Library Director’s Annual Report

2005

One of my greatest pleasures in my position as Library Director is writing the Annual Report. In terms of the goal setting process, it provides me with a chance to look back at our accomplishments and to look forward to the long list of opportunities remaining. 2005 was indeed a year of accomplishments! On April 20, 2005, our new Library opened its doors to the public.

Moving House

Beginning in February, Library Staff and Volunteers began to pack the collection and by March 16, when the Library reduced hours to unpack, the Library was offering services on essentially one floor of the Freeman Street building with Audio-Visual, New Books, Magazines and Children’s Material. While the Library remained open with less and less material as it was being moved, we borrowed heavily from the collections of the other Cape & Islands (CLAMS) libraries to satisfy the diverse interests of our community. Last year, our Library borrowed 9,773 items from other Libraries and, even with the move, loaned 8,367 items.

The move and the installation of shelving was an operation of cooperative planning and labor amongst Library Staff, Trustees, Friends, Supporters, and Volunteers; the Department of Public Works; Private Citizen Gary Delius and the Town’s IT (Information Technologies) Department; and the Barnstable County House of Corrections. In early October, Volunteers drove three rental trucks back from South Hadley, filled with teal colored shelving donated by the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System. Beginning in early December, volunteers met and organized themselves into “Plan the Move Teams”. The Teams consisted of Moving, Shelving, Furniture, Graphics, Open House, Communications, Art, Parking, Tours and Utilities, and ultimately were responsible for the behind-the-scenes planning and actual labor that was unveiled in our new Library when it opened on April 20.

Continuing Tours

Clerk of the Works Bill Ingraham worked through freezing temperatures and blizzards to get the job done with the highest standards in terms of workmanship and professionalism on the construction site and at job meetings. Throughout construction and the move, Library Volunteers offered weekly Friday afternoon tours of the New Library. Bill joined many tours and added expert commentary on various stages of construction. In addition, several special tours were conducted including a Cape-wide tour for a group of Russian librarians organized by the Cape Cod Community College Library, a tour for Charter Bus Tour leaders, and a tour of State Government officials from the Office of Tourism.

A New Look

One of the great pleasures during the move was working with facilitator Robin Haueter, and Irene Lipton, John Sunderland, and Phil Smith from Blue Tide Design and Library Volunteers and Trustees on the Library’s New Logo. The final design left the interpretation open to the viewer. Is it a reader looking down on a book or a sailing ship?

The Art Commission Comes Calling

Stephen Borkowski, Peggy Prichett and the Town’s Art Commission not only packed up and moved all the art from the Freeman Library but selected, restored, reframed and chose the location for all the new Town art that is on display at the new Library. Currently, ten pieces have been installed including works by Beneker, Del Deo, Dowd, Hensche, L’Engle, Knaths, Moffett, Oppenheim, Rann and Windust. 2006 will bring us the Chafees and others.

Statistics

Despite the move, the Library was only closed for a period of eight days between the last day of Library hours at the Freeman Library (April 10) and Opening Day at the new Library (April 20). Library Staff continued to provide services throughout the year. Library patrons borrowed 51,189 items. The collection contains 28,595 items. There are 4,348 registered borrowers. 86,733 people visited the Library to borrow materials, attend one of the 219 children’s and 39 adult programs offered; and to view the special exhibits presented this year. These included a joint interpretative panel prepared by the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum and the Center for Coastal Studies on the Rose Dorothea, the Bowdoin, and the Spirit of Massachusetts; an 11-panel exhibit from the collection of Jeff Kennedy of Arizona State University, prepared for the preeminent O’Neill Festival; and a very special exhibit prepared by the Portuguese Festival Committee on the Fishing Families of Provincetown.

The Library partnered with and received support from many local organizations and Boards. The Business Development Center offers computer instruction to their program participants twice weekly while the Library is closed. The Visitor Services Board awarded the Supporters of the Library a grant to purchase two laptop public internet access stations for the Historic Front Lobby.

Programs

The “Born to Read” Program, funded through a grant from the Cape Cod Children’s Place, has moved into the new Library but will continue to meet at St. Mary of the Harbor Episcopal Church during the summer. In addition, Renee Gibbs-Brady, Linda Schlecter and Volunteer Sarah Frisco offer Story Hours for children on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. With the financial assistance of the Friends of the Library, Renee Gibbs-Brady and Dianna Morton, presented “Going Places”, the State-wide Summer Reading Program. And, Volunteer Joan Barron and Library Operations Director Karen MacDonald are collaborating to present a weekly Short Story Read Aloud series for adults every Tuesday afternoon.

Thanks

Looking back, it is impossible to list and thank every person, including Staff, Trustees and Volunteers, who helped make this new Library a reality. Chair Jim Cole retired from the Board after serving three consecutive terms. Jim’s patience, good sense and absolute dedication to the new Library are qualities that I am truly grateful for. Thank you, Jim. In addition to keeping the fundraising for the Capital Campaign on track, Marcia Fair took over as Trustees Chair in June. I look forward to working with her on many exciting projects over the coming years as we work to complete the exterior of the new Library, build out the Lower Level, and offer exciting new programs on Provincetown history and topics of interest to our residents.

Staff

The Library Staff has been fortunate to work with Romanian Library Intern Agnes Imecs over the past 18 months. Agnes’ quick mind, facility with technology, energy and enthusiasm will be missed by us all. During her time at the Library, Agnes mastered every facet of Library operations as well as special projects such as helping to digitize the Provincetown Advocate. We wish her the best in 2006 as she pursues her Masters in Library Science at the school of her choice.

This year, we said goodbye to On-Call Staff member Gwen Eiger, who moved to South Carolina to pursue a career in education, and welcomed three new On-Call Staff members, Mary Alice Wells, Eric Peters and Jim Parker. In addition, Custodian Brian Cowing became full-time in order to help Library Staff maintain our beautiful new Library.

Exciting Events Ahead

As the Library Staff becomes more comfortable running the new Library, we look forward to more programs for adults and children, including a Winter Authors Series to begin in February.

Of tremendous importance will be an unveiling of the The Advocate Live!, a fully indexed edition of earlier years of the Provincetown Advocate that will be available to the public at the Library and over the Internet.

The Rose Dorothea’s sails have been fire protected and are ready to be installed in early 2006. That, coupled with seeing the Lipton Cup unveiled in its new home on the First Floor of the Library, will be two of the biggest visual treats we are looking forward to. A “Home Coming” celebration for the Lipton Cup, hosted by the Library and the Board of Selectmen, is scheduled for June 14, the anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town of Provincetown in 1727.

I continue to be grateful to the Library Trustees, Staff, Volunteers and Patrons whose belief and support for both this Library and Community make coming to work each day a pleasure.

Respectfully Submitted,

Debra DeJonker-Berry

Library Director