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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-05-25; Library Board of Trustees; ; Carlsbad Reads Together 2022 Final ReportMeeting Date: May 25, 2022 To: Library Board of Trustees From: Darin Williamson, Lead Librarian Staff Contact: Darin Williamson, darin.williamson@carlsbadca.gov Subject: Carlsbad Reads Together 2022 Final Report District: All Recommended Action Receive presentation. No action needed. Executive Summary/Discussion Lead Librarian Darin Williamson will present a report of Carlsbad Reads Together 2022, including program statistics and a summary of participant feedback. Next Steps None. Fiscal Analysis None. Public Notification Public notice of this item was posted in keeping with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours before the scheduled meeting date. Exhibits 1.Carlsbad Reads Together 2022 Summary May 25, 2022 ITEM 4 Page 1 of 6 LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Staff Report EXHIBIT 1 Carlsbad Reads Together 2022 Summary Carlsbad Reads Together brings community members together and engages them in discussion about the same selection of books at the same time. For Carlsbad Reads Together 2022, The Carlsbad City Library brought community members together to read and discuss The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the length she must go to – for the protection of her family and her legacy – to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives. Titles with similar themes were selected for younger readers; with Slay by Brittney Morris selected for teens and Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre selected for children and Spanish book club selection: La Mitad Evanescence Por Brit Bennet. Thanks to funding support from the Friends of the Library, the Library & Cultural Arts Department hosted eighteen events including a virtual author talk, 4 adult book discussions, 7 Exploration HUB events and 3 craft kits, teen and youth events and more. A total of 811 people participated in our Carlsbad Reads Together events throughout the month of April. Friends of the Library funding supported the purchase of hard cover, audio CD, e-book and e- audiobook formats of the selected titles in anticipation for our 2022 Carlsbad Reads Together. To collect input on the program and provide insight towards planning for next year, a survey was distributed to participants of our Carlsbad Reads Together events. The Carlsbad Reads Together staff committee also met to debrief and share feedback on May 23. Although the COVID- 19 pandemic brought unique challenges to 2022 Carlsbad Reads Together, feedback was still overwhelmingly positive and participants enjoyed our program offerings. Facts About CRT 2022 PROGRAMS Total Number of Events 20 Total Event Participation 811 PRINT/MEDIA CIRCULATION* 2022 Personal Librarian 167 Personal Librarian Large Print 8 Personal Librarian Audio CD 9 Personal Librarian Audio Player 7 La Mitad Evanescente 5 Slay 9 Sembrado Historias 3 Planting Stories 18 Totals 226 eBOOK/eAUDIO CIRCULATION* 2022 Personal Librarian eBook 179 Personal Librarian eAudiobook 151 Totals 330 May 25, 2022 ITEM 4 Page 2 of 6 I I Carlsbad Reads Together 2022 Program Participation Date Program Participation Adult Programs 4/28/2022 An Evening with Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray 115 4/28-5/11 An Evening with Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray (recording) 175 4/1 – 30/2022 4 adult book clubs 63 4/1 – 30/2022 7 Exploration HUB events 16 4/1 – 30/2022 Adult Memory Jar kit (bilingual) 137 Spanish Language Book Club 0 4/16 Flag Book Workshop 13 Youth Programs 4/14/2022 Carlsbad Reads Together – For Kids 6 4/1 – 30/2022 Puppet craft kit – For Kids 206 4/20/2022 Book Warriors Teen Book Club 4 Book Explorers book club 2 4/1 – 30/2022 Slay Book giveaway 36 4/1 – 30/2022 Teen create-your-own card game Kit 38 Total 811 May 25, 2022 ITEM 4 Page 3 of 6 Carlsbad Reads Together 2022 Survey Responses Survey respondents: 123 *Other breakdown: Library staff (12), support organization (5), Library Board of Trustees (2), other unspecified (2) May 25, 2022 ITEM 4 Page 4 of 6 1. How did you hear about Ca rl sbad Reads Together? (check all that apply) More Details 25 • Library e-Newsletter. 21 20 • Newspaper. 0 • A Friend. 15 15 • City/Library website. 18 10 • City/Library Facebook/Twitter. 5 5 • Other 12 0 2. How did you participate? (check all that apply) More Details • Read the Book(s). 51 • Attended An Evening with Ma ... 53 • Attended an adult book club f... 15 60 • Attended virtual Club de lectu ... 0 50 • Attended the Virtual All Star R. .. 0 40 • Attended the virtual Book War. .. 2 30 • Attended an Exploration HUB ... 0 • Attended the Flag Book Work ... 0 20 • Received a complimentary co ... 3 10 • Received a Puppet Kit. 0 0 • Received a Teen create-your-a ... 2 • Received a Memory Jar Adult .. 3 Any suggestions for improving the Carlsbad Reads Together program? • thank you for facilitating this event, such a treat to get to know these thoughtful and inspiring authors and be allowed a glimpse "behind the scenes" • keep up the excellent work. I love the program. • it was one of the best books I read this year, and I read a lot, but not everything is as well done and reaches a wide audience. • Love this program and the opportunity to hear the authors speak. Thank you for providing this experience. May 25, 2022 ITEM 4 Page 5 of 6 3. Which selected title did you read? (check al l that apply) More Details • The Personal Librarian by Mari... 52 • La Mitad Evanescente por Brit ... 0 • Slay by Brittney Morris. 4 • Planting Stories: The Life of Li... 0 4. Was the information in the Resource Guide helpful when reading The Personal Librarian? More Details • Yes 7 • No 0 • Didn't use it 46 • Other 5 5. Was The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray a good selection for Carlsbad Reads Together? More Details • Yes 48 • No • Other 7 • Have enjoyed it each year, look forward to having guest speaker in the Schulmann Auditorium, though ZOOM makes it easy for more people to participate. Thanks for making the recording available. • It was a terrific event and book choice! Both myself and my 15-year-old daughter read the book and attended. Thank you for putting the event together! • loved it will definitely attend another zoom! • The event last night was wonderful. I could have listened to the authors for hours. • What a great book choice! May 25, 2022 ITEM 4 Page 6 of 6 Carlsbad Reads Together 2022 Final Report Darin Williamson, Lead Librarian May 25, 2022 { City of Carlsbad Carlsbad Reads Together Program goal: Bring community members together and engage them in discussion around the same selection of books at the same time. r, '-~ -,. -· - '2e . ' t~ERS LIBRA . Stor teller Pura Belpre 1he L'e of Lbrar1an an'il y "·""' , . .,,., 11 \),-, ,.,11 "' .\niL~.\kL { City of Carlsbad Programs •Virtual main event •Throughout April 2022 •20 programs for adults, teens and kids •811 participants An Evening with Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray Outreach and Promotion •Website •E-newsletters •Social media •News releases •Staff promotion Post Insights X Join us on the Carlsbad City Library Facebook page on April 28 at 7 p.m. for a livestream of the author. .. Pbl.hdbH t .1 8 April27at11:05AM r.11,Pbl' U IS e y 00 SUI e · · '1 U IC Post Impressions 0 Post Reach 0 Post Engagement 0 522 497 18 { City of Carlsbad Lessons Learned •Benefits and challenges of virtual programs and in –person programs for author events •Carlsbad Reads Together can bring our divisions together to expose our patrons to new experiences –Exploration HUB –Cultural Arts flag workshop •Survey suggests less effort should be spent on resource guide { City of Carlsbad