Marion County Public Library Quarterly WORDS Newsletter
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VOLU MARION COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM’S QUARTERLY NEWsmAGAZINE M E 5 | Iss UE 4 UE | W INTER 2013 INTER book review profile | calendar | ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Marion County Public Library’s Quarterly Newsmagazine Volume 5 | Issue 4 | Winter 2013 aword Marion County Public Library FROM THE DIRECTOR 2720 East Silver Springs Blvd. By Julie Sieg Ocala, Florida 34470 Director, Marion County 352-368-4507 Public Library System email: [email protected] website: http://library.marioncountyfl.org Library Director: Julie Sieg NEWsmAGAZINE STAFF: Publisher: T he Friends of The Think about it, please. Ocala Public Library n this issue, we highlight our upcoming long range planning process Editor: Karen Jensen Library Community Liaison and your opportunity for input. We track various changes to the library Writers: Kristen Calvert, system, such as service enhancements, facilities construction and Linda Porter, Ken Tipper Ilibrary usage over the last 10 years. It amazes me to think about how much library services have improved as a result of new libraries in Ocala, Photos: Pat Lakin, Steve Floethe Belleview, Dunnellon and the Forest areas. One could take for granted the Concept Team: Pat Anderson, basic amenities within a new library, which add much to our ability to provide Karen Costello, Domina services to our community. At the library, we do not take our space and Daughtrey, Diane Johnson, services for granted because we remember how recently the situation was Michelle Risko, Roseanne Russo, Lee Schwartz, Susan Valle drastically different. Additionally, we still have locations such as Freedom, Marion Oaks, Silver Spring Shores and West Ocala that still desperately Distribution: Susan Valle need either a library presence or expansion. The simple act of providing up-to-code parking enabled sufficient handicapped parking and safe and spacious parking so that we could onthecover: comfortably offer programs and services on a larger scale. The addition of The next chapter in the library’s future is close at hand. Learn study rooms allows for tutoring, quiet study, group study, and parent/child how you can be a part of it. interaction. Meeting rooms enable home-school groups to get together to network and socialize with library resources at-hand, they allow non- profit and for-profit groups a place to gather to discuss the business of their organization, and meeting rooms allow the library to offer special programs such as CREATE, the Fairy Tale Festival, Perfectly Preposterous Penguins, exciting summer library programs and the Friends of the Library to bring special author programs. Technology labs enable staff to provide much needed group computer training and one-on-one specialized assistance. Sufficient public computers offer the opportunity for 1,001 uses from research to playing games to applying for a job. While I have mentioned basic, new space and its use, imagine alternately the explosion of electronics over the last 10 years. Just in the last 5 years we have added countless databases, electronic books, downloadable audio books, online magazines and access to countless more. What do you see the The Marion County Public Library System is a library offering and doing over the next 10 years? department of the Marion County Board of County Think about it, please. We will be asking you. Commissioners and is funded by them through general funds. The WORDS newsmagazine is funded by the Friends of the Ocala Public Library, Inc. FIND THE LIBRARY ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER! 2 words Winter 2013 library.marioncountyfl.org words 3 Think about it, please. long range plan. Surveys will be avail- able at all library locations, on our web- Help Us Write Our site and through Facebook. And on Jan. 22, Library Snapshot Day, anyone visit- ing public libraries throughout Marion Next Chapter County and Florida will have an oppor- By Kristen Calvert. Photos by Steve Floethe tunity to provide input about how and why they use their library. ou’re reading a fantastic book. Library System. With your help, we can Over the last few years, the economic The first several chapters have “build” the library of the future. After downturn has resulted in significant you totally involved. You turn all, who knows more about the impor- budget cuts to libraries. The library’s Ythe page and it’s blank, except for a note: tance of the public library than our own budget for books and materials, as well The author invites you to help write the residents? as select branch service hours, has been next chapter. What would you do? From January through March 2014, decreased due to diminished funding. Beginning in January 2014, Marion there will be opportunities for the public Despite these economic realities over County residents can help create the next to make their opinions known and help the last 10 years, the number of items chapter for the Marion County Public contribute to the library’s 2015-2020 checked out has increased by 28 percent 2 words Winter 2013 library.marioncountyfl.org words 3 and program attendance has increased by 109 percent. In 2013, the number of cardholders in the community was equal to 67 percent of the population as com- pared to 47 percent of the population in 2003. This data directly challenges those who speak of the importance of public libraries in the past tense. Libraries exist because of grassroots efforts and the interest of people in their respective communities. In 2014, the Headquarters-Ocala library location will celebrate 10 years of service. The Dunnellon, Forest, Freedom and Bel- leview libraries were built because local communities wanted a center not just for books, but for technology, access to in- formation and a place to meet with oth- FY2002-03 FY2012-13 ers in their community. As technological advances continue Operating Budget $4,990,888 $5,910,821 Square Footage 55,000 116,520 Staff 85.22 107.89 Circulation 1,017,051 1,296,973 Registered Borrowers 128,417 222,532 Questions Asked 498,609 1,212,648 General Attendance 649,461 1,084,713 Program Attendance 21,090 44,016 Library Card Holders 47% 67% libraries. Although this research indi- technological public library services. cates strong interest in technology, many The next library chapter has yet to be of those surveyed also still enjoy reading written. Help us write it. We need your and borrowing books in print and place vision. We need your voice. gw value on a mix of both traditional and New library facilities that are spacious, functional, attractive, inviting and well-used, at the following locations: • Headquarters-Ocala Public Library 2004 • Dunnellon Public Library 2007 • Belleview 2008 to impact our community, the library • Forest 2010 system must keep pace. Libraries are Public access to an array of electronic resources available 24/7 community centers where people con- including e-books, electronic magazines, downloadable music and nect with each other, information and data bases. the world. According to PEW research, Age and developmentally appropriate materials and programming 77 percent of people surveyed say that that are varied, valued and well-used, including expanded early free access to computers and internet is literacy programs and services for children birth to three years of age. an important service offered by public 4 words Winter 2013 library.marioncountyfl.org words 5 (Colossal, Reading, Entertaining, Artsy, Teen Event) 2013 2013 CREATE was a huge Billy Corben success with a record-breaking 134 total entries participating in the categories of fine arts, writing, filmmaking, edible books, and performing arts/talent. Keynote speaker and nationally acclaimed filmmaker Billy Corben encouraged Sarah Redheffer and Emily Plazarin teen filmmakers to “…find a good story and tell it well.” 2nd place: Julie Marie Andrews Author and Florida Book Forest High School Award gold medal winner 3rd place: Emmalisa Kaminski Adrian Fogelin spoke to the Liberty Middle School Teen Writers Conference. Choice: Storm Skaggs CREATE is sponsored by the Forest High School Friends of the Ocala Public Library. The following is a list of the Filmmakers winners in each of the categories. 1st place: A lex Moy Homeschooled 2nd place: Alana Brunson Lake Weir High School and Courtney Brannon Lake Weir High School 3rd place: Mitchell Clark, Drew Garland, Hailey Garland and Alita Clark Vanguard High School Heather Krause Choice: A lex Moy Homeschooled Writer’s Conference 1st place: H eather Krause Talent Show Homeschooled 1st place: Sarah Redheffer (“Krause Academy”) Vanguard High School and 2nd place: Maya Glasso Emilee Plazarin Quinnton Cooper North Marion Middle Belleview High School School Fine Arts 2nd place: Tristan Potter 3rd place: Alita Clark 1st place: Quinnton Cooper Dunnellon High School Vanguard High School West Port High School 3rd place: Clifford Dantzler, Choice: W hitney Gomez 2nd place: Joy Bleiker Trinity Catholic Bryan Lugo and Fort McCoy K-8 3rd place: R ebekah McKoy Tyrrel Chandler-Springer West Port High School West Port High School Edible Books Choice: Quinnton Cooper Choice: H eather Krause and 1st place: Storm Skaggs West Port High School Katrina Krause Forest High School Homeschooled 4 words Winter 2013 library.marioncountyfl.org words 5 Facebook and Library Card SIGN- UP MonTH by Kristen Calvert Headquarters-Ocala Children’s Services Division staff accept plaque for Exemplary Project Recognition. READY TO READ: ZEro TO ThrEE “My babies love to learn!” com- mented Pam James as she saw the ProGRAM picture of her two children proudly displaying their new library cards on Receives Exemplary Project the library’s Facebook page. In cel- ebration of September’s Library Card Recognition From State Sign-Up Month, library staff took pic- tures of new cardholders and posted them on the library’s Facebook page. he Marion County Public Library System was recently awarded Exem- During the month of September, 1,068 plary Project Recognition by Florida Department of State, Division of Li- individuals signed up for library cards brary and Information Services for its 2012 Ready to Read: Zero to Three and 83 new fans “liked” the library’s Tprogram.