Perkins Library
Annual Report
Fiscal Year 2013
Address: 175 North Beacon Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 800-852-3133 or 617-972-7240
Fax: 617-972-7363
TTY: 617-972-7690
Email:
Web: www.perkinslibrary.org
Twitter: @Perkins_Libary
Funded under contract #RFR12-108 by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners with an appropriation from the Massachusetts General Court.
The Year in Review
Fiscal Year 2013 included a number of high profile opportunities through which the Perkins Library continued solidifying its leadership position – within Massachusetts and on the global stage – as an advocate for braille literacy and access to reading materials. The Library leveraged advances in technology and forged partnerships designed to increase the availability of the Perkins Library’s programs and services. The Library was honored to host a number of remarkably talented visitors and humbled by the support of friends when the Perkins campus was swept up in the search for one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects.
The year's achievements included:
· Participation in events that put Perkins Library on the map as a thought leader on the key issues of promoting braille literacy as well as creating greater access to audio, braille and large print reading materials;
· Welcoming the talents of a wide range of accomplished visitors to create new materials and raise awareness about the Library's programs and services;
· Utilizing new partnerships to enable greater access to library services;
· Continued outreach activities to potentially eligible library users across Massachusetts
· Evolving customer service processes to improve our user’s experience; and
· Serving an ever-growing number of users through new and existing platforms.
Putting Perkins Library on the Map
Braille Summit Focuses on the Future
At a time when advances in technology are creating new and exciting opportunities for delivering braille across the globe, Perkins and the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) hosted the first-ever Braille Summit.
More than 100 people attended the three-day conference on the Perkins Watertown campus in June of 2013. The central theme: The Future of Braille.
NLS Director Karen Keninger shared her vision. NLS is working on research on refreshable braille technology to develop a braille eReader that could be distributed to NLS patrons. Ideally, it would be portable, durable and – here is the main obstacle – affordable.
"Unfortunately, the technology is currently too expensive," said Keninger. "But, globally, researchers are seeking a new and affordable solution."
Perkins Library Director Kim Charlson, who served as a co-coordinator of the summit, indicated that now is a critical time to develop a strategy for advancing braille literacy for the next generation.
Global Effort Emphasizes "Right to Read"
Charlson also added her voice to the effort to end what the World Blind Union (WBU) has called a global "book famine". Charlson travelled to Thailand to serve as a U.S. delegate at the WBU General Assembly, with a main area of focus supporting the efforts of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to negotiate a copyright exception treaty. Currently, only about seven percent of all published works are made available to people who cannot access print. In poorer countries, approximately one percent of books are made available in braille, audio or large print.
Charlson capped off her trip with a visit to the Hong Kong Society for the Blind, which produces two publications distributed by Perkins Library: the Chinese Talking Magazine and the Chinese Talking Digest, for borrowers whose primary language is Cantonese.
Friends of Library Offer Support in Marathon Bombing Aftermath
The library experienced an outpouring of support from patrons and colleagues in April during a tense – almost surreal – day in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing. The entire community of Watertown, including the Perkins campus, was placed under lockdown at five-thirty in the morning as police hunted for one of the bombing suspects. Four members of the library staff were already at work. They were finally able to return home, unharmed, at two in the afternoon.
Perkins Library received hundreds of well wishes, including this email from the Florida Braille and Talking Book Library: "We're all anxious about what's happening in the towns surrounding Boston, and especially in Watertown. Take care of one another and travel safely."
Visitors, Voices and Ovations
On Center Court at the Celtics
Aside from her role as Library Director, Kim Charlson is active with many organizations and institutions, including the Library of Congress among them. In March, Charlson was honored with a Boston Celtics "Heroes Among Us Award". The crowd at TD Garden rose to its feet as Charlson and her Seeing Eye dog, Dolly, stood at center court. Charlson serves as an advisor to the federal government on issues ranging from accessible currency to the danger of quiet cars. Charlson has helped promote awareness of audio description for films and television programs as well as talking ATM's.
Governor Patrick Visits Book Club
Perkins Library's Elder Book Group hosted a memorable meeting featuring a larger than usual crowd, television news cameras and the Governor of Massachusetts. The group wrote a fan letter to Governor Deval Patrick after reading his memoir, A Reason to Believe: Lessons from an Improbable Life. The Governor's staff then arranged a visit with the book group at Perkins Library.
"I feel a little misled," joked Governor Patrick at the January event. "I've never been to a book club where there were TV cameras recording the discussion of the book."
As the cameras rolled, the Governor read from his book and responded to questions about both his book and his public service career.
Sports Writer Launches Library Without Walls
Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy shared the inside scoop on his new book, Francona: The Red Sox Years, during the Library's inaugural Library Without Walls program session.
Library Without Walls allows patrons to simply call-in to hear speakers talk about their books and other areas of expertise. This innovation allows people at home to participate in literary programs typically found in a local library.
"Many of our borrowers are pretty isolated," explains Perkins Library Director Kim Charlson. "They can't drive, so being able to bring an author into their homes via the telephone – no matter where they live in Massachusetts – really lowers that barrier. They can now access those same library opportunities."
Baseball Book is Unique Memorial to Perkins Library Narrator
The audio version of Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield's book will also be a tribute to Carl Beane, a beloved voice both at the home of the Red Sox, Fenway Park, and in the Perkins Recording Studio. At the time of his death in a car accident in May 2012, Beane had begun recording Wakefield's book Knuckler: My Life with Baseball's Most Confounding Pitch. As a tribute to Beane – and to Wakefield – Red Sox Hall of Fame broadcaster, Joe Castiglione, stepped into the booth to finish Beane's narration work.
"It was quite an honor to complete the work started by Carl Beane," said Castiglione. "Carl was a friend of nearly 30 years and a true pro."
The newly completed audio version of Knuckler features a special dedication to Beane.
Legendary Boston Radio Host Brings Talents to Perkins Library
The Perkins Library studio staff was delighted to host Boston radio legend Ron Della Chiesa who put his famous voice to work recording the audio version of his book Radio My Way.
"So many of my most loyal listeners over the years have been those who are blind," explained Della Chiesa. "So I am glad to offer them the option of listening to my book."
In his book, Della Chiesa chronicles stories from a 50-year radio career during which he met many of the greats in jazz and opera, as well as, musicians who helped create the Great American Songbook.
Teen Actress is a Familiar Voice in Perkins Studio
She may not be a household name yet, but Perkins Library studio's youngest recording artist is well on her way. A student at Beaver Country Day, 17-year-old Julia Fein also appears on stage with the Boston Children's Theater and on film in Great Meadows and 3 Weeks to Daytona.
Since her audition with Perkins at age 14, she has recorded four books: Crow Call, A Little Maid of Provincetown, Danger in the Narrows and Lemonade Mouth.
Advances in Access
New On Newsline
Newsline, an electronic system that allows users to listen to newspapers and magazines through synthetic voice output via any touch-tone telephone, continued to serve over 2,700 listeners in FY2013. By calling in on a local or toll-free number, users choose any of the newspapers available in the program and listen to that day, the previous day, or the Sunday edition of a specific paper.
Massachusetts newspapers on the system include: Associated Press- Massachusetts, The Berkshire Eagle, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Cape Cod Times, Christian Science Monitor, Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise, Lowell Sun, Nashoba Public Spirit, North Adams Transcript, Springfield Republican, United Press International-Massachusetts, the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, and the Watertown Tab & Press. A new local paper was added during the year – The Patriot Ledger, covering news from the South Shore and into Southeastern Massachusetts.
Over 350 other major newspapers and 40 magazines from throughout the United States and Canada are also available. Ten international newspapers are part of Newsline, as well as four newspapers provided in Spanish.
In addition to the hundreds of publications and TV listings available, Newsline also offers subscribers the ability to independently access job classifieds and apply for open positions. With this groundbreaking job-listings feature, users are able to search for job openings that match their education, skills, and interests.
Newsline launched a new no-cost mobile iOS app that works for those on the go with an iPhone or other iDevice.
Newsline Program Usage
FY 2013 Usage Statistics
Category / FY 13 / FY 12 / ChangeTotal Active Users / 2,613 / 2,340 / +11.7%
Total Calls / 107,200 / 104,906 / +2.19%
Total Minutes Used / 2,152,606 / 2,102,621 / +2.38%
Total Web Users / 161 / 114 / +41.23%
Total Web Sessions / 12,411 / 4,423 / +180.60%
“In Your Pocket” Users / 15 / 21 / -28.57%
“In Your Pocket” Downloads / 13,857 / 14,898 / -6.99%
Total Email Users / 99 / 82 / +20.73%
Total Email Downloads / 129,521 / 144,674 / -10.47%
Awareness and Outreach Activities
Other awareness and outreach activities continued to be directed toward special education programs, organizations serving people with physical disabilities, and councils on aging throughout the Commonwealth. Rehabilitation service organizations, home health care organizations and assisted living programs were all priorities for developing more effective methods and strategies to inform them specifically that people with physical disabilities who have difficulty holding a book or turning pages are also eligible for the wide range of programs and services available through the Perkins Library.
Staff continued to speak to groups upon request; exhibited at consumer meetings; and produced two issues of Dots & Decibels and PerKIDS newsletters.
ACTIVITY / DESCRIPTIONPresentations / Information sessions with groups / 136
Tours / On-site library tours / 9
Special Events / Book/Author Talks/presentations / 4
Conference / Library displays/exhibits / 29
Book Group / Perkins book discussion groups / 25
Networking Meetings / Meetings with other organizations re outreach / 35
Grand Total / 238
Patron Services
The Perkins Library continued to manage the program with funding appropriated by the Legislature and administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
FY2013 Volunteer Contributions
The Library continued to utilize the services of the Cincinnati-based G.E. Elfun headquarters repair group for a small number of cassette player repairs each month. Appreciation gifts and certificates were sent to the Cincinnati G.E. Elfun volunteers in gratitude for their contribution to our equipment program.
One hundred forty-four other in-house volunteers who assist with the inspection and repair of returned books, record and edit studio productions, duplicate copies of digital magazines and books, help in producing braille and audio materials or perform clerical tasks generously donated a total of 11,030.25 hours equaling a 5.30 total FTE staffing contribution to the Library during the 2013 fiscal year.
Annual Volunteer Activity Report
July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013
Machine Lending / 320 / .15 / $7,216.00 / $8,640.00
Clerical/Office / 660.50 / .32 / $14,894.28 / $17,833.50
Inspection / 2,792 / 1.34 / $62,959.60 / $75,384.00
Studio / 6,041.50 / 2.90 / $136,235.83 / $163,120.50
Braille Production / 832.50 / .40 / $18,772.88 / $27,477.50
Duplication / 344.50 / .17 / $7,768.48 / $9,301.50
Book Buddies / 39.25 / .02 / $885.09 / $1,059.75
Total / 11,030.25 / 5.30 / $248,732.16 / $302,816.75
Note: Volunteer hourly rates are calculated by Independent Sector and the 2013 estimates for the value of a volunteer hour reached $22.55. This is the national average; with the 2013 figure for Massachusetts being set at $27.00 per hour.
Service and Budget Summary
Massachusetts Registered Patrons:
FY2013 FY2012
Individuals / 20,721 / 20,357Institutions / 1,633 / 1,585
Total / 22,354 / 21,942
Massachusetts Book Circulation:
Digital Materials / 379,159 / 330,934Cassette Materials / 84,694 / 136,145
Braille Materials / 9,217 / 9,181
Described Videos (VHS) / 80 / 141
Described DVD / 2,474 / 1,362
NLS BARD Download / 55,902 / 52,435
SHELF Downloads / 212 / 285
Total / 531,738 / 530,483
Book Circulation/Patron: / 23.79 / 24.17
Equipment Circulation: / 5,287 / 5,131
Collection Holdings:
Titles / 143,159 / 126,706Volumes / 974,656 / 1,141,426
Budget Summary: FY2013 FY2012
Staffing Costs / $1,364,444.34 / $1,315,547.96Direct Costs / $ 826,253.72 / $ 761,672.72
Other Costs / $ 209,301.94 / $ 163,795.32
Total / $2,400,000.00 / $2,241,016.00
Title Search Statistics (FY2013):
# of Patrons / Title Searches / Found (%) / Not Found (%)5,440 / 9,850 / 8,766 (89%) / 1,084 (11%)
Reference Request Statistics (FY2013):