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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 1d: Accept donations from the community in support of the Summer Reading Program at the library. Of ARC %'�.Gpi,lFOlt�r'A�� ti '=.''%;711 --\\ra IV 2=rvg.11, trilp s �� STAFF REPORT ,�rya4n3ty o[��� Library and Museum Services Department DATE: August 21, 2012 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Mary Beth Hayes, Director of Library and Museum Services Mme' By: Darlene Bradley, Library Services Manager C$ SUBJECT: ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY Recommendation: ACCEPT SUMMARY Forty-four community donors gave a total cash donation of$2,050 and a variety of items for prizes for the 2012 Children's Summer Reading Program. DISCUSSION The Library's Summer Reading Program for children was once again very successful. 2,161 children participated in the program with a total combined 33,947 hours read during these six weeks. With the theme of "Dream Big @ Your Library", younger children were encouraged to be read to aloud by their parents, caregivers or older siblings. Older children were encouraged to read on their own with everyone reporting their weekly progress. The children were not only rewarded with developing a lifelong love of reading and a chance to practice their reading skills throughout the summer break, but also with a weekly prize to encourage them to continue reading along the way. Although major funding is provided by the Friends of the Arcadia Public Library, additional prizes and funds are solicited from community businesses and organizations to provide additional support as well as to foster community involvement and awareness of this important literacy based program. Items received this year included gift certificates for free children's meals and gift cards for meals at local restaurants, passes to a variety of entertainment venues, and gift cards from a number of merchants. These gifts help provide an exciting mix of prizes for the participants and the Library is pleased to have the broad involvement of the community in encouraging its children to read. Cash gifts totaling $2,050 were also received and much of these funds were used ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY August 21, 2012 Page 2 of 3 to purchase additional materials and supplies, which help staff to enhance programming. Donors are recognized for their contributions with a letter and business and organization names are posted in the Jerry Broadwell Children's Room, on the Summer Reading program calendar and on the Library's website. In addition, some business establishments were given a placard stating that they were proud sponsors of the Arcadia Summer Reading Program. Community sponsors included the following businesses and associations: 3-M Corporation / Unitek Joe Ferrante Music Academy 7-Eleven Market Jumpin' Jammin Advantage Ford Kids Art Adventure City Kidspace Museum AMF Bowling Lanes Legoland Applebee's Restaurant Marie Callender's Aquarium of the Pacific Matt Denny's Ale House *Arcadia Chinese Association Mimi's Café *Arcadia Friends of the Library The Old Spaghetti Factory Arcadia Rock Climbing Olive Garden Auntie Anne's Pretzels Pacific Asia Museum BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse Ralph's Grocery Store California Pizza Kitchen Red Robin's Gourmet Burgers Chuck E. Cheese's Robek's Juice Coco's Restaurant Round Table Pizza Cold Stone Creamery Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill CVS Pharmacy Sizzler's Restaurant Denny's Restaurant Souplantation Domenico's Italian Restaurant Teri & Yaki Fresh and Easy Togo's Eateries Golf N' Stuff Vroman's Bookstore Hometown Buffet Wendy's Monrovia *These two associations.gave cash contributions not included here. They were separately acknowledged in a previous staff report. All gifts to the Library are subject to approval by the City Council pursuant to City Charter article VIII section 809 (d). a ACCEPT DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT_ OF THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY August 21, 2012 Page 3 of 3 FISCAL IMPACT The Summer Reading Program is funded through generous donations from the Friends of the Arcadia Public Library, the Arcadia Chinese Association and many additional community sponsors. The City provides funding for staff salaries but the Children's Summer Reading Program costs for materials, supplies, programming, performers and incentives are exclusively based on donations from support groups and the community. The Children's Summer Reading Program costs approximately $14,000 each year, which averages $6.48 per child. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended the City Council accept the donations from the community in support of the Children's Summer Reading Program at the Library. Approved: r ominic Lazza t City Manager