Annual Report for 2019

Prior to the February Annual Meeting, we create a brief Annual Report to share the Library’s accomplishments with the community. The 2019 Annual Report is now available for review. Reports back to 2012 are also available on the About HVL page, for the curious.

Below are highlights from the last 8 years or so from the Library Director’s Annual Report, also shared at the Annual Meeting.

Please join me in recognizing the hard work, amazing creativity, and dedication the Library’s staff (both past and present) have shown. None of this would have been accomplished without them.

-Sharon

2012:

• Barbara Bernstein organized a very successful ‘Taste of Culture’ event with the restaurant Uzbekistan
• I joined the team in July 2012 and we hired Shawna H. to be our IT and Polaris support (aka MAC)
• Hosted our first Betsy Anderson art lecture
• Lower Moreland Township installed a new Key fob system, sidewalks in the back, a bench, and new trees
• Friends helped purchase a Tech Toy Box for training purposes
• Alice hosted special storytimes for children with autism
• Launched our online library card registration form

2013:

• Library reorganization with the hire of Pam Dull as Assistant Director in May and Glynnis Flores as Youth Services Librarian in October
• Taste of Culture event and program series featuring India with Barb Bernstein
• New indoor book drop built, along with a sit-down are at the desk
• New self-service holds system set up for patrons
• New play stations in the Children’s area and AWE early literacy computers
• Established a weekly email newsletter
• Programs with with KYW film critic Bill Wine and Abe Lincoln re-enactor
• Veterans Day celebration with the Friends and Steve Irwin

2014:

• 60^th Anniversary brunch with author Larry Kane at Philmont Country Club
• Open Saturdays until 5 pm all year
• Held community forums and surveys for the new strategic plan
• Geek the Library awareness campaign
• Pam coordinated the first Presidents Volunteer Service Award program
• Received a Keystone Grant for new HVAC ($33,900)
• Launched Zinio online magazine service
• Taste of Italy wine and dine fundraiser with Board member’s Jeff and Hilarie
• New stucco façade, interior paint, and Girl Scout’s Bronze Award Garden
• Started a new Endowment Fund with help from Jonathan Rumpf
• Programs Gerry Shur, Ruth K, Hartz, and Marie-Helen Bertino

2015:

• Negotiated a new lease, reclassifying the Community Room as part of the library
• Developed the new 3-year strategic plan
• Pennsylvania Humanities Council Teen Reading Lounge grant for $1,500
• Lisa Scottoline author brunch
• Glynnis launched Book Worm book club for 1^st and 2^nd graders
• Summer reading numbers rose 125% for kids and 234% for teens

2016:

• Launched 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten early literacy program
• Glynnis agreed to host the Spring Egg Hunt and Movie Night Under the Stars on behalf of the Township
• Launched a new Web site and online calendar
• Unveiled the Friends Learning Lab with new laptops, iPads, and AV system
• Added Sunday hours and new staff with additional tax support from the Township
• Saturday Storytimes, Block parties, and Middle school book club
• Hosted Eleanor Roosevelt
• First Friends Spring Tea
• Valerie Plame spoke at the author brunch
• Received one of only 13 Teen Reading Lounge continuation grants
• Senior Expo in the gym with Rep. Murt
• Started the Socrates Café – thank s to Jane and Bob Rubin

2017:

• Expanded programming and partnered with several local businesses
• Vanessa kicked off the new Teen Advisory Board
• Terri Heebner joined as new YS Librarian in July
• Pam and Marilyn started our Coding and Robotics program
• Fun Run with No Bull Training, Books & Brews at Naked Brewing, and LuLa Roe clothing bazaar
• Four Aspects of Art Nouveau lecture with Betsy Anderson c/o the Friends
• Added a new evening adult book club hosted by Meg

2018:

• Pam and staff organized BINGO for National Library Week in April
• Created the new Classroom Card with LMTSD librarians
• Began retrofitting library lights with LED bulbs with PECO grant program
• Special Board meeting featuring David Belanger to learn about space needs serving library goals
• Pam was selected to participate in the PALS Directors’ Institute
• Donor Gala in December
• Educational Improvement Tax Credit program designation as an Educational Improvement organization thanks to Pam and Marilyn, with LMTSD support
• In-service trainings on Active Shooter and Autism Awareness
• Added hoopla streaming service with Friends support
• Applied for the Community Design Collaborative grant in October
• Participated in Turning Outward initiative
• Signed up for new health insurance

2019:

• Worked with the Collaborative, hosting 2 Task Force meetings
• Strategic plan prep work with surveys, focus group, and SWOT discussions
• Vanessa named Head of Youth Services in March
• Beth as new Teen Services Associate hosted CSI event and a Haunted Library
• Expanded Township involvement with Extravaganzas, Fire Prevention Open House, Egg Hunt, Movie Night, and Trunk or Treat
• Township paid to have Community Room floors refinished and new vinyl flooring installed in the hallway, also installed security cameras
• Installed outlets, expanding usable study spaces to telephone room and new hallway bistro area
• PA Forward Bronze star – Pam spearheaded this PaLA marketing initiative to focus on the five literacies
• New fiber connection from MCLINC through ENA with 60-100Mbps speeds
• New 3-year lease with the Township

2020 Goals:

• Fundraising study
• Beth’s Teen CSI Club with local law enforcement professionals
• Outreach events at businesses out in the community
• Increase in State Aid – 9.2% – a step towards restoring funding
• New sidewalks, paint, and teen and children’s furniture
• New collections: T-mobile hot spots, robots, puzzles, and games
• Hallway café area
• Libraries Transform advocacy campaign and library card sign-up campaign