MELITA LIBRARY 2001 ANNUAL REPORT

OUR YEAR AT A GLANCE

• In 2001, there were 780 community members who held active memberships in the Melita Library. During this year, library staff added 892 items to the collection; the library was open a total of 246 days, and in this time a total of 7,720 people used the library to:
  • Check out a total of 22,033 items - this is an average of 90 items checked out each day (an average of 1.1% over the previous year)
  • Ask the Library Staff for assistance in answering 559 reference questions
  • Request the Library Staff to perform 273 internet searches
  • Use the computers 1,036 times
  
  
  
• Prairie Skills Education and Training Project continue to use office space in the Melita Library every other Wednesday to offer itinerant services in our community. This service provides employment counselling, career planning, resume services and assistance with federal and provincial employment programs. This program also maintains a job board at the front of the library. Prairie Skills has proven to be a valuable service to our community and it continues to be our privilege to help make this service available to community members.
  
  
• The Library served as an exam centre for community members taking Distant Education classes.
  
  
• In April, Darlene Gould, our assistant librarian, was forced to take an extended sick leave when she experienced serious complications due to eye surgery. What started out to be a routine procedure, turned into a nightmare as she has since lost sight in both eyes. Because she had always planned to return to work, her absences were covered by casual staffing, and fiscally by the reduction of staff hours during times the library was closed to the public as well as Saturday closures during the summer months. It was only later in the year that it became evident that her condition was going to be permanent and a new assistant will be hired to start in the new year. We wish Darlene the very best as she faces the challenges ahead. Our thanks to Pat Rutherford for agreeing to fill so many hours - we could not have managed without her help.
  
  
• The Library received approval of its funding proposal for the Community Connections program, and as a result, in July a new computer was purchased for public use. This funding will also be used to cover the on-going cost of internet connectivity. The program had included various blocking and tracking software as a condition of participation, however, these programs did nothing but "freeze" and shut down the computer and at times the entire network . These programs were uninstalled and all has been working relatively smoothly.
  
  
• The Library continues to maintain its own Web Page. Community members can have access to the Library’s catalogue as well as an on-line periodical database via the internet.
  
  
• Prairie Visions Arts Council - our local Arts Council - used library space to mount several exhibits over the year. Throughout the year, the following exhibits were on display:

  The Library Project by local area artist Shirley Brown. Shirley had a set of old encyclopaedias in her home was curious to see how they could be turned into art. She sent an encyclopaedia to twenty-nine artists and encouraged participants to "create a unique piece of work that would reflect their own interests". A variety of fascinating pieces were returned and the exhibit was extensive. Classes from the school came down on several afternoons and Shirley held a slide presentation for the public one evening while her exhibit was at the library. The Arts West Travelling Art Gallery featurning the juried work of various Westman artists was on display for two weeks in September. Once again, this art show was well received by community members.

  
  
• April was a busy month for our library. The Melita Library is part of the Donor’s Choice charity campaign. In November 2000, the Library was informed that through the generous giving of our community members, $1100 had been collected on our behalf. These funds will be used for projects/purchases that the Library would otherwise be unable to afford and it was decided to continue upgrading the air conditioning. In May, a new and more powerful air conditioner was installed at the front of the library and makes all the difference in the world. Our thanks to our citizen board representative, Cathy Zaharychuk, for representing the Library on this board and for the work she has done on our behalf.
  
  
• April also saw the front and south sidewalks replaced. While access was difficult during this time, we are pleased to finally have this work completed. Our thanks to the Town of Melita for this.
  
  
• In May, a display was held in conjunction with Hemochromatosis Awareness Week. As this is a concern for many of our community members, the display was well received and much information was given out.
  
  
• Other seasonal/topical displays were put together throughout the year to draw awareness to various events. These displays were used to promoted public awareness and interest was shown in the:

  Canada Book Display National Aboriginal Day Display

  Fire Safety Week Display Canadian Citizenship Week Display

  
  
• The Library’s non-fiction, junior easy, western and mystery sections were weeded this year. Books taken out of circulation will be put in the Library’s used book sale at a later date, and the funds will be used to further library projects.
  
  
• During the summer months, the Library was pleased to help facilitate the Be Eager About Reading Program sponsored by the Antler River School Division. This program was designed to promote literacy and to foster a love of reading in children who were previously reluctant readers.
  
  
• In July, Dan Lockwood of the Prairie Meteorite Search hosted an informational session at the Library. Dan toured Southwestern Manitoba with several meteorite specimens in tow. It was his goal to provide public education about meteorites as well as to discover any meteorite specimens in the area.
  
  
• In September, the Library participated in the Pre-School Wellness Fair that was put on by the Public Health Department. Our Library had a booth depicting the various services and materials that all of the Libraries in our regional system have to offer preschoolers and their parents. Our thanks to Eric Forster, a high school student, for his help in manning our booth.
  
  
• Also in September, the Library hosted a "Coffee Break" for the Alzheimer’s Society. Our local bakeshop generously donated cookies for this event and community members dropped by all morning and afternoon. With their help, over $100 was raised for the Alzheimer Society.
  
  
• To help mark Children’s Book Festival, a special story time was held at the library for the nursery school classes.
  
  
• The local book club continues to meet once a month at the Library.
  
  
• The Melita Library continues to participate in a rotation system with Deloraine, Boissevain, Killarney and Souris libraries. Blocks of books are exchanged every six months. This rotation system remains an effective way in which to stretch the book budget.
  
  
• Along with the above rotation, the Melita and Pierson Libraries continue to operate an inter branch rotation. This rotation serves to maintain a new stock of books at the Napinka Library and is also a means to share resources within the regional system. This year, however, only one rotation (rather than the usual two) was undertaken due to the sufficient stock of books in the Napinka Library thanks to the Collection Development Fund.
  
  
• Blocks of large print books, talking books, and videos are received from Public Library Services at various intervals and are welcome in supplementing our own collection.
  
  
• Inter-Library Loan borrowing continues to be very well used. Having our Library’s "card" catalogue on the internet as well as having access to the provincial MAPLIN site continue to contribute to the ease of borrowing.
  
  
• Blocks of books are taken over to the Senior Citizens Lodge at regular intervals, and the residents are appreciative of this service.
  
  
• Library Board and Staff members were saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Max Ross, the RM of Arthur Council Representative on the Library Board. Max was a dedicated Board member and will be missed. His place on the board has been filled by Jim Trewin.
  
  
• In December, the Library was requested to fill in a survey for the Recreation Commission and to also attend an information meeting. Cathy Zaharychuk and Ted Wall attended on the Library’s behalf.
  
  DONATIONS
  We thank these donors very much for their contributions and for their interest in the Melita Library:

  Bev Jolly August Lenz Pat Brigden Grace Ferguson Lenora Hartford Patsy Lockhart Pauline Sheffield Bev Neuman

  Bob Bell Pat Rutherford U of T Loretta Mayes Faye McLoughlin Helga Gibson Maureen Baird Cliff Snyder

  Marie Knight Child & Family Services Royal Bank Donna Brown Terri DeBaker Aileen Tucker Audrey Clark Joscelyn Kellogg Foundation

  OUR THANKS
  
• To all of the Library Board Members for their support throughout the year
• To our Secretary-Treasurer for her many hours of hard work spent keeping our affairs in order
• To Pat Rutherford and Maxine Bell who remain faithful volunteers
• To Stacy Teetaert, Eric Forster and Alana Rutherford students who volunteered their time, energy and talents
• To the RM and the Town Councils for their generous support
• To the staff at Public Library services for their words of wisdom, encouragement and their expertise To all who have donated funds, time and materials to the library To our patrons who make it all so worthwhile