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Mississippi Libraries Vol. 68, No. 1, Spring 2004 Page 6ANNUAL EVENTS:Keeping the Library in the Public EyeBy Prima PlauchéLibrary System DirectorHancock County Library Systempplauche@hancock.lib.ms.usEditors’ Note: The Kiln Public Library,Hancock County Library System, receivedthe MLA 2004 Public Relations Award fortheir annual community tree lighting. Theaward recognized the best effort by anindividual library to publicize library servicesaround a single theme or event.Annual events keep a public library inthe public eye. They bring awareness tolibrary services and position the library asa focal point in the community. However,annual events are the most difficultprograms to implement and maintain. Tobe successful, an annual event must fill aneed in a community that will draw alarge audience year after year. Successdepends on selecting the right day andtime, finding the right theme, developingpartners and soliciting volunteers to assistwith the many details of the function.Moreover, the best annual events have“spectacle” appeal.Each library in the Hancock CountyLibrary System (HCLS) holds an annualevent during the Christmas season. TheBay St. Louis Library hosts a two-dayevent around a holiday tree gala with anexhibit of seventy trees decorated by localbusinesses, organizations and schools.Waveland Library hosts an open houseduring the city’s Festival of Lights.Pearlington Library, a joint school/publiclibrary, hosts a gingerbread house-decoratingcontest. These events involve thecommunity and draw people into thelibrary during an historically slow period,the holiday season between Thanksgivingand New Year’s.AN EVENT TO FITTHE COMMUNITYWhen the Kiln Public Library openedin 2000, HCLS staff looked at theLocal businessman Gary Knoblock donates histime and equipment to pick up the tree on hisflatbed truck and decorate it.library’s service area to develop an annualevent theme. Located on Highway 603,the north/south corridor of HancockCounty, Kiln Library serves twenty unincorporatedcommunities.Although the Kiln Library’s servicearea is diverse, studies indicate that familieswith children heavily populate each ofthe communities served. They choose tolive in the area because of the school system,easy access to an interstate highwayfor work and shopping, the rural settingand the feeling of community.A community tree lighting seemed justthe event that would bring people together.The idea expanded to include schoolchoirs for entertainment, an indoor treedecorated by the children of the community,refreshments and a visit from SantaClaus. Representatives of the library’sfunding authorities participate with theirfamilies, and scores of volunteers contributetheir time to the event.A Colonial Christmas is portrayed by the HancockCounty Home School Association on Candy CaneLane.Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves visit with eachchild and hear their wish list.COMMUNITY RESPONSEThis rather simple idea drew 1,800people the first year, leading a local newspaperto proclaim: “Tree Lighting CausesTraffic Jam in Kiln!” Now in its fourthyear, the library event is a focal point inbringing the community together duringthe holiday season and increasing libraryuse during November and December. Inthe weeks leading up to the tree lighting,the Library Foundation of Hancock Countyprovides pre-packaged ornament kitsfor library staff to distribute. Families pickup the ornament packets to make athome and return to put the finished ornamentson an indoor tree. Thus, circulationof library materials and library visitsduring this period has increased fromyear to year.