Item 4DLibrary Board Report
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
The Southlake Library Board respectfully submits this written report in an effort to maintain
communication flow between the Board and City Council.
The Southlake Library Board will hold their January Library Board Meeting on Wednesday
January 26, 2005.
Librarians Report: Library Administrator Kerry McGeath indicated the following programs
and statistics through January.
Analysis of December Stats in the Library:
Checkouts for the month are up 60% over LY, and we are up 71% over LY, YTD. This is on top
of a 45% increase in checkouts for FY 03/04. I equate circulation numbers with Sales numbers -
it is the amount of product we push out the door. Through better selecting of new product and
weeding of old materials we have also had a huge rise in turns which I use to tell me about the
effectiveness of the inventory. LY inventory turns were 2.2 (up from 1.8 the year before) and is
now at 3.2 (target is around 5 which would be the best of any library in the area).
We had a little drop in Library cards issued because we recently cleaned up the database,
but we are averaging between 170 and 200 new cards per month - the target is to get us well over
50% of the population within the next 2 years. Computer use was up 168% over LY
Traffic was up over 21% and up 14% YTD. Traffic is not seeing the big increases that we
are still seeing in Checkouts, which tells me we are better satisfying our current users and
providing a much better selection then we had (the turns are also telling me that). The next phase
that I will introduce is the Marketing phase (mid April) where we really look to expand the
Customer base, since we are satisfying demand at a much more acceptable level with our current
customers.
I have developed a "productivity quotient" in which I have quantified all of our outputs
and divided them by hours open and then by FTE. I completed this for most of the libraries in the
metro area and our productivity has been increasing from just a bit below average to above the
area average - the transactions per hour is indicative of the productivity increases with 23.5
Transactions per hour in the checkout area (a 66% increase over LY) and 3.04 per hour at the
reference desk (a 22% increase). I calculated the number of transactions in a busy retail location
at about 65.55 - our transactions are generally a bit more involved then a clerk ringing at a
register, so I estimated that about 40 to 45 transactions per hour would create a situation of
diminishing return.
I am looking at numbers related to performance and productivity increases for the library.
Libraries are generally very poor at quantifying service or performance - I find it very hard to
move forward if I don't know what moving forward is.
Tax Forms and Tax help
The Library now has most IRS Tax forms currently available. Any form
we do not have we can print a copy from the IRS Web Site ( www.irs.aov ).
Stop down and pick up what you need - it cannot be anymore convenient.
Library staff cannot give tax advice or identify needed forms.
Library Board Report
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
The Southlake Library Board respectfully submits this written report in an effort to maintain
communication flow between the Board and City Council
The Library and AARP are also providing Tax Help every Thursday night
from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. beginning February 3rd and going through April
14. A pair of AARP volunteers will be available to help and in most cases
electronically file your taxes on the spot. It is by appointment and they
have a form to be filled out to expedite working with your taxes. We will
accept walk -ins after all appointments are completed. There is no charge
for this service.
Coffee Service very well received:
Attempting to create a warm place in people's heart for their library we figured warm beverages
may do the trick. We have been delivering over 30 cups of coffee a day, and we have received an
overwhelmingly positive response. The British Emporium in Grapevine is going to be donating
Tea throughout the year for our those customers that are tea drinkers. We also have a number of
sponsors to cover the cost of the coffee service as well.
Fort Worth Opera performs children's Opera in Town Hall:
The Library is continuing its Masterworks series with Opera in Town Hall. The Fort Worth
Opera will be performing an Opera for Children titled "Little Red's Most Unusual Day. The
production is a synthesis of scenes by Opera's written by Jacques Offenbach and Gioachino
Rossini based loosely on the story of Little Red Riding Hood. The Opera will be held in the main
Lobby of Town Hall at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday February 8 Join us for an interesting evening of
Family entertainment and a first for Town Hall.
If you should have any questions please contact Kerry McGeath, Library Administrator at
817.481.8378.