REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mathews Memorial Library
Bette Dillehay, Director
November 14, 2023
The report that follows outlines current administrative matters and ongoing activities that occurred during the report period.
Financial Report
Current Reporting Period
Information presented in the current financial report is a statement of resources and expenses for a two-month period ending October 31, 2023. Operational expenses for the report period totaled $16,877.46, a 3.8% decrease over FY22-23.
Salaries and Related Expenses
The amount budgeted for salaries and related benefits for FY 23/24 is $347,816, a 5% increase over FY22/23. The amount represents an allocation of $28,985 per month. To date, expenses total $122,190.39 or approximately $30,548 per month for the period July-October, 2023.
Patrons
The current count of patrons is 10,849, a slight increase of 2.47% over the previous year’s total. As stated in an earlier report, circulation of materials during the report period reflects a continued increase in the number of electronic materials circulated. During the current report period, a total of 2,357 items were circulated, of which 1,497 were in electronic format. The library continues to receive approval for the services offered, both for adults and youth. Efforts continue to identify needs of the changing profile of residents to ensure that services are both adequate and appropriate.
Projects/Programs
The library celebrated its annual Howl-A-Palooza on Saturday, October 28th. Families were invited to participate in games, a costume contest and a “trick or treat” parade along Main Street. Attendance topped 75 youth and parents All expressed thanks for a good Halloween experience.
Activities at the library continue to focus on providing opportunities to the youth of our community for both learning and entertainment through library activities. A book club for youth, ages 9-11, meets with usually 12-15 in attendance. Carol McCormack, head of youth services conducts four story time sessions a week, two on-site and two at local day care centers.
Maude Donovan, head of teen services, has been working with teens to determine activities that would increase their interest in participating in library programs. As a result, three programs have been implemented. They are: Dungeons and Dragons Club of which there are currently 6 members; Anime Club with 11 members and a mythology group with 4 regular members. Expectations are that these three groups will continue to attract new members.