Annual Report FY23 | HOWE LIBRARY CORPORATION BOARD CHAIR’S REPORT
Trusted Resource for All Ages Whenever I step into the Howe Library, as I do every week or two, I have the great pleasure of seeing people of all ages engaging with the library and its resources. Parents and children reading together. Tutors working with students. Library staff helping adults find accurate information. Participants in programs ranging from chess club and Knit Democracy to poetry workshops and the Summer Reading Program. We are so fortunate to have the Howe in our community.
Jennifer Rickards Chair, Board of Trustees
We are continuously working to make the Howe even better. We recently engaged a strategic planning firm to assist with a community engagement and goal-setting process, and we look forward to your involvement. We have also been assessing our building’s energy efficiency, capacity, and suitability for today’s needs. You will hear more as the planning moves forward. I am grateful for the community’s support of the Howe, which makes all this work possible. Community Sponsors and donors to the Howe Annual Fund support the library’s collections and programs. And a recent gift to the endowment from Pamela L. Doenges will help beautify the library and support core public services. Thank you for investing in the Howe!
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Expand & Diversify Public libraries are community hubs, and the Howe staff work hard to connect people and create an atmosphere of trust and inclusion. The library’s mission has always been to gather people and provide access to information and opportunities for social connection. This past year, staff enhanced services so everyone can explore ideas and access materials from diverse perspectives.
Rubi Simon Director, Howe Library
Regarding programming, the Summer Reading Program—aptly called All Together Now—introduced participants to community figures, such as firefighters, police officers, conservationist Ben Kilham from the Kilham Bear Center, and shepherd Mary Lake from Can Do Shearing. We also expanded adult programming by collaborating with local organizations, making the library’s Zoom room available for community use, and adding the Check This Out! live author series, which introduces listeners to up-and-coming writers of diverse backgrounds. As for collections, the Adult Services staff completed a diversity audit. You might have already seen more diverse voices represented throughout the expanded adult collection. Our wonderful new Head of Youth Services has been diligently preparing the youth collection for the school year. These accomplishments were achieved thanks to community support, and we feel privileged to work in a community that values its local libraries.
Howe Library brings together people, resources and information to engage our minds and to strengthen connections to our community and the world.