Perla Jimenez - age 15 Perla Jimenez - age 15 2006 Annual Report 2006 Annual Report t the Denver Public Library, the literary and cultural programs for Friends Foundation. The Foundation is 2006 was a year to focus on children that run concurrently with the pivotal in helping the Library achieve Akids and families. The Library adult programs. its full potential, and we are pleased stepped up efforts to serve youth by It was also a landmark year for our to report that we are well on the offering more children’s programs, virtual Library with nearly 38 million road to reinvigorating this important storytimes and outreach services. transactions on our web site. Keeping partnership. Together, we will continue The results thrilled us. A remarkable up with ever-changing technology the tradition of providing exceptional number of kids and teens registered for continues to be a priority. We were library service to the people of Denver. our popular and successful Summer the first library in the country to offer of Reading program. Not only did they eFlicks – a downloadable movie sign up, they showed up at the Library service. And, much to the delight of our in droves. Nearly 27,000 kids read tech-savvy customers, we launched our K.C. Veio some 156,000 books and attended first podcasting program. President of the Library Commission hundreds of programs at the Central While we take pride in our many Library, 22 branch libraries and achievements, we also recognize offsite locations. the need to strive for even better The year also brought transition performance. In 2007, we will take a Shirley Amore in leadership for the Library. After good look at the services we offer and City Librarian two decades, City Librarian Rick measure the impact we have on the Ashton retired in February 2006. We community. In addition, the Denver are grateful to Rick for his years of Public Library will rededicate itself to dedicated service and the legacy he left. customer service. Friendly, accurate, Hanne Lichtenfels The Library welcomed Shirley Amore consistent and timely service will be at President of the Friends Foundation as City Librarian in June and is thriving the forefront of all we do. under her guidance and vision. Key relationships help us meet our On the financial front, there is good mission. We are committed to working news to report. For the first time in with Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper several years, the 2007 budget includes and Denver City Council to help the an increase. The additional funding will City reach its top goals: achieving the provide extra hours and staff at several highest customer service branches in answer to our customers’ rating, making Denver desire for expanded library hours. a better place to work We are delighted that The Institute and an even better of Museum and Library Services has place to live, creating funded our Tu Biblioteca Hoy/Your 25,000 new private Library Today grant application in sector jobs and the amount of $960,000 for the next living within three years. This grant will allow the our means. Library to invest in laptop computer We are also labs and also materials and staff committed to training in order to enhance our rejuvenating English acquisition, GED and life skills the alliance programming. We will be partnering with the with the Denver Art Museum and Denver Museo de las Americas to enhance Public Library Hanne Lichtenfels, K.C. Veio and Shirley Amore 1 1 2 2 3 Dagg. “And once they are here, we can Angela Sigg, teen site content developer animating the characters of a book and introduce them to the many services for the Library. making a tale come to life. 3 we offer.” Young children also access our vibrant Just ask four-year-old Jalear who 4 Dagg recalls that on the day of the kid-friendly web site, Secret WonderWeb, attends a Head Start center where It’s a drizzly “uniforms” and with shaggy haircuts, Overall, participation was up 14 Harry and the Potters concert – in to get homework help or a list of the Carleen Brice is a Read Aloud volunteer. managing to keep her dignity (alright, not really). 4 Saturday the band members combine rock ‘n’ roll percent in the 2006 Summer of Reading addition to announcing that the Library latest books and movies. A six-year-old “In the beginning, Jalear would say 5 afternoon with encouraging kids to read. And, on program over 2005, as a new generation would distribute free earplugs – she can download and listen to Miss Lydia ‘no books’ each time I’d come into the in early Au- this day, it is cool to be at the Library. discovered the magic of reading. The reminded the audience about our teen read the classic Beatrix Potter story, classroom,” Brice says. “He claimed he 6 5 gust, when “AWESOME!” shrieks one giddy number of children and teens attending web site, eVolver. The Tale of Peter Rabbit, via podcast. hated stories and books. By the end of sounds 14-year-old girl, practically swooning Summer of Reading programs offered at “Many of the kids did not even realize “We are thrilled with the numbers the fall session, he would sit quietly and of “Save over Draco and the Malfoys, the DPL locations increased by a whopping we have a teen web site,” says Dagg. of kids who access eVolver and Secret listen. And one day, he asked if he could 6 Ginny Wea- opening band. 47 percent in 2006. “And they thought we really were cool WonderWeb,” Jeske says, adding that give me a hug. I just about cried.” 7 sley” and Senior children’s librarian and event We also continued the tradition when I announced that we would have the sites average more than 2,000 “The single most important activity a bass organizer Emily Dagg is all smiles too. “I of collaborating with Denver Public an interview with the band available views a day. for building the knowledge for eventual 8 7 guitar love seeing so many kids at the library,” Schools. Library staff conducted 876 as a podcast.” Still, even the latest technology can’t success in reading, is reading aloud to waft Dagg shouts over the blasting music. promotional visits to DPS classrooms According to Michelle Jeske, manager outshine the experience of having a Read children,” according to a report from “Serving children has always been and assemblies, reaching more than of web information services, there was Aloud volunteer tell Becoming a Nation of Readers. 9 managing to keep her dignity (alright, not really).8 high on the list at the Denver Public 42,000 students. In addition, we a definite increase in the number of a story in person, Read Aloud sends trained readers, views to the web site the day following most of whom are volunteers, into the the concert. community to read 9 “To reach teens,” Jeske says, “you stories to children 10 Library,” says City Librarian Shirley expanded our community partnerships have to communicate the during the school year. Amore. “In 2006, it became a strategic in 2006 by working with the Denver Zoo, way they do.” In 2006, 25 staff and 10 priority.” Denver Parks and Recreation and the Hello, YouTube and 85 volunteer readers 11 from “At the beginning of the year, we DPS Summer Scholars program. MySpace. The Library visited 103 locations the B2 resolved to focus on the educational It wasn’t just the numbers that not only has a presence Confer- and developmental needs of youth,” pleased us, but also the impact. Seventy- on MySpace, but also 11 ence adds Susan Kotarba, manager of two percent of kids who responded to offers a YouTube contest 12 Center children’s services. a survey about the Library’s Summer of for teens. at the To that end, the Library stepped up Reading program said they “liked to read “We want to give teens a “To reach12 teens,” Jeske says,Denver “you children’s have outreach to communicate services, storytimes athe lot.” Eighty-five way they percent ofdo.” parents who new idea of what the library is 13 Central and programming. The results of our responded believed the program had and what the library can do for Library. efforts delighted us. increased their child’s interest in reading them,” says 13 Upwards An astonishing number of kids and “a little” or “a lot.” 14 of 250 kids, teens – 26,755 – registered for Summer And programs didn’t end with teens and of Reading, the ten-week program summer. The Library hosted 10,271 14 even“To some reach teens,”designed Jeske to help studentssays, “you improve have and to communicateprograms throughout thethe year, way including they do.” 15 adults are maintain their reading skills over the storytimes, After School is Cool and rocking to summer. Supported by contributions Super Saturdays, with more than Harry and the Potters, a band from individuals, philanthropic 230,000 people attending. 15 16 that travels around the country perform- organizations, local businesses and “Having programs is a way to get ing original songs based on the famous corporations, Summer of Reading was kids and families to the Library who series of books. Wearing Hogwarts an overwhelming success. don’t normally come here,” explains 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 28 28 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 and read 15,965 books to approximately When she leaves, the students In addition to the nearly 4 million Whiteford, who adds that librarians 4,500 kids.