New Library in Carson City

2011-09-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks very much for the comment- our number one priority is to raise the money in the Library Foundation's Capital Campaign- if all goes well we expect shovels in the ground by mid 2012 and open in late 2014.

The next steps to the new Knowledge + Discovery Center

2011-09-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

Last night the Carson City Supervisors voted 4-1 to move the City Center project forward- creating a real roadmap to opening the doors of the new Knowledge + Discovery Center.

First of all a big thank you to the entire Board of Supervisors- the hard work and difficulty of being an elected public official should never be underestimated- for many issues- and this one in particular- the emotions have run high- and decisions needing to be made have been difficult. I also sincerely thank everyone who spoke at this meeting and all the public meetings over the past few years- I believe about a dozen meetings for this project- each of them with significant public comment, input, questions and concerns about the project.

Issues that create divergent opinions may not be easy but they do demonstrate what a great country we live in where the public's business is debated and decided in an open forum. After many hours of public input I want to particularly emphasize the two speakers last night who said lets now move forward and work together which is very profound advice- that we will follow.

We now have much work to do- in particular a capital campaign to raise significant private funds for the new Knowledge + Discovery Center. The beautiful conceptual design in keeping with the Carson City motto- "proud of its past- confident of its future"- can be viewed here:

http://carsoncitykdc.com

We also have much work on the functions and spaces of the library and would very much like to hear from the community what they want "in" the library- how we integrate services and resources and make it the best it can be for everyone on our community- so please comment with your ideas.

Finally thank you to the community- Carson City is a wonderful city and one I am so proud to represent as your Library Director.

Library Changes

2011-04-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

As we celebrate National Library Week I wanted to let everyone know some amazing facts about the Carson City Library. In March we checked out 37,433 items we exchanged 4658 paperbacks and magazines so that is a grand total of 42,091-just in the month of MARCH! At that rate our library will be in the half million circulation per year! As of March 31, 35,557 people have cards or about 65% of our population- and they are coming to use them- this month we had 26,602 visits to the library- which also would translate to over 300,000 visits a year. Every service we provide is being used more and we hope it continues to grow. If you were one of the 26,602 visitors in March you might have noticed lots of things are moving around. We are planning for the second phase of the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system. In this second phase we will install a machine called an automated materials handler which will make us even more human efficient. It will be located where the fiction books and computers are located now. This system will check in library material just as the new check out system does - multiple items at a time. We have reduced the amount of fiction books. We are “weeding” or removing books that are not being checked out on a regular basis. But rest assured we will still have books- in fact we purchased about 8,000 new books and materials this year alone, and the book collection will continue to be well over 110,000 items- and the amount of materials checked out in March demonstrates we have many books that people want. Your library is changing and evolving to meet demands and to use resources efficiently. This facility was built for a community of 30,000 people. We now have 55,000 and many users from surrounding counties. As we expand services and see more users I believe we demonstrate on a regular basis that a bigger and more modern library will be well worth the investment.

What would the Kindle equivalent of the Library be?

2011-03-03T17:27:00.000-08:00

There have been several people who say the Kindle is the new library so I decided to follow that line of reasoning to its conclusion, the first and most important part of the argument assumes libraries are only about books-both now and in the future. The 1000+ visitors who come here every day and many of those who use computers, ask reference questions, get homework help, use back issues of magazines and newspapers, go to Storytime, Love on a Leash, the Lego club, book discussions or adult programs might suggest we are more than books- however for the sake of argument let’s look at the math for the Kindle book model.

In Carson City 30,000 plus people have and use a library card- that is they have had some activity in the last two years but to be conservative let’s say only 20,000 people will need or want a Kindle or perhaps 10,000 people already have one- so to supply that device would cost $2,780,000 dollars about twice the annual budget of the library- but a onetime investment right? The kindle has a one-year warranty, two years is an additional cost to purchase so you might suppose that with reasonable care they will last five years- so every five years you would need to replace them and of course provide them for new residents- and perhaps find some way to get them back from people who move…hmm …would require some logistics- wasn’t this supposed to be easier, cheaper and better...and eliminate the public library?

Carson City Library checks out 400,000 books per year the average cost of books from Amazon for the Kindle is about $9.00 but again let’s assume that those prices continue to fall- and yes some are free-so 400,000 books at $5.00 each is 2 million bucks- wow that’s way more than the whole yearly budget of the library.

Amazon does not sell their e-books to libraries they do not have a multiple use model in fact any sharing must be set up when the Kindle is first purchased- so the library model simply doesn’t work- the popular books would be purchased over and over again by the library, rather than the single purchase used over and over again in the present public library model.

So you’re saying why do we have to buy Kindles and books for Carson City residents anyway? And the answer is of course we don’t. We could eliminate public libraries-not a mandated service- save that money for other City services and those that can afford books and information can have them and those that can’t well they should just work harder to earn the money to do so.

So if you think there is no value to providing reading materials and information without a cost in a democratic society then it is correct that the Kindle is the next library- but not the next public library- the Kindle Library is a return to the private subscription library of the 19th century- information for the wealthy and the privileged- the masses can just read and learn from what is provided to them free or they can trade and scavenge information for themselves…not the society I want to live in- not the America of my choice- is it yours?

A Knowledge Center for Nevada’s state capital

2011-02-24T16:14:00.000-08:00

There is considerable discussion both locally and nationally about the future of libraries. There are those who hold a “Kindle” in their hands and proclaim the library as we know it is dead- yet despite those type of pronouncements the library in Carson City and public libraries across the nation in some of the worst financial times libraries have ever faced- continue not only to exist but to expand their reach, influence and importance in their community.

The proposed City Center project offers this City a unique opportunity to build a 21st century Knowledge Center AKA library like no other in our country. Our Knowledge Center will have many similarities to the IGT/Mathewson Knowledge Center at the UNR campus, but it will also be different because it is public library- which means it belongs to everyone.

When Mae Adams left the bulk of her estate from her family’s ownership of the Carson Nugget to the Carson City community she stipulated it must particularly benefit young people. There are no doubt a number of worthy places that help the youth of Carson City and a number of organizations that provide benefit to great numbers in our community- but I think there are none that are in the position to serve everyone, from the least fortunate in the community to the very wealthy, from the new born to the person near the end of their life, to the baby, preschooler, child, young adult, adult, senior…there isn’t a single gender, age or socioeconomic strata in the Carson City community the public library does not serve.

Nationwide public libraries have become an even more essential resource in these very tough economic times. A recent report Perceptions of Libraries 2010 indicates that nationwide 81% of those economically impacted by the current national financial crisis have and use a library card. In Carson City when unemployment has been around 14% for more than a year this library can attest to being critical to those hurting in the downturn. In the past year every measure of library use is up- people with library cards, checking out of materials, children’s programs, computer use, assistance with information requests, every service we provide is more in demand and more utilized- so it is impossible to provide any proof in any way that this library is becoming obsolete. What we do know is the facility of 900 N. Roop is simply too small to do any of our services well- every innovation or change causes a disruption to another service- the lack of space limits us- we can’t be much more than we are today- even though we work very, very hard to do just that.

However, an opportunity has become available to be different to take everything we do well and do it better- take our services to a very different level. The plan for the Knowledge Center comes close to tripling our space- adding the most needed element- room to have more materials, room for all ages of children, room for computers and other technology, room to serve the business community with specialized resources and meeting places, room to be
Carson City’s community gathering place- the place where all are welcome and all gain something of value from visiting. Beyond being of value to our community, new libraries located in downtowns all over America have proven to be economic catalysts. From Seattle to Denver to Salt Lake City, a new library is seen by urban planners as a true economic catalyst Wayne Servile editor of the Planning Commissioners Journal wrote “when libraries are located downtown there’s also a special synergy at work. Libraries generate increased business for local merchants while those shopping or working downtown visit the library as part of their day. Libraries and community. They’re really inseparable.”

Questions on Library Use

2010-03-26T16:05:00.001-07:00

The plans for building a new library (AKA- knowledge center, resource center, discovery library) has created a lot of talk in the town. It seems much of the talk centers on how many people really visit the library and that there is some magical number of visitors (and types of visitors) that means we should or should not build a new library. Just to clear up any misconceptions on the way we count visitors- we have a people counter at the front door and every morning before we open we take the number from the day before and log it, that number is divided by 2 (they come in they go out) and recorded. Staff and volunteers access the library through a rear staff door. There are varying levels of sophistication with these type of counters but in my 23 years of experience, the way we do it is pretty much how libraries get attendance figures- are there errors possible? sure ...kids run in and out? sure...

In case anyone would like to see that raw data here it is from July-2009- Feb 2010:

Library Attendance July 2009- Feb 2010

July 25370 25 days = 1014
Aug 25224 25 days = 1008
Sept 25359 25 days = 1014
Oct 29571 26 days = 1137
Nov 21287 22 days = 967
Dec 20733 25 days = 829
Jan 21346 24 days = 889
Feb 22216 23 days = 966

So about 1000 a day- some days more- some days less, but its just ONE measure just like books checked out, Internet sessions, requests for information, attendance at programs, use of databases, downloaded books, Summer Reading, book sales in the Friends store...the list of things we do (and count) goes on and on.

As I work this afternoon I see a mostly full parking lot despite the fact people must navigate construction barriers and cones to get here. I know the question of use isn't debatable- people use this library.

Rather than questioning numbers and casting aspersions on their validity I would ask people to spend more time thinking of a new library in a holistic way- how does our current library add to every one's quality of life? How might a bigger technologically advanced library benefit everyone? And the really big question: IF we don't take advantage of this very unique opportunity to improve and expand library services what will that say about us as a community and where our priorities are?

Some have said the community answered the question about a new library in 1998- 12 years ago, by about 400 votes the community said "a bigger library is not needed". Has the question really been permanently answered? Did the 18 year old and older voter get to make that decision for everyone in perpetuity?

I'll close with a quote from a new study about Internet use in public libraries which says:

Americans across all age groups reported they used library computers and Internet access. Teenagers are the most active users. Half of the nation’s 14- to 18-year-olds reported that they used a library computer during the past year, typically to do school homework.

The current library has eight Internet computers for kids of all ages not just teenagers, a community our size should have at least 40 available and space for kids to be kids. The truly inadequate library space for our young people is very, very hard to dispute- I believe we have the most undersized library for our population in the state, but for kids we are hands down the weakest in our state, and that should matter.

Editorial from Vice Chair of the Library Board-Sandy Foley

2010-01-30T13:04:00.000-08:00

Homework, timelines, mapping, transparency. These words, often associated with education and with current governmental concerns, can be applied to the library's journey from wishful thinking to pending reality.

When the idea of a new library was being formulated, a city-wide survey was conducted to ascertain what kind of facility the community envisioned. Data was mapped, meetings were held and a strategic plan was formulated. The Library Board set up advisory groups and invited experts to speak before its televised meetings.

The board also commissioned a space needs assessment document that accounted for the use of every square foot in the new library, which will ultimately guide us to a state-of-the-art building that meets demands long into the future. We have looked at any and all options available for land and buildings, always keeping the financial ramifications and options in mind.

Because the library is and will always be a presence in the community, board members, staff, friends and the Library Foundation have worked with anyone and everyone who has been receptive to our dream. We have visited libraries throughout the state and the country and have joined with city managers, supervisors and business project developers to find the best fit for Carson City.

We have been on committees, worked with the Board of Supervisors, served with Downtown Redevelopment and the Downtown Consortium, and made our aspirations known in print and nonprint media.

We have done our homework and were poised and ready when the opportunity arose to become an integral part of the Carson Nugget Development Project.

Our homework, timeline, planning, transparency, financial stewardship and commitment have served us well, and we are ready to work with all parties to build toward what Carson City can be and not become mired in malaise.

It has been said that this development will burden future generations with tax consequences. How can a library, a public transit hub, a plaza, public parking and investment in cutting edge, high paying technology jobs (the public part of a public/private partnership) be considered a burden?

The burden is the status quo and a future that is questionable at best.

• Sandy M. Foley is vice chairperson of the Carson City Library Board of Trustees.

Plans move forward for new library

2009-12-11T14:40:00.000-08:00

Last night the Carson City Supervisors voted 4-1 to move forward on the plans for the Nugget Economic Development Project which includes a new state-of-the-art library located downtown in the 8 acre area surrounding the Nugget. The library is planned to be built with a business and technology incubator and next to a "digital" lab all designed to support business and get Carson City back to work.

Local media covered last night's meeting in detail and their articles can be found here:

Nevada Appeal
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20091211/NEWS/912119997/1070&ParentProfile=1058

Reno Gazette Journal
http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200991211017

NewsCarson City
http://www.newscarsoncity.com/?p=6741

Please post any comments or questions about the project.

Next steps in the Nugget Economic Development Project

2009-12-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

The next meeting that will determine the future for this project is Thursday, December 10, @ 6:00 p.m. in the Sierra Room of the Community Center. People are excited- the story has been in newspapers as far away as Charleston, West Virgina. Come show suppport, ask questions, and learn how the "public" side of the project could be funded.

This is not a dream but a very real path to not only a new library- aka- "Knowledge Center" but to the revitalization and the future of Carson City.

Exciting News about Library plans!

2009-11-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

Carson City officials gave the Office of Business Development the nod Thursday to participate with the Carson Nugget in developing a detailed plan for nearly nine acres of downtown property as a civic and business city center.

The public-private partnership would feature a new central library in the downtown center and a business and technology center. The project could create a central heart in downtown Carson City. The centerpiece could be a knowledge and discovery library, the other buildings could:

House new non-gaming, non-service based industries
Serve workers in high-paying jobs
Provide in-town loft and townhouse residences
Offer a large plaza with recreational, cultural and arts programs

From November 6, 2009 Nevada Appeal

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20091106/NEWS/911069974/1070&ParentProfile=1058

THE CARSON NUGGET PROJECT'S ANCHOR INSTITUTION:

The Knowledge and Discovery Library (aka the Carson City Library!)

The Knowledge and Discovery Library (KDL) will serve as the central community gathering place offering a gateway to knowledge and avenues of discovery including information, research, technology, learning, entertainment and civic engagement. A central mission of the KDL will be to reinvigorate a commitment to the future of Carson City by investing in resources that support and grow business in the region.

The Transformative Power of a Library to Redefine Learning, Community,

and Economic Development

Evidence comes from projects all over the country… Seattle; Denver; Salt Lake; Moab, Utah; Cheyenne, Wyoming and Rockville, Maryland. Communities with new downtown libraries experience:

Economic Vitality

Nearby businesses report increases in spending associated with visitors to the Library. Increases in the use of Library resources contributes to learning, literacy, business productivity, personal

and professional development, and individual livelihood.

Image and Identity

The Library attracts knowledge workers and the business sectors which desire ready access to this workforce. The Library contributes to a sense of pride and community.

Community Character and Livability

The Library functions as a public space, increasing the livability of Downtown. The increased number of Library visitors contributes to Downtown vitality and vibrancy, making it a more attractive residential and commercial market.

Why is an anchor institution important to the project?

Connected Nation conducted surveys to better understand the role of libraries as a community technology hub. In brief, the findings indicate that libraries are vital in filling an access void in local communities where the library is most often the only source of free Internet availability.

As part of the strategy for broadband adoption, anchor institutions hold the key…. Libraries especially hold promise in this area because they already are a central point within communities for people who want to use the Net to do research or hunt for jobs.

For more details about the project:

http://www.nevadasworkingcapital.com/

Keep posted to this blog or website above for news at it develops and please make comments about the project!

Don't miss upcoming Library baord Meeting!

2009-10-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

Don’t miss October’s Advisory committee meeting- held this month- October 22nd at 6:00 pm rather than 5:00 pm!

The topic of October’s advisory committee is:

ACQUIRING STIMULUS/AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT (ARRA) FUNDING FOR A NEW LIBRARY.

Millions of dollars may be available that could help support the local public investment in a new library.

Two speakers will give information on these opportunities:

ARRA Broadband Opportunities for Nevada Libraries, Daphne Deleon, Administrator Nevada State Library and Archives
Other Stimulus Opportunities - Heidi Eskew-Herrmann, AICP Associate Planner/Grants Coordinator Carson City Executive Offices

Building green? What are the benefits?

2009-09-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN -Is it what you think it is?

With the adjective “green” now used to market anything environmentally friendly from packaging to plumbing, its easy to dismiss it as just the latest trend. However, when you look at the impact buildings have on people who live, learn and work in them, it becomes clear that rather than just being another architectural style, green design is simply good design

It is the best choice not just for the environment but for the community- and contrary to popular perception even for the pocketbook

What is sustainability anyway?

Sustainability makes the connection between a designed environment and the life lived in it. Structures built with wrong kinds of construction materials can result in decreased productivity and health- greening can save a community a considerable amount of money in future health costs, especially those incurred by sick building syndrome- where conventionally constructed building occupants experience negative health and comfort effects as a result of time spent in the building.

PERCEPTION VS. REALITY
Do you think of “green” as “brown” -functional but primitive?
Or, do you see it as extremely modern?
Green building are as different as the communities where they are built. If you want modern or classical, you can have it.

To illustrate the point look at these recently completed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified Public Libraries

Classical designs:

Darien, CT

Bozeman, MT

More modern designs:

Cheyenne, WY

Centennial Hills, Las Vegas, Nevada

The benefits
Even if you’re convinced that green buildings are the way to go from the standpoint of human needs, you may be skeptical about the environmental impact a building has in the first place, shouldn’t we be more concerned about gas-guzzling cars and overloaded landfills?

Buildings currently rack up 40% of total global energy use:
65% electricity consumption
30% greenhouse gas emissions
30% raw materials use
30% waste output
12% of potable (drinkable water)

Green design addresses this through wise management, not by skimping on necessities. Careful designers look to alternative energy resources and ways of reducing the quantity of water needed.

Green design provides a long term financial benefit.

They use:

30% less energy
35% less carbon
30-50% less water use
50-90 % less waste cost

How green should the new library be?

The LEED system-Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design- is part of the Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. It’s a way to ensure you get the green building you pay for. Because buildings rated by the LEED system can fall into one of four levels of acceptable achievement in green building performance-certified, silver, gold or platinum-flexibility exists in planning how a community's needs mesh with its desire for environmentally sound structure.

Certified 40-49 points
Silver 50-59 points
Gold 60-69 points
Platinum 80 + points

Resources

US Green Building Council

Green building Costs and Financial Benefits

Building Green Won't Break the Bank

The True Costs of Building Green

Size of the New Library

2009-08-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

On August 27, the Library Board received the report from Kathy Page from Page + Moris with the recommendations for the size of the new library. A formal report should be available next month.

The consultant gave detailed information on the community and what is needed in a new library. In a nutshell the new library is planned to be at least 60,000 square feet. It will provide more than three times the amount of seating currently available, computers will more than triple- there are 31 available now and the plan calls for 105. There will be small and large meeting space- including a large meeting room with capacity of 175-200 people and six to eight smaller rooms for groups of 6-12. The new library will include ample space for children, youths and teens, including programming space for different ages. The area for books will increase to 183,000 volumes- an increase of 60,000 books, magazines or other media.

In the community survey and interviews people said loud and clear...more technology and more books!

Below are more details of the presentation whose purpose was to:

Identify Carson City residents’ library space needs
Assess current library facility’s ability to meet needs
Recommend service levels through 2030
Recommend square footage needed to accommodate the needs

The methodology for the study included:

Stakeholder and community interviews
Library staff interviews
Analyze demographic trends
Identify projected population
Study library usage + collection patterns
Observe + assess current facility
Compare to current industry trends
Develop recommendations

Ms. Page told the Board and audeince that Carson City is growing, will reach 70,000 by 2030. The current Library was built when the population was 15,500, and the addiiton for a population of 32,000. The size of the library has been inadequate for at least 20 years.

Demographic trends suggest children + youth make up 25% population and will continue to grow as the City grows. Seniors are 15% and also expected to increase. Hispanic residents more than doubled since 1990, they now represent 19% of population. Non-native English speakers also increasing - 15% speak another language at home. The Carson City median income level is less than state average - $50,000- compared to the state average of $53,750. However the educational attainment reflects state average – 80% high school graduates; 20% college graduates.

To people that use the Library her findings about the facilities limitations are no surprise:

21,532 sq. feet- too small
Lack of space + seating
Noise + congestion are disruptive, create conflict
Shelving at capacity – collections cannot grow, still-useful materials withdrawn
Lack of browsability + access
Too few computers - more needed for every age level
Lack of flexibility in electrical distribution
Few outlets for laptop plug-in
Lack of computer training space
Conflicts with other users
Meeting room too small
Friends’ book store further erodes space, ambiance
Meeting room lacks appropriate storage, kitchen, AV Noise spills into other areas
Storytelling space blocks access to collection
Awkward layout adds to noise + discomfort
Access to children’s + teen spaces through adult area
Service desks have large footprint, noise spills into public space
Children’s + teen spaces need separation
Staff work spaces congested, erode productivity, prevent concentration at tasks
Main workroom remote from public service point
Inadequate space for deliveries, receiving, shipping
Inadequate storage space

To deal with the limitations the library has these needs for space:

Space for people
Space for resources
Space to incorporate current + emerging service trends
Space to support an efficient, productive staff
Space for complementary services + amenities

The specific recommendations are for seating, shelving, technology/computers, and better ways to serve the public, and also to provide some ways for the library to generate more of its own funding. Specifically the plan calls for:

Increased seating:

Distributed by activity + noise level
Quiet reading areas
Parent/child seats
Teen area
Table seats / laptop perches
Areas for both individual + collaboration/group study
“Commons” space

Increased shelving capacity:

Browsable display shelving for books and media
Stack-end display
Factor in growth of electronic collections
Now = shelving for 120,000 items (2.1 volumes/capita)
Recommended = shelving for 183,000 items (2.6 volumes/capita)

More computers:

Distributed for access by all age levels
Online catalog stations located at key book stack areas
Enclosed computer training space
Plentiful laptop plug-in access
Now = 31 workstations (0.53 computers/1,000 people)
Recommended = 105 workstations (1.5 workstations/1,000 people)

Increased meeting space:

Larger major meeting room
Dividable space
Appropriate storage, kitchen, AV system
Separate, dedicated retail space for Friends’-operated book store
Dedicated children’s programming space adjacent to Youth Services area
Secondary meeting room
Now = meeting room seats 50 to 60
Recommended = 175 seats

Customer Service Points:

Self checkout for most circulation transactions
Self service holds
Self-service returns that empty into sorting room
Automated materials handling equipment
Compact, efficient service desks
Staff equipped with mobile telecommunications devices

More efficient staff work space:

Efficient sorting + returns operation
Work rooms located close to staff work assignments
Delivery + shipping located adjacent to delivery entrance
Ergonomic desks and work counters
Sufficient storage for supplies, equipment

Friends Book Store:

Larger, well-designed retail space for books + other sale items
High visibility location at entrance
Appropriately sized work space for sorting donations

Cafe/Other Amenities:

Space to eat, drink + socialize
Gallery space for art exhibits
Outdoor reading courtyard
Business Resource Center
Connections to other institutions – museums, retail shops, etc.

And all of that equates to:

60,000 square feet of space

Two floors

0.85 SF per capita for 2030 population

The Board accepted Ms. Page's report noting that they wanted to insure this was an adequate sized building and when built would last Carson City through whatever the final population is in the next 30-50 years. The Library Director indicated she believed it was, it would be large enough for now and the future yet a size that would not be a huge burden to operate both from energy use, but more importantly from a human resource perspective since additional full time library employees are unlikely to be possible for many years to come.

Bookmobile and Outreach Services

2009-07-27T10:03:00.000-07:00

The July 23rd Advisory meeting to the Carson City Library Board of Trustees featured Library Trustee Maxine Nietz discussing a Bookmobile for the Carson City Library and library employee Sandy De Vaney discussing library services to the homebound

Trustee Nietz covered all aspects of a Bookmobile including:

What is a Bookmobile?
Outreach
Customer Satisfaction
Constituencies
Other Counties
Varieties
Marketing
Comments
Resources
Tips & Tricks
Fleet Services

History
Library Wagon: Washington County,
Maryland in 1905
“No better method has ever been devised for reaching
the dweller in the country. The book goes to the man,
not waiting for the man to come to the book.”

History
1918 the Hibbing (MN) Public Library initiated the first walk-in type bookmobile service in the nation, with its own wood and coal stove for warmth on cold winter

What is a Bookmobile?

Created for those patrons who could not get to the library
A bus or truck that houses books from a library for patrons to check out
Coordinates with your in-library system so that the patron has access to the entire collection
The bookmobile schedules “stops” in neighborhoods or institutions where all neighbors, students or teachers can enjoy the bookmobile
Open to everyone in the library system

Outreach

To reach patrons who do not normally get exposed to the library
Primary place to get information in rural areas where getting to a library is difficult
Good for low-income areas where computers are not in every home
Can have a substantial impact on illiteracy, education and poverty and to help span the Digital Divide

Center for the Study of Rural Librarianship

Why do you come to the bookmobile? 90% Convenience

Why do you borrow books & materials? Customer Satisfaction 90% Pleasure/Relaxation

How often do your use the bookmobile? 57% Every time it stops here

How far do you live from the town library? 56% within 10 miles

Customer Satisfaction

How does access to the bookmobile affect your life? 67% Has made my life better
If the bookmobile services were converted to $$, how much did you receive today? 65% $20 or more
What would be the consequence to you if this bookmobile were not available? 62% Bad or Desperate
1997 survey avg responder: female and 50 yrs old

Constituencies

HeadStart, Pre-Ks, Kindergartens and Daycares
Institutions for the elderly and people with special needs
Boys & Girls Club for homework help
Native American populations
Teens and Tweens after school and weekends

From our Neighbor, Utah
Did you know:

Utah Bookmobiles travel 150,000 miles each year
Serve 303 bookmobile stops in 15 Utah Counties
Serve 89 schools (public, charter and Head Start)
Serve over 200,000 Utah readers
Many Bookmobiles in the State Bookmobile fleet offer Internet service

Other Counties

Lyon County – Moundhouse

Douglas County – Indian Hills
Inter-local agreements can be made with these jurisdictions to serve their populations with our bookmobile

Varieties

Family Bookmobile: Appropriate materials and places for parent/child interaction
Explorer Bookmobile: brings the total "library experience" to kids with space for browsing, computers, story-time, etc.
Internet Bookmobile: books in the public domain available via the Internet. Equipped with a laser printer, a desktop binding machine to turn files into books that do not have to be returned
Digital Bookmobile: equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players, these interactive computer stations give visitors an opportunity to search the digital media collection, use supported mobile devices, and sample eBooks, audio books, music, and video
“Green” Bookmobile: runs on biodiesel with solar power for the interior

Marketing

Local banks and/or utility companies can include the bookmobile schedule in every statement
Piggyback homebound delivery service with Meals-on-Wheels
Include info on the library website and in all brochures and publications
Use public TV, radio, and other media to keep the schedule in the public eye

Comments:
“Make them into mobile computer labs, or rolling teen clubs or whatever.”
“It’s nice to see kids come and hang out. It becomes a teen center to some degree.”
“Now we need it more than we did before.”
“We go wherever readers are, delivering great service and bringing the library to families in neighborhoods and grateful patrons who receive their deliveries at home.”

Resources

Association of Bookmobiles and Outreach Services: 2008 Bookmobile Guidelines. http://www.abos-outreach.org/
Librarian.net: search on Bookmobile.
http://www.librarian.net/
American Library Assn: search on Bookmobile. http://www.ala.org/
Internet Archive: info about the Internet Bookmobile.
www.archive.org/bookmobile

About your Bookmobile: (some fun thoughts on them...)

To make the satellite dish work, you must plug in the correct cord.
Thrift stores are key. We bought a card table for a buck and it made all the difference.
Martha Stewart was right. A table cloth with a tasteful print adds pizazz to a bookmobile display.
Always take the keys out of the ignition before locking the door.
If you're gonna lock the keys in the bookmobile, make sure you're at a library.

Fleet Services
“Owns” all vehicles in Carson City
Bookmobile would be about 6 VEU’s ($5,400) in routine maintenance
City gasoline is now $0.54 less than at the pump
Fleet Services can obtain a used vehicle, such as JAC or school bus, etc. and can do
the conversion

Following the presentation of a possible bookmobile for the new Carson City Library, Sandy De Vaney presented information on the library's homebound services:

Our homebound program delivers books to those who are not able to get to the library. Working from a request list, books are chosen to fill the patrons' reading preferences. All varieties of genres are on the list - from adventure to zoology - and are selected by Sandy, the homebound coordinator.

The patron chooses any favorite authors she wants to read, and the number of books she wants per month. We call new patrons to let them know of the delivery day - then drop off the selections. Next month, we deliver the next batch and retrieve the returning books. Folks can submit their requests by phone, notes left in returning books or e-mail. I am always glad to hear from the patrons - what is their favorite book this trip - what they are looking forward to next month.

It is important for the Library to continue to reach out to users, some who simply cannot get in our doors...perhaps you might offer a suggestion to us about outreach. We also would love to hear your thoughts on a Carson City Bookmobile.

Private and Grant Funding options

2009-06-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

On June 25th, the Library Board had a presentation by two experts in the private fundraising profession:

Presentation by Pam Graber, Resource Strategist

Private Funding: Ongoing and Current Needs

Ongoing
Twice a year annual appeal (mailing)
Annual Fundraiser events
Gift envelopes
Public awareness enhancement
Website

Current
Current need: capital campaign
Basic Steps in Capital Campaign
1. Feasibility Study
2. Case for Support
3. Asking
4. Stewardship
(Campaign Committee will be formed, honorary chair is usually appointed)

Feasibility Study, via interviews, seeks information and advice from top prospects to get their input on and buy-in on the project.

Interview topics include:

Their knowledge, usage and opinion of the library and its services
Library's reputation
Library staff reputation
Public satisfaction, i.e., what's the word on the street?
Knowledge of other fundraising efforts in town and their support of them
Advice on how to garner support of the library project
Their own capacity/willingness to support financially

Old adage: “Ask for money and get advice. Ask for advice and get money!”

Who do you interview?
Folks are known supporters
Others of influence or affluence identified via prospect research
Case for Support, aka Case Statement is an interesting and readable document that tells about the project and why it is deserving of support
Describes the current library and the benefits it offers our community
Describes your vision of how the new library will be better
Describes “what's in it” for the donors, i.e., donor recognition, donor appreciation, naming opportunities, other giving extras

Asking The main reason people don't give is that no one asked-

Major gifts are solicited face-to-face
Boards and committee members will be key
Sara will be “at the table” for most asks
It's not that scary. Remember, you're not asking for yourself, you're asking on behalf of everyone in the community who will benefit from the new facility.

Stewardship- The ongoing care and feeding of donors

Thank yous, appreciation events, invitations, personal contacts

Michelle Schmitter, Development Manager for

Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center

In my experience here are some Basics for success: Very important that Development person be involved throughout the process (Space planning, Focus Groups, etc.); Look at Funding mechanisms that were successful for other library (Milpitas); Start with the Clients/users (30,000) in the search for funding.

A. Feasibility Study – Grants Opportunities

Compile list of appropriate projects, i.e. equipment, furnishings, artwork, technology with expenses. You will be looking for capital or special needs funds not Operating. Most Foundations do NOT award grants for operating costs
As part of the application process, most Foundations will require an organizational history so it is good to have that prepared ion advance
Audit – some Foundations require an audit, so if you haven’t had one in the last three years, you might want to budget for one – this would be an audit on the Friends group, the 501(c)(3)
Research – 80% of your effort - using foundation center database as well as a host of other resources available Foundations that fund library projects in Nevada
Review their guidelines and then if you have determined there is a 60% chance of funding, write grant proposal – 20% of time
Project budget – will need lots of detailed information
Follow the guidelines - Very important to create a unique grant package for each funding source which directly answer all the questions they provide

B. Case for Support

Know the facts, create the “story”

Research and Quantify:
Community Impacts
Economic Impacts
Environmental Impacts (if applicable)
Local Values

C. Asking or How do we get the project financed?

1. Look beyond traditional funding strategies:

Public/private partnerships
Federal funding and/or tax credits
Non-profit and foundation grants with “green” focus
Donations in-kind (technology, etc.)

2. Develop a creative, layered financing approach:

Traditional financing (private & public)
Tax Credits (if applicable)
Grants and Donations
Donations in-kind, or “demonstration” systems

3. Explore all the Possibilities as each possibility brings other possible sources of public and private financing and funding options

A. Adaptive Re-use of an Existing Building
B. Community Development
C. LEED or High Performance Building
D. Stewardship – Follow through with Funding Sources

All successful grants come with individual set of requirements associated with the gift. Important to follow the instructions or contract which is sent with the successful grant award.
Setting up a Fund accounting system will allow you pull a financial report of grant funds detailing income and expenditures when needed.
Annual Reports – Some Foundations may require you to submit a report once the project is completed where they will be looking for quantifiable information, i.e. number of people served.
Reimbursable grants – Some grant funds (mostly state and federal dollars) ask that you expend the money and then submit “lots of paperwork” so they can then send you a check. This process requires the organization to first outlay the cash to pay for project costs, so you need to make certain that you have the funds.
Please, please always remember to thank the funding source in writing immediately on receiving the grant. Invite the Trustees for a hardhat tour, to the opening event, to the dedication ceremony.
Handout - Naming Opportunities

Possible examples for the Library project include:

$5,000 Gift
Provide computer equipment
Furnish the lounge
Provide 1 Drinking Foundation
Purchase books
Provide unrestricted funds toward completion of the project.

$10,000 Gift
Furnish the conference room with tables and chairs
Underwrite security cameras to ensure client safety and building security
Underwrite artwork for the donor wall in the reception area
Provide unrestricted funds toward completion of the project.

$25,000 Gift
Provide landscaping for outside garden area
Furnish the reception area
Provide unrestricted funds toward completion of the project.

$50,000 Gift
Landscape the building exterior
Furnish racks for books
Pave the parking lot
Provide carpeting for the building
Provide unrestricted funds toward completion of the project.

$100,000 Gift
Children’s Reading Area
Underwrite the heating or air conditioning system for the building
Provide unrestricted funds toward completion of the project.

$250,000 + Gift
Underwrite the expenses for the building to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified
Provide unrestricted funds to fill the entire funding gap of the project

New library discussions ...with an eye towards the visual!

2009-06-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

The Carson City Library has recently had two meetings about the new library, both centered on the "visual".

On May 28th, the Carson City Arts and Cultural Coalition started a dialog with the Carson City Library Board of Trustees about integrating art into the new public library, this included:

1 % for Art – juried public art
Changing Galleries within the new Carson City Library
Artists in Residence – Performing, Visual and Literary space within the new Carson City Library

Presenters from the Carson City Cultural Coalition- Peter Barton, Carson City Cultural Commission, Sharon Rosse of the Capital City Arts Initiative, Robin Hodgkin from the Nevada Arts Council and Joe McCarthy, Office of Business Development and staff to the Carson City Cultural Commission all gave information to the Library Board.

Several wonderful examples of art in public spaces were shown- the entire presentation can be seen from this link:

http://www.acctv.org/?page_id=48

Integrating art in public buildings is common all over the country and is an especially good fit in a public library where there are both residents and visitors using and enjoying the facility.

Additionally public libraries both new and old are considered works of art themselves:

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Seattle_Public_Library.html

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Multnomah_County_Public_Library.html

On June 4th the library held a meeting- Envisoning the New Carson City Library- more than a hundred pictures were on display to help the community begin the conversation about what they want in a new library... traditional... modern... lots of space for kids ....great technology...???

The display is still available to look at in the Nevada State Library and Archives, 100 N. Stewart Street in the Joseph Anderson Gallery, which is open 9-5 Monday thru Friday, and comment cards are available for you to give your opinions.

Kirk Caraway of the Nevada Appeal published a great article about the process on Saturday, June 6th:

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20090606/NEWS/906059957&parentprofile=search#commentsand

News Carson City also covered the event:

http://www.newscarsoncity.com/?p=3828

The consultants Page + Moris and Field Paoli will continue working with the library to provide all the documentation needed so that when a site is selected architects can be engaged to provide conceptual renderings for all to see.

Possible Public Funding Options for a new Carson City Library

2009-04-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

The April 23 meeting of the Library Board of Trustees and the Advisory Committee on Public Funding Options for a new library was attended by more than 20 people. The meeting provided information on available public funding options.

The information was presented by Linda Ritter, who works on special projects for Carson City- but was serving in a volunteer capacity to assist the Library Board of Trustees, joining her in the presentation was Al Kramer, Carson City Treasurer and Nick Providenti, Carson City Finance Director.

You may watch the meeting via Access Carson City -choose the April 23, 2009 meeting.

Here is a recap of the presentation:

Funding Options for a New Facility

Bonding for a new facility

Possible re-payment sources

Property Taxes
Sales Taxes
Operating Revenue
Proceeds from sale/lease of existing facility

Property Tax Override

Additional property taxes can be levied to provide revenue for bonded indebtedness.
The combined tax rate for Carson City is $3.3024. The property tax cap is $3.66, leaving $0.3576 available for debt service.
The debt levy require a positive vote by the public.

Sales Taxes

Sales taxes can only be levied where it is specifically authorized by the Nevada State Legislature.

There are two special sales tax levies authorized by law:

Several options for a sales tax to be used for specific purpose requiring voter approval (NRS 377A)
One option for additional sales taxes can be approved by the Board of Supervisors (NRS 377B)

Estimates of sales tax revenues for debt service should be conservative to insure enough revenue each year to retire the debt.

Permitted Special Sales Tax

Infrastructure (NRS377B), 0.25%

Special Purposes (NRS 377A) Parks, Open Space, Libraries etc., 0.25%

Special Purposes (NRS 377A) Swimming Pools, 0.25%

Special Purposes (NRS 377A)- Roads, 0.25%

Special Purposes (NRS 377A)- Tourism, 0.25%

Carson City Special Sales Taxes

V & T- NRS 377B, 0.125%

Roads- NRS 377A, 0.250%

Parks and Open Space- NRS 377A, 0.250%

Special Sales Taxes Available

Pursuant to NRS 377A (requires a positive public vote)

0.25% for roads
0.25% for tourism
0.25% for swimming pools

Pursuant to NRS 377B (requires a positive vote by the Board of Supervisors only)

0.0125% facilities relating to public safety or to cultural and recreational or judicial functions

Operating Revenue

If operating a facility generates revenue, that revenue may be used to offset debt service.
Revenue estimates used in these cases should indicate a steady revenue level over the life of the bond.

Proceeds from existing facility

The existing facility could be sold and the proceeds applied to the new facility.
The existing facility could be leased and the proceeds applied to debt service for the new facility.

Financing Options

Property Tax $0.05 Tax Levy = $12.5 million Bonded Amount-

$43.75 annually for a home valued at $250,000 (Taxpayer Impact)

Sales Tax 1/8% Tax Levy = $12 million Bonded Amount-

$7.50 annually for a family that spends $500/month on taxable purchases

(Taxpayer Impact)

Operating Revenue No tax levy= $6 million-No Bonded Amount-No taxpayer impact- Bonded amount is based upon $500,000 in annual operating revenue.

Proceeds from Existing Facility- No tax levy-Unknown Bonded Amount-No taxpayer Impact-it may be difficult to determine the exact proceeds that may be recovered din advance

Other considerations....

Partnerships with other entities should be explored
Shared public space infrastructure
Shared operating costs
Increased opportunity for private activity
A total of 18,257 Carson City residents voted in the 2006 election
Setting a time line for planning and financing is imperative

The presentation also included a lively question and answer period- including-

any property tax override would be outside of the 3% cap on future increases for residential properties
there is only one sales tax option currently available - the 1/8 cent that the Board of Supervisors can levy

So please watch the video of the meeting for more details- of both the issues raised and the possible solutions.

Funding a new library is undoubtedly a complex and quite a daunting part of building a new public library, but having the facts and possible ideas in place in advance will help the community decide what is in their best interest.

At the next Library Board meeting public art as a component of the project will be discussed as an advisory committee topic, the presentation will be done by the Carson City Arts and Cultural Coalition. An article provided by the National Endowment for the Arts that might help start that discussion can be found here.

Technology, Technology, Technology

2009-04-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, March 26th the Carson City Library Board and members of their Advisory Committee heard presentations about technology options for a new library. Karen Hofmann, MSSE, CSM Consultant/Owner of KEMH LLC, WBENC-Certified Business gave a presentation about RFID in Libraries, Radio Frequency Identification is used to track library materials and makes libraries more efficient by having machines do much of the work of check in, check out and inventory. Human efficiency will be a driving force in the design of a new library.

For detailed information about the use of RFID in Libraries go to RFID in US Libraries

In addition brief discussions were covered on extended Wi-Fi access-both in an around a new public library, using technology for security in libraries and new formats for library materials...which leads nicely into details about the Carson City Library's celebration of National Library Week....

Worlds Connect @ the Carson City Library- April 13-19.

We are discovering, celebrating and exploring new technologies used in libraries and in everyday life.

We start the week with a presentation on Second Life.

Second Life is a "virtual world, or multi-user environment (MUVEs). Second life exists as a web-based 3-D immersive environment. In these worlds participants are represented by avatars, or digital personnna, who interact with one another in a persistent world (i.e., the world exists whether or not a user is "there") "
-Lori Bell in Virtual Worlds, Real Libraries: Librarians and Educators in Second Life and Other Mult-User Environments.

For April 14th-the kick off to the week's technology programs- our presenter- Kimberly Rufer Bach will be exploring the wide range of resources available in virtual worlds, the evening starts off with a reception at 6:00 pm followed by a live presentation of Second Life- all of this will happen at the Galaxy Theatre- 4000 S. Curry Street- Carson's all digital theatre- Galaxy and the Fandango continue to be a wonderful partner to the Carson City Library.

On April 15th @ 5:30 in the Library Auditorium we will have a "technology petting zoo"-participants will be invited to both touch and play with a some of today's hottest gadgets-
Gadgets will include:

Amazon's Kindle

I Pod touch; I Pod, MP3

Wii

GPS and Geocaching

Facebook

And finally on Thursday, April 16 at 6:00 pm in the library auditorium:
Do you Tweet?
Guy Johnson will be presenting
Twitter: What-Why-How?

I hope you will join us for any or all of our events connecting the world with technology and what better place to do that than at the Library?

March 19th- new library presentation

2009-03-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

On March 19th about a dozen members of the community came to a second presentation about plans for a new library. We were again honored to have Assemblyman Mo Denis attend the meeting and tell us why public libraries are so important to him.

Our next meeting will be March 26th at 5:00 p.m. in the Community Center, Sierra Room, you can also catch the meeting live on Charter Cable Channel 10. We will be discussing technology for a new library, a short video entitled Your Public Library: Keeping Your Community Connected will be shown and presentations on state of the art technology in public libraries will be shown.

Karen Hofmann from KEMH LLC will do a presentation on RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification), and other technologies to increase efficiency. KEMH LLC puts the puzzle pieces together of how business processes merge with technologies. KEMH LLC helps organizations to define a strategy and plan to achieve goals.

In addition these technologies will be introduced:

Automated materials handling
Enhanced Wi Fi access
Security
New formats for delivery of library materials

In addition to that the library had its first meeting with the Kathy Page of Page + Moris who will be helping the community determine the size and the amenities for the new library.

Ms. Page was principal consultant at Kathryn Page Associates, a library planning firm, from 1997 through 2004, during which time she prepared over 100 library facility planning projects. These projects include library space and service needs assessments, interior space planning, building programs, architectural plan reviews and related services. In January 2005, Ms. Page started the firm Page + Moris, with Beverly Moris, CCIDC, to provide an expanded scope of services to the library community, including library facility planning, interior design and furniture selection and specification.

New computers and online poll in the Nevada Appeal

2009-03-11T15:28:00.000-07:00

Dave Frank wrote a great article about the new computers at the library. The library has added computers in quantity by over 50% and in quality to what we had before they can't even be compared- better speed, increased time limits- Office applications, brand new, etc, etc.... Good technology is critical to public libraries and as we discuss expanding the library investing in technology is essential to a 21st Century Library.

On another note the Nevada Appeal ran an online poll that at first glance seems a bit disheartening- when they asked How often do you go to the library? the results for the 181 people who voted are:
Rarely 34.25% (62)
Never 34.25% (62)
Monthly 13.26%(24)
Once a week 12.15%(22)
Three or more times a week 6.08%(11)

So when you do the math 65.74% of those who participated in the one-day poll use the library. This is a consistent statistic to the percentage of community members who hold ( and use) library cards. Also there is quite a bit of distance between the choices of rarely and monthly. When you consider the cost of the public library on a per-capita basis is about $27.00 per person- close to what one best seller would cost someone, the Return on Investment (ROI) seems pretty good, and even when you do it by the use statistic (65%) represented in this snapshot poll its only $41.00 per person...so one best seller and one DVD...believe me our users take out much more than that...users average nearly twelve items per person, per year.

The one comment to the poll was:
Time to stop being a traditional library, and evolve into a multi-layered "knowledge center." Your grandfather's library cannot survive in such a fast-changing world

Hopefully to those that said they never check us out, they might look again because even though our building is caught in the early 70's our public access computing technology is now 21st century.

Interested community leaders invited to learn about new library plans

2009-03-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

March 4, 2009
The Carson City Library and its support organizations (Friends of the Library and the Library Foundation) invited interested community members to hear about plans to build a new library and the progress made to date.
A library video entitled A Place for Everyone was shown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpVj30cnFx4 also a very motivating and encouraging talk was presented by Assemblyman Mo Denis.

Assemblyman Denis is an avid library user and a former library trustee for the Las Vegas Clark County Library District. A true advocate for libraries he spoke about the importance of libraries in his life-both to him and his family, how much richer we all are for their availability and how the seven new libraries built in Las Vegas during his time as a Library Trustee were wonderful additions to their communities, he ended his talk with this:

Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl, One was an optimistic soul;

But the other took the gloomy view, "I shall drown," he cried, "and so will you."

So with a last despairing cry, He closed his eyes and said, "Good-bye."

But the other frog, with a merry grin Said, "I can't get out, but I won't give in!

I'll swim around till my strength is spent.

For having tried, I'll die content."

Bravely he swam until it would seem His struggles began to churn the cream.

On the top of the butter at last he stopped And out of the bowl he happily hopped.

What is the moral?

It's easily found.

If you can't get out -- keep swimming around!

Following Assemblyman Denis I gave the group information on the library- succinctly the Carson City Library has had no expansion in 27 years- even though it serves four times as many people as when the 900 N. Roop Street location was built in 1971- currently nearly 300,000 people use the library every year and it has recently become a hot spot for kids of all ages in our community.

I provided information about the year and a half discussion with the community about the library and its services- this dialogue has resulted in interest in pursuing a new downtown centrally located library.

Attendees were asked if they are interested in being part of groups that will continue the discussion on library services, technology, collection, possible sites, funding, architectural style, and green building (LEED) ideas.

Three brand new libraries are potential models:

Cheyenne, Wyoming
http://www.lclsonline.org/

Rockville, Maryland
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Apps/Libraries/branchinfo/ro.asp

Milpitas, California
http://www.santaclaracountylib.org/milpitas/

All of these libraries provide some best practices for planning for a new library in Carson City.

Another meeting just like this on will be held on March 19 @ 5:30 at the library anyone interested in learning more is invited to attend, call me at (775) 887-2244 ext. 1007 or e-mail at sfjones@clan.lib.nv.us