Library Trustees 2005 Annual Report

                    REPORT OF THE BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES

To the Inhabitants of the Town of Abington:

The Board of Library Trustees of the Abington Public Library is pleased to
submit (heir report of the year 2005. During the year the library continued
to serve as the community's information and cultural center and is now in
its ninth year in the current library building.

At the end of 2005 the library's collection contained 69,531 items. Slightly
less than the previous year, this number reflects an intensive effort on the
part of the library's staff lo update the collection of materials to reflect the
necessities of a good library, the community's needs and current trends in
material types. Outdated, damaged materials have been and will continue
to be replaced with current titles and information. The library, by
expanding the print collection and providing new compact discs, videos,
books on tape and other resources stretched the budget to the maximum.
Various staff members expanded their training and took advantage of
continuing education courses offered free to member libraries by the Old
Colony Library Network (OCLN) and the Southeastern Massachusetts
Library System (SEMLS) in various areas of computer searching, websites,
library administration and other areas of interest to librarians.

The library also continued to develop its own web site @
www.abingtonpl.org. This site continues to showcase the library's
resources and collections and provides links to sites in the Town and
beyond. Library patrons are able to use the web site to: review their library
account, renew books, place holds, search the online catalog, check for
adult and children's program dates and times, ascertain library hours, print
meeting room booking form, view library policies and many other things
formerly available only at the library.

The Friends of the Abington Public Library continued to provide support to
the library in a variety of ways. By holding used book sales, conducting the
annual periodical drive, sponsoring programs, applying for grants to fund
museum passes to Plimouth Plantation, the Science Museum, the Kennedy
Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Children's Museum in Easton, MA.,
and the Roger William Park and Zoo.

The Friends enhance library services. The Friends fund such programs as
the Adult Book Discussion Group, the ever-popular Rental Collection,
purchase adult and children's videos and DVD's and audio books.

Children's programs included guest performers, story-craft activities,
preschool and toddler story hours, after-school programs, and book
discussion groups. Children's programming is entirely funded by private
donations from The Friends of the Library, The Anderson Insulation Co.,
Inc., The Kathy Greenwood Fund, Fleet Bank, Gap/Old Navy and the NRC
Family Network. Donations were received for children's books from
several Gift Funds.

Adult programs focused on the "Meet the Author" series with appearances
by three local authors. Exhibits in the Copeland Meeting Room included
those by the Abington Art Association, Abington Public Schools and
individual local artists.

The Trustees also thank the Abington Lions Club for the pass to the
Children's Museum in Boston and their fundraising concert which enabled
the library to purchase new large print books and Books on CD. The Board
also thanks the Abington Cultural Council for its support. The Board and
the Library Staff join in acknowledging the outstanding work of the library's
volunteers, the BookStops. These dedicated people performed such jobs
as delivering books to nursing homes, shelving books, keeping book
shelves in order, covering new books, copying and collating and assisting
with other clerical tasks.

The Board also wishes to acknowledge the dedication and the public
service of all the members of the staff.

2005 LIBRARY STATISTICS
Circulation                                                101,057
Total Collection                                          69,531
Reference Questions                               13,676
Public Internet Workstations                            7
Registered Borrowers:                               8,328
Abington Public School Class Visits               46

According to information obtained from the Massachusetts Library
Association (MLA) on their website @ www.masslib.org. the following
financial statistics that are directly related to Abington's circulation figures.
The value of library services was $1,331,726.00. This figure represents the
amount Abington residents would have paid out of pocket if they had not
used the library.

The actual library budget for FY2005 was $348,644.00, a significant
difference.

                                          Respectfully submitted,

Henry DiCarlo, Chairman
Betty Henderson, Vice Chairman
Janet O'Connor, Secretary
Lorraine O'Neill
Aimee Tyler
John O'Neill
Jonathan Harris
Cynthia Whiting
Christina McMahon