Letter from the Director
2002 Accomplishments | Revenues and Expenditures
Board of Trustees | Library Administration

King County Library System Foundation Annual Report

Letter from the Director

If business equals success, then by all accounts 2002 was a very successful year for the King County Library System. The circulation of materials reached nearly 15 million—making KCLS one of the busiest libraries in the nation. Use of the virtual library continued to be strong with more than 22 million hits to kcls.org. Programs at KCLS libraries were also very popular with record attendance at many events. Every library in the System reported more patrons using meeting rooms, booking computers, studying in groups or just spending time reading and studying.

While maintaining superior levels of services in 2002, KCLS also took important steps to make the Library System even better. A Vision statement created by the Library’s Board of Trustees guided the important developments of 2002 and is defined by four components: An Intellectual Adventure for Everyone, The Heart of the Community, We Make it Easy and One System.

To make KCLS libraries “an intellectual adventure for everyone,” substantial improvements were made to the collections and marketing of books and other materials. Pilot projects for Teen Zones, enhanced children’s areas and the wildly successful Library Connection @ Crossroads all pointed the way to the library of the future.

KCLS libraries as “the heart of the community” was demonstrated in the Library Choices community outreach program. Through the plan, KCLS invited patrons to help identify and prioritize library needs for every community. In the process, 10 cities asked that KCLS’ expansion be a major partner in their plans for growth and economic development. At the same time, the System continued to pursue partnerships and collaborations with the 18 different school districts it serves. Training for teachers and resources and services to students was an important focus for each of KCLS’ 42 community libraries.

The remainder of the KCLS Vision statement calls for KCLS to create services convenient to library patrons, and to operate as one System as the way to produce a quality of service not attainable by any single library. In 2002, KCLS technological advances such as an improved Web site, greater use of the fiber optic network, and new thin client workstations, all support the fulfillment of the Vision. As technology is becoming more accessible, it is also growing in importance—as many of the Library System’s most important reference resources are now available online in libraries and directly to patrons at home, school and work. Other projects were initiated in 2002, such as the Central Storage Center that will help KCLS preserve an extensive collection while freeing up community library space.

All of KCLS’ accomplishments in 2002 represent strong movement in the direction of the Board’s Vision. The activities of the past year also give evidence of how much better the Library System can become. We at KCLS are as excited by what has been done as we are by what more can still be accomplished.

Bill Ptacek
Director

Back to Top

2002 Accomplishments
For more detailed financial and statistical information, call 425.369.3200.

Total Circulation: 14.9 million

Reference Services:
• Answered 180,000 quick reference questions through Answer Line
• 8,240 via the Ask a Librarian e-mail reference service
• 3,205,000 reference questions in community libraries
• 663 via a live chat reference service providing homework help 12 hours a week for students in grades 4-12

Programming:
Provided more than 5,000 programs for children and teens
with audiences exceeding 138,000 people

Web Hits:
22 million, with 1 million hits to more than 65 online databases

Community Groups Use of the Library:
25,338 meeting rooms booked

Back to Top

Revenues and Expenditures

Back to Top

James Grayson President 2002 Tobias Washington, Jr. President 2003   Judge Richard Eadie

Wai-Fong T. Lee Charlotte B. Spitzer

Back to Top

Library Administration

William Ptacek Director Bruce Adams, Associate Director Public Services Kay Johnson, Associate Director Facilities Management Services Bruce Schauer, Associate Director Collection Management Services

Denise Siers, Associate Director Public Services Nancy Smith, Associate Director Public Services Linda Glenicki, Manager Business and Finance Charlene Richards, Manager Human Resources Julie B. Wallace, Manager Community Relations and Graphics Jeanne Thorsen, Executive Director KCLS Foundation