Annual Report
Chair’s Remarks
On behalf of the board, I would like to express our appreciation to all who assisted us in making 2011 an historical year for St. Thomas Public Library. I extended our sincere thanks to our partners, the City of St. Thomas, for supporting the Library’s Revitalization Project. We extend our appreciation to KandL Construction, our movers Tippet-Richardson, in2space Interior Design, and Chamberlain Architects for making the Revitalization Project a success. We thank Mall staff, Arcturus Realty, and Mall owners Retrocom for their support during our stay at the Elgin Mall. The Friends of St. Thomas Public Library were also a significant contributor to the project costs.
The Library Board members contributed many volunteer hours throughout 2011. In hard hats and safety boots, board members attended site meetings, hosted tours for officials and stakeholders, and met with the architect, library staff, and construction team to resolve unexpected issues, and to ensure that resources were maximized.
Through the summer, the Library Board hosted meetings with City Aldermen to update them on the Revitalization Project, and tour the Library’s five temporary Mall locations. The discussion focused on our Strategic Plan, library financials and the challenges ahead.
Our fundraising team achieved remarkable success. Team members include myself and co-Chair Terry Carroll, Board members Terry Metcalf, Martin van Weert, Lori Baldwin-Sands, and Shirley Poirier, community members Betty Want and Mary Lou Barnes, and St. Thomas Public Library staff Ruth Crocker, Effie Lattanzio and Rudi Denham.
The Board would also like to thank the library staff, who provide an outstanding level of service to the public under what were, at times, trying circumstances.
Signed: Greg Grondin, St. Thomas Public Library Board Chair
| Greg Grondin | Chair, Public Appointee |
| Martin van Weert | Vice Chair, Public Appointee |
| Lori Baldwin-Sands | City Alderman |
| Wendy Crocker | Public School Representative |
| Kelly Hoogstra | Public Appointee |
| Deb Laverty | Public School Representative |
| Terry Metcalf | Public Appointee |
| Shirley Poirier | Separate School Appointee |
| Dave Warden | City Alderman |
Library Staff:
Chief Librarian/CEO
Rudi Denham, B. Ed. MLS
Adult Services Department Head
Paul Blower, M.A MLS
Children’s and Teens’ Services Department Head
Heather Robinson, B.A Honours Eng and Lit; MLIS
New in 2011!
Not only did we revitalized the library, but we also launched...
- A quick and easy self-service checkout scanner for books.
- Express Reads- more copies of popular books with less waiting.
- Convenient “ Ready, Set, Read!” Pre-filled Backpacks to develop early literacy skills in young children.
- Service programs including “ Making Computers Click” for seniors,” how to eBook” and “Get Your Gadget”
- A modern logo and retired the old outdated one.
- An exciting library card with key fob - the first redesign since 1994!
Did you know?
- 1 out of 6 St. Thomas residents attended an STPL program in 2011.
- 1 out of 6 customers used their wireless device while in the library.
- 689 people came in to door everyday to use the library a total of 711,000 times!
- 13% of our uses are electronic, including “virtual ”questions, use of our eBooks, E-databases, and internet stations.
- Library staff handled 215 transactions ever hour.
Library Life 2011
2011 was an extraordinary year in the life of the St. Thomas Public Library, one which makes comparisons with preceding years difficult. Staff dedicated much of their activity to getting the library’s permanent location at 153 Curtis Street ready for the enormous renovations project that filled so many months of the year, than operating with a reduced level of service at the Elgin Mall, and, finally, beginning the process of moving everything back to Curtis Street.
| City of St. Thomas | 70% of funding |
| Dorothy Palmer Estate | 18% of funding |
| Friends of St. Thomas Public Library | 6% of funding |
| Business and Individual Company Donations | 6% of funding |
Where do we go from here?
We were excited to partner with business students from University of Western Ontario’s Ivey School of Business who assisted in the development of a survey to help gather information for the library’s future directions.
St. Thomas Public Library- Adaptable and Adventurous!
2011 was a very different year for St. Thomas Public Library, which meant doing things we’ve never done before and adjusting what we usually do...
The Great Library Auction - March 19, 2011
To prepare for the move, St. Thomas Public Library auctioned off historical books, old Canadiana, and some furniture. We sold an average of 100 lots per hour and raised $7,000!
Words and Music - September 27, 2011
90 library customers followed us to the Princess Avenue Playhouse to enjoy author Linwood Barclay and Rainbow Gardens Quartet with Jazz vocalist Hazel Walker.
6th Annual Trivia Night - October 15, 2011
Trivia Night was held at Holy Angles’ Church, allowing more participants ever before! We raised over $1,000 for the Friends of St. Thomas Public Library.
2011- A Unique Library Year
The Library closed to the public at its Curtis Street location on March 19 and on April 4 officially opened at Elgin Mall in three public locations - Adult, Children’s and Teens’ , and the Library Meeting Place, - two staff areas for administration and technical services, and sixth location as the Friends of St. Thomas Public Library Shop.
Library usage statics show a significant drop for 2011, as there were fewer books available, and much reduced space and service. Only about 30% of the total book collection was available for the public use, through all DVDs, books on CD and magazines were on display.
The Revitalized Library was planned to be more open, with an enlarged children’s and teens’ space, more public seating and reduced collection size. In preparation, the library downsized the collection, and many books of local interest were offered to St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre, Elgin Military Museum, Elgin County Archives, London and Hamilton Public Libraries, and even Brandon University in Manitoba.
Library programs continue, through sometimes in new formats or alternative locations. In partnership with the Mall, we held a “ Haunted House”, our sixth annual Trivia Night was a great success at Holy Angles’ Church, and Words and Music was called “the best ever” at the Princess Ave. Playhouse. The Book Club and Master Gardens programs were held in the Mall’s Community Room. Regular programs such as ‘Tween Scene, Books and Bounces, Tales for Twos and Preschool Storytime were as popular as ever. New programs such as a techie series on Making Computers Click for senior surfers, and an e-gadget workshop were well-received. The annual summer reading program was a smash success with 620 children reading that’s a story for next year.
| City of St. Thomas | 92% of revenue |
| Provincial Grants | 6% of revenue |
| Room Rentals, Fees and Fines | 2% of revenue |
| Total Materials | 9% of expenditures |
| Library Computers and Databases | 2% of expenditures |
| Facility Total | 5% of expenditures |
| Human Resources Total | 79% of expenditures |
| Total Administration | 5% of expenditures |
| 2011 | 2010 |
|
| Active Library Members | 16,107 | 10,139 |
| Total Circulation | 325,097 | 413,724 |
| Visitors | 208,000 | 245,300 |
| Total Book and DVD Collection | 110,175 | 140,000 |
| Magazine Subscriptions | 195 | 225 |
| Electronic Databases | 21,388 | 18,498 |
| eBooks | 44,892 | 3,875 |
| Questions Answered | 13,050 | 60,421 |
| Public Access Computer Use | 24,500 | 29,423 |
| Programmes | 222 | 288 |
| Programme Attendance | 5,756 | 7,908 |
| Library Staff | ||
| Full-time Equivalent | 25.8 | 25.6 |
| Professional Librarians | 3 | 3 |
*Please note: Relocation to a smaller space and several weeks of closure during 2011 result in statistics not being comparable to other years.
If you would like a physical copy of St. Thomas Public Library's Annual Community Report 2011, please email Ruth at rcrocker@st-thomas.library.on.ca. Please specify if you would like the "Plain text" Accessible copy, or the full colour and picture "Regular" copy.