Annual Report
Did you know that in F.Y. 2003 the Jones Library and Branches circulated over half a million items; that patrons used over one million dollars of library materials; or that children and adults attended over three hundred activities presented by library staff; and that that's just a small part of what happened this past year?
Programs
We started new programs while expanding continuing programs. In all, children and adults attended over three hundred activities presented by library staff.
Books and More To Your Door
The Adult services department initiated the "Books and More To Your Door" delivery service for homebound readers. Staffed by volunteers, the service provides books, videos, and books on tape to people whose health does not allow them to visit the library.
Get a CLUE
"Get a CLUE" computer classes, originally funded with a federal LSTA grant, continued with Town funding throughout F.Y. 2003. Sixty-eight free classes were offered in beginning computer skills, beginning word processing, and beginning spreadsheet applications.
ESL Tutoring
The English as a Second Language Center matched seventy tutors and students this year. Fifty students received application support and/or test preparation for the U.S. citizenship test. ESL volunteers not only worked with students one on one, they also organized a beginning level English class in the summer, and advanced level culture and literature class, and the citizenship test preparation series. In exchange for the help they received, several ESL students have volunteered their time at the library.
Extending our Reach
In fiscal year 2003, the Library expanded it's foreign languages collection, added fourteen computers for public use, and introduced patron placed holds for materials in one hundred and forty libraries.
LSTA
Responding to the growing diversity of languages spoken in Amherst, Jones Library received $16,000 from Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds to expand collections of materials in Chinese, Korean, Khmer, and Spanish.
Gates Grant
A generous grant of $52,355 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation greatly expanded public access to information over the Internet. Fourteen new computers arrived in March, 2003 ready to connect to the Internet. The computers also came loaded with application software, children's learning games, and educational databases.
Patron Placed Holds
Library users responded enthusiastically to a new online reservation service that allowed them to request materials from one hundred and forty library collections. "Patron Placed Holds" brought books, CD's and videos from all over Central and Western Massachusetts to Jones patrons at no extra charge.
A Little Help from our Friends
The Library couldn't do all it does without your help.
Friends of the Jones Library
The Friends of the Jones Library System deserve special recognition for donating $12,040 for public programs and $14,455 for books, magazines, CD's, videos, and a variety of equipment (including the computer on which I made this web page).
Trustees Annual Fund Drive
The Trustees Annual Fund Drive raised $30,000 from 509 supporters, a new record. The money raised is critically needed for the operating budget.
Local Businesses Helped
The Greenfield Savings Bank began the Civic Action Account Program promoting Town Libraries. The Harp Bar and Restaurant donated $975 from its "Trivia Fund" to support the North Amherst Library.
Endowment
The market value of the Jones Library, Incorporated Endowment Fund declined from $7,812,532 at the start of the fiscal year to $7,455,373 as of June 30, 2003
The Numbers
Or some of our Frequently Asked Questions. How many books in the collection? How many do we circulate? How many reference questions did we answer?
Size of Collection
On June 30, 2003 the Jones Library and Branches had 204,082 books, 21,596 audio & video items, and 530 miscellaneous items, for a total of 226,186.
Circulation
In F.Y. 2003 the Jones and Branches circulated 565,257 items. At the Jones, 305,134 were from the Adult Collection and 173,938 were from the Kid's Room. North Amherst had a circulation of 41,552 and Munson, 44,633.
Questions Answered
Librarians at the Jones and Branches answered 39,452 questions in F.Y. 2003.