Library enters 2000 after best year ever

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- The 5-year-old library had its best year ever in

1999 and is going strong into 2000, city officials and trustees say.

“This has been our most successful year,” said City Librarian LaDonna

Kienitz. She said this can be seen in terms of numbers of people using

the library, the types of programs that have been offered and the

diversity of books at the facility.

The Newport Beach Public Library offers an average of 1,000 programs each

year, 80% of which are for children. The variety of talks and classes are

targeted for toddlers to adults and include such titles as: “Junior

Journalists,” “French for fun,” “Book Discussions” and even “The Healing

Power of Dreams.”

For the past two years, staff has spent a considerable amount of time

trying to improve service at the library. Trustees have been conducting

telephone surveys and have had a survey in the library magazine

requesting comments and critiques.

The conclusion was that for the year 2000, the library will focus on

encouraging young people to read. The library in 1999 received nearly

$50,000 in grants toward this goal.

“It’s absolutely essential for kids to read,” said trustee Julie Ryan.

“We’re losing out as a society. By not reading, you don’t develop power

of concentration, deeper thinking and powers of analysis.”

The new focus is significant given that two decades ago public funding

was slashed and teen programs were cut, Ryan said, adding that as a

result many stopped reading.

In addition to getting this undertaking going, trustees say they are

looking forward to another year rich with activities.This year will be

kicked off with the Distinguished Speaker Series, starting with feminist

Susan Faludi, author of “Backlash” and her newest book “Stiffed.”

Following her talk will be journalist Tom Brokaw and China expert Orville

Schell, as well as other speakers.

This spring will feature “Celebrate the Center for the Book,” a major

division of the Library of Congress that has been stimulating interest in

books, reading and libraries.

The Newport Beach library will coordinate activities with the center, as

one of its new satellite sites is in California.

In April, the library will feature Diane Asseo Griliches photographs

called “Library: the Drama Within.” She calls the library “one of the

very few institutions...where any soul may walk through its doors free

and depart enriched.”

Also beginning in April, the library will celebrate “A Star Spangled

Weekend” to salute American history. This will feature a variety of

programs celebrating memorable events and personalities in the nation’s

history.

FYI

FUN FACTS:

* An average of 66,000 customers walk into the library each month.

* An average of 78,000 customers a month are served through the Internet,

telephone or by fax.

* An average of 16,000 customers a month are served by the reference

department.

* More than 1,000 programs are offered to the public each year -- 80% for

children.

* An average of 104,000 items, which include books, videos and audiotapes

are circulated each month.

* Over the past 10 years, the Newport Beach Public Library has had a 137%

increase in circulation of materials.

HONORS AND AWARDS:

* Hennen’s American public library rating published in the September,

1999 issue of American Libraries Magazine rates the Newport Beach Public

Library second in the nation for cities with populations from 50,000 to

99,999.

* USA Today’s February 1999 ranking of the best public library reading

rooms in the United States listed Newport Beach Public Library’s Charles

Sword room in the top 10 along with the rooms at the Library of Congress

and New York Public Library.

* The Library of Congress just designated the Newport Beach Public

Library as one of the four libraries in California as “Center for The

Books.” Other receipts include the libraries at UC Berkeley at UCLA.