A look back at 2019

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We will be saying goodbye to 2019 very soon and welcoming in the New Year and new decade. This is my eighth year with the Delaware County District Library (DCDL), and it keeps getting better. Will you take a look back through the year and countdown (in the spirit of “12 Days of Christmas”) with me?

5 Authors Reading – Early in 2019, the library partnered with local schools to bring YA author Jason Reynolds to a visit at Olentangy Berlin High School. This was part of our bi-annual DelawaREADS one community, one book program. Next, the Friends of the Library brought Laura Kamoie, author of “My Dear Hamilton,” for a special visit. Then, over the summer, illustrator and graphic novelist Rachel Ignotofsky, local author and journalist Jim Slade, and non-fiction adventure writer Robert Kurson joined us for the Universe of Storytellers author series. (Here’s your surprise, readers – we’ve got another great lineup of authors coming for you throughout all of 2020!)

4 Gadgets Creating – The Maker Annex celebrated its grand opening in the Willis Education Center in August, a collaboration between DCDL, United Way of Delaware County Strengthening Families and Delaware City Schools. The makerspace has many interesting gadgets and STEAM toys to tinker with, but the four ones that receive the most attention are our laser engraver, vinyl cutter, and two 3D printers. Projects created on these have included personalized cookie cutters, Christmas ornaments, earrings, window clings, and much more.

3 Websites Loading – In early October, a new version of www.delawarelibrary.org was loaded onto everyone’s web browser when they came to the DCDL website looking for books. The new design was long overdue, having not had a facelift in almost a decade. The site utilizes many accessibility features so people can more easily adapt the site to their individual needs. With the overall look completed, the site could then move on to utilizing a new online calendar and room reservation system for our patrons.

2 Faxes Sending – Whether you need to send an international or domestic fax, it’s usually not a pleasant experience. That’s why, in November, DCDL made the decision to stop charging our patrons for sending faxes. Free faxing will make hardly a divot in the library’s overall income budget. The amount received annually was a mere .03% of the annual budget. New technology has greatly reduced the cost to the library for providing such a service, and we’re happy to pass that benefit on to our patrons.

… And a John Cotton Dana Award – In May, the American Library Association announced that the Delaware County District Library was one of eight libraries in the nation who would receive the John Cotton Dana award in 2019. It was presented to DCDL for the “Your Library” campaign, which rebranded our newsletter, Bookmobile, and appeared all over Delaware County during our levy campaign in 2018.

Of course, I could share much more than these small stories for our accomplishments this year. Our fourth annual Great GeekFest comic-con and sixth annual Medieval Faire festivals were celebrated communitywide, bringing hundreds of individuals through our doors.

And finally, our board of trustees hired the architecture firm and construction manager at-risk to oversee the building of our fifth library building in the Powell/Liberty Township area. We anticipate groundbreaking to take place in 2020 and the newest branch in our library family to open in 2021. Please stay tuned for more updates as that process moves forward.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your loved ones and you enjoy ringing in the New Year this coming week. Thank you for a 2019 to remember!

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By Nicole Fowles

Glad You Asked

If you have a question that you would like to see answered in this column, mail it to Nicole Fowles, Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., Delaware, OH 43015, or call us at 740-362-3861. You can also email your questions by visiting the library’s web site at www.delawarelibrary.org or directly to Nicole at [email protected]. No matter how you contact us, we’re always glad you asked!

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