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ANNUAL
REPORT
Annual
Report of the Thomas Crane Public Library (.pdf version)
July
1, 2003 - June 30, 2004
Staff
Retirements
The Thomas Crane Public Library staff has always worked as a team. Staff members often work for the library for their entire careers, learning new skills, taking on more responsibilities, and working throughout the library system. In December 2003, four long-time staff members retired, leaving behind a combined legacy of 113 years of service to the City of Quincy. We celebrated their retirements while marking the passage of people who have contributed so much to the Thomas Crane Public Library.
| Lois Cheney |
36 years |
| Josephine Parlsey |
34 years |
| Virginia Kelly |
24 years |
| Theodore Walsh |
18 years |
Appointments
Megan Allen became the Library's Assistant Director in January
2004. Ms. Allen began working at the library in 1986 as a
reference librarian, and has been Regional Services Director
since 1993. She has been involved in a number of professional
organizations, spoken at state and national conferences, and
brings a wealth of experience to this position. She succeeds
Jane Granstrom, who retired in March 2003.
New Staff
We are delighted to have this talented group of new staff members. They bring a variety of skills that enrich the library staff and provide better services to the City of Quincy.
| William Adamczyk |
Nov. 2003 |
Reference Librarian |
| Diane Costagliola |
Apr. 2004 |
Computer Lab Assistant |
| Brian DeFelice |
Dec. 2003 |
Custodian |
| Catherine DeVeer |
April 2004 |
Children's Librarian/North Quincy Branch |
| James Jaquette |
March 2004 |
Regional Services Librarian |
| Deborah Rich |
March 2004 |
Systems Librarian |
Library Services
People continued to turn out in record numbers to use the library:
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684,848 people visited the library in FY'04
- 553 programs were held for adults and children attended by 11,898 children
and 1,353 adults
- the library circulated 540,566 books and library materials, of which 111,292
were to children
- 48,093 people had library cards
- 323 people volunteered as Literacy Volunteers tutors or assisting library staff
for a total of 6,807 hours
- the Reference Department answered 44,200 questions
- about 20% of all circulation was at the library's three branches
Grants
The library was awarded a number of grants for special projects:
- $20,000 LSTA Community Languages Grant to purchase library
materials in Chinese, Vietnamese, learning English as a
second language and citizenship
- $10,000 LSTA Mother Goose Asks Why? Grant for teaching science activities
for pre-schoolers to families and caregivers
- $12,801 Mass. Dept. of Education for Adult Basic Literacy
for Literacy Volunteers-Quincy (LVQ)
- $5,000 Marjorie Reynolds Foundation for teaching adult literacy to LVQ
- $1,000 MetLife Foundation Reading America Project for Quincy Reads Together
- $5,955 E-Rate Funding for public technology
Friends of the Library
The Friends continued to work tirelessly to raise funds for special programs and events at the library. The Museum Pass Program is very popular. Currently museum passes are available to ten museums. Passes may be borrowed with a library card, and offer free or discounted admission. The museums are: the Aquarium, the DeCordova Museum, the Gardner Museum,
Plimoth Plantation, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Children's Museum, the Franklin Park and Stoneham Zoos, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Kennedy Library.
Friends once again funded the popular weekly Summer Concerts
on the Lawn. This year featured Atwater-Donnelly, the 4th
Street String Band, Krisanthi Pappas and Branches Steel Band.
In October they funded a Sunday afternoon performance by Robbie
O'Connell.
Over fifty different programs were funded for families: storytimes,
Mad Science workshops, music for toddlers, performers, storytellers
and special events, such as "An Afternoon With Orville
Wright", commemorating the 100th anniversary of their
flight.
Community Events
The library hosted the Quincy Symphony Orchestra's Holiday
Concert, art exhibits by Paula Campbell, Mary Smith, the Quincy
Art Association and the students in the Quincy Public Schools.
During the winter months the main library had a skating rink on the library's front lawn. Constructed by the Quincy Park Dept., free skating was available to hundreds of families throughout the winter.
Throughout the year, the library offered programs to inspire, to educate, and to entertain thousands of people of all ages.
Board of Trustees
2/1/03 - 2/1/04
Alicia Coletti
Aileen Eleey, Secretary
Lawrence J. Falvey, Jr., Treasurer
Dr. Carol Lee Griffin
Sandra McCauley, Chair
Robert P. O'Connell
2/1/04 - 2/1/05
Alicia Coletti, Treasurer
Harold DiMattio
Lawrence J. Falvey, Jr.
Dr. Carol Lee Griffin
Marilyn Jackson-Adams
Sandra McCauley, Chair
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