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18 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday April 25, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday April 25, 2007 - 23 "My children make choices in the library. It's nice to watch them confidently move from one learning vehicle to another. They hunt on the computer for book titles [and do] internet searches for projects and information. Or, they simply select, sit down and read a book. Our weekly visits to the library have increased our children's ability to learn independently and their knowledge." Mary C. Moore Every Child Ready to Read® launch at Hopedale Mall. TV personality & author Jay Ingram autographs his book at the Oakville Club. Write2Xpress contest winners and Teen Advisory Group members at the contest awards night. Learning how to build a canoe at the Craft & Hobby Expo at Town Hall. Ribbon cutting ceremony at the reopening of the Glen Abbey Branch. ANNUAL REPORT 2006 Where people and ideas meet. Message from the Chair of the Library Board What's exciting about the Oakville Public Library is the many new and creative ways that services are enhanced each year - enhancements made possible by the tremendous support of community and Council alike. In 2006, we re-opened the Glen Abbey Branch which was expanded to address the growing needs of Oakville. On its eagerly awaited opening day, over 1,000 residents filled the renovated branch to celebrate the new Children's Area and other improvements. Since then, Glen Abbey has continued to be one of the busiest branches in the system; without a doubt it is a well-used and well-loved service. Our Children's Services continue to uphold their reputation for quality and excellence. We launched our Children's Language Learning Centres in early 2006 to meet the needs of our multilingual residents. We also launched our ground-breaking Every Child Ready To Read® early literacy program in September 2006, and already it has reached thousands of Oakville children and their caregivers! A true snapshot of community support, the renewal of the Library's Strategic Plan was completed in September of 2006, and the Parks, Recreation, Culture and Library Master Plan was completed in June 2006. The enormous amount of valuable input we received from many of you will allow us to be proactive in meeting the needs of a changing Oakville while staying true to the principles that have made us the top citizen-rated municipal service in town. Thank you to all who participated ­ your ideas will make the library and our community better and stronger for everyone. So many of you make the library a part of your lives, and we thank you for your continued support. When the community appreciates their library, amazing things can happen. Yours truly, Chris French Board Chair 2006 Our 2006 Donors Endowment Fund Tom and Janet Alton June and Alex Atkins Nicholas Avery The Richard & Barbara Birkett Family Fund Harry and Joanna Blair Melodie Campbell Robert and Patricia Decker Rosemary Ferguson Dr. and Mrs. M. L. Hair Rebecca Hartlen and Steven Wood Eleanor James Janice Kullas Maria Moeller Dave and Anne Murdoch Jean Murray Gordon and Lyn O'Reilly Margaret Perschy Danny and Margaret Ponn Linda Vandusen Gordon Wittman Blair and Libby MacAulay Steven and Frances Mantle David McNutt Robert Mellish Victor Milligan Moen Inc. Heather Morrison Network Cabling Service Ltd. Norwest Electric Ltd. Frances Ann Oakley Brian O'Halloran Omron Dualtec-Auto Electronics Inc. Ontario Auto Salvage Peel District School Board Peter and Joyanne Pellier Sheila and Bill Polley Gary and Lee Preston Peter Provias Gail Richardson Dale and Betty Richmond Margaret Ripley Robert Hyde, Maria Robinson and Family Sarah and Mark Rochon Dr. Maureen Rudzik Sandra Rumfeldt Camelia Hanna and Soliman Rizk Jerry and Anna Sapa Shelley Saunders Diane Sepa Shell Canada Limited Lori Sims Rick and Pat Snelling Barbara Spears Sprott Foundation Swansea Computer Specialists Ltd. Doug and Marva Taylor Cynthia and Fred Thorpe Todd's Your Answer Ltd. Trafalgar Brewery Stanley and Mary Whiteley Nancy Williams Wilson Foundation Dorothy Worden Barry and Angela Wylie In Memorium Louise Cartotto Peter Cotterill John Dawson Kenneth Fell R.L. Ferguson Lilian Flynn Rae Fonseca Patrick Hann Paul Heron Norman James Isla Lee Margaret Moore John Murray Terry Pitts Pamela Purvis Gerald Saunders Maryon Saunders Elaine Whitbread Margaret Wood 2006 HIGHLIGHTS Wireless Internet Access Available at All Library Branches In 2006, all branches of the Oakville Public Library became `hotspots', offering wireless Internet access for patrons who visit the library with laptop computers. This service has given the public free use of the Internet and the various library services with the added convenience of being able to download information directly to their own computers. Glen Abbey Branch Renovation, Expansion & Reopening The expansion added 3,500 sq. feet to the Glen Abbey Branch. The new and improved features include a bright new children's space, areas for quiet study, a special area for teens, and an expanded magazine and reading lounge. The redesigned entrance and new service desks welcome visitors to experience an exciting learning environment featuring collections of print, multimedia and electronic resources, plus a technology centre that provides wireless Internet access. The project was supported by the Town of Oakville and the Canada Ontario Infrastructure Program. We extend many thanks to all of our donors who helped make this renovation possible. and staff training. Already over 750 children and over 450 parents and caregivers have participated. Public Event: Jay Ingram Jay Ingram, co-host of Discovery Channel's Daily Planet, enthralled a sold out audience at the Oakville Club during Public Library week to discuss his book, Theatre of the Mind: Raising the Curtain on Consciousness. Visit from the Honourable James K. Bartleman, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario & Teen Write2Xpress Writing Contest The second annual Write2Xpress Teen Writing Contest awards night took place in conjunction with a visit from the Honourable James K. Bartleman, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, who visited the Central Branch to announce the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries' Telling Our Stories contest. The annual Write 2Xpress contest is open to all local teens in grades 7 ­ 12. Oakville teens were asked to submit a 1,500-word story based on a photo themed, "What if?" Congratulations to all winners! Library Renews Its Strategic Plan to 2011 As Oakville changes, so do we! With substantial input from you, the public, our newest Strategic Plan was designed to make sure we're responding to the changing needs of Oakville in creative and innovative ways. No matter where you live or what your interests are, our mission is to provide access to resources, foster the joy of reading, and provide a welcoming space for all to enjoy. To find out more about how we plan to serve you better, read the Oakville Public Library Strategic Plan 2007-2011 on the Library's website at http://www.opl.on.ca/ About.php. Copies are also available at each branch. Avid donor and volunteer, Elsie Kossatz pictured with her stained-glass window at the Woodside Branch. It All Adds Up... Oakville Loves Its Library! The library performed over 12.8 million service transactions in 2006 - almost 80 transactions per Oakville resident! Each year, over 58,000 new books, magazines, DVDs and CDs refresh the library's collection. We have over 416,000 items available to borrow, with many more available online. On average, every person living in Oakville checks something out of the library over 13 times a year. Over 75% of residents have a library card (one of the highest percentages of any library in Canada)! Statement of Financial Activities Year Ended December 31, 2006 REVENUE Town Grants Provincial Grants Federal Grants Library Generated Revenue Total Revenues $7,038,712 $184,793 $20,997 $490,178 $7,734,680 Donors Ace Plus Automotive Altruists of Oakville Marilyn Adams Tom Adams Trish Aitchison Margaret Anderson Diane Arnell William and Marjorie Arnold Anne and George Bagosy Frances Ballantyne Susan Brown Ross and Lynda Bryant Robert Brooks Karen Byrnes Melissa Cameron Robert Cartotto Nancy and Clive Coombs Brenda Cotterill Shelley Cornack Glenn Marnie and Graeme Courtney Irma Crysler Joan D'Arcy Marie Deakos Judy DeMone Michael and Midge Des Roches Robert Farquharson John Fasken Anne Fell Friends of the Oakville Public Library Margaret Glenn Nesta Gordon Norman and Joan Graham Dan Gregory S.C. Halwa Charles Harris Sharon Hawley Kenneth and Mary Hester Anne Hetherington Rosemary Hillier John and Doreen Hobbs Jean and Eric Holock Get it Write Ian Martin Limited Frank Invidiata Lea Koiv Elsie Kossatz Lauraine Lauber Richard Lee L.M. & Sons Janitorial Ltd. Frank and Azniv Lochan EXPENDITURES Human Resources Collections Operating Supplies Purchased Services & Util. Interest on Long-term Debt Transfers to Town of Oakville Transfer to Endowment Fund Total Expenditures $5,704,018 $772,803 $237,586 $921,364 $920 $20,500 $12,770 $7,669,961 $64,719 $0 ($40,794) ($6,806) $17,119 $0 $17,119 Our 2006 Board Members Councillor Tom Adams Harry Blair Melodie Campbell, Vice-Chair Roland Chalupka Chris French, Chair Elaine Fung Councillor Jeff Knoll Rebecca Hartlen Maria Robinson Lara Samulenok Linda Vandusen Gifts In Kind Bookers Bookstore Chudleigh's Farms Dairy Queen/Brazier Harper Collins Canada Ltd. Hopedale Mall il fornello Joseph's Estate Wines Inc. Lavender Florist Lick's Restaurant Mexicali Rosa's Oakville Place Oakville Price Chopper Ontario Genealogical Society - Halton-Peel Branch Panago Pizza Paradiso Pats Complete Party Rentals Praxair Canada Inc. Rogers Video Signs Alive! Sobeys Starbucks Coffee Canada Tim Horton's The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts The Shopping News Whitecap Children's Children s Language Learning Centres launch at the Iroquois Ridge Branch. NET REVENUE New Debt Issurance Long-term Debt Principal Repayments Decrease in Non-financial Assets Increase in Fund Balance Fund Balance, beginning of year Fund Balance, end of year Children's Language Learning Centres The Children's Language Centre is a onestop area for people wanting to explore learning opportunities in languages other than English. The languages featured are: Spanish, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Chinese, Panjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic and Korean. These Language Centres, located at the Iroquois Ridge, White Oaks and Glen Abbey branches meet specific needs of first generation immigrant families with young children, students registered in international language classes in Oakville and children and parents wishing to develop second language skills. This service is made possible, in part, from community support from Shell Canada and the Community Foundation of Oakville. Every Child Ready to Read® Did you know that there are six skills a child needs to develop before age five to be able to read well? Those skills are: Print Motivation, Letter Knowledge, Phonological Awareness, Narrative Skills, Print Awareness and Vocabulary. Ground breaking research has shown that a preschooler's earliest experiences with books and reading are critical for future success. Public libraries across North America, including the Oakville Public Library, responded to this need with the Every Child Ready to Read® program. The Oakville Public Library has incorporated Every Child Ready to Read® criterion into all of its children's services, including Preschool Programming, a Parent Guide, the library's web site, The Oakville Public Library Endowment Fund at December 31st, 2006 is $178,758. The fund is managed by the Community Foundation of Oakville. 92% 5% 3% Every effort has been made to provide an accurate listing of our donors. We apologize for any errors or omissions that may have occurred THE OAKVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY WISHES TO THANK ITS VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR VALUABLE TIME AND SERVICES. www.opl.on.ca