Annual departmental update for the Wadleigh Memorial Library.

1. WHAT’S
HAPPENING
@ THE
WADLEIGH
2008/2009 HIGHLIGHTS

2. CIRCULATION
 Checkouts increased nearly 30% since 2005
 10% increase from 2005 to 2007 (2 yr span)
 10% increase from 2007 to 2008 (1 yr span)
 8% increase from 7/1/08 to 7/1/09
 Of particular note in 2008:
 32% increase in music
 21% increase in audiobooks
 15% increase in videos
 Loans from other libraries for Milford patrons rose by
more than 200%
 Conversely, Milford loaned out 32% fewer items to other
libraries

3. CIRCULATION GROWTH

4. PROGRAMS
 Held nearly 700 library programs in 2008
attended by over 13,000 people.
 So far this year…
 Job search seminars & networking groups
(profiled in the Nashua Telegraph 4.16.09)
 Harry Potter Party
 Teen writing club & book clubs for all ages
 Read to Feed: Summer Reading Program
(Nearly $4000--funded entirely through grants and gifts)
 English as a Second Language classes
 Computer skills workshops

5. SERVICES
Last year:
 More than 25,000 logons to our pcs
 Usage does not count our free wireless access
 Currently a 15% usage increase over this time last year
 Over 30,000 searches using our databases
 Increase of 122% in one year
 More than 13,000 reference questions answered
 Nearly 3,000 residents used our meeting rooms
 Reservations by Milford community groups up 12%
*********
2008 Town vote restored Friday afternoon hours

6. FACILITIES
We continue to address current building issues to
lower cost of future addition/renovation project.
Panic alarm system upgraded
New carpeting installed (no taxpayer funds used)
New furnishings for Reference, YA area, Lobby, and
Reading Room area (no taxpayer funds used)
Main floor bathrooms to receive new “equipment”
Exterior doors to be replaced

7. BOARD & STAFF
 Longtime trustee Sandra Hardy resigned & Kristie
Popp was voted in to take her place.
 Katie Spofford, our Young Adult Librarian
completed her MLS degree in December.
 New staff members include Stephanie Vore-Apple
and Theresa Shea (Library Pages).
 Olga Romanenko promoted to Library Assistant.

8. NEEDS
Staffing levels
 Since 2005, circulation has increased nearly 25%
 Since 2005, our FTE has only risen 8%
 (2005 FTE=11.4 / 2009 FTE=12.3)
 Demand on staff has increased exponentially in last 4 years
Ramifications
 Children’s Room unattended ¼ of the time (liability issue)
 Reference Desk unattended ¼ of the time
 Longer waits for materials & assistance
 Technology maintenance & improvement delays
 Staff is overextended & overwhelmed

9. NEEDS
Space
 Current building designed to serve pop. of 12,000
 At 15,000+ town residents, we’re currently serving 25% more
than what we should be serving
Ramifications
 Turning people away from programs & meeting room space
 Young Adult, Children’s, Reference/PC & Audiovisual areas all
vastly undersized for current usage
 No “quiet space” for reading or studying
 Often no seating or computers available
 Moving all furniture out of Children’s Room to hold our biggest
programs

10. SOLUTIONS
 Staffing levels
 Proposed addition of 20-30 staffing hours
 Additional cost would run $13,250-$19,875/year
 Explore costs of self-check unit
 Space needs
 To date we have done everything physically possible to
better utilize space including re-arranging furnishings &
materials and “weeding” the collection
 We are investigating installing doors to the Children’s Room
entrance to lessen the noise heard throughout stacks and
Reading Room areas
 Currently on the CIP for a 2012 vote on a renovation &
building addition

11. WHAT’S THE LIBRARY WORTH
TO THE COMMUNITY?

13. CONCLUSIONS
 People turn to their communities even more in times of need.
This is documented in stories which have appeared on
television, the radio, and in every major newspaper in the U.S.
 Staffing levels were inadequate to meet the demand for services
before the economy crashed. Now we are simply in triage
mode. We need additional staffing hours.
 We will continue to explore inventive ways to streamline
services and use our existing space efficiently.
 Despite estimates on the low end of the scale, Milford residents
are getting 4x as much in return for every $1 they invest in their
Library. Can we say as much about our 401k’s?
7.13.2009