Library ReportLibrary Report
Support Your Library
Support Your Community
Tax funding covers a portion of our expenses but as we embark on more projects to
serve our community, we depend upon generous individuals and businesses within
Saline County.
www.salinapublic.library.org/give
The Library will participate in Match Madness through the
Greater Salina Community Foundation on March 23, 2023.
https://www.matchmadnessgscf.org/
VolunTEENS
Applications are available March 1st - 31st. Applicants must be at least 13 years old and those that are seniors may
be interested in the Joe McKenzie Youth Scholarship through the Friends.
--Katie Pearson, Head of Youth Services
Library of Things
We have some new items that were added to the Library of Things, mostly based on a community survey that was
conducted.
Our new offerings include:
●an electric keyboard
●a painter's artist kit
●a bluetooth compatible projector
●Stress relief & self care cards
--Allyson Ronning, Head of Circulation
Adult Programming
Salina Reads has kept us very busy this month. As of March 2, we have had 283 participants in the various programs
and events for the series (with two more events still scheduled).
One popular program was a presentation about the future of manned space-craft by the KWU Astronomy Club held
at KWU with a tour of the observatory.
Another popular program was exploration of the SPL archives:
I also received a very enthusiastic phone call from a patron who attended one of the escape room events who
expressed how much fun she and her adult daughter had.
-- Ben Johnson, Programs Coordinator
Patron/Community Feedback
Patron purchase suggestions completed to date 2023: 71
“I recently had an experience with an older patron. This kind gentleman walked up to the desk and told me that he
had never been read to as a child, and therefore he never really learned how to read. He was wondering if I could
help him. I asked him if the early reader section, K-2 grades, sounded good. When he agreed, I showed him where to
find them and made sure he got the level of book he needed. When I showed him a kindergarten book, he said he
could read that level fine, but when I showed him the 1st grade book, he decided that was the level of reading he
wanted. He asked me to choose a few books for him, so I did and as I did so, he told me that he had taken a phonics
class a few years back, but was frustrated as the class made him feel stupid. He told me that he knew he wasn't
stupid, so he was determined to read. He went upstairs with his books.
A few hours later, he came back downstairs and thanked me for the books I had chosen for him. He said that he
wanted more so that he could take them home and read. I made sure he knew where the books were and when he
came back to the desk, he was so enthusiastic and kind. He thanked me several times and went on his way.
It is experiences like this that make me want to pursue this field as a career. I had to hold back tears while speaking to
him because I knew that I was making a difference in this community.
This is what libraries are for.”
–Adrie Powell, YS Clerk
A Dillon’s employee just told me “thank you for all you do.” “I love the library.”
--Alethea Lane, Processing & Interlibrary Loan Assistant
State Library of Kansas
https://kslib.info/
State Librarian - Ray Walling
Advisory Board
Kansas Library Catalog
Kansas Notable Books
Kansas Library eCard
Talking Books
CKLS (Central Kansas Library System)
https://ckls.org/
Executive Board
Board Packets
Bylaws & System Plan
Kansas Regional Library Systems
Director Updates
LIBRARY STATISTICAL GOALS 2023
Area 2022 Data 2023 GOAL
Circulation 476,906 500,000
Building Traffic 139,480 150,000
Questions Asked 76,481 80,000
Event Attendance 16,270 18,000
Strategic Plan Updates - Organization Growth and Development
Focus Area 1: Increase Public Awareness
✔Implement year long marketing plan that highlights services, materials and keystone programs.
Make the mission and core values prominent within the library building. (Katie Z./Amy)
✔Design a detailed giving and fundraising schedule with detailed procedures.
This includes ✔Match Madness (March), National Library Week(April), Giving Tuesday(November), End of Year Giving(December),
and various fundraisers Fundraising Calendar (Amy A./Katie Z.)
Provide opportunities for community members to learn about the library. (Melanie - lunch & learns)
Focus Area 2: Champion Literacy and Lifelong Learning
✔Expand the Salina Reads event.
✔Provide monthly emails to key connections within the school library card program. (Melanie)
Review the feasibility of an adult high school completion program. (Melanie/Allyson)May implementation date
Focus Area 3: Foster Community Connections
Review our volunteer opportunities and recruit within our community. (do we have 1 time opportunities; Adopt a Shelf - success)
Focus Area 4: Engage Our Team
✔Provide training to learn more about homelessness,crisis situations & other specific public service situations.
✔Provide workplace training. Reality-Based Workplace - Cy Wakeman - On Demand Virtual Training
Explore new tools and systems that support staff workload. - Smart Lock McKenzie Center (Emilio) Nex-Tech Door System -
implementation could be completed by May
✔Implement hiring tools. (recorded video interviews)*HireFlix
Quarterly Feedback
✔Quarter 1 (Jan-March): Strategic Plan - Statistical Goals, Staff Training Cy Wakeman
Focus Area 5: Sustain and Implement Desired Services for Our Community
✔Review our automated communications. (Hanna/Amy/Katie Z.)implementation of OrangeBoy
✔Review nontraditional items in depth (Allyson)
Quarterly Feedback
Quarter 1 (Jan-March): Salina Reads
Focus Area 6: Provide Well-Maintained, Comfortable, Accessible Community Spaces
Review internal building areas for improvement.
✔January/February Backroom Office Area :✔Backroom:painting, patch carpet
March/April Outside Areas
Prescott Room: ✔painting, ✔chair area protection, ✔removal of old lights/speakers, ✔countertop, doors, cabinets, ✔pictures,
mission
Update Intercom, Phone System & RFID access.- capital projects implementation could be completed by May
Shelving - capital project
Youth Services Remodel (grants, fundraising, donors)- capital project ongoing through 2023
Strategic Capital Plan
January - March:
McKenzie Center Door (✔replaced; ✔repair work on the floor needed; walk plate to be installed)
Intercom System, Phone System, Smart Locks, Dock Door Repair - Emilio/Hanna/Sam
Shelving Main Level considerations - Melanie
2023 Strategic Plan Teams
Customer Service Team
Programming Team
Salina Reads Team
Volunteer Team
Staff Activities Team
Staff Appreciation Tea
Library Positions
Tech Center Assistant - FT (interviews in progress)
Circ Clerk - PT (interviews in progress)
Library Assistant FT (interviews in progress)
Head of Fundraising FT (applications being taken
Director Schedule
●Greater Salina Community Foundation Meeting
●Heusner Site Council Meeting
●Privacy Audits for Public Libraries - webinar
●USD 305 District Site Council Meeting
●KS Library Directors Meeting
●Nex-Tech Meetings
●Lions Club Presentation
●CKLS Audit Meeting
●Parks & Rec Board Meeting
●Book Bans - webinar
●NPL & Finance Group- Capital Project - Discussions
●BrainFuse - JobNow/HelpNow Meeting
●Other
○Onboarding meetings - new staff
○Supervisor Group Meetings, Supervisors Individual Meetings
○Youth Services Remodel/Capital Campaign weekly meetings; +eTapestry, +Humanities Grant
○Team Meetings: Collections Review Team, Programming Team
○Department Meetings
○Interviews
Ways the Board Can Engage
Let possible donors know that the Library is participating in Match Madness on March 23rd.
Talk about the items available in our “Library of Things” collection to potential patrons.
Building & Grounds Updates
●McKenzie Center Door South Door area - door is in, walk plate/floor area work to be done
●Numerous lights being replaced throughout the building with LED
●Water heater in McKenzie repaired
●Main elevator - needs part replacements that are not made anymore.
Marketing
Salina Post -Seed library a small gesture that blossomed
Salina311- Front Page article on Feb 22
https://salina311.com/salina-central-high-schools-dynamic-dozen-comes-to-spls-gallery-708/
https://www.ksal.com/dynamic-dozen-comes-to-library-gallery/
Digital Spring Calendar was send to USD 305 Information Director
Volunteen flyer is also being distributed digitally throughout USD 305 middle and high schools
Staff newsletter was well received by staff. This newsletter included staff celebrations, a riddle (that many people
were able to solve), an encouraging quote, and our upcoming staff fitness challenge.
Staff Fitness Challenge beginning March 13
Improved branding for ILL items
Signed 3 year contract with a new Email Marketing service- OrangeBoy
New automation tools, access to a database with successful campaigns used by other libraries, and more
Social Media for February- Quick Stats
●Instagram
○+114% more accounts reached than Jan
○+67.7% increase in accounts engaged
○+0.4% followers (1,332)
○Top post was “Love it” Reel with 663 views
○7 posts, 14 stories, 12 reels for the month
●Facebook
○Post reach up 4% (9.3K)
○Impressions up 3% (44.7K)
○Engagement up 37% (2.8K)
○Followers up 12% (38 new, total 5612)
○Top post was “Seed Library” with reach of 5,217
■Highest engaged audience is women ages 35-44 (30.7%)
■82.2% women
Katie Zey, Head of Marketing
Staff Spotlight
Adrienne Brighton
Department: Youth Services
Job Title: Clerk
How many years have you worked at the Library?3
What is your favorite part of your job at the Library?Helping kids find great books and
just being surrounded by books in general.
What materials do you enjoy checking out from the Library?I check out a lot of middle
grade fiction and nonfiction that I read with my two kids. For myself, I enjoy grabbing
some crafting and gardening books as well.
What is one thing you think everyone should know about the Library?We have an amazing staff that truly cares about
the books we carry, the people we help and the overall amazing space we do our best to provide.
Staff Spotlight
Melissa Miller
Department: Circulation
Job Title: Shelver
How many years have you worked at the Library? 5 ¾ years
What is your favorite part of your job at the Library?I love putting books/things in
their proper place and helping patrons find materials.
What materials do you enjoy checking out from the Library?I enjoy finding books
that can supplement my 10th grader’s homeschool curriculum. My most recent find
was The Arts: A Visual Encyclopedia by Susie Hodge.
Are you a member or a part of any organizations/groups in the Salina area?Smoky Valley Home Educators
What is one thing you think everyone should know about the Library?We are more than just books! Salina Public
Library has a vast collection of materials and programs to suit everyone’s needs.