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| MCPL Director Parker Hamilton |
Our fiscal year ended June 30, 2017, and we are reviewing the progress made during the first year of MCPL’s new Strategic Plan. We have made many strides this past year toward creating a more literate, connected, strong and vibrant, and delighted Montgomery County:
- The community is enjoying a newly refreshed Davis Library;
- Customers and staff are learning more early literacy skills through materials available at the Jan Jablonski Early Literacy Training Center at the Noyes Library for Young Children;
- Parents/caregivers are actively exploring the world with children via updated Go! Kits;
- Teens are becoming more financially responsible and business savvy using skills learned through MCPL’s Workforce and Business Development programs;
- Persons with disabilities are accessing our buildings and services with more ease as changes are made based on MCPL’s ADA coordinator assessments.
- Customers are learning more about MCPL by listening to our Library Matters podcast.
- Two residents have earned their high school diplomas with the Career Online High School program.
- More children are now connected to materials and resources by the pilot to eliminate fines/fees on children’s materials;
- Residents were able to bring out their inner hero at MCPL’s first comic convention; and
- Community members learned about current events and enjoyed conversing with Kojo Nnamdi, David Ignatius, Charles Lane, and Hena Khan at our inaugural Contemporary Conversations @ MCPL series.
These are just a few of the accomplishments from FY17; be sure to check our website in early January 2018 for the full list in MCPL’s Report to the Community.
As the new fiscal year begins this month, I will be finishing the final chapter of my journey with Montgomery County which began in 1981 as a Librarian I with Montgomery County Public Libraries and culminates as the Director of the same. I will officially begin a new chapter of my life on August 1.
In my twelve years as MCPL’s Director, there have been times of feast and famine; during both, I have tried to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars while finding ways to serve all of our County’s diverse population, which has changed and grown significantly over the past decade. I am proud of all that has been accomplished as we strategically moved our public libraries into the 21st century.
I thank staff for their efforts in delighting our residents and striving to provide excellent customer service. I also thank County Executive Leggett and County Council for their commitment to public libraries and for recognizing the critical role libraries play in the lives of County’s residents. Many thanks to our partners for their support and collaboration in assisting us in providing programs and resources to our customers. Last, but most important, to our customers, thank you for keeping the needs of Public Libraries in front of our stakeholders and for pushing us to achieve our mission to offer free and equal access to services and resources that connect you to ideas and information to sustain and enrich your lives.
Here’s to new adventures!
B. Parker Hamilton, DirectorLabels: From the Director, July 2017