The-Librarian-Blog

Chambers County Library System – April, 2013

April was once again full of fun activities at the library.  To start out with, we held our annual Edible Books Festival at all the branches.  The winner did a fun interpretation of Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger complete with homemade rye bread inside a catcher’s mitt.  Channel 6 out of Beaumont came out and even interviewed the County Librarian – you never know what will spark attention from the local media!  Later that same week the Friends of CCLS held their always popular, Gently Used Book Sale at Anahuac and Winnie.  Several volunteers helped set up and take down the books as well as manage the cashier’s table.  It’s always great to have extra hands to help out at the book sales and I know the staff appreciates it.

Following a successful program at Mont Belvieu on bullying, the presenter John Michael Hart spoke to a room full of parents, kids and some school administrators at Anahuac on his personal account with bullying.  John Michael offered information that helped give those in attendance a chance to learn more about the issue that may be confronting children.  The public had many positive comments about the presentation about what a great job John Michael did for the library.  John Michael also did a second program at Mont Belvieu which was also well received. 

Staff member Lesa Boutin held a “Skype” program with author Adriana Trigiani.  Book club members were able to see and talk to Ms. Trigiani about her book and other topics.  Using Skype technology in libraries allows patrons to get up close and personal with authors.  Look for more programs like this in the future.

The Chambers County Library in Anahuac and the Juanita Hargraves Memorial Branch in Winnie currently have positions open for a Children’s Librarian.  Each position is 16 hours per week and applicants are required to have previous children’s programming experience (schools, libraries, day cares, etc.).  It also doesn’t hurt if applicants can sing, dance, act silly, or create animal balloons by request!  For more information, please see the library’s website.  In the meantime, we’ve had several staff members step up to continue Storytime while interviews continue.  Special thanks to Aquilia De la Crux, Toya Peters, and Kim Silcox for filling in! 

County Librarian, Valerie Jensen and Technical Librarian, Kathy Fielding attended the Texas Library Association’s annual conference in Fort Worth last week.  This was the 100^th anniversary of the conference and was one of the most well attended conferences in years.  This opportunity provides continuing education for librarians of all types, including law, medical, school, special, academic, and public.  The conference provides hundreds of sessions presented by people who specialize in the different aspects of librarianship and we left inspired as we do each year.  It was refreshing to know that Chambers County Library System provides some of the latest technologies and programs for the public.  

And finally, over 300 people attended the West Chambers Branch in Mont Belvieu at their Meet Your Library Night program on April 30^th.  The Friends of CCLS sponsored the event and provided information on the proposed new library.  A Friends membership drive was held along with a free book drive.  Library staff mingled with the crowd introducing them to services and programs offered at the library.  Kudos goes out to staff member Kim Hart and her wonderful PowerPoint presentation on library services.  Several local authors were on hand to sign and sell books; they each also gave away a signed copy of their book at the end of the evening.  Several sponsors provided refreshments and door prizes.  Sonic of Mont Belvieu provided gift cards, coupons, and drinks, along with other local businesses including The Cake Box, Thrif-tee, Eagle Pointe, and Pizza Hut. 

Until next month!

 

 

Chambers County Library System – March, 2013

Total walk-in traffic – 9,619

Total programs offered – 63

Program attendance – 1,177

Computer logons – 2,010

Total circulation – 13,260

As you can see, the month of March was a busy, busy month! 

March provided the library system with another opportunity to show the communities some of the things we do best. National Read Across America Day was celebrated at all three libraries with our Cat in the Hat costumes (courtesy of the Friends of CCLS) used in full force at all the branches.  Each site had all sorts of fun, with cakes, photographs, and of course, Dr. Seuss stories. Our children’s programs continue to be innovative and successful!  West Chambers Branch Librarian, Missy Parham had the privilege of being the “official” Cat in the Hat at Barbers Hill ISD.  She spent a day at the schools entertaining the kids with stories and quirky fun activities.  It’s always a great thing to see the staff involved at the schools.  We ended March with Easter parties for the young set, and there were various activities in the three branches, from egg hunts to visits by that old rascal himself, the Easter Bunny.

Several staff members were able to take advantage of the County’s offer of CPR classes.  Staff has been trying to work themselves into the monthly classes provided by the Emergency Management department, and we fervently hope that everyone who wants to take the class will have managed to do so by the end of the year. Each of our sites has a defibrillator available, and new rules on these machines, and new standards for CPR techniques make re-training invaluable.

Our movie programs are always a hit with free refreshments and movies on the big screen.  The staff loves to show newly released movies with the kids (and adults) often asking what the next movie will be.  Chambers County Library in Anahuac tested out a “Grown-up Movie Night” on the 26^th with a good group of attendees.  It sparked interest for other types of movies to be shown including classics and award-winning films.  Of course the kids enjoyed Hotel Transylvania and Odd Life of Timothy Green.  Next month there’s a whole new lineup, so be sure to check it out!

Spring break also allows the community to spend free vacation time at the libraries.  Programs specifically held for Spring Breakers were held at a couple of branches with Anahuac’s Angry Birds program, name art collages, and a movie marathon.  Mont Belvieu followed suit with a Shrek teen movie marathon complete with all types of good snacks. 

The Winnie gang held a Springtime Gardening program with A. Lynette Parsons.  Lynette is a certified Master Gardener and loves to talk dirt with patrons on all types of topics when it comes to gardening and flowers.  Contact the local County Extension office at 409-374-2123 with your gardening questions and they’ll connect you with the local experts in Chambers County. 

Technical Librarian Kathy Fielding and I did some outreach at the Chambers County Health and Wellness Fair by showing county employees what the library offers in terms of wellness resources.  The library has hundreds of materials that can be used for wellness points for county employees, and we also have some great updated books and DVDs – not to mention the wealth of information available from our health and medical online databases.  We also had over 300 pieces of fruit donated by Food Town to pass out to everyone who attended. 

County Librarian, Valerie Jensen attended the quarterly Lee College Educational Opportunity Advisory board meeting at the Workforce Solutions office in Baytown. Area librarians meet with Lee College instructors and staff to discuss the educational needs of people in the community. Currently, the Chambers County Library in Anahuac holds GED prep classes for students who need assistance in taking the exam. The Lee College EOC has provided scholarships for area students to pay for the GED test when they are unable to get the funds to pay themselves.

And finally, our newly added databases, Chilton automotive repair and Powerspeak languages have come on full force.  The past month we have had 17 people spend over 5 hours in training with Powerspeak training in Spanish, French and German.  The Chilton auto repair database was used heavily as well to assist people needing simple to advanced car repair information.  Our newest databases are accessible from home with your library card. 

Coming up in April, the Friends of CCLS and the staff will be holding a Meet Your Library Night at the West Chambers Branch in Mont Belvieu inviting the public, local businesses, schools, and local officials to see the value of what their library holds in the community.  The event will be held on April 30^th from 4pm-7pm.  Local authors, refreshments, free books, and much more will be on hand for fun-filled evening at the library. 

Check out upcoming activity on our website.  Check us out at www.chambers.lib.tx.us or give us a “Like” on Facebook to see pictures and activities at your local branch. 

Until next month!

Valerie Jensen

County Librarian
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chambers County Library System – February, 2013

In addition to Valentine’s Day and Black History Month, February was also Library Lovers’ Month!  The staff took advantage of this special month by promoting the library’s services with unique and eye-catching displays.  Anahuac had a “Library Valentine Tree” where patrons could write a Valentine to their library.  Mont Belvieu invited patrons to go on a “Blind Date” with a book, and all 3 branches had Black History materials on display throughout the month.  Patrons enjoy seeing the different displays, and you never know what you’ll get with the creativity of the staff.  Our display racks are placed close to the checkout desk so it’s the equivalent of the candy aisle at the store – someone usually grabs something last minute. 

On the 7^th the staff gathered to hammer out the details of our upcoming Summer Reading Program.  It’s still several months away, but in order to get all those programs, sponsors, orders, and last minute details finalized, our planning process needs to start at the beginning of the year.  We’re looking forward to another great summer full of fun programs and activities for all ages.  The Friends of Chambers County Library System are our major underwriter for the Summer Reading Program along with the County.  Any additional funds needed (and there always is), gets done with grants that the County Librarian writes to several local entities involved in community giving programs. 

The Friends of the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge donated money to the library for the purchase of children’s books on ecology, estuaries, marshes and related topics.  These subject areas of the collection continue to teach the elementary and middle school students about nature and wildlife as it applies to them locally. 

The annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Chambers County Library System was held on February 23^rd this year. The Friends, as an independent group of library supporters and cardholders, is a vital link for the library system to the community at large. Over 250 individuals and business owners hold memberships, and their dues, coupled with fund raisers, make up the bulk of funds used by the library staff for programming supplies. They have also been able to provide us with additional equipment and furniture over the years that could not be purchased otherwise. The meeting was well attended, and our Executive Board promises to be enthusiastic and dedicated.  One of the topics of discussion was the new West Chambers Branch Library progress.  The Friends met with architects, JT ARC Studios from Houston to discuss the direction the Friends want to go as they pursue their portion of the funds needed towards the building project.

As the search continues for an Assistant County Librarian, we decided to do a temporary personnel change until we find our lucky candidate.  Technical Librarian Kathy Fielding will be assigned some Assistant County Librarian clerical duties to give the County Librarian some time to catch up on some projects that have been on the back burner.  To fill in the time Kathy will be taken from her Technical duties, a temporary part-time employee will pick up the slack at 20 hours per week.  We thank the court for allowing this brief change so we can continue to keep up the pace of our busy library! 

Until next month!

Chambers County Library System – January, 2013

January 1 is always the library’s favorite day of the year.  It’s the day our new budget kicks in, and we can take a deep breath knowing we don’t have to squeak by like we do in the later months of the year. Our vendors start calling in November to reserve their spot to show off their new titles and products we desperately want to provide for our patrons.  We try to stay within our budget to provide for the public, but it’s always a balancing act since there are so many new services libraries can offer. 

A couple of those new services we will start offering in March include, ChiltonLibrary and Powerspeak Languages.  Chilton is a familiar name with those who frequent our auto repair section.  Patrons will be able to log in with their library card and print or view maintenance, repair, or recall information.   The online Chilton library covers current vehicles all the way back to 1940.  Of course those Chilton books will still be available for checkout!  Powerspeak Languages is our next new database.  It’s a wonderful tool to learn a new language.  Powerspeak has been compared to Rosetta Stone in its success rate and ease of use with video/audio tutorials and interactive lessons.   Languages that will be available are Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, and English (ESL). 

Online services are increasingly popular with libraries and Chambers County Library System is proof of that.  In December our website saw over 6,000 hits that took patrons to places like Overdrive for downloadable eBooks and audiobooks.  Free downloadable music, free newspaper access, Ancestry, resume makers, and hundreds of other informative databases are heavily used each month.  If you haven’t checked them out lately, go to the library’s website at www.chambers.lib.tx.us  and click on the image slider to explore something new!

The Juanita Hargraves Memorial Library in Winnie held a Community Book Swap sponsored by some East Chambers ISD teachers.  Lisa Ledoux and Kellie Rogers brought books to swap with patrons who either wanted something new, or decided to donate to the cause.  Quite a few patrons took advantage of the swap and requested more in the future. 

In other programming highlights, Anahuac offered a Spring gardening class and the Book Club celebrated 5 years with a trip to Luna’s.  Winnie held a teen Superhero day, and Hobbit Day along with their Community Book Swap.  And this year, Mont Belvieu took on the Anime Winter Ball with teens from Anahuac and Mont Belvieu coming together to talk anime, manga, draw, play videogames, and enjoy a night at the library sharing common interests. 

And finally, it’s that time of year where tax forms are in high demand.  This year the IRS is delivering forms and booklets as they become available.  For taxpayers who can file their return beginning January 30, those forms have been received and are available free of charge at your local branch.  Forms that can’t be filed beginning January 30 are not yet available.  Check back or call to check the status of tax form and booklet deliveries.

Until next month!

Chambers County Library System – December, 2012

For the past couple of years we’ve watched trends in library needs change.  The printed book is still highest in demand, but our numbers for downloadable media have exploded in the last year.  We thank those of you who take advantage of our free downloadable music, videos, books, etc. on your Nooks, Kindles, iPads, and other devices.  Increasing this collection is definitely an area we’re going to focus on more heavily in 2013.  

The end of the year reports are always the most interesting to look at because we’ve always had the good fortune of seeing increases across the board in all areas of service we provide.  One that sticks out for 2012 is programming.  We had an 18% increase in the number of programs offered and 7% increase in the number of people attending those programs.  The quality of programming offered by the Chambers County Library System is definitely something everyone should experience!  From babies still in the womb, to teens and adults; we’ve got something for everyone.

Total circulation:  233,812

Total database logons:  11,013

Program attendance:  13,952

Public computer logons:  28,828

Wireless logons:  2,858

Walk-in traffic:  147,578

Remote logons (databases, website and online services):  58,461

A few highlights of 2012 include:

The Friends of Chambers County Library System held another double header book sale at Anahuac and Mont Belvieu.  Over $1,000 was raised, and that money will go towards library services and programs in the upcoming months.  All items sell for less than $1, not a bad profit for a few days work!

The Anahuac branch held “Twas the Night at the Library” program with over 60 kids and their parents in attendance.  Activities included stories, crafts, games, snacks and a special appearance from Mrs. Claus.  All the libraries held programs for kids and teens for the holidays with Santa managing to squeeze in a visit during his busy schedule. 

Book clubs are in full swing at all 3 libraries.  This is the first time in CCLS history that book clubs have been offered at all 3 branches.  The meetings range from formal to informal discussions about what everyone likes (or dislikes) about the books.  Often times members bring snacks, and what goes better than a good book, good discussion, and food!   The Chambers County Library in Anahuac will be starting up their 6^th year, which goes to show we’re doing something right!

Branch Librarian Aquilia De la Cruz presented a Salsa Making program on December 6^th.  This program isn’t something you would traditionally associate with libraries, but it’s a great example of the wide variety of programs offered at the libraries. 

Branch Librarian Aquilia De la Cruz, and Library Technicians Toya Peters and Angie Broussard attended FAFSA training at Lee College.  FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  Staff from each branch brought back great information to share with the staff to better assist students who might need help as they begin the tedious process of filing for financial aid.  To round out the month, the usual movie programs, writers’ groups, teen game days, computer classes, and craft clubs were offered. 

In personnel news, County Librarian Valerie Jensen and Technical Librarian Kathy Fielding have been conducting interviews in search of a new Assistant County Librarian.  Applicants are coming from all across the United States, but we haven’t found that right person yet.  Phase one consists of an online interview and depending on that, we’ll offer an on-site interview to better acquaint applicants with our Library System.  The upcoming week brings us daily interviews so we’re anticipating good things from our next round of applicants. 

Until next month!

Chambers County Library System – November, 2012

What a busy month!  November kicked off with a big announcement for the library.  Chambers County Library System was one of 20 libraries in the state to be nominated for Public Library of the Year.  Although we didn’t walk away with the big award, we are extremely thrilled just to be in the spotlight for the hard work the staff does.  There are over 500 libraries in the state, and to be ranked with the best of them is quite an accomplishment in our book. 

County Librarian, Valerie Jensen attended a webinar entitled, Tech at Warp Speed, which focuses on the future of technology in libraries.  The library prides itself on staying on trend with the latest technology.  By doing that, as we move forward with technology changes, it makes it much more acceptable by the public and staff.   

Speaking of technology, the library is currently searching for a new Assistant County Librarian and we are using the latest video/chat tool, Google Hangout for our interviews since many of our candidates are from out of state.  The search is going well and we hope to have the position filled by the end of the year. 

Staff members Cindy Alegria and Missy Parham completed a Small Library Management course in Collection Development.  This training takes about 2 years to complete and participants receive intense training in the areas of administration, management, policy development, collection development, reference services, youth services and technology training. 

November 13^th was the quarterly Library Advisory Board meeting.  Board members met and discussed some policy changes as well as receive a report from the County Librarian regarding library news. 

A couple of grants have been written to the Texas Book Festival grant committee for items not covered in the library’s approved budget.  One particular grant we hope to receive is funding towards upgrading our current website.  Our website is crucial to our online presence and patrons who aren’t able to use the library’s resources inside the building.  We are anticipating a more user friendly and inviting website along with a new children’s page. 

The Friends of the Chambers County Library System are also pursuing grant funds and donations towards their fundraising efforts for the West Chambers Branch library building campaign.  A mail out to all Mont Belvieu patrons informing citizens of their efforts is almost completed and donations are starting to trickle in from library users who have been eager to see an expansion for some time now.   Just a reminder that all donations are tax deductible! 

And finally, in programming news, the Anahuac and Mont Belvieu branches braved the crowds by taking teens on a movie field trip to see the final movie in the Twilight saga.  All 3 branches had wonderful Toddler Time programs planned for the under 5 age crowd.  And movie nights, writers groups, book clubs, coupon classes, craft clubs, computer classes, anime clubs, Homeschool programs and much more were happening during the month of November @ your local library. 

Until next month!

Chambers County Library System – October, 2012

We’re busting out the walls!  Over 12,000 people visited the Chambers County Library System in October.  Wireless and computer logons were 2,740 and 12,996 items were circulated.  This was our largest October circulation in over 5 years.   

The Holiday seasons have kicked in for CCLS!  Halloween appeared in various forms with programs for the little ones and lock-ins for the older crowd.  Anahuac and Mont Belvieu braved all nighters with over 20 teens at each, and all seemed to have a spirited good time.  Winnie held an after-hours program the same night as a popular school function and still had 20 teens attend.  Goes to show that the library is the place to be!  The pre-school programs had attendance that exceeded expectations with the staff having all hands on deck.  Kids enjoyed spooky stories, activities and of course Halloween candy and treats.  We can’t wait for Christmas!

Speaking of program attendance, the West Side explodes once again with their children’s program attendance with 359 kids attending 9 programs.  One of the main reasons their numbers have increased is the addition of the newly structured Homeschool Program led by staff member Kim Hart.   Kim has started 2 separate programs focusing on a Pre-K book club and a 2^nd-5^th grade Science Club.  Both programs are offered during the day which is peak Homeschool time.  Exxon Mobil has also come on board as a volunteer with the Science Club to lend a hand with some of the experiments.  It’s a great free service for one of the many audiences we serve.  

Another area to note an increase is our Spanish services.  Anahuac’s Branch Librarian, Aquilia De la Cruz has been offering basic and advanced computer classes in Spanish which fill beyond capacity each month.  Her classes include people with zero to intermediate computer skills and each class the students return to learn more.  Some of the advanced classes focus on the local school district’s Skyward program so parents can access their child’s progress at school. 

The library is the main access point for people with no Internet access and/or computer skills.  There are still a large percentage of people who do not know how to use a mouse, have an email address, or have Internet access.  That’s where the library steps in to offer assistance.  We provide everything from basic to advanced classes.  Check the schedule for the days and times. 

October also saw an increase in the number of Interlibrary Loan items requested throughout our Library System.  If the library doesn't have a particular title, we can borrow from outside our system.  The process is painless and fast, it usually takes a week for an item to come in and we simply give patrons a call to come pick up their book.  The only exception is we can’t order items published within the last 6 months.  In cases like that, patrons can put in a request for the item to be purchased and added to the system.  As long as funds allow and it fits into our collection development policy, we purchase within a couple of weeks.  We do keep up with bestselling authors, new DVDs, magazines, and much more!

On a personnel note, we’re now on the search for an Assistant County Librarian.  The County Librarian has her plate pretty full and we’re hoping to find just the right person to fill the spot.  Requirements for this position include 5 years public library experience and a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science.  Several applications have started to come in and the interview process is already in the works. 

Finally, the Friends of the Chambers County Library System had a presence at the Barber’s Hill Fall Fest on the 20^th.  They held a Gently Used Book Sale, and also talked up the upcoming bond election in May for the new West Chambers Branch facility.  It was a busy day, many people purchased books but we still had a lot to box up.  It’s always great that the library gets exposure in any way possible, and these community functions are ideal. 

Until next month!

Chambers County Library System – September, 2012

September seems to have been a blur at the library.  With so much going on it seems like our “slow” months have officially disappeared.   September kicked off fall programming at all the libraries with Toddler Time, and Teen Advisory Boards back in full swing.   Here’s a snapshot of just a few things we did last month.

In September the library had quite a presence around the county.  The Anahuac branch had an educational booth at Gatorfest passing out library publications, bookmarks and tons of promotional materials for the hundreds of people who stopped by.   It’s always great to see the people recognize and compliment us on a job well done!  Branch Librarian Aquilia De la Cruz also represented the library at the Anahuac Elementary Open House event on the 24^th.  The Juanita Hargraves Memorial Branch in Winnie has a weekly “mobile library” at the Arboretum of Winnie.   Each week the staff rotates bringing books and magazines, and a couple times a month they also treat the residents with a story or two.  The West Chambers Branch in Mont Belvieu continues their outreach at the middle school promoting teen services at the library.  Hitting the classrooms is a huge factor in the success of our programs and it pays off!  Overall, the staff held 15 outreach programs to 1,699 people in September. 

Kim Hart with the Mont Belvieu branch started her Homeschool programs last month and was received with over 100 kids and their parents attending.  Kim’s idea to divide the Homeschool program into 2 units was a success, focusing on a book club and science club to better target the needs of the Homeschool demographic.  In October she plans on having a curriculum swap so parents can exchange curriculum materials.  Also at Mont Belvieu, staff member Lori Knapp held her first book club meeting with 14 patrons in attendance.  Each of the libraries now offer book club meetings and it’s obvious with Anahuac about to start on year 5 of their book club, the other branches are eager to get started. 

Lesa Boutin with the Anahuac branch held a “Grown-up” movie night featuring the British program, Downton Abbey.  The hugely popular television series was brought to life with beautiful china teacups and lace doilies decorating the room.  Those in attendance also learned the British National Anthem; it was quite the adventure and a good time was had by all. 

County Librarian Valerie Jensen attended the Lee College Educational Opportunity Center meeting where local librarians and faculty meet to discuss how to better serve the educational needs of the people in our community.  Currently, GED and ESL classes are held in Anahuac.  We’re working on some additional services early next year to assist with Financial Aid and GED testing.  Earlier in the month, Valerie also instructed a staff training class for newly hired staff as well as those who wanted a refresher course.  Each year the library tries to have as many training opportunities as possible so we can better serve our patrons. 

Until next month!

 

Chambers County Library System – August, 2012

The Library staff didn’t have too much of a break after Summer Reading this year.  Even without our usual story hours and computer classes, we managed to work in a good amount of activity, and with the schools starting up, our changeover from summer visitors to students was almost unnoticed. 

We had a couple of big programs that took place last month.  First up was our Homeschool Orientation program.  We continue to see increases in this particular group of library users.  We had 19 adults and 39 kids attend and all were either new to the homeschool scene or have been homeschooling for years.  Several staff members walked guests through the many services, both on site and online, that the library system offers to all its patrons, while other staff members entertained the kids with crafts, movies and other activities.  Lunch was generously provided by the Friends of CCLS. 

The Chambers County Library in Anahuac held a “Back to School Bash” the last week of August for kids of all ages.  The program was well attended by 38 kids and 8 adults.  The library was bustling with activities, movies, crafts and even some parents who joined in for the fun.  Special thanks go to Tanya Wead and Stacey Braxton for providing supplies for the program. 

Other programs that took place in August included, Extreme Couponing, Computer classes, Movie nights, Genealogy groups, Writers’ Groups, and more. 

On the 14^th, the Library Advisory Board met and approved the updates to several policies.  The Board is appointed by Commissioners’ Court and serves as a liaison between the library and its citizens.  Their input is always great to hear and we are lucky to have such a great group of Board members to promote the library and its mission. 

Earlier in the month the County Librarian led a cataloging training class for several of our staff members who have the job of entering new paperback materials into the library’s database.   With each branch receiving 20-30 new paperbacks monthly, the need for some entry level staff training on this topic was a must.  Cataloging is a very tedious process and the majority of it takes place in Tech Services, but in order to meet the demands of our patrons we’re hoping this training will cut down on the wait time for the public.

In personnel news, the Juanita Hargraves Memorial Branch in Winnie has a new face in the children’s department.  Angie Broussard joined the team as the new Children’s Librarian.  She has demonstrated her ability above and beyond and we’re thrilled to have her on board.  Winnie also gained a new Library Page with Dawn Davis.  She’s a graduate of East Chambers and attends Lamar University while working part-time at the library. 

And finally, the “summer helper” program is sponsored over and above the library system budget; it is an extra gift from the Commissioners’ Court and Judge Sylvia.  The salaries provided to these young people help them greatly in our area, where jobs are scarce, and it is a bonus of $14,670.00 to the library system! 

 

 

Another successful Summer Reading Program ended with a week of party events in mid-July.  This year’s program was a huge success with 28,870 books read in June and July as part of the Texas Reading Club, held at the three Chambers County libraries.  The annual program, which is open to children from the ages of pre-k through 5^th grade ended in mid-July, with 1,100 children registering.  A total of 3,455 adults, teens, and children attended 40 programs held during this time.  Over 200 adults and teens enrolled in their own reading events, and read a total of 2,157 books. 

The Friends of CCLS also took advantage of the summer crowds by holding a 3-day Gently Used Book Sale at Anahuac and Mont Belvieu.  It was a huge success, and funds raised will be used to purchase additional programming supplies and equipment for the libraries.  The Friends also met during a special called meeting on the 11^th to discuss ongoing plans for the Mont Belvieu library fundraising campaign.  Good things are in the works for the West Chambers Branch! 

At the beginning of the month, former classroom teacher turned professional chef Lori Hinze held a Cooking Program at each of the libraries.  Her “Book Cook” program incorporates skills such as literacy, math, and nutrition into her presentation.  Kids became chefs for the day while learning some cooking techniques they could use at home.  We had an overwhelming response and many requests to have her back.  I have a feeling we’ll be seeing Lori in the Fall!

The Anahuac staff continued on with more programs even after summer was finished.  Branch Librarian Aquilia De la Cruz and Teen Librarian LaShebia Haskin combined their talents to present a “Walk on Water” program where the “tween” age kids created sandals made from recycled 2-liter bottles.  The results were amazing and the kids had a blast. 

And a big thank you to everyone involved in helping the library get a permanent vehicle.  We haul over 1,000 items each month between the 3 libraries and it does quite a bit of wear and tear on our personal vehicles when you’re hauling such items as book sale books, equipment, furniture, sno-cone machines, DVDs, buckets of mail, etc.  The County Librarian makes weekly trips to the branches and we never have less than 5 big boxes to deliver.  It’s also used for outreach programs when our children and teen staff go to the local schools and day cares.  

A budget hearing was held at the end of July for the library.  Each year we make notes on items or services we would like to add for the citizens of the county.  This year we’re asking for language and test prep databases, lease printers, additional programming money, and a couple of items we feel is warranted to continue the level of service our patrons have grown used to. We find out in a couple of months what we get, so we anxiously await until then. 

A total of 18,384 people came in our doors and a record-breaking 2,447 kids, teens, & adults attended programs

Public computer logons:  2310 

Wireless logons:  258

Yep, we’re pretty busy!  We circulated more than 1/3 of our entire collection in one month.  All we can say is, Wow. 

The first day of summer reading was met with little kids beating on the front doors ready to get started.  Fresh out of school, the kids and teens look forward to reading for pleasure and fun for little incentives along the way.  The planning that goes on all year long pays off this time of year and the staff should be commended for their extra efforts for providing the citizens of Chambers County with outstanding library service!

Many of our programs are held off-site simply because we don’t have the room.  One of the downsides to that is not having the library readily available to grab books on the go.  This year the West Chambers Branch continues to reach capacity at the Cove Community Building with over 200 kids at their programs, Juanita Hargraves in Winnie can’t possibly fit 100+ kiddos in their story hour room, and Chambers County Library in Anahuac has no choice but to offer summer programs at the Legion Hall since their 30 capacity room just doesn’t hold up.  These space issues are currently being addressed and we hope in the near future we can move back “home” to our libraries during the summer months.

With 2 weeks left to go, we’re getting ready for the annual Summer Reading Program parties where kids get to celebrate all their hard work by accepting their reading certificates and seeing our all time favorite performer, Jeffrey Gardner perform his latest comedy show.  Jeffrey has over 15 years of experience as a children’s entertainer, and toured nationally as a cast member of “The Ronald McDonald Show” and “Bob The Builder LIVE!.”  You don’t want to miss him!

In other news, Technical Services continues to crank out new items that get delivered to the branches each week.  We stay on top of the latest books, magazines, DVDs and more so you don’t have to spend your hard-earned money!  The library offers library service to each county taxpayer for only $16.99 a year.  For less than the cost of 1 hardback book you can have access to as many as you want for free, as long as you get them back to us on time! 

And a reminder about a couple of our newest services, Freegal music and Newsbank.  Freegal is free downloadable music similar to iTunes, which allows patrons to download 3 songs a week.  Songs are yours to keep forever and each Sunday evening your account resets to allow you 3 more Monday morning.  This service was previously available only in the library but we’ve opened it up to home access as well.  Newsbank is also a fantastic source for free online newspaper access.  Papers such as the Houston Chronicle, Baytown Sun, and the Beaumont Enterprise are all available from home.  Historical papers are also part of this subscription and include papers as far back as 1690.