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New and Noteworthy
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Due to the U.S. Embassy grant support, purchase of an appropriate
equipment, the American Library launched a new service – online
request of the library collection items. It also brought more
comfort and quality to the weekly film screenings. That makes
it possible for the American Library to attract more patrons and
better meet their needs.
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Thanks to twice rise of
funding for collection development, the library got more books,
enhancing its collection in economics, politics, social issues and
culture; valuable
Oxford Reference Online
database
was added to the library electronic
resources collection. Personal book donation amount also increased
and brought a bunch of current volumes
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Library web site got about 14,000 hits a year (8,000 in 2007), that
is due mainly to adding new online services, featuring interesting
and helpful web resources, adding one more Internet stations, and
thanks to active web site promotion.
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Thanks to the personal input in the library
programming of Susan Benz, a Fulbrighter affiliated to the NaUKMA
Library in 2008, we managed to verify and raise amount of the
library programs (from 78 in 2007 to 95 in 2008). With the
increases in number of library programs came an 18% increase in
program attendance and 15% increase in new member attraction.
The
American Library had a very interesting year,
celebrating its 10th anniversary,
working to draw new clients, introducing new resources, and providing an
ever-expanding range of services.
We are
proud to note that the Library, with solid
PAS,
U. S. Embassy
support, and professional, enthusiastic staff, continues to be much more
than just a library. It is a site for public programs featuring experts
brought in from the United States,
as well as Fulbright scholars teaching in Ukraine, Embassy officials, and
others. So the Library offers its patrons many insights into American
life and culture presenting quality programs that educate, spark
discussion, entertain and position us as a public center accessible to
everyone.
About 1,400 attendees saw 95 programs sponsored by
the Library in 2008. The English Conversation Group was one of the new
programs and initiatives begun in 2008 by Susan Benz, Fulbright scholar,
Friday Film Night series, the
Library’s film showing program in its fifth year, continue to be a good
venue for a lively discussion of films and ideas.
During the year, 38 American films of many genres
have been shown. Of note were some film sessions, viz.
Network, presentation by Lewis
Gitter, US Embassy; Glory,
presentation by Philip Nervig, Far
From Heaven, presentation by Dr. Deborah Taylor,
The Russians are Coming!,
presentation by Jim Pettit, DCM;
Dreamgirls,
presentation by Ryan Koch. Thanks should be given
first of all to Ryan Koch, Press Attache Assistant, and his successor
Anaida Haas who scheduled film sessions, and to everyone American guest
speaker who supports the library
Friday Film Night series. The service they give is invaluable in
making the library attractive and popular.
The
Library continue to host English Speaking Librarians Club meetings, that
assist
the
librarians from all over the city to gain new knowledge about American
libraries developments.
This year the activity of the Club was enhanced due to the contribution
of Suzan Benz, Fulbrighter in Ukraine, who
moderated effectively the Club during her ten months stay at NaUKMA.
The tradition continues in February 2008 with celebration of African
American Heritage Month at the Library. It was highlighted with showings
and discussions of the films
Driving Miss Daisy,
Remember the Titans, Glory,
book display Black Voices, Black
Lives, poster show March on
Washington, and also with
a special online page at:
http://www.library.ukma.kiev.ua/amer/movie/back_voices.htm
Also in February, in partnership with Susan Benz, Fulbright scholar in
Ukraine
the Library began a discussion club program to
cover topics related to
America, and
to
improve communication skills of the library regular customers.
March saw celebration of Women’s History Month with a month film fest
Women’s World (The Prize Winner of
Defiance, Ohio, presentation by Michelle Logsdon, PAO, U.S. Embassy,
The Devil Wears Prada,
presentation by Donna Stalman), with book displays
Women Creating a Better World and
Women’s Art: Women’s Vision, as well as with online page at:
http://www.library.ukma.kiev.ua/amer/movie/history_month.htm
. Throughout March, a photo exhibit
Ukraine Through the Eyes of an
American Fulbrighter was displayed. It presented photos made by
Susan Benz during her trips across Ukraine.
In April, in observance of Jazz Appreciation Month, poster show
Jazz, America’s Best Ambassador,
was exposed. National Poetry Month was highlighted with book display
Celebrating American Poetry.
The Library
also partnered with EAC/AC to host lecture
Financial Aid for Graduate Study:
How to Find Stipends, Scholarships, and Studying for a Ph. D, by
Bram Caplan, Regional Education Advising Coordinator for Eurasia, that
provided tips and advise on how to succeed in getting financial support
for graduate study.
In
May, the Library hosted English Speaking Librarians Club meeting with
the presentation
Teaching Information Literacy Skills in Libraries
by Laura
Kaspari Hohmann, IRO, US
Embassy Warsaw.
The speaker provided the professional audience with tools and means to
promote information literacy, and also presented the activity of some
American libraries in this field.
The tradition continues in September to celebrate the All-Ukrainian
Library Day with a reception sponsored by PAS,
U.S.
Embassy for top library managers of Kyiv at the American Library. This
time there was also another event to observe – the 10th anniversary of
the American Library.
On November 25, the American Library celebrated its10th anniversary with
Open House Ten Years Working for
You!. The visitors who join the library or borrow library materials
during the Open House have got a chance to get prize books provided by
PAS, US
Embassy. Winners of the Know USA
Quiz and loyal library patrons were also awarded with books. In
addition to it, attendees were able to view a photo show presenting the
American Library activity, as well as a display of most requested items
of the library collection. The program also included education advising
lecture If You Want to Study in
the USA with Tetiana Kotko, EAC/ARC, and the following it discussion
on the American Library strategy of development
Celebrating the Past, Designing the Future. The event also included
American jazz and blues music and video
Portraits of America to add to
the festiveness. The Open House received a good attendance of over 200
patrons who ranged from the US Embassy officials, librarians, students,
to the general public. This program enhanced awareness about the
American Library services, and has brought more visibility to it.
Other special events spotlighted diversity of
America related issues, such as poster displays
America 24/7 and
Headlines of History: September
11, 2001; book displays:
Biography of America: The Coming of Independence; Many Voices, One
Country: Diversity in America;
Ernest Hemingway: Life and Works;
Spotlight 0n
the U.S. Travel Guides, and others.
Library Benefactors
To everyone who has consistently shown sustained
interest in and support for the American Library, we thank you. Special
thanks to the library leading benefactor – Public Affairs Section, U.S.
Embassy that provide strong financial and professional support to the
Library.
We remember
Susan Benz, Fulbright scholar,
who gave much her time and efforts to moderate some of the library
programs and donated many books to the collection.
The American Library also want to thank the following
organizations and individuals
for their valuable contributions to the development of the Library`s
collections:
IRC, U.S. Embassy, Parliamentary Development Project For Ukraine,
Association “DAR”,
Journal Donation Project for Central and Eastern Europe Countries in New
York,
Susan Benz, Fulbrighter in Ukraine, Nadiya Stechyshyna, NaUKMA student.
Thanks to theirs contributions, the American Library
has
increased its collection, adding this year 309 items ( 258 books, 45
DVDs and 6 CDs).
Web
site development
The Library's web site
http://www.library.ukma.kiev.ua/amer/
) received about 14,000 hits during 2008.
Visits to the library web site to access the online catalog, Events,
Education Area and Film Lovers Area pages and to get information about
library services and events, increased by 90%. The ability to reserve
books and renew loans online is especially appealing to online patrons.
This year we added some more services - online request of the library
collection items and email notification about loan delays.
During
the year we’ve made some improvements
adding some new features and making some revision of the
pages.
Beginning March, we started to feature new issues
of IIP
eJournal USA
and launched
Link of the Month feature.
In April, a new subject page –
Education Area was created.
12
month Event Calendars were also created and posted
on Events
page
(http://www.library.ukma.kiev.ua/amer/events.php
).
In these Calendars the library film showing schedule, lectures and
displays at the American Library along with America
memorable dates (“American Calendar”), were presented.
Training
On June 7-15 the American Library Coordinator had
the privilege of attending the 15th International Conference “Crimea
2008” Libraries and
Information Resources in the Modern World of Science, Culture, Education
and Business. The most helpful and
impressive for her was participation in the sessions of Section 15:
Internet and Internet Technologies in Library and Information Practice.
From the presentations of American ILS specialists Christian DiCarlo,
Susan Benz and Jill Cirasella, she acquired much new knowledge on WWW
use in the libraries to meet user needs, namely, Google Scholar key
features and usage; creating and managing high quality web site content,
providing clear navigation and efficient information architecture;
Google tools to strengthen and streamline reference service. In addition
to program sessions, the conference exhibit was also a place to learn
about new products, and get a little education about the ever-growing
range of products and services available from library vendors. This
annual meeting provided good opportunities to update her professional
knowledge, exchange ideas and views with colleagues and deliberate on
further Library development.
The Library Coordinator’s participation in the
annual workshop of WOA
Center coordinators (August 28-29,
Lutsk,
Ukraine)
provided her with a good insight into the wealth of Web 2.0 technologies
and their use in the libraries. The workshop expanded her knowledge of
current networking resources and possibilities to use them in WOA
activity. It was a good venue for sharing news, success stories and
challenges with the colleagues.
On October 1-5, the Reference Librarian attended
the 5th International Conference “INFORMATIO-2008:
Electronic Information Resources
Design, Use and Acces”, which was held in Alushta, Autonomous
Republic of Crimea. The conference participation helped to raise her
awareness in web search and current web resources as well as in success
practices of the colleagues from Ukraine, Lithuania and Russia.
PAS,
US
Embassy sponsored all these professional trainings that made it possible
for full-time librarians to update and develop one’s knowledge and
skills.
Looking
Ahead
The
American Library looks forward to continuing to provide new services. We
plan to increase visibility, strengthen Library identity. Library
upgrades including new equipment, expanded services and renovations.
To fulfil these objectives, we will continue to
adjust and develop our programs. In particular, we plan to launch
programs for kids (Bilingual Story Time), to create a web page
Teens Area, to start creating the Library publication
American Calendar. We will
continue to support our customers with technology and facilities
improvements, offering next year wireless Internet access to those who
wish to use one’s own laptops in the library. To keep up with new patron
needs and provide feedback, we intend to put Suggestion Box in the
Library and provide virtual users with online feedback form.
Our
challenge is to keep the Library well supplied with current materials in
a large variety of subjects and formats. The focus will be on developing
the electronic collection and providing convenient access to it. The
Library plans to add new e-books and audio books, new databases and DVDs
to the collection. We continue to enhance printed material collections
as well.
To give users greater convenience and to make the
American Library more inviting and comfortable, we need refurbishment of
the library facilities, including new carpeting, lighting, airing,
windows, doors, and paint. In partnership with PAS,
U. S.
Embassy, we’ll work hard to seek corporate sponsorship to fund these
renovations.
In the reporting term:
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4,425 persons are current cardholders
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383
new library members were attracted (up 15 % over 2007)
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20,398
visits were made to the Library (the gate count)
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Average daily number of library users per year: 80
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13,382 items were circulated in total: 4,282 books borrowed;
in-Library use-9,100 (community borrowers 60%, university borrowers
– 40%)
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Public Internet access at 5 computers
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4,350 Internet-use sessions took place (increased
30
% over 2007)
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1,370 people attended programs sponsored by the library (increased 18 % over 2007)
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95
events took place at the library (38 film showings, 1 Open House, 3
lectures, 12 Conversation Group meetings, 8 Library Club meetings, 2
photo exhibits, 5 poster shows, 26 book displays) - up 18% over 2007
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13,960 hits on the Library web site were registered (up 90% over
2007)
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individual film playing and test preparation
facilities
were used 86
times
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9,100 items are in the library's collection
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309 items were added to the library's collection including 258
books, 45 DVDs,
6
СDs,
14serials titles (up 14% over 2007)
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227 new catalog records were compiled, 20 records were edited
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106 Embassy and Fulbright visits (increased 54% over 2007)
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8
Library tours
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