2007 Annual Report | Mountainside Public Library

Mountainside Public Library
Mountainside, New Jersey

Phone: 908.233.0115 | Fax: 908.232.7311

2007 Annual Report of the
Mountainside Public Library
Michael D. Banick, Director

2007 was, in many ways, a year of transition for the Mountainside Public Library.

The previous year ended with the coincidental departure of both full-time librarians. Cathie Wagner was hired in late 2006 as public services librarian. She then served as interim director until Michael Banick was hired as director in February. Then, during the course of the year, two retirements opened the way for two more new staff members: Shelbi Babcock and Margaret Salvo. All have proved to be good additions to the Mountainside Library staff.

But personnel was only one area in which change occurred. In 2006, the Library Board authorized the upgrade of our integrated library computer system which manages our circulation and cataloging functions. Initial plans were to go with the Dynix Horizon system, but changes in that company’s corporate structure made migrating to their Sirsi Unicorn system more feasible. The upgrade took place over the summer of 2007 and involved weeks of preparation and many days of training. In August, we launched our new Unicorn system and the rollout was very smooth. Our new system is a win-win situation for the Mountainside Library and for you, our patrons: it is remote-hosted, shifting maintenance and support functions to the Sirsi Corporation, while providing easier, more dynamic searching of our collections.

We added 5,338 items to our collection in 2007, bringing our total holdings to 61,656. One notable addition to our collection is the Great Courses DVD series. These sets offer lectures on many topics, from music to Shakespeare to philosophy, by some of the leading professors in their respective fields. The courses are in an easy-to-use format with accompanying booklets, combining audio, video and print material for easy learning at your own pace.

Shelving space is a challenge in many libraries, and Mountainside is no exception. An ongoing task is the evaluation of our collection, to make sure we are providing the best, most up-to-date materials to our community. We began with a sweeping update of our health and medical reference collection and are systematically reviewing our entire collection. The hope is to gain space for new acquisitions by withdrawing superseded, outdated, or otherwise unneeded items.

Competing space needs forced the decision to withdraw our book-on-cassette collection. At one time, these were a popular format, but from January to June of 2007, circulation of this item type was down 43% and amounted to only 0.6% of our total circulation. By contrast, books on CD increased 11.6% and amounted to just over 11% of our total circulation during the same time period.

2007 was an excellent year for circulation at the Mountainside Library, with 76,837 total items circulated. While we did not pass the record total set in 2006 (81,750), we came close, making 2007 our second best year ever.

There were some interesting trends in circulation in 2007. Book circulation was up modestly, at 2.5% (44,772 in 2007 vs 43,665 in 2006). Audiobook circulation was up a significant 12.5% (3,938 in 2007 vs 3,501 in 2006). Juvenile CDs were up, but adult CDs were down. And circulation of all DVDs and VHS tapes was down a surprising 16%. It is interesting to notice variations in the use of our different collections.

If the items on the shelves are the heart of the library, then programs and events are its soul. In the spring, the Mountainside Library conducted a survey to see what kinds of programs would be of interest to the community. The greatest response was for music programs. Other top responses were author talks, digital camera classes, using e-Bay and movies.

In response to your requests, we hosted weekly movie programs, classes on e-bay and digital photography, music concerts, author talks, craft programs and more. In the fall, the library received a grant from the Watts Foundation for the purchase of a new piano, which was delivered in December. This will allow the library to host even more music programs, including concerts and recitals.

In total, year 2007 was an excellent year for programs at the Mountainside Library, for people of all ages. We hosted a total of 213 events, including 26 community events and 189 special library programs. This is a 13% increase over the previous year’s total. More impressive, though, is the attendance at these programs. In 2007, program attendance totaled 3,260: 1,371 adults and 1,889 children. This is an incredible 38% increase over 2006.

Patron Registration

As of Dec 31, 2007, there were 5,686 registered users on file with the library. Over the course of the year, we added 782 new patrons, which is a 16% increase for the year.

From June to November, the Westfield Memorial Library was closed for a massive renovation. As a member of the local MURAL network, Westfield patrons were welcomed to Mountainside with reciprocal privileges. This accounts, in part, for the spike in registration, but not all of it. To help offset the increase in use brought on by the Westfield closure, we hosted one of their reference librarians for several weeks. The assistance was appreciated. The Mountainside Library received much praise and thanks from Westfield residents, and we were glad to provide them with library services during their hometown library’s closure.

Building Maintenance

Some important building issues were attended to in 2007. In June, exterior wood and trim around the upper windows was prepped, primed and painted, giving additional life to the framework and improving the look of the library. Minor but much-needed roof repairs were made in order to stop leaks during heavy rain. And in October, the lower portion of the exterior was power washed, all trim was painted, rotten wood was replaced and new vents were placed in the eaves.

A Checkpoint security system was installed at the library’s front door in October. This is similar to the systems used by stores to control inventory. By helping safeguard the library’s collections, we will provide better service to our community, reduce frustration and cut expenditures on replacement items.

Reference Interactions

Total number of reference interactions increased 38%, from 2,504 in 2006 to 3,467 in 2007.

In 2007, the Mountainside Library received a grant from the Watts Mountainside Community Foundation for the purchase of a piano. The Library also received a grant from the Karma Foundation to create a core collection of books on autism.

The Friends are active supporters of the Mountainside Public Library, and 2007 was a busy year for this dedicated group. In March, the Friends hosted the second Artists’ Showcase, transforming the whole library into an art gallery for a day. It was a beautiful day with excellent turnout and artist participation. We look forward to the next Artists’ Showcase in 2009.

In April, the Friends were key supporters of the annual Rally to Read program for Mountainside children.

Two booksales – one in June, the other in October – were the Friends’ big fundraisers for the year. The June booksale was their most successful ever! Thanks to everyone who helped in the effort! The October booksale focused only on children’s materials and was also a big event, kicked off with a special preview night.

As noted above, 2007 was a banner year for programming at the Mountainside Library, and the Friends were big supporters of these programs – especially children’s programs and our special “Patriotic Concert” in July. Thank you again for all your support.

In the fall, the annual Friends’ Newsletter was sent to every residence in Mountainside. In it was included a membership form. Please consider becoming an active member of the Friends of the Mountainside Library. If you need a new membership form, you can get one next time you’re in the library. Or print one off our website: http://www.mountainsidelibrary.org/membership_form.doc

Many changes took place at the Mountainside Library this past year, but it was a good year! We look forward to building on this momentum as we look ahead to an exciting 2008.