2010
ANNUAL REPORT To The Partners
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d n a y r a r ib L f o s r a e Celebrating 22 Y a a t r e lb A n r e t s a e h t u o in S ip h s r e n t r a P n io t a m or
Message from the Chair of the SLS Board of Trustees I am pleased to present the Shortgrass Library Systems 2010 Annual Report to our partners. The Board is comprised of representatives from our member municipalities, the Medicine Hat Public Library Resource Centre, as well as a Ministerial Appointee. The established 3 year business plan (Plan of Service) is used to direct the collective work of the Board, and the staff of Shortgrass Library System, in supporting the work of our member municipalities and libraries. In June, 2010, Dwight Nagel resigned as Chair of the Shortgrass Library System Board after five years of service. I was fortunate to be elected as Chair in his place and I want to thank him for his dedicated service. He was a tremendous asset to the Shortgrass Library System. I’m looking forward to serving Shortgrass and our member libraries with distinction and welcome the challenges and opportunities that await us in 2011. Shortgrass continues to provide excellent library support services to our member libraries, as well as our contract partners Medicine Hat School District #76 and Prairie Rose School Division #8. There were some changes at Shortgrass in 2010. Julia Reinhart, CEO, left in the fall to join the Alberta Public Library Electronic Network (APLEN) in Edmonton. The October municipal elections resulted in some turnover on the board. Eight of our thirteen trustees changed this fall. The new trustees bring great enthusiasm and varied experience to the Shortgrass Board. Bob Batchelder, Assistant CEO, valiantly stepped into the position of acting CEO while the Board undertook a search for the new CEO. The Board is grateful to Bob for guiding the organization through the transition. Our wonderful staff at Shortgrass kept the organization running smoothly and we appreciate their hard work and dedication to Shortgrass. On behalf of the Shortgrass Library System Board, I would like to thank our partners for their continued support. It is because of them that Shortgrass is able to work successfully with our libraries and their patrons in Southeastern Alberta. Kathi Herman Chair, SLS Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees
The Shortgrass Library System is governed by a Board of Trustees composed of appointed representatives of each member municipality, a Ministerial appointment, plus a representative for the Medicine Hat Public Library Resource Center. 2010 was a transition year for the Shortgrass Board with many individuals serving on the Board and as Chairs of the Board and Committees. We thank and salute these individuals for their efforts on behalf of Shortgrass: Shortgrass Board Chairs: Dwight Nagel and Kathi Herman Shortgrass Board Vice-Chair: Martin Shields Chair, Programs & Services Committee: Kathi Herman, Wayne Daniels and John Brocklesby Chair, Finance & Personnel Committee: Rosalie Stromsmoe and Doug Henderson
Shortgrass Board Trustees in 2010: • Brent Burton • Jennifer Coombs • Robert Dumanowski • Yoko Fujimoto • Larry Jasperson
• Laura Kasdorf • Dwight Kilpatrick • Les Pearson • Anne Marie Philipsen
• Tom Rose • Les Schmidt • Miranda These • John Weatherhead • Craig Widmer
Front Row (from left): John Brocklesby, Kathi Herman, Doug Henderson, Jennifer Coombs. Back Row (from left): Tom Rose, Craig Widmer, Dwight Kilpatrick, Les Pearson. Absent with Regrets: Brent Burton, Wayne Daniels, Robert Dumanowski, Yoko Fujimoto, Larry Jasperson, Laura Kasdorf, Dwight Nagel, Anne Marie Philipsen, Les Schmidt, Martin Shields, Rosalie Stromsmoe, Miranda These, and John Weatherhead.
Leadership Team The implementation of the Board of Trustees’ Plan of Service and the Board’s policies that establish the direction and goals for SLS are the responsibility of the leadership team: Julia Reinhart - CEO/Director Bob Batchelder - Assistant Director, Technical Services This team was supported by a capable staff of 15.36 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) members.
“Sharing is our Game”
The Shortgrass Library System works for member municipalities to: • Improve resources available to municipal residents through sharing • Make cost-effective use of community resources by sharing • Reduce duplication of services by sharing • Provide the same access to information services in rural municipalities as their large urban counterparts by sharing • Support individuals, communities, economic growth, and quality of life by sharing
Who Do We Serve? Member Municipalities (11) • Town of Bassano • Town of Bow Island • City of Brooks • County of Forty Mile No. 8
• Cypress County • Village of Foremost • City of Medicine Hat • Town of Redcliff
• Village of Rosemary • Village of Tilley • County of Newell No. 4
Other Contracted Partners • Medicine Hat School District No. 76 • Prairie Rose School Division No. 8 Population Served: The total population for the municipalities SLS served in 2010 was 101,593. This represents 99% of the population of the geographic region SLS encompasses.
Plan of Service The Plan of Service for 2008-2010 details the Key Directions for Shortgrass Library System. The Key Directions define the most important actions Shortgrass must accomplish in order to be successful in fulfilling its Mission. Key Directions focus the resources of the Shortgrass Library System on doing the right things at the right time and doing them well. • Leadership and Governance • Advocacy and Public Relations • Member Services
• Staff Development and Training • Service Expansion • Innovative Practices
Key Happenings in 2010 In 2010, the Bibliographic Services Section of Shortgrass Library System Headquarters underwent a major renovation to provide better workspaces. This renovation project was funded through a Community Initiatives Program (CIP) grant. The CIP grant was also used to reorganize the computer room and network infrastructure to accommodate changes in hardware and network technology that have taken place over the last few years. A new cargo van, primarily used for delivering library materials to member libraries and contract partners, was purchased through CIP grant funding. 2010 saw the arrival of e-Books and e-Audiobooks in Shortgrass Member Libraries through Overdrive. Use of these electronic library resources continues to increase as more patrons switch to e-Readers.
SLS 2010 Parade Float
SLS emphasized awareness of system services in several ways, including: visiting MLAs and member municipal councils, participating in the 25th Annual Brooks and District Chamber of Commerce Trade Show and entering several local parades with a float based on the TD Summer Reading Club theme “Destination Jungle.”
Shortgrass introduced the BookMyne app for iPhones in 2010, allowing users to search the Shortgrass catalogue, renew items, place and cancel hold requests, check their library account details, and navigate the library website. It will even find a participating library via the iPhone’s GPS. Shortgrass was the first library system in western Canada to make BookMyne available to patrons. We’re proud to bring new technology, like BookMyne, to our patrons to encourage mobile access to our libraries. Beginning 2010, our member libraries have telephone messaging available as an option to notify patrons of holds and overdue items. The automated telephone messaging system is freeing up a significant amount of staff time. A new Plan of Service was developed and approved by the Board in September 2010, to cover 2011-2013. This Plan of Service guides the work of Shortgrass and clearly outlines our commitment of service to Member Libraries. Shortgrass added the ConsumerReports.org database to the resources available to member libraries. 2010 is the 3rd year for the RISE project and the videoconferencing network was used regularly for a variety of sessions. As we continue to distribute information about the project, we are seeing increases in the number of sessions offered, as well as attendance at the sessions provided. In the fall of 2010, Julia Reinhart left her position as CEO of Shortgrass. Assistant Director, Bob Batchelder, assumed the duties of acting CEO from October 1st, 2010 to the end of the year. During the fall, the Shortgrass Board implemented a search process, which culminated in the hiring of Petra Mauerhoff as the new Shortgrass CEO, effective January 1st, 2011.
Thanks to our Bibliographic Services Staff
From the left: Jackie Hope-Hammel, Dyan Bryksa, Blaine Heglund, Phyllis Worrall (Assistant Bibliographic Services Manager), Eileen Davis (Bibliographic Services Manager), Liz Alexander, Peggy Curthoys, Norman Stewart Absent with regrets: Val Ogden
Key Statistics for Public Libraries • Items purchased for libraries: 20,876 • Items catalogued and processed for libraries (including donated items): 23,808 • Total items in system catalogue: 435,765 • Annual per capita materials allotment: $4.15 • Total items circulated: 789,133 • Total items moved among libraries: 140,928 • Total virtual visits to SLS and member library websites: 394,560 • Total holds placed: 82,970 • Electronic database resources: 40
“Libraries are the same size when connected.”
115,452
Special Grants
“
100%
0.96%
3.23%
0.00%
6.67%
0.96%
8.23%
1,790,074
29,775
27,790
16,134
147,890
18,260
107,431
925,774
”
100%
1.66%
1.55%
0.90%
8.26%
1.02%
6.00%
51.72%
Libraries build communities
1,729,846
16,494
Other Revenue
TOTAL
55,828
APLEN Grants
0.00
16,690
ILS/Data Communications Reimbursement
Establishment Grants
142,348
Contract Revenue
50.30%
28.89%
870,154
$517,020
Municipalities/ Member Libraries
29.65%
$512,880
Provincial Grants
18,441 16,959 142,348 98,966 96,229 64,184 59,690
Advertising / Promotion Board Services Contract Expenses Building Expenses Capital Expenditures Other Excess
1,729,846
62,200
Resource Sharing / Rural Services Payment
TOTAL
47.78%
826,595
SLS Services to Member Libraries
100%
3.45%
3.71%
5.56%
5.72%
8.23%
0.98%
1.07%
3.60%
19.90%
Purchase of Library Materials $344,234
Year 2009 Year 2009
Year 2009 Year 2009
Year 2010 Year 2010
HOW DO WE DIRECT OUR FUNDS?
HOW ARE WE FUNDED?
Financial Summary
1,790,074
46,568
129,745
149,246
60,413
107,431
13,847
14,996
62,200
852,410
$353,218
100%
2.60%
7.25%
8.34%
3.37%
6.00%
0.77%
0.84%
3.47%
47.63%
19.73%
Year 2010 Year 2010
Shortgrass Library System 2375 - 10th Avenue S.W. Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 8G2 Phone: (403) 529-0550 Fax: (403) 528-2473 www.shortgrass.ca Email: director@shortgrass.ca