Library Annual Report Available Online

Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) has released its 2013 “Report to the Community” which is available online.

The report offers an overview of the activities of Montgomery County Public Libraries for the past year, including a numerical breakdown of the more than 24 million uses of the 21 branches during 2013.

For example:

• nearly 10,500,000 items were used (borrowed, downloaded or used in the branches);
• library customers used electronic and office resources in more than 6,390,000 ways (by visiting the website, using the library computers, downloading articles from databases, printing/copying materials in the branches);
• more than 4,700,000 visits were made to MCPL branches; and
• more than 2,300,800 questions were answered in person, by phone, through the website, email, chat, social media or by mail.

The report also includes Strategic Plan accomplishments, plus budget and other financial figures related to library operations.
In an introductory message in the report, County Executive Ike Leggett said, “While it is true that our library branches are busy, vibrant places that often serve as the center of their respective communities, there are still residents who – for whatever reasons – do not realize the myriad services provided by their local library.

But, if you take a few minutes to go through this ‘Report to the Community,’ you will quickly understand why our public library system is one of the most widely used services in CountyGovernment.”

MCPL Director Parker Hamilton said, “During the past year, as you will read in the report, more than 60,500 people signed up for new library cards, more than 8,300,000 items were borrowed, with another 1 million-plus being used in the branches. We thank you, our customers for creating these numbers. But, we’re always striving to connect the residents of Montgomery County with more resources and ideas to sustain and enrich their lives.

“We invite everyone to take just a few minutes to look through the report and by doing so, even more fully appreciate the vital role public libraries play in the day-to-day functioning of the community.”

About Staff Writer

View all posts by Staff Writer