Professional Documents
Culture Documents
EngagingtheImagination Thereisgrowinginterestamongstlifelonglearnerstoacquirephysicalskillsthatfreethemfrom theclassroomandinspirethemtotinker,make,dabble,andcreate.DarienLibraryrecognizes thistrendandstrivestofosterthisdoityourself,technologybasedcultureinitsworkshops andprograms.Thisyearweexperiencedahugeleapinouradultprogramattendancewithan increaseof2,090attendees.TheLibraryisalreadytheplaceourusersvisitforentertainment, inspiration,andenrichment.Aswemoveintothenewyear,IhopetheLibrarywillalsobecome aplacewheremembersoftheDariencommunityengagetheirimaginationandcreate.We alreadyusetechnologytofreeLibrarystafffromtheirdesksandempowermemberstotake chargeoftheiruseoftheLibrary.Idliketodothesamewithouradultprogramminginspire themtotaketheirlearningintotheirownhands. HerearesomeprogramhighlightsfromJuly2011June2012: MeettheAuthors! LastFall,wewelcomedAmandaHesserandMerrillStubbsto theLibrarytodiscussTheFood52Cookbook,acrowdsourced workcompiledwithrecipesfromtheirblog,Food52.com.Asa nodtothecommunalaspectoftheirproject,weaskedstaffto bakerecipesfromthebooktobeservedattheevent.Eachtreat waslabeledwiththenameoftherecipe,thepageitcouldbe foundon,andthenameandtitleofthestaffmemberwhocontributedit. DuringtheSpring,wehostedSusanCain,authorofQuiet:The PowerofIntrovertsinaWorldthatCantStopTalking.Thisevent wasslightlydifferentinthattheauthorpreferredtobe interviewedfortheprogram.Switchinguptheformatofour authoreventsissomethingIdliketoseemoreofinthefuture. Readingfromapodiumisnolongerenoughtocompetewiththe multitudeofvibrantactivitiesDarienhastooffer.Userswantnot onlytobeenlightenedbuttheyalsowanttobeentertained.
TechnologyBasedProgramming eBooksarealwaysthehotbuttonissueforanyonepayingattentiontothelibrarybusiness.Last Christmas,weanticipatedaspikeineReaderownershiptoimmediatelyfollowtheholiday, especiallyconsideringthepricedropforAmazonsKindle.Indeed,eBooksalesrose72%last DecemberandcontinuedtoreporthighsalesthroughoutJanuaryandFebruary.1Inresponse, wehostedaneReaderopenhousealldayonDecember26,andhelpedabout50users downloadtitlesfromtheLibraryontotheirdevices.Participantsinthiseventrangedinage from8to80andthenumberofeBooksdownloadedfromtheLibrarynearlydoubledduringthe monthofDecember. Inadditiontoprogramsthatsupporttheuseofdownloadablemedia,wehostregularAppy Hoursinwhichstaffmemberswalkusersthroughalistofcarefullycuratedappsforuseon iPadsandsmartphones.Wevecoveredappsforadults,appsforchildren,appsfortravel,and appstohelpyouappreciatethegreatoutdoors. PopularSeries Inthebeginningof2012,wehostedoursecondHealth&WellnessSeries,whichcontinuesto growinpopularity.Itincludedfilmscreenings,healthyeatingpresentations,anactiveaging workshopandevenyogainourConferenceRoom. March23,2012,markedtheveryfirsteveningofourrevampedFridayfilmsseries,FridayNight Features.Nowweoffertwoshowingsofcarefullyselectedfilmseveryweekinorderto accommodatetheprogramsgrowingpopularity.FromMarch23untiltheendofJune,we accommodated3,262patronsatourfilms,a17%increasefromthesame timeperiodlastyear. MarchalsomarkedthedebutofourFinancialLiteracySeries,which culminatedwithavisitfromtheHonorableDavidM.Walker.He discussedhisnonprofit,theComebackAmericaInitiative,anditseffortsto promotefiscalresponsibilityandsustainabilityonthefederal,stateand locallevels.
OurOneBook,OneCommunityselectionforadultsthisyearwas97Orchard:AnEdibleHistory ofFiveImmigrantFamiliesinOneNewYorkTenement.Thisselectionwastheimpetusfortrying outseveralprogramswehaveneverhostedattheLibrarybefore.AgroupfromthePender KeadyAcademyofIrishDanceperformedintheCommunityRoom,requiringspecialflooringto betemporarilyinstalled.AlocalsilentfilmhistorianscreenedHaroldLloyds1928filmSpeedy whileplayinglivepianotoaccompanythefilm.Wealsohostedabeerbrewingworkshopinour ConferenceRoomthatincludedastarttofinishdemonstrationofhowtohomebrew. OutsidetheBox Lastweek,acommunitymemberwasabouttopitchaprogramideatomeandsheprefaced herproposalwith,thismayrequirethinkingoutsidetheboxsobearwithme.Irepliedthat DarienLibraryalwayswantstothinkoutsidethebox!Infact,Idpreferthattheboxisnoteven insightthatishowwillingwearetoabandonconventionsandtrysomethingnew.Itiswith thismentalitythatweglideintothenewyear.