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Library director says new reading garden nearly finished as circulation and summer reading climb
Summary
Pam Harrison told the Apache Junction Library Board on June 11 that a new outdoor reading garden is nearly complete, summer reading enrollment and minutes are strong, volunteer hours have risen sharply and the library will pursue autism-center certification.
Pam Harrison, the library director, told the Apache Junction Library Board on June 11 that the library's new reading garden is nearing completion and that several usage and program indicators are up. She said the garden is "substantially completed" and targeted for substantial completion on June 22 with final completion on June 30, and that final inspections are scheduled for June 25.
Harrison said circulation rose "by about 500" items from the prior month and that volunteer hours increased from 282 to 402. She reported that the library's digital-collection category has been separated in monthly reports and that e-content totals remain steady at 168,000. On programming, Harrison said the summer reading program had strong early participation: about 500 children ages 6-12, 488 adults, 412 children ages birth-5 and 116 teens, with roughly 397,000 minutes logged and 168 people having completed the program so far.
The director described specific garden work still under way: installation of a gutter and downspout to manage monsoon runoff, replacement of light bollards ordered in the wrong color, completion of a shade-structure amphitheater with perimeter lighting and extension of power to exterior gates. Harrison also said the project will include an ADA-accessible automatic door opener on an entry to the garden.
Harrison described new resources for patrons, including youth and adult sensory/calming boxes available at service desks, and announced the library will pursue certification as an autism center through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, which she said will require staff training and accessibility improvements.
She credited several partnerships that support the library's outreach and programs, including a StoryWalk in Prospector Park funded by a multi-year grant and programming with Arizona Museum of Natural History. Harrison said ABC15 has included the library in a "things to do" segment highlighting the seed library and reading garden.
Board members asked about an official ribbon-cutting and preview tours. Harrison said the formal ribbon-cutting will likely be scheduled in October because of summer heat, but she offered to arrange a pre-opening walk-through for board members and, if desired, to invite a representative from the construction contractor to address questions about the build.
Harrison closed by previewing the annual report's cover and photos and by outlining ongoing outreach and program plans.
