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.
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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. ..
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Post Impressions 0 Post Reach 0 Post Engagement 0
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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