REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mathews Memorial Library
Bette Dillehay, Director
November 12, 2024
The report that follows outlines current administrative matters and ongoing activities that occurred during the report period.
Financial Report
Current Reporting Period
Information presented in the current financial report is a statement of resources and expenses for a two-month period ending October 31, 2024. Year-to-date operational expenses total $25,395.02, slightly more than that reported in FY23-24 ($18,327.41). Books and related materials (6012), including hard copy and electronic versions, constitute a significant investment ($5,560.52); however, providing access to online information constitutes a much greater investment ($13,932.98).
Salaries and Related Expenses
The amount budgeted for salaries and related benefits for FY 24/25 is $401,453.78 The amount represents an allocation of $33,448 per month.
Patrons
The current count of patrons is 11,106, a slight increase of 2.37% over the previous year’s total. New registrations for the report period totaled 18.
Space/Facility Usage. Requests from organizations and individuals who wish to use the library meeting spaces continue to escalate. During the past two months, 36 non-library events, including groups of 35 and/or one or two, reserved space to conduct either meetings or to engage in conference calls or other activities requiring some level of privacy. Initially,the library policy stipulated that a fee would be charged for such activities. It was determined a few years ago that it served the library’s community-oriented mission to accommodate such requests at no cost.
Library Activities
Not surprisingly, as autumn approaches, library programs and activities are more frequent and attract a larger number of participants. This is true for the current report period when both youth and adult programs attracted enthusiastic participation:
Genealogy Workshops. In October, the library presented a four-part series of workshops designed to aid individuals researching family history using the library’s vast collection of materials, records and online databases. Conducted by Becky Barnhardt, head, history and genealogy, each session attracted an average of 19 people. Asked to evaluate the series, attendees responded with high praise for the program. Additional workshops are planned with a January 2025 event focusing on FamilySearch.
Howl-a-Palooza. This youth program is a repeat of one offered for a number of years by the library. This year it attracted over 60 children and parents. Activities include games, pumpkin carving, costume contest and refreshments. The event culminated in a “trick-or-treat” parade on Main Street where merchants are prepared to hand out treats. In concert with the library, the merchants had earlier been encouraged by the Mathews Main Street Committee to decorate their facility in hopes of being selected as “Best Spooky Storefront.” South Wind Pizza was selected for this honor.
Teen Territory Halloween Party. An event for teens took place on Thusday, October 31st. It, too, featured games, activities and refreshments.