2006-2007 Annual Report - Santa Rosa County

Library SystemOn October 1, 2006, the Santa Rosa County Library System launched operations as anindependent library system for the first time in county history, ending participationin the West Florida Regional Library and becoming a county department whollyoperated by the Board of County Commissioners. To provide greater focus onlibrary needs for Santa Rosa County citizens, the Santa Rosa County Board of CountyCommissioners made the decision to separate the county libraries from the WFRL inAugust 2005. Independence was launched with four libraries located in Gulf Breeze,Jay, Milton, and Navarre, and the fifth library in Pace opened in 2007.The Santa Rosa County Library System offers a circulating collection of materials inprint, audio, and video to a diverse county population of all ages. With five locations,the county library system has over 131,000 items that are distributed throughoutthe system to all library borrowers. A total of 48,864 new items were added to thecollection in the first year; 11,380 of those items appeared on popular and best sellerlists. With 22,197 new borrowers registered, the number of library cardholdersincreased to 29,582. Approximately 455,550 visits were made to county librariesduring the year.Linda HendrixLibrary Director6568 Caroline StreetSuite 101Milton, FL 32570(850) 623-2043Office(850) 623-2138 Faxlindah@santarosa.fl.govThe library web site is the portal to library services where one can search the librarycatalog, place requests, review their library account, apply for a library card, and linkto program schedules and information about all library services. Through dozens ofvalid and authenticated library electronic sources, one can find magazine articles, autorepair manuals, Genealogy sources, business directories, information about health,history, science, social issues, biographies, homework help using live homeworktutors, reader’s advisory services, online book clubs, and fill many other consumer,homework, and research needs at www.santarosa.fl.gov/libraries.Fiscal Year 2006/2007 Highlights• In April 2007, the new Pace Library was opened – a significant accomplishmentfor the library system’s first operating year. The materials collection in Pace of25,800 is available to all county library borrowers and 3,700 library cards wereissued to Pace residents during the first few months of operations. The number ofmaterials circulated monthly from the Pace libraryis among the highest in the library system.• The library system experienced significant growth incirculation of materials with a record breaking 495,325items checked out – a56 percent increase over theprevious year.• Issued 22,197 new librarycards contributing to thetotal of 29,582 borrowers, arecord breaking number.• Collaborated with SantaRosa County school officialsand teachers and registeredover 10,000 students fornew library cards, resultingThe new Pace Library located on Patriot Boulevard.31