Annual Report for Sedona Public Library

By Virginia Volkman, Library Director

Sedona AZ (June 29, 2018) –

Sedona Public Library’s fiscal year ended on May 31, and we’re happy to report that we have experienced another year of growth and transition.  We are proud to serve the residents of Sedona.  Thank you for your support and patronage, and if you haven’t been by for a while, stop in and see what’s new.

This Year’s Highlights and Accomplishments:

• Sedona Public Library was nationally recognized by Library Journal as a Star- Rated Library for the fourth year in a row.  Only six libraries in the state of Arizona received this distinction, based on statistical measures that were higher than those of other libraries.

• Through funding from an Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona grant, the Library purchased five state-of-the-art adult computers and one teen computer.

• The Library was one of ten libraries in Arizona to receive an Arizona State Library grant which provided everything needed to implement a six-session Fun with Math and Science program for parents of children from 3 to 5 years of age.

• We launched our second community reads program, Read Around Sedona, with support from an LSTA grant from the Arizona State Library.  Our selected book was “Cha’risa’s Gift,” by local author Ilana Maletz.  Twelve events were held in conjunction with the program, including a kickoff event with the author, book discussions, a movie screening, Arizona Humanities speaker events, a writing workshop and two tours.

• The Library received a grant from the American Library Association (ALA) and PBS to host programs around “The Great American Read,” an eight-part television series and multi-platform initiative that celebrates the joy of reading and the books we love.  Programs will take place in the fall of 2018.

• We were approved as a site by Yavapai Food Council for the Summer Food Service Program to provide healthy lunches to children at the Library during the months of June and July 2018.

• For the second year, the Library incorporated adults into the summer reading program, using the same theme as the kids, “Building a Better World.” Donating food to the Sedona Food Bank’s Weekend Emergency Packs for Hungry Kids was one small way we could use this program to build a better world. 

• Youth Services continued to reach out to the community by visiting Head Start classes and preschools.  Staff participated in events at Big Park Community School, Sedona Charter School, and West Sedona School and made class visits. The Library cooperated with the City of Sedona by having an exhibit table at the Celebration of Spring event.  Youth Services also participated in the Verde Valley SciTech Festival at Yavapai College Verde Campus.

• We partnered with the local High Desert Designers Garden Club to promote the annual National Garden Club Poetry Contest for students.  A poem submitted by twelve-year-old Felicia Foldes was awarded first place in the Northern Arizona contest and it won second place in the Arizona State competition. 

• Our pilot StoryWalk was launched in July at Sunset Park and was made possible with cooperation from City of Sedona Parks and Recreation Department, funding from a local donor, and volunteer help from six local teens and two musicians.  A new book was installed in the fall.

• The Library was the place to be for the solar eclipse in August.  During a pre-eclipse program attendees received eclipse glasses and safety information. The actual eclipse experience was attended by approximately 350 people.

• The High Desert Designers Garden Club installed a Blue Star Marker at the Library’s front entrance to pay tribute to United States armed forces.

• We collaborated with Sedona International City of Peace and Rotary Club of Sedona to host the Human Library Project, an innovative international project designed to promote dialogue.

• We celebrated authors by participating in Indie Author Day.  In addition, we hosted Kevin Fedarko, author of “The Emerald Mile,” Lisa Schnebly Heidinger, author of “The Journal of Sedona Schnebly,” and cooperated with the Sedona Art Center for a visit with author J. A. Jance.

• New adult programs were offered:  Conversational French, a Book Discussion Group and a newly formed group called Crypto, which brings together people who are interested in cryptocurrencies.  Special events were scheduled during Banned Book Week and for Halloween, and we became the new venue for the Pumphouse Poetry and Prose Project.

• We kicked off our 60th Anniversary in April with an afternoon of celebration that included a walk down memory lane, stories, refreshments, music and special guest speakers.  We also introduced our new logo and new outdoor sign.

• The Library joined the Yavapai County Education Technology Consortium to take advantage of federal and state funding to cover costs associated with bringing high speed fiber internet service to the Library.

The Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are supported by the City of Sedona, Yavapai and Coconino Counties property taxes, businesses and foundations, and individuals like you.

We could not succeed as your public library without the involvement and commitment of this community, the passion and dedication of our staff and board, Friends of the Sedona Library and the 17,000 hours of volunteer time we received last year.