The drawings for our new library were completed — a forward-looking, light-filled, energy-efficient design. At three times the size of our current building, the new brick and limestone library will be built for years of growth. Careful planning means we‘ll be able to serve you with minimal disruption as the new library takes shape just a few feet away.

This was the first year our work was guided by a five-year strategic plan put together by a group of library users, supporters, and staff. Behind that plan is a new mission statement: “The Champaign Public Library creates a community where popular materials are abundant, reading is valued, and learning never ends.” Inside this report, you‘ll see how the past year‘s highlights advanced that mission.

We‘re proud of what we‘ve accomplished this year. That progress is reflected by you, in your use of the library, with circulation up 67% in nine years (up 6% this year), and your constant praise of our customer service.

And that progress is also made possible by you. We owe an extra thanks to those whose gifts to the Library Foundation take our service to a higher level, and to our dedicated Friends who turn used books into library benefits for everyone.

The planning is just the practical part that makes the magical part possible: the countless moments of connecting you and thousands of others with solutions, inspiration, and possibilities. Making that happen easily and often — that‘s our real plan.

Grants Awarded

• $203,125 Illinois State Library LSTA grants: After High School teen college and career planning ($36,500); Every Child a Reader baby book giveaway and reading promotion ($158,635), Window on the World travel, culture, and history books ($8,000)
• $84,881 Illinois State Library Per Capita Grant: Books and other materials for our collection
• $10,000 Illinois State Library: Project Next Generation middle school technology mentoring program
• $1,240 Illinois State Library Share of Family Literacy Plus: Children‘s books and storytime materials
• $3,000 Target Stores: Mother Goose Center materials
• $2,500 Saemann Foundation: Helped fund printing of Read to Me booklet of reading tips for new parents
• $2,410 Illinois Arts Council: Live! @ Your Library author visits and musical performances
• $1,500 American Library Association and Nextbook: Let‘s Talk About It: Jewish Literature discussion series books and program presenters
• $600 Community Foundation of Champaign County: Storytime materials
• $450 Champaign-Urbana Junior Woman‘s Club: Teen books

Highlights of the Year

Popular Materials Are Abundant

In early 2005, the Champaign City Council approved an expansion of the plans for a new Main Library. At 122,600 square feet, it will be three times the size of the current library. That‘s plenty of room for an abundance of popular materials plus comfortable chairs, quiet spaces, and four times as many computers. The new library will open in the summer of 2007.

We‘re constantly working to improve our selection so you‘ll find more of what you want. We can see the results flying out the door: the number of items checked out went up 6% this year. The majority of those items were books.

We gave extra attention to some parts of our collection, and you noticed. First books for babies went out 25% more often this year. Our improved teen collection has helped circulation in that area double in two years. We also added large print books at our Douglass Branch Library.

Reading Is Valued

Every baby needs books at home to learn the importance of reading from the earliest days on. With our Every Child a Reader grant, we gave 3,000 packets of reading tips, baby books, and our Baby Boogie CD to parents of newborns. A related campaign raised awareness of the need to “Read to Your Baby.”

We want everyone in town to have a library card! The number of new cards issued was up 30% this year.

When reading is valued, writing is valued, too. Audiences gained a greater appreciation for people who create books through visits from illustrators Mordicai Gerstein and Brian Selznick and authors Doug Cummings and Barbara D‘Amato. The News-Gazette helped bring United States Poet Laureate Ted Kooser to a standing-room-only Auditorium.

And Learning Never Ends

“Learning never ends“ means reaching out to every age, including those sometimes hard-to-touch teens. With a new teen librarian and the “After High School“ grant, our teen programs, reading clubs, and use of our teen books blossomed.

Our Jewish Literature series brought adult readers together with University of Illinois experts to examine five outstanding books over five months.

The growing number of resources available through our Web site means learning doesn‘t stop when the library closes for the night. We also made it easier to get answers with new chat reference service.

Friends of the Library: Gifts total $26,120

This enterprising group works hard to host two popular annual book sales, then pass the proceeds to the library to make possible a variety of popular programs. The Friends‘ fourth gift of $10,000 to the Building Fund brought their total support of the new Main Library project to $40,000.

With revenue from book sales, an expanding line of Friends merchandise, and membership fees, the Friends gave $26,120 for:

• Building Fund for the new library ($10,000)
• Children‘s summer reading program
• Teen summer reading program
• Books Unlimited adult reading program
• Teen Read Week activities
• Annual Black History Bowl
• Children‘s library card promotions
• Great Bear Giveaway poetry program
• Program by storyteller Michael McCarty
• Annual Mancala Tournament
• SisterNet Health Fair
• Family Reading Night
• Program by United States Poet Laureate Ted Kooser
• Jewish Literature discussion series (partial funding)
• Champaign Public Library newsletter (partial funding)

For information about joining the Friends of the Champaign Public Library, contact Joan Walton at 217/352–9790.

Champaign Public Library Foundation
Total Revenue: $379,425

The Champaign Public Library Foundation is committed to its mission: “To ensure an extraordinary public library for our community.” Along with tax dollars, it takes private dollars and support to maintain a great public library.

Gifts to the Champaign Public Library Foundation were used to:
Purchase books and other materials for the library
Grow the Building Fund
Partially fund the library‘s newsletter, The Last Word