SHELLEY ANDREWS REPORTS ON THE CARMICHAEL LIBRARY
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Shelley Andrews is Branch Supervisor of the Carmichael Library, one of 28 branches in Sacramento Public Library. She has a long history with the library and has worked at 7 branches, small, medium, and large but readily admits that Carmichael is her personal favorite. Beginning as a part time shelver in pre-computer days, Shelley worked her way up the chain and has held just about every job there is in a branch, from shelving to checking out materials, to conducting story times to running a branch, and the infamous "other duties as needed". A native of Sacramento, she worked for 20+ years at the library, then went back to school to earn a Masters in Library Science at San Jose State University which led to her current position. In addition to managing a great staff and the library with the highest circulation in Sacramento Shelley participates in the systemwide planning of library operations.
Shelley took to the podium and apologized for cancelling her visit some time ago, she had a bad cold. She said that before she started talking about the library that she wanted to thank our Club for providing a book to the library for every speaker that we have. We to date, this year donated 28 titles and they have been checked out 151 times by readers. It's a wonderful plus for literacy and gives many hours of enjoyment to people.
Shelley also took charge of donated books that some in the audience had brought and thanked them and said that you can bring old books, DVDs. audio books to the Library at any time. They certainly can use them and if not, they give them to charities.
Shelley started a wonderful slide program outlining what the Carmichael brings to the community. It is amazing what all services that they provide and it is almost all free! I have enumerated some of them as follows:
♦The library encourages reading - so they have older kids reading to younger kids (pre-schoolers) which helps the older kid improve his/her reading and well as benefits the younger one.
♦They have adult literacy programs - in one year 300,000 people get job seeking help.
♦libraries are used for reference for business statistics etc., at Carmichael Library they have a business specialists to help you. Actually Nationwide, 2.8 million times every month, small business owners use resources at Public Libraries to support their businesses and they have workshops for small business start-ups.
♦They have online training classes, free language classes, and free Wi-Fi. Free computer classes - for instance this Friday, there will be a course on how to use the iPAD.
♦There is a free movie night - you supply the popcorn and many check out DVDs, 2.1 mil Nationwide in one year and Carmichael has over 25,000 database hits and 44,000 downloads in one month.
♦They have meeting room which you can reserve for community groups clubs etc.
♦To show what a great deal the Public Libraries are: they serve more than 2/3rds of the public with less than 2% of tax dollars!
Guess what acting President Vince Iosso did in recognition of Shelley's wonderful presentation? A book will be donated (in her honor) to the Carmichael Library!
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The Carmichael Library 5605 Marconi Ave. Carmichael, CA 95108 (916) 264-2700 www.saclibrary.org |
| Stan Roe and Shelley Andrews at end of her presentation |