Fall Library Snapshot Day 2012
Summary of Daily Happenings in Texas Libraries
Who participated this year?
1608 – Data was submitted for 1608 library facilities including academic, public, school, and special
libraries!
Information on 10 academic, 80 public, 1504 school, and 13 special libraries was submitted.
Average gate count in a day at individual library buildings
Academic – 2336
Public - 1015
School -547
Special- 160
Circulation average
Academic – 355
Public - 1348
School - 588
Special 80
The Daily Average Is…*
A Typical Day in a Texas Academic Library Counts…
 75 faculty members supported academic librarians’ collaborative efforts.
 17 hours a day open for student and faculty use.
A Typical Day in a Texas Public Library Counts…
 300 people attending programs and over 65 kids sitting in on storytime.
 26 people attending reading or literacy classes
 10 ½ hours a day open for the public
A Typical Day in a Texas School Library Counts…
 173 students served every day with assistance on technology and 270 instructed on curriculum
work.
 180 students participating in non-curricular activities at the library, and
 19 different activities school librarians undertake to assist teachers.
 9 hours a day open for students.
*Results below are based on averages as reported by survey respondents.
Examples of Reference Questions
How do you negotiate your salary in an interview?
I need to get my GED, do you know where I can take classes?
Can you help me find a book to use to teach about differences within families?
Where can I find information on the SAT?
How do I download eBooks?
Where can I find a scary DVD movie?
Do you have any books with a timeline for the American Revolution?
How can I find out more about the candidates?
Copyright - what is the rule for using music in a video?
“Any leads to "scholarly/academic" sources for non-profit organizations? I have 5 sources from books,
but the professor needs published research”
Where can I find books about cyberbullying, abstinence, Jim Crow Laws, "coming of age", body image,
anorexia, tattoos, piercings, fashion design, how to play the piano, the Kane Chronicles, engineering,
Civil Rights, the Dust Bowl, Aldus Huxley & Brave New World, Mockingjay, birth control, economics of
other countries, child labor, child soldiers, video gaming, "Perks of being a wall flower", game theory,
dancing through the decades, Marxist archetypes
"Can you help me find an outline for a persuasive speech?"
How do I submit applications online for employment?
What kinds of foods are good for diabetes?
How do auditory and visual learning compare?
“Do you have Rosetta Stone for people who want to learn Spanish?”
How do I know what information to use when I Google "cancer?"
What is a good website to use for my career project?
Where are the Rick Riordan books?
I am applying for a job, but they are asking for my e-mail address. How do I get one?
In Texas, can you cancel a construction contract within a certain period of time, without reason or
penalty?
What is a blog?
How do I cite a book that doesn't have an author?
Can you help me find a library book about the aging process?
How do I open this document?
Sample Patron Comments
I love my library because I can access the Internet or book for research that I need for an assignment."
"I really wanted to say thank you to the library staff that was so helpful with my job seeking/resume.
Great job!"
"I enjoy the Game Day every quarter!"
"I like my library; the librarian is always helpful when asked to be."
"Great resource for ITT. Lots of useful magazines."
Who decorated the puppet stage? It is very nice!
I like the fact that you have a coffee shop in the library.
My family and I come to the school library every week because my children enjoy checking out the
books and taking them home to read.
“Love interlibrary loan!”
The library is great but I need you guys to add more Warriors books.
"As a homeschooling family, we rely on the library's resources to supplement our work. The librarians
are always helpful."
I love this library. Staff is great!
"The Hillsboro library is a great resource for our community. We depend on the staff for help with our
research and other activities. We use the library to place posters about community activities."
I’d pay more taxes to keep our library
The library is absolutely the BEST!! Love the building, staff and service!! Best value for tax money!!
I didn't know y'all had all this.
We really enjoyed storytime.
We should take care of our library forever.
Librarian has "patience of a saint" while working w/students
I enjoy coming in to do my homework as I do not have a computer at home or Internet access.
Examples of Programs
GED classes and Basic Excel Computer Classes
E-Portfolio Training
Resources for Professional Organizations in the Virtual Library
Teen Read Week Activities
Reviewing email account access with fourth graders, netiquette
Homework Help Center
Adult Book Discussion Group
Peer tutoring
One on one training sessions with people to create an email account and then help them apply for jobs
online.
Haunted House for kids and teens
Our school participated in the nationwide reading for Jumpstart.org's Read for the Record Day.
Zombie walk.
Book-a-Librarian Sessions, for one-on-one PC help & mobile device download help
We had two Halloween story times for pre-schoolers.
Our meeting rooms were used by a homeowners' association, a healthcare company, and a Girl Scout
troop.
Since our school was having a "Family Literacy Event: in the evening, our library hosted a demonstration
of our new e book resources. We set up laptops in the cafeteria and parents and students were able to
logon and tryout our new e books.
How to use E-books
iPads
Database usage and copyright laws.
Prime Time Plugged In - community event held to demonstrate all of our digital / online resources to
students and parents. This lasted from 6:00 to 7:30, seven different sessions were offered, including
sessions in Spanish.
Chamber of Commerce Treats for Kids
Mystery book club
Course related library instruction
Basics of Excel
Lesson on the Holocaust, Diary of Anne Frank, and bullying prevention.
Lesson on humor, puns, word play, and inferencing.
Student projects-robots made from different geometric shapes were displayed on top of the shelves in
the library.
Mock Election
How to cite resources
Reading with your child.
Introduction to www.Prezi.com
Introduction Glogster
Book Club discussions, character analysis, themed poetry writing
A 45 minute “Library Orientation” full of PowerPoint slides on information literacy, given to students of
our Learning Frameworks course, a prerequisite to graduation at WTC.
Database and passwords for research- keep all passwords private
Boy and Girls Club afterschool program in library
Live at the Library Musical Concert
Spanish Computer Class
Librarian Comments about Snapshot Day
Great idea. Participants enjoyed the opportunity to express themselves about the library.
The Library Snapshot Day provides a good opportunity to promote library services. We are looking
forward to participate in future events.
I enjoyed planning the day and the events that brought our parents and students in to decorate the
library with Storybook pumpkins and enjoy our new Ebook collection presentations.
Snapshot Day was fun for my school.
I think Librarians needs to continue advocating for our profession. Please continue to promote Snapshot
Day!
I did a tally sheet to help my staff keep track (only showing the questions they needed to tally). That
helped a lot.
Thank you for helping us with our advocacy efforts.
Provide incentives such as digital cameras or other devices as rewards for participating. Then those can
be used to capture future years.
I really think this is a good way to unite libraries across the state and help fight cuts not just to libraries,
but education in general.
I am new to doing this. I like taking one day just to see what all we really do offer at the library and what
our patrons think of us and the programming.
This exercise is a great way to remind patrons, staff, volunteers, and support groups what a vibrant role
we play in the community!