|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Cambridge Public Library “We are thankful to have such a wonderful library in our community…. Thank you and keep up the great work”. Maureen Fort For the third consecutive year, library use has increased and, once again, set a historic high with 1,123,755 checkouts. In addition to responding to tremendous growth in borrowing, staff prepared to relocate the Main Library to the Longfellow School, collaborated with the school department to promote reading and library use, hosted over 2,000 programs, and initiated new relationships with the Rindge School of Technical Arts and Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. Recent months have been a time of anticipation and excitement as plans for the Main Library restoration and expansion moved ahead. The City Council authorized full funding for the project and unanimous approvals were received from both the Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commission and the Planning Board. Excellent customer service continues to be the hallmark of the Cambridge Public Library. The Minuteman Library Network’s introduction of new user friendly software from Innovative Interfaces, Inc. has allowed library users to reserve and renew materials from their homes or offices. For Cambridge library users these exciting new features have resulted in a 34% increase in the number of items transported to and from Cambridge and other Minuteman libraries to the most convenient pick-up location for the customer. “I was amazed at such personal attention”. Megan Early CPL by the Numbers in FY04:
Highlights and Accomplishments The John Kenneth Galbraith Honor Lecture The Trustees of the Cambridge Public Library, in cooperation with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, initiated The John Kenneth Galbraith Honor Lecture to celebrate one of our most illustrious residents and one of the library’s greatest champions. Ambassador Peter Galbraith gave the inaugural talk, “How to Get out of Iraq: What Went Wrong and What It Means”. Introducing Bamboo! A panda was selected to be the library’s mascot. In a contest that attracted over 500 entries, our mascot was aptly named Bamboo. Bamboo was introduced to the community through school visits, appearances at community events, and attendance at a City Council meeting. Cambridge Reads: A City-wide Book Club The Cambridge Public Library, the Office of Mayor Michael Sullivan, the Cambridge Center for Adult Education and the Harvard Book Store co-sponsored “Cambridge Reads”, a city-wide book club. Jhumpa Lahiri’s acclaimed novel The Namesake was this year’s selection. Ms. Lahini’s reading at the Cambridge Family YMCA attracted over 400 attendees. Outreach Under the auspices of the Agenda for Children, the library created over 600 promotional packets for distribution to parents of newborns. The packets contain board books for babies, materials about the library and other Agenda services, and information about the importance of talking and reading to babies. In cooperation with the Cambridge Arts Council, the Library introduced The Chinese Cultural Connection, a series of programs demonstrating traditional arts, such as dance, music, and painting. Publications The Friends of the Library published The Secret Gardens of Cambridge, written by Frances Tenenbaum and Susan Twarog. The book celebrates the fifth anniversary of the Friends’ annual Secret Gardens Tour. The students in the Adult Literacy Program published To Have a Better Life, a collection of their writings. Honors Literacy Coordinator Angela Ayre was honored as a Literacy Champion by the Massachusetts Literacy Foundation, Herald Media, and Verizon Reads. She was recognized for her exceptional commitment and accomplishments in literacy education. Main Library Under the light of a full moon, lighting specialists Lam Partners, Inc., and the Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band created a festive Mardi Gras ambiance for the celebration: “Moonbeams and Masked Dreams”. Revelers came in costume to admire the beautifully illuminated historic building, to see models of the new library, to make masks, enjoy music and treats, learn the winner of the mascot naming contest and to meet Bamboo at his first public appearance. To a standing room only crowd, PEN New England and the Cambridge Public Library hosted an informative and lively panel discussion of the U.S.A. Patriot Act. The Library hosted the 30th anniversary celebration of Cricket Magazine with a program featuring Cricket founder and editor Marianne Carus and Anita Silvey, former editor of The Horn Book Magazine. Staff worked diligently to take inventory, weed the collection, and clean out office/storage areas in preparation for the temporary relocation to the Longfellow School. Central Square Lt. Governor Kerry Healey, Patty Stonesifer, Co-Chair and President of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rev. Peter Gomes, Plummer Professor of Christian Morals, Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church, and library users participated in a panel discussion on the importance of free access to information technology. Harvard University, the MIT Media Lab, and the Library were sponsors of the Second Annual Latino Film Festival, “Bridging Communities through Movies”. Programs included screenings as well as panel discussions and question and answer sessions with directors. Over 850 poems were submitted to the 6th Annual Poetry Competition held in collaboration with the Cambridge Tree Project. The 45 winning poems were published in the Cambridge Chronicle. Former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky was one of the judges in the Second Annual Boston Herald Poetry Awards, hosted by the library. Branch circulation increased 22% to 115,949 and computer use increased 44% to 18,300. Collins Branch Circulation increased 17% to 57,840 and computer use increased 15% to 2,059. Boudreau Branch The branch was reopened after a month closure for the installation of new flooring and repainting. Valente Branch The Manual Rogers, Sr. Center for Portuguese Culture and Studies marked its 20th anniversary with a community celebration. The Rogers family and friends established an endowment to ensure future funding for the Center. Circulation increased 22% to 48,504, program attendance increased 20% to 6,519, and computer use more than doubled to 12,929. O’Connell Branch Circulation increased 9% to 45,815 and, in the first full year of access to computers provided by the Gates Foundation, computer use grew by 167% to 5,463. O’Neill Branch Circulation increased 6% to 80,790 and computer use grew by 23% to 12,929. “…your generosity and the amiability of the Cambridge Public Library staff are a boon not only to aspiring artists like myself but the city and region as a whole.” Danica Mills
|
Comments