Mary Brown
Executive Director

Paula Godfrey
Coordinator, Special Projects and Grant Services

David Saari
Facilities Manager

Office Manager

Rosa Rodriguez
Deaf Literacy Coordinator at Safety Harbor Public Library
727-724-1525 x120

VACANT
Born to Read Program Consultant
727-441-8408

Pinellas Public Library Cooperative Annual Report 2010
From the Executive Director

The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative serves its members through the coordination of services and activities that benefit all of our libraries and enhance the overall quality of library services countywide. Core services essential to maintaining the efficient sharing of resources continue to be a funding priority for the Cooperative. Fiscal support of the countywide library automation system, and the delivery system to distribute materials among member libraries, has been identified as a key role for the Cooperative. The Cooperative also plays a major role in coordinating communication among member libraries to facilitate the sharing of library talent and resources. The current Interlocal Agreement is scheduled for renewal in 2013. A Cooperative Governance Assessment was completed by RMG Consultants, Inc. on behalf of the Cooperative's Board of Directors and distributed to all Cooperative members in 2010.

The management of funds received from governmental agencies (local, state, and federal) and private sources are the responsibility of the Cooperative. In 2010 the Cooperative distributed $4,839,582 in funds collected through the millage assessment to residents of unincorporated Pinellas County to eligible member libraries. State funds received in 2010 totaled $692,992 and were used to support programs and services countywide. In addition, over $84,000 in grants and awards were received and were used to provide programs and services over and above those being funded at the local level. The Cooperative board has established a Fund Development Committee to implement the recommendations in the Fund Development Plan that was adopted by the board in 2010. Mary Brown and Paula Godfrey worked with John Elbare, Florida Philanthropic Advisors, LLC in completing the PPLC Fund Development Manual. The first fundraising initiative will target the Talking Book Library Program.

Providing support for countywide programming continued to be a strong initiative in 2010. Member libraries provide a wide range of programs for adults, young adults, and children. Some of the programs enhanced through PPLC's efforts include the following: Hurricane workshops provided by Pinellas County's Communications Department; Hire Me Teen Job Skills; Plug in at Your Library for teens; the Young Adult Author Visit; the Florida Library Youth Summer Reading Program; Reading with the Rays; and Chipotle Teen Programs. New in 2010 were the first countywide Adult Summer Reading Program and a countywide photography contest for all ages. The Cooperative celebrated its 20th Anniversary this year and received support from the Friends of the Library organizations and our member libraries in providing programs and refreshments at each library.

The Cooperative submitted and received a number of grants through local funding sources such as Bank of America, the Loebenburg Foundation, the Clearwater Library Foundation, Florida Humanities Council, Northern Trust, Target, Wal-Mart, Publix, and Read Pinellas, and other local agencies. These grants enhanced our literacy and programming efforts and helped establish new partnerships for the Cooperative. Partnerships with local literacy agencies such as the Pinellas County School Board, the Early Learning Coalition, Read Pinellas, United Methodist Cooperative Ministries, and the Florida Literacy Coalition remain a priority as well.

The Pinellas Automated Library System (PALS) completed its second contract year with Polaris Integrated Library Systems in 2010. The Cooperative continues to manage the contract and act as the primary point of contact with Polaris staff. The Cooperative expended $ 230,473 in FY 10 in Polaris system support and maintenance fees. The delivery of materials throughout the county is a key component of the success of the countywide automation system. The Cooperative contracted with a private vendor (Velocity Express) for the provision of this service. Fees covered by the Cooperative in 2010 totaled $106,585.

The Cooperative is responsible for three non-duplicated public service programs serving the residents of Pinellas County. The Talking Book Library (TBL) provides free library services to individuals for whom conventional print is a barrier. The program utilizes equipment, materials, and paid postage made available through the National Library Service for Blind and Physically Handicapped. Sarasota County renewed its contract with the Cooperative for the provision of TBL services to their residents in FY 11. The Born to Read program continues to expand its reach into the community. Library card applications have been issued to eligible residents throughout the county, greatly expanding the reach of the program. The Early Learning Coalition is continuing to provide financial support, along with local library Friends groups and service organizations. The Deaf Literacy Center (DLC) administrative office is located in the Safety Harbor Public Library. The City of Safety Harbor continues to be an outstanding partner in meeting the needs of the Deaf community in Pinellas County. The Satellite programs at the Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, and St. Petersburg Public libraries also continue to receive vital support from those cities allowing the program to reach families in all parts of the county. The Deaf Family Literacy program continued in 2010 with financial support provided by the Volunteer USA Foundation.

The Cooperative currently has reciprocal borrowing agreements with the participating members of the Tampa Bay Library Consortium, St. Petersburg College, and the City of Indian Rocks Beach. Indian Rocks Beach qualified for the State Aid to Libraries Program in 2010 which, based on Florida Statute requirements, provided them with reciprocal borrowing privileges with the Cooperative.

The continuing economic downturn in 2010 impacted libraries both in terms of their use and on the funding available to provide services vital to the residents of Pinellas County. Reductions in library hours of operation, materials, and staff due to funding constraints are placing strains on the system which is trying to meet growing needs with fewer resources. The Cooperative Board and staff met with local, and state elected officials to advocate for libraries and the services they provide. Legislators were visited in their local offices by the PPLC Executive Director, PPLC Board of Directors, and local library directors. During the 2010 legislative session legislators were also visited in Tallahassee during the FLA sponsored Library Days event. In addition to legislative visits the PPLC Executive Director met with the city manager, or mayor, from each Cooperative member city providing them with an update on Cooperative services.

The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative and its staff are committed to working toward the continued success of the Cooperative and to meeting the current and future needs of our members. The continued provision of quality library services that meet the growing and changing needs of our community remains a priority in this critical time. I look forward to working with the PPLC Board of Directors and our PPLC members towards that objective.

A Year In Review

• Our member libraries circulated 6,710,449 items.
• Over 1,322,585 reference questions were answered.
• We had over 5,122,043 visits to our libraries from patrons in Pinellas County.
• Our libraries offered 8,258 adult, teen, and children's programs with 214,355 community members in attendance.
• We had 676,287 registered patrons.
• We received over $84,000 in grant funds.

Born to Read

Born to Read is a library literacy program that informs parents about the benefits of reading to their babies. The program encourages reading by distributing developmentally appropriate books to families. This year, approximately 800 new families were enrolled with over 900 new cards issued. The program also provided over 3,300 books and parenting materials that were distributed to Born to Read families. The program received grant funding for these books from community partners including Early Learning Coalition, READ Pinellas, Friends of the Library, Clearwater Library Foundation, Junior League of St. Petersburg, Alpha Chi Omega, and the First Book National Book Bank.

Deaf Literacy Center

This past year, the Deaf Literacy Center continued to fulfill its mission of providing basic literacy instruction, life skills training, and library and information services to Deaf individuals and their families. The program received over $50,000 in grant funds including Volunteer USA Foundation funds to expand the program's services to include family literacy. Additionally, over 400 Deaf adults and family members attended DLC programs and over 1,500 individuals participated in Sign Language instruction and programs.

Pinellas Talking Book Library

During the past year, PTBL volunteers donated over 2,000 hours assisting in daily operations critical to the organization. The library also received grants and donations including funds from the Northern Trust, the Loebenberg Family Foundation, the Lions Club and individual supporters. In 2010, the PTBL continued its relationship with Sarasota County to provide services to their patrons. The TBL continues with the addition of digital books to add to its collection. TBL also launched the Low Vision Center this year and is working in partnership with Lighthouse of Pinellas to broaden the availability of digital download training and materials.