REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mathews Memorial Library
Bette Dillehay, Director
August 13, 2013

This report is intended to provide the Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees with a report of activities during the period ending June 30 – August 13, 2013.

Financial Report
Operating expenses for the first month of the new fiscal year totaled $7,267.56, of which $3,481.92 is for the annual subscription to the library OPAC (online patron access catalog) system. Including the $20,000 in funding approved for additional appropriation by the Board of Supervisors and $1,175.40 in reimbursements minus expenses, the library budget for operating expenses is currently $100,842.84.

The FY2013-2914 budget for salaries and related benefits is $255,487, an increase of $25,761 over the previous year's budget of $229,726. The current amount spent from this budget is $17,204.45.

Patron Update
The total number of patrons now stands at 10,204, an increase of 37 during the current report period.

Staff Update
Efforts to fill the position of Head, Adult/Teen Services has been renewed. To date, four applications have been received. The focus of the position has been altered slightly, placing greater emphasis on teen services support. An ad (copy attached) appeared in the August 8 issue of the Gazette Journal. It is also listed on the VLA Jobline and on the library website.

A more orderly schedule of staffing for the library is in place following the intense support required for the youth summer program. The recently imposed limit of 29 hours per week for part-time personnel requires some adjustments in order to continue to be open 7 days a week.

Strategic Plan
An up-dated strategic plan for the library was recently submitted to the Library of Virginia. The library is required to create and update such a plan to reflect a five-year period. The emphasis of the Mathews Library plan continues to be on core values that are patron oriented. In addition, emphasis continues to be placed on the role of technology and the incorporation of electronic services as a means of extending access.

2013 Summer Programs
Celebrate Our World. It was with a great deal of satisfaction (and no small amount of relief) that the staff looked back on the past month during which 85 young people between the ages of 6 to 14 participated in the month-long program, "Celebrate Our World." Perhaps the statement of one young participant on the last day of the program says it all. "Why did it have to end so soon?" Each week seemed to add excitement to the program. Learning was mixed with creative activities, topped off by a trip which reinforced understanding of the wonders about which they were learning. The average daily attendance was 44 with ages fairly evenly represented. Kudos go to each staff member and volunteer who helped make it a success. Not enough can be said of the work done by volunteer Jane Synek, who led the youngest (red hats) throughout the program. Please share your thanks with her.

Soothin' Summer Sounds. The second in this year's series, "Sounds From Around The World," featuring Leah Kruszewski brought the largest group ever recorded in any program at the library. With more than 150 people in attendance, it was standing room only; however, there were no complaints and a great deal of praise for the performance. While not as large an audience, the first in the series, Poisoned Dwarf's Celtic music, produced an equally enthusiastic audience. On August 8th, hometown favorite, Dr. Art Muroff, again drew a capacity crowd of 82 to the third in the summer music series. We look forward to the final event in the series when a Klezmer Band, Bagels & Fraylox of Williamsburg, will bring "jazzy, Jewish music to, what we anticipate will be, an equally enthusiastic audience.

Thanks and gratitude is to be expressed to members of the Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library for making all of our summer activities possible. Without their support, it would not be possible to offer such high-quality programs.