Community - City of Denton

In 2014-2015, Denton Public Library took an in-depth
look at circulation policies to identify those that may
have been causing our customers difficulties and
brainstormed solutions. This resulted in making three
popular changes. The first was to allow customers to
renew items that are overdue, so they can continue to
use their item without having to return it immediately.
The second was to reduce the daily fines of DVDs from
$1.00 to $.25. This reduced the number of large fines
that may have prevented customers from continuing
to use the library. The third change was to standardize
checkout times so that all items may be checked out
for three weeks at a time.
Denton Public Library replaced all 6 self-checks and
unlockers with brand new models. This improved the
checkout experience, since nearly 40% of all checkouts
are done on self-checks. These changes have
contributed to making the library more user-friendly
and show that giving “more” to our customers is not
just about adding new things, but also improving our
core services.
more
Community
Emily Fowler Central Library
502 Oakland St.
Denton, TX 76201
North Branch Library
3020 North Locust St.
Denton, Texas 76209
South Branch Library
3228 Teasley Ln.
Denton, Texas 76210
(940) 349-8752
www.dentonlibrary.com
@dentonpubliclibrary
@dentonlibrary
The Denton Public Library
Dentonlibrary.wordpress.com
builds community by promoting
Pinterest.com/dentonlibrary
lifelong learning, encouraging
human connections, and
Facebook.com/dentonpubliclibrary
www.cityofdenton.com ADA/EOE/ADEA
TDD: (800) 735-2989 Published 1/2016
sharing resources.
Items checked out – 1,198,798
People that visited the library – 521,564
Attendance at events & classes – 43,499
Items in the collection – 278,533
Web Access – 110,055
Questions Answered – 35,211
The Special Collections Department of Denton Public
Library provided library customers at home and afar with
personal research assistance, electronic resources, and
new materials in 2014-2015.
In program highlights, nationally known genealogist Lisa
Louise Cooke led an all-day workshop attended by a
diverse group of 70 people. Again for 2015, Special
Collections participated in the Texas State Library and
Archives Commission (TSLAC) Genealogy After Dark
lock-in with other libraries across the state.
Every connection the library makes reinforces our
commitment to serving the Denton community. Library
staff met with over 3,000 people at festivals and
community events in 2015. While meeting with visitors at
our booths and tables we shared information about
library services and resources such as mail order delivery
to homebound people and science kits that can be
checked out to students.
Some outreach highlights of 2015 were a special treethemed StoryTime at the Redbud Festival, letting families
know about the Splish Splash StoryTime during the Cinco
de Mayo Festival, keeping things cool by handing out
library fans at the Yankee Doodle Independence Day
Parade, providing free books for students at the MLK
Recreation Center Back to School Fair, and giving out
foam “puppies” for children to walk at the Dog Days of
Denton Festival. Music lovers who attended the Denton
Arts and Jazz Festival learned about hoopla, our downloadable digital music, movies, and audio book service.
Outreach to the Denton business community continued
to expand and grow in 2014-2015. Denton Public
Library presented programs on topics such as
networking, customer service, and learning how to use
social media to better market products and services.
Denton Public Library sees a wide range of business
customers, from those just starting with an idea, to
longtime business owners seeking something fresh and
different to try.
Partnerships are a great way to share resources and
expand our client base. Denton Public Library worked
with the staff of University of North Texas (UNT), the
Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and SCORE
to offer resources and programs suitable to the Denton
business community. A highly successful Grant Seeking
Workshop, presented in collaboration with UNT,
brought in a number of attendees new to Denton Public
Libraries.
Technology
Denton Public Library provides several online resources
to help people continue their lifelong learning from home
at no cost. In 2014-2015, these resources, such as Gale
Courses and Mango Languages, were visited 182,393
times. Online, real-time tutoring is included in the
offerings with Brainfuse to help school-aged children with
their homework. Traditional, in person classes continue
to be in demand for crafts, writing, language learning,
and literacy courses.
During 2015, Denton Public Library gave Denton an opportunity to utilize new technology and train on the latest versions
of commonly used software. At each location, public computers provide access to productivity software and the Internet.
Scanning services allow customers to digitize documents and photos. Our mobile printing service gives people
throughout the city easy access to printing services, allowing them to print documents from anywhere and pick them up
at the library. Our 3D printing services are used to create toys, replacement parts, product prototypes, costumes, and
more. Over 250 people attended training for 3D printing in 2015. In addition to these services, the library actively
educates the community about technology through a variety of classes. Classes on Microsoft Office, computer
programming, web design, robotics, electronics, and 3D printing allowed people of all ages to learn more about how
technology works and how they can better harness it for their own uses.
1
Denton Public Library
Emily Fowler Central Library
North Branch Library
South Branch Library
3 Year Strategic Plan 2014 - 2016
2015 Review
T
he Denton Public Library serves the citizens of Denton, Texas as a department within the City of
Denton municipal government. Denton Public Library is embodied in three facilities, Emily Fowler
Central Library, North Branch Library and South Branch Library. Denton Public Library has a progressive
76 year history. This strategic planning document will serve as a guide to continued library growth and
governance during the next three years.
The current culture surrounding library services is denoted by remarkable change. Material formats,
delivery options, programming, and physical spaces have all come under scrutiny as the library
profession and concept adapts to reality in the 21st century. The current speed of change requires
innovation and ingenuity on the part of library leaders to meet demands and embrace opportunities.
This plan is designed to be a fluid document, open to revision and input as needs and opportunity
dictate. What will remain the same is the core commitment to the three guiding goals contained within:
providing education, connections and resources for our service community. Our challenge is to remain
relevant in an environment of many choices, and to communicate our considerable value and services to
our customers.
In many ways, these next few years will be an exercise in bridging the gap between traditional library
services and new endeavors. It will require a respect and understanding of our past and a willingness to
experiment, take risks, and embrace the opportunities of the future. The role of a public library is
moving from a static institution to a responsive entity; from just a provider of materials to a co-creator
of content; from a transaction-based model of service to a relationship-based participant in the
community. This document represents our willingness to begin.
2
Mission
The Denton Public Library builds community by promoting lifelong learning, encouraging human
connections and sharing resources.
Vision
The people of Denton will enhance their quality of life through the opportunities provided by
the Denton Public Library.
Values
The Denton Public Library values:
Service benefitting the entire community
Equal access to library services
Education and literacy
Respectful interactions with all people
Equitable and fair policies and procedures
Marker
Tag Line
More
A valued, diverse and trained workforce
A climate of innovation and ideas
Open, timely and effective communication
Safe, clean and attractive facilities
Balanced collections
3
GOAL:
Build opportunities for lifelong education.

OBJECTIVE: Create opportunities for lifelong education
o Develop roster of subject experts
o
Provide classes taught by community experts
Action Steps
o Present programs at more accessible times – nights/weekends

OBJECTIVE: Provide training and practice with emerging and advanced technology
o Establish The Forge, a technology maker space
o Develop advanced technology training for all ages
Action Steps
o Develop staff training in prevailing and emerging technologies
o Create and promote digital solutions for genealogy study

OBJECTIVE: Meet unique educational goals of immigrant population
o Provide Citizenship classes
o Develop and promote Spanish Language collections
Action Steps
o Develop community referrals for new immigrants

OBJECTIVE: Partner with agencies and individuals to provide educational experiences
o City of Denton departments
o
Local universities
Action Steps
o Establish relationship with local home school community
o Social Services Providers

OBJECTIVE: Foster the creation of original content
o Develop Overdrive local content
Action Steps
o Explore provision of self published content for customer checkout
o Provide forum for display of local art
o Host and promote creative content instruction and practice
4
GOAL:
Initiate beneficial personal connections.

OBJECTIVE: Increase public awareness of library services
o Establish a library presence at area festivals and events
o
Develop logo, brand and tagline
Action Steps
o Create a comprehensive annual marketing plan
o Present an annual report to the community

OBJECTIVE: Develop outreach models
o Create an outreach team to represent DPL at community events
o
Create a new position for an outreach librarian to coordinate efforts
Action Steps
o Develop packaged programs for group presentations
o Create liaison opportunities with other government agencies/city departments

OBJECTIVE: Develop and promote support services for local business
o Create a library system culture of support for entrepreneurial endeavors
o
Develop a staff Business Librarian to act as liaison for area businesses
Action Steps
o Develop Business collection: Online/Video/Print
o Create presentations for the business community to highlight library resources
o Promote online library tools that benefit staff training for local business
o Develop Business 101 course for start up business explorers

OBJECTIVE: Optimize online presence
o Review, update/redesign library city webpage and library online catalog
o Create external interactive website
Action Steps
o Explore push technology for library information delivery

OBJECTIVE: Increase direct participation in area organizations
o Facilitate and reward staff participation in community groups
Action Steps
o Establish regular communication with area agencies
5
GOAL:
Provide a relevant library experience

OBJECTIVE: Increase investment in collections
o Identify needs and pursue increased materials funding
o
Create statistics based reporting on collection performance
Action Steps
o Review and promote database and Econtent use
o Explore options for content providers of electronic materials

OBJECTIVE: Develop library locations as destinations
o Explore passive programs and intermittent exhibits
o
Create collaborative commons
Action Steps
o Develop quiet study areas
o Improve sustainability, functionality and appearance of library locations

OBJECTIVE: Equip staff to provide exemplary customer service
o Prioritized, systematic training
o
Foster system wide staff input and innovation
Action Steps
o Develop systematic internal publicity for staff communication
o Review job descriptions and positions

OBJECTIVE: Develop relevant performance measures that illustrate value
o Conduct an annual review of the Strategic Plan
Action Steps
o Conduct an annual review of dashboard measures for the COD Strategic Plan
o Post measures and results on library external website

OBJECTIVE: Explore additional physical library outlets
o Promote construction of SW Branch library
Action Steps
o Explore possibility of alternative access points
o Work with city officials to promote alternative scenarios for library expansion
6
Implementation
Adoption and adherence to a strategic plan takes time. Library leadership will present the plan to staff
and guide the interpretation of the goals and objectives. Each staff member should be able to include
some facet of the stated action steps in their own Individual Development Plan or suggest another
applicable action step.
Progress on action steps will be considered monthly by managers during established meetings. Feedback
will be weighed and courses of action developed through this process of examination. As we work
toward our three goals, the Library experience will evolve through our various outlets – inside our
buildings, through our web presence and through our outreach. We expect our services to become more
and more collaborative as we connect more completely with civic and community life.
While we are looking forward to our role in the future we retain our basic commitments to literacy by
providing progressive children’s programs and personalized adult literacy tutoring. We hope to expand
the definition of literacy provider to include comprehensive electronic literacy as an offering. The digital
skills needed for success in the 21st century must include an electronic component, and the Denton
Public Library is ready to respond with appropriate training and opportunities to practice. Purchase and
implementation of current technology options will enable our commitment to this facet of literacy to
expand.
Our strategic plan will impact every facet of library operations including



Administration
Technical Services
Adult Services



Youth Services
Special Collections
Circulation Service
We look forward to providing responsive, relevant library service to the citizens of Denton.
Terri Gibbs, Director of Libraries
Kimberly Wells, Manager, North Branch
Jennifer Reaves, Manager, Technical Services
Stacy Sizemore, Manager, South Branch
WyLaina Polk, Manager, Emily Fowler Central Library
ANNUAL REPORT
FY 2014-15
South Branch Library

South Branch Library opened for business in December 1995
with a grand opening on January 28, 1996. Since then, library
customers have visited South Branch over 2 million times
checking out 4.5 million items!
Highlights from 2014-15
o Annual report
o Strategic Plan
o Future Plans
Customer Service
 Easier than ever to use your library!
 Standard checkout times
 Standard fines
 Online renewals of items with fines
 New self checks & Unlockers

A big
THANK YOU!
The Numbers
 Items checked out – 1,198,798
 People who visited the library – 521,564
 Attendance at library classes and events – 43,499
 Items in our collections – 278,533
 Internet access – 110,055
 Budget - $5,665,136
 Employees – 62%
 Materials – 11%
 Utilities – 4%
 Operating expenses – 23%
Technology
o Business Resources
o Remote printing
o FAX services
o Copiers
o Scanners
o Access points
o Classes
o Hardware Options
o Tablets
o Desktops
o Laptops
o Projectors
Denton Public Library
STRATEGIC PLAN
2014-2016
Year Two
70% Action Rate
Community Connections
Dpl2go
6 locations
500 units
Embedded Librarians
Events
Meeting Rooms
Partnerships
City of Corinth
Community Education
Online Training options
Gale Courses
Brainfuse
Lynda.com
Mango Languages
Other Resources
Reference USA
Genealogy – Ancestry
Portal to Texas History
The Future
 2016: A year for transition
 New 20/20 Strategic Plan
 Special Collections
 Vital Archives project
Questions?