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Naperville Public Library Year in Review 2019

-Dave Della Terza, Executive Director

Library Journal's 5-Star Rating

Executive Director Dave Della Terza at Nichols Library
Enthusiastic Cardholder!

Services and Collections

In 2019, we introduced our online library card application. Now Naperville residents can apply for a full-service library card from home and instantly access our online resources.

Our world language collection continued to expand, with Russian and Polish titles added to the children’s collection, Spanish titles added to the teen collection, and Marathi titles added to the adult collection.

We offered new services to crafters and makers such as the database Creativebug and hands-on classes with our embroidery machines.

A 3-D printer was added to the Naper Blvd. Library, and we completed over 760 3-D print jobs at all 3 libraries.

A leveling system for our Easy Readers was created, so kids who are learning to read will be able to find books well suited to their reading level.

MakerBot 3-D Printer

Programs

The Party That Shall Not Be Named

The library continued to provide popular programs, with over 6,000 people attending our Harry Potter Party That Shall Not Be Named and more than 2,700 people at our Star Wars Reads Day.

Star Wars Day

Our second Local Author Day featured 25 local authors and a panel discussion that was live streamed through our Facebook page.

Local Author Day

The International Games Week program brought over 25 different board, dice, card, and video games to the library. The Pokemon League expanded to all 3 libraries, drawing an average of 50 school aged kids to the library each month.

International Games Week

We also increased some of our most popular programming. Spanish Storytime and Brown Bag Lectures were so successful that we have expanded both programs to two times a month.

Brown Bag Lecture

Outreach and Partnerships

Naperville Public Library works with many community organizations to deliver great services to the community. By partnering with Naperville Community Unit School District 203, Naperville Park District, the YMCA, and some local preschools and daycares, we saw an 87% increase in completion of the children’s Summer Reading Program.

We piloted a Lobby Stop program at Martin Avenue Apartments, where we bring library services to the residents of the assisted living community. The program was so successful, we plan to expand to two more locations in 2020.

Martin Avenue Apartments

We helped provide free developmental screenings for kids through a partnership with Ann Reid Early Childhood Center.

We worked with the Naperville 2020 Census Complete Count Committee, launching a website full of census resources and helping recruit census workers.

We also joined with many community organizations to begin the Dementia Friendly Naperville initiative. In addition, the library cohosted programs with groups like DuPage Children’s Museum, Naper Settlement, NCTV17, Fox Valley Genealogical Society, Teen Writers and Artists Project, Fox Valley SCORE, Community Career Center, Western DuPage Special Recreation Association, and Community Access Naperville.

Ms.Deanna reads a story at Naper Elementary
Teen Volunteers

Thank you to our volunteers for contributing!

Visit us at Naperville-Lib.org