County Librarians Report November, 2011 - Johnson County Library

County Librarian’s Report 

November, 2011 

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers 

Carol Snyder at the Corinth Library

Johnson County Library 


November 2011 

INFORMATION ITEM December 21, 2011 

To: 

From: 

Members of Johnson County Library Board of Directors 

Donna Lauffer, County Librarian 

Re: County Librarian’s Report for the Month of November 2011 

This Month’s Highlights 

County Librarian Donna Lauffer submitted her resignation in November, effective 

December 24. 

Another 27 library staff members are retiring in December or January, in addition – all as 

a result of Johnson County Government’s Voluntary Retirement Incentive Program, 

the launch of a three-year effort to pare down the size of County Government staff in 

response to reduced revenues. 

These 28 resignations are from a total staff of 286.6 full-time equivalents (FTE), with 

which the library actually employs 334 staff members. 

Before she leaves, Donna is helping to strategize a major reorganization. 

*** 

GovFest for Entrepreneurs 2011 drew 512 adults to CRL to learn from the 60+ 

exhibitors. Individual sessions held throughout the day: ReferenceUSA Lunch ‘n Learn 

had 37 attendees; How to Apply for a Loan – 24; Marketing Your Small Business Using 

Social Media – 47; Local Entrepreneurs Share Their Stories – 16. 

*** 

JCL has won four MarCom Awards from the Association of Marketing & 

Communication Professionals: 

• New Web Catalog Promotional Campaign (Platinum) – Kasey Riley, Marty 

Mothersbaugh, & Dale Jarrett (Marketing - Product Launch) 

• En Espanol – Spanish-Language Web site (Gold) – David LaCrone & David 

Carson (Website – Governmental) 

• Communiter bona profundere deum est (Gold) – David Carson (Video Scripts) 

• Communiter bona profundere deum est (Honorable Mention) – David Carson 

& David LaCrone (Video - Fundraiser) 

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I. Convenient, Delightful & Rewarding Library Service 

Using Library Resources 

After a 50-year absence from libraries, an 85-year-old woman came into Cedar 

Roe Neighborhood Library for help. She’s going on a trip to Paris – and she 

wanted to brush up on the language and places to visit! 

From a mother to Gardner-Spring Hill-Edgerton Branch Manager Terry 

Velasquez: “You have given me so much by opening my eyes and mind to the 

computer and things a library can do for me. You have taken me on a wonderful 

adventure. When I was not sure, you kept on encouraging me to try again. I 

believe my two little girls will always love the library like I do.” 

Online Services 

November Web site visits: 157,048 external 

82,206 internal 

239,254 total visits 

E-books on the rise! Among external users, two of the most popular Web pages 

on the library site are the e-books page (5 th most popular) and the downloadable 

audio books page (7 th most popular). 

As patrons become savvier about placing their own holds, the volume of courier 

traffic is picking up again after deflating following the introduction of “floating 

collections” (materials shelved where they are returned). Simultaneously, wait 

times for requested materials are shorter! It’s part of the entire self-service 

movement. 

Another time-saver – for patrons and staff! Effective in November, all patron 

library cards have been set to have an expiration date of “NEVER.” Instead, staff 

will run an annual update through Unique Management Service, using the 

National Change of Address Registry to ensure the accuracy of library patron 

records. Besides reducing time for checking IDs and making new cards, this 

change also better accommodates patrons that chiefly use the library for online 

public access. 

The City of Lenexa has offered a fiber cable connection for the Lackman 

Neighborhood Library, which will make response time there 100 times faster. 

Library staff has submitted a request for purchase to effect the implementation. 

Early Literacy 

Sound effects! JCL Web Content staff helped Antioch Youth Services Librarian 

Bradley Debrick to create a CD that stimulates young minds with sounds for the 

“Biggest Things” theme for the “6 by 6, Ready to Read” Early Literacy Space 

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at Antioch. The sounds include diving and swimming, the bark of a dog, chip 

eating, a helicopter, a jet passing, a radio being tuned, and splashing of water. 

Web Content Developer Dave Carson engineered the CD with sounds spaced 

seven minutes apart. The disc is now in use, and its playback is looped so that it 

can be heard all day long! 

_______________________________ 

Serving Children & Teens 

At Lackman Neighborhood Library, three interactive spaces for children and 

teens prompted sharing of favorite books: 

• “Books and Authors We’re Grateful For” – In this Thanksgiving 

display, children and teens write a favorite book or author on a feather 

(lots did!) 

• “Recommendations” – Display features kids’ filled-out recommendation 

slips left lying on top of the book shelf. 

• QR Codes for Award-Winning Authors – Display combines awards 

booklists with QR (Quick Response) codes for use with smart phones. 

Teen Services Librarian Kate Pickett facilitated meetings of the Young Adult 

Advisory Council (YAAC) and the Teen Anime Club. 

At the Juvenile Detention Center in Olathe, Kate and Gardner Youth Specialist 

Debbie Frizzell facilitated “Read to Succeed” sessions for teen inmates. 

_______________________________ 

Adult Programming 

Major literary programming at CRL in November: 

• “Why Mark Twain Matters” – a “Legacies of the Civil War” event – 

drew 51 people. 

• The annual Kansas City Voices Reception at CRL drew 38 adults. 

• Author Robert Morgan’s (Lions of the West) visit to Central Resource 

Library – co-sponsored with Rainy Day Books – drew 116 people. 

BlitzRead’s Grand Prize Winner is Mr. Donald Wakefield, a retiree, who won 

$100.00. 

De Soto Information Specialist facilitated a discussion of Under Siege! Three 

Children at the Civil War Battle for Vicksburg, by Andrea Warren – who 

attended and participated in the discussion! 

The new “Read to Me” program at Johnson County Corrections’ Adult 

Residential Center allows inmates to read to their children with the help of 

technology. Working with Corrections staff, Gardner Neighborhood Library staff 

held the first sessions in November – and the inmates are delighted, repeatedly 

saying how appreciative they are to be selected for this program and how much it 

will help their children. 

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Public education 

Tours of CRL business/careers resources, some with presentations, given by 

CRL staff: 

• Careers Tours were attended by 11 adults. 

• “Taking Stock in the Stock Market” drew two adults. 

County Librarian Donna Lauffer provided an overview of the RFID project for 

Commissioner Jason Osterhaus. 

Mid-Continent Public Library’s Interlibrary Loans librarian visited JCL to 

observe a demonstration of the ILLiad software system, conducted by 

Interlibrary Loans Librarian Kari Sime. 

Collection Development 

OneClickDigital is the new audiobook software from Recorded Books, and it is 

now available on all staff computers. 

Book Club to Go Kits are being disbanded to make way for a new initiative for 

supporting book clubs. 

Interlibrary Loans 

Interlibrary Loans staff borrowed 2,073 items for JCL patrons in November and 

lent 1,484 items to other libraries. 

II. Inviting, Comfortable Spaces 

Civic Engagement in the Library 

Find it on YouTube! The interviews conducted with local historians for the 

Legacies of the Civil War Series have been segmented by topic and uploaded to 

YouTube. 

Improving Library Spaces 

New front doors were installed at Blue Valley Neighborhood Library during the 

RFID retro-tagging project in November. The new doors reduce the amount of 

time the doors are open, thereby reducing energy cost and increasing comfort. 

They also replace the handicap door buttons. 

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III. Serving Underserved Populations 

_______________________ 

Early Literacy - Outreach 

In preschools all over the area, staff read Bill Martin, Jr.’s Chicka Chicka Boom 

Boom to celebrate Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week! In total, the library 

reached 593 preschoolers and 188 adults in five libraries and seven outreach 

locations. 

Helping to read aloud to preschoolers were Library Board members Carol Snyder 

and Nancy Hupp and Library Foundation Board members Lynne Brown and 

Mary Ann Meeks. 

Each adoptee at Judge Kathleen Sloan’s Adoption Day celebration at the 

Johnson County Courthouse received a free book from the Johnson County 

Library, courtesy of the Johnson County Library Foundation. 

Collaborations with Schools 

Side-story: As part of the Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week, CRL Youth 

Services Specialist Angel Dew coached poor readers at Brookridge 

Elementary School to practice reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and the 

students then read aloud to 22 preschoolers! 

Shawnee Youth Services Librarian Kathee Goldsich participated in two Student 

Leadership Advisory Board (SLAB) meetings at Shawnee Mission Northwest – 

sharing book galleys with the students. 

Kathee already book talked to three Reading at the Ridge lunch groups at 

Trailridge Middle School. 

_______________________ 

Homebound & Adults with Disabilities 

Senior Services Librarian Lynn Wild provided a “Remembering the 

Homefront” Bi-Folkal Kit program – triggering memories for residents of scrap 

metal drives and ration coupons. 

At Access House in De Soto, Information Specialist Janine Myers facilitated a 

discussion among students of the movie “A Day of Thanks on Walton’s 

Mountain.” 

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_____________________ 

Hispanic and Immigrant Populations 

From the guestbook signed by visitors to the ofrenda celebrating El Dia de los 

Muertos at Cedar Roe Neighborhood Library: 

[Translated from Spanish:] "Thank you to the Johnson Co library for 

celebrating our culture. The ofrenda is beautiful and we are made to feel 

at home." 

"The display is very beautiful. It show(s) a sign of hope for those who have 

had lost ones. I personally lost my father and I know what the pain of it 

is." 

IV. 

Marketing & Community Engagement 

In Johnson County 

The regular meetings of the following community organizations were attended by 

various Library staff: 

• Alcohol Tax Fund Grantees 

Quarterly Networking 

Meeting 

• Blue Valley Optimist Club 

• De Soto Chamber of 

• Johnson County Government 

Sustainability Committee 


Workplace Safety 

Coordinators 

Commerce • Johnson County Library 

• El Centro Thanksgiving 

Foundation 

Luncheon • Kansas City Metro Area 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Gardner Chamber of 

Commerce 

Friends of the Johnson 

County Library 

Hispanic Ministries Task 

Force 

Johnson County Government 

• 

• 

• 

Government Webmasters 

(KCMAG) 

Leawood Chamber of 

Commerce 

Lenexa Chamber of 

Commerce 

Overland Park Rotary Club 

Executive Team • Overland Park Rotary 


Foundation 

Human Services Coalition • Regional Area Public 


Information Technology 

Services Quarterly Meeting • 

Information Officers 

(RAPIO) 

Shawnee Area Chamber 


Public Information Officers 

• Volunteer Coordinators 

Council 

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County Librarian Donna Lauffer met with Bruce Flanders, new director of the 

Mabee Library at Mid-America Nazarene University. Bruce is the former 

director of the Lawrence Public Library. 

Donna, along with Associate Director Carolyn Weeks, JCL Staff Development 

Manager Rita Rubick, and Training Specialist Aubrey Seavey, met with JCCC 

staff to discuss training opportunities. 

The Friends’ Big Fall Book Sale earned more than $54,000, and leftover books 

went to area schools, agencies, and literacy projects. 

Twelve new volunteers were placed in long-term positions during November 

by Volunteer Services Coordinator Susan Mong. Locations with new volunteers 

include Central Resource Library and Blue Valley, Edgerton, Gardner, Leawood 

Pioneer, and Oak Park Neighborhood Libraries, in addition to Technical Services 

and Friends’ book store operations. 

For the Friends’ November Book Sale at Metcalf South, Susan placed 220 

volunteers, in addition. She also found 26 volunteers to assist with RFID retrotagging 

at Blue Valley Neighborhood Library in November. 

For the Johnson County Museum’s “New Immigrants and the American 

Dream: Greek Americans” program, Shawnee Youth Services Specialist Kathleen 

Byrd helped to facilitate and provided crafts for the children. Projects included 

making a Medusa mask out of a paper plate, pipe cleaners, and paint. Under the 

JCL banner, Kathleen offered library card applications, the winter program 

calendar, and book about Greek mythology. 

Senior Services Librarian Lynn Wild has been elected 2012-2013 Vice-Chair for 

the K-State Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Program Development 

Committee. 

In the Metro Area 

County Librarian Donna Lauffer and Youth Services Manager Barbara Brand 

appeared on KSHB Channel 41 on the Live Midday Show to talk about Kansas 

Reads to Preschoolers and the “6 by 6, Ready to Read” Early Literacy Program. 

With librarians from Kansas City Public Library and Mid-Continent Public 

Library, Barbara presented at the College Readiness Dialogue to area college and 

high school representatives about JCL resources for teens that would be helpful to 

prepare them for college. 

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For Mid-America Library Alliance/KCMLIN’s Young Adult Services 

Workshop, Teen Services Librarian Kate Pickett presented JCL’s Goodreads 

Teen Summer Reading Program, as part of a panel presentation about 

successful use of social networking media. CRL Youth Services Supervisor 

Dennis Ross serves on the committee that creates this annual workshop. 

Pursuing a targeted networking opportunity, Civic Engagement Librarian Louisa 

Whitfield-Smith attended a panel discussion about “Incivility in American 

Politics, Law, and Daily Life,” with high-profile local leaders as panelists. 

Across the State 

Fiction Specialist Julie Connoley participated in a meeting of the Statewide 

Collection Development Committee to write procedures for e-purchasing. 

Regarding state-wide implementation of “6 by 6, Ready to Read,” Youth 

Services Manager Barbara Brand participated in a meeting, via video conference, 

with Kansas regional systems children’s consultants. The State Library will 

launch a resource Web site in January. Some libraries have begun 

implementation, while others are planning training for 2012. 

Cedar Roe Branch Manager Meredith Roberson and Senior Services Librarian 

Lynn Wild participated, via video conference, in a meeting of the Kansas 

Talking Books Consultants. A presentation on Assistive Technologies 

introduced adaptable programs and products now available with iPads, making 

such purchases more affordable and accessible. 

Lynn provided information about Bi-Folkal Kits, large print books, and JCL’s 

HomeConnect Service for the homebound to a graduate student in Speech 

Pathology at KU. 

Nationally 

County Librarian Donna Lauffer participated, via teleconference, in a meeting of 

the Federal Depository Library Council. 

The Library of Congress’ Program for Cooperative Cataloging has recognized 

Johnson County Library for ranking fifth among public libraries nationally in 

adding authority records to the OCLC database within Fiscal Year 2011. The 

libraries ranking higher than JCL in 2011 are very large public libraries that have 

been adding authority records for 15 years or more. JCL’s catalogers are Carolyn 

Shaffer and Richard Baumgarten, and Database Technician Jared Harper also 

helped to input the 509 records entered by JCL. [“Authority records” provide 

consistency among proper names and subject terms in the online catalog.] 

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Shawnee Youth Services Specialist Kathleen Byrd has been appointed to the Oral 

History Committee of the Association of Library Services to Children, a division 

of the American Library Association. 

The Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library (MS) has requested 

information about producing “6 by 6, Ready to Read” cue card sets. 

V. Developing Staff 

Mid-America Library Alliance/KCMLIN training opportunities attended by 

JCL staff : Young Adult Services Workshop; Genealogy Workshop; Genre Book 

Camp; Creative, Eye-Catching Displays; Presentation Skills; Book Blogging 101; 

and Readers, Writers, Book & Blogs. 

Area professional training groups in which JCL staff participated in November: 

Northeast Kansas Library System’s “Celebrate the Year of the Book” Readers 

Advisory Workshop at Topeka-Shawnee County Public Library; JCCC’s “Process 

Improvement: Are You Ready?” 

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County Librarians Report November, 2011 - Johnson County Library

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