Uxbridge Free



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|Uxbridge Free |

|Public Library |

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|Long Range Plan |

|2012-2017 |

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|Acknowledgements |

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|This Long Range Plan was made possible by the |

|collaborative efforts of the following people: |

|Long Range Plan Committee |

|Judith Lynch, Library Board of Trustees, Committee Chair |

|Christine Horwath |

|Sheila Bernard |

|Michelle Irving |

|Robert Drummond |

|Michelle Sanford |

|Eugene O’Rourke |

|Linda Fraga |

|Cheyenne Van Opijnen |

|Russell Holden |

|Debra Young, Assistant Director/Head of Children’s Services |

|Jane Granatino, Library Director |

|Mark Andrews, consultant |

|Library Staff: |

|Carol Caffrey, Library Technician |

|Deirdre Girard, Library Technician |

|Judy Byrnes, Library Technician |

|Christine Hutchinson, Library Technician |

|Betsy Youngsma, Library Technician |

|Amy Cowen, Library Technician |

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|Lindsey Centrella, Page |

|Allison Van Fechtmann, Page |

|Emily Roxo, Page |

|Benjamin Brule, Page |

|Emily Keeler, Page |

|We thank them all for giving their time, |

|for sharing their expertise and ideas |

|and for their enthusiastic support of the Library. |

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|Approved by The Library Board of Trustees, August 28, 2012 |

Uxbridge Free Public Library

Library Development Plan

The Planning Process

The Uxbridge Free Public Library has undertaken a planning process to help identify and analyze community and library needs and develop goals and objectives which address short- and long-range library issues. In the current economic climate, the committee was charged to think in terms of “this” building, “this” budget and “this” staff as we work towards shaping and defining the purpose of this library.

As stated in The New Planning for Results, there are three basic assumptions in the creation of Long Range Plan:

• Excellence must be defined locally – it results when library services match community needs, interests and priorities

• Excellence is possible for both small and large libraries – it rests more on commitment than on unlimited resources

• Excellence is a moving target – even when achieved, excellence must be continually maintained

This revised Long Range Plan was produced using The New Planning for Results: a streamlined approach workbook as a guideline along with input from an online survey designed by Mark Andrews of Waters Corporation. Other resources used include American FactFinder: the 2010 U.S. Census, Community Profiles: Uxbridge, The Massachusetts Economic Due Diligence Report FY2012, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue “At a Glance Report for Uxbridge”, the resources provided by the American Library Association and YALSA, part of ALA and dedicated to teen services and the resources of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Advisory Services for Libraries.

The plan was developed as a collaborative effort by representatives of the Uxbridge community, the Library Director, Library staff and with data gathered by an online survey offered to the general public. This Long Range Plan was then approved by the Library Board of Trustees. This plan will serve as a blueprint to guide library service development over the next 5 years. The plan is not static. It will be reviewed and revised each year to keep pace with the need for new objectives as old ones are met, new needs develop, and conditions change.

History of Uxbridge

The Town of Uxbridge was incorporated in 1727. Prior to its incorporation, it was part of Mendon. Uxbridge is also part of the Blackstone Valley, which has historical significance as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. The availability of water power from three rivers was the main reason for Uxbridge’s industrial development. It was a prosperous mill town, producing woolen and cotton textiles from 1810 to the 1930’s, with most mills being built in the 1880’s. Uxbridge was known worldwide for “Uxbridge Blue”, a color used for new army uniforms during World War II. The mills continued to employ a fair number of people until the late 1960’s, when textile manufacturing moved south to more favorable economic conditions.

According to an address given by Henry Chapin at the Unitarian Church in 1864, Uxbridge received its name in honor of Henry Paget, Earl of Uxbridge, in 1727.

In 1790, the population was 1,310. In 1860, during the development of the textile industry, the population grew to about 3,000. At the time of the construction and opening of the Thayer Memorial Building, the current site of the Uxbridge Free Public Library, the population was 3,800.

History of the Uxbridge Free Public Library

Uxbridge has had a long tradition of library service. The Uxbridge Social and Instructive Library was organized in 1775 as a storefront subscription library. In 1812 the Uxbridge Second Social Library succeeded the original subscription library. The Uxbridge Library Association was founded in 1828, eventually offering its collection to the town with the proviso that a free public library be supported. Combining this collection with that of the Uxbridge Agricultural Library Association, the town accepted the offer on April 6, 1874 and with the approval of voters, six trustees were elected. The dog fund, which provided $275 in library support, was then appropriated and the Uxbridge Free Public Library opened to the public on January 20, 1875 in the F. W. Barnes jewelry store, where it was housed for fourteen years.

In 1893, Mr. Edward C. Thayer of Keene, New Hampshire drafted a letter to the town proposing to build a library and donate it to the town. Approval for the proposal and the conditions set forth by Mr. Thayer for the maintenance and use of the building was unanimous. Mr. Thayer’s stipulations form the basis for the operating by-laws of the library today. A little over a year after town meeting ratification, the town had a beautiful new library, complete with furnishings, courtesy of Mr. Thayer.

The library building celebrated its centennial in June 1994 with an open house. It remains fundamentally unchanged, although a children’s room was added in the basement in 1965. In 1980 and 1996, the room was expanded to accommodate a growing use and collection. In 2007 the basement was renovated and the young adult room was added.

Uxbridge Today

According to the Department of Housing and Community Development, Uxbridge has 29.5 square miles of land area with much natural beauty. Three rivers flow through it: the Blackstone, Mumford, and West. It is about 15 miles south of Worcester, 38 miles southwest of Boston, and 25 miles north of Providence, Rhode Island. Uxbridge is served by Routes 16, 98, 122, 146 and 146A. It is also accessible to I-495, I-395, and I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike).

According to the Mass GIS Protected and Recreational Open Space map dated November 2010, Uxbridge has less than 8% of Permanently Protected Open Space.

Town Government

The Town of Uxbridge adopted a charter form of government at its annual elections in 2002. The charter retains open town meeting as the legislative branch of town government, the Board of Selectmen acts as the town’s chief executive office and the Town Manager is granted specific powers of appointment, oversight, and capital planning. The Town charter also establishes procedures to govern the town and to conduct its business.

Population

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Uxbridge was recorded as 13, 457 in 2010, an increase of 20.63% since the census of 2000. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the overall population of the state of Massachusetts is expected to increase by 8% from 6,349,097 in 2000 to 6,855,546 in 2020.

The Massachusetts Institute for Social and Economic Research (MISER) no longer maintains an office to project future growth in individual Massachusetts communities. According to the U.S. Census, population growth in Worcester County from April 2010 to July 2011 increased by 0.3% as opposed to 0.6% overall in the state of Massachusetts in that same time period.

Demographics show that the population of Uxbridge is currently 96.1% white, with the remainder made up of small percentages of African Americans, Native Americans, Asian and Hispanic people. Out of the 13,457 counted, 477 are considered foreign-born; 146 from Latin America, 120 from Asia, 90 from Europe, 81 from Africa and 40 from Northern America. Of these, 214 report that they speak English “less than very well”.

Education, Income, and Employment

The 2010 Census revealed that of Uxbridge residents 25 and older:

- 92.1% have a high school diploma or higher

- 29.8% have a Bachelor’s degree or higher

- 10.6% have a Graduate or professional degree

The median family income reported in the 2000 Census was $70,068, and increased to $81,127 in 2010. According to the 2010 census, the number of people with incomes below the poverty level is estimated to be 6.5% of the total population, or 852 individuals. Of these, 319 are children under 18 years of age.

In 2000, 58 households report that the grandparents were the primary caregivers to their grandchildren under the age of 18. In 2010, this increased to 100.

Although Uxbridge residents work in many locations, the Metrowest and Worcester areas are common destinations, as is employment in Rhode Island. Median earnings reported in 2010 were $33,951. Of the 6,945 reporting, the three largest categories for employment are:

Educational services, and health care and social assistance…1,523

Manufacturing…1,200

Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services…779

Retail trade…781

Most commuters, 34.2%, spend between 20 to 30 minutes getting to work, with 21.7% spending less than 10 minutes. Most households listed multiple vehicles, with 49.7% recording 2 vehicles available and 34.1% listing 3 or more vehicles available.

The Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development cited 4.5% unemployment for Uxbridge in 2005. As of May 2012, Uxbridge has 6.1% unemployment in contrast to the state figure of 5.8%.

Housing

Uxbridge has seen a steady rise both in the number and median price of dwellings. The Census of 2000 listed 4,090 dwellings compared to 5,098 in 2010, 185 of which were listed as vacant. Of the occupied units, 3,988 were owner-occupied and 925 were listed as renters. The number of persons per owned unit has remained fairly constant since the 1990s, a slight rise from 2.5 to 2.84. Renters average 1.91 per unit. Home values have risen from $139,200 in 1996 to $255,000 in 2000, with the latest figure of $316,300 as the median value in 2010.Median mortgage costs average $2,031 per month, with renters paying an average of $951 per month.

Of the total number of housing units, 29% were built in 1939 or earlier. Only 3% were built in 2005 or later. The greatest rise was seen in the 1990s, with 879 new units being built.

Town Services

According to the NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges), the Uxbridge Public Schools serve a population of approximately 2,100 students from Pre-K through Grade 12. Voters approved the building of a new Uxbridge High School which will open to students in the fall of 2012. Students attend Uxbridge High School for grades nine through twelve, McCloskey Middle School for grades six through eight, Whitin Elementary School for grades 3-5 and the Taft Early Learning Center for Pre-K to Grade 2. Alternatives to the local municipal school system are Our Lady of the Valley Regional School, a private parochial school that serves grades Pre-K through 8, Whitinsville Christian School which serves K-12 and the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School for students grades 9-12.

The Uxbridge Police Department consists of 18 full-time officers, 7 intermittent officers and 12 civilian personnel including EMTs. The UPD provides a strong and positive presence in the community. Uxbridge has a relatively low incidence of crime, with rates for all categories of crimes well below state and national averages.

The Uxbridge Fire Department is responsible for fire suppression, rescue and emergency medical services. The department includes eleven full-time firefighter/EMTs and thirty on-call personnel operating from three stations. They also provide advanced life support (ALS) ambulance services. The Department’s calls for service have increased dramatically over the years; in FY2005, they responded to 203 incidents and reported responses totally 1,962 in the Annual Town Report of 2011, an increase of over 866%. Emergency medical calls make up nearly three-fourths of incidents. The UFD also works closely with the public to provide education, permits, investigation, and enforcement of codes.

The number of senior citizens (65 years of age and older) has increased from 10% of the population in 2000 to 12.4% in 2010. Uxbridge has an active Council on Aging which provides a variety of services such as Meals on Wheels, flu clinics, and outreach programs. Recreational and educational activities take place at the Senior Center. Seniors are provided transportation to medical appointments and field trips are also planned.

Recreational and Cultural Life

Uxbridge is part of the John H. Chafee National Heritage Corridor, which includes the Blackstone Heritage State Park. The park is at the site of the former Riverbend Farm, and includes the historic towpath of the Blackstone Canal.

The West, Mumford, and Blackstone rivers all flow through the community, and provide locations for canoeing and kayaking. Pout Pond and West Hill Dam are areas for swimming, fishing, hiking, and picnicking.

The town has many well-maintained fields for soccer, baseball, and football, as well as basketball and tennis courts.

The community has a small but growing artists’ presence. Programs, plays, and exhibits have been held at the Unitarian Church, the Community House at the Congregational Church, Riverbend Farm Visitors’ Center, the library, and some shops at the center of town.

There are ten churches in Uxbridge: Church of the Nazarene, Faith Fellowship, First Congregational Church, Good Shepherd Church, New England Foursquare Bible Institute, North Uxbridge Baptist Church, Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, True Vine Assembly of God, Unitarian, and United Methodist.

Several newspapers cover the news of Uxbridge. The Blackstone Valley Tribune is a weekly paper that covers the towns of the Blackstone Valley. The Worcester Telegram and Gazette, the Woonsocket (RI) Call, and the Milford Daily News are daily newspapers with local sections that report Uxbridge news. The New Uxbridge Times is a free monthly paper that is mailed to every household and covers Uxbridge and Douglas, Ma. Uxbridge is served by Charter Communications for its cable television and high speed broadband Internet access. In 1982, the Federal Communications Commission established mandatory cable access programming provisions requiring all cable television systems to provide free access channels for public, education and government use. In September of 2001, the town of Uxbridge entered into an agreement with Charter Communications to provide cable television services to the town. 

The Uxbridge Free Public Library Today

The Uxbridge Free Public Library is a full member of the C\WMARS Library consortium. Over the past several years the Library’s holdings have expanded to include materials of various formats, including electronic databases and eBooks. In addition, the Library has local history and genealogy collections which are available for research.

The numbers below, taken from the Annual Report Information Survey (ARIS) from Fiscal 2005 and Fiscal 2012, show the comparison in holdings, circulation, and interlibrary loan trends for the period; both the holdings and circulation of non-book items have grown substantially and because of the Library’s membership in C\WMARS, Interlibrary loans have increased.

Holdings and Circulation

|Holdings FY2005 |Holdings FY2012 |% Change |

|Books: 39,825 |Books: 36,176 | -9.2% |

|Magazine subscriptions: 91 |Magazine subscriptions: 89 |-2.1% |

|Video/DVD: 1,570 |Video/DVD: 3,042 |+93.7% |

|Audio: 1,187 |Audio: 2,108 |+77.6% |

|*Miscellaneous: 1,302 |*Miscellaneous: 7,300 |+460.6% |

|Total holdings: 43,975 |Total holdings: 48,715 |+10.7% |

*Miscellaneous includes eBooks, Downloadable audio/video, CD-ROMs & microfilm/microfiche

|Circulation FY2005 |Circulation FY2012 |% Change |

|Books: 48,184 |Books: 61,133 |+26.8% |

|Magazines: 2,470 |Magazines: 1,847 |-25% |

|Video/DVD: 11,470 |Video/DVD: 30,408 |+165% |

|Audio: 5,562 |Audio: 6,295 |+13.2% |

|Total circulation: 69,945 |Total circulation: 89,091 |+27.37% |

|Interlibrary Loan FY2005 |Interlibrary Loan FY2012 |% Change |

|Received from other libraries: 8,001 |Received from other libraries: 11,113 |+38.9% |

|Provided to other libraries: |Provided to other libraries: |+137.7% |

|3,069 |7,295 | |

In FY2005, while the growth of video holdings had been modest, the format generated 16% of circulation. In FY2012 the video/DVD collection comprises 6.2% of the total library materials collection, and generated 21.9% of the Library’s total circulation. Audio format has also grown in popularity, nearly doubling in size since FY2005. Print materials, mainly traditional books, continue to comprise 74% of the total collection. The availability of electronic resources such as eBooks and downloadable audiobooks and videos has increased our holdings dramatically under the category of Miscellaneous to a total of 13,630 titles allowing Library patrons to check out 1,369 eBooks, downloadable audiobooks and downloadable videos to portable devices this past year.

Hours

The library is open forty hours a week, including some weekend and evening hours, as follows:

Monday 10 AM to 8 PM

Tuesday 10 AM to 5:30 PM

Wednesday 10 AM to 5:30 PM

Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM

Saturday 9 AM to 2 PM (in summer, Friday 9-2, Sat. closed)

The hours of operation meet the current state standard for hours open, which is based on population. MISER, the former official source for population projections for the state, continues to have projections up to 2020 on its web-page though the agency is defunct. Its successor, the Massachusetts State Data Center, has not yet published more recent projections, but still has MISER data on its webpage. With the current population of 13,467 (2010 U.S. Census) which exceeds the projected figure of 12,566 for 2010, the community might also expect to exceed the projected figure of 14,277 for 2020. According to MBLC’s Minimum Standards, the Library is currently in the population category of 10,000-14,999 which requires the Library to be open 40 hours per week over 5 days with some evening hours. To go over 15,000, the Library will need to increase the number of hours open per week to 50, open 5 days per week including some evening hours.

Staffing in FY2012

The current library staff consists of one fulltime Library Director, one fulltime Assistant Director/Head of Children’s Services, 4 fulltime Library Technicians, two part-time Library Technicians and 5 Library Pages including 2 who work on a per diem basis. A part-time position for custodian has remained unfilled since April of 2011.

The library’s FTE for FY2012 was 5.62. This figure was reached by totaling the number of hours worked by library staff during FY2012 (a total of 11,744 over 52.2 weeks) and dividing it by the number of hours in a normal work week (40) times 52.2 weeks, or 2088.

Automation and Technology

Since January of 2003, the library has been a full-circulating member of the C/W MARS network. The benefits of full membership ensure that:

• Library cardholders are able to search and access holdings from libraries in Massachusetts with any Internet connection. Requested items can be held and sent to the nearest convenient library.

• Searching and requesting materials can be done at times convenient to the user.

• Library cardholders have remote access to databases and an array of digital resources.

• Users and staff alike can identify and locate resources more accurately. As a result, interlibrary loan activity has increased dramatically.

The Library is equipped with wifi access and has five computers for public access to the Internet. In addition, the Library received a grant from the Greater Worcester Community Foundation for 4 laptops to be used for job seekers and those needing additional time to complete educational projects and online testing.

Library Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees for the Uxbridge Public Library meets every third Tuesday of the month (except July).  The Library Trustees are a group of citizen volunteers to whom the governing of a public library is entrusted. They also develop and maintain library policies. All meetings are open to the public unless otherwise stated.  The Trustees sponsor much of the Library’s adult and children’s programming, purchase several museum discount passes for the community, sponsor the Library’s website, purchase library materials for the adult and children’s collections.

Friends of the Library

The Friends of the Uxbridge Free Public Library was founded as a non-profit group whose purpose is to support and promote the services and programs of the library.  The Friends of the Library is made up of an Executive Board that ensures the goals are met, as well as by members of the community that make donations through their membership dues and time.  They fund pass reservation software to enable library users to book passes online and for the staff to track and report on pass usage, several of the museum and local attraction discount passes, the Summer Reading Program performers and prizes, additions to the library’s adult and children’s materials collection and programs

Budgets and Funding

Due to a takeback of funds in the amount of $23,000 at the Fall Town Meeting of 2009, the Library has been unable meet the MAR (Municipal Appropriation Requirement) mandated by the MBLC (Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners) for the past 3 years. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners granted waivers to the Library the past two years, enabling us to receive much-needed State Aid funding. Despite a slight increase in the FY2013 budget, the Library will need to file for a waiver once again for FY2012.

Mission Statement

With input from the members of the Long Range Planning Committee and incorporating responses from the online community survey, the Library has drafted a revised Mission Statement as follows:

“The Mission of the Uxbridge Free Public Library shall be to serve the town of Uxbridge as a center for education, culture, recreation, networking and information. The Library will provide an opportunity for the community to inform and educate themselves by providing a balanced collection of library materials in a variety of formats, programs of interest to the community and access to local history and genealogical information.”

Methodology of the Long Range Plan

As stated in The New Planning for Results: a streamlined approach which was used as a guideline for this project, “Excellence must be defined locally – it results when library services match community needs, interests, and priorities.” With that in mind, we decided to involve representatives from a cross-section of the Uxbridge community for the core committee which met monthly over a period of six months. Early on a member of the Town’s Finance Committee, Mark Andrews, volunteered his time and expertise in strategic intelligence to help create an online survey to solicit responses from the community.

Once goals and objectives had been identified by the Long Range Planning Committee, the members of the Library staff were instrumental in creating service responses to meet those goals. A draft of the new Long Range Plan was presented to the Library Board of Trustees for revision/approval at their August 21st meeting.

The Online Survey

With input from the members of the Long Range Planning Committee and guidance of Mark Andrews, we were able to create an online survey with the purpose of determining the community’s general knowledge of library services, user expectations and the Library’s relevance to their daily lives. A copy of the Survey results is appended to the end of this document.

There were 92 initial responses to the online survey, with 75% adults ages 19-59, 19% seniors (60+) and 6% teens (13-18). Of those responding, 7% stated they do not visit the library at all, the majority stating they visit several times a monthly or weekly. Over the next three years, 59% expected their use of the library to stay the same and 37% expected their use to increase. Reasons given mentioned interlibrary loans, research, increased cost of books and ease of digital media. Other comments mentioned library programs, school projects and helpful staff.

Approximately 77% of respondents feel that the Library today is “a very important resource to the citizens of Uxbridge”, with 22% stating it is “an important resource to the citizens of Uxbridge”. Most households have 1-3 library cardholders. Approximately 19% feel they are extremely knowledgeable about the service provided by the Library, 45% feel they are very knowledgeable and 33% somewhat knowledgeable. Interlibrary loans were again mentioned in the list of reasons to use the Library, as well as museum passes, recreational purposes, school/educational purposes, programs and browsing for books. The Library staff was mentioned several times throughout the survey as helpful, friendly, personable, knowledgeable, efficient and welcoming.

Suggestions for enhancements/improvements included more space for programs and quiet study, handicapped accessibility, more programs, more computers, more hours, computer instruction for seniors, building updates and/or renovation, an email newsletter, a larger Children’s Room, more Teen space and a larger overall collection.

Comments and suggestions for the Library’s Mission Statement included providing materials for educational and entertainment needs, providing access to quality literature and the latest technology, staying current with books and media, aiding in the education and enjoyment of the community and providing the resources needed in a variety of formats for the people in the community. Other suggestions included enrichment, enhancing the quality of life through free and public access, placing the Library as a center for learning/meeting place for community discussion, education, and research and continued life-long learning.

In regards to Library events, 75% responded they had attended at least one event at the library and 67% felt the events exceeded their expectations. Comments included mentioned that their children really enjoyed the programs, they were well-organized and informative and topics appealed to a number of attendees. Overall, respondents seemed pleased with the variety of program ideas. Most participants (47%) learned about library events from the library website and the sign out front, followed by newspaper articles (20%), word of mouth (14%) and flyers (10%). Only 5% accessed Facebook or heard about events during a library visit.

Through the generosity of the Library Board of Trustees, a new website created by Piper Mountain Webs was introduced last year with a variety of features including a printable calendar and widgets to feature new materials. In answer to the question “Have you visited the Library’s website?”, ninety-six percent of those responding answered yes and offered very positive feedback. A few mentioned they felt the site was “busy” but overall they felt it was informative and user friendly.

None of the survey takers felt their electronic interaction with the Library would decrease over the next few years, but instead 62% felt it would only increase. When presented with the current draft of the Library Mission Statement, most respondents felt it encompassed the spirit of the Library’s purpose. Comments included state:

• The library should provide a center of learning for everyone

• To promote a sense of community

• Free access seven days a week

• Becoming a community center based building

• Enhance knowledge and learning across all ages

• An outlet of the arts

• Enhancing/getting more computers…have after-school study periods

Other comments mention improvements that may be easily put into place in the coming months such as setting up an email newsletter. Adding a download center for eBooks and self-checkout machine will need funding sources as this equipment tends to be expensive. A café has been mentioned numerous times both as a survey suggestion and by patrons but designating space has been an issue.

The survey allowed commentary by members of the community who do not frequent the Library. Their responses ranged from time constraints to preferring to purchase books on their own. More hours, email reminders of events and quiet study areas would appeal to them and may draw more patrons to use the Library.

Additional comments were mainly supportive, enthusiastic comments about library services and the staff in particular. One standout response was “It has always been a place of magic for my family and me.”

Identified Needs

Building and environment

The Thayer Memorial Building opened as the Uxbridge Free Public Library in 1894, with few changes both architecturally and structurally. In spite of its old-fashioned charm and beauty, the library has little space for quiet study, virtually no room for expansion of the library collection, is inaccessible to handicapped patrons and offers limited access to public access computers. These conditions limit library services to the Uxbridge community.

In 2006, the Library experienced some much-needed renovations. New carpeting was installed in the main library, along with new countertops on the main circulation desk and other work counters. The Children’s Library received a new circulation desk.

Moisture problems in the building have been an ongoing problem. A repointing project in 2011 funded by the Town seems to have slowed and/or halted peeling problems, particularly in the turret and top floor of the library.

Hours of service

The library is presently open forty hours a week, including morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend hours (except in summer). The library currently meets the Hours Open standard set by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, but patrons have mentioned that the Library’s hours are not always compatible with their busy schedules.

Eventually the town’s growth will have an impact on the number of hours that the library should be open. Once our population increases to 15,000, the Hours Open standard will increase to 50 hours a week, necessitating an increase in staffing and utilities funding.

Technology

The Library offers Wi-Fi services to the public during library hours and has five public access Internet computers. With a grant from the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, the Library can now offer laptop rentals within the building for job-related and educational purposes such as online test-taking, resume creation, job searching and online job applications. The Library regularly cycles outdated staff computers, replacing and upgrading at least three to four each year. Four Nooks, two black & white and two color, were added to the library’s collection and can be borrowed by patrons on a walk-in basis.

Service to Young Adults

In 2007 the Library created a Young Adult Room from the Children’s Services rooms in the basement. A TAB (Teen Advisory Board) group was formed with a current core membership of 13 (July 2012). Young adults comprise approximately 13.9% of the town’s population according to the 2010 Census, and the circulation of young adult materials equals and at times exceeds the circulation of juvenile materials, particularly in A/V formats and magazines. Young adult programming has been popular and well-attended, and the Library needs to prepare for growth in services to this population.

Goals and Objectives, 2012-2017

Goal 1: The Library will serve as a center for culture within the community

Objective: The Library will provide a learning environment to help people reach their personal literacy goals

Activity: Purchase age-appropriate materials in a variety of formats

Activity: Continue to offer Readers Advisory services and book discussion groups

Activity: Explore possibility of offering ESL classes

Activity: Enhance collection in literacy-related materials

Activity: Offer classes in basic computer skills

Objective: Promote the arts in the community

Activity: Provide culturally-based programs in the arts

Activity: Invite local artists from the community to display artwork

Objective: The Library will support local writers and authors

Activity: Support and promote the formation of a local writers group

Activity: Invite local authors to speak about their work

Activity: Purchase and display MA Book Award finalist and “Must Read” winners

Objective: The Library will reflect the cultural heritage of the community

Activity: Offer programs featuring local cultures and interests

Activity: Create displays about local cultural groups

Activity: Develop the Library collection in various formats reflecting Uxbridge’s cultural heritage

Goal 2: The Library will act as a repository for Local History & Genealogy

Objective: The Library will provide a relevant collection of materials and other resources that chronicle the history of the Uxbridge community

Activity: Solicit, collect and organize additions relevant to Uxbridge history and genealogies of local families

Activity: Offer programs on local history and/or genealogy

Activity: Collect, catalog and index new additions relevant to the Uxbridge community

Activity: Provide links to historical and genealogical websites on the Library’s webpages and Local History Facebook page

Activity: Promote and display appropriate parts of the local history and genealogy collections

Objective: Preserve current collections for the future

Activity: Monitor and maintain optimum environmental conditions for collections

Activity: Explore funding opportunities for preservation issues

Activity: Explore opportunities for digitization

Goal 3: The Library will provide a welcoming and enriching atmosphere for Teens

Objective: Promote awareness of Library collection

Activity: Use social media to promote Library collections and events, i.e. Facebook, Twitter and the Library website

Activity: Perform community outreach to schools and other community organizations

Activity: Encourage teens to invite a friend for programs and events

Objective: Offer programs of interest to teens

Activity: Seek funding opportunities for future programs and speakers

Activity: Elicit suggestions for future programs

Activity: Maintain active Teen Advisory Board

Objective: Provide a welcoming space for teens

Activity: Provide materials in a variety of formats age-appropriate for teens

Activity: Provide a comfortable, teen-friendly space with age-appropriate décor and furnishings

Activity: Elicit suggestions for additions to young adult materials

Goal 4: The Library will continue to identify and meet the needs of a growing community

Objective: The Library will prepare and plan for the impact on services to a growing community

Activity: Explore the impact of an increase in Library Hours up to 50 hours per week in staffing and utility costs

Activity: Continue to provide programs on topics of interest to the community

Activity: Develop and maintain the Library’s collection in a variety of formats

Activity: Explore opportunities for Library renovation and/or expansion

Activity: Publicize the library’s needs regarding accessibility, space, and electrical capacity, including speaking before community groups

Activity: Explore ways to secure local funding, including town appropriations, fund drives, gifts

Activity: Seek grant money from available sources such as the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Grant Program

Objective: The Library will adapt new technologies for library practices

Activity: Create an email newsletter

Activity: Use a QR codes on all promotion directing smartphone users to library website

Activity: Explore creating a Library app for smartphones

Activity: Set up a computer lab in the Main Reading Room with laptops, projector and screen and offer classes on topics related to computer use

Objective: The Library will provide services for job-seekers and those seeking to further their educational/vocational skills

Activity: Provide laptops specifically for use relating to educational advancement and job-seeking

Activity: Provide materials in relevant subject areas

Activity: Schedule and promote programs relevant to job seeking

Objective: The Library will establish ongoing relationships with community organizations and local government agencies

Activity: Continue community outreach to local organizations such as Beginning Bridges, the Community of Caring and the Uxbridge Food Bank

Activity: Collaborate with other departments to provide information essential to the Uxbridge community

Activity: Invite community leaders to open forums relating to their areas of expertise

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