Award Winning

Public Service at the

Chesterfield Township

Library

February 21, 2002

Award Criteria #1

Demonstrate that your library provides new, innovative and superior services to its customers:

In a cost effective mannerWith a can-do attitudeBy always delivering promises

What We’ve Done

More than tripled the size of the entire collection from 15,000 items in 1995 to over 55,000 items in 2001

Built an audio collection of over 1600 titles for a commuter community s using Community Block funds, grants from Lion’s and Rotary Clubs, and tributes

Built one of Macomb’s biggest large type book collections Added CD Software Added Books on CD Added DVD’s Introduced performance programming Added multiple storytimes for multi-aged children Started an Outreach Service with a $25,000 LSTA grant Started book discussion groups Started a Friends group Published a newsletter distributed quarterly through the local paper

Storytimes Galore

Lapsit -Infant Literacy

Toddlers

Preschool

Homeschool Families

Did you know that homeschool families are 1 income families?

They need materials to support their curriculums A non-judgmental place to meet and use library

materials both print and online CTL offers a homeschool meeting once a month with

a librarian providing instruction on a basic library tool We serve refreshments Low cost…big payback…trust and respect

Award Criteria #2

Demonstrate your library's commitment to high standards of customer service through staff dealings with customers:

Synergy within the staff through a coordinated approach to supporting customers

What is synergy? It’s a noun and we have it.

Etymology: New Latin synergia, from Greek synergos working together 1 : SYNERGISM; broadly : combined action or operation 2 : a mutually advantageous conjunction or compatibility of distinct business

participants or elements (as resources or efforts)

Food For Fines: a holiday project that forgave overdue fines with donations of canned goods that were given to the local food pantry

Used Computer Sales: Visteon donated used computers that CTL sold at minimal cost to allow low income residents to purchase a family computer

Used Book Sales: staff ran used book sales to enable purchase of large print books after lending collection was withdrawn

And last but not least……………………………………….

Jenny’s 100th Birthday Party

Award Criteria #3

Demonstrate that your library is a team player through its collaborations in the community

Team Work

Collaborating within the Community Reel Readers: a reading incentive partnership with a local theatre to award

free movie tickets to kids from k-12 who reach reading goals Here and There by Land, Sea and Air: a summer long program in

partnership with the Chesterfield Senior Center funded by the Michigan Council for the Arts that explored Michigan through songs, stories, lectures and other performances. Grand Finale - catered steak dinner courtesy Outback

Hispanic Youth Day with the Michigan State Ext. Service. Scavenger hunts and storytelling at the library and bowling at our neighboring bowling alley

Stories at the Park with Parks and Rec to promote family literacy at Brandenburg Park during the summer

Joint Programming With the Senior Center: we provide feature films, large type books, and assist with selected grant writing efforts

The Library as a Community Partner

The Macomb Literacy Project

Stuffed Animals for Police Calls Involving Children

Stories at the Park

Our contribution to Parks and Rec’s Summer Programming at Brandenburg Park

Michigan State Extension Service and the Chesterfield Library Welcome Hispanic Youth

Learning to Surf the Net

Bi-Lingual StoriesScavenger Hunt

When can we go bowling?

How We Do It

Talented Staff who think “out of the box” Employees who “buy into” our service mission: Code of Service:

– The library public is entitled to easily accessible library collections in a safe, clean, organized, and appropriate environment staffed with friendly, courteous people.

– Each member of the library public is to be welcomed, fairly and courteously, without discrimination.

– Service to the public takes precedence over the library’s internal paperwork and internal communications.

– Information given to the library public will be based on verifiable, current sources, clearly communicated and given in a timely manner.

Use “All hands on deck” as SOP

Training, Training, Training…and lots of good food

Cross training 2 In-services yearlyConflict Resolution Workshops Dealing with Hostile PersonsGreat CateringHumorRewards and Warm fuzzies

Humor …it works

Warm Fuzzies

Thinking “Out of the Box”

Always ready to lend a helping hand

Good Food and Good Times and Great Staff

We Won

Open 53 hours a week Accepting the award from State Librarian Christy Pearson Brandau