HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005 - Library Board - Annual ReportLibrary Board
2005 Annual Report
Support technology initiatives as the foundation for providing library services.
Building on Basics received voter approval and funding for Library technology is
ensured for the next ten years. The library board advocated the passage of the package
that included library technology funding.
Support plans to outfit, staff and eventually stock the Lifestyles branch.
Plans for a southeast branch are on hold at present, but the Library Board still sees that
providing a branch is a priority. Bayer Development has continued to express interest in
the inclusion of the branch library with its development. The Board believes that a
Southeast Branch is also a Council priority and appreciates any efforts Council can make
to bring this to fruition.
Pursue a more equitable and inclusive funding model. Enlist Council's support of
the Library through Building on Basics and a possible Regional Library Authority.
The Library Board supported the Council's decision regarding limiting the B uilding on
Basics funds for the Library to funding the Library's computer systems for the next 10
years in order to fund other much needed capital improvements. After extensive
research, the Library Board made a unanimous endorsement of forming a Library District
as the best solution to long term library funding. The Library Board bases its
recommendation on best practices for funding public libraries identifying districts as the
most successful model. We look forward to working with Council on the continued
exploration of secure funding for the Library.
Recognize the community -volunteer efforts and spotlight the benefit derived from
the 7.32 full time equivalent library volunteers.
Board newsletters have highlighted the contributions that volunteers make to the Library.
A Read Poster campaign is one of the ways volunteers are being recognized. Another is
by working with the Friends of the Library through their regular representative at the
Library Board meetings.
Foster community interaction with the Library.
The Board shares its Quarterly Newsletter to Council with library patrons.
Advise Council of developments in Library -impacting legislation.
During 2005, regular Board minutes included periodic updates for the Council on
legislation affecting public libraries. The attached summary written by Board member,
Bob Burns, provides a summary of the most noteworthy trends and legislation pertaining
to library issues in 2005.
Emerging Trends in Public Libraries
During the past year, libraries have continued to play a unique and vital role in their
respective communities with libraries and library -related issues appearing regularly in the
national press. Such national/international news mediums as the Wall Street Journal, the
New York Times, NBC (see especially December 16' NBC "Nightly News," broadcast
by Brian Williams), and the Christian Science Monitor all spoke directly and often to the
role of libraries in the social, political, and economic life of the nation. The national
press has carried many articles in support of libraries, reading and books; the national
role of libraries in shaping legislation on civil rights and the importance of self education
and the many opportunities provided by libraries to their communities. Indeed, the
conclusion drawn by the national press, implicit if not explicit, is that libraries are
essential to any community that wishes to attract and hold a strong tax base of residents
thereby remaining economically and socially viable.
Let me illustrate this with a few emerging trends or new developments in libraries that
have caught the national attention this past year.
Many people, both adults and young people, use library materials to meet their everyday
needs in the purchase of goods and services; in answering medical questions; in buying a
home or automobile; in the preparation of balanced meals; in obtaining telephone
numbers for far away cities; in locating businesses to purchase or sell to with data on
their sales, credit ratings, the names of officers and their phone numbers, the number of
employees; where to file a complaint, etc., etc. The answers to these questions are often
an essential part of the information needs of a community. Their sources have increased
in scope and power during the past year.
For example, the ability to search medical databases is especially important to Fort
Collins residents and has expanded nationally with the growth of both Medline and
MedlinePlus. These services enable the user to answer questions and obtain reference
materials in all areas of medicine including dentistry and nursing. MedlinePlus is an
especially valuable tool for anyone seeking current information about a disease or
undergoing major surgery with MedlinePlus's Interactive Health Tutorials which provide
answers to questions on testing, diagnostic procedures, prevention, treatment, and
symptoms. It is also worth noting that both Medline and Medline + are free in the Fort
Collins Public Library and available in both English and Spanish.
These services are described in some detail in an article in the Wall Street Journal for
December 14 on page 5 titled, "Managing Expectations for Surgery: New Tools Help
Hospitals Explain Procedures, Risks, Protection from Malpractice." This article
describes the Emmi or "Expectation Management and Medical Information Program,"
which is available on the computers in the Fort Collins Public Library.
Two other recent developments in libraries are also worth mentioning here. This past
year a major internet provider, Google, has offered to the library researcher access to the
holdings of five major research libraries in the U.S. and U.K. while Yahoo and the Open
Content Alliance allow the library user to scan and see online the contents of books no
longer under copyright or licensed under a more relaxed version of copyright (WSJ
10/03/05). These services are also free to the library user. It is clear that computers and
technology are revolutionizing the way libraries work and are run.
The third major trend in libraries during this past year has been the large role libraries
played in the national debate over privacy, individual rights, and the shaping of the
legislation reauthorizing the Patriot Act. This was especially important in the renewal of
Section 215 which permits the use of secret search warrants to look for books, records of
use, and other items in businesses, in hospitals and in libraries. (See "Libraries Can Be
Patriotic Too," in the Christian Science Monitor for 6/23/05). As of this writing
(December 20th) the House and Senate versions were still to be reconciled. It is also
worth noting that the American Library Association maintains an active lobby in
Washington which has pushed to support the Senate version of this important legislation.
In addition, the American Library Association is working with a group of national
newspaper editors to hold a "Sunshine Week," next March 13-19 in Washington. The
purpose of this meeting is to draw attention to the importance of the public's right of
access to government records.
To sum up, over the past year libraries have continued to strengthen their contribution to
the communities they serve in many ways:
1) By facilitating the use of resources (books, newspapers, videos, tapes,
computers and the internet) to support the democratic process of information
gathering by seniors, school children, parents, businesses, doctors, scholars,
the poor and the disadvantaged.
2) Played a role in the national debate over security, censorship, and privacy by
lobbying for legislation in defense of the rights of the individual and local
institutions.
Played a vital role in the community by supplying access to medical information via
computer search.
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