Director’s Report: October, 2008

• Statistics
For the month of October, the Main Library checked out 14,404 items in 3,884 individual transactions. The Branch Library checked out 3,229 items in 817 transactions. This is an increase in 40 transactions and 668 items for the Main Library, and 75 transactions and 222 items for the Branch, compared to October of 2007. The increases experienced in South Portland for the month were on the modest end of what was experienced by other area libraries for the month.

• Meetings
Josh, Kevin, Kim and Lisa all attended a joint meeting of Maine’s three regional library districts in Augusta on October 3 to hear internationally recognized library consultant and futurist Joan frye Williams’ presentation, “Beyond Information to Transformation – Rethinking Library Services for the Future.’ The presentation focused on recognizing and meeting “civilian” trends and expectations in the library environment.

On October 10, Kevin attended the Minerva Circulation Users Group meeting in Augusta, followed by a meeting of the Minerva Circulation Standards Committee, on which Kevin serves as Chair.

• Programs
The Friends annual book sale was a great success again this year. Well over 1,000 people shopped the sale during the 5 days it ran (October 14-18).

The Main Library played host to the Portland Camera Club on Monday, October 27. Featured guest speaker John Rich, an NBC News war correspondent for 30 years, drew a crowd of between 70 and 80 attendees.