REPORT OF THE GREAT BARRINGTON LIBRARIES

To the Honorable Board of Selectmen:

We hereby submit the report of the Library Department for Mason Library and Ramsdell Public Library for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009.

For the third year in a row the Great Barrington Libraries experienced significant growth in circulation and attendance.  Circulation continued to climb this year, going from 138,034 for the two libraries in FY 2008 to 221,428 in FY 2009 for a 60% increase. Attendance rose at Ramsdell Library by 33%.  In addition, the Libraries added 574 card holders, for a total of 3,688.  The Department hired one new part-time employee, Sarah Westwind.

MASON LIBRARY

Mason Library continued to provide much needed meeting space and public access to information and computers.  The Library hosted a large number of school tutors and was a partner with the Literacy Network for their work in ESL tutoring.  Between these two programs, demand for tutoring spaces was so high that we often filled the quiet study rooms and then signed out the meeting rooms and the local history room for additional work spaces.  The public access computers were heavily used, as well, while the increase in circulation (although a statistic for both libraries) speaks for itself.  After a slow start when Mason first reopened in Spring of 2007, the Young Adult space has become a busy place with many new acquisitions, including a strong collection of graphic materials.

Mason offered 218 adult and young adult programs this year, attended by 1748 people. Girl scouts, writers groups, and a books club continued to meet monthly.   A variety of programs geared to various age groups presented Edwardian times and culture, Berkshire poets of work in progress, nationally known authors, mushrooms, the Appalachian Trail, Medicare Part B, and Census taker Training.  Most of these presentations were funded by State Aid to Libraries and by the Friends of the Library.  A few were underwritten by the Great Barrington Cultural Council.  All were free and open to the public.

We had at least 486 occasions of volunteering, but we know that many stepped in at programs when they saw a need and weren’t counted.

Mason Children’s Library

Mason Children’s Library provided 143 children’s programs this year.

FY 2009 began with a magic program by Greg McAdams.  In the weeks that followed, our summer reading program, “Wild Reads @ Your Library,” was completed by 183 children who read a total of 1650 hours.  During that program there were 24 craft activities supporting the wild animals and reading theme, attended by a total of 576 children.  We ended the summer with our traditional ice cream social.  Twenty-eight people volunteered to help during these summer sessions.   Holiday craft sessions and fall and spring story times were well attended by 194 children and many accompanying adults.

RAMSDELL LIBRARY

Ramsdell continued to celebrate its 100^th birthday (which fell in June of 2008), to grow in number of patron visits (12,441, an increase of 3,094 since last year, or 33%) and to offer imaginative and instructive programs for children. Each of the main floor’s rooms are vibrantly busy.  Ramsdell Library’s public computer stations continue to experience a large volume of use by the public.  The library also hosts several tutors and their pupils on a daily basis.  The Housatonic Community Development Block Grant, awarded during FY 2008, included $75,000 for a study of removal of access barriers to Ramsdell Library.  During FY 2009 a RFQ for Architectural Services was published and a selection committee for the architect for the study was named.  The study will result in a set of biddable plans by March 2010.

Programs

Ramsdell Library presented 114 programs in FY 2009.  During the summer, Ramsdell’s reading program centered on ancient Greece.  We investigated Greek mythology, ancient Greek ruins, made Greek Bas-relief sculptures and “Pandora’s Box”.  We conducted a mini Greek Olympics that was topped with a classic Greek Olympian Feast.  Creature Teachers also presented a program during the summer on the Brazilian rain forest complete with live animals, bromeliads, and orchids.

A few of the highlights from autumn and winter were chess for parents and children, story-times, crafts, Art Guild, free poetry-writing workshops for teens and adults, monthly “Fairy Teas,” evening writers guild, knitting guild, live music for families, and an amazing Halloween Party for children!   Ramsdell also held a “Holiday Open House” for the public.

In the spring we continued with the Fairy Teas but also introduced the Putumayo Playground Series for children and their families.  This series is centered on music and stories from other lands, with the children encouraged to add percussion and dance.  We also conducted a six-week reading program on Native Americans across the United States, supported by books and crafts.  Lisa Little Wolf (of the Northern Cheyenne Nation) came to speak to families about her heritage, further enriching the children’s experience.

WITH GRATITUDE

The Libraries are very grateful for our patrons, friends – our entire community!  We especially wish to thank a host of volunteers who have supported both libraries with their hard work, especially at children’s programs and their support of us during a time of great change and fiscal challenge. We also want to thank the Friends of Great Barrington Libraries (a 401C3 organization) for their gifts to the libraries including funds for many programs, holiday decorations, special books, and hard work during book sales.

Submitted by Anne Just, Library Director with
Dawn Barbieri, Assistant Director/Ramsdell   &
Karen Ball, Children’s Librarian

MASON LIBRARY-HOLDINGS AND FINANCIAL REPORT
Holdings
Adult & Young Adult print                                 26,031
Juvenile Print                                                          13,903
Audiobooks & movies                                             4,816
Magazines & newspapers (issues)                          586
Total                                                                            45,336

Cash Returned to GB Treasurer
Fines                                                                          2,062.85
Copies                                                                        1,819.45
Donations                                                                2,583.55
Total                                                                          6,465.85

RAMSDELL LIBRARY-HOLDINGS AND FINANCIAL REPORT
Holdings
Adult & Young Adult print                                 17,016
Juvenile Print                                                            7,748
Audiobooks & movies                                             2,168
Magazines & newspapers (issues)                       1,420
Total                                                                             28,352

Cash Returned to GB Treasurer
Fines                                                                           802.05
Copies                                                                         145.20
Donations                                                                  948.10
Total                                                                         1,895.35