Time flies. We go from point A to point B, from January to December, and we often miss the in-between. We focus on a schedule or a deadline, then rush to the next thing without stopping to ask: “How’d that go?”  So, let’s pause for a minute and think about the interstice, the intervening space.

2017 was a year of change for the library. In a flash (and with the gracious patience of the library staff), I logged my first year as Library Director. Together, we made big and little changes. We adjusted hours; we added a lot of new books and movies. We expanded our reach; we shared our passions. We helped you explore and connect…there are a million things we do over the course of a day or a year, far too many to detail here. If you want to read the complete Annual Report, you can download it here, but for now let’s review a few of the biggest achievements of last year.

(click on any image to enlarge)

In 2017, CRCPL made two big policy changes: going tobacco free and fine free! By going tobacco free, the library is not only more welcoming to everyone, but it makes the library air and grounds cleaner (cigarette butts are litter!).

Late fines generated a small amount of revenue for the library, but they also created barriers to our communities. A few dollars may seem insignificant to some, but for a child it can be the difference between getting a library book or not.  Although there are no longer late fines, there are still due dates. If an item becomes excessively overdue, collection fees will be applied to your library card and library access will be limited.

In 2017, the library changed its acquisition method for new titles. It is now possible to reserve popular upcoming books in the online catalog. In other words, you can place a hold on that new James Patterson or Danielle Steel book weeks before it’s actually published!

Last year, the library added a new tool to the website called SelectReads. Among other things, SelectReads lets you sign up to receive an email every time the library orders a new book by your favorite author or within a specific subject area. If you’re interested in gardening, for example, you can get a monthly email with all the new gardening books added to the collection that month. Or, if you really like Robin Lee Hatcher, you can get an email alerting you when a book written by her is added to the collection. It’s free and easy to turn on and off. (You’ll never get spam from the library. We promise!) If you want to learn more, just ask.

 “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something.” – Neil Gaiman

As always, if you have questions, want to let us know “how that went,” or just want to say hello, please feel free to get in touch.

Sincerely,

James Hill, Director

740-702-4162 or jhill@crcpl.org