life. They are flashed in commercials, sewn into our clothing, wrapped around the food we eat, and plastered across social media. I’m sure that the majority of them fly past you without a second thought. Some, however, make their way into your shopping carts and homes continually over the course of years. These brands speak to you and have an emotional connection that encourages you to make them a part of your daily life. This is the relationship we work to establish with our customers. As library employees we serve as brand ambassadors each day. We add value and meaning to that group of letters in our logo. This goes beyond emails, flyers, and social media posts and is the physical and emotional bridge to our brand that is built. Your daily interactions and engagement with the community go from transactional to transformational. These are the memories and feelings that become attributed to our brand and help to make HCPLC a household name.
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Why are we doing this anyway? JACQUELYN ZEBOS, DIVISION MANAGER, LIBRARY PUBLIC SERVICES
It is good sometimes to take a step back and shift our focus away from the space between our work and its product. So many transactions take place every day in our libraries that it is easy to get lost in the details of the paper jams in the copiers, the newspapers that don’t arrive, the searches for some missing item, the double booked meeting rooms, or the crowded story times. But it is because of those things that something vitally important is happening. It is each of those transactions, and the thousand others like them, that lead to a transformation for our users. Their interactions with you, and with the library’s collections and services, are the space where the change takes place.
Our customers have told us that our libraries make a profound and positive impact on their quality of life, that we are a force for incredible good in our community, that we are a resource and a refuge.
That is the transformation that is the product of our work. That is what is on the other side of that space. It is why we focus so much on top notch customer service. Being architects of something like that isn’t easy, but our service philosophy is to try to err on the side of the customer, to be flexible in their favor, to keep in mind that the things we have are for them to use, and to always try to get to the positive outcome if we can. Why? Because doing that really well increases the quantity and quality of the magic that happens in that space. I feel privileged to be a part of that and I hope that you do too. 8