Library Statistics. . .Keep Reading!

Statistics, how dull. Right?

Wrong, wrong, wrong. When it comes to library statistics, you might be surprised to learn a few things about your local library. For example, did you know this library holds over 50,000 volumes? (Not including magazines and newspapers.) These materials are books (of all sorts for all types of people), audio books (in case you are taking a long boring trip on the road), music CDs, video games, and movies? Yes, in a town where the only way left to get a DVD is to buy one. . .there is another way. Each of these materials can be borrowed free of charge! They can be used in your own home at your own convenience for anywhere from a week to three weeks for those who live in or just outside Raton, or three weeks to six weeks for those who live in another area. The key word, of course, is "borrowed". The AJM Library is funded by the city of Raton and all the materials in it are city property. We lend them to you, you bring them back. If not, the word 'free' goes away and there will be a fine or a replacement cost due. But as long as anything you borrow is returned on time, it's one of the best economic deals in town.

The next statistic concerns our public access computers. The fifteen machines we have are used over 11,000 times a year. That means each computer averages being used 750 times per year. Not just by the same 750 people either. There are as many reasons for using the public library's computers as there are users. Those who are traveling, those whose computers have viruses and whose printers are not working, those who want to do a little research on an upcoming trip, those who come after school for help with classwork, and those who do not own a computer all use the library public access computers for free. There is that word 'free' again. Printing costs 15 cents per page, black and white, but using a computer costs absolutely nothing.

Every year the library uses a formula provided by the New Mexico State Library to average how many individuals come to the library. In the 2009-2010 fiscal year, this library was visited 34,164 times. The statistics for the current 2010-2011 fiscal year show that the average is going to be over 38,000 visits. During times of economic woe, people use the library more. Can't afford a subscription to the Albuquerque Journal? That's all right, we have it here in the library. Can't travel to a book store this weekend for the latest best seller? (That good old price of gas!) Call the library and see if our copy is available. Interested in a book that is out of print and this library doesn't have it? We will use the inter-library loan system to see if we can borrow it from another library for you. Need a place to use a computer or read a magazine while the car is being fixed or your wife is getting her hair done? Here we are.

Last year 2,647 people attended programs at the library. These programs were for people of all ages and a variety of interest. Many were children, and the schools brought students for tours as well. Some adult attendees were aspiring writers. Some had an interest in the world of science. Others took computer classes or saw historical artifacts. Some actually discussed books. The meeting room in this library is open for scheduling as long as the event scheduled is not a 'for profit' venture. Want a free space to meet in? Call the library.

The library accounts for 4% of the city budget. That's all. The materials provided, the individuals served, the computer usages, the programming, the 48 hours open per week - all of that is provided with a very small portion of the public money that comes into the city coffers each year to meet the needs of its citizens.

It does so with three full time staff members, one part-time aide, and one maintenance person on the payroll. (Volunteers who work for love of the library are very much appreciated and do not cost the city a dime.) The numbers of paid staff have gone down from four full time staff and two part-time aides in past years to the current level. Still, the library is serving more people and providing just as many programs, computers and services (if not more), than when we had more staff.

It is obvious from these statistics (and in the end, all they are about you more than they are about us), this library serves the public in a large way with a small fraction of the city budget. The numbers prove it.

Newport Beach, CA, Considers Bookless Library

Newport Beach has a plan on the drawing table to move the Balboa Branch of their public library to 'spanking new' 2,200-square foot quarters in the proposed Marina Park project. (http://today.msnbe.msn.com, March 30, 2011.) Part of the plan includes several alternatives for this relocation. One alternative is to eliminate most or all of the books and turn that library into "a kind of community center - a place where citizens could gather, chat. . .and surf the web."

There are several interesting/horrific concepts involved in this alternative. First of all, Newport Beach is 'faced with crushing budget problems" and this could be a part of their solution - remove all books. It seems odd to me that they want to spend money on building a "spanking new" library facility in a new location but are willing to remove the books to save money. That seems a little odd. "Look! We have a new building! And we save a portion of the cost by eliminating the books!" What a political statement.

Of course, there will be computers and maybe Ebooks and a nice place to sit by the fire and play with your laptop; but if Newport Beach library users in that area want a book, they will have to request it at an electronic ordering station, then wait for someone to deliver it to them from another branch. If someone comes in who doesn't have the funds to own an Ereader or, heaven forbid, expects a library to have books, they will be disappointed and disenfranchised.

Libraries try to meet the needs of all their patrons. This includes the technological and traditional services. As one person commented on this article, "As California goes, so goes the rest of the nation". I hope they are wrong. The concept of libraries as social and electronic centers only is disturbing, to say the least.

Right or Privilege?

There was a discussion recently between New Mexico librarians on whether libraries in this country are a 'right' or a 'privilege'. I am inclined to believe it is both.
Free public libraries have been a part of this nation since it practically was one. As the nation has grown, so have the amount of public libraries. Libraries have become so much a part of our national consciousness, that you could hardly find a soul that would claim they are not a right belonging to all citizens. They are there to serve the public, which covers everyone.
But in economic times like these, tax dollars decline. Libraries are then frequently designated a 'quality of life' service, as opposed to fire/EMT and police services. You might never need the fire and police services personally, but the 'right' to have access to them is safety oriented and very basic. So you might not have access to the computers or materials you use daily or weekly at the library (often because you cannot afford as an individual what the library provides for free), but those safety services will always be available and creating a safer community, whether you call on them yourself or not.
Conclusion: a 'right' can vanish when the money is shrinking unless the public makes it clear that they expect it to be there.
As for being a 'privilege', that also applies. Every citizen has the right to public library services, but criminal activity in a library can cancel that 'privilege', just like federal convictions can cancel the right, or privilege, to vote.
Criminal activity does happen in libraries. Physical and verbal abuse, deliberate theft, damage of public property, all these things are punishable by law. When they happen in a library, those who perform these acts are often banned from using the library again. That privilege is gone. It is a public employee's responsibility (in this case, the librarian's) to maintain a safe environment for everyone who works in or uses the library. It is also their responsibility to protect and maintain public property paid for by the tax dollars that provide the department, the use of which is both a right and a privilege.

"Librarian Chic"

Patricia Moore, from the New Mexico State Library, just sent out a message to all of us in Library Land. It said, "Today's NYT style section has a Q&A with a boutique owner whose best sellers include a blouse that retails for $1995.00 and is described as what the owner calls, '...librarian chic - sexy but with prim cap sleeves."
Naturally I went to the website and was very disappointed. There was no photograph of this blouse. I also wanted to see what kind of model they might have put it on. Did she weigh more than 100 pounds? Was she wearing glasses and were her eyes unfocused from being on the computer too long? Was her hair in a bun or was it dyed? I mean, was she even holding a book? If you are going to use the term 'librarian' to sell a blouse that no librarian in the country can afford, these are important questions. Exactly how are we being portrayed?
Just so you know, I don't think I have ever been 'librarian chic' in the entire time I have worked in the library. I dress for comfort. This particular blouse might require an expensive pair of heels, and there is no way I could possibly get through the day in heels. It might require an expensive skirt or fabulous pair of slacks, and I do not wear clothes that I can't afford to snag, tear, get newsprint smudges on, or wear to sweep the basement.
As for sexy. . .well. It will probably surprise some of you to learn that there are individuals out there who think the library is a great place to pick up women. Really. It is true that I have never had anyone try to pick me up, but just about every other female who has ever worked here, not matter what their size, age, or style, has had at least one person give it a try. I don't know what causes this. Is it the friendly line, "Can I help you?" Are books some sort of aphrodisiac? Whatever the cause, not one of them was wearing any kind of blouse that cost over $1,000.00.
As for this particular expensive blouse, I don't suppose I need to see a picture of it. Even if I could find an exact duplicate in K-Mart for $19.99, I wouldn't buy it. I don't like cap sleeves.

Book Sale Coming!

The Friends of the Library will be holding their annual book sale on Saturday, March 19, 2011. The sale will be held on the second floor of the library from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. This is a wonderful opportunity to stock up on used books at great prices. There is plenty of fiction and non-fiction, enough to satisfy all types of readers, including the youngest ones! Come to the sale and plan to carry away a sack of books to meet all your reading requirements!

"Art Techniques: Improving Your Art" Workshop

The Raton Plein Air Society of artists is hosting and conducting a new workshop at the Arthur Johnson Memorial Library. This workshop is for adults, 18 years of age and up, and will meet in the library on the first and third Thursdays of each month, beginning in February and running through May.

The name of the workshop reflects the goal of those who will be conducting and participating in these ongoing workshops. The medium focused on in the workshops will be oil painting. Five aspects of oil painting will be addressed: drawing, self portraiture, still life, landscape and surreal/fantasy. Techniques and demonstrations given by different members of the Raton Plein Air Society will aid those attending to prepare for the next meeting. The work of attendees will be shown and discussed within the limits of each painting type and assignment addressed each month.

The members of the Raton Plein Air Society have each been involved in painting for decades. Various degrees in architecture, design and fine arts were the springboard that led Society members to a life long involvement in painting. They invite anyone interested in developing their artistic ability to attend the initial meeting on February 3, 2011, at 6:00 P.M. Mr. Sam Hughes will give a demonstration on drawing for the first workshop.

Refreshments will be served.

New Mexico Newsbank : Access newspapers and magazines online at home.

The Arthur Johnson Memorial Library now provides a link on this blog through which library patrons with library cards can access three New Mexico newspapers and ten other national publications on their own computers at home. The New Mexico newspapers are:

Albuquerque Journal
Las Cruces Sun-Times
Roswell Record

National publications are:

Baby Talk
Family Life
Foreign Affairs
Newsweek
Parenting
Popular Science
State (web publication)
Stateline.org (web publication)
U.S. News and World Report
Washington Family Magazine

The text of these magazines is now available to you at home. Go to the arthurjohnsonmemoriallibrary.blogspot.com. On the right side of the screen, find the link that says "New Mexico Newspapers". Click on that link. It will take you to a sign up page which requires your personal library card number. (Those patrons who have 3 digit patron numbers must preface their number with a zero - 0.) Once you have entered that, you will find a screen on which you can take a short cut to the New Mexico publications or nation wide publications. Select one. Each of those search screens have places to put in key words and dates in order to search for specific articles or to read the publication.

This resource can be used at the library on the public access computers or on your personal computer at home. In either case, you must go to the library blog, arthurjohnsonmemoriallibrary.blogspot.com, to begin.

Since the Albuquerque Journal no longer delivers daily in our area but send the newspapers through the mail, it is no longer necessary to wait until the next day to read the most current issue of the Journal available.

Please try out the Newsbank and let is know what you think. This service has been made available to New Mexico libraries through the New Mexico State Library and paid for by this state agency.

Income Tax Forms (Free) and Printing Income Tax Froms Off The Internet (15 cents per page)

I don't know why income tax time seems to roll around so frequently. It usually seems like a year between each Christmas, but the distance between each April 15th seems to get shorter all the time. Part of the reason for me is that I start worrying in December about getting my personal forms in January and hoping that I get it all done before April 14th so I won't have to stay up all night in order to meet the deadline the next day.

When you work in the library and get shipments of forms sent for free handout by the IRS and the New Mexico Department of Taxation, taxes are also on your mind for quite a while. People ask for the forms before January 1st. In fact, people trickle in all year asking for last year's forms, forms from other states, forms from so many years ago that not even the IRS has them posted online. So taxes, like overdue books, seem to be an inescapable part of life at the library.

As far as the new tax forms go each year, I have never noticed a reliable 'received by' prediction from either entity. We are usually unable to tell patrons when the forms will be here. Sometimes they arrive (in part) before January 1st. More usually they arrive afterward in several batches that contain different forms. Sometimes New Mexico Income Tax forms are here first. Sometimes IRS forms are here first.

This year, no individuals are receiving paper forms and instruction books from the IRS in the mail. It seems that the IRS wants as many forms as possible to be submitted online. Or perhaps they are busy saving tax payer dollars by canceling all that printing. However it is, this has upset a number of people who have always used these forms. I don't blame them. Fortunately, the IRS is still sending forms to public libraries who filled out the request paper work for such forms much earlier in the year. We filled out that paper work.

In the last week I have received a notification from the IRS that we may receive forms by the end of January. That was followed immediately by an email that said a shipment had left their warehouse and might be to us by January 17th. Two days later I received an email saying that the UPS now had the order. Before any of these emails, we received Schedule M - "Making Work Pay Credit" - in bulk without any instructions, and 1040EZ forms without any booklets. In between the last two emails we received 1040EZ booklets and 1040A forms. I got another email today saying another shipment had left their warehouse, and UPS brought us a delivery of forms for Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled (no instructions), and perhaps six instruction booklets on Child Care and Dependent Care Expenses. Truly, the shipping methods of the IRS are mysterious. As for the shipping methods of the NM Department of Taxation and Revenue, they are currently non-existent since we have not yet received any forms or instruction booklets from them to hand out.

We will receive more forms and booklets. I hope they are all here soon. You can always call the library (445-9711) before making a special trip to pick up forms that may not be here yet. If you are in a hurry, we can help you print IRS forms and New Mexico tax forms off the Internet, as well as the booklets. Just be aware that it costs 15 cents a page to print at the library. That can get expensive when the forms and booklets provided to us by the IRS for the public are free - after they arrive.

Also, please pick up your forms in a timely fashion. Once the ones to hand out free are gone, we charge 15 cents a page to make copies of each form that we set aside for that purpose.

In the meantime, the IRS has declared that this year's filing deadline is April 18th, not April 15th. This is because there is a holiday specific to Washington D.C. only that celebrates the day President Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves, and it falls on April 15th this year. So we all have three extra days to get our taxes done.

I wish that made me feel better than it does.

Welcome to 2011 at the Library!

It's a new year at the library and we would like to thank all our patrons and supporters for what we know will be their faithfulness during the coming twelve months. As usual, we will be available to schedule the meeting room for clubs and groups; we will be happy to schedule class tours (one for home schooled children is already on the calendar this month); we hope to start developing an e-book collection; and we just want to see all of you who come in to check out books, movies, audio books, video games, music Cd's and magazines. Don't forget that we have fifteen public access computers. Time is limited only when all computers are in use, and the very least amount of time you can use a computer is half an hour. (The longest amount of time is all day!

Our hours are:
Monday - 1:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Tuesday - 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Wednesday - 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Thursday - 10:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Friday - 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Saturday - 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Sunday - CLOSED

Internet computers begin going down one half hour before closing.

Patrons who wish to get a library card must provide a photo ID. (Parents must provide their own photo ID when co-signing forms for their children.)

Regular books, movies, and audio books go out for three weeks for residents, six weeks for those patrons designated 'county'.

New fiction, music Cd's, magazines, and video games go out for one week.

Preschool Story Hour occurs every Wednesday morning at 10:00 A.M.

Summer Story Hour is for children from birth through 5th grade and occurs every Wednesday during the summer for 6-8 weeks. (Beginning date will be selected later for 2011.)

The Friends of the Library sell donated used books. They are always interested in finding new members. Call the library (445-9711) for contact information.

To all of you who use the library, we appreciate you! For those who have yet to discover us, we hope you come by soon.

Happy New Year!

Reading is good for stress!

'Tis the season. . .to be stressed. I love Christmas. But the week before is intensely stressful. I am one of those people who get packages in the mail just in time to get there, am wrapping gifts for stockings at midnight on Christmas Eve (unless I focus on doing it bits at a time for two weeks, which requires thought and personal reminders and, oh, yes, stress because I haven't done it yet), holds the family dinner and wants everything to look as perfect as possible, even though the tidy results of all that cleaning last for about thirty seconds after everyone walks in the door.

I saw the title of an article today on the cover of December/January 2011 issue of Natural Health magazine. It was "Instant Calm - A simple cure for days that feel crazed". I focused on that for a moment before I snorted. We can all eliminate stress instantly. It's simple. That's why so many people suffer from so much stress, right?

All the things I have read about dealing with stress require us to do something. Meditate. Eat right. Eliminate caffeine. Exercise. Sleep more. Sleep less. Make a list and don't lose it. Prioritize. Eliminating stress requires those who are already trying to keep up to do something else to eliminate the consequences of what you are doing. Does this seem counterproductive to anybody except me?

Well, I read the article. You never know. It might actually have one teeny suggestion I could implement without making a special trip for new vitamins, changing my bedtime or giving up coffee and chocolate, especially in the middle of the holiday season. As usual, it suggested vitamins that aid in calming, exercising, being in the sun 20 minutes a day without sunscreen or sunglasses, prioritizing, giving up caffeine, and meditation.

But wait. Under 'cultivate active rest', reading was listed as a form of meditation that gives focused attention to the moment! Finally, something that I do every day. Reading relieves stress and I don't have to feel guilty about it. I can remind myself, and anyone else who questions this expenditure of my time, that too much stress causes long term health problems and reading can help that.

So pick up a good book this holiday season - one you actually want to read - and enjoy yourself. The library will be happy to help you reduce stress.