Proposed Fiscal Year 2020 Town Library Budget Jones Library Munson Memorial Library North Amherst Library Proposed FY20 Budget 2020Approved by the Board of Trustees March 26, 2019 Topic Page Vision Statement people from all over mutually beneficial Long Range Plan The Jones Library staff 1-3 will create a welcoming the world, helping to relationships with Highlights atmosphere for ensure a vibrant other Amherst town everyone, and will be business community. departments, with Departmental libraries and other 4-15 deeply engaged and Accomplishments committed to A strong base of relevant departments maintaining the highest committed volunteers and offices at Holdings, levels of professionalism will augment the surrounding colleges and providing and universities, C/W Circulation, 16-21 Library staff and be exceptional customer recognized for their MARS as well as with Usage, & Value service. important other local business contributions, helping and cultural entities. Challenges 22-23 The Board of Trustees, the Jones Library Friends of the Jones remain strong and The Library will Budget Summary 24-27 Library System, and staff connected to the actively welcome and will provide leadership entire community. encourage access by so that the town of The Library will use members of our State Aid 28-29 Amherst and its the skills and interests community with residents will continue of each volunteer as economic and social Limitations, to support the Library, they align with the disadvantages. Impacts, & 30-31 including financially and needs of the Library. Concerns by volunteering. The Jones Library will Income, The Jones Library will develop and maintain Endowment, 32-37 help provide Amherst Friends & Donors with state-of-the-art technologies and will Expenses 38-40 provide instruction and Mission Statement support for those Staff, Volunteers seeking to use The Jones Library will community can enhance their & Community 41-45 technology. be a community hub to a diverse population of educational, cultural, Partnerships Special Collections, Amherst residents, and lifelong learning which includes works by where books are pursuits. Trustees & 46 Robert Frost and Emily celebrated and all Building Project Dickinson, will draw members of the Proposed FY20 Critical Success Factors Budget Fully motivated and engaged staff, C/W MARS as well as surrounding including volunteer staff, who are college libraries and institutions. committed to providing patrons with a welcoming atmosphere and Ability to identify needs and serve the exceptional customer service. community of Amherst. Adequate financing to support Effective outreach and current and future operations, as communication. well as proposed building renovations. Strong support from the Board of Trustees and the Friends of the Jones State-of-the-art technology, with Library System. flexible responses to changing technologies and the ability to Visionary leadership from the Board provide those technologies to and staff to ensure that the Jones patrons. Library continues to be a value-added entity to the Town of Amherst. Support from the residents of Amherst and surrounding Full engagement of all Amherst townships. residents, from youth through seniors. Mutually beneficial relationships with other Amherst departments, Strategies Provide a pleasant, safe and up-to- of Amherst’s appropriations, The date building by making progress Jones Library, Inc., the Friends of the on the Library’s renovation/ Jones Library System, and the expansion project. Library’s Annual Fund, Capital Fund, Planned Giving program, Sammys and Provide relevant, quality materials, new resources. programs and services to our patrons. Offer and promote state-of-the-art technologies to both staff and Maintain exceptional customer patrons. service by recruiting and retaining outstanding library personnel. Honor Amherst’s rich history through preservation and promotion Increase and enhance of the Special Collections. communication efforts through social media, an interactive Advocate with local, state, and website, newspaper and radio. federal legislators regarding the importance of library funding. Page 2 Expand funding through the Town Gaps Proposed FY20 Budget Although the Jones Library patrons appreciate many aspects of the current facility, the interior is outdated and inefficient, creating difficulties in serving patrons and managing the physical plant. Resolution of these issues requires physical enhancements and additional space. The Jones Library A major drawback to patrons and directly benefits from the non-patrons alike is inadequate advocacy efforts of the parking. following organizations: Funding from the Town of Amherst and other sources must adjust to developing service needs and future growth. We are undertaking a planning Western Central and effort involving the facilities, Massachusetts Western programs, collections, technology Library Massachusetts and roles of the Branch Libraries. Advocates Automated Resource Sharing (WMLA) Network Immediate Priorities (C/W MARS) Secure additional annual funding to ensure the Jones Library continues to provide high quality services, programs, and an engaged staff. Massachusetts Massachusetts Library Secure necessary capital funding Library System Association for the expansion/renovation of (MLS) (MLA) the Jones Library building. Re-examine the roles and needs of the Branch Libraries which may include accessibility, a public restroom, and programming space for the North Amherst Library and space planning for the Munson Memorial Library. Page 3 Proposed FY20 Accomplishments - Borrower Services Budget Staff began using an updated, web- The Library added to its collection of based version of Evergreen, the non-traditional circulating materials Library’s online circulation system. including bulb planters, new musical instruments, and concert tickets. Staff were busy planning the Library’s 2019 Centennial The Library began publicizing Library celebration, including contracting programs in the Amherst Senior with Bruce Watson to write a new Center newsletter. book on the history of the Library. Staff concentrated on reviewing The Library began a subscription Holds requests which were taking a to NAXOS, a classical music long time to satisfy, in order to point database of over 137,000 CD- out and solve the problems. length classical recordings. Staff continued giving tours of the Staff promoted Library card Library to new patrons, including a registrations to Town business family of newly settled refugees. owners through the Business Improvement District. Projected Amherst Population Library Card Holders According to Age 40,000 0.0% 35,000 Youth (ages birth-11) 961 5% -0.5% 30,000 -1.0% Young Adult (ages 12-17) 1,179 6% 25,000 20,000 -1.5% College Students 4,069 22% 15,000 -2.0% Adult (ages 18-59) 9,763 52% 10,000 -2.5% Seniors (ages 60+) 2,835 15% 5,000 -3.0% 0 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 TOTAL -5,000 -3.5% Amherst Library Card Holders 18,807 100% Projected Amherst Population Difference % Difference Source: UMass Donahue Institute Page 4 Accomplishments - Borrower Services Proposed FY20 Budget Comments “Circulation” is defined as the lending/renewing of books, audios, videos, etc from the Jones, North Amherst, and Munson Memorial Libraries. “Holdings” is defined as the number of items owned by the Jones, North Amherst, and Munson Memorial Libraries. “Attendance” is defined as the number of patrons who visit the Jones, North Amherst, and Munson Memorial Libraries. “Reference Questions” is defined as questions patrons ask the staff of the Jones, North Amherst, and Munson Memorial Libraries. Comments “Items Delivered” is defined as books, audios, videos, etc. owned by other libraries which are sent to the Jones, North Amherst, and Munson Memorial Library (and the other towns listed) through the statewide interlibrary loan system. “Articles Viewed” is defined as online journal and newspaper articles which are accessed by Jones, North Amherst, and Munson Memorial Library (and the other towns listed) card holders. Page 5 Proposed FY20 Accomplishments - Adult Collections Budget Staff participated in a year long series of workshops on diversity in Top 5 the collection through the Western Adult Books Mass Readers Advisory program. They read and discussed books in a variety of genres (literary fiction, All the Light We science fiction, etc.) to help Cannot See by librarians represent people of all Anthony Doerr backgrounds in the collection. Top 5 Adult DVDs Hillbilly Elegy by Rethought the function of the “New” section for adult fiction and J.D. Vance Rogue One Local Author nonfiction. In bookstores, books are featured in displays for as long A Gentleman in Hidden Figures Spotlights as they are popular and selling well. Moscow by Amor Often our most popular books are La La Land David Hyde never seen by browsers of the Towles Costello, “New” shelves because they are Get Out Strangers in their Children’s Author always checked out.. Now, with new procedures in place, these very Own Land by A Quiet Passion popular titles will not be relocated Michael Ponsor, Arlie Russell to the stacks until we are satisfied Judge and Legal that they are no longer in demand Hochschild Thriller Writer by browsers. We hope this will make browsing the “New” section Pachinko by William Taubman, more rewarding. Min Jin Lee Historian Staff served on the Town’s Personnel Richard Michelson, Procedures Manual committee, Poet & Children’s charged with rewriting that document. Book