REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mathews Memorial Library
Bette Dillehay, Director
November 13, 2012
This report is intended to provide the chairman and members of the Board of Trustees with a report of activities during the period ending November 13, 2012.
It is worth noting that on November 11, 2012 (Sunday), the Mathews Memorial Library marked the 75th anniversary of its dedication held on November 1l, 1937. The library, which had officially opened in 1935, was dedicated as a memorial to the men of Mathews who had served in World War I.
Financial Report
Operating expenses for the report period totaled $10,010.84. This includes payment of $3,324.00 to Auto-graphics $2,624.92 to Untangle for an updated network security system. The payment to Autographics is an annual subscription fee for the online cataloging system while the replacement of the security system was precipitated by several factors, including the addition of a backup network service through MetroCast and the cessation of system support by the provider.
Donations totaling $300.00 for program support have been submitted to the Treasurer.
Information maintained by the Office of the County Administrator regarding salaries and related benefits was received for the period ending October 15th, including payments for the months July, August and September. Total expenses for the period are $55,803.25 or 24.3% of total budget ($229,726).
Personnel
Missy Whaley, head of youth services, has submitted her resignation, effective November 26, 2012. Ms. Whaley has been a valuable addition to the staff, and it is with regret that her resignation is accepted.
Bibliostat
The library is required to provide an annual statistical report of all library activities to the Library of Virginia. Completion of the survey is a requirement to receive State Grants in Aid. The report was prepared and submitted on November 8 in advance of the deadline of November 16. Information submitted is certified by the County Administrator.
Patron Update
The total number of patrons now stands at 9,908, with 92 new patrons added overall during the report period. Our goal is to reach 10,000 by year-end.
eBook Stats
During the report period, there were 1,977 items loaned in comparison to 3,146 loaned during the same period a year ago. The decline is most obvious in both adult and juvenile fiction. To date, the library has provided 251 of its patrons with access to eBooks. During the report period, 45 of them checked out 130 titles. For the new audio service, One Click Digital, 34 patrons are registered and during the same period, checked out 27 titles (consortium-wide).
Halloween Program
The response to the activities associated with "Pumpkins on Main" was less than hoped for. The program was jointly sponsored by the Main Street Committee and the library. It featured a variety of activities involving merchants and children, culminating in a party at the library, which was attended by 32 young people.
Coming Events
Author Event. A prolific and successful author, David Robbins, will be appearing at the library on Tuesday, November 20th at 4 p.m. in the afternoon. He will be discussing his most recent book, The Devil's Waters, to be released tomorrow. The book is his tenth work to be published and is an adventure story involving Somali pirates.
Deck the Halls. Once again the library is planning a festive opening for the coming holiday season. Deck the Halls will take place on Sunday, December 2nd from 2 to 4 p.m. This year's theme is "Home for the Holidays." Associated with the tree trimming event will be several other events, including those listed on the attached news release.