East Branch manager reports high youth participation and outreach numbers

Sarah Morris, manager of the East Branch, welcomed trustees to the branch and summarized library activity and outreach numbers from the past year. She said the branch recorded 11,554 teen daily sign-ins during the school year (averaging about 70 teens per day in summer and roughly 200 60 per school day over the year), offered 511 youth activities with 3,209 youth participants, and ran 108 story times and in-house children'9s programs that drew 4,990 attendees.

Morris explained outreach roles have shifted after the traveling children'9s librarian position was eliminated, and that Simone White (children'9s library associate) has stepped into more outreach while balancing in-branch responsibilities. She said adult services included 148 "book a librarian" appointments (roughly 120 for job-search assistance) and the branch averaged about 400 visits per day during the school year and about 325 visits per day in summer. "Last year during the school year we had 11,554 teens do the daily sign in each day," Morris said, outlining the branch'9s seasonal patterns and staffing adjustments.

Board members thanked Morris for the report and her focus on neighborhood needs; the manager said she appreciates the staff team and will continue tracking outreach, attendance and summer-reading participation.