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Urbana Free Library details collection growth, outreach and digital services during board presentation
Summary
Library staff presented circulation figures, new services and marketing efforts, telling the board the system circulated 678,701 items last fiscal year and is expanding digital access and language-focused shelving.
Rose, ILA standards for Illinois public libraries, told the Urbana Free Library Board of Trustees during the Aug. 12 meeting that the system circulated 678,701 items combined — physical and digital — in the past fiscal year and has added programs and devices to improve access.
The presentation described collection management as “the planning, selecting, and building of resources in all formats in order to meet community needs,” and listed new materials and services intended to broaden access. Rose said the library added story-orchestra picture books that play classical music, and Launchpads, tablets preloaded with educational apps that do not require internet access.
The overview also covered cataloging standards and collection organization. Rose said the library uses MARC 21, Library of Congress subject headings, RDA and AACR2 cataloging rules and recently reorganized children’s nonfiction and created a browsable world-language collection “especially [for] non native patrons.” She also noted physical and digital resource sharing through the Digital Library of Illinois OverDrive consortium and a statewide e-resource-sharing program.
On outreach and promotion, Rose described a mix of website banners, an event calendar, a monthly email newsletter and social media. She told trustees the library’s Instagram averages about 2,000 users reached per month with roughly 3,100 followers, while Facebook had an average monthly reach of about 20,000 and just over 8,000 followers.
Rose said staff are finalizing a library brand guide to align promotional partners and plan website upgrades, and that the library is drafting a social media policy after reviewing practices at peer institutions. Jacob, identified as the library’s graphic designer, maintains a posting calendar to support event promotion and program visibility.
Board members asked a few clarifying questions; one trustee asked whether collection standards are tied to population served, and Rose replied there is no per-capita circulation standard tied to the collections presentation.
The presentation preceded the board’s consent-agenda business and annual report vote.
