FY 2022-2023 Annual Report

Gail Borden Public Library District
FY 2022 – 2023
Annual Report
July, 2022 to June, 2023
Looking Forward to Celebrating 150 Years
of Serving Our Community in 2024!
Short recap of South Elgin Expansion kickoff event. 0:13
Whole Facebook Live South Elgin Expansion kickoff event.
Thank you, community. Your energy and engagement were the fuel that helped us re-establish the Library
as a community connection hub during and after the lifechanging pandemic. With your help, we continue
to strive to be that organization that serves and connects this community. In this brief 2022/23 Fiscal Year
Annual Report, it is difficult to select a Top 10, but we will provide a subjective sampling.
1Celebrating
It seems quite fitting to provide this recent sampling that is reflective of this public
library’s everchanging community-fueled role as we enter our 150 th anniversary year
in 2024.
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1874 - 2024
Gail Borden Public Library
2022 –2023

Top Ten
1. Funding for South Elgin Branch Expansion
The efforts of United States Representative Raja
Krishnamoorthi led to Gail Borden Library receiving
$2,391,407 in Community Project Funding to expand
the South Elgin Branch to serve that growing community.
During his visit to the Library, Congressman Krishnamoorthi
stressed how libraries contribute to our youth’s development
in learning.
2. Elgin Area Pandemic Team
Gail Borden Library’s Elgin Area Pandemic
Team helped more than 1,800 vulnerable
people who had been negatively impacted
by the pandemic with vaccines, food and
cleaning products as well as utility and rental assistance.
As it became apparent that more and more people were
in need of information about community assistance, the
Library responded by hiring a full-time Social Services
Manager.
3. Student Success Card Program
A fourth U-46 school was added to the
Student Success Card program, which helps
students maintain their literacy skills by
providing each student with a library card
that stays at school. Students check out library books
from the Library bookmobile, which visits the schools on
designated days.
4. Violins of Hope
The violins on display were played by
Jewish musicians before and during the
Holocaust. Many were moved by the stories
of musicians who played in concentration
camps as well as those who risked their lives to save Jewish
children and adults from the Nazis. The violins resonate the
message of hope, resistance, resilience and unity.
5. Celebrating the History of
Hispanics in our Community
This exhibit was created for Hispanic
Heritage Month 2022 with assistance from
local historians. It celebrated the influence
that Elgin’s Hispanic people have had on our culture
including music, food, education, religion and family.
6. Ofrenda for Day of the Dead
For the first time, the Library community
was able to visit a traditional Mexican
Ofrenda at the Library for Day of the Dead
to remember loved ones who have passed
away. Community feedback was overwhelming:
“Thank you Gail Borden Public Library for doing this.
So happy I was able to add my grandma’s photo to the
ofrenda.”
“Thank you for appreciating one of our beautiful Mexican
traditions.”
7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Share Secrets of the Sewer
This exhibit from the Children’s Museum of
Indianapolis created excitement for Turtle fans,
impelling them to sign up for the Reading is Rad Summer
Reading Challenge. The number of visitors to the Main
Library increased by 20% during the exhibit.
8. Black Excellence in Chicago
Music Exhibit
Created by the Library for Black History Month,
this exhibit featured Louis Armstrong, Muddy
Waters, Jennifer Hudson, Chance the Rapper, Earth, Wind &
Fire, Common, Mahalia Jackson and other artists who had a
connection to Chicago and made a significant impact on
music.
9. THE WIZARD OF OZ
Educational Exhibit
Munchkinland, the Emerald City, Dorothy’s Ruby
Slippers and unforgettable characters from
the 1939 movie enticed many to visit the Library—average
attendance increased by approximately 37%, the summer
reading challenge saw 7,409 finishers, and 5,326
photos were taken at an Oz photo op.
10. Salt Smart and You
In response to a request by Elgin Mayor David
Kaptain, the Library worked with the Northwest
Water Planning Alliance Sensible Salting
Committee to create an informational exhibit,
Salt Smart and You, to educate people about the proper use
of salt and how extensive use damages the environment,
animals and drinking water.
Top 10

Exhibits Attract People Back to the Library
Motivating Library Visitors to Explore and Engage
THE WIZARD OF OZ
Educational Exhibit April – August, 2022
Munchkinland, the Emerald City, Dorothy’s
Ruby Slippers and unforgettable characters
from the 1939 movie enticed many to visit
the Library.
• An attendance increase averaged
approximately 37%.
• The 2022 Follow the Yellow
Brick Road—READ! summer reading
challenge saw 7,409 finishers.
• A Wizard of Oz photo op enticed library
visitors to take 5,326 photos, of which
3,806 were shared.
Pirate Island October, 2022 – January, 2023
With a 24-foot pirate ship as its centerpiece,
this exhibit from the Miami Children’s
Museum brought 36% more Library visitors.
Nearly 500 attended an after-hours event
that encouraged kids to get a library card
and learn what the Library has to offer. An
enthusiastic fan who visited the exhibit
commented:
“This is so fun! More stuff like this pls!
I’m 21 but I’m having the time of my life.”
Alebrijes September, 2023 - January, 2024
“Alebrijes” stem from Mexican folklore that
was highlighted in the movie “Coco” and
embody characteristics from many animals
to create fantastical creatures. The 24
fantastical sculptures brought families
and students to the Library, and we saw an
11% increase in visitors compared to 2022.
At least 1,054 scavenger hunt forms
were turned in from engaged exhibit visitors.

Black Excellence in
Chicago Music
February, 2023
Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters, Jennifer
Hudson, Chance the Rapper, Earth, Wind
& Fire, Common, and Mahalia Jackson
were just some of the artists featured
who had a connection to Chicago and
made a significant impact on music.
Violins of Hope
April 24 – September 15, 2023
The violins on display were played by
Jewish musicians before and during
the Holocaust. Many were moved by
the stories of musicians who played in
concentration camps as well as those
who risked their lives to save Jewish
children and adults from the Nazis. The
violins resonate the message of hope,
resistance, resilience and unity.
Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles Share Secrets of
the Sewer
June 2 – August 27, 2023
This exhibit from the Children’s Museum
of Indianapolis created excitement for
Turtle fans, impelling them to sign up
for the Reading is Rad Summer Reading
Challenge. The number of visitors to the
Main Library increased by 20% during
the exhibit.

Connecting Cultures
Appreciating different cultures and providing a welcoming environment for all library visitors.
Celebrating the History of
Hispanics in our Community
This exhibit was created for Hispanic Heritage
Month 2022 with assistance from local historians.
It celebrated the influence that Elgin’s Hispanic
people have had on our culture including music,
food, education, religion and family. Part of the
exhibit was displayed at Judson University.
Ofrenda for Day of the Dead
For the first time, the library community was
able to visit a traditional Mexican Ofrenda at the
Library for Day of the Dead to remember loved
ones who have passed away. Community feedback
was overwhelming:
“Thank you Gail Borden Public Library for doing
this. So happy I was able to add my grandma’s
photo to the ofrenda.”
“Thank you for appreciating one of our beautiful
Mexican traditions.”
Native American Heritage Month
November’s GBTV episode gave special mention
to a Native American Heritage Month Book List
to give recognition and educate the community
about the culture.
Black History Month
The Library put its 2022 Black History Exhibit from
the previous year, The Settlement, on display at
O’Neil Elementary School in Elgin so that students
could learn about the history of the Black Elgin
neighborhood.
Celebrating Elected Women
Officials Photo Exhibit
To celebrate Women’s History Month in March,
2023, the Library created an exhibit with portraits
of local elected women officials from the school
district, city council, county board and other
positions.

Jewish American Heritage
Month
To enhance local connection, this exhibit
featured more than 100 years of contributions
and accomplishments of Jewish residents
of Elgin.
Asian and Pacific Islander
Heritage
“A Day In Asia” celebrated Asian and Pacific
Islander heritage with performances by NIU’s
World Music Club, food from our very own
Douangchay’s Kitchen, and an art display.
Authors in the Spotlight During
Pride Month
The Library’s annual Pride exhibit featured
contemporary LGBTQ+ themed books and
iconic authors.
Making Diverse Titles More
Findable in the Library Catalog
Cultural subject headings continue to be added
to records including Asian Interest, Black
Interest, Equity & Social Issues, Indigenous
Interest, Hispanic & Latino Interest, LGBTQIA+
& Gender Interest, Mental & Emotional Health
Interest and many more.
Daily Herald Diversity in
Business Award
Gail Borden Library was the recipient of this
award for showing “exceptional commitment
to promoting practices that advance diversity
and inclusion in the workplace, in business
leadership and who bolster equality across
all areas of diversity; including age, disability,
gender, sexual orientation, race and religion.”
Among the 14 honorees, Gail Borden Library
was the only library to be recognized.

Collaborating with Community
Partnering with local organizations and people to impact our community and beyond.
• The Violins of Hope were
from the Jewish Community
Centers of Chicago and
received support from the
Seigle Foundation. The Library
collaborated with Kneseth
Israel, the Elgin Symphony
Orchestra, Elgin Historical
Society, School District U-46,
City of Elgin and Chamber Music
on the Fox.
• During the Wizard of Oz exhibit,
St. Charles resident Alice Wilson
reached out and lent the
Library items from her private
collection of Oz memorabilia to
share with the community.
• The New Faces of HIV/AIDS
exhibit from Open Door Health
Center of Illinois was displayed
in the Library to educate the
public about the increase of
AIDS and help in fighting the
stigma attached to the disease.
• During the Design a Kettle
Challenge, Library visitors voted
for their favorite and donated
money. More than $17,000 was
raised for the Salvation Army.
• The ON TO 2050: The Long-
Range Plan for Northeastern
Illinois exhibit from the
Chicago Metropolitan Agency
for Planning was installed for
Library visitors to learn how the
plan addresses transportation,
equity, the environment and
other quality-of-life issues.

• In response to a request by Elgin Mayor
David Kaptain, the Library worked with the
Northwest Water Planning Alliance Sensible
Salting Committee to create an informational
exhibit, Salt Smart and You, to educate
people about the proper use of salt and how
extensive use damages the environment,
animals and drinking water.
• The Upstate 8 Conference Art Show,
showcasing artwork from 10 local high
schools, was put on display for a month at
the Main Library.
• The Library partnered with the Elgin Area
Chamber, City of Elgin, School District
U-46, Elgin History Museum and many
others to coordinate the Open Elgin event
that welcomed people from more than
70 zip codes to enjoy this area’s unique
architecture.
• Pascuala Herrera, the 2022 Spanish Language
Self-Published Author winner of the Soon
to be Famous Illinois Author Project, won
the national Indie Author Project contest
now in 15 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
It originated in Illinois with leadership and
assistance from Gail Borden Library staff.
• Local photographers James Harvey, Carolyn
Buhrow and Gil Feliciano took photos of
interesting Elginites for the exhibit Open
Book: Every Life is a Story with a $10,000
grant awarded to the Library. The exhibit
featured 23 large portraits and 50 smaller
images on display at the Main Library and
other Elgin venues.
• For more than five years, the Rake-O Family
Fall Festival at the Rakow Branch has offered
fun, outdoor fall activities for families to
share together. The Saturday afternoon event
typically welcomes more than 500 to rave
reviews with one young attendee proclaiming
it was “the best day ever!” at the 2023 event.
Family crafts, games, donuts and coffee, a
pumpkin patch, live music, a photo op and
nature-themed activities help make the day
unforgettable for families.

Enriching Lives
Finding Innovative Ways to Help People Navigate Everyday Challenges.
• The Student Success Card program
helps students at four U-46 schools
maintain their literacy skills by providing
each student with a library card
that stays at school. Students check
out library books from the Library
bookmobile, which visits the schools on
designated days.
• During his visit to the Library,
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi,
whose leadership led to $2,391,407
in Community Project Funding for the
expansion of the South Elgin Branch,
stressed how libraries contribute to our
youth’s development in learning.
• The Facebook Live with local physician
Dr. Dori Poulos and VNA Community
Outreach Nurse Elisa Lara joined the
Library’s Social Services Manager
Martha Martinez to discuss healthrelated
issues and answer questions
from the community during regularly
scheduled programs.
• Gail Borden Library’s Elgin Area
Pandemic Team helped more than
1,800 vulnerable people who had been
negatively impacted by the pandemic
with vaccines, food and cleaning
products as well as utility and rental
assistance.
• As a result of the Pandemic Team’s
work, which highlighted the need for
more social services, the Library hired
a full-time Social Services Manager
dedicated to helping people find the
services and resources they need.

• The library’s memory care collection
offers puzzles, board games and toys
for those with Alzheimer’s Disease
and related dementias.
• The Library filmed and posted a video
to let bikers know that a bike repair
station and air pumps are located
right behind the library along the Fox
River Bike Path.
• The Library of Things gives people
a chance to use an item they would
use only one time or try out an
item when deciding whether to
purchase it. Binoculars, acoustic
guitar, tabletop telescope, portable
turntable and much more are
available for checkout.
• Twenty additional Chromebooks
were added to the TechKnow Mobile
– the library’s one-stop technology
assistance vehicle.
• Helping people with technology
skills through programs and
demonstrations, making computers
accessible, and providing study
rooms for quiet allows individuals
to apply for jobs and school, submit
insurance information, make doctor
appointments, apply for assistance
and discover resources.
• The Library’s Home Services
Coordinator selects and delivers
materials to more than 130
customers.

Social Media Top 10
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1. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi secured
$2.4 million for South Elgin Library
expansion, focusing on youth area and
community needs.
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2. Violins of Hope exhibit resonated
with the community, winning an Elgin
Image Award and inspiring social
media praise.
3. Turtle exhibit from Indianapolis
museum drew crowds and boosted
library visits by 20%, encouraging
summer reading challenge sign-ups.
4. Traditional Mexican Ofrenda at the
Library for Day of the Dead resonated
with community, with many sharing
their appreciation.
5. Longtime staff member Tina Birkholz’s
retirement was celebrated by
customers on social media, thanking
her for contributions.
6. Preview photo of Jonas the whale
generated excitement for the popular
Alebrijes exhibit.
7. Bilingual Social Services Manager
welcomed by customers, seen as
valuable resource for the community.
8. Photo of baby receiving first library
card highlighted the importance of
early literacy and library access for all
ages.
9. Library of Things collection expanded
with animatronic dog, demonstrating
its growing popularity and value.
10. Book sale announcement featuring
iconic “book arch” generated
excitement for the sale, which funds
programs like summer reading.
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Top 10

The Gail Borden Public
Library Foundation
Through its book sales, sponsorships and donations, the
Foundation created such positive impacts during this last year.
The Student Success Card project that provides a Gail Borden
Library Card to each student in four local schools coupled with
a monthly visit from the Library Bookmobile made a major
difference to students and their reading. “Oh thank you! This
was just the book I wanted,” is so powerful after a time when the
pandemic disrupted so much progess. This was also supported by
the U-46 Educational Foundation.
“Alebrijes” stem from Mexican folklore that was highlighted in the
movie “Coco” and embody characteristics from many animals
to create fantastical creatures. The sculptures include Goliath, a
16-foot deer, giraffe and eagle, and Lacuarium, a seahorse-meetsdragon.
Twenty-four of these fantastical sculptures brought
families and students to the Library. A number of sponsors led by
Elgin State Bank joined the Gail Borden Foundation in support of
this exhibit that connected so many new people to the Library.
Support of Summer Reading led to almost record breaking
numbers, as there were 7,409 finishers in 2022.
Foundation Board
Karen Fox,
President
Mike Lee,
Vice President
Barbara Flanigan,
Treasurer
Laura Bedolla,
Secretary
Directors:
Jo Ann Armenta
Nicole Buchanan
Beth Kruger
Paul Larson
Mike McKay
Yaneth Medina
Janet Pritza
John Shales
Linda Siete
Jerry Turnquist
Statistics
We are so pleased that people are using the library in this post
pandemic timeframe. While not quite reaching a pre-pandemic levels,
people returned to the Library. We welcomed 27% more people
in the Library’s last fiscal year. For example, in June of 2023, we
welcomed 57,553 people, with a 1,918 daily average.
Other usage increase indicators include -
• We processed our 10,000 th passport application in October 2022
• Library of Things experienced an 88% increase in checkouts
last year.
• E-checkouts increased significantly, with a 7.4% and a
44% surge in eBooks and eMovies respectively.
Library Board
Jean Bednar,
President
Amanda Garcia,
Vice President
Tiffany Henderson,
Secretary
Amy Prochot,
Treasurer
Trustees:
Laura Bedolla
Elisa Lara
Joy Symonds
Main Library
270 N. Grove Ave.
Elgin, IL 60120
847-742-2411
Rakow Branch
2751 W. Bowes Rd.
Elgin, IL 60124
847-531-7271
South Elgin Branch
127 S. McLean Blvd.
South Elgin, IL 60177
847-931-2090
Carole Medal
Chief Executive Officer