Agenda Packet 1-14-19 Work Session

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More Programs for All Ages Levy Promise: Increasing events by 33% over the life of the levy with a particular focus on priorities identified by the community: support for young readers and their parents; activities and programs for teens; and “maker” opportunities (access to tools and skills training for individuals or small businesses, including new technologies). An additional priority was to deliver more Library programs off-site. YOUNG READERS: Language-rich activities help young children develop the skills they’ll need as they grow into learning to read. Storytimes provide pre-literacy skill development for children and training for their parents. Every week the Library offers 12 Storytimes, plus the offsite Storytime-To-Go program. In FY18, a total of 986 programs for young kids, were attended by 30,012 people. TEENS: Teen Services were expanded even further in FY18. EPL adopted a national renowned approach to teen services that puts an emphasis on hanging out, messing around, and geeking out. To support this, the teen space at the Downtown Library doubled in size when movies and music were relocated to the 2nd floor. The lives of many teens have been touched in numerous ways: help passing GED exams; introducing them to their new favorite author; teaching them technology skills to help prepare them for future tech jobs; and so on. Every day hundreds of teens are coming in for the safety, support, and inspiration provided by the Library. In FY18, a total of 187 programs for teens were attended by 2,080 people. The number of programs provided to teens has increased at all three locations 62% with the support of levy funds. Adults, teens, and kids are informed, entertained, and inspired at EPL programs. In FY18, the total number of programs delivered was 2,173, exceeding the goal of 1,800. Total attendance at programs for in FY18 was 67,478. Photoof Teen Center Spread out over one of the new teen room tables Drake works on a puzzle. He has moved to Eugene from Indiana, but is now homeless. As he works on the puzzle with the Teen Librarian he talks about being so close to obtaining his GED, but doesn’t know how to finish and figures he might as well give up. When Cat, another teen in the room, sits down to help with the puzzle they begin to talk. Even though they had never met, she offers to take him across the street to Lane Community College to help him sign up for the same classes she is taking. Now, they are both close to finishing their GED’s and spend all their free time in the Teen Center.January 14, 2019, Work Session – Item 3