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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-09-22 - Agendas - FinalFAYETCEVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY Brenda Boudreaux Hershey Garner Kim Agee We inspire imagination and foster learning. Millage Exploratory Committee September 22, 2015 5-7 pm Ann Henry Board Room AGENDA Jack Butt Don Marr Ann Rosso I. Call to order II. Appoint committee chair III. Historical Background A. Master Plan Summary B. City Hospital property history C. Retreat Takeaways D. Expansion Options IV. Budget Forecast V. Long Term Revenue Committee Report VI. Election Calendar VII. Public Comment VIII. Adjourn Janine Parry Attachments: Historical background Statement of City Public Works Department 2000 goals — (see item 19) Certificate of Washington Co. declaring results of a special election in 2000 on a temporary sales tax Results of election in 2002 that removed Fayetteville Public Library from the Washington County Library System Takeaways from Library and Foundation Boards retreat in May, 2014 Long -Term Revenue Committee Report 2016 — 2023 Millage Parameters Budget Forecast Local Library Millage Assessments—Arkansas Millage elections in Arkansas — 2008-2014 Millage election significant dates to consider FAYETTEVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY Memo To: Millage Committee From: David Johnson, Executive Director Date: September 9, 2015 Re: Historical Background Thank you for agreeing to participate in the Millage Committee appointed by the Board of Trustees during their August meeting. Staff prepared this memo to provide background information for the discussions the Committee will have when it meets on September 22. These committee meetings are public. Historical Background The timeline that has led FPL to this point begins in 1916 when a group of Fayetteville citizens established a city library on June 7. On July 27, 1959 the library officially became the City of Fayetteville Library. The table below lists several of the key milestones beginning when voters approved the first library millage and has continued through today. Current Status The table below is a listing of events and dates: Event Date Authorized/Initiated Library Founded June, 1916 First Operating Millage Approved (part of Washington County) November, 1948 Reorganized as a city library July, 1959 Bonds issued to build Fulbright Library (G. O. Bonds) November, 1959 Initial Master Plan Authorized August, 1998 Special City Sales Tax to Construct New Library: passed 2895 for: 987 against August, 2000 FPL Millage Ask (1.0 mil) from County Library Mil to City: passed 1277 for: 248 against October, 2002 FPL Millage Ask (2.3 mils) April 2006, Failed 1943 against: 1725 for February, 2006 Event Date Authorized/Initiated Master Plan Update RFQ November, 2012 Board of Trustees authorizing 2030 Master Plan Update February, 2013 City Hospital Property Becomes Available (RFP closing date) April, 2013 Preliminary 2030 Master Plan Update findings August, 2013 Board of Trustees authorizes bid on property July, 2013 Washington Regional accepts FPL bid October, 2013 Operations & Maintenance Impact of Expansion April, 2014 FPL Mini Retreat May, 2014 FPL Blair Library Budget Forecast October, 2014 2015 Budget Discussions November, 2014 Long-Tenn Revenue Committee Formation December, 2014 Long-Tenn Revenue Committee Report & Recommendations June, 2015 Millage Committee Formation June, 2015 FPL Expansion Options on current site September, 2015 Millage Committee Recommendation to Board • Page 2 Public Works Department 2000 Goals & Results (continued) Goals 12. To continue to provide assistance, guidance, and requirements to associations operating programs at park facilities to ensure the quality of programs offered. 13. To amend maintenance programs developed in 1999 to incorporate new park facilities and new park land acquisitions. 14. To complete and develop programs and policies for the Gary Hampton Softball Complex. 15. To develop a Parks and Recreation master plan by a professional firm utilizing input from citizens at public meetings, park staff, and national park and recreational trends. 16. To continue working with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission on stocking and regulating Lake Fayetteville and Lake Sequoyah. 17. To increase book circulation of the library by 6% through improvements to the collection. 18. To develop on-going young adult activities at the Fayetteville Public Library. 19. To design a new main library building, to hold a referendum, and begin a capital campaign. 20. To install two traffic signals next year. Locations to be determined by a MUTCO study. Results 12. Provided field maintenance for the Fayetteville Youth Baseball, White River Baseball and all soccer leagues. Staff continued research and developed facility agreement drafts for all associations. 13. To provide more preventive maintenance the maintenance programs for building, ballfield, and mowing were expanded. 14. With the addition of this new ballpark, Parks and Recreation was able to offer fastpitch youth softball. This program had 31 teams registered for the summer and fall seasons. 15. Lose & Associates Inc. was awarded the contract for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The firm has conducted the steering commission meeting and ten public meetings, interviewed City staff and community leaders, and developed and mailed 6,000 surveys to citizens. Completion of the master plan is estimated mid -year 2001. 16. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has re- stocked both Lake Fayetteville and Lake Sequoyah to maintain both as prosperous fishing lakes. 17. Circulation increased from 337,600 in 1999 to a projected 410,000 in 2000, an estimated 18% increase. 18. Created a Young Adult Advisory Board consisting of about 20 students from grades seven through twelve. This board was involved in 16 programs, projects, and events for the year. 19. Completed a pre -funding design with final design underway, a temporary sales tax was passed in August to finance the new building, and a $12 million capital and endowment campaign was launched in the fall. 20. Plans have been submitted to AHTD for traffic signal installations at the intersections of Sunbridge and Gregg and Highway 180 and Hollywood. The City is on hold until approval is received. 21. To assist in developing a traffic count layer for the 21. The data base is in process with estimated online GIS data base. completion to be mid -year 2001. 142 0S/09/2015 sac) 3:50 x 4794441994 ®001/001. CERTIFICATE OF WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS ASCERTAINING AND DECLARING RESULTS OF SPECIAL ELECTION HELD IN THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE ON AUGUST 15, 2000 STATE OF ARKANSAS COUNTY OF WASHINGTON ) We duly commissioned and acting Election Commissioners of Washington County, Arkansas, do hereby certify that the following is a true and correct abstract of votes cast in the Special Election held in the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas, on August 15, 2000, on the question of a 1% Sales tax, as defined and described in Fayetteville City Ordinance Na, 4256. Co -Ad CD AR 47 The results of the vote on the question submitted are as follows: FOR 2895 AGAINST 987 Dana Willuuns, Member PROCLAMATION DECLARING THE RESULTS OF ELECTION I, the undersigned Mayor of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas, after examining the election returns and the Certificate of the Washington County Board of Election Commissioners certifying the vote FOR and AGAINST the question of levying a one mill city tax on real and personal property within the City of Fayetteville to be used for maintenance and operation of the Fayetteville Public Library, a public city library. If the one (1) mill city tax is approved, the one (1) mill county tax on real and personal property used for maintenance and operation of a county library system will cease to be levied within Fayetteville city limits. If the one (1) mill city tax is not approved, the one (1) mill county tax on real and personal property used for maintenance and operation of a county library system will continue to be levied within Fayetteville city limits. 1277 For a one (1) mill city tax on real and personal property within the City of Fayetteville to be used for maintenance and operation of the Fayetteville Public Library, a public city library. If the one (1) mill city tax is approved, the one (1) mill county tax on real and personal property used for maintenance and operation of a county library system will cease to be levied within Fayetteville city limits. 248 Against a one (1) mill city tax on real and personal property within the City of Fayetteville to be used for maintenance and operation of the Fayetteville Public Library, a public city library. If the one (1) mill city tax is not approved, the one (1) mill county tax on real and personal property used for maintenance and operation of a county library system will continue to be levied within Fayetteville city limits." All persons are hereby notified that the results of the election on question of levying a one mill city tax on real and personal property within the City of Fayetteville to be used for maintenance and operation of the Fayetteville Public Library shall be conclusive unless attacked by the Circuit Court of Washington County within thirty (30) days after the publication hereof. GIVEN this 4th day of October, 2002. By: Dan Coody, Mayor Take Aways from Board Retreat — May 9, 2014 Mayor Jordan: Libraries open life-long learning to every individual and level the playing field of life. Full support for the expansion. The main sources of revenue that fund the library's $4.26 million budget: city transfer from sales tax revenue and money generated by a one mil levy on real and personal property. Neither source of revenue has increased over the years. Annual revenue/current sources: With no expansion, the budget gap will grow from $1.76 million this year to $2.52 million in 2020 and $3.05 million in 2023. FPL cannot continue all the services it provides without a budget increase. The reality is that we're in a 10 year old facility that needs maintenance, more space for programming, and additional funds to purchase eBooks (increasingly popular and more expensive than print books). Blair Library, built for 65,000 patrons, was expected to accommodate community growth through 2018. However, the area grew faster than anticipated. Bobby Roberts: It's easier to pass a bond issue than a millage because people understand them better. If the millage is associated with a new building, people understand the need for operational millage money. A millage on an existing building is a difficult sell. FPL should target frequent voters with postcards, calls and educational materials. De-emphasize precincts that vote no. Dr. Stephen Smith: The 2006 library millage campaign didn't fail because there was an anti -tax mood (has there ever been a pro -tax mood?). It failed because it didn't get enough votes. Only 3668 people voted. In the last 5 special elections the largest number of votes against anything was 2265, so the library expansion needs 2500-3000 yes votes. Figure out what you want and ask for everything you need! Passage will be decided on big issues, not whether the request is 2.3 or 2.4 mils. August is a good date for a special election — patrons have used the library heavily during the summer and are back from vacation. Do not contact people likely to be opposed. Bill Mitchell: Fundraising is 90% homework and 10% solicitation. - 75% to 95% of the contributions will come from 50-100 donors. Fundraising is built on personal relationships and links between individual people. Individuals give to organizations in which they are engaged. The library must structure ways people can be involved. Jeff Scherer: Need to reset FPL to be more current. Newer libraries are doubling meeting spaces, adding maker spaces, reducing print collections and increasing technology. Blair Library was designed to be 100,000 sq. ft. Budget constraints resulted in a 12,000 sq. ft. reduction which is why the building is bursting at the seams. To educate and encourage voting, fact sheets explaining the library's needs and voter registration materials should be everywhere. Questions to ask: 1. What scale should the expansion be? 2. Will there be phases? 3. Will there be future needs such as branches? 4. Time required (Every year delay costs $1.5 million more in inflationary costs) 5. Disposition of remaining is a revenue question, service question and land bank question. Long Term Revenue Committee Fayetteville Public Library Memo To: Fayetteville Library Board of Trustees From: Long Term Revenue Committee Date: May 13, 2015 Re: Committee Report Introduction The Long Term Revenue Committee (LTRC) was charged with the development of possible funding actions to close a predicted budget gap beginning in calendar year 2016. This memo includes eighteen (18) revenue generation and/or expense reduction options discussed — some of which are being recommended for consideration by the FPL Board of Trustees (Trustees) for implementation. The LTRC's was tasked with addressing the fact that although operational funding revenue for Blair Library is growing just under 2% per year, expenses (due to exponential increase in user demand) are growing at 3.5% on average. In 2015, the library is operating with a balanced operational budget and all critical capital needs are funded with the exception of library materials. This balanced budget for 2015 was possible after $502,000 was removed from the Library's 2015 plan. Attachment 1 is a recap of the budget reductions implemented for 2013, 2014 and 2015. Table A presents an excerpt from a nine (9) year budget summary that forecasts revenue needs from 2015 through 2023 based on current operating strategy with no increase in total employee headcount. Predicted additional revenue needs in 2016 total $619,300 and are expected to reach $1,543,500 in 2023. This increased revenue need is to keep the library functioning as it does today without any increase in total employee headcount. The LTRC discussion of current Blair Library funding needs also considered future library funding needs: the need for expansion of the current Blair Library based on the 2030 Master Plan, the City Hospital land purchase, and the current legal status of the City Hospital property sale, for which a resolution is not expected until mid-to-late 2016. The LTRC's recommendations do not address these long-term funding needs. The LTRC discussions point to several short-term actions that will provide budgetary relief, but a long-term sustainable solution will need to include a voter approved millage levy. The LTRC emphasized the amount of millage and the election timing should be determined by the Board of Trustees, based on the short-term action recommendations outlined in this memo, as well as longer-term considerations. The latter would require a millage level above the current 1 mil. The LTRC considered a wide array of cost-saving and revenue -generation options. We used, to quote committee member George Faucette, "a sharp pen." Table B presents all considered options and the LTRC viability assessment of each option. Each option was categorized by the committee as a "Non -Starter" or "Possible" action. A "non-starter" action was a possible revenue generator or expense reducer, but could result in negative customer satisfaction and/or unacceptable reduction in customer services. "Possible" actions could generate revenue or reduce expenses with minimal impact on library services or patron satisfaction. 1 Long Term Revenue Committee Report Please note: these added revenues and/or expense savings are "soft" numbers based on our best guess with the information available. Table A— FPL Budget Summary 2016 — 2023 with Additional Revenue Needs Fayetteville Public Library Additional Revenue Needs Forecast 2016-2023 Budget year Primary Government Operations Transfer Book Transfer Property Taxes Transfer from Foundation Other Revenue (All Other Sources) 2015 2016 2017 2018 2023 2,083,400 2,102,400 2,166,400 2,183,400 2,277,400 1,677,400 1,677,400 1,677,400 1,677,400 1,677,400 406,000 425,000 489,000 506,000 600,000 1,342,000 119,130 362,980 1,374,000 122,000 323,000 1,401,000 124,000 323,000 1,429,000 126,000 323,000 1,576,000 141,000 323,000 Total Revenue - Current Sources ' 3,907,510 3,921,400 4,014,400' 4,061,400' 4,317,400 Supplement from Savings 158,000 158,000 158,000 158,000 0 Total Resources • 4,065,510 4,079,400 4,172,400 4,219,400' 4,317,400 Annual Expenditures - Current Facilities 4,065,283 4,208,000 4,355,000 4,507,000 5,353,000 Restore 2014/2015 Cuts 0 0 0 0 0 E Book cost difference 0 175,000 128,000 129,000 133,000 Equipment and Facility Updates 0 315,700 362,700 361,700 374,900 Total Revised Annual Expenditures • 4,065,283 4,698,700 4,845,700' 4,997,700 5,860,900 Additional Revenue Needs ' 227 • (619,300) • (673,300) • (778,300)(1,543,500) Current Mil Rate 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 The impact on Additional Revenue Needs Forecast of removing: Supplement from Savings, E Book Cost Difference and Equipment and Facility Updates for 2015 through 2018 is depicted in Table C1 later in this report. • Page 2 Long Term Revenue Committee Report Table B — All Revenue and Expense Options Discussed and Categorized by LTRC. (Note: LTRC meeting minutes are attached to provide additional context for categorizations and discussions.) Table B: Item/Topic Listing Non Starter Possible 1. Close on Sundays and/or Mondays 1 $50,000 2. Furlough employees ✓ 0 3. Do not replace departing employees 1 4. Reduce the collection / 5. Charge for parking in deck ✓ 6. Revise building policy to remove "keep in like new condition" ✓ 7. Reduce the number of DVDs that can be checked out (to decrease losses) ✓ 8. Eliminate special events and author events ✓ 9. Reduce/eliminate programs ✓ 10. Reduce lawn care contract/hired services / 11. Millage increase (two elements: increased valuation and increased millage rate) (this analysis on addresses increased valuations) ✓ 12. Charge for library cards 1 13. Charge for meeting room use/ charge room rentals 1 14. Increase fines and fees 1 15. Increase Coffee Shop (Arsaga's) rent ✓ 16. Charge for events ✓ 17. Reinstate operating transfer from unrestricted endowment 1 18. Restrict Long Term Reserve to capital replacement ✓ The LTRC then evaluated the ten (10) options members considered "possible." Table C presents the projected budget impact for 2016 of each. The "net impact" of adopting all of the suggestions is $539,700. The Board of Trustees may choose to adopt any/all or none of the suggestions. If the Board adopts all of the suggestions then FPL still has a budget deficit of $79,600 to address in developing the 2016 budget. Table C Table C presents actions forwarded by the LTRC as "possible" as well as the estimated revenue generation or cost savings. The net impact — if all options were implemented at the recommended levels — would be $539,700. Table C: Possible Item/Topic Listing Summary Conclusion Predicted Dollars Saved or Increased Revenue in 18' Year 1. Do not replace departing employees Potential saving estimate is $50,000 annually based on recent patterns. $50,000 2. Revise building policy to remove "keep in like new condition" Also see Item 10 and Table C1 for additional information as Item 2 and Item 10 are related and Table 01 accumulates the budget impact of both items. Care of the building is paramount. Long - Term Reserve coupled with reserves for Technology, Facilities and Furniture & Equipment should provide adequate money for capital reinvestment through 2018. This would remove the $158,000 currently being transferred to the library's operating budget. 0 • Page 3 Long Term Revenue Committee Report Table C: Possible Item/Topic Listing Summary Conclusion Predicted Dollars Saved or Increased Revenue in PI Year 3. Reduce the number of DVDs that can be checked out (to decrease losses) No direct dollar impact except for the potential of postponing some added purchases. $0 4. Millage increase (two elements: increased valuation and increased millage rate) Existing property values are anticipated to grow 2.4% from 2014 to 2015. (This addresses increased valuation only) $40,000 5. Charge for meeting room use/charge for room rentals The meeting room rates should be adjusted, especially those that are assessed to for-profit organizations. $28,000 6. Increase fines and fees A minor increase in fine rate is proposed coupled with adoption of no tolerance policy in that all fines & fees must be paid before additional materials can be checked out. $19,000 7. Increase Coffee Shop (Arsaga's Rent) Good business practice says FPL should periodically review rental rates but should do so in a manner that seeks to build on existing relationships $0 8. Charge for Events Continue to hold these events if sponsorships and/or fees can make them self-supporting. $10,000 9. Reinstate operating transfer from unrestricted endowment Release the $2.0 million for re -investment and restart the annual distribution to FPL. $60,000 10. Restrict Long Term Reserve to capital replacement/ Supplement from savings This designation will provide funding for capital replacements for a few years but will reduce operating revenues through 2020. The net impact is shown in this table. 332,700 Total "Net Impact" $539,700 Net Deficit to Close for 2016 479,600 • Page 4 Table C1 Fayetteville Public Library Additional Revenue Needs Forecast 2016-2018 Budget year Primary Government Operations Transfer Book Transfer IT Transfer Property Taxes Transfer from Foundation Other Revenue (All Other Sources) Total Revenue - Current Sources Transfer from IT& Facilities Reserve Supplement from Savings Total Resources Long Term Revenue Committee Report mil growth 2012 to 2013 2015 2016 2017 2018 1.98% 2,083,400 1,677,400 406,000 0 1,342,000 119,130 362,980 2,102,400 1,677,400 425,000 0 1,374,000 122,000 323,000 2,166, 400 1,677,400 489,000 0 1,401,000 124,000 323,000 2,183,400 1,677,400 506,000 0 1,429,000 126,000 323,000 Annual Expenditures - Current Facilities (2014 Adopted Budget adjuster E Book cost difference compared to Hardback Books Equipment and Facility Updates to keep FPL inviting & energy efficient Total Revised Annual Expenditures - Current Facilities Additional Revenue Needs 3,907,510' 3,921,400' 4,014,400' 4,061,400 158,000 158,000 158,000 158,000 4,065,510' 4,079,400' 4,172,400' 4,219,400 4,065,283 4,208,000 4,355,000 4,507,000 0 175,000 128,000 129,000 315,700 362,700 361,700 • 4,065,283 4,698,700' 4,845,700' 4,997,700 227' (619,300)' (673,300)' (778,300) Impact of Options: Table C Items 1 through 9 207,000 207,000 207,000 Table C Item 10 (next 3 items taken together) Supplement from Savings (158,000) (158,000) (158,000) E Book cost difference compared to Hardback Books 175,000 128,000 129,000 Equipment and Facility Updates to keep FPL inviting & energy efficient 315,700 362,700 361,700 Revised Annual Revenue Needs • Page 5 227 (79,600) (133,600) (238,600) Long Term Revenue Committee Report ATTACHMENT 1 2013 2014 2015 Fayetteville PUblic=Library Budget Reductions 2013-2015 Budget Budget Budget Added Revenue to Balance Annual Budget FINRA Grant Revenue 28,835 Recognize Wal-Mart/Sam's Grant for Brainfuze Database 9,000 Obtain Board approval to use FPL endowment managed by Foundation 35,000 Add NEH Funding 36,000 Internal Transfers from Designated Savings Accounts 79,500 Added Resources r 188,335 Expenditure Reductions to Balance Annual Budget Reduce Program Supplies/Performances 19,675 60,156 19,766 Reduce Library Materials 0 0 84,500 Reduce Marketing & Community Relations 6,750 16,227 18,369 Increase Salary Contingency (8,000) Reduce Salary Contingency 62,000 Reduce PTO Buy -Back 10,000 Reduce Administration - Personnel Services 28,000 Reduce Facilities - Personnel Services 12,317 22,065 Reduce Administration Supplies 5,700 Reduce Marketing Supplies 560 Reduce Computer Software - Application 17,000 Reduce Public Notification 2,250 Reduce Postage 6,000 Reduce Electricity 3,000 Reduce Municipal Water 600 Reduce Contract Services 25,800 19,220 Reduce Dropbox Pickup 2,500 Reduce Other Professional Services 8,000 Reduce Memberships 768 Reduce Travel, Lodging & Meals 22,325 Reduce Training & Professional Develop 22,675 Reduce Bank Service Charges 300 Reduce Building Maintenance 36,450 99,500 Reduce Furniture & Equipment 35,000 Reduce Building Improvements 24,500 Reduce Computer & Technological Equipment 10,440 Total Reductions for Operational Expenses 18,425 313,128 362,860 Reduction for Master Plan Phase 2 140,000 Total Expenditure Budget Reductions to Balance Budget on an Annual Basi: 18,425 313,128 502,860 • Page 6 Long Term Revenue Committee Report ADDENDUM Designated Reserves FPL has four (4) designated reserves: Long Term, Facilities, Technology, and Furniture & Equipment. The following is a recap of the original source used to establish each of the designated reserves along with a discussion of the original purpose for each. These reserves are controlled by FPL Board of Trustees and are completely separate from the endowments managed by the Foundation. Please note: these designated reserves are scheduled to be fully utilized by 2020. Long Term A review of the financial records reveals that the Long Term Reserve was established in 2003 with an initial deposit of $99,780. The next significant deposit, $992,425, was in October 2004 from the sale of the Fulbright Library Building on Dickson Street. The funds were used to pay for remaining cost associated with completion and furnishing of Blair Library. The table below lists the major actions taken with regard to the Long Term Reserve. Date Description Transfer In (Out) Amount 7/31/2003 Initial Deposit 99,780 10/31/2004 Sale of Fulbright building 992,425 8/5/2005 Transfer for Building Payments (457,726) 6/22/2006 Deposit 50,000 12/14/2006 Transfer from Merrill Lynch Accounts 600,000 9/5/2007 Establish Facilities Restricted Investment (206,129) 9/5/2007 Establish Furniture & Equipment Restricted Investment (206,129) 9/5/2007 Establish Technology Restricted Investment (206,129 4/11/2011 Transfer from Merrill Lynch Accounts 780,000 11/28/2011 Transfer To Arvest for Operations (100,000) 6/2015 Transfer to Operating Investment (79,000) 10/2015 Transfer to Operating investment (79,000) The balance in the Long Term Reserve Restricted investment as of April 30, 2015 is approximately $1,172,000. Facilities The Facilities Restricted investment was established in September 2007 with an initial deposit of $206,129 from Long Term Reserve and has been funded with unexpended operational budget money from Facility budget line items. This transfer was not made for 2013 and 2014 in order to allow the remaining budgeted money to flow back into Operational Reserves. Investment earnings on Facilities Reserve are added to the balance on a monthly basis. There was a transfer to Operating Investment of $16,500 in February 2014 to reimburse for some facility improvements paid from Operating Investments. The balance in the Facilities Restricted investment as of April 30, 2015 is approximately $535,000. Technology The Technology Restricted investment was established in September 2007 with an initial deposit from Long Term Reserve in the amount of $206,129 and has been funded with unexpended operational budget money from IT budget line items. This transfer was not made for 2013 and 2014 in order to allow the remaining budgeted money to flow back into Operational Reserves. • Page 7 Long Term Revenue Committee Report Investment earnings are added to the balance on a monthly basis. There was a transfer from Technology Reserves of $13,000 in February 2014 to Operating Investments to reimburse for some technology improvements paid from Operating Investments. The balance in the Technology Restricted investment as of April 30, 2015 is approximately $270,000. Furniture & Equipment The Furniture & Equipment Restricted investment was established in September 2007 with an initial deposit from Long Term Reserve of $206,129. The balance in the Furniture & Equipment Restricted investment as of April 30, 2015 is approximately $189,000. Investment eamings are added to the balance on a monthly basis. There was a transfer from Fumiture & Equipment Reserves of $50,000 in February 2014 to Operating Investments to reimburse for some furniture & equipment improvements paid from Operating Investments. • Page 8 FAYETTEVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY Memo To: Fayetteville Public Library Board of Trustees From: David Johnson, Executive Director Date: Re: 2016 -2023 Millage Parameters Introduction This memo seeks to communicate the critical decisions facing the Board of Trustees as it considers various options to implement the recommendations of the 2030 Master Plan update. Many of the concepts and priorities contained in this memo will be repeated in the official budget memo. This compilation is provided to give the Board additional time to contemplate the issues and opportunities for 2016 and forward through 2023.The focus of this memo is to address FPL's long-term needs for service and space starting with the 2016 budget. Blair Library is listed as a "gem of Fayetteville" and as the city continues its growth toward a predicted 115,000 in 2030, Blair Library must meet the service demands that 115,000 citizens will expect. The enormous popularity and use of Blair Library from its 2005 opening through today led the Board of Trustees, in the i`' quarter 2013, to authorize a 2030 Master Plan update. Based on detailed data analysis, the 2030 Master Plan concluded that an additional 80,000 square feet of library space will be needed by 2030 to meet patron service expectations. The most current estimate is that Fayetteville has over 80,000 residents. FPL's library card holders have grown from 60,714 in 2005 when Blair Library was completed to 80,896 as of July 2015. The key decisions that need to be addressed in the coming weeks and months are: • Determine the path to expansion • Determine the funding mechanism for the expansion • Secure operational revenue to fully fund Blair Library and the future expansion Next year, 2016, is a pivotal year in the history of Fayetteville Public Library. However, it is not the first decisive year. Perhaps the most critical year was 1916 when a few visionary citizens created a reading room for a growing frontier city that comprised a few city blocks and was home to the state's land grant university. The next major move came in 1957 with the construction of the Fulbright Library on Dickson Street which served Fayetteville citizens until October 2004 when Blair Library opened. 1 Our citizens have, for over the past 100 years, grown to rely on free access to library materials and programs of all types and formats. Library services continue to evolve as historical formats to dispense written words migrate to new digital formats. The Library has been able to provide engaging and stimulating materials and programming that address patrons' interests and needs. These materials and programs continue to evolve into more hands-on, experience -based library services. Blair Library is now ten (to) years old and entering the replacement phase for equipment & furnishings. With the increase in traffic (almost 1500 patrons a day in 2014), Blair Library is beginning to show wear. Library resources - be they materials, program space, study rooms or meeting rooms - are requiring closer monitoring than ever before. The stewardship of past and current Trustees is paying off in that, through 2015, FPL has had the resources needed to replace equipment that wore out, ceased to be supported by the manufacturer or no longer met the needs of our patrons. This is changing. The Board of Trustees continues to focus on both the annual budget and the long-term future for Blair Library. During the 2015 budget discussions, the Board appointed a Long -Term Revenue Committee to assess the sources and uses of operating funds. The Committee's recommendations will be discussed in the next section of this memo. An additional advisory committee has been formed; the Millage Advisory Committee will develop recommendations for the Board to consider concerning the size and timing of a millage election. The size of the millage ask will depend on which expansion option the Board selects: (i) Expand Blair Library on this campus by 30,000 square feet (SF) (2) Expand Blair Library on this campus by 56,000 SF (3) Expand Blair Library by the 80,000 SF recommended in the 2030 Master Plan Update Library Operating Budgets 2005-2015 To briefly recap our recent history, FPL had adequate resources to provide library services that met or exceeded patron expectations until the recession of 2008 to 2010.The net effect of the recession was flattened revenue as operational costs continued to grow at the normalized rate of inflation. And, even while the local economy began to stabilize and grow after 2010, growth of the library revenue sources remained - and continue to remain - below pre -recession levels. After 2010, FPL showed operational deficits for 20II through 2013. The budgets for 2014 and 2015 were balanced by reducing planned activities by $313,000 in 2014 and $503,000 in 2015. The following graph provides an overview of the past few years. • Page 2 4500000 4000000 3500000 3000000 2500000 2000000 FAYETTEVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY, EXPENSES & REVENUES 2005-2015 0.+ m to n ,o �70 mm 1111 2005 2006 (0 n 0 O m m 0 rri t.0 70 ri O O 0 VD mm 00 roro 0 0 Na ma n0 00 nN mm 00 ,n 0070 o o NN v0 on - CO in N In o o 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 • Revenues • Expenses Budget cuts for 2015 included, but were not limited to: 1. Reduced maintenance funding - $118,000 2. Reduced book purchases - $84,500 3. Elimination of staff raises - $62,000 4. Reduced IT budget for software and equipment - $27,400 5. Reduced programming materials - $19,44.0 The $84,500 in reduced book purchases affects both print books and e -books. The reduction is exacerbated by e -books' popularity and their significantly higher price. Patron preference for e -books coupled with stagnant revenue and routine inflation have reduced FPL's ability to respond to patron needs. The following table lists the average cost paid for a print book compared to the average cost of an e -book from 20I2 through July 2015. • Page 3 Year Average Print Book Cost Average E -book Cost 2012 $14.26 $24.67 2013 $14.31 $22.29 2014 $14.40 $25.92 Through July 2015 $1442 $34.03 The table below compares print and e -book circulation for the time periods (2005, and 2012 through July 2015). Through July 2015, FPL is experiencing a 5. i% decline in print book circulation and a 12.8% increase in e -book circulation. E -book circulation has increased from 55,035 in 2012 to 125,438 in 2014. In order for FPL's collection to remain relevant to our patrons additional resources are needed. Our library materials budget for 2015 is less than 2014, a likely contributor to declining circulation numbers. • Page 4 Calendar Year 2005 Calendar Year 2012 Calendar Year 2013 Calendar Year 2014 Year -to - Date Through July 2015 Circulation numbers Print 830,693 1,205,206 1,213,684 1,214,747 437,064 Digital and Freegal Not applicable 55,035 101,910 125,438 79,828 Circulation % change from prior year Print 15.7% o.5% o.7% o.i% -5.Io% Digital and Freegal Not applicable 67.9% 85.2% 23.I% 12.8% Through July 2015, FPL is experiencing a 5. i% decline in print book circulation and a 12.8% increase in e -book circulation. E -book circulation has increased from 55,035 in 2012 to 125,438 in 2014. In order for FPL's collection to remain relevant to our patrons additional resources are needed. Our library materials budget for 2015 is less than 2014, a likely contributor to declining circulation numbers. • Page 4 An additional data point is building use as measured by program attendance from 2005 through July 2015. The following table illustrates patron usage We have set forth some key elements that have driven FPL's budget framework over the past few years. As we examine the future we need to: (1) Continue to provide excellent library services for our existing population and (2) Plan the facilities and materials needed for Fayetteville citizens through 2030. These dual goals require that we find additional funding both for current operations and the inevitable expansion. 2016 to 2917 Needs with the Forecast to 2023 During the budget process for 2015, staff prepared a multi-year forecast that examined predicted resources and anticipated needs from 2015 through 2023. See chart next page. In 2014, the Board appointed a Long -Term Revenue Committee which ultimately determined that additional taxpayer support is needed to meet FPL's operating needs over the next eight to ten (8-10) years. Further exacerbating budget concerns, the Arkansas General Assembly in 2015 reduced state -aid to public libraries by over $1.0 million. FPL's part of the reduction is over $30,000. Expected future reductions in state aid will further erode FPL's financial resources. Future reductions are largely unknowable at this time. FPL has determined that approximately $315,000 to $375,000 is needed annually to fund an account restricted to the replacement of furniture and equipment. This will ensure that FPL has enough money to pay for major repairs to the roof, conveyor system, and elevators as well as the next network upgrade scheduled for 2025. Currently, FPL does not have the annual revenue to replenish these savings accounts for the eventual equipment/facility repair/replacements. The Board has set aside cash in a long-term reserve account that could provide the funds for replacement until voters are given an opportunity to determine FPL's future source of funds. This short term option can only last for a few years. The table below presents this information in summary format. It also incorporates recommendations made by the Long -Term Revenue Committee that have been adopted by the Board. • Page 5 Fayetteville Public Library Additional Revenue Needs Forecas & 2023 Budget year Current Mil Rate City of Fayetteville Transfers Operations Transfer Book Transfer Property Taxes Property taxes - Reassessment Impact Transfer from Foundation Other Revenue (All Other Sources) Total Revenue - Current Sources Supplement from Savings Mil growth 2013-2014 Mil growth from 2015 to 2016 2015 2016 2017 1.00 I.00 1.00. 1,677,400 1,677,400 406,000 425,000 1,342,000 119,130 362,980 1,342,000 63,000 182,000 427,000 1,677,400 489,000 1,369,000 64,000 186, 000 412,000 1.74. 4.69% 2023 I.00 1,677,400 600,000 1,541,000 70,000 21 0, 000 412,000 3,907,510 4,116,400 158,000 0 4497,400 O 4,510,400 O Total Resources 4,065,510 4,116,400 4,197,400 4,510,400 Annual Expenditures - Current Facilities 1,473,902 1,474,000 1,500,000 I,939,000 Annual Expenditures - Personnel Services 2,591,381 2,630,000 2,709,000 3,234,000 Annual Expenditures - Health Insurance Increase 12,000 12,000 12,000 E Book cost difference 175,000 128,000 133,000 Designated Reserves: Equipment and Facility Updates 315,700 362,700 374,900 Total Revised Annual Expenditures 4,065,283 4,606,700 4,711,700 5,692,900 Additional Revenue Needs • Page 6 227 (490,300) (514,300) (1,182,500) Long Term Revenue Committee Recommendations • Use increased millage revenue from the 2015 property tax reassessment to shore -up FPL's budget. This is reflected in the table above in the amount of $63,000 for 2016. The next three revenue items are incorporated into Other Revenue in the following table. • Increase meeting room fees - $9,000 in additional revenue annually. • Increase fines and fees - $19,000 annually. This revenue source will slowly decline as e -book circulation grows. E -books, by their nature, cannot fall into a delinquent status because access to the materials is shut off once the expiration date has been attained. • Reinstate operating transfer from Foundation's Unrestricted Endowment - $6o,000. This transfer will temporarily reduce the ability of the Foundation to provide funding for other library needs. Two additional recommendations were made by the Long -Term Revenue Committee that have not been incorporated into the 2016 budget. • Do not replace departing employees - projected saving $50,000 annually. This recommendation can only be implemented if an employee leaves and is not replaced. Over the last 24 months, FPL has not had any employees leave from a position that could remain vacant making this potential savings less assured than other recommendations. • Charge for events - this item is under consideration by the FPL Board. A final recommendation of the Long -Term Revenue Committee is to redirect the annual transfer from Long -Term Reserves to the Equipment and Facility Fund. Historically, this transfer has been used to fill gaps in the operating budget. The Long -Term Reserve has sufficient investments to meet this need for three (3) years at which time the reserve will be gone. The following table builds on the table from page 6 and reflects the impact of implementing the Board accepted recommendations from the Long -Term Revenue Committee. • Page 7 Fayetteville Public Library Additional Revenue Needs For Budget year Additional Revenue Needs ecast 2016-20 7 & 2023 Mil growth 2013-2014 Mil growth from 2015 to 2016 2015 2016 2017 227(490,300) (514,300) .71% 4.69% 2023 (1,182,500) Impact of Removing: E Book cost difference compared to Hardback Books Equipment and Facility Updates Total Value Removed Net Additional Revenue Needs 175,000 128,000 315,700 362,700 0 0 490,700 490,700 0 400 (23,600) (1,182,500) The budget gap for 2016 has been closed by a combination of additional transfer from the Foundation and holding other expenses flat with 2015. The budget gap for 2017 maybe more difficult to close. Future Impacts of Budget Reductions Made in 201. and 20IK Based on statistical data, FPL has a growing need for additional programming space as well as library materials. Solving the additional space needs is a topic outside of the annual budget process. This budget addresses some of the issues that could occur if operational funding reductions are not reinstated and/or additional funding secured. Library materials reductions made in 2015 are unlikely to be restored for a few years. We can already see the beginning of the impact: e -books circulation grew rapidly from 55,000 checkouts in 2012 to over 125,000 in 2014. We anticipate continued growth in the "e" platform. Electronic books cost at Least twice as much as print books and with all of our circulation growth occurring in e books we are at risk of having a stagnant collection with fewer check outs in future years a distinct probability. The reduction in library materials budget of $77,500 for 2015 equates to 5,375 print books or 2,278 e - books. Carrying this library material reduction a second year means FPL will not have 4,556 of the most current e -books or 10,750 copies of the most current print books. Maintenance materials reductions mean that FPL will no longer be able to be maintained in like" new condition and the age of the building will become increasing more apparent. Reductions in IT funding for software and equipment will eventually impact the reliability of the platforms by which we provide library services. FPL, throughout its history, has been in catch-up mode where library employees are given raises only to fall behind the following year(s). The Library conducted a salary survey in 2013 that brought our • Page 8 pay -ranges up to our peer libraries. We did not have the funds for a salary adjustment in 2015 so we are again beginning to fall behind. This can have a direct impact on employee morale and retention. It is my recommendation that secure funding be identified to fund these critical areas and ensure FPL continues to meet the expectations of our patrons. Accomplishments — 2012 throw h 2olS The next few pages provide a listing of accomplishments during the past twelve (12) months as well a work -plan for 2016. This work -plan is based on the assumption that FPL services will be structured to attain equilibrium between quality library services and the availability of materials and existing staff time. It should be noted that FPL has the same employee count today that existed in 2004. with the opening of Blair Library. Each of these accomplishments was made possible by having an engaged staff that actively sought out programs and projects that resonate with FPL patrons. It goes without saying that staff retention is critical to an organization like ours. It also goes without saying that having the resources to meet patron interests is equally important. Without adequate funding it is unlikely that FPL can continue to be the jewel it has become over the past one hundred (100) years. • Books and Bites targets low income, academically at -risk students who have also been identified as food deprived. In partnership with Feed Fayetteville, Farmer's Table Restaurant, and First Security Bank, the library brings summer campers from the Yvonne Richardson Center to the library for a hot meal, an educational and motivational program, hands-on food crafts, food preparation ideas and a take home bag filled with recipes, fresh produce and books. Plans are underway to broaden this program to include Life Source International summer campers and students at Asbell Elementary School. These additional locations have been identified as the program's target audience. Total number served would be 50 campers from Yvonne Richardson, 75 campers from Life Source and 480 students at Asbell. • Saving Money Makes tents - This program is FPL's financial literacy initiative funded through Smart Investing@Your Library®, a partnership with the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and American Library Association. Partnering with Credit Counseling of Arkansas, Fayetteville Public Schools, University of Arkansas Bessie Moore Center for Economic Education, Washington County Extension Services, and Head Start in Fayetteville, the library organized workshops using a whole -family approach to building sound financial literacy, with the ultimate goal of increasing the overall financial knowledge of participants. Outreach and library events targeted multigenerational families among Fayetteville's vulnerable populations, empowering them to take active roles in their standard of living. The grant funded program started in October 2013 and concluded in April 2015. During this time period, FPL provided 29 courses to 1,359 attendees. The FPL financial resource collection grew by 5o% and circulation increased by 158% After the first year, 92% of participants reported that they found the sessions helpful or very helpful. Junior high students reported a knowledge increase of 35 percentage points, with 90% feeling financially knowledgeable and capable at the end of the course. Attendee evaluations also demonstrated that, because of what they learned in the workshop, more than 8o% of all participants • Page 9 were "likely" to set financial goals, not use credit to extend income, discuss personal finances with their family, and save for an emergency fund. Attendees described the events as providing "concrete and practical information that can be used every day." Further success of the classes was attributed to the instructors who were described as "eager to help" and "motivating without judgment." Participants reported the impact of the sessions, including "opening a college savings plan," "working on a mutual funds account," "making more concrete goals," and "changing my family's finances." During the 2" year Saving Money Makes tents continued its mission by offering more sessions at outreach locations such as the Fayetteville Senior Activity and Wellness Center, providing more whole family programs, and teaching classes for elementary finance and math instructors. • Nonprofit Resource Center - This resource is a part of the Funding Information Network of the Foundation Center, a New York based nonprofit considered the leading authority on philanthropic giving. Our library became a member of the Funding Information Network in 2007 and, since then, has provided strong and effective support to the nonprofits in Northwest Arkansas (NWA). The Nonprofit Resource Center is a single access point to materials and resources that help nonprofit organizations grow, develop leadership and improve performance. Its strengths are its book collection, free programming, research help and grant -seeking databases. Staff add new titles to the collection regularly - many of which are expensive and not readily available elsewhere. The books in this collection can be checked out, and individuals who work for nonprofits in Northwest Arkansas, even those outside FPL's service area, are eligible for free library cards to access these collections. Approximately 400 people representing 300 regional nonprofits attend free workshops and events annually. The grant databases see, on average, 250 searches a month. Librarians even provide one-on-one consultations that provide personalized instruction on the Center's resources. • Summer Reading Program - Since its inception in 1998, the library's Summer Reading Club (SRC) goal has been to provide programs and materials that stimulate imaginations, inspire students of all ages, and address the learning losses that occur over the summer when school is not in session. To that end, SRC targets four levels of participants - listeners, youth readers, teens and, as of 2007, adults. Attendance has grown from 1,907 in 1998 to 18,176 this year, an 853% increase. As part of the promotion of SRC, librarians visited all elementary schools in Fayetteville personally reaching 5,536 kids. Almost 75% of those children signed up in 2014. This summer SRC offered 206 story times, programs, workshops, camps and speakers. With the addition of the adult program, parents who come to the library with their children find it's both fun and effective to lead by example and enroll the entire family in the program. In a community where illiteracy levels hover dangerously high, the Summer Reading Club helps lay the foundation for successful reading skills. • Robotics have been proven to enhance the problem solving abilities of children. The number of jobs in the tech field is growing and Fayetteville Public Library wants to provide our young people with the opportunity to enhance their technological skills. Since starting classes in November of 2014, we have had over 85 participants with two more classes scheduled for fall of 2015. • Page 10 • Teen Expansion - On June 3, 2011, the Otwell Teen Library opened to address the ever-changing needs of Fayetteville's growing teen population. Before the opening, only five computers were dedicated for teens which often meant teens were unable to use a computer during peak after school hours. Nor were space needs being met as there were few places for teens to sit or congregate. The renovation was funded by a generous bequest from Dr. Harry C. and Lela M. Otwell, a $75,000 technology grant from Cox Communications, and sponsorships from Best Buy and Sam's Club of Fayetteville. The Teen Mac Lab is now home to 13 iMac workstations available exclusively for teen use and 15 lap tops for check out. If a teen should prefer to use a PC rather than a Mac, there are three collaborative Dell touchscreen workstations located in the teen library for that purpose. Teens helped choose design cues such as colors and furniture. They also gave insight into elements which would help increase use among teens, such as a dedicated gaming area, a commons area with abundant seating, and modular furniture so that tables and chairs could be moved together for collaborative study. The goal was to give the intended users of the teen library ownership of their new space, and area teens rose to the occasion. • Sit, Stay, Read! pairs struggling and/or emerging readers with Library volunteers who have certified therapy dogs. The library program encourages students to improve their literacy and reading skills by reading aloud to the dogs in a relaxed environment with a nonjudgmental audience. This program, in existence since 2002, serves approximately 30 students per year at six Fayetteville elementary schools. • Cat Tales, the Kitty Litter-acy Program, is designed to give kids an opportunity to practice their literacy and reading skills in a positive, relaxed environment by reading aloud to cats at the Fayetteville Animal Shelter. The participants commit to six reading sessions with the cats. They improve their reading skills while the cats become more socialized, thereby improving their chances for adoption. Since the program began in April, 2014, forty seven kids have completed the program. • Reading Roadshow is a volunteer driven, theme -based outreach story time for preschoolers who are unable to attend story time at the library. Each month, and often twice a month, library volunteers visit three Head Start Centers, all of the Pre -kindergarten classes in the Fayetteville School District and the Elizabeth Richardson Center to promote literacy through stories, songs, music and puppets. Over 275 students are served each month through this program. At the end of each school year, each student receives a new, hard back picture book for their home library. • Books for Borrowing is a small, on-site collection placed in each of the three Fayetteville Head Start locations. Books are available for check out and are rotated on a monthly basis. This program encourages library borrowing and serves those families who are unable to come to the library. • Letter of the Week is offered at two Fayetteville Head Start centers. Library volunteers go weekly throughout the school year to work one-on-one with those students identified as trailing in their kindergarten readiness skills. Head Start testing scores show significant improvement as a result of this program. • Page 11 • Lending Hands and Words on Wheels serve the homebound and senior populations of the community who are unable to come to the library. For 20 years, the Lending Hands program has enlisted the help of' library volunteers to deliver library materials to residents who are homebound. Residents sign up to receive this service and are visited regularly by the volunteer. Words on Wheels is a new program beginning this fall at Morningside Assisted Living. Again, library volunteers will visit the facility weekly to meet with residents and provide readings of poetry and short stories. • Network Upgrade - Prior to the upgrade, the library's network core was running on (100 Megabit) Ethernet technologies developed in the 1990s. The network infrastructure was very outdated given the demand of today's internet usage and bandwidth hungry digital content streaming applications. Planning for the upgrade started in the spring of 2014 and final selections of leading edge network technologies were chosen by December. In March, FPL IT staff, along with local Cisco engineers, upgraded the entire network core to the latest 10 Gigabit switches in one evening, and in some cases, increasing performance between systems by a factor of 1000. Patrons realized a 100 times increase in the public network performance and a 5 fold increase in internet download speeds. • Mifi Project - In the spring of 2015, Fayetteville Public Library began offering mobile WiFi (MiFi) devices for checkout to patrons. Patrons are able to tap into AT&T's nationwide 40 LTE network using an AT&T Unite mobile hotspots for fast browsing, email, and downloads using the mobile devices from anywhere. Ten devices with unlimited data plans, five of which are paired with new HP laptops, were sponsored by Library supporters, Hayden Mcllroy and Dash Goff. The MiFi checkout project has been a huge success and FPL hopes to expand the offering as budget allows. • Internet Only I -cards - With free and equal access to knowledge being one of the guiding missions of the library, FPL issued Internet only I -cards to over 9,000 students in the Fayetteville school system in the 2013-2014 school year. Not a borrowing card, this I -card enables any student to access the FPL website, educational databases and live homework helpers from home or from school 24/7, regardless of outstanding fines. It also provides teachers and educators with additional tools to supplement their lesson plans and the common core curriculum. In addition to a reissue of I - cards for the current school year, plans are underway to expand the program to Fayetteville's 1,500 charter and private schools students. • True Lit: Fayetteville Literary Festival - The Fayetteville community strongly supports the cultivation of writers and artists. As a vibrant and creative regional hub, many organizations, including the Fayetteville Public Library, have hosted events and festivals to spotlight regional talent over the years. In 2012, FPL spearheaded efforts to unite these many smaller efforts into a larger, more focused festival. The multi -day True Lit: Fayetteville Literary Festival emerged from these efforts in 2013. • True Lit built upon FPL's successful Ozark Writers Live!, a one -day literary event designed to spotlight regional authors and encourage budding new writers to pursue their talents. FPL welcomed authors Donald Harington, Daniel Woodrell, Miller Williams, Clare Vanderpool, Richard A. Knaak, and Suzette Haden Elgin as featured speakers. With the growing success of the event, FPL started looking for ways to take the event to a higher level. Library staff recognized • Page 12 other local organizations had similar goals/programs and invited them to planning meetings creating synergy through everyone's shared love of literature. Guided by the library, True Lit became a collaboration between multiple Fayetteville institutions interested in celebrating the joy of reading and the art of' writing. Partnerships were forged with Fayetteville Public Schools, Fayetteville Public Education Foundation, Fayetteville Montessori School, Ozark Literacy Council, the University of Arkansas Creative Writing Department, KUAF public radio, and local bookstores with the common goal to create a festival to inspire all ages to embrace writing and reading and to foster appreciation of literature. True Lit has featured authors Jack Gantos, Jacqueline Woodson, Kevin Brockmeier, Janis Kearney, Anthony Priest, Anna Loan - Wilsey, Bryan Borland, Jericho Brown, Geoffrey Winningham, Robert Cochran, and Darcy Pattison. The True Lit festival grew to include a strong youth component. To encourage engaging with and open access to an accomplished author, children's author Jack Gantos was selected not only as the festival keynote but also as an emissary instructor that met with Fayetteville students and educators to inspire and encourage their interests in both reading and creative writing. These interactions proved so successful they were repeated this year with youth author Jacqueline Woodson. True Lit 2015 will welcome Lois Lowry to Fayetteville. • TRY- FPL is a program series designed to inspire new experiences and social connections in the community. Building on the success of the 2014 SRC Explore Your Senses classes that featured beer -making and quilting, the monthly TRY -FPL series highlights different skills and hobbies, such as coffee roasting, chicken raising, gardening, fly fishing, beekeeping and knitting. To date (August 2015), 390 people have attended 8 programs. Attendee feedback includes: • "It was interactive and something I've wanted to try." ■ "Just learning & talking with others - enjoyed the apparent delight of the others." • "Learning a new skill. It was fun and my skills improved. I was impressed with what I could do." • "Its fun to learn a new skill with my daughter." ■ "Always love my visits to FPL - thanks for being an amazing resource." • LEED Building Management - Over the last ten years the staff at Blair Library has recorded all building utility usages. The ability to see changes in utility usage at any facility can save thousands of dollars—and that's where utility monitoring can make a real difference. To begin we set baseline values, in order to determine those baseline values, an energy simulation of the building was generated. It models the thermal qualities of the facility and takes into account when the building is occupied and such details as when lights or equipment are expected to be in use. It adds models of the heating and cooling systems and reflects the efficiencies of air conditioners, boilers, pumps, and associated equipment. Most utilities trend with number of visits to the library. Our utility usage per patron visit has consistently trended downward. • FPL Author Series - Notable authors featured at the Fayetteville Public Library bringing free, public author talks and book discussions to the community. Past authors include Tracy Kidder, • Page 13 Dave Barry, Bob Woodward, and Peter Coyote. These events attract audiences ranging from 300- 600+. • Mountain Street Stage - Popular concert series featuring local musicians and various genres of music. The concert is recorded and selected songs are added to the library's Local music digital archive. The series began in 2009, and has grown so that in 2015, 913 people attended 8 concerts and commented: • [That they enjoyed] "The great music and great people." ■ "I love this series!" • "Delighted library offers variety of music, free to public." ■ "Our FPL offers such excellent summer/concerts on Sundays. Do continue." "Great venue for families and individuals who want to hear music outside of the local bar environments. Also allows people on a budget to hear quality concerts." • "As we near our close in this Ark. thang we'll cherish the gifts & benefits provided most by the Fayetteville Public Library." • "Yay! Thanks for a lovely afternoon." • "Keep doing this!" • "Have this series again next summer." • "More! More! More!" ■ "Thank you!" • Summer Author Series began in 2015 to tie adult SRC contest activities to programming. These cultural events introduce acclaimed authors and stimulating ideas. When possible, writing workshops are included as well as general public author discussions. Often the events include receptions to promote building community among readers and writers. The 2015 Summer Authors included Robert Jackson Bennett, Roy Reed, and Padma Viswanathan. 371 people attended these programs and remarked: • "I appreciate programs with diversity so I can learn about other cultures." • [What did you like about this program?] `Everything - my first program here at library - WOW! Thanks." • "FPL's continued commitment to thought provoking author presentations is one of the best things about living in Fayetteville." • "Glad to hear an author whose book I actually wanted to (and did) read." • "It was very interesting! I'll attend some following events this year." • Yoga Classes - The inaugural Yoga @ FPL class attracted over 100 people in January 2013. These sessions continue to bring on average 40 people every Monday to the library. This program attracts diverse audiences, connecting people of all ages and varied backgrounds. Because of the community's clear interest in health -inspired programming, additional exercise/movement themed classes have been offered or are scheduled such as Qigong, Rosen Movement, Barre 3, and Crossfit. • Page 14 • Artist -in -Residence four-week Sumner Residency and four-week Afterschool Residency with Leilani Law are designed to bring fun, free, and multi -disciplinary arts programs to youth in Northwest Arkansas. The program includes 30 camps and workshops for pre -kindergarten through twelfth grade students and covers an array of art forms, including writing, drama, drawing, painting, ceramics and performance. We are more than half -way through the program and have reached over 105 students. • Gathering of the Groups - Now in its iith year, this long-running event to honors loyal readers and community supporters. Area book clubs are encouraged to read the same book and convene at the library for a luncheon and special author event. Authors for these events include David Shipler, Pete Early, Karl Marlantes and Warren St. John. • One Book, One Community - Since 2009, Gathering of the Groups has worked in conjunction with the University of Arkansas' One Book, One Community program and through this been able to feature well known and influential authors a fraction of their speaker fee. This partnership has enhanced loyal library supporters experience and brought new ideas and conversations into the library. • FPL Book Clubs - Three librarian -led book clubs are hosted monthly, and support shared learning, community conversations, and love for reading. The members of these book clubs are engaged and loyal to the library, and participate in multiple library services. Through the book clubs, librarians have first-hand access to learning about the community served and how to best adapt library services to meet its need. Attendee feedback: • "Good comments, good questions, made me think of things in new way." • "Food! Camaraderie! Excellent speaker, easy to follow, very clear & interesting. Informative and personalized." • "Good every year - always good speakers" • "Thank you for this program every year - always informative and enjoyable." • "Keeps getting better every year! Great gathering - opportunity to get acquainted to Book Clubs from other towns. Thank you! Staff FPL!!!" • Minecraft is a valuable program because it teaches creativity and real-world skills such as problem solving and teamwork. Minecraft has been offered at FPL every semester since the winter of 2014 reaching over 200 students. • Terrazzo refinishing - FPL's flooring, terrazzo and cork, are part of the sustainable environmental goals that the library committed to when it became a LEED certified building. The terrazzo flooring must be deep cleaned and resurfaced periodically to retain its functionality and appearance. • Lobby furniture replacement - Space is a precious and finite resource at most Library's and Blair library is no exception. Facilities has specific guidelines for allocating space, although some of the individual departments within the library develop their own norms over time, facilities strives to regard space allocation judiciously, to ensure that new furniture is planned realistically and • Page 15