May 2012 marks 10 months since the City of Santa Clarita took over the ownership and operation of our three local libraries, and I thought this might be a good time to share with you what has been happening.
As you may know, the City of Santa Clarita took over the local libraries last July. During the first week of operation of the three branches, the City infused $1 million in new books and media, extended the operating hours by 19 percent, and increased the annual purchase of materials by 67 percent annually. In addition, City property owners no longer pay a $28 a year special library tax.
Here a few of the highlights to date:
• 46,550 library cards issued- project almost 60,000 cards by end of the fiscal year.
• Circulated 787,341 items – will circulate well over 1,000,000 items for the year.
• To date in excess of half a million customers have visited the Library. (528,358).
• To date over 100,000 computer sessions have been booked.
• To date almost 80,000 items have been requested by patrons and delivered by the City Library’s delivery system which provides delivery of materials six days per week.
• In excess of 200,000 visitors have access to the Library’s website to access the electronic resources and other sources of information.
• The library began offering 34 story times each month beginning last July. The Library now offers 58 story times each month. Additional story times include bilingual (Spanish/English) and elementary grade level story time programs. 1400 people attended story times in March alone.
• 65,000 new materials, including e-books have been added to the collection since the City assumed responsibility for the public library.
• Approximately 1,000 new titles have been added to the collection in response to patron’s suggestions.
• Early learning computers, designed to introduce literacy to the very young have been installed at the Canyon Country Branch Library, are scheduled to be installed at the end of May at the Valencia Branch, and have been ordered for the new Newhall Library.
• Book sorters have been ordered and are scheduled to be installed at the Valencia and Canyon Country libraries by early June and as well as the new Newhall Library. The sorters will allow library materials to be checked in instantly and returned to the shelves more quickly.
• A new Friends of the Santa Clarita Public Library has been established.
If you are interested in learning more about the Santa Clarita Public Library, or would like to join the Friends of the Library group, log on to: www.santaclaritapubliclibrary.com, or call the library at 661-259-8942.
Sincerely,
Ken Pulskamp