The Pierce County Library System Board of Trustees will meet Wednesday to discuss the summer reading program for teenagers, mid-year budget, a partnership with Joint Base Lewis McChord, and other issues.
On the agenda:
• Summer Reading for Teenagers: For the first time the Library is offering a completely online summer reading program that librarians created for teenagers—Teen Summer Challenge at www.teensummerchallenge.org/.
In just the second week of the online gamification program 370 teens are participating—that’s more than the number of teenagers that participated in summer reading in all of last summer.
In the online program teens earn badges and master achievements about activities they are doing, books they are reading and more; interact with friends; read down library fines; and share reviews of books, music, movies and places.
Pierce County Library Foundation will award an iPad to a winner randomly selected from the top point earners participating in Teen Summer Challenge.
• Mid-Year Budget: The board will consider approval of a change to the Library’s 2012 budget, based upon managers review of their budgets to determine if they are meeting customers’ needs and on target to deliver planned services within projected costs.
The Library is showing a net savings of $440,401 in its mid-year budget, bringing its 2012 budget to $27,152,095. The primary reasons for this one-time-only net savings are revenue from an unexpected amount of property taxes and savings from not filling some personnel positions. The Library’s priorities for the 2012 budget include:
Maintaining the promises from the voter-approved 2006 levy, this included access to library services with an increase in the hours libraries are open, more books and materials, additional services for children and teenagers, and improved customer service and technology.
• Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Partnership: In the Library System’s ongoing commitment to serve military personnel and their families the Library has been providing information and computer services in partnership with JBLM. Library staff participates in a bi-monthly Newcomers’ Orientation that approximately 100 soldiers and family members attend. At the orientations, staff shares information about library services. Also, the Library System and JBLM’s IT departments worked together to allow military personnel access to their email from computers in Pierce County Libraries.
The Board of Trustees will meet from 3:30 to 6 p.m. July 11 at the Library’s Processing and Administrative Center, 3005 112th St. E., Tacoma.
