Access and Outreach Services Monthly Report

Circulation and Technical Services

In March 2026, Circulation and Technical Services:

• Processed 230 library card applications.
• Issued 142 parking permits.
• Received and processed 2666 items from other libraries to fill holds.
• Pulled and transferred 2353 items to fill holds at other libraries.
• Filled 4431 total holds.
• Processed 751 withdrawn items.
• Received and added 1138 physical items to library collections.

Our Library Cards are Being Redesigned

The image above is the art proof provided by the vendor, Wingfoot Plastic Cards, with whom we are partnering to produce the library’s new cards. The featured artwork, created by late Trustee and author Bruce Hiscock, is drawn from the mural he painted outside the Crawshaw Story Room.

The new cards will be produced from durable, flexible plastic similar to our current cards, and are designed for long-term use. In addition to their durability, the updated design reduces plastic waste. Unlike the current cards, which include a separate frame that must be discarded, the new key tag will be attached directly to the wallet card, eliminating excess throwaway plastic. Better yet, these cards are considerably less expensive: $.198 each vs. $.48 each.

If you look very closely at the card art, or better yet, at the mural outside the Crawshaw Room, you’ll see a brightly lit building off in the distance. That, my friends, is the Saratoga Springs Public Library!

Outreach Services

Senior Services, Persons-at-Home (Sarah Derven)

Monthly Activity Summary

• Visited 13 outreach sites.
• Led 7 memory care writing groups.
• Introduced a new board game to residents at Good Shepherd.
• Delivered materials to 14 individual patrons.
• Served 285 patrons.
• Loaned 677 items.
• Made 86 phone calls.
• Placed 254 items on hold.
• Renewed 215 items.

Monthly Highlight

This month, Sarah visited Good Shepherd on Church Street and introduced residents to the board game Qwirkle. Three games were played simultaneously, and the activity was well received, with strong participation and engagement from residents.

Another monthly highlight: Sarah signed an outreach patron up for a library card…and the gentleman is 106 years old!

Community Events, Partnerships, Mobile Library (Jennifer Ogrodowski)

Greenfield Elementary School Literacy Night

Jennifer and Kristine attended the school’s Literacy Night, where they engaged with teachers and families, promoted library services, registered new library cards, and facilitated a craft activity. The event was well attended, and many families visited the library table to learn more about available resources.

Twin Leaf Farms Maple Tour

We extend our thanks to Twin Leaf Farms in Greenfield for hosting this engaging program. Adults and children learned about the maple sugaring process, from tree tapping to syrup production. The experience included a tractor ride through the farm and an opportunity to interact with two Highland cows.

Photo Gallery

Photos: Access and Outreach Services Monthly Report

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Hayride Tractor

Sugar Shack

The Boys

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Program Statistcs

• Attendance: 218
• Items Loaned: 83
• Library Cards Issued/Renewed: 11
• Items Returned: 105
• Reference Questions Answered: 12

Looking Ahead

• Big Truck Day with the Children’s Museum.
• National Library Week celebration at the Children’s Museum.

Adult Literacy and English Language Learning (Mary Ann Rockwell)

Adult Basic Education (ABE)

One new ABE student enrolled in March. Two sessions have been held with an adult learner in his mid-30s who identified as having dyslexia. He has demonstrated strong commitment, and instruction will continue using early literacy workbooks and tailored teaching strategies.

English Language Learning (ELL)

• Classes held: 26
• Total attendance: 126

Tutoring

• Individual sessions conducted: 35
• Total volunteer hours: 141

Tutors were consulted regarding use of the ELLII digital platform. One tutor noted that access would be improved with a dedicated laptop for Literacy Services.

Currently, two of the five weekly ELL classes are being taught by staff.

Tutor Development

Three new tutors are being onboarded:

• Mike Long, an intermediate Spanish speaker with connections to the local Latinx community.
• Laura Rappaport, fluent in Spanish, will begin by working one-on-one with a Spanish-speaking learner.
• Connor Mansfield, a Skidmore student with prior experience teaching English in Europe.

Poetry Programming

• Saratoga Poet Laureate Jay Rogoff led four poetry workshops in March, with a total attendance of 64.
• He has expressed interest in offering a similar program in October and has been provided with a proposal and scheduling guidance.
• A “Favorite Poem Reading,” modeled on former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky’s initiative, is scheduled for April 9.

Poetry Café

Three participants met to discuss works by Irish poets Eavan Boland and Seamus Heaney. In recognition of Earth Month (April), the group will next read from Ada Limón’s anthology You Are Here, for which additional copies have been ordered.

Professional Development

• Mary Ann Rockwell: TESOL International Convention – Salt Lake City (March 23–27, 2026)

Attendance at this international conference for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages provided valuable insight into current issues and best practices in the field. Topics included ethical uses of AI in education, immigration and citizenship, pronunciation and grammar instruction, flipped classrooms, and task-based learning.

A keynote address emphasized that we are now teaching in a “post-digital” world, where technology is fully integrated into communication, while also highlighting the ongoing challenges of the digital divide. This experience reinforced the continued global importance of English language instruction as a lingua franca and informed future approaches to Literacy Services programming.

Respectfully submitted by:
Trevor Oakley, Head of Access and Outreach Services