HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2024 0910 LB REG ITEM 08B ITEM: 8.B.
CITY OF MOORPARK
MOORPARK LIBRARY BOARD
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Moorpark Library Board
FROM: Jessica Sandifer, Deputy Parks and Recreation Director
BY: Christine Cowell, Librarian
DATE: 9/10/2024 (Regular Meeting)
SUBJECT: Consider Library Quarterly Report for Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year 2023/2024
DISCUSSION
Consider Library Quarterly Report for Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year 2023/2024.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file report.
Attachment – Library Quarterly Report for Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year 2023/2024.
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Library Board Regular Meeting
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Page 2 Moorpark City Library
Quarterly Report
April - June 2024
Highlights:
On Saturday, April 27, 2024, the Library hosted its 2nd Annual Kids Fest. This vibrant
and engaging event brought the community together for a day filled with fun, learning,
and creativity. The festival, running from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM, was a resounding
success, with various activities and attractions that delighted children and families alike.
Here are the key highlights:
Interactive Workshops and Activities:
•Comic Drawing Workshop with David Boatman: This session allowed budding
artists to learn from a professional, fostering creativity and artistic expression.
•Virtual Author Visit with Dan Gutman: Children enjoyed an engaging virtual
session with the renowned author, sparking their interest in reading and writing.
•Superhero Activities: Children participated in mask and cape decoration and
comic strip drawing throughout the event. The park was alive with laughter and
excitement as children played Big Jenga, Connect 4, Sticky Paddle Ball,
Badminton, and Ring Toss.
Special Attractions:
•Spider-Man Photo Op: From 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, children were excited to meet
Spider-Man and receive free comic books courtesy of Arsenal Comics.
•Touch-a-Truck Exhibit: This educational exhibit, featuring a fire engine, sheriff
and PD vehicles, waste management trucks, and a water reclamation
department display, allowed kids to explore and learn about various community
services.
Community Engagement: Various community organizations, including Rainbow
Connections, Child Development Resources, Interface/211 Ventura, Human Services
Agency, First5, and Moorpark Recreation, set up booths providing valuable resources
and activities.
The success of the Kids Fest was made possible by the hard work of our dedicated
volunteers, community partners, and staff. The event provided a day of enjoyment and
reinforced the Library's role as a community hub for learning and engagement. We look
forward to continuing this tradition and expanding our outreach.
The Moorpark City Library's Summer Reading Kickoff on Saturday, June 15, themed as
a "Messtival" (Messy Festival), attracted around 500 attendees. Activities included
finger painting, sharpie tie-dye, slime making, mud pies/seed bombs, bubbles, and a
sensory play area. Despite not being our largest kickoff event, it was the most engaging,
with participants staying for the entire afternoon. Kona Ice and Pizza Man Dan’s
contributed to the festivities and helped raise funds for the Moorpark Friends of the
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Library. The event successfully brought the community together, highlighting the
importance of interactive activities in fostering engagement and support for our library
programs.
Moorpark City Library Quarterly Statistics, FY 2023-2024
Library Usage
Door Count Cards Issued Public
Computer
Sessions
Reference
Questions
Number of
Volunteers
Volunteer Hours
Fiscal Year 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23
April 3,833 4,632 129 83 408 333 136 59 33 17 87 43
May 4,521 4,126 135 95 385 367 173 80 23 15 44 43
June 5,378 5,414 150 127 352 366 144 102 24 10 72 22
1st QTR 14,613 13,452 401 420 1,177 1,027 293 385 55 34 121 90
2nd QTR 13,327 14,112 280 255 914 902 184 312 49 44 97 100
3rd QTR 13,210 14,176 329 312 926 886 190 266 64 45 139 98
4th QTR 13,732 14,172 414 305 1,145 1,066 453 241 80 42 203 108
YTD 54,882 55,912 1,424 1,292 4,162 3,881 1,120 1,204 248 165 560 396
General:
Due to several power outages that tripped and reset the door counter, the door count for
this quarter is an estimate. However, overall foot traffic increased throughout the
quarter, from 3,833 in April to 5,378 in June, representing a significant rise, likely due to
summer programming.
New card sign-ups showed steady growth over the quarter, reflecting a consistent influx
of new patrons. This upward trend highlights the effectiveness of outreach and
engagement strategies, particularly as the summer season began.
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Volunteer participation was strong throughout the quarter, with a growing number of
volunteers assisting with various programs and services. The total hours contributed by
volunteers was similarly impressive, with a notable peak in April.
Physical
Circulation
Electronic
Circulation
Total Circulation Holds Placed In-Library Use
Fiscal Year 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23
April 6,216 6296 1,229 851 7,445 7,147 1,367 1,167 1,559 1,406
May 6,246 6,311 1,201 961 7,447 7,272 1,182 1,265 1,340 1,563
June 6,502 7,372 1,289 890 7,791 7,262 1,289 1,482 1,223 2,164
1st QTR 21,560 22,270 2,988 2,853 24,548 25,123 4,030 3,796 2,794 2,839
2nd QTR 18,543 20,762 2,823 2,855 21,366 23,617 3,688 3,645 2,210 1,987
3rd QTR 18,001 19,868 3,585 3,046 21,586 22,914 4,054 3,925 1,865 1,881
4th QTR 18,964 19,979 3,719 2,702 22,683 22,681 3,838 3,914 4,122 5,133
YTD 77,068 82,879 13,115 11,456 90,183 94,335 15,610 15,280 10,991 11,840
Collections:
The library continues to see a shift in borrowing patterns, with adult and young adult
materials trending towards online formats like eBooks and audiobooks. However, print
materials remain crucial for families and early learners, particularly for fostering early
literacy. The library’s ability to balance both physical and digital collections ensures we
meet the diverse needs of our community.
A dedicated "New Books" display was created in the teen area to enhance the visibility
of newly acquired titles and encourage browsing. Additionally, the teen librarian
developed a "Tough Topics" poster to guide teens in locating books on sensitive issues
they may feel uncomfortable discussing in person. The poster provides discreet
direction to resources on topics such as mental health, puberty, and relationships,
ensuring teens have access to the information they need in a supportive and private
manner.
The teen librarian initiated a significant cataloging project in the Young Adult section,
labeling all series books with their series information on the spine (e.g., Twilight Book 2,
Percy Jackson S3 Book 4). This enhancement was a highly requested feature from both
patrons and shelvers to improve the ease of locating the next book in a series. Studies
from other libraries have shown that this method can boost circulation statistics.
Although the project is still ongoing, the recataloged books have already received
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positive feedback from both staff and patrons, highlighting its impact on user
experience.
Children’s
Programs
Children’s
Attendance
Teen Programs Teen
Attendance
Adult Programs Adult
Attendance
Fiscal Year 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23
April 7 18 246 291 8 2 44 6 4 5 43 42
May 11 27 358 560 12 3 38 19 9 5 83 42
June 4 16 249 1015 7 6 35 36 10 5 101 42
1st QTR 47 44 1,075 1,120 12 29 77 103 16 20 128 149
2nd QTR 29 43 896 954 8 8 44 29 15 16 138 170
3rd QTR 25 57 832 1,077 12 9 71 26 16 20 199 182
4th QTR 22 61 853 1866 27 11 117 61 23 15 227 126
YTD 123 205 3656 5017 59 57 309 219 70 71 692 627
All Ages
Programs
All Ages
Attendance
Total Programs Total Program
Attendance
Self-Directed
Programs
Self-Directed
Participation
Fiscal Year 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23
April 1 2 385 170 20 27 718 509 3 3 219 87
May 1 0 29 0 33 35 508 621 2 2 161 59
June 5 1 590 19 26 28 975 1112 2 2 210 63
1st QTR 4 2 244 58 79 95 1,524 1,430 7 5 152 78
2nd QTR 7 7 344 594 59 74 1,422 1,747 4 9 658 334
3rd QTR 2 6 54 146 55 92 1,156 1,431 9 8 371 884
4th QTR 7 3 1004 189 79 90 2201 2242 7 7 590 209
YTD 20 18 1646 987 272 351 6303 6850 27 29 1771 1505
Programming:
One notable program during the quarter was the Job Skills for Teens workshop,
presented by John Bandek, the Economic Development Manager for the City of
Moorpark, in collaboration with Goodwill. This workshop guided teenagers through the
process of job searching and resume creation, utilizing their high school experiences as
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a foundation. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions about employment
strategies and engage in mock interviews for practical experience. The mock interview
session was exceptionally well-received, extending nearly an hour beyond the
scheduled time due to the high level of engagement and enthusiasm from the teens.
The Paint Your Feels art program, led by licensed therapist Delaney, experienced
fluctuating attendance, ranging from no participants one week to 13 attendees the next.
While the program provided a quiet and reflective environment, making it difficult to
gather vocal feedback, those who attended appeared to enjoy the sessions. The
program offered teens a creative and therapeutic outlet, aligning with the library’s focus
on mental health and emotional well-being.
We successfully piloted a new consistent volunteer task for teens: shelf reading. To
support this, the teen librarian created a quiz designed to familiarize volunteers with
sorting by the Dewey Decimal System and understanding the various sections of the
library, such as board books, large print, and middle grade. Once trained, volunteers
were able to identify and correct misfiled books on the shelves, with a focus on the
children’s areas. This initiative has the potential to become an ongoing volunteer
opportunity for teens seeking spontaneous volunteer hours outside of scheduled events,
providing both flexibility and valuable library support.
Facebook Page
Visits
Instagram
Profile Visits
Teen Instagram
Profile Visits
YouTube
Unique Views
Unique Webpage
Views
Fiscal Year 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23 23-24 22-23
April 431 287 222 145 10 14 48 20 10202 10352
May 206 271 172 102 8 11 41 64 10283 10316
June 322 468 238 186 9 16 36 49 10313 10435
1st QTR 677 397 408 536 51 136 92 99 32,322 28,185
2nd QTR 702 218 487 303 38 73 78 163 37,151 27,142
3rd QTR 662 518 447 321 55 52 112 88 43,651 28,983
4th QTR 959 1026 632 433 27 41 125 133 30798 31103
YTD 3000 2159 1974 1593 171 302 407 483 143962 115413
Marketing and Outreach:
April was an exciting month at Moorpark City Library, with several engaging activities for
the community. The library welcomed 51 new cardholders from Ms. Floyde and Ms.
Cherry's Transitional Kindergarten classes at Campus Canyon College Preparatory
Academy. As part of their Community Helpers and Transportation Field Trip, both
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classes visited the library, where students received their new library cards. During their
visit, they were given a library tour, introduced to library expectations, and enjoyed a
storytime session. The children also had the opportunity to browse the colle ction and
check out books on their accounts for the first time. This ongoing partnership with local
schools highlights the library's dedication to supporting early literacy and fostering a
strong sense of community.
On Saturday, May 4, the Moorpark City Library and the Moorpark Friends of the Library
collaborated at the Moorpark Community Yard Sale and Earth Festival. Together, we
engaged festival-goers in an eco-friendly activity: teaching them how to fold recycled
newspapers into seed starter pots. Participants were also provided wildflower seeds to
plant in their newly crafted pots. These biodegradable pots can be directly planted into
the soil, where they naturally decompose, promoting sustainable gardening practic es.
The event, with its focus on recycling and gardening, made a significant impact on the
environment, fostering a sense of community and environmental stewardship.
The Library's participation at the Apricot Festival on May 11 was a resounding success,
with our booth attracting so many visitors that we quickly ran out of supplies for both the
main craft (quilt squares) and the backup craft (pinwheels). During the Apricot Festival,
the children's librarian had the opportunity to perform a storytime program in the theater
at the High Streets Art Center. This added a special element to the event, attracting 30
attendees, most of whom were new to the library. The farm-themed storytime featured
readings of Saving Emma the Pig, a true story about Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark,
and CLICK, CLACK, MOO Cows that Type, with the addition of sound effects from a
loud clicking keyboard.
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