| May Holidays | |
Libraries will be closed on
Monday, May 30
for Memorial Day. |
A great story needs great characters. Become a library volunteer!
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If you would like to make a difference in your community as a volunteer at the Library, contact Volunteer Coordinator Chauna Wall at cwall@cmlibrary.org or (704) 416-0711. Visit the Library's volunteer page to see a complete list of opportunities.
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Want a sneak peek
at what's coming
to your library?
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Find out about the Library's latest book, DVD and CD offerings through a free, weekly e-mail or RSS feed. Visit Wowbrary, put in your ZIP code, select "Charlotte Mecklenburg Library," enter your e-mail address, and follow the on-screen instructions!
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| Join Our List |
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| RATE YOUR MOST RECENT LIBRARY EXPERIENCE | |  Your opinion is important to us.
To help the Library assess customer satisfaction and help provide critical data for Mecklenburg County's Community & Corporate Scorecard, we're inviting you to take part in a short survey.
The survey is very brief -- it should take less than 2 minutes to complete -- and asks you to rate your satisfaction with the library based on your most recent library experience. Thank you for taking the time to provide valuable feedback on how we're doing. |
| REMINDER: SUMMER HOURS BEGIN JUNE 5 | | |
Summer Hours begin June 5; libraries closed Sundays.
As part of a cost-saving measure that began in the summer of 2009, all Charlotte Mecklenburg Library locations will be closed on Sundays in the summer, starting June 5.This change affects the hours at the two libraries normally open on Sundays: Main Library and ImaginOn. Pending the outcome of FY12 budget decisions, Sunday hours at these locations are expected to resume on September 11. We will notify you of any changes.
As a reminder, several library services are available around-the-clock, including the library's 24-hour book drops, online account access and catalog searching, and the library's automated telephone renewal line at 704.416.7363. |
MAY READING RECOMMENDATIONS
| |  Love is a mix tape: life and loss, one song at a time
by Rob Sheffield
Request this book
In a memoir of love, loss, and music, a rock and pop culture critic shares the story of his romance and marriage, and his wife's tragic early death, all viewed from the perspective of the mix tapes that the couple had compiled.
Container gardening on balconies and terraces
by Susan Berry
Request this book
Packed with the newest ideas in container planting, this one-stop reference covers it all, from selecting and decorating pots to fun and easy design concepts. Here are techniques; suggestions for places to plant (from the table to the railings); seasonal displays; and a bouquet of "special effects." Bonus: an A-to-Z directory of the best container plants-including the latest drought-resistant species.
 Sway: the irresistible pull of irrational behavior
by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman
Request this book
A fascinating journey into the hidden psychological influences that derail our decision-making, Sway will change the way you think about the way you think. Why is it so difficult to sell a plummeting stock or end a doomed relationship? Why do we listen to advice just because it came from someone important ? Why are we more likely to fall in love when there's danger involved? In Sway, renowned organizational thinker Ori Brafman and his brother, psychologist Rom Brafman, answer all these questions and more. Drawing on cutting-edge research from the fields of social psychology, behavioral economics, and organizational behavior, Sway reveals dynamic forces that influence every aspect of our personal and business lives.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
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Avoid summer "brain drain" -- join one of the Library's Summer Reading Clubs, starting June 15. To succeed in school and life, children and young adults need ongoing opportunities to learn and practice essential skills.This is especially true during the summer months. That's why the Library offers summer reading clubs for kids each year.
Sign up beginning June 15 at your nearest library (all locations except Main Library), to keep reading, learning and having fun all summer long. Sponsoring businesses encourage Mecklenburg County children and teens to read during summer vacation by donating more than $66,000 worth of prizes to kids who finish reading the required number of hours. This year's sponsors are Wendy's, Jason's Deli, Weyerhaeuser, and Robek's Juice on 5349 Ballantyne Commons Parkway. Sponsorships bring incentives that attract young readers to the program. Last year, 18,563 children and teens participated in summer reading, with 5,685 completing the summer-long initiative. For more information on Summer Reading, visit cmlibrary.org/summerread beginning June 15.
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| LEADERSHIP UPDATES | |
 | | Ed Williams |
Library welcomes Ed Williams as newest Trustee member
At their May 3 meeting, the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners appointed Ed Williams to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Board of Trustees, filling a vacancy that opened on the board earlier this year. Williams will officially begin his tenure at the May 19 Library Board meeting. Read more in a recent news release.
We welcome Ed Williams and wish him well in his new role.
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| FACEBOOK FAN OF THE MONTH | |
 | | Shelby the kitten |
This month, our fan is an adorable kitten named Shelby!
Ayesha (Shelby's owner) wrote, "Not sure if the 'loved one' for the photo contest has to be human, but you can tell Shelby is my fellow bookworm." Our fans agreed and chose Shelby as our Fan of the Month.
You could be the next Fan of the Month! Simply go to our Facebook page and post a photo of you or a loved one that shows a love of literacy. Then, encourage friends to "like" your photo. The photo that receives the most "likes" by midnight, May 31, will be featured on our Facebook page in June.
So get your camera ready and start snapping. We can't wait to see you!
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FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BENEFIT BOOK SALE
| |  Friends sale raises over $17,000 to benefit libraries!
Monday, May 2, marked the end of the Friends of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Benefit Book Sale and it was a huge success thanks to you! The sale grossed over $23,000. After expenses, it netted more than $17,000, which the Friends have pledged will go towards enhancing the library's collections and programs.Thanks so much for all of your donations and purchases!
Curious about what the Friends have next in store? Visit them at www.cmlibraryfriends.org or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CMLibraryFriends |
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| FUTURE OF THE LIBRARY UPDATES | | |
County and Library approve Future of the Library Task Force recommendations with minor changes
In our March newsletter, we mentioned that the Future of the Library Task Force, a group of 17 volunteer citizens charged with providing recommendations for a sustainable future for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, had presented their set of recommendations. Last week, the Library Board and Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the recommendations with minor changes.
In summary, the approved recommendations included the following:
Funding: The Task Force noted that prior to the recent budget cuts, the Library was neither overfunded nor overbuilt as compared with peer communities, and it recommended that the Library should be funded at $27.89-28.66 per capita for FY2011-2012, based on average per capita funding of 13 peer communities, which would result in an additional $1.8-2.5 million from Mecklenburg County for the Library's budget. The members of the joint County/Library workgroup agreed that the method, peer group and per capita analyses were sound. They felt, however, that the per capita range presented in the report should be used as a goal or benchmark for the County during budget deliberations.
Programming: The members approved the recommendations for Library programming made by the Task Force, along with encouraging the Library to consider alignment with the County's Critical Success Factors in future programming plans.
Operations: After considerable discussion regarding the recommendations on improving the efficiency of the Library system, the members agreed that, should funding adequate to keep all Library branches open not be available in the FY2012 County budget, the Library's prioritization of resources should be as follows:
- First, restore additional operating hours at regional libraries as recommended by the Task Force.
- Second, evaluate the remaining branches based on (in no specific order): the economic and educational attainment of the surrounding community, the distance to the nearest regional library, all usage measures for the branch and other relevant factors as determined by the BOT in consultation with the BOCC.
Development: Private fundraising support will not fill the funding gap. However, the Library should increase its emphasis on private fundraising with both long and short-term goals including raising $1 million each year from private sources. These funds should support annual basic library services, support priority enhanced services and programs, and help grow the Library's endowment for future needs.
Volunteers: The Library should use volunteers to provide 5% of the overall staffing hours needed to provide basic library services.
Main Library: A 7-person committee of citizens to further explore the possibilities of Main Library should be appointed by the Director of Libraries and the County Manager, and be comprised entirely of citizens, supported by County and Library staff.
Governance: The Library shall remain a separate entity, with the County Manager or his designee serving on the Library's Board of Trustees as a non-voting, ex-officio member. (In related news, the County Manager and Library CEO have agreed to a partial consolidation of services, moving responsibility for managing the Library's human resources, information technology, and capital projects management functions to the County starting July 1.)
What's next?
The Library has already begun planning based on these approved recommendations. A key consideration will be FY2012 funding, which will be voted on by the BOCC in mid-June. If FY2012 funding shortfalls require consideration of any branch closings, the County/Library workgroup has agreed to reconvene and discuss how to apply the prioritization of resources mentioned above. Impacts to customers will be shared as they are known.
Want to know more?
The most recent news about the Library's budget can be found at www.cmlibrary.org/budget. The full report from the Task Force, including a video presentation of the report, is available at www.charmeck.org/libraryfuture.
Thank you for your support as we work toward a sustainable future for libraries in our community. |
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There simply isn't enough room here to share all that's going on at your library, so for information on classes, events and everything else, visit www.cmlibrary.org
We hope that you find this e-mail useful. If so, please forward to a friend so they won't miss a thing.
We'll see you at the Library! | |
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