2013 library budget

7/28/2019 2013 Library Budget

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Darien Library Page 1

Darien Library

Report to the Representative Town Meeting

April 2013

Process: Approved by the Darien Library F&B Committee: January 10, 2013

Approved by the Darien Library Board: January 14, 2013

Approved by the Board of Selectmen February 19, 2013

Approved by the Board of Finance April 9, 2013

Budget Summary

The Librarys budget proposal for fiscal year 2013-2014 calls for expenditures of$3,400,566, an increase of $151,479, or 4.7%.

The budget makes provision for a 3% increase in staff and administrativesalaries. Because of reorganization and efficiencies, the increase incompensation is held to 2.8%.

We have budgeted a 25% increase in Health Expenses pending determinationof a final rate, in accordance with guidance from the Town; we project a slightreduction in contracts outstanding, yielding a projected net increase in HealthExpenses of 20.0%. We have budgeted a 4.1% increase in Retirement, perTown guidance.

Building Operations are essentially unchanged with an increase of $2,502, or0.5%, as a reduction Building Services offsets other increases.

Library Operations increase by $9,150, or 6.1%, because of increases inOutsourced Cataloging due to increased volume, and increases in Library andJanitor Supplies. The Library Operating Accounts together increase by $12,654.

These, and other actions, are detailed later in this report.

The table below outlines the major categories affecting the budget proposal:

Category Increase % Budget

Increase

Personnel $64,899 2.0%

Operating Accounts $12,654 0.4%

Health Insurance And Retirement $73,925 2.3%

Total $151,479 4.7%


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Report to the Representative Town Meeting April 2013


% of Total Contribution

Budget to Budget

Increase Percentage

Darien Library Staffing Decisions

Total Staffing Decisions 56,686$

FICA 8,213$

Total of Staffing Decisions 64,899$ 42.8% 2.0%

Darien Library Operating Adjustments

Operating Accounts

Life Insurance 1,002$

Electricity & Gas 1,771$

Water and Sewer 850$

Insurance 1,251$

Building Services (4,757)$

Maintenance/Service 3,388$

Library Supplies 2,450$

Janitor Supplies 1,250$

Outsourced Cataloging 5,450$Total 12,654$ 8.4% 0.4%

Total of Operating Increases 12,654$ 8.4% 0.4%

Externally Determined Appropriations

Health Insurance 68,295$

Retirement 5,630$

Total 73,925$

Total of Externally Determined Appropriations 73,925$ 48.8% 2.3%

Total Budget Increase 151,479$ 100.0% 4.7%

Summary of Budget Increase Components


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The Highest Level of Library Service

Darien Library is a resource actively used by the whole community. It is open 72hours a week, 52 weeks a year.

90% of all Darien residents have a library card.

During fiscal year 2011-2012, the Library was visited 424,766 times, 44,446 peopleattended programs, librarians answered 95,408 questions and 92,466 people loggedon to the Librarys computers.

Connecticut State Library statistics show that Darien Library is unsurpassed withinthe state in per capita measured services the community:

First in residents circulation 25.2

First in computer logins 8.3

First in collection turnover 5.6

Second in visits 20.5

Second in reference queries answered 4.6

Fifth in program Attendance 2.1

At the national level as well, Darien Library is highly ranked:

The latest HAPLR study released in April 2010, ranked Darien Librarytenth in the country among libraries its size, and highest in the state.This survey was based on objective statistical measures such as thenumber of books owned and circulated, the number of visits made byresidents, and the cost effectiveness of the Librarys operation; DarienLibrary has been ranked in the top 10 in each of the surveys tenyears.

In addition, Darien Library is one of three CT libraries ranked by

Library Journal as a Five Star Library (its highest rank) in itsNovember 2012 report, based on statistics relating to service,collections and use.

Since the Librarys new building opened, we have experienced significantgrowth in a number of areas:


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2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 Increase

Book Circulation

Adult 197,114 241,537 250,955 271,317

Childrens 189,756 246,266 235,736 239,820Teen 17,820 19,785 17,569 18,170

Total 404,690 507,588 504,260 529,307 30.8%

Reference Queries Answered

Adult 30,673 60,482 59,721 61,140

Childrens 18,533 26,242 24,620 30,463

Teen 1,442 891 3,618 3,805

Total 50,648 87,615 87,959 95,408 88.4%

Computer Logins

59,830 96,114 97,681 92,466 54.5%

These statistics represent significant increases in service areas in which theLibrary requires additional staffing to provide assistance to users.

We have been tracking the increases in these service areas and the resultingneed for additional personnel, but have delayed an increase in staffing until wecould accomplish it without a net impact on the budget.

This year, we have that opportunity because of the pending retirement of LouiseBerry, and plan on an increase in part-time staffing with no net financial impact

on the budget because of the use of part-time staff.

Net Staffing Changes in FTEs

Louise Berry retirement 2/28/14 (0.33)

Help Desk additional hours 1.50

KLS Desk additional hours 14.35Readers Advisory additionalhours 13.25

Book Clubs additional hours 7.00

Children's Desk additional hours 4.50Teen additional hours 1.50

Other staffing changes (3.75)

Total hours 38.35

FTE effect 1.02

Net FTE change 0.69


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The apparent FTE increase will be in effect only during the 2013-14 fiscal year, butwill revert to no increase in FTEs the next year, when the full effect of Louise Berrysretirement will be registered in FTE counts.

The following chart shows the prospective staffing levels for next budget year,and, assuming no other changes, for the successive year, when staffing levelswill have returned to present FTE counts when annualized.

As a bottom line summary, it should be noted that the Librarys staffing has beenremarkably stable during a time of significantly increased use. We have planned forincreases, but delayed them until we could implement small changes in staffingwithout causing increases in the budget.

Even at next years transitory increase in staffing, the total of FTEs employed will beless than the first year in the building, and less than the Librarys staffing in the old

building (which was half the size of the current building, with less use) before webegan to undertake technology initiatives to reduce staffing requirements.

29.2 29.4 29.4

32.0 32.0

29.0

27.3

30.629.7

29.229.229.229.9

29.2

25

30

35

FullTimeEquivalent(FTE)

SstaffingTotals

Fiscal Years

Darien Library Budgeted Staffing

First year in new building


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Effective Business Practices

Following on from earlier initiatives, we have continued our efforts to operate theLibrary at the least possible cost to the citizens of Darien by emphasizing efficiencies

in staffing. We have done this by investments in technology, by reorganization andby outsourcing, with the result that Darien Library has a reputation as being one ofthe most innovative and best-run libraries in the nation.

As recently as January 24, 2013, this was addressed at the national level. NPRcarried an Associated Press report that focused on the effect of investments intechnology to reduce staffing. Darien Library was cited, along with Microsoft, in asection of the report headed Smarter Machines, for the staffing efficienciesachieved from investing in technology in our case the 3M/Lyngsoe sorting systemthat checks in and receives returned items.1

The following table shows the relative cost of circulating an item at Darien Librarycompared to peer libraries, calculated from total salaries divided by items circulated,converted to an index. Note that Darien Library is 29% less costly than the nextclosest peer, based on 2011-2012 statistics.

1Practically Human: Can Smart Machines Do Your Job? 1/24/13 11:13 AM

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=170126819

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

100129 131 136

146171 178

199

Staff Salary Costs per Item Circulated 2011-2012

(Indexed to Darien Library = 100)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=170126819http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=170126819http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=170126819


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Budget Development Details

Staffing

The staffing budget this year is driven by one major factor, offset partially by anumber of initiatives intended to reduce costs:

1. Library employees both salaried and hourly -- will be granted an increase of3%. This represents a budget increase of $46,959.

This follows from the four previous years of increase shown below:

Budget Year Increase2009-2010 2.0%

2010-2011 2.25%

2011-2012 0.0%

2012-2013 4.0%

2013-2014 3.0%

5-year compound rate 2.24%

2. During the 2012-2013 year, the Library replaced its retired custodian, andupgraded the position to Building Engineer. This position entails a highersalary -- $19,333 more at an annual rate but the expanded skill set andexperience will allow us to save more than that in reduced maintenance andservice expenditures.

Total staffing will equal 29.9 FTEs for the 2013-2014 budget, a nominal increase of0.7 FTE, which as noted will only be in effect for one year, before regressing to thesame level as in the past three years of staffing.

As a result of the actions we have taken with respect to staffing, total personnel

compensation costs including FICA will increase by $64,899, or 2.8%.


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Operating Accounts

The Librarys Operating Accounts are budgeted to increase by $12,654 because of

adjustments based on the experience compiled from more than three years ofoccupancy in the new building.

We have expected to see an increase in repair costs over time, but have taken stepsto ameliorate some of those because of the skill set of our Building Engineer, who isa P-1 licensed plumber, and who will be able to deal with many of the plumbing andHVAC repairs we have had to contract up until the present. This year we haveundertaken to upgrade a number of new building systems intended to protect againstanother loss by water damage and to enhance security.

The choices we made during the design stage to install (at Friends expense)technology-based systems that would allow us to staff the building very efficiently(fewer FTEs in the new building than in the old building half its size) with aconsequent reduction in personnel costs, provides a background against which themaintenance and services costs can be evaluated.

Operating Accounts with Major Increases

Maintenance/Services

1. The Maintenance/Services Account primarily supports maintenance andwarranty services for the Librarys building equipment (elevators, HVAC

systems, geothermal pumps, generator, sorting equipment) and operatingservices, (such as the building management and integrated library systemcatalog), together with building repairs.

The increase of $3,388 in this account is related to expansion to our phonesystem to enable security-related functions, to services contracted for ourpumping systems, and an allocation for tools, all of which are partially offset bya decrease in budgeted expenditures for repairs primarily for plumbing andHVAC problems because these repairs will be undertaken by our BuildingEngineer.

Outsourced Cataloging

2. Outsourced Cataloging provides the funds for the services of out-sourced thirdparty preparation of books, DVDs, CDs, Books on CD and other items to makethem shelf ready. We began this initiative several years ago, and it has provenvery cost-effective, allowing us to reduce staff time significantly in excess ofthe cost of the outsourced services. We are increasing this account by $5,450to meet the needs of increased circulation, and in doing so we offset the needfor additional staffing that would otherwise be required.


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As noted, the Librarys use ofoutsourcing is based on an innovative modelnow being adopted by libraries, many of whom have visited Darien Library togain an understanding of the process that leads to significant cost-

effectiveness.

Building Services

3. The Building Services account primarily reflects outsourced services related tobuilding management, such as contracted cleaning services, carpet andwindow cleaning and grounds maintenance. This account held the allocationfor outsourced snowplowing, which has now been brought in-house and isaccounted for here. The reduction of snowplowing expenditures more thanoffsets increases in other lines, for twice-yearly carpet cleaning, pest controlservices, tree maintenance and grounds. This account will decrease by$4,757.

Health Insurance and Retirement Accounts

Health Insurance

Health insurance expenditures are projected to increase by $68,295, or 20.0%. Wehave used a 25% in accordance with the Town (and are advised that this number isexpected to decline), which is partially offset by a reduction of some elements of anemployees coverage.

Pension

We have budgeted the amount of Pension funding requested by the Town of Darien.This represents an increase of $5,630, or 4.1%.

The Librarys Central Role in Darien

The Library is the communitys most actively used resource.

As noted, more than 90% of Darien residents have an active Library card.Members of the community on average take out 26 books, DVDs, books on CDor other items each year, and this is far and away the highest circulation rate ofany library in the state, and one of the highest in the nation.

82.2% of Darien seniors use the Library, more than any other organization orprogram in the community, according to a survey by Aging in Place/TheCommunity Fund in the fall of 2009.


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The table below lists the five organizations or programs most highly used byseniors, according to the survey:

Program/Service Use Now Will Use in Next 5 YearsDarien Library 82.2% 85.0%

Place of Worship 64.8% 68.4%

Darien Community Assoc 36.3% 41.5%

Darien Senior Center 30.0% 44.9%

YMCA 24.4%

Aging in Place in Darien 52.1%

At the other end of the age spectrum, the Library is used by young children andtheir parents and care-givers often the Library is the first public space a youngchild ever visits, and by a growing number of middle school and high schoolstudents who have made the Library the place to visit for studying, especiallyduring midterms and finals, when the Library remains open until 10:30 PM,allowing students to study alone or in groups.

For everyone of all ages, the New Darien Library is a community center; adistribution center for books, magazines, DVDs, videos, books on tape,

technology and other materials; a cultural center for programs for all ages; ahaven for study and research; a busy technology and continuing education hub;a resource for Town government and many community organizations. Libraryusers constantly ask that we extend our hours.

Recent use trends build on past successes. For many years the Darien Libraryhas proven to be a high-profile example of extraordinary customer serviceprovided in a remarkably cost-efficient manner.

As noted earlier, the Library has seen extraordinary levels of increase in the useof the Library since the opening of the new building.

Service to the Whole Community

The Library collaborates with many Darien and other organizations to provideservices to the community. The expanded Librarys many meeting rooms havebeen made available at no expense by Board of Trustees policy to the Town ofDarien and its Boards and Commissions.


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Community Support

We provide space in the Library for many community activities, including:

AmericaresBoy Scouts of America

Connecticut Chinese Association

Council of Darien School Parents

Darien Adult Chamber Music Group

Darien Arts Council

Darien Board of Realtors

Darien First Selectman Storm update meeting

Darien Go Green Group

Darien Senior Men Investment

Darien Senior Men Book Group

Darien Summer Strings performance

Darien Tree Conservancy

Darien Youth Hockey Association

Delafield Island Tax District

Democratic Town Committee

Depot

Fairfield County Micro Investors Council

FEMA

HomeCare/Nursing Blood Pressure clinicsJr. League of Norwalk/Stamford

League of Women Voters - BOE Candidates Debate

League of Women Voters

Miami of Ohio University

Noroton Bay Neighborhood Association

Noroton Yacht Club

Obie Harrington-Howes Foundation

Odyssey of the Mind

Person-to-Person Scholarship Committee

Red Cross Blood DriveRepublican Town Committee

Royle School Yearbook Committee

Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities, Inc.

South West CT Green Building Council

Tax Aide

SCORE


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Coordination with the Schools

Childrens librarians visit the elementary schools and Middlesex for book-talkingin each classroom; they coordinate programs with elementary librarians; hold a

Teacher Orientation for all new teachers at the beginning of the school year;visit PTO meetings; visit preschools throughout the community; many teachersask their students to write their book reviews for summer reading on the DarienLibrary web site in place of submitting written papers.

Middlesex students write their summer reading reviews on the Librarys website as well, and the Library puts together the 8 th grade summer reading list forstudents, and purchases enough copies to supply student needs.

The Library stays open until 10:30 PM during midterm and final exam weeks forthe High School.

Not-for-profit Technology Support

The Library plays a central technology role in the on-line presence of thecommunity, assisting 35 community non-profits to maintain their webpresences. The Library makes available technology to help non-profits with theiractivities, for example by lending notebook computers to assist with registrationdrives, and video projectors to assist in public presentations.

A Cultural Center of the Community

The New Darien Library provides a much greater range of resources to the

community meeting spaces, quiet study areas, accessible collections,services to the young and mature alike as an extension of its role as thecultural center of Darien. A broad range of community residents, from SeniorCitizens to young children to Middle and High School students who fill theLibrary to study, from community residents who use the Library for enjoyment oras support for their work, all find support and resources available to their needsand interests, matched by extraordinary customer service that has a nationalreputation for the highest level of service to the community.


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The Communitys Foremost Example of a Public-Private Partnership

The New Darien Library

This year, January 10, 2013, was the fourth anniversary of the opening of theNew Darien Library. The $28 million project to fund construction of the NewDarien Library is the largest gift to the Town by any measure, and stands alonein terms of commitment to the future of the community and its residents.

More than 1,650 families donated $24 million a measure of support beyondanything this community has ever experienced. They responded to the history ofservice the Darien Library has provided over the years, and expressing theirconfidence in the future of the Library, and its place at the heart of the Town ofDarien.

Annual SupportWe remind you that each year the Library trustees raise all the money theLibrary spends on books, DVDs, research services, programs and othermaterials through an annual fund drive. We also pay for all on-going capitalexpenses from the Friends Fund. (This year we expect to spend approximately$300,000 on technology projects, as part of a total Friends expenditure of morethan $1,000,000.)

For years the community of Darien has been the recipient of private funding thatreplaces the use of tax dollars for the collection development, technologyinitiatives, programs and services that have allowed the Darien Library to

become a community asset.

In addition, from this private funding has come the investment in productivitymeasures that helped make Library employees the most productive in theregion, at a considerable savings in labor costs that would have been borne bythe taxpayers.


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The Darien Library Budget Proposal

The major elements of the Librarys budget proposal are summarized below,and we ask that they be considered in the context of three important

considerations:

Darien Library employees are remarkably efficient. We do not seek tocompare their schedule to other employees of the Town or School District, butwe do know that our employees work harder, are more productive, andprovide better service than any other library. We ask them to do so with theunderstanding that they will be provided the support necessary to match theirefforts. This year they continue to make extraordinary sacrifices in workload(all Library full-time employees who work with the public are scheduled to workone night a week and one weekend a month as part of their schedule) whilethey are providing extreme customer service at a time of substantially

increased use of the Library.

The Friends of the Library made significant investments to promoteproductivity and efficiency for Library staff, and they are committed to continuetheir role in the Public-Private Partnership. The Friends gift of the New DarienLibrary to the community was a watershed event in the history of thiscommunity. The Public-Private Partnership between the Town and the Librarycontinues to provide a substantial benefit to the residents of the Town ofDarien.

The Librarys administration has demonstrated over many years that it will askonly for the resources it needs, and that it can be trusted to manage thoseresources in an exemplary manner. The funding we request is the minimumnecessary to provide the community the services it requires to meet theincreased use of the Darien Library.


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Highlights of increases in this years budget request:

1. Salary Budget: ......................................................................... $ 64,899

The Library staff will receive merit-based pay increases averaging 3%. The Custodial position has been upgraded to Building Engineer.

2. Darien Library Operating Expenditures: ............................... $ 12,654

Building Services will decrease by $4,757 as a switch from outsourcedsnowplowing offsets increases in other services.

Maintenance services for building equipment and systems will increase by$3,388 to provide for a range of new systems to support security and monitorflood risk.

Outsourced Cataloging will increase by $5,450 to recognize the cost of

processing an increased volume of new acquisitions.

3. Health Insurance and Retirement Expenses: ....................... $ 73,925

Health insurance expenditures will increase by $68,295, using a 25% increasein rates, and a decrease in one partial employee health contract.

Retirement expenditures will increase by $5,630, per the retirement allocationdirected by the Town.

Total Budget Increase (4.7%) .................................................... $ 151,479

The Board of Trustees of the Darien Library urges your support of this budget

proposal.

Bruce FergusonPresident, Board of Trustees


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A Recurring Side Note on Non-resident Use of the Library

As one of the finest libraries in the nation renowned for its customer service,collection, lending practices and innate friendliness -- it should be expected that

Darien Library is visited by some residents of adjoining communities exercising theirright under state regulations to use the services to which they are entitledborrowing books, DVDs and other items, using reference resources, logging on tothe Librarys computers.

Most importantly, non-resident use of the Library has an insignificant effect on theLibrarys tax-supported budget. Specifically, the only expenditures in the prospectiveTown budget that can be attributed to non-resident use are approximately $1,000 for

paper supplies and $1,470 for RFID tags.

The Friends budget pays for all books, DVDs, Books on CD and technology so the

additional items acquired for increased circulation are not a Town expense.More importantly, the Library has not increased staff in any way because of non-resident use, and, if all non-resident use went away, would not be able to reducestaffing positions or hours.

All Library staffing decisions are based on a system that calculates positionrequirements from a zero-based model allocating service positions and tasks, nothours. We staff for service positions Reader Advisors Welcome Desk, ChildrensRoom, Information Services, and Teen Center and Power Library and for tasks --ordering and processing books, program development and delivery, web pagedevelopment and update, circulation back office tasks, for example. None of these

would change if non-resident use declined or even went away.

We staff for service positions and for tasks, and then we automate those tasks (withfunds from the Friends budget) so that volume increases do not require increasedstaffing. For example, though circulation has increased by more than 50% in the pastsix years, we are making fewer, not more, telephone calls to patrons because wehave provided upgrades to our ILS that email notification. We have automated andoutsourced our book ordering so fewer personnel purchase and process more books.

The other elements of the Librarys town budget lighting, heating, telephone,janitorial services, payroll, and all personnel benefits, for example are not related tothe profile of use by non-residents.


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12/31/12 Proposed

Actual Budget Actual Budget YTD Budget $ %

2010-11 2011-12 2011-12 2012-13 2012-13 2013-14 Increase Increase

Salaries

Administrative 340,369 340,368 340,368 352,395 176,995 340,325 (12,069) -3.4%

Member Services 1,207,896 1,213,530 1,219,693 1,243,478 628,094 1,283,276 39,798 3.2%

Support 387,658 392,802 396,454 413,951 227,847 442,908 28,957 7.0%

TOTAL 1,935,923 1,946,700 1,956,515 2,009,824 1,032,936 2,066,510 56,686 2.8%

Fringe BenefitsSocial Security 148,693 145,405 152,393 147,667 75,360 155,880 8,213 5.6%

Town Retirement 126,182 139,147 139,197 136,636 136,636 142,266 5,630 4.1%

Health, Dental and LTD 343,125 341,158 319,808 341,865 163,294 410,160 68,295 20.0%

Life Insurance 3,669 3,470 3,424 3,470 2,340 4,472 1,002 28.9%

Unemployment Comp. 1,500 4,181 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 - 0.0%

TOTAL 623,169 633,361 616,322 631,138 379,130 714,278 83,140 13.2%

Building Operations

Electricity & Gas 127,217 130,959 121,973 108,278 61,665 110,049 1,771 1.6%

Water & Sewer 6,274 6,200 7,888 6,200 4,941 7,050 850 13.7%

Insurance 22,203 32,460 23,348 31,270 19,773 32,521 1,251 4.0%

Building Services 138,590 150,077 144,971 152,277 57,849 147,520 (4,757) -3.1%

Maintenance/Service 140,311 137,500 160,776 160,000 141,109 163,388 3,388 2.1%

TOTAL 434,595 457,196 458,956 458,025 285,337 460,527 2,502 0.5%

Library Operations

Library Supplies 27,792 27,000 28,026 29,450 17,671 31,900 2,450 8.3%Janitor Supplies 11,951 11,000 12,279 11,000 10,251 12,250 1,250 11.4%

Postage 2,797 3,000 2,599 2,000 1,551 2,000 - 0.0%

Printing 827 1,350 795 1,350 674 1,350 - 0.0%

Staff Development 460 1,500 2,254 1,500 425 1,500 - 0.0%

Internet/Telephone 12,526 15,000 15,838 11,300 12,065 11,300 - 0.0%

Audit 13,450 13,450 11,250 9,450 9,450 9,450 - 0.0%

Outsourced Cataloging 67,989 76,500 81,182 84,050 50,818 89,500 5,450 6.5%

TOTAL 137,792 148,800 154,223 150,100 102,905 159,250 9,150 6.1%

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS 3,131,479 3,186,057 3,186,016 3,249,087 1,800,308 3,400,566 151,479 4.7%

2013-14 from 2012-13


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Salary Budget Staff members will receive a 3% merit-based increase.

Town Retirement Allocation provided by Town Hall.

Health Insurance We are in the Town plan, and are budgeting a 25 % increase. Increase is offset by partialreduction of one health contract.

Unemployment Compensation Library is self-insured for unemployment compensation.

Electricity The Town of Dariens consortium electricity rates are projected to stay flat , and we projectelectricity demand to increase slightly.

Water and Sewer Adjusted to reflect usage experience.

Insurance We are using the rates advised by the Town.

Maintenance/Service Maintenance and service on the new buildings systems. This includes HVAC, thegeothermal system, elevators, building management, security and phone systems.

Building Operations This includes contracted cleaning, snow plowing by our staff, grounds, cleanout of ourwater retention system, lawn care and other services.

Library Supplies We are increasing this amount to reflect experience.

Janitor Supplies Primarily light bulbs, cleaning supplies and paper products for the public restrooms,increased to reflect experience.

Postage and Printing We continue restrict postage by using electronic payment processes.

Staff Development We have reduced staff development to an absolute minimum of staff hours.

Internet/Telephone This account provides funds for maintenance of our fiber connection to the State of CT CEN,and our telephone lines and usage. We are rebidding telephone contract.

Audit Engagement fee for the Librarys GAAP audit.

Outsourced Cataloging Outsourced cataloguing services to reduce the need for staff hours. Increased demandfor books leads to an increase in this account.


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Darien LibraryFact Sheet

2013

Darien Library has been designated a top 10 library for ten years straightin a survey by the Hennen American Public Libraries Ranking Index. In2010, the latest edition, it was ranked the tenth highest of all libraries itssize in the country.

Darien Library is also highly ranked by Library Journal, one of three FiveStar Libraries (its highest ranking) in CT.

Darien Library is the busiest library in Connecticut on a per capita basis.Darien residents borrow more books on average (26) than any othercommunity.

90% of Darien residents have library cards.

Usage of the Library has increased significantly since the new buildingopened.

The Librarys services to the communitys senior citizens are broad-basedand significant:

o A recent survey showed that seniors rely on the Library more thanany other community resource for programs and resources.

During the past year, there were 22,496 participants in Childrens Libraryprograms, such as Storytime, Born to Read, Sleepytime, Drop-in

Storytime, preschool, elementary and Middle School visits andBookMANIA!. Attendance at Teen Programs was 2,740 and at Adultprograms was 19,236.

Users cite superior personal service given by the library staff as theprimary reason they prefer Darien Library.

The library is a model of excellence in the use of new technology andhosts the web pages for 35 local community organizations.

The Librarys innovative website and SOPAC are providing bothinformation and entertainment to those members of the community whowish to use a new form of communication, and have gained national

recognition. A study by the CT State Library in 2004 showed Darien Library had the

lowest cost per circulation item of all libraries studied. This is still the case.


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THEDARIENLIBRARYVISION

Our vision is to inform, educate, entertain and enrich our community.

THEDARIENLIBRARYMISSION

The Library willprovide access to a broad array of content, as well as training

and assistance to help people successfully navigate and use information.

The Library willprovide a broad array of programs and services to educate,

entertain and enrich people.

The Library willbe proactive and creative in anticipating and responding to

community needs for resources, programs and services.

The Library willbe accessible: physically to people during convenient hours

and electronically twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and three

hundred and sixty five days a year, and without charge to the individual user.

The Library willbe the heart of the community, providing flexible and

inviting environments within which to access and enjoy its resources.

The Library willbe a customer-driven organization with friendly, professional

staff dedicated to creating a positive and fun library experience.

The Library willattract, develop and sustain a highly professional staff in an

environment where teamwork, high standards and esprit de corps supportexcellence.

The Library willcollaborate with other town agencies and community groups

to serve the needs of the community.

The Library willbe a public-private partnership, funded annually by a

combination of taxpayer dollars and individual donations sufficient to

sustain a library of excellence.

The Board of Trustees willobligate itself to continually attract new trustees

who are accomplished individuals with diverse expertise who have the time,

interest, and dedication required to support the Library in pursuit of itsvision and mission.

2013 library budget

Documents