REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mathews Memorial Library
Bette Dillehay, Director
November 14 2017
This report is intended to provide the Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees with a report of activities during the period September 5 – November 14, 2017.
The staff is pleased to congratulate Mr. Pavik on his appointment to the Board of Trustees and pledges to support him as he helps serve the library community.
Financial Report
Current Reporting Period
The current financial report is a statement of resources and expenses for a two-month period ending November 14, 2017. Operational expenses for the bi-monthly period totaled $9,121.20. Current year-to-date expenses total $32,021.29 or 28.35% of operating budget (not including grants/donations). Current unencumbered operating funds total $84,192.59, including donations of $3,284.88. Also included in unencumbered funds is $5,000, the amount in the C4K Leadership Grant. Subtracting this grant from the unencumbered amount leaves a total of $79,192.59.
Salaries and related expenses
No report of expenses for salaries and related benefits through the report period of November 15 has been received. However, as of October 2, for the three-month period in FY 2017-18 expenses totaled $57,645.46 or $19,214.82 per month. The total amount budgeted for salaries and related benefits for FY2017-2018 is $267,103 or roughly $22,259 per month.
Donation
A donation of $2,500 was received in September from library patron, Mary Wade Smith, who made the gift possible through an endowment at the Mathews Community Foundation.
Patron Update
The current number of patrons is 11,905, an increase of 111 patrons over the previous report period and a 3.03% increase over the previous year. The average number of patrons and others visiting the library daily during the report period was 201.
Bibliostat
A requirement for receiving state funding through the Library of Virginia is the annual submission of an extensive report on activities and spending by the library. This report is submitted electronically and is subject to review and approval prior to future allocation of funding. In the last fiscal period (2016-2017), Mathews Memorial Library received $81,892. This amount is incorporated into the budget approved by the Board of Supervisors. The allocation for the current fiscal year is $76,880.
Grant Proposal
The library received word from IMLS (Institute of Museums and Library Services) that the grant proposal submitted by the Mathews Memorial Library is to be included in the selection review process for 2018. The proposal, “One for All - A Community Coalition, addresses the changing world of libraries. It is intended to examine a new approach for the library through a leadership role in the creation of a coalition of community organizations offering a variety of services to citizens.
Virginia Library Association Conference
The Mathews Memorial Library was represented by the director who made a presentation on the coalition of youth related organizations in Mathews at the annual conference in Norfolk, Virginia, on October 12th. Approximately 40 people attended the session and rated it with high marks.
Teen Territory
An incident relating to library policy regarding age limits in the Teen Territory was successfully resolved, thanks in large part to the participation and support of Board Chair, Steve Wilson.
Programs
September was a reasonably quiet month at the library, with most efforts directed toward establishing a good youth environment for study and pursuit of individual interests. One annual event took place at the beginning of the school year with the distribution of dictionaries to all third graders at Lee Jackson School. The library provided 75 students with an age appropriate Webster’s Dictionary.
October, on the other hand, was quite busy with planning for the annual Halloween event, “Howl-a-Palooza” which occurred on Saturday, October 28th. Participating were 55-60 young people plus parents. Thanks were extended to Cammie Gustafson who provided pumpkins that were distributed to families for the carving contest. Twenty-two pumpkins were carved and returned to the library for judging. Activities included a party at the library featuring a scavenger hunt for scary books, crafts and food. Merchants had been alerted to the accompanying event, a “trick or treat parade in downtown Mathews. Their response was enthusiastic and rewarding for the trick or treaters who received many goodies.
November brings us to planning for our annual holiday festivities. This year the theme is “Do You Hear What I Hear?” It begins with “Deck the Halls” on Sunday, November 26th at 2 pm when trees representing the decades of tree decorating in Mathews will be festooned with appropriate ornaments, placed on them by citizens who enjoy refreshments and music of the season. Other events follow as shown on the attached calendar.