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Policies | Board | Administration | 2007 Survey | Annual Report 2009 | Long Range Plan 2009-2012 | Long Range Plan Progress Report| Staff Pages

Rules of Conduct Policies

• Concealed Weapons Policy
• Unattended Children in the Library Policy
• Library Users' Code of Conduct Policy

User Privileges Policies

• Circulation Policy
• Computer & Internet Use Policy
• Borrower's Policy
• Interlibrary Loan Policy
• Patrons Exempt From Fines And Fees Policy
• Confidentiality Of Circulation Records

Other Services Policy

• Library Fees and Charges
• Volunteer/ Friends of the Library Policy
• Meeting Room Policy

Internet Policy

• Internet Offense Guidelines

Collection Development Policy

• Collection Development Policy

Board & By-Laws Policy

• Open Meeting and Public Participation Policy
• By-Laws of the Library Board of Trustees

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Mission:

Preble County District Library, helping you connect to the world.

Board of Trustees:

• Mr. Harry V. White, Jr, President
• Mrs. Phyllis White
• Mrs. Barbara Collins, Vice President
• Mr. John Abrams, Secretary
• Mrs. Judith White
• Mrs. Carolyn Ulrich
• Past Trustees

Qualities Expected of the Board of Trustees Policy

• The Board of Trustees works as a team bringing special skills and community representation to the Board discussions and policy making.
• A Trustee must place the Preble County District Library’s interest above any self-interest or particular branch or partisan group.
• The Trustees are expected to act fairly and independently to further the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights and advances the best interest of the Preble County District Library.
• Trustees must evidence the qualities of team players that further the effective working of the entire Board and therefore the library as a whole.

 

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Administration:

• Abby Noland, Director  (937) 456-4250
  Beverly A. Keefe, Fiscal Officer (937) 456-4250
  Paula Byers, Administrative Assistant (937) 456-4250
  Guy Humphrey-Head of Reference Department (937) 456-4331
  Cheryl Richter, Public Relations Manager (937) 456-4250
  Diane Knaff, Head Cataloger (937) 456-4250
  Jen Thomas, System Librarian (937) 456-4250
  Gloria Hyatt, Collection Development Librarian (937) 456-4250
  Marlene Ressler, Outreach Librarian, Volunteer Coordinator (937) 456-4250
• Suzanne Pontius, MORE Librarian (937) 456-4250
  Teresa Deaton, Head of Youth Department (937) 456-4331
  Jennifer Arling, Head of Young Adult Department (937) 456-4331
  Toni Keesler, Camden Branch Head Librarian (937) 452-3142
  Phyllis Bennet, Eaton Head Librarian (937) 456-4331
  Danita Cook, Eldorado Branch Librarian (937) 273-4933
  Barbara Dungan, New Paris Head Librarian (937) 437-7242
  Marlene Ressler, Preble County Room Supervisor (937) 456-4970
  Michelle Laughlin, West Alexandria Head Librarian (937) 839-4915
  Mickie Gayhart, West Elkton Head Librarian (937) 787-4873
  Vicki Hoff, West Manchester Head Librarian (937) 678-8503
  

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2007 Community Survey Results:

• Survey Results

Annual Report 2008:

• Annual Report 2008

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Long Range Plan for (2009-2012) Long Range Goals & 30 Year Goal:

There are two Strategic Plan goals as determined by the Board of Trustees. 
1) To increase Preble County District Library's circulation. The choice of this goal is because it inherently involves improved customer service, enhanced promotion, reader's advisory, community outreach, and displays.
Measurable Goal: Increase circulation by 20,000 from year 2007 to 2010.

2) To decrease the Preble County District Library's reliance on the General Revenue Fund to 50%. PCDL has waivered between 90%-72% reliance on our tax funding. Because we cannot maintain our current level of service and operations by continuing to rely on the GRF, the Preble County District Library will develop alternative, reliable funding sources.
Measurable Goal: In five years be only 50% reliant on the General Revenue Fund.

3) A 30 year Long Range Goal to bring all the current Preble County District Libraries up to state standards for size of populations served.

Long Range Plan for (2005-2008) Progress Report:

This report shows the progress that has been made toward accomplishing the Long Range Plans set for 2005-2008. As you can see most of the plans have been successfully completed. Work on the Strategic Plan for 2009- has begun.

FACILITIES AREA

• GOAL #1 - Completed-Provide a quiet area for study or meetings. (CA)

Camden has created a space by the window with a lot of displayed materials. Camden will purchase movable shelving in order to create space for programs.
The Reference Department has begun the creation of a Quiet Area at Eaton.

• GOAL #2 - Completed-Utilize space efficiently. (PCR)

PCR has created a more professional environment by putting in walls to separate it from the office.

FUNDING AREA

• GOAL #1 - Completed-Use funding dollars more intelligently. (SW)

The administrative offices have done comparative financial reviews for its administrative services: postal, phone, computer, maintenance, etc. This will be an ongoing business practice.
The Collection Development office has researched material costs and has been able to find more cost effective purchasing for all materials. This cost comparative purchasing is now an ongoing component of collection development.
The Reference Department intelligently watches for discounts and special deals for all its database purchases.
Through PR, the Library has sought to keep itself prominently in the public's eye. By doing so, I believe, it encourages people to give individual donations. Simple solutions, such as creating a flyer for all our branch book sales help increase our donations.
A Bequest Brochure has been created and been distributed to branches and at this request one funeral home.
The library will continue to obtain funding through grants for its telecommunication costs and other special projects.
The Computer Department has utilized our free connection from the state to significantly reduce our telecommunication costs.

• GOAL #2 - Ongoing-Investigate alternative funding sources. (AD)
• Grants-The library actively seeks grant funding.
• The annual Federal E-rate Schools and Library Funding has been awarded to PCDL (savings of over $35,000 in telecommunication costs) and will sought every year hereafter.
• The computer department received a filtering grant for over $1,700 for 2006.
• We received a grant of $2000 from the Dollar Store
• Two state LSTA grants have been requested for the year 2007.
• Disability Grant for materials and programming monies for Deaf Services in 2007-RECEIVED.
• Laptop/Wireless Grant to have laptops in each of the branches for adult in-house patron use in 2009.
• Government Discounts- The library has taken advantage of available government discounts in office supplies, furniture, hardware, computer hardware and software. The library will continue to actively search for more discounts. This has saved the library thousands of dollars.
• Low Impact Donations- As an alternative to book sales, the library has taken advantage of such organizations as Better World Books to supplement Book Sales monies. We also promote the I.Give online shopping where we receive a donated percentage from people who go through this website. We collect recyclable cell phones and copiers from the public and receive some monies for these donations. Eaton Branch gathered over $100 in change from our donation railroad bank for children's furniture. At their request, the other branches have received these donation railroad banks December 2006.
• Partnering-The library actively seeks donations and partners to help us with programs on a continual basis. For example, area businesses donate pizzas for a pizza party at their local branch. The Twin Township Trustees donated $4000 for 2 years to aid the library in putting their cemetery records online, etc.

Future Goals:

• Friends of the Library-The library will begin a campaign to create a Friends of the Library group for those branches that do not already have one. At the beginning of 2005 we had West Alexandria and Camden Friends. As of January 2008 we have added Preble County Room, Eaton, West Elkton.
• Planned Giving-develop brochures and promotions-Accomplished and ongoing.
• Library Foundations- explore this as a possibility
• We have begun to promote our St. Clair Foundation.
• Levy-The director has begun preliminary investigation into conducting a Levy. It is understood that we do not want to attempt a Levy unless it looks as if we will be cutting back staff and/or closing branches.

MATERIALS AREA

• GOAL #1 - Ongoing-Replace print reference materials with online versions by at least 5% annually. More than 5% has been converted/year exceeding the anticipated percentage.(RD)
• The reference department has very actively weeded the reference collections of all the branches. The goal has to been to decrease duplication of reference materials in print and online. The reference department continues its ongoing comparative cost cutting and quality research into the best databases for our library. By doing so, we have increased the number of databases while holding down the otherwise normal increase in online database costs. This has also created more space to allow for the development of a "Quiet Area" in the Eaton Branch.
• According to the Ohio Public Library Standards, "the library has an up-to-date reference collection. Reference materials published within the last five years make up at least 75% of the (reference) collection." Our library meets these standards.
• GOAL #2 - Ongoing-Optimize and increase resource sharing both county and statewide. (SW)
• The library has completed putting all Preble County public school library holdings into our Sirsi database. This is the completion of an 18 month long project.
• The library continues to give and receive materials through SEO and MORE systems.
• GOAL #3 - Expand the collection within the scope of the collection development policy. (PCR)
• Branch Librarians and Department Heads have conducted a year long study of circulation. The materials budget was increased in 2006 to allow for all branches to receive adult Best Seller books and an increase of new materials to meet the Ohio Public Library Standards of having at least 25% of the collection.
• All branches have achieved this overall standard. See appendix A: Collection Statistics.
• For 2007, the material budget has allocated a higher percentage of monies to the AV collection. VHS products are no longer being purchased and are gradually being weeded from the branch collections. The library needs to replace these materials with new DVD format. VHS withdrawal are being moved into storage for now. The same can be said for books on tape. Books on CD and Playaways are the new format.
• Books were purchased and donated that expanded the PCR collection per the development policy.
• GOAL #4 - Completed-Weed, maintain and organize the collection for easy use. (NP, EA, WA, WE, PCR)
• In 2005, Camden, Eaton, Eldorado, West Alexandria, West Elkton, and the Preble County Room have re-organized their shelving to reflect changes in their communities.
• Eaton, Eldorado and West Alexandria have created a Teen Area. Teen input was solicited to create the Eaton and West Alexandria areas.
• Eaton is creating Quiet Area
• Eaton has weeded its Children's Collection and put in moveable shelving to allow for more programming space, will soon remove the 4 adult computers from the center of its floor, and replace them children's computers and family seating area
• Camden has created an adult reading area, and changed its AV location to be more appealing. Camden will also soon replace it's shelving with moveable shelves to allow for more programming space.
• West Alexandria has changed its location of Reference and Audio Visual materials, and redesigned its Children's Space with a railroad theme.
• West Elkton continued its experiment to have a "bookstore" type set up. After finding it was ineffective, it returned to its original Dewey Decimal set up. However, West Elkton, after reviewing it circulation statistics has determined to make its collection 50-50 AV and Book Materials.
• The Preble County Room reorganization is addressed above. With respect to the PCR, duplicate copies were moved from the PCR shelves to "Fragile" storage.
• The Administrative Offices added a wall between the Preble County Room to give more privacy to the PC Room.
• The open slating between the library office and the meeting room were closed off for more privacy as well.
• The Collection Development/PR office space was divided to accommodate the new Systems Librarian as well. This removed the Systems Librarian from the back closet.
• GOAL #5 Ongoing- Purchase and process materials in a timely fashion. (CD, TS)
• Funding for Contract Workers was put into the PCDL school cataloging project for the year 2005. This was to ensure that the processing of our public library materials would happen in a timely manner.
• Extra hours were given for technical services to assist with the processing of materials.
• GOAL #6 - Ongoing-Make certain materials have arrived before delivery date and are delivered when expected. (OU)-Accomplished.
• GOAL #7 - Ongoing-Catalog and process materials in an accurate and detailed manner. (TS)
• This is an on-going practice. It must be said that our materials were slower to be processed during the push to get the Preble County Schools online by January 2007. However, this has been accomplished and we are back on track.
• GOAL #8 - Ongoing-Keep recreational and educational reading materials current and of interest to the patrons we serve. (YD)
• The Youth Department has recreated its environment at Eaton Branch. It has opened up its space to accommodate the large amount of patrons attending the programs. It has purchased appropriate chairs for the children's tables, two new children's sized computers for the creation of computers with access to just children's games and recommended small children's sites, it has moveable shelving to create more programming space and flexibility. It has purchased family seating furniture so that parents can sit comfortably while watching their children.
• The Youth Department has begun purchases to increase their children's DVD collection and weed the VHS materials.

See Goal #3

• GOAL #9 - Ongoing-Create and maintain a new & popular materials area. (NP)

New Paris has created a Best Seller display area.

• GOAL #10 - Develop professional collection to aid in Reader's Advisory. (PR)

Our new webpage will include a Reader's Advisory area. The new homepage is expected to go live in February 2007.

STAFF AREA

• GOAL #1 - Ongoing-Provide and/or facilitate training for staff. (AD)
• Training for new hires is now a standard. They receive Sirsi training and an overview of library expectations, policy and procedure. Branch Librarians are encouraged to have the new hire come in before their official hire date for additional hands on training so they are better prepared.
• Staff Association was formed in early 2006 giving Staff an opportunity to meet and discuss library issues, socialize, or have guest speakers.
• The library has hosted professional speakers for staff this last year: Ohio Ethics Commission, Staff Day, Meth. Awareness, Supervisory Training, Online training for cataloging and computer training.
• GOAL #2 - Keep staff informed of events impacting the library. (AD)
• Staff receives a Board Meeting Report after every Board Meeting. A Branch Librarian/Department Head Committee has been created to further involve staff in the ongoing running of the library. BLDH are required to communicate the minutes from these meetings to their staff. Additionally there are regular Computer Department Meetings, Preble County Room Meetings, and Programming Committee Meetings.
• GOAL #3 - Ongoing-The staff will be familiar with the collection to aid patrons. (PCR)
• The Library Ink on its front page has been featuring information on specific services our library offers; reference, outreach, teen, children's, databases, etc. This will be an on-going information piece for everyone.
• GOAL #4 - Completed-Learn new Sirsi cataloging software. (TS)
• A Sirsi trainer was contacted and a conference call training occurred to address specific issues in Sirsi for the Technology Department.
• GOAL #5 - Being re-evaluated for efficiency-Create staff intranet website. (CN)
• This has been created for non-interactive purposes. Staff can access a vacation calendar, policies, procedures, and forms online.

TECHNOLOGY AREA

• GOAL #1 - Completed-Migrate MultiLIS automation to Sirsi Unicorn. (SW)
• Accomplished
• GOAL #2 - Completed-Develop WiFi connections in Eaton & LARC. (CN)
• The library is pursuing a grant that would have WiFi connections for all its branches with laptop computers available as well. The grant is very competitive and the results will not be announced until March 2007.
• Meanwhile, Eaton and LARC are WiFi accessible.
• GOAL #3 - Completed-Allow the public to use alternative memory storage devices. (CN)
• New computers have been purchased with CD burner, power stick and floppy drive capabilities.
• GOAL #4 - Completed-Conduct a network audit.
• GOAL #5 - Ongoing-Redesign website. (CN)
• This homepage is being redesigned. A Teen webpage was put in place and has also been redesigned. A young children's page in place. Work on a tween webpage is under way. A page for Deaf Services is in place.
• GOAL #6 - Completed-Develop a workstation and server backup and restoration plan. (CN)
• There is a back up server now.
• PCDL also now has a state certified Technology Plan.

 

USER SERVICES AREA

• GOAL#1 - Dropped due to cost consideratons-Create new user "welcome packet." (AD)
• The PR department has begun developing a packet.
• GOAL #2 - Completed-Develop electronic community information clearinghouse for libraries & public use. (SW)
• The PCDL webpages have links to various community organizations.
• GOAL #3 - Completed-Measure user needs and satisfaction by survey. (OU)
• Tell Us Slips have been put in place at all library branches to facilitate ongoing feedback from customers.
• A survey for Deaf Services was made this year for a LSTA disability grant for 2007.
• An informal survey was made to senior service agencies in the Eaton area for improving existing services.
• GOAL #4 - Completed-Provide youth programming that will meet the needs of the community. (YD)
• There never seems to be enough children's programming, but the Youth Department has responded by increasing its programming from 2005 to 2006 to 30% (statistics for December are not in yet.)
• GOAL #5 - Completed-Coordinate youth activities system wide. (YD)
• The Children's Department has increased its system wide visits this year, not only to other library branches, but to schools and during community parades. Goal: Visit Lakengren with Costume Creatures.
• A Young Adult Program was created with a budget to support new teen materials, programming, and space provided at branches.
• GOAL #6 - Completed-Develop and present programs for adults and/or families. (EL, WA, WM)
• The Meth. Program and Eric Loy was available at all branches. The Programming Committee is identifying adult programming that can be repeated at all the branches.
• GOAL #7 - Completed-Enhance storytimes to include at least one participatory story each term. (EL)
• This has begun.
• GOAL #8 - Completed-Submit articles highlighting the library to area newspapers monthly. (WA)
• The library has representation in Twin Valley Publications, Register Herald featuring monthly happenings and special coverage and Dayton Daily News for special events. The library also promotes its events on local cable now.
• GOAL #9 - Specifications were not provided. However, we exceed Ohio Public Library Standards. Provide a ___% fill rate for users who visit and ___% fill rate within 1 week of their visit. (NP)
• Collection development for the 2006 year was almost 100% patron request in order to increase patron participation and get our collection up to date.
• GOAL #10 - Ongoing-Provide users with the materials they want. (WE)
• See Goal #9.
• Year 2007 will see Players available for the public, and a large increase in adult and children's DVDs-Accomplished.
• GOAL #11 - Work with teachers to assist with homework help. (WM)
• A shared listserv was created for Preble County school librarians and PCDL.
• GOAL #12 - Completed-Organize and identify collection in a "bookstore" approach. (WE, WM)
• See Materials Goal #4
• GOAL #13 - Completed-Increase awareness of library services to educators. (PR)
• The library has increased its visibility through newspapers, cable, and community events dramatically. Visits to schools and principles have increased.
• GOAL #14 - Completed-Promote the library outside. (PR)
• Marlene Ressler has served on the Board of Council on Aging.
• Barb Dungan serves on the SW Children's Programming Committee
• Martha Albright (retired December 2007)

-Regent, Commodore Preble Chapter, NSDAR
-Treasurer, Preble County Genealogical Society
-Member, First Families of Preble County Ohio
  -Member, Darke County Genealogical Society
  -Member, Ohio Genealogical Society
  -Inactive Member, Preble County Art Association
  -Member, Preble County Historical Society
 - Member, Preble County Council on Aging
Abby Noland

• National Association of the Deaf member
• Board Member of the Family Service Association, (serves 8 area counties),
• Ambassador for the Eaton Chamber of Commerce
• Chair Ohio Library Council Diversity Committee (2007)
• Member of the Miami Valley Library Association
• South Western Ohio & Neighbors Mentor & member
• GOAL #15 - Completed-Improve Reader's Advisory area and resources. (PR)
• See Materials Goal # 10

KEY

• AD = Administration Department
• CA = Camden Library
• CD = Collection Development
• CN = Computer/Network Department
• EA = Eaton Library
• EL = Eldorado Library
• NP = New Paris Library
• OU = Outreach Department
• PCR = Preble County Room
• PR = Public Relations Department
• RD = Reference Department
• SW = System Wide
• TS = Technical Services Department
• WA = West Alexandria Library
• WE = West Elkton Library
• WM = West Manchester Library
• YD = Youth Department

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Locations

Camden | Eaton | Eldorado | New Paris | West Alexandria | West Elkton | West Manchester | Preble County Room | Administration and Resource Center