CREATING SUCCESSFUL ADULT PROGRAMS Brett W. Lear Wednesday,
February 12, 2014
Welcome! Brett W. Lear Library Director Martin County (FL)
Library System [email protected] 772 221-1410
Creating goals for event Agenda planning that link your events
to the needs of your community Developing outcome measures to
ensure that your events are a good fit for your community Sharing
your successes with elected officials, residents, and other
stakeholders
Vision, Mission, and Priorities
Adult Events: Essential Library Services? Programming is a
process by which the informational, educational, and recreational
needs of your patrons are met by bringing patrons into contact with
the human resources best able to meet those needs. from Adult
Programs in the Library
Our vision is to inform and inspire every resident in Martin
County. Our mission is to connect with people and create learning
opportunities that improve communities.
Facilitate lifelong learning The Library serves a leading role
in the community as both a source of information and a place of
learning. The need for learning begins at birth and the pursuit of
knowledge continues throughout life. from Martin County (FL)
Library Systems Long Range Services Plan
Goal 1: Establish the Library as the first source for practical
information on common life experiences and challenges such as
parenting, education, health, financial stability, and aging.
Objectives: 1. Conduct a community scan to determine what
knowledge, skills, and abilities our residents want to attain. 2.
Provide educational workshops, information, and materials that help
our residents increase their knowledge and improve their skills in
identified areas. 3. Develop an annual, system-wide calendar of
events that emphasizes lifelong learning opportunities. 4. Seek
partners and identify funders that support lifelong learning
initiatives.
What are your goals?
What types of events? Participatory or passive? Entertainment
or educational? Strive for community engagement? What works in your
community?
Making, creating, volunteering Library Laboratory was a series
of art, technology, and engineering workshops for adults. Offered
in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesotas Learning
Technologies Center the workshops included Misfit Toys for Adults
(deconstructing and rebuilding unwanted and noisy moving toys),
Sensitive Machines (building a machine that responds to light and
sound sensors), Glowing Clothing (LED embedded clothing and shoes),
Shadow Puppet Animation (created with stop motion animation), and
Folded Structures (re-creating crystal or sea shell structures that
are sometimes used by architects). "Interactive Programs at
Hennepin County Library,"Johannah Genett, Programming Librarian,
January 17, 2012.
Read and discuss Life Is So Good by George Dawson and Richard
Glaubman. Dawson, a black manual laborer who learned to read at age
98, wrote a memoir that is essential to an accurate understanding
of this century. The product of a collaboration between Dawson and
high school history teacher Glaubman, the book juxtaposes
significant events of the century with Dawson's personal
experiences. Engage in a service project at The Title Wave Used
Bookstore. Hear a short presentation about the library's adult
literacy programs, then help prepare retired library materials to
be sold at the bookstore. Volunteers will stamp, sort and shelve
books, CDs, DVDs and other library material. -- Multnomah County
(OR) Library
Homeschool Fair
A hogbutchering demonstration at the Overland Park, Kan.,
library in November. John Helling/Johnson County Library
Passive events & DIY Photo by David Woolley, Director,
Manitou Springs Seed Library Photo by Ruth Crocker, Marketing
Coordinator at St. Thomas Public Library, Ontario
WHATS WORKED WELL FOR YOU? (Time to brag!)
What events are right for your community? Scanning the
community Engaging with residents
Why do people attend my librarys events? How can I learn more
about the values, habits, and lifestyles of my community
members?
Where to start? Scan past event evaluation forms Look for
recent patron surveys Check state and national library data
Statistical Report from the Public Library Data Service
(www.ala.org/pla/publications/plds) The Public Libraries Survey
(www.imls.gov/research/public_libraries_in_the_united_states_surv
ey.aspx)
Where else to explore? Work with your partners schools,
chambers of commerce, newspapers, a nd mission-driven organizations
Search for surveys conducted by nearby libraries and national
associations Programs for Adults in Public Library Outlets and
Cultural Programs for Adults in Public Libraries: A Survey
Report
Partners
Online tools Demographic data American Factfinder
(factfinder2.census.gov) ERsys (ERsys.com) Subscription services
with demographic information and consumer data DemographicsNow
(www.demographicsnow.com) CIVICTechnologies
(www.civictechnologies.com) SImplyMap by Geographic Research, Inc.
(geographicresearch.com/simplymap)
Blue Sky Boomers The largest cluster contains lower-middle and
middle class households from the baby-boom generation. This group,
aged 50-65, makes up 31.3% of households in the County. They live
casually and comfortably as price sensitive, outdoorsy, empty
nesters. Spending their free time fishing, boating, and gardening,
or watching television, reading books, newspapers, or magazines,
these Boomers tend to view their entire world as a grand library.
Whether via a personal connection, news article, website, or
billboard, these individuals seek information that can improve
their lives as well as the lives of their friends and family.
Develop a community profile You can develop a profile of your
community using the following questions as guidelines. Include any
additional information you think is pertinent. What are the major
businesses or industries? What dominant groups make the population?
What are the ages and characteristics of the population? What
leisure time activities are available? What is the general
education level of the population? What economic, social, or
political trends are presently affecting people in your town? What
is the town's relation to other communities in the state? What is
the historical background? What are the present economic
conditions? What are the major cultural and religious influences?
Source: Peggy O'Donnell and Patsy Read, Planning Library Programs
(Chicago: Public Library Association, 1979), 12.
How to engage with your residents? Design and conduct surveys.
Talk to people entering and exiting events. What did you think?
What would you like to see next? Host community conversations about
the library. Coffee with the Director Invite community leaders into
library to talk with staff about their neighborhoods, associations,
and cultures.
Conduct a survey Programming Survey If we were to begin
offering adult programs, which type of program would you be most
likely to attend? Please select one of the following: A monthly
book discussion group A film series covering a theme, such as Great
Silent Classics or Film Noir A how to program, such as How to
Select a Home Computer or How to Travel Cheap in Europe A speaker
sharing his or her knowledge with the audience; for example, a
Holocaust survivor recounting her experiences at Auschwitz
Workshops or classes that explain how to use library resources,
such as the Internet and downloadable ebooks I do not have an
interest in attending library programs for adults Comments:
Postcard survey
Online survey
Getting to know your community Tools? Conversations? Other
approaches?
Measuring the value of your events Outcome and output measures:
verify that your events are successful increase the likelihood of
generating grant or private funding for future events
Outcomes
The Free Library of Philadelphia will lead the City to economic
recovery and ongoing prosperity and be recognized for it.
Libraries connect people to jobs and careers, serving as the
vehicle for 979 Philadelphians finding jobs, resulting in $30
million in wages in one year and generating $1.2 million annually
in city wage tax. Libraries grow businesses, with 8,630 businesses
starting or improving because of help received at the Free Library.
Libraries enrich neighborhoods, creating $698 million in home
values and generating $18.5 million annually in property tax
revenue for the city. 979 Philadelphians found jobs directly as a
result of the resources provided by the Library. 979 entry-level
jobs translate into $30.4 million in wages income in one year,
generating $1.2 million in wage tax revenue for the city. 8,630
businesses started or grew directly as a result of services
provided by the Free Library.
Economic value of workforce development The economic value of
the Library services that help Philadelphians locate job
opportunities and develop career skills totals $6 million for FY10,
comprised of: $2.2 million in career development book-reading &
lending $2.1 million in job-finding online activities, including
workforce database usage and online job searching/prep $1.7 million
job-readiness and workforce-related programming
Outcome: Based on the Martin County Library Systems annual
survey, 75% of the respondents will indicate that the Librarys
cultural events improve the quality of life in Martin County.
Outcome: Based on the Martin County Library Systems annual survey,
75% of the respondents will indicate that the Library plays an
essential role in achieving their personal goals. Outcome: Based on
the Martin County Library Systems annual survey, 75% of the
respondents will indicate that the Library improves the economic
well being of Martin County. Output: 50% of our adult events and
classes will focus on assisting adults with improving their
literacy skills, meeting their personal goals, and fulfilling their
responsibilities as parents, students, citizens, and workers.
Return on Investment
How to gather data & generate outcomes? Evaluation forms
Comment cards Comparative and relational stats Surveys
Follow-up
Audience Evaluation
Ask the right questions Do you feel more connected to your
community as a result of attending Library events? Since attending
family reading time, are you reading more with your child? The
Library's cultural events improve the quality of life in Martin
County. --Agree Disagree
SurveyMonkey Community value
Follow up Phone, email, SurveyMonkey, or an event management
tool (by Plymouth Rocket, Evanced Solutions, etc.) Since attending
the library workshop on... Did you receive your GED? Have you
passed your citizenship test? Have you found employment?
Impact Survey (impactsurvey.org) U.S. IMPACT Studies: Web
Survey Results: Seattle Public Library February, 2010
Outcomes & community impact Berkeley Public Library: Survey
Results: July, 2012
Comparative & relational stats Civility training for Road
rage down by 874 40% residents
Telling your story
Return on Investment Deborah Lopez, Indiantown mother $1,298 in
library services Katie Fischer, Stuart mother $816 in library
services
But numbers dont tell the whole story Ilianas story
http://chirb.it/kdMzfN
Tristan: Perfect score on Florida's Comprehensive Assessment
Test (FCAT)! His mother attributes his academic success to library
events and classes that have inspired him to read more
Stories of Impact "The Library is much more than a repository
for books, its a center for life-long education, shared enrichment
and cultural experiences and information that is often necessary to
me and others. Its simply a place where I can give back to my
community and us young ones can come together and create a shared
sense of community." --Gregory Lucenay, Hartford Public Library
Volunteer http://www.hplct.org/support/stories-ofimpact
Post-event press releases
WHATS YOUR STORY OF IMPACT? (Please share.)
Questions and conversation
Thank you! Brett W. Lear Library Director Martin County (FL)
Library System [email protected] 772 221-1410