Amazing Makeover at the Library!

Wow - what an exciting week! The library had a makeover, courtesy of a great partnership effort with our local Home Depot store.

They have a corporate "community giving" policy that translated into the donation of materials from nine Home Depot stores. More than 37 expert volunteers, (over the course of two days) completed many necessary projects in the public areas of the library. The library looks wonderful and our 600+ daily visitors are so pleased!

EXCITING CHANGES
So what was undertaken? Newly painted interior areas brightened up the library, oak flooring replaced a terribly stained community room carpet, new cabinetry added needed storage, new upholstery replaced torn children's seating, new paneling was installed on the damaged circ desk, etc. These are a few of the many improvements that were completed.

Take a look at the before and after pictures here.

THANK YOU SPONSORS

Local sponsors donated breakfast and lunch items for the many expert volunteers. We thank Costco, Dunkin Donuts, Dominick's Finer Foods, Founders Bank, Jimmy Johns Sandwiches, Starbucks, and the Timber Restaurant at Woodbine for their generosity to support the workers on this project.

TEAM DEPOT - Building Better Communities
And a huge shout out to Home Depot for their courtesy and help. Their slogan "Team Depot - Building Better Communities" says it all. We appreciate their support and commitment to the Homer Community and Homer Library, which serves as the epicenter of information for the community. This project created synergy for a positive community initiative and is a fine example of the wonderful collaboration that abounds if you just seek it out.

Although the library was closed for safety issues on March 1, our bookmobile was on site to serve a steady stream of customers. Library staff also took this opportunity to review and inventory collections. Everyone gave 110% and it shows!

We appreciate Home Depot, their staff, volunteers, and library staff, who donated such energy, time, and commitment to participate - and coordinate - this amazing project. Your library and community Thank You!

E*N*E*R*G*Y* Teen Leadership Program

Our lead program for the Teen Energy Leadership Academy was a resounding success! Participants enjoyed a relaxed "meet and greet" with a DJ, music, loads of activities, and contests to kickoff this innovative academy. Check out the great pictures here.

Energy is the brainchild of Alex Tyle, our Adult Services Director (pictured at right). She has created a unique and energetic program for Homer youth and enthused it with her own vitality. Kudos to Alex. Her positive energy and enthusiasm is quite contagious!

What's next?
Program activities are ongoing for the next several months. A wonderful community element has teens involved with mentoring and assisting in leadership roles in our community. Interested in learning more? Check out the Energy program brochure and event schedule or contact Alex directly.

Recognizing Excellent Staff

I love my job. And I enjoy the people I work with. Their energy and enthusiasm keeps all of us "teamed" in a successful way.

Recently, we lauded all staff and noted those who reached key milestones in their educational life. It is amazing what growth comes from taking a simple class or program, and what synergy it can create. There is some amazing energy that filters among class participants. Our library has been lucky in that our staff brings that positive synergy back to their daily jobs. They listen, network, make suggestions, and point out programs or ideas they gather. New ideas come forward and we all learn a little more and benefit, as does the community.

Thank you Homer Library Staff
Staff step up on a daily basis to do their best for our community. Each person who enters our building gets that personal interest and customer service touch. I read a quote that simply stated: "Walk in our door, and you are our friend." That really applies here at the Homer Library. And it is due to an exceptional staff who simply, "get it!"

New graduates pictured at right:
Pam Lira - BA, Lewis University
Bonnie Lewandowski - LTA, JJC
Carol Wroblewski - LTA, JJC
Carol - MBA, University of Phoenix
Mary Kate Milarczyk - BS, GSU

Congratulations to all of our wonderful staff.
More photos are on our flickr site here.

Synergy
Synergy is the Illinois State Library Leadership Program. This innovative year long program (I am a 2005 graduate!) offers a truly wonderful learning experience. It is life-changing.

Congratulations to Sara for attending and expanding her knowledge base. She is a true leader!

Pictured at left: ISL Synergy Graduate Sara McCambridge, Assistant Director

Resolutions for 2007

We all make them. With the New Year we pledge or promise ourselves to achieve or do more. Set a goal, be specific, and above all be accountable - those are the basic steps of a resolution. Accountability is perhaps the single most important element for success along with taking the time to reflect, review, and get input. Be true and honest in your assessments. If you don't have a community or team behind you, create one. And be accountable to them. Creating a team effort for support is essential.

The Essential Ingredient
Libraries must take these steps, too. We are accountable to the communities we serve. Directors, managers, supervisors, clerks, pages, trustees, volunteers - all of us are "the team" behind making customer service and library goals successfully happen. Like the ingredients in a recipe, we are all necessary.

And what is essential in this recipe for success? Your input. Increasing the community and library dialogue is key; we need your thoughts, comments, and feedback. We want to be more convenient, efficient, and to find ways to serve non-library users. We invite your participation in this process of self-examination. We need your assessment of what we do, and just as important, what we don't do, but should.

Be Our Partner For Success
As we continue our long range planning I urge you to provide input. What do you need, what do you use, what services or programs would serve you well? Maybe you don't use the library. Tell us why or what would specifically help to increase your library visits. We bring the best to the Homer community; help us to expand this role. Your input, conversation, and collaboration will keep Homer Library connected to the community. With your help we will reach out to new users in new ways, and stay vital. Be our partner for success.

Tell me what you really want or think the library should be.
Pick up the phone or email me...as Nike notes: Just Do It!

Library Named "Business of the Year"

Energy. Excitement! So much of both at the recent Homer Township Chamber of Commerce Annual Installation Dinner where your Homer Library received the Chamber's Business of the Year award. It was a sweet and proud moment. There are many event pictures at the Chamber's photo site here or on the Library's photo site.

This has been a year of new partnerships for the Library. Most notably a unique collaboration was initiated with the business community through an outreach grant. We provided free programs, expanded our great collection of business materials, brought in national authors as specialty speakers, offered business computer classes, and made direct library contact with our local businesses. It was a year of firsts for us, as we initiated this "personal touch" campaign and began a new dialogue with a great group of customers in our many businesses.

Grant Funding - How it helps!
Grant funding allows us to go that extra mile for our customers, to try new and innovative programs, and to provide more in collections and specialty programming. Grants supplement our tax-capped budget. With grant support we have initiated programs that funded family art projects, supported children's literacy with reading to therapy dogs, developed a new collection of Polish and Spanish materials, purchased a bookmobile, and much more. I have written 30 grants that the library has been awarded over the past six years and other staff grant writing successes add to that total. It's an exciting time to be a librarian. Great community services that we envision do come to life!

Tell Us What You Want...
We seek your input and are listening to you - our customer. As the Library continues to evolve and change we strive to be user-centered and keep the library essential and meaningful to you. This means encouraging your participation and dialogue, reaching out to new users in new ways, and creating community. We need your communication to ensure the library remains vital and convenient. As our management team undertakes long range planning we continue to ask: What do you want to see here? How can we make the library a destination point for you? How can we assist you better in the area of remote access? What programs, collections, services, etc. would you and your family benefit from? Help me keep the user at the heart of library services - community conversation is essential for this to happen.

What is your vision for the future of library services?
I'm listening, so let me know.