2016 Impact Report

Your support of The Library allows our community to learn, laugh and grow.
Thank you for valuing and sustaining lifelong learning. The generosity of library donors and volunteers like you is a constant source of inspiration.

Here are the numbers and stories from 2016.

Question: How many times did The Library connect people with books, videos, and other resources to borrow?

Answer: 1.1 million times! Library users borrowed items 1,163,595 times.

Question: How effective was The Library at helping close the digital divide by connecting people with computers and internet access?

Answer: Library visitors used public computers more than 100,000 times. And those with their own computers and smart phones accessed the free Wi-Fi service more than 20,000 times.

Question: How did The Library help adults trying to help themselves?

Answer: The Library helped them study for the GED, prepare their taxes, and learn about computers, among more. Library programs included hosting a series of HACC-led GED prep classes, AARP tax return preparation for older adults, a program for women on investing and much more. In addition, there were 1,646 visits to The Library Job Help Center page. And 77 adults attended 12 basic computer classes, and 180 received help with tax preparation. This is over and above the research they did and items they borrowed for self-improvement.

Question: How much library use happens in a library and how much online?

Answer: It’s about half and half. There were 675,728 visits in person to libraries last year, and 677,755 visits online.

What’s All the Hoopla?!

In September, The Library opened video streaming for users via the Hoopla service. In four months, library users streamed more than 1,200 videos. Overall, library users accessed Hoopla to stream nearly 19,000 audiobooks, music, eBooks, movies and more! Ready to stream? All you need is your library card—visit dcls.org/stream for more information.

Arts and Culture

Question: Does The Library help our community explore the arts and cultural topics?

Answer: Yes! Attendees at library programs had a Skype session with author Joy Fielding, were introduced to the Alash, the Tuvan Throat Singers and met baseball great Darren Dalton. Children enjoyed a Harry Potter birthday party and learned to play the spoons with folk group Simple Gifts. This is just a sampling of the arts and cultural programs offered at The Library.

Staff Picks: Family Programming

Staff Love The Library, Too!

In 2016, library staff members agreed to contribute to the annual fund and designate their gifts for family programming. Together, they raised nearly $1,500 to provide family programs in 2017!

Staff also share their favorite titles with you on the staff picks page.

Connecting Community

Question: How does The Library connect community members to one another?

Answer: Through staff interaction, programs, and community meeting space. At The Library, many visitors value the personal, one-on-one assistance and interaction they receive from library staff. Program attendees learn from one another at interactive programs like book discussions and computer programs. Children experienced interactive learning at Mathletes, and STEAM Punks. And last year, 312 community groups used library meeting rooms 821 times.

There is also a growing social media community connecting with The Library through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Question: How many times were library staff able to answer people’s questions?

Answer: Staff answered a question for every 10 minutes the libraries were open. They answered 102,183 questions.

The campaign for hearts and minds #GivingTuesday

Question: How does The Library help other nonprofits in our community?

Answer: By providing a unique resource center for them. The East Shore Area Library’s Grants Information Center provides

resources for nonprofits. 90 nonprofit representatives attended 3 professional workshops on developing a fundraising plan, identifying grant funding sources, and how to use census data in grant writing. The Library also collected 667 pounds of non-perishable items for the Bethesda Mission as part of its Giving Tuesday event.

Donor Gifts & Volunteer hours at The Library

Question: What impact do volunteer hours and donor gifts have on providing library service?

Answer: We couldn’t do it without you.

Donor support provides significant funding for everything from buying resources to getting programs out into the community. Endowment funds make special program series possible and capital campaign gifts made new libraries and important renovations happen. Volunteers help with many important aspects of library service. They assist at programs, stuff kindergarten and new cardholder bags, help clean the shelves and books, and read to children, among many other tasks. Last year, volunteers gave 7,452 hours of their time and donors contributed more than half a million dollars to library service. Friends of the Library groups contributed more than $30,000 last year, offered programs and sponsored important services.

Everybody learns at The Library

Question: How many children were better prepared to learn thanks to programs and activities at The Library?

Answer: Thousands of children. 13,120 infants and their parents attended Storytimes and Discovery programs. And 4,396 children kept learning while school was out as part of the Summer Reading Club. New topics introduced included STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) and Mathletes (Math concepts) programs. And nearly 6,000 children received books to keep as part of attending a library program.

Born to Read introduces babies and new parents to the joys of reading together.

Click here to see how >

Question: Does The Library help adults and older learners keep their minds active?

Answer: Lifelong learning happens all day every day at The Library. In addition to borrowing books, DVDS, music and other materials, adults can attend programs like the Lively Minds series, which features everything from craft topics to container gardening and basic computer use.

Impact of endowment at The Library

The Library has several endowment funds that are set up to provide specific services to our community. One example is the Joan Y. Leopold Endowment Fund. Established by the family and friends of the late Joan Y. Leopold, this fund is used to plan and implement an annual celebration of children’s literature, the “Joan Y. Leopold Children’s Book Week Celebration.” The highlight of the celebration, designed to encourage a love of reading, is the opportunity for families to meet inspiring children’s authors and/or illustrators at the library and to engage with quality children’s literature.

The program series has been going strong now for more than 10 years. It has brought in nationally recognized authors/illustrators like Mike Berenstain (Berenstain Bears), David Soman and Jacky Davis (The Ladybug Girl), Matt Novak (Mouse TV), Will Hillenbrand (Kite Day) and Judy Schachner (Skippyjon Jones).

Joan Y. Leopold, a life long resident of Dauphin County, served as a board member of the Dauphin County Library System for more than 20 years. A tireless advocate for both child and adult literacy, her belief that reading opens a world of education and imagination lives on in her family, students and all those she touched through her efforts.

Our thanks to the Leopold family for their remembrance of Joan and their support of children and learning!

Joan Y. Leopold Endowment Fund

This Children’s Book Week Celebration is made possible by the Joan Y. Leopold Endowment Fund. Joan Y. Leopold, a life long resident of Dauphin County, served as a board member of the Dauphin County Library System for more than 20 years. A tireless advocate for both child and adult literacy, her belief that reading opens a world of education and imagination lives on in her family, students and all those she touched through her efforts.

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