UPDATES More Than a Million Items Checked Out of the Library for the 15th Consecutive Year The year 2015 was a good one for Shaker Library. More than one million items were checked out for the 15th consecutive year. That is quite an accomplishment given the competition from Amazon, Redbox, Netflix, cable providers, and the Internet. Considering that Shaker Library did not reach the one-million milestone until 1996 and that this level has been only reached 17 times in the Library’s history, it is even more amazing that the streak has continued uninterrupted for a decade and a half. It is somewhat surprising that usage this past year was as good as it was with construction projects in and around both library locations. It isn’t difficult to understand why the circulation of physical Library material has plateaued in recent years with the advent of more digital devices and the availability of content through downloading and streaming. The use of electronic material continued to climb in 2015 with an all-time record of nearly 60,000 uses, a 30 percent increase over 2014. In tandem with the increased use of e-media, visits to the Library website increased by more than 25 percent over the past 12 months. Interestingly, the percentage of print material checked out in 2015 exceeded the percentage of non-print material for the first time in a decade. The number of Library visitors annually appears to be stabilizing, and, although fewer programs were offered, program attendance actually increased. Meeting room use continues to be steady as does use of the public computers. In 2015, the Library collaborated with several other library systems and cultural institutions on a countywide summer reading program, Make Your Summer Count: Read! The group plans a September initiative to put library cards in the hands of all Cuyahoga County school children this year. In 2016, the Library will increase its STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) programs for youth, and will provide additional support to Family Connections to reinstitute the Play & Learn Babies program in June. Cooperative efforts continue with Shaker Schools in terms of the achievement gap, art exhibits, early childhood education, and reading improvement. “The Heat Is On” When It Comes to the Library’s Long-Term Maintenance and Facility Needs The aging infrastructure of the Main facility was quite noticeable to staff and public alike on January 19, when the building opened following the MLK Day holiday. Between the time the Library closed Sunday and opened Tuesday, the 23-year-old dual-boiler system had stopped working and interior temperatures plummeted to below 50 degrees. While the boilers were eventually restarted, it took too long to warm the building, and it was necessary to close for the remainder of the day. Progress was made in February, however, when the installation of new HVAC controls was completed throughout the building. The new system is web-accessible, providing staff the ability to monitor and adjust temperatures on a room-by-room and area-by-area basis. Shaker Library Updates 22 SHAKERONLINE.COM | SPRING 2016
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