OverDrive's Next Big Library Read

July 13-27: The Girl in His Shadow

Big Library Read is literally a global reading program, a worldwide digital version of a local book discussion club. Sponsored by OverDrive, this program represents an opportunity to connect your local readers with book lovers around the world as they read and discuss the same book at the same time without wait lists or holds.

Held three times each year, the next Big Library Read starts on July 13 with the title The Girl in His Shadow by Audrey Blake. The title will be available in eBook and audiobook formats for simultaneous downloads from July 13-27. 

Point your patrons to BRIDGES on July 13 to download the book and to the Big Library Read website for the discussion guide and a discussion forum. Plus, find graphics to help with local promotion at the button below, everything from bookmarks to flyers, social media graphics, and a press release. 

Described as an unforgettable historical fiction novel about one woman who believed in scientific medicine before the world believed in her. From Good Reads “London 1845. Raised by the eccentric surgeon Dr. Horace Croft after losing her parents to a deadly pandemic, the orphan Nora Beady knows little about conventional life. While other young ladies were raised to busy themselves with needlework and watercolors, Nora was trained to perfect her suturing and anatomical illustrations of dissections.

Women face dire consequences if caught practicing medicine, but in Croft's private clinic Nora is his most trusted--and secret--assistant. That is until the new surgical resident Dr. Daniel Gibson arrives. Dr. Gibson has no idea that Horace's bright and quiet young ward is a surgeon more qualified than even himself. In order to protect Dr. Croft and his practice from scandal and collapse, Nora must learn to play a new and uncomfortable role--that of a proper young lady. But pretense has its limits ..."  

Connect your library with others around the world during OverDrive’s next Big Library Read, coming up on July 13th.

Big Library Read Promos

Iowa Public Library Statistics FY21

Published on State Library Website

Scott Dermont, State Library Consultant with the Des Moines office, has this news: the Iowa Public Library Statistics summary for FY2021 has been published and is now available on the State Library’s website.  Also known as the Big Library Stats Book, this is the culmination of the Annual Library Surveys which public library directors complete every October.  And an incredibly useful resource at budget time or any time.

Each year, once the Annual Library Survey filing window closed, Scott and team set to work distilling an amazing amount of data from Iowa’s 543 public libraries.  The compilation of that data—the Iowa Public Library Statistics—includes information from city and county appropriations to library budgets, library expenditures, collections, circulation, programming, and many other measures of yearly activity. 

From the publication’s introduction: “Each section is arranged by size code, then alphabetically by city. The totals, averages, and percentiles for each size code grouping are given immediately following the alphabetical listings.  The total population served by the 543 libraries is 2,370,058. 2010 decennial population data is used to determine per capita figures throughout the publication. Library size codes are based on the population of the city that the library was established to serve. Population figures are from the 2010 Census or most current special census. County library populations are based on rural county population and contractual agreements.”

How To Use

Public library statistics are used at the local, regional, state, and national levels. They are used to compare library performance across population groups, to justify budget requests, to track library usage over time.  These statistics assist in planning and evaluation, as well as provide valuable information needed for grants.  

All 50 states collect information according to guidelines and definitions established by the Public Library Statistics Cooperative (PLSC) The PLSC provides state-by-state rankings for public libraries in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Fun Fact: in FY19, the latest national data available, Iowa had 543 independent public libraries, ranking 4^th nationally behind New York, Illinois, and Texas.

Read More: Iowa Public Library Statistics FY21

This Week: A Request and a Webinar

Request To Verify

This request comes from Scott Dermont; by June 30, he asks that you verify the Tier status your library had achieved in meeting standards,.  This is one last check to ensure that you agree with your library’s Tier status—as given to you in a letter from Scott last month—so that Scott and team can proceed to determine Direct State Aid funding for all eligible libraries.

Scott writes “Once the checks are cut, it is too late and we'll no longer make changes to accommodate any errors. This especially applies to anyone in the standards / accreditation reporting cycle this year [Feb2022] although I’m asking everyone to double check, just to make sure.” 

Again, refer back to the letter you should have received from Scott last month.  If all looks good, there’s no need to contact him.  But if your opinion about your library’s Tier status differs from Scott’s assessment, please contact him quickly to discuss.  ( [email protected] )

July Webinars
Library for the Blind and Print Disabled.  Accessible Resources.  July 14.  1:00-2:00PM

This webinar provides tips and information to help ensure that the tools you are using in your library work are accessible for all patrons.  Speakers resources that are accessible to use in everyday programming and look at how to determine if a resource is accessible.

Check It Out.  June 28. 11:00AM-12:00PM

Check It Out! is a webinar series spotlighting the best new books for ages 0-18. Join Tegan Beese, State Library Youth Services Consultant, for booktalks on the latest titles. Check It Out! gives you collection development ideas and looks at trends in publishing and more.

Register in IALearns