A New Face on an Old Friend:
Douglas County Libraries Unveils New Brand Identity
Douglas County Libraries has adopted a new brand identity to reflect its role as an innovative leader among libraries, and its mission to advocate for literacy and lifelong exploration and discovery.
The new brand identity includes a new logo for the library district, which will be introduced to the public over a 12-month period beginning August 1.
“Douglas County Libraries is one of the busiest libraries in the state, with a spirit and tradition of remarkable service and innovation,” said Amber DeBerry, Douglas County Libraries community relations manager. “Our brand had not kept pace with the district’s growth, or our vision of what we are looking to accomplish going forward.”
The library’s rebranding process was rooted in extensive public research that garnered input from more than 4,000 community members. “It’s important to involve the community in any rebranding effort, especially for a public institution,” added DeBerry.
Online and telephone surveys, in-person interviews and focus groups led to a new library brand focused on innovation, exploration and discovery. The new logo is reminiscent of a tree, symbolizing growth, or of pathways, symbolizing exploration. It evokes Douglas County Libraries’ core values: deliver books and more, serve all, build literacy, explore and discover, be friendly and helpful, blaze a trail, create connections, and make it work.
The public is invited to a brown-bag lunch and panel discussion with members of Douglas County Libraries’ branding and core values task forces. The event will be held on Thursday, August 16 from 1 to 3 p.m., at Philip S. Miller Library [1], 100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock.
Douglas County Libraries has seven locations serving nearly 300,000 people over 843 square miles. The district circulates more than 8.2 million books, CDs, DVDs, magazines, eBooks and audiobooks annually, including more children’s materials than any other library system in Colorado. Douglas County Libraries is a passionate advocate for literacy and lifelong learning. For more information, visit DouglasCountyLibraries.org [2].
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Douglas County Libraries blazes a trail to get e-content to patrons
There is a growing demand for e-books across Douglas County and across our state. In Colorado, e-books account for about three to seven percent of total circulation, but demand is growing rapidly. At Douglas County Libraries (DCL), they account for 3.7% of total circulation. By 2015, 10% of total library circulation may be in the form of e-books, eAudio, music and movies.
Unfortunately, libraries across the state are struggling to grow their e-book collections because many of the large publishers across the country maintain that they are not required to sell e-books to libraries. Three of the six largest publishers do not offer their e-books to libraries, making it impossible for libraries to deliver many popular titles to patrons. The question of whether to sell to libraries represents a huge ongoing debate in the publishing industry.
The publishers that do work with libraries (HarperCollins, Penguin Group and Random House) require popular titles to be purchased again after they’ve been downloaded 26 times, delay availability of popular titles by up to six months, or triple the purchase price of each title..
Fortunately, DCL has made access to e-books a strategic priority in the last two years. Its e-book collection has grown by 140% in 2012, and includes more than 27,000 titles available for borrowing.
Douglas County Libraries, under the leadership of library director Jamie LaRue and DCL’s board of trustees, is leading the charge on behalf of all public libraries, blazing a trail toward acquiring e-book content for libraries. LaRue has worked with other industry leaders to develop Evoke, a group of organizations working to ensure the availability of e-books in Colorado.
Under his direction and vision, Douglas County Libraries is working to bypass the intermediary vendors and buy directly from publishers. The library district has purchased software that enables it to self-host e-book content and make it available to patrons directly.
LaRue feels it essential to do everything possible to gain more access to e-books for patrons. “Douglas County Libraries has built a model system for the management of digital content, content that is already exploding to include a much larger world,” he said.
Information about the Douglas County Libraries model is available at http://evoke.cvlsites.org/resources-guides-and-more/douglas-county-experiment-model/ [3].
Douglas County Libraries wants patrons to know that it is doing everything possible to ensure their needs are met. People who would like to help make more e-book content available to libraries may sign a petition at http://e-booksforlibraries.com/ [4].
Douglas County Libraries is a passionate advocate for literacy and lifelong learning. It will continue to grow its e-content partnerships for the benefit of its patrons throughout 2012. For more information, visit DouglasCountyLibraries.org.
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Douglas County Libraries volunteers honored
The Denver chapter of the Directors of Volunteers in Agencies (DOVIA) held its annual awards celebration luncheon on Tuesday, September 25, to honor volunteers in Denver-area nonprofits. Douglas County Libraries volunteers Ed Dash and Roger Williams were nominated for their service to the Douglas County History Research Center, and won the DOVIA award in the “Dynamic Duo” category.
Together, Dash and Williams numbered and catalogued tens of thousands of photographic negatives from the Douglas County News-Press and other newspapers, including hours of painstaking examination to identify people and places in each image. Williams, a retired physician, also volunteers at Louviers Library, and makes audio recordings of medical journals for use by visually-impaired medical students. Dash is an active volunteer at The Buddy Center in Castle Rock, helping with its horse rescue operation.
Others acknowledged by DOVIA as outstanding Douglas County Libraries volunteers included Tammy Fross, Curt Maddock, Cyndi Stephens, Jim Clements, Rick Way and Highlands Ranch teen Mansi Gupta.
Last month, 440 volunteers contributed 3,221 hours, valued at more than $62,000, to Douglas County Libraries. Douglas County Libraries is a passionate advocate for literacy and lifelong learning.
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Image: Douglas County Libraries volunteers Ed Dash, left, and Roger Williams.
Discover a world of information and entertainment online at DouglasCountyLibraries.org. The website offers access to the library catalog; library card registration; library account management, book renewals and reserves; live homework help; 24/7 reference help; over seventy expert research resources; interlibrary loans and purchase requests; downloadable audiobooks; reading suggestions and reader’s advisory services; information on library programs and services; special sections for book lovers, children and teens; community links and information; Douglas County history; monthly calendars and more.
The mission of the Douglas County Libraries Foundation is to support the institutional goals and cultural celebrations of Douglas County Libraries. As a non-profit corporation with 501(c)3 status, the Foundation provides a tax-deductible means through which sponsorships, gifts, bequests, memorials and grants can be made to the library. For more information, go online to Foundation.DouglasCountyLibraries.org [5] or call 303-688-7638.
In addition to full-scale reference service at our regional libraries, and well-trained and helpful staff at all of our branches, DouglasCountyLibraries.org [6] features anytime access to a wealth of research tools. Our Research section offers over seventy expert databases, iGuides and more. Live Homework Help connects expert tutors with students in grades 3-12 everyday.
In an effort to boost early childhood literacy, Douglas County Libraries employs the American Library Association’s “Every Child Ready to Read” approach to storytime. The program is based on current research in early literacy and brain development which indicates that it is never too early to prepare children for success as readers. Storytime schedules and weekly themes vary at our libraries. Current storytime schedules are always online at DouglasCountyLibraries.org - go to the "Locations" tab and click on the branch for more information.
Douglas County Libraries offers a wide variety of educational and fun activities for children, teens and adults throughout the year, as well as several literature events (Author Extravaganza, Colorado Author Series, and Douglas County Writers Conference). We offer youth reading programs in the spring and summer, as well as summer reading programs for teens and adults. Monthly calendars of events and our biannual magazine, Access, are available at each library. Monthly calendars are also available at DouglasCountyLibraries.org - click on the Events calendar icon.
Volunteering provides new job skills, enhances personal growth and encourages community involvement. Volunteering at Douglas County Libraries can fulfill high school graduation requirements and other community service obligations. Potential volunteers can logon to DouglasCountyLibraries.org, contact their local library or call Volunteer Services at 303-791-READ.
The Douglas County Libraries Adult Literacy Program provides free, one-on-one tutoring for adults who want to learn English as a second language, prepare for the GED exam or improve basic skills in reading, writing, vocabulary, spelling or math. The Program also provides volunteer conversation partners for adults who have learned English in their native countries, but need practice speaking it in an informal setting. To participate in the program or volunteer, please call 303-791-READ.
Douglas County Libraries and Gale/Cengage Learning [9] have entered into an agreement allowing for library purchase of Gale [10] eBooks, effectively replicating the model by which libraries purchase print materials and applying it to electronic content. Prior to such innovative partnerships, libraries could only license eBooks, not purchase them outright.
“These are times of great change in publishing,” said Jamie LaRue, director of Douglas County Libraries. “With library ownership of eBooks, we can integrate them more seamlessly into our collections, and customize those collections to our communities and to our patrons’ needs.”
The public-private business partnership embodies the library’s bold approach to improving access for library patrons while growing a new market for publishers through cooperative purchasing and joint promotion. While the library is committed to purchasing one additional copy for every four holds (individuals waiting for content to become available for borrowing), it will also provide users links to make immediate purchases of their own, benefitting both users and publishers.
“We’re one of the first public libraries in the country to manage its own e-content,” said LaRue. “Working directly with publishers, we’re leading both publishing and libraries into a sustainable business model for the future.”
Douglas County Libraries’ industry-standard platform (Adobe Content Server) enables it to integrate e-content with its catalog, providing a seamless experience for patrons that replicates the print check-out model. Library users may read eBooks through a browser on a private library-hosted cloud, or through any device capable of reading Digital Rights Management (DRM)-protected files.
“Libraries are the original ‘green’ business,” said Rochelle Logan, associate director of support services at Douglas County Libraries. “We purchase in bulk and circulate the same item as long as there is interest in it.”
Logan added, “We have redirected 10% of our collection purchasing budget to e-content, and expect that percentage to continue to grow, enabling us to offer our patrons a larger and more interesting collection, much of which is available 24/7 to anyone with an internet connection.”
The Gale/Cengage Learning agreement, which includes numerous business titles, the DK Eyewitness and Rough Guides travel series, and children’s nonfiction, follows a similar partnership between Douglas County Libraries and the Colorado Independent Publishers Association [11].
Jamie LaRue, Director
Jamie LaRue has been the director of the Douglas County Libraries since 1990.
A former President of the Colorado Library Association, he has won various awards: Colorado Librarian of the Year in 1998, the Julie J. Boucher Award for Intellectual Freedom in 2000, the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce's Business Person of the Year in 2003, and the National Council of Teachers of English/Support for the Learning and Teaching of English Intellectual Freedom Award in 2004. He earned his Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois-Urbana.
jlarue @ dclibraries.org
David Farnan, Associate Director of Community Services
David Farnan came to Douglas County Libraries in the fall of 2008. He has a Master of Library and Information Services from Florida State University. At Douglas County Libraries, he oversees Branch Services and Community Relations.
dfarnan @ dclibraries.org
Art Glover, Associate Director of Human Resources
Art Glover has been with the Douglas County Libraries since 2003. He is certified as a "Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)", an internationally recognized certification in the Human Resources profession. At Douglas County Libraries, Mr. Glover oversees management of the Human Resources and Training Departments. He holds an M. A. in Human Resources from Webster University (Kansas City, MO).
aglover @ dclibraries.org
Rochelle Logan, Associate Director of Support Services
Rochelle Logan has been an Associate Director at Douglas County Libraries (DCL) since 2001. Previously, she worked at the Colorado State Library as Associate Director of the Library Research Service. At Douglas County Libraries, Logan oversees management of Collection Development, Research and Statistics, Technical Services, and The Douglas County History Research Center. She received her graduate degree from the University of Denver Library and Information Sciences program.
rlogan @ dclibraries.org
Monique Sendze, Associate Director of Information Technology
Monique Sendze has worked in information technology management for ten years and joined Douglas County Libraries in the fall of 2009. Previously, she worked as the IT manager at the Johnson County Library in Kansas. She has a B.A in English, a M.Ed. in teacher education and a M.Sc. in management information technology. She has contributed to information technology management articles published in various library publications. At Douglas County Libraries, Ms. Sendze oversees information technology, the contact center, and web and virtual services.
msendze @ dclibraries.org
Karen Gargan, Associate Director of Finance
Karen Gargan joined Douglas County Libraries in 2011 with 18 years of leadership in progressive corporate and operational finance, primarily in the manufacturing and food service distribution industries. At Douglas County Libraries, Ms. Gargan oversees the finance, foundation and facilities functions. She received her undergraduate degree in Finance from Colorado State University.
kgargan @ dclibraries.org
If any of these outreach services interest you, please call 303-791-READ to be put in touch with the librarian that will best meet your needs.
Links:
[1] http://douglascountylibraries.org/Locations/PhilipSMillerLibrary
[2] http://douglascountylibraries.org
[3] http://evoke.cvlsites.org/resources-guides-and-more/douglas-county-experiment-model/
[4] http://e-booksforlibraries.com/
[5] http://Foundation.DouglasCountyLibraries.org
[6] http://DouglasCountyLibraries.org
[7] http://douglascountylibraries.org/AboutUs/Volunteer
[8] http://douglascountylibraries.org/AboutUs/Literacy
[9] http://www.cengage.com/
[10] http://www.gale.cengage.com/
[11] http://www.cipacatalog.com/
[12] http://douglascountylibraries.org/Services/Spellbinders
[13] http://douglascountylibraries.org/Services/BookStart
[14] http://douglascountylibraries.org/Research/iGuides/SmallBusiness
[15] http://history.douglascountylibraries.org