Item F07BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
Meeting Date:
November 18, 2009
Division: Deputy
County Administrator
Bulk Item: Yes
X No _
Department:
LibraEy Services
Staff Contact Person/Phone #: Norma Kula / x7349
AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Approval of the Library Plan of Service for the year
2010
ITEM BACKGROUND: This is part of an annual application process to receive State
Financial Aid for the Library.
PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: The Library Annual Plan has been
approved annually by the BOCC, most recently at the meeting of November 19, 2008.
CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Approval
TOTAL COST: N/A INDIRECT COST: BUDGETED: Yes No
DIFFERENTIAL OF LOCAL PREFERENCE:
COST TO COUNTY: SOURCE OF FUNDS:
REVENUE PRODUCING: Yes X No AMOUNT PER Year $ 60,000.
APPROVED BY:County Atty _ OMB/Purchasing Risk Management
DOCUMENTATION:
DISPOSITION:
Revised 7/09
Included X Not Required
AGENDA ITEM #
MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
ANNUAL PLAN OF SERVICE
2010
SUBMITTED BY
NORMA KULA
DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES
OCTOBER 27, 2009
A NOTE ON THE
LONG-RANGE PLAN
2008-2010
When originally presented, the long-range plan for fiscal years 2008-2010 was
envisioned as the first of a series of steps forward for the Monroe County Public
Library System. Successful programs from the past would be expanded, less -
successful programs would be re-examined and determination would be made as
to whether or not they would be worth sustaining, re -building, or discontinuing,
and new programs would be considered, planned, and implemented as best
possible with the investment of staff and funding available and anticipated at that
time.
With the economic and funding changes that have taken place within the past
two years and the financial uncertainty we are now facing over the next few
years, the outlook for Library planning has also substantially changed. The new
and expanding goals that might have been addressed through enhanced
allotments of funding and staff time have instead been re-evaluated, prioritized,
and situated in the continuum of established goals already on record and already
in progress.
The prospect of funding itself is continually being re-examined and considered in
a new light, with a view to a more thorough consideration of how to maintain
maximum services possible with minimal expense, in terms of both financial and
personnel investment, especially in light of reduced funding, staffing, and hours
of service.
For these reasons, the Long -Range Plan for the Monroe County Public Library,
originally covering the years 2008 through 2010, while still aimed at moving us
forward in meeting community needs and provided those essential services
essential to our mission, is also re -visiting the plans and services of the past few
years. Lacking funds for expansion, we must review what we currently are doing
and seek out ways to continue current services at less cost. If we cannot
implement new services, we must concentrate on enrichment of present
activities. If we are unable to increase staffing, we must focus on making the best
possible use of, and expanding upon, the capabilities of our current staff, already
proven to be the outstanding asset of our Library system. Our plan for FY2010
approaches these challenges in terms of continuing to do our best for our
communities, while seeking new ways of assessing our priorities and new
avenues for meeting our goals.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
In May of 1513, explorer Ponce de Leon sighted the Florida Keys and claimed
Florida for Spain. The Spanish sailors gave this area of mangroves the name of
"Los Martires," or The Martyrs. On later maps, various Keys were identified as
Cayo Hueso (Bone Key), Islamorada (Purple Island), and a host of other names
that changed with the identifier and mapmaker.
When Florida came under British control in February of 1763, many of the local
Indians moved to Cuba. Twenty years later, under the second Spanish Reign in
Florida, Loyalists left for the Bahamas and other British possessions. Florida
became a U.S. Territory in 1821, with the ratification of a treaty between the
United States and Spain, and later that year Juan Pablo Salas, who had received
Key West as a Spanish land grant in 1815, sold the island to John W. Simonton,
a Havana merchant, for the noteworthy sum of $ 2,000.00. Simonton then sold
parts of the island to fellow businessmen Whitehead, Fleming and Greene.
In 1821 Spain ceded East and West Florida to the United States. President
James Monroe appointed General Andrew Jackson as Military governor, and
instructed the General to set up a new government. Jackson's first action toward
this goal was to organize Florida into a single territory composed of two counties.
Thus West Florida became Escambia County with Pensacola as its county seat,
and East Florida became St. John's County, with St. Augustine as the county
seat.
On July 3, 1823, Monroe County became the sixth county in the State, when it
was formed out of St. John's. All of the mainland areas now known as South
Florida, as well as the Florida Keys, were included in this formation. This large
area remained one county until 1836, when Dade County was formed, through a
series of political maneuvers. Its borders included the eastern half of the
mainland and the Keys north of Bahia Honda. Those Keys from Bahia Honda to
Old Rhodes Key were not returned to Monroe County until 1866.
The original formation of Monroe County was divided over and over again
through the following years. From its initial boundaries came Dade, Lee, Hendry,
Collier, Broward, and a part of Palm Beach Counties. Key West was established
as the County seat a year after the island's first settlers arrived; that same year it
was made a port of entry. The few Keys settlers were scattered across the
islands —probably not more than 150 Europeans in all. No accurate population
data exists from that period.
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The Florida Keys have played a major part in Florida's growth, both historically
and economically. There are 822 Keys large enough to be shown on government
charts; many of their names have changed over the years. Indeed, a large
number of them have changed names with almost every generation of
mapmakers. (An extensive study of this history has been carried out by Library
staff; the fascinating results are available on the well -praised and popular
website: htti):Hkeys.fiu.edu/gazetteer/index.htm)
It is noteworthy that there are only five incorporated areas in all of Monroe
County: Key West incorporated in 1828, Key Colony in 1955, Layton in 1963,
Islamorada in 1998, and Marathon in 1999.
HISTORY OF THE MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
In 1835, a young attorney, originally from Kentucky, wrote to relatives from his
new home in Key West, "The society of the place is, of course, small, but there
are many families from the Atlantic States now our residents, that would be very
desirable acquisitions were they to return to the places of their nativity. There is
the same taste, luxury, and display that you find in the large cities in their dinner
and evening parties. More good books, reviews and late publications are found
here than you have the most distant ideas of." In 1835, a Sunday School library
circulated books among the people of the community. Old records of that year
explain that on "Saturday, April 4, 1835, on suggestion of the Mayor and
unanimously resolved, the fees paid by members of board absent during the
year, $ 12.00 in amount, be presented to the Sunday School Library of Key
West."
The Monroe County Public Library has a unique place in history as the oldest
Library in South Florida. Its beginnings can be dated as far back as 1853. The
first written record of the Key West Library Association is mentioned in the diary
of William R. Hackley, who writes that he had paid his dues to that Association in
July of 1853. A microfilm copy of that diary is now held in the Florida History
Room at the Key West Branch of the Monroe County Public Library, while the
original can be found in the collection at the Florida State University. The
Association stored its book collection within a wire enclosure, and upon selection
by patrons, the books were passed through a wire wicket. The Library was
housed in a variety of locations on Duval Street and guided by various civic
groups over the next sixty or so years, until in 1915 the Key West Woman's Club
assumed the operation of the Library Association as its foremost project.
The Key West Branch, which became the Headquarters Library, moved into its
present location in 1959, with a major expansion in 1992. The Key Largo Branch
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began in the Key Largo Civic Club Building in 1962, moving once in 1967, and
taking up its current location in 1989. The Marathon Branch began in 1962 and
took up its present location in 1982; Islamorada's Branch opened in 1966, with
expansions in 1983 and 1997. The most recent Branch was established in Big
Pine Key in 1995, with an expansion there in 2003.
Over one hundred and fifty years have passed since those earliest steps toward
a County Library system; today the Monroe County Public Library is a vital part of
the fabric of its communities. Each branch reflects its own area, and each area
reflects its own people, with distinct characteristics, interests and needs. Library
service is ad valorem tax -based, funded by the General Fund of the Monroe
County budget. The five branches, with staff totaling thirty employees, provide
on -site services five days and two evenings each week. Our Library card -holders
number more than half the population of Monroe County. Our website now
provides 24/7 access to the full Library catalog, including renewal and request
services. Our collection has grown from the 10,000 books of the Key West
Branch in 1959 to over 190,000 items in a variety of media, including digital
databases. The Library has grown and developed through its history, and
continues to do so, as services and patron usage increase yearly.
INTRODUCTION TO THE ANNUAL PLAN
In order to remain a viable and living institution, the Library must grow. Without a
long-range plan, growth becomes unmanaged and unmanageable. A long-range
plan provides a framework for future growth, and becomes a blueprint for
decisions regarding all aspects of Library development and operations. It is
important to set goals over a several year period as an effective procedure for
sound planning and for making cost-effective budgetary decisions. This has
become even more vital with the current fiscal uncertainties. Goals and
objectives laid out in this plan will complement the Library's mission and service
responses to meet the needs of the communities which it serves. Such a plan
must be a living document, subject to regular measurements and review. It must
be open to modifications in its objectives and in the activities that may be needed
to carry out its intent, as well as being designed and able to adapt responsibly to
resource availability. Again, this is more true today than ever before. This annual
plan is extrapolated from the Long -Range Plan previously presented and
approved for the years 2008-2010, with emphasis on goals and activities for the
current year.
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CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS/NEW COMMUNITY NEEDS
Monroe County is in the process of undergoing a number of changes, which are
having great impact on its communities and their service needs. The rate of
growth has been and probably always will be a key factor in community planning;
it is a topic which lends itself readily to much discussion and debate. The
financial crises which have challenged the country and the State of Florida have
certainly impacted Library funding as well. The incorporations of some areas of
Monroe County have likewise affected the economic life of the unincorporated
areas. Although many of the services for these cities are provided from within,
the Library still operates as a Countywide service provider —there is one public
Library system for the whole of Monroe County.
Changes in the makeup of County population are other factors that must be
considered in Library planning —as the population ages or more young families
move into the area, as literacy rates increase or decrease, as language barriers
become more or less prevalent —all these variations create new challenges for
the Library, and all must be included in our plans to meet future needs.
Collections, programs offered to the public, all the services that the Library offers
need to be geared to adaptation and modification.
Among the demographic changes in Monroe County between 1990 and 2000
are:
Decrease in number of children under 5 years of age, from 5.7% to 4.3%
of the population
Decrease of adults between 25 and 44 years from 35% to 31 %
Increase of adults between 45 and 54 years from 12% to 18.4%
Increase of adults between 55 and 59 years from 5.5% to 7%
Decrease of adults between 65 and 74 years from 10.5% to 8.5%
Increase in Hispanic population from 12.1 % to 15.8%
Increase in non -family households from 38.7% to 41.9%.
School registrations have increased and decreased with no visible pattern over
the past three years. All of these changes may have a bearing on community
needs and interests, and should be taken into consideration when planning
collection development, programs, and other services to be offered. The 2010
census will very likely bring us an entire new spectrum of demographics to study,
and an accompanying new range of needs and challenges to be met.
As we study our communities and their changing natures, and continue to plan
for the accompanying changing needs and service demands, a vision takes
shape for the future of Monroe County and its Library System in relation to its
people:
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VISION FOR MONROE COUNTY LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY
The people of the Monroe County community will:
• Have the information they need to succeed at school, at work, and in their
personal lives;
• Discover the joy of reading and develop an appreciation of learning;
• Enjoy a high level of access to electronic information resources, through the
latest information technologies in the provision of Library services;
• Develop the technological, information seeking, and information evaluation
skills needed in an increasingly complex world;
• Use the resources of the Monroe County Public Library in a way that will
improve the quality of their lives and that of the community as a whole.
SERVICE RESPONSES
With this vision to guide us, we have identified the following as the service
responses that are our commitment to our community:
• General information
• Current titles and topics
• Lifelong learning
• Local history and genealogy
From these service responses the mission of the Monroe County Public Library is
formed:
MISSION STATEMENT
The Monroe County Public Library will meet the changing needs of our
communities for information, education and recreation in a variety of materials
formats and technologies. The Library responds to the needs of users of all ages
by providing equal, easy and open access to materials and services delivered in
an efficient, timely and professional manner by staff who are friendly, helpful and
knowledgeable, in buildings that are inviting, comfortable and fitted for
technological growth and development.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
SERVICE RESPONSE 1: GENERAL INFORMATION
GOAL: The Monroe County Public Library will provide timely and accurate
information in print and electronic formats for residents of all ages.
OBJECTIVE: The Library will maintain a collection of printed materials
that are current, organized, and accessible, covering a broad variety of
topics.
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: Establish and implement a plan for collection
development in deficient areas as observed during the weeding
process; expand the weeding project to all formats of the collection,
moving the focus from print to non -print materials
OBJECTIVE: The Library will expand a collection of materials in a variety
of formats to meet the users' needs for information
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: Continue program of training for staff in use of
current databases and those being added to the collection through
subscription and through the State Library; all staff should be
trained by end of year to enable patron education in use of all
databases currently available to our patrons. Current databases will
be studied with focus on cost and value analysis as we re -format
our criteria for adding databases to our collection. Through web
access we will reach out to our County employee community by
keeping them informed of areas in our collection which will enrich
their professional development
GOAL: The Library will offer reference service through phone and on -site
access, and explore potential for technological expansion
OBJECTIVE: Staff will be trained in the reference process and the use of
print and electronic reference sources
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: Continue a program of basic reference training
and review for all staff who will be working with the public; explore
expansion of reference services through technology, such as the
State -based "Ask a Librarian" recently added to our service
offerings
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SERVICE RESPONSE #2: LIFELONG LEARNING
GOAL: Library users of all ages will find the means to continue to learn
throughout their lives and to access, evaluate, and use information in a variety of
formats.
OBJECTIVE: Programming for children, both in-house and outreach, will
be designed to reach a broad audience of children and their caregivers
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: Complete an analysis of current collection of
children's literature and parenting materials; evaluate needs and
sources for enrichment of collection and begin expansion
throughout the system
OBJECTIVE: The youth of Monroe County will be targeted as a part of
the community not yet fully served
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: Re -visit and amplify the plan to add a Teen Page
to the Library website, offering items, information, and links of
special interest to that age group. Branches will coordinate a review
of YA materials to move forward in a process of evaluation and
development at each branch, with a goal of enhancing the appeal
of the collection and physical space dedicated to the Young Adult
reader
OBJECTIVE: The Senior Citizens of Monroe County will find sources of
information and entertainment at the Library reflecting their particular
needs and interests.
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: Continue analysis and enrichment of the Large
Print and audio collections; a program of presentations
geared to the interests of Senior Citizens will be prepared for
each Library community; expand the series of classes in
computer and software usage to fill Senior patron needs
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SERVICE RESPONSE #3: CURRENT TITLES AND TOPICS
GOAL: Patrons of the Monroe County Public Library will have access to the
high -demand popular materials that they want through their local branch Library.
OBJECTIVE: Branch Managers will coordinate efforts to ensure that
copies of high -demand print materials are available to all patrons, while
over -duplication of these materials is avoided.
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: Readers' Advisory Services will be enhanced
through staff training; a system for coordinating materials
selection will be studied for possible implementation
OBJECTIVE: The Library will use technological advances as well as
traditional means as tools for enriching information services
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY2010: Widespread staff participation will be encouraged
in investigating other Integrated Library Systems, as we
prepare for a change in our automation format. Features will
be compared in a series of product demonstrations
throughout the selection process. We will investigate funding
needs and potential sources, as we plan for all aspects of
the migration, with an emphasis on proactive notice and
training for staff and patrons alike as decisions are made.
GOAL: Library programming will be presented for education and entertainment
for patrons in all age groups.
OBJECTIVE: The Library will form partnerships with local groups to
enable a forum for public presentations on various topics
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: We will explore the possibility of a partnership with
at least one community group in each area for interest in and
commitment to local needs in concert with the Library
mission
OBJECTIVE: The Library will work with support groups already
established, such as the Friends of the Library, to initiate a new series of
joint activities
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: Library ties with support groups such as the
Friends will be strengthened and enhanced as branches
coordinate joint ventures with these groups for community
attendance and enjoyment; each branch will regularly
provide publicity for such endeavors on their website and
through the print media
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SERVICE RESPONSE #4: LOCAL HISTORY AND GENEALOGY
GOAL: The unique features of the Florida Keys will be highlighted in
special collections in a variety of formats and ephemera.
OBJECTIVE: The collections of materials relating to Keys History,
natural history, and genealogy will be expanded and publicized,
encouraging use and appreciation of the unique nature of this
island chain.
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: The special local -interest collections will be
analyzed with a view to broader staff training in the access
and use of these collection; staff members in each branch
will be involved in this project so that all staff will be made
aware of collection holdings in order for broader publicizing
of these valued resources through displays, news outlets,
and the Library website; digitization of suitable materials will
be promoted to increase the web presence of the collections
GOAL: The Florida History collection will be made more widely accessible to
promote formal and informal research on all levels of interest and scholarship.
OBJECTIVE: Branches with specialized holdings will implement a system
of organizing, indexing and cataloging non-traditional format materials,
with a view to improving access without endangering the preservation
aspect of frail matter.
Achievement/Measurement Plan:
FY 2010: Florida History collections will be analyzed and the
information coordinated to improve access to and knowledge
of these specialized materials. Preservation efforts will be
explored, especially through the area of grants that become
available in this field; priorities for preservation of materials
will be established
Although not mentioned specifically in the outline of activities listed above, one
element is now intrinsic to every goal, objective, and activity that is a part of the
current Library long-range plan: we will continue to aggressively seek out new
and renewed sources of funding to supplement our budget. We will pursue
partnerships within our communities and beyond, we will investigate potential
funding sources such as grants and foundations, we will work closely with our
Friends groups who have proved so generous in their gifts of time and money in
the past. Every opportunity for reducing expenses will be explored and every
possible instance of coordination of resources within the system will be
implemented and expanded. We are fully cognizant of the vitally important part
our services play in the lives of our communities and we do not hold our
obligations to our patrons lightly.
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CONCLUSION
This plan for the coming year is an outline only —a map of where we would like to
go and how we hope to get there, based on the longer view described in the
Long Range Plan for 2008-2010. While it is the final element of that three-year
view, it is in reality just one more step in the constantly evolving plan for Library
services in the Keys. It is part of a continuous journey of growth that does not
end with the end of the fiscal year. Many elements must come into play in unison
for the success of this plan —some of these are already in place and need merely
to be fine-tuned; others will be unexpected and present new challenges to us and
we will need to learn turn them into positive elements of our work. Some basics
remain at the heart of this plan —the mission and goals of the Library are a
constant. It is the work of the Library to support the growth and development of
individuals, families, and groups, as is pledged in the Mission Statement of
Monroe County Government.
The Library serves as a constant link between the people of the County
community and their sources of business information, educational support, and
cultural development, and it is our job to assist the people in realizing their goals
in these areas. The Library is a tool by which the community is enabled to
survive, to recall its past, and to grow. In order to accomplish this, we must look
to our own resources: technology, with its potential for enhanced service delivery,
is essential to maintaining our role as service provider, and the Library staff, the
most vital element in this plan, must be given the opportunity for training to
enhance their skills and develop their capabilities. Effective planning for the
future requires the blending of both the personal and technological elements,
along with a constant examination of what we are doing, how well we are doing
it, and how we can do it better. With this plan, we must unite these factors with a
willingness to adopt new ways of thinking, learning, and doing. We must be
always open to change, to adaptation, and to improvement, so that our pledge of
service to our communities may be not just kept, but constantly renewed.
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