The-Librarian-Blog

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!