Running head: KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

Community Needs Analysis: Kansas City Public Library Central Branch Megan Durham, Kristen Gripp, and Kimberly Patton Emporia State University School of Library and Information Science

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Abstract This paper provides a community analysis for the Kansas City Public Librarys Central Branch. The goal of our community analysis is to provide recommendations for K-12 students served by the Central Branch. These recommendations were made after analyzing individuals, neighborhoods, groups, agencies, and lifestyles of Kansas City residents. We used various methods of analysis, such as analyzing Census data, exploring a business database, taking a virtual tour of downtown Kansas City, and observations at the library itself. Our recommendations include services to terminate, services to implement, and marketing schemes for the new services.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Community Needs Analysis: Kansas City Public Library Central Branch Introduction The goal of our case study is to provide an in depth analysis of Kansas City Public Librarys Central Branch. The Kansas City Public Library (KCPL) primarily serves the

population of the city of Kansas City, Missouri. Its ten branches are situated in the urban core of the city and serve an urban population that is racially mixed and divided not only along those lines, but economically as well. The suburban areas to the east and north are served by the MidContinent library system, while the area to the South and West of the city is served by the Johnson County Public library system on the Kansas side of the state line. We intend to focus on the kindergartener through high school senior population served by the Central Branch. Background The Kansas City Public Library was founded in 1873 by the Kansas City Board of Education (Kansas City Public Library, 2009). It was intended serve as a public school library for the Kansas City School District, but in 1988 the library separated from the district and became its own institution. According to the Collection Development and Management Plan (2009), the Library boundaries and tax base, which remain the same as those of the Kansas City School District, encompass a constituency of 239,000. The Kansas City Library provides patrons access to information through its physical collections and e-resources. The mission of the Kansas City Public Library is to be a doorway to knowledge for all people in our community (Kansas City Public Library, 2009). The mission is carried out through the following core values: literacy, lifelong learning, imagination, intellectual freedom, and service excellence (Kansas City Public Library, 2009).

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS The Central Branch is the oldest library in the Kansas City Metro Area and serves as the chief source of information for those in the surrounding communities. The library is housed in the former First National Bank, and features The Community Bookshelf, the library parking garage painted to look like books on a shelf with titles selected by Board of Trustees (Central library, 2012). The Central library also provides a variety of services including: regular book clubs, various programs, document delivery, interlibrary loan, H&R Block Business & Career Center, and Missouri Valley Room and Special Collections Archive. The needs assessment will attempt to provide sound and solid reasoning for services and marketing strategies to be implemented by the Central Branch for K-12 students in the Kansas City Public School District. The analysis will also make recommendations for services to be discontinued at the Central Branch for our selected audience. Individuals Population and Race As of the 2010 Census Kansas City has a population of 459,787, a 4.1% increase since the last Census in 2000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Table gives the number and percentage of each race represented in the Kansas City area. This graph shows overwhelmingly large percentages of White and Black citizens, a Hispanic population approaching 10%, and a smattering of other racial identities forming the other tenth of the populace. Kansas City is primarily an urban community and has a diverse population with many ethnic groups represented.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 1: Race of Kansas City Residents Type White alone Black alone American Indian Alaska Native alone Asian alone Hawaiian and Other Pac Islander alone Other race alone Two or More Races Hispanic White Alone Not Hispanic Minority Pop 11,543 7,194 23,040 105,140 134,317 4.8 3.0 9.6 43.9 56.1 4,802 259 2.0 0.1 Number 114,599 99,614 1,447 Percentage 47.9 41.6 0.6

(Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010) Age Table 2 shows the percentage and number of ages of Kansas City residents. According the 2000 Census the median age is 34 (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005). This table also displays that almost 25% of residents are less than 17 years old. The largest percentage is made up of 25-44 year olds at 32.4 percent of the total population.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 2: Age of Kansas City Residents Type Under 5 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 14 years 15 to 17 years 18 to 24 years 25 to 44 years 45 to 64 years 62 years and over 65 years and over Number 16,849 17,039 16,392 9,187 24,809 77,615 48,404 33,959 29,230 Percentage 7.0 7.1 6.8 3.8 10.4 32.4 20.2 14.2 12.2

(U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2005) Marital Status The 2000 Census reported a majority of Kansas City residents over 15 had never been married (Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010). Table 3 shows 36.8% of people were married at the time of the survey; however the divorce rate was 14.3%.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 3: Marital Status of Kansas City Persons Over 15 Years of Age Type Over 15 Years of Age Never Married Now Married Not Separated Separated Number 189,590 71,414 69,792 6,861 Percentage 79.2 37.7 36.8 3.6

Widowed Divorced

14,342 27,182

7.6 14.3

(Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010) Households Kansas City is made up of 102,311 households. According to Table 4, over half of these households are families. While married couples with children under the age of 18 make up over 10% of the households, single parents and single mothers make up nearly 25% (Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010).

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 4: Types of Households in Kansas City Type Families Married Couples Married Couples with Own Children < 18 Number 54,019 30,073 12,138 Percentage 52.8 29.4 11.9

Single Parent Families Single Mothers Other Families Non-Family Households Persons Living Alone

13,753 11,306 10,193 48,292 40,047

13.4 11.1 10.0 47.2 39.1

(Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010) Education Kansas City has as large population of school age children and young adults. Table 5 displays the number of students over 3 years of age enrolled in various schools. Most students are enrolled in Kansas City Public Schools (19%); however there are a large number of private schools in the area (Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010). The U.S. Bureau of the Censuss data provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education did not define private schools so these numbers could include parochial, charter, or alternative schools. There was also no information on the number of homeschooled students through the Census.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 5: School Enrollment of Kansas City Persons Over 3 Years of Age Type Over 3 Years of Age Enrolled in grades K-12 Number 229,495 43,589 Percentage 95.8 19.0 15.9

Enrolled in Private Schools K- 6,924 12 Enrolled in College 14,081

6.1

(Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010) Table 6 shows the education attained by Kansas City residents over 25. According to the 2000 Census, 28.1% of Kansas City residents over 25 years completed their education with a high school diploma or GED (Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010). Furthermore, almost 7% of residents have less than a 9th grade education. Over half of the population over 25 did not attend college, and less than 10% went on to complete a Masters degree or PhD (Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010).

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 6: Education Attainment of Kansas City Persons Over 25 Years of Age Type Over 25 Years of Age Less Than 9th Grade 9th thru 12th grade, No Diploma High School Grad or GED Did Not Attend College Some College, no degree Bachelors Masters Prof School Degree or PhD Graduate or Professional Degree (Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010) Economics 43,751 82,488 38,566 21,932 8,121 4,699 12,821 28.1 52.9 24.8 14.1 5.2 3.0 8.2 Number 155,807 10,742 27,996 Percentage 65.1 6.9 18.0

10

Persons over 16 years of age comprise over 75% of Kansas Citys population. Of these, 8.9% are unemployed, 61.9% are employed, and the remainder has yet to enter the work force, or have retired. Table 7 shows in detail the number and percentage of employment status of Kansas City persons over 16 years old.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 7: Employment Status of Kansas City Persons Over 16 Years of Age Type Over 16 Years of Age Civilian Labor Force Unemployed Persons Over 16 Not in Labor Force Married Couples who Both Work Married Couples, One Worker 6,818 22.7 Number 186,473 115,502 10,233 70,908 17,191 Percentage 77.9 61.9 8.9 38.0 57.2

11

(Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010) Most Kansas City residents have managerial or professional job titles (31.9%). Table 8 shows that sales and office occupations are the second most common at 26.5% (Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010). The smallest percentage (0.1%) represented is farming, fishing, and forestry job positions.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 8: Occupation of Kansas City Residents

12

Type Management, professional & related occupations Service Occupations Sales and Office Occupations Farming, Fishing & Forestry Occupations Construction, Extractions & Maintenance Occupations Production, Transportation + Material Moving Occupations

Number 33,628

Percentage 31.9

19,371 27,857 156

18.4 26.5 0.1

7,927

7.5

16,330

15.5

(Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010) Table 9 shows the number of families and non-family households below poverty level. Families include married couples, married couples with children, and single parents (Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010). Non-family households are one member households, both male and female. According the 2000 Census, over 19,000 persons in Kansas City live below the poverty line.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 9: Kansas City Poverty Levels Types Families Below Poverty Non Family Households Below Poverty (Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis, 2010) Number 9,400 10,352 Percentage 17.4 21.4

13

Poverty levels determine students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch. In order to qualify for free and reduced lunch students must me several requirements, including parent unemployment and income levels. Table 10 displays the increased number of students participating in this program over the past three years. Between 2009 and 2010 there was less than a 0.1% increase, whereas between 2010 and 2011 there was an increase of 3.9% (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2011). Table 10: Kansas City Public School Students Eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch Year Percentage Number 2009 79.6% 14,164 2010 80.3% 13,769 2011 84.2% 13,257

(Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2011) Implications The data used in the tables about individuals were created from the 2000 and 2010 Census for the Kansas City area. Kansas City is comprised of numerous neighborhoods, all served by one of the 10 branches of the Kansas City public library. To better understand the

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

14

citizens served by the Central Branch, we created an individual table (Appendix A) focusing on the following neighborhoods: 18th and Vine, Columbus Park, Crossroads, Quality Hill, River Market, and Westport. These neighborhoods were chosen because their proximity to the Central Branch. The table in Appendix A depicts trends in population, education, race, and poverty levels. The Kansas City area is a very diverse community with large Black, White and Hispanic populations. Also there is a large number of school age children, with a great number of these coming from single parent families. While many Kansas City students will graduate from high school, a good portion of students who will not earn, and fewer still will pursue further education.. The Kansas City area is fortunate enough to have relatively high employment, but many families still live below the poverty line and the number of free and reduced lunches in the Kansas City Public schools is steadily increasing. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the following services be implemented:

Public school outreach programs on the importance of education to promote graduation and higher education. Work with local groups or agencies for assistance for individuals and library programs. Provide community programs for families. Have equal services for each population. Do not overlook minority groups such as private schools or smaller race populations. Groups

Due to the large number of school age children in the Kansas City area, our community analysis will focus on this group and individuals serving them. Appendix B is a list created by one group member showing a representation of groups in the Kansas City area. The list is divided by category, and features examples of groups that meet in the area. In order to create a

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

15

more accurate study, each school website in the Kansas City Public School district was visited to see what types of groups were established. It was noted that some groups had a campus presence at more than one school such as sports teams or drama clubs, but they are not repeated on the list. To provide a wider scope, private school websites were also explored and included on the list. Adult groups were also included based on their participation with youth or individuals who work with youth (i.e. parents and teachers). Appendix B includes the name of the group and if available the meeting time, place, and the ages involved. According to our list, cultural and recreational groups have the most representation in the Kansas City area, and vocational/occupational groups the second most. The groups with smaller numbers were environmental, ethnic, health, and political. Due to the nature of our search, the age related and educational groups also appear to have small numbers; however each of the school groups could be divided by age and placed under the educational subheading. In Appendix B, the educational/school related groups only list parent and teacher organizations. Based on our study of groups in the Kansas City area, we recommend the following: Groups planning large scale events could use library resources on obtaining proper permits, renting spaces, and marketing. LINC provides activities before and after school for elementary age children and could use resources on age appropriate activities. Parents participating in organized school meetings may need resources on leadership or how to run a formal meeting. Environmental groups could benefit from resources on urban gardening, sustainable resources, and recyclable crafts. Vocational and occupational groups could benefit from programing focused on continuing education including topics like: filling out applications for scholarships, government aid, and jobs, or writing an entrance essay, resume, and cover letter. Students wanting to start a group in an underrepresented area like commercial or political groups may want information on adult groups in the area so they have the resources to start a junior version.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Agencies The agencies near the Kansas City, Missouri Public Library Central branch were

16

identified through multiple resources. The database ReferenceUSA U.S. Businesses was utilized to identify government offices, health care organizations, cultural organizations, businesses, and recreational organizations. The area set within the ReferenceUSA database to gather the locations and types of organizations was west of Broadway Boulevard but east of Locust Street and south of East 6th Street but north of E 15th Street. Religious and educational organizations were identified through Google Maps. The distance on Google Maps was limited to 4.0 miles or less from the library for schools and 2.0 miles or less for identifying religious organizations. Websites of other organizations in the community were viewed and analyzed to gather information about the surrounding area if the data for the defined area seemed too small to get an accurate view of the community. Government The City of Kansas City, Missouri website (2012) lists 22 departments in the city office that provide services and programs to area residents and visitors. The Jackson County, Missouri website (2008) lists 18 county departments, with 15 of those departments either located in Kansas City or with one of their subdivisions maintaining an office there. The ReferenceUSA database shows that the state government has a Court of Appeals and library location, a Health and Human Services Department office, and a Department of Revenue drivers licensing testing location in the area (Infogroup, 2012). Also, the database found 17 offices for departments that are part of the federal government in the area around the Central Library (Infogroup, 2012). Religious

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

17

According to Google Maps there are 18 religious organizations in the area. There are 14 churches or places of worship and 4 religious affiliated businesses in the area. (Google, 2012) Health Care The ReferenceUSA database identified 35 health care organizations in the area, which included 1 clinic, 2 counseling services, 10 dentists, 2 pharmacies, 18 physicians and surgeons, and 1 wellness program (Infogroup, 2012). The Mid-America Regional Council website (2012) lists 10 hospitals, with a mix of main and satellite locations, in Kansas City. Cultural According to the ReferenceUSA database, there are 18 cultural organizations in the area (Infogroup, 2012). Those organizations include 7 live theaters, 4 movie theaters, 1 art organization, museum, orchestra, band, boys choir, video rental kiosk, and a stadium arena (Infogroup, 2012). The Art Council of Metropolitan Kansas City (n.d.), which includes organizations throughout Jackson County, Missouri lists 200 organizations in their online directory. Educational According to Google maps within 0.5 miles of the library there is 1 public elementary school, 1 charter elementary school, 1 charter high school, 1 early childhood development center and preschool, and buildings for the Kansas City Board of Education and the Kansas City Public School Superintendent. We then expanded the search within 4 miles of the library to get a broader perspective of the community served. There are a total of 21 schools which were placed into one of three categories. (Google, 2012)

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Table 11: Schools in Kansas City Area School Type Public Elementary Schools (Grades K-8) Public High Schools Alternative/Religious Schools Number 5 5 11

18

Business Since the library relocated to a building that was originally a bank, they are mostly surrounded by commercial businesses. According to the ReferenceUSA database, there are 68 businesses in the area around the library. Of these, the following businesses are those which may be of interest to children and teens: 38 restaurants, 6 beauty salons, 6 coffee shops, 4 foundations/research (such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research or the Make A Wish Foundation), 3 convenience stores, 3 delis, 2 cafes, a clothing store, a doughnut shop, a grocery store, a pizza shop, a tanning salon, and a shopping center. (Infogroup, 2012) Recreation The ReferenceUSA database lists 5 recreational organizations in the defined area. There is a bowling center, health club, martial arts instruction, a park, and a community center (Infogroup, 2012). Implications The agency categories with the largest number of entities are the government and business categories, which is not unexpected as Kansas City is a large metropolitan city. Health care agencies and schools followed those two categories, with the number of religious

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS organizations and cultural agencies next with 18 representatives each,. The category with the

19

smallest number of agencies was recreational. Based on the information gathered about agencies in the above categories the following suggestions were offered to the library: Partner with various government, health care, and business organizations to offer more educational opportunities for students Promote resources and services to local businesses and religious organizations Find ways to get cultural agencies involved with the library and schools to take advantage of those opportunities Become the third-party organization which connects all the other organizations in the different categories to the parents and educational leaders in the community

Lifestyles The Urban core, as it is commonly called, of Kansas City, Missouri has always been a city physically divided by racial boundaries. The population continues to struggle with issues related to racial and economic divisions. Just south of downtown and the Central Library lies the Crossroads District. This area is filled with repurposed warehouses showcasing art, design technology, and global businesses based in digital marketing, digital design, and research. A few short blocks to the west of this area lies the historically Latino area of the city; and just a few blocks east, the historically African-American area of the city are located. Despite their physical proximity, both of these communities can seem worlds removed from what is happening in the downtown business and historical district of the city. In addition to issues based on race, Kansas City youths also face problems caused by overwhelming poverty, violence, and a struggling school system. Many of the citys young people have no awareness of things that exist outside their specific neighborhoods. When interviewing students about their knowledge of their hometown, some expressed no knowledge

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

20

that a major river flows along the edge of our city. Many of them did not realize that Kansas City has been called home by a large number of world-renowned figures including Walt Disney. The Kansas City School District, a troubled institution with provisional accreditation, is in frequent peril of being taken over by the state of Missouri. In the 2010-2011 school year, the district and the majority of charter schools reported lower standardized test scores. The school district is working hard to address these issues, torn between wanting to maintain their independence and the fear that they cannot do it alone. These factors have made the ability of the school media centers to provide all of the support to their students as recommended in the Show Me Report, commissioned by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education near impossible. The conclusions of the study were irrefutable: No longer is the connection between school library media centers and student achievement an opinion or belief. The connection has been confirmed as a statistically significant, true relationship based on hard data (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education). With this lack of support, it became apparent that if the Kansas City Library was to indeed foster an attempt to create a Community of Readers as its recent mission declared, library staff would have to creatively reach out to the district to provide services that would benefit the students of the community. Shelf List Data The Central Library served over two million customers in 2011 and has over one million titles. The one million titles include over 450,000 circulating items as well as non-circulating items in the following areas: Kansas City history; Historical Childrens Literature Collection; foundation collection; bound periodicals; and government documents (Kansas City Public

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Library, 2009). Listed below are the result of our shelf list data case study, the questions have

21

been adapted from Robert Grover et. al. Assessing Information Needs: Managing Transformative Library Services (2010). How old are the titles? According KCPLs Collection Development Policy there are certain guidelines in place for each type of collection maintained by the library and they are as follows: o o o o The popular/basic collection is under continuous review every 6-12 months. The working collection is reviewed on value and/or use of the resource 2-5 years. The resource collection science and technology works is reviewed every 5 years. All titles in the research collection retained for preservation (Kansas City Public Library, 2009).

How much use is made of the collection? During the last fiscal year more than 2.3 million titles were checked out. What proportion of the collection receives the greatest proportion of use? No information was given on the library webpage or in the annual reports. How accurately does the catalog reflect the shelf list? The library uses an automated system so the shelf list should be accurate. How much interlibrary loaning is done? Last year the KCPL loaned 115,846 materials to other libraries. No information was found on the number of interlibrary loans made to the library. How do the online resources subscribed to by the library supplement the print collection? According to the Collection Development Management Plan the library has e-resources or online databases, e-books, e-audio books, digitized local history, informational resources (Kansas City Public Library, 2009). The KCPL website offers a multitude of online resources including: Mango Languages, Kansas City Star, and The New York Times.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

22

How does the collection support the librarys reference and web site resources, and relate to the social technologies used in the community? On the libraries webpage there is an option to share the page to a number social media accounts, but this feature does not extend to the catalog. Summary The Collection Development policy is well thought out and planned so that each collection has its own standards to suit the needs of the subject. The KCPL has an extensive collection of materials for both circulation and in-house use. The library also has data bases that are readily accessible for offsite use. Recommendations As the main branch of the library system, the Central branch is located downtown. Since there are mostly business and little housing other than apartments and condominiums surrounding the immediate area of the branch, it has primarily served as a research hub. In fact, this branch is home to the Missouri Valley historical collection, a premier collection of historical materials of the state of Missouri. With a primarily academic focus, the childrens and youth staff has always been limited in the type of programs it provides. A lack of walk-in families has meant it has never been able to host many weekly story times, craft programs, or other entertainments. The youth staff decided that they would instead focus on public school groups and seek out partnerships with the many charter schools as well. The Kansas City Public Library working alongside the school district can help to provide the resources needed to begin engaging our young people in opportunities they have not realized were open to them. By fostering partnerships with other local organizations and businesses in the

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

23

technology and creativity industries, the library staff expects to make a significant impact on the lives and potential of Kansas City youth. KCPL applied for a grant from Target in an attempt to partner with the Kansas City, Missouri school district to ensure that all fifth graders receive a library card and a visit to the historic downtown location. This visit will include a tour of the inside of the library building and a walking tour of the historic block the building sits on. Through the generous funding of Target monies would be acquired to provide bus transportation for the students and lunch during their visit. As a part of the project, all fifth grade students and teachers would be taught to use the librarys resources both in the library itself and from remote locations. They would also be given new library cards, and those with previous cards who had accumulated fines or lost items would receive a fresh start with all fees waived. Through the use of the Target Grant, the Central Youth Services staff has a wonderful opportunity to establish a partnership and presence in the schools that has far reaching affects. The following project outline created for this course dovetails with the Target Grant (see Appendix C) and expands beyond the scope of the grant to incorporate further possibilities of presenting Information Literacy Instruction to patrons of the Kansas City Public Library. The library uses Workflows from Sirsi Dynex as an interface to keep track of user registrations and materials. Since some of the school students already had registered library cards, staff had to run a users list to sort out all of the duplicate users. It then became obvious that some parents had been checking out materials on their childrens cards which then led to problems with the children being unable to use their own cards because of excess fines. The staff decided to implement a two card system, so that childrens cards were one color and adult cards were another color. In addition, staff decided to make the new childrens cards active for one

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

24

year. On July 31st of each year, the cards will expire and new ones from school will be issued on August 1. To implement this phase, the district had to agree to share enrollment information with the library by July 1 of each year so that the staff could have the bulk of the new cards ready. Any new or late registering students will receive their cards as soon as possible after the beginning of the school year. In order to make this project work, the library staff had to do an adequate assessment of how staff time was spent and how enough staff time could be allocated to make the project successful. It was decided that some things would need to be let go or outsourced to other branches so that staff could free up enough time for this project. Since the Central branch does not typically see a large amount of after school traffic and does not have a large number of attendees at events, it was decided that this branch would take on a resources role. Its focus would shift to creating an environment conducive to research and school visits. Once the Target school visits had proven successful, the youth services team would begin implementing the project on a wider scale and begin offering it to the areas charter schools, private schools and even home schooling students. At the same time, plans were being put in place to work more closely with the district and offer library cards to every one of its students once the proper agreements between the district and the library could be reached. Marketing this new program would take new strategies. To inform the teachers and individual schools, staff members were sent out to each school to make initial personal contact with the school librarian or the principle or administration staff liaison if there was no active school librarian. During these visits the project was explained, and samples of the outline and materials were displayed. Once the school was on board, letters were sent home to parents to inform them of their childs upcoming visit to the Central Branch. Neighboring businesses were

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS advised of the visits so that they would be aware that busloads of children would be arriving downtown. Many of those businesses took the opportunity to give away goodie bags with pencils, paper, coupons, and other trinkets with their business name printed on the items. This proved to be a good advertising strategy for these businesses, as well as fostering community goodwill. Summary of Implications Based on the information gathered about the Central library and their surrounding area we recommend the following services are to be terminated:

25

After school programming, such as book clubs, movie nights, and other activities. Other KCPL branches fill this need in other ways.

The teen blog will no longer be maintained. In recent months, the staff entries have been infrequent and online traffic has subsequently slowed.

Eliminate teen advisory council meetings and focus on school outreach.

Based on the information gathered about the Central library and their surrounding area the following services are suggested for implementation: Continue the 5th grade Target project to help students learn about the library and available resources. Create lib-guides for students to use in conjunction with school curriculum and activities attended during library visits with the Target grant. Start a dialogue with local parents and educators at non-public schools and maintain relationships with frequent communication and guidance about relevant library resources and programs.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

26

Explore different means of social networking to connect with students and parents about library news. Facebook and Twitter may be more manageable for staff to update and more accessible to young adults and parents.

Based on our implementations the following marketing strategies will be used to target children, teens, their parents, and local educators: Short updates on social media platforms that provide relevant links that will assist them in doing homework, and introduce them to library materials/resources. Promote other KCPL programs targeted for school age children and teens. Help make schools that are facing accreditation issues aware of the resources and opportunities the library can offer both physically and electronically. Send information regarding a childs library account to the school as well as to parent or guardian. Communication should be done over e-mail to cut down on library costs. Get local businesses and other agencies in the area more involved. o Have a representative from the organization speak at the library and tell students about their organization and their role within it. o Have displays that connect local agencies and library resources together that students can use for educational purposes. o Provide resources that will allow businesses and high school students to connect for possible volunteering, internships, and employment. Conclusions KCPL needs to involve itself more closely with the community it serves, without losing sight of its traditional function as a center for historical research. By connecting with the school

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS district and other students, it can help to develop literacy and education in a beleaguered community, and make itself an integral part of the life of K-12 students and their families.

27

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS References About kansas city environmental education network. (2012). http://www.marc.org/Environment/KCEEN/about_kceen.htm Al-anon family groups. (2012). http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/local-meetings American jazz museum. (2012).

28

http://www.americanjazzmuseum.org/SiteResources/Data/Templates/t1.asp?docid=671& DocName=Home Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City. (n.d.). Directory. http://www.artskc.org/directory.aspx Benjamin banneker elementary. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/15 Bishop ward high school. (2012). http://wardhigh.org/s/350/start.aspx Book clubs. (2012). http://www.kclibrary.org/book-clubs Central high school. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Page/9 Central library. (2012). http://www.kclibrary.org/central City Data. (2011). Kansas city, missouri neighborhood map . Retrieved from http://www.citydata.com/nbmaps/neigh-Kansas-City-Missouri.html City of Kansas City, Missouri. (2012). Departments. http://www.kcmo.org/CKCMO/Depts/index.htm Crispus attucks elementary. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/14 Cristo rey kansas city. (2012). http://cristoreykc.org/ Czech and slovak club. (2012). http://csclubkc.wordpress.com/ East high school. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/9 Ethnic enrichment commission. (2012). http://eeckc.org/

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Event calendar. (2012). http://www.bbbskc.org/site/c.atJTL8NOJqL8H/b.6551845/k.9983/Event_Calendar.htm Faxon elementary. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/faxon Foreign language academy. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/19 Google, Inc. (2012). Map Data. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. (n.d.) Member Directory. http://www.kcchamber.com/Membership/Member-Directory.aspx Hartman elementary. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/23 Holliday montessori. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/24 Infogroup, Inc. (2012). Retrieved April 5, 2012, from ReferenceUSA database. Jackson County, Missouri. (2008). County Departments. http://www.jacksongov.org/content/3310/default.aspx Junior league of kansas city, missouri. (2012). http://www.jlkc.org/ Kansas City Public Library. (2009). Collection development and management plan. http://www.kclibrary.org/sites/default/files/Collection-Development-and-ManagementPlan-2009.pdf Kansas city science fiction & fantasy society. (2011). http://kacsffs.blogspot.com/p/activities.html Kansas city west lions club. (2012). http://kansascitywestmo.lionwap.org/ Kansas city young democrats. (2012). http://www.facebook.com/KCYoungDems Kc irish. (2012). http://www.kcirish.org/annual.htm Kcic classes and meetings. (2011). http://www.haicindian.com/classes.shtml Kiwanis club of kansas city. (2012). http://www.downtownkcmokiwanis.org/

29

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Lincoln college preparatory. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/10 Local investment commerce. (2011). http://www.kclinc.org/ Longfellow elementary. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/27 Mid-America Regional Council. (2012). Metro Area Hospitals. http://www.marc.org/emergency/hospitals.htm Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2011, September 12). District

30

report card. http://mcds.dese.mo.gov/guidedinquiry/School Report Card/District Report Card.aspx?rp:SchoolYear=2011&rp:SchoolYear=2010&rp:SchoolYear=2009&rp:School Year=2008&rp:DistrictCode=048078 Northeast high school. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/11 Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis. (2005, November 9). Mcdc demographic profile 1, 2000 census . http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/cgibin/broker?_PROGRAM=websas.dp1_2k.sas&_SERVICE=sasapp&st=29&sd=048078 Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis. (2010, May 11). Mcdc demographic profile 3, 2000 census . http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/cgibin/broker?_PROGRAM=websas.dp3_2k.sas&_SERVICE=sasapp&st=29&sd=048078 Overeaters anonymous. (2012). http://www.oa.org/ Paseo academy of fine and performing arts. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/paseo Pottery barn kids. (2012). http://www.potterybarnkids.com/customer-service/store-events.html Reptile events. (2003). http://www.readingreptile.com/main/events.htm Rime buddhist center & tibetan institute of studies. (2012). http://www.rimecenter.org/ Soka gakkai intl-usa . (2012). http://www.sgi-usa.org/ Southwest early college campus. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/13

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS St pius x high school. (2012). http://www.stpiusxhs-kc.com/ The italian meetup group - la bella italia. (2012). http://www.meetup.com/italian409/events/51303732/ The lesbian and gay community center kansas. (2012). http://www.lgcckc.org/

31

Therapy groups in kansas city. (2012). http://groups.psychologytoday.com/rms/state/MO/Kansas City.html Thomas hart benton group. (2010). http://missouri.sierraclub.org/thb/ Troost elementary. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/34 U.S. Census Bureau. (2012, January 31). State & county quickfacts. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/29/2938000.html Union station kansas city model railroad society. (2008). http://www.greatesthobby.com/wgh/directory/MS_718.html Wendell phillips elementary. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/phillips Whittier elementary. (2012). http://kcpublicschools.org/Domain/36

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Appendix A

Trends in Neighborhoods Surrounding Central Branch* Neighborhood 18th and Vine Population Population: 1,444 Highest median age of females (40.7 years) Largest median age difference between males (29.4 years) and females (40.7 years) Education Percentage of population in K-12 schools: 20.0% K-12 students enrolled in private schools: 9.7% Race Predominantly Black neighborhood Very small White population Very small Hispanic population Poverty Levels Population below poverty level: 21.6%

32

Service Implications Work with local agencies for assistance for individuals and library programs Provide services to Black population Public school outreach programs Do not overlook smaller populations in neighborhood Provide adult services for older females

Columbus Park

Population: 1,486 Youngest median male population (29.0 years) Median age of women in Columbus Park (35.1 years) is almost equal to Kansas City median age (35.1 years)

Percentage of population in K-12 schools: 20.8% K-12 students enrolled in private schools: 8.6%

Most diverse neighborhood Equal parts White and Asian (over one quarter each) Equal parts Black and Hispanic (about 1/6th each

Second highest percentage of population below poverty level (27.6)

Have equal programing time for each population Work with local agencies for assistance for individuals and library programs Public school outreach programs

Community programs for families

Crossroads

Smallest neighborhood (302 pop.) Smallest difference between median age of males (29.5 years) and females (29.8

Percentage of population in K-12 schools: 10.4% K-12 students enrolled in private schools: 7.2%

Over half of population is Hispanic Almost a quarter of population is White Almost quarter of population is Black

Highest percentage of population below poverty level (35%)

Public school outreach programs Do not overlook private schools Work with local agencies for assistance for individuals and library

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

years) Small American Indian population programs

33

Community programs for families Provide service to Hispanic population

Quality Hill

Largest neighborhood (1,898 pop.) Highest median age of male population (35.1 years) Second highest median age of females (39.1 years)

Percentage of population in K-12 schools: 3.8% K-12 students enrolled in private schools: 11.1%

Over half of population is White Slightly less than on quarter Black Small population of Hispanic Small population of Asian

Population below poverty level: 19.9%

Outreach with private schools Do not overlook public school population Student and parent programs

River Market

Second smallest population (552) Median age of females (28.8 years) is lower than median age of males (29.8 years)

Percentage of population in K-12 schools: 0.0% Percentage of people enrolled in undergraduate colleges: 7.9% Percentage of people enrolled in grad. or professional schools: 7.0% Percentage of population pursuing higher education is much higher than Kansas City percentage (1.6%)

Predominantly White neighborhood (over 75%) Small Black population Small Hispanic population

Lowest percent of population below poverty level (9.3%) Percentage of population below poverty level is under the Kansas City percentage (14.3)

Emphasize adult services Emphasize databases and research Encourage outreach and service project to surrounding neighborhoods with lower poverty

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

Westport Population: 990 Highest median age of females (39.5 years) Median age of males (33.2 years) Percentage of population in K-12 schools: 5.6% K-12 students enrolled in private schools: 3.8% Predominantly White population 1/6th Black population Slightly over 1/6th Hispanic population Population below poverty level: 22.8%

34
Services for adults Do not overlook smaller diverse populations

(City Data, 2011) *City Data had the following disclaimer on their website: City-data.com does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of any information on this site. Use at your own risk (City Data, 2011). This group acknowledges that data gathered from this website is an approximation of actual numbers and percentages in these areas.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Appendix B Kansas City Area Group Sample Age Related

35

Boy Scouts, Thursday from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m, Wendell Phillips Elementary*, ("Wendell phillips elementary," 2012) Girl Scouts, Thursday from 4:00 to 5:15 p.m, Wendell Phillips Elementary* ("Wendell phillips elementary," 2012)

*Other schools in the Kansas City Schools have similar programs. Commercial
LINC Caring Communities, before and after school care program, serves the following schools:

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Afrikan Centered Education Collegium Campus Crispus Attucks Elementary Banneker Elementary Border Star Montessori Carver Elementary Foreign Language Academy Garfield Elementary Gladstone Elementary Hartman Elementary Holliday Montessori J.A. Rogers Elementary James Elementary King K - 8 Longfellow Elementary Wendell Phillips Elementary Pitcher Elementary Primitivo Garcia Elementary Satchel Paige Elementary Troost Elementary Wheatley Elementary, ("Local investment commerce," 2011) Cultural

AJM Jazz Listening Party, American Jazz Museum in the Blue Room, ("American jazz museum," 2012) Art Club, Banneker Elementary *, ("Benjamin banneker elementary," 2012)

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

36

Central Readers are Leaders Book Clubs, 7th -8th grades and 9th -12th grades, meeting times not available, Central High School (Partnered with the Kansas City Public Library), ("Central high school," 2012) Common Grounds Book Group, last Saturday of every other month at 11 a.m., Kansas City Public Library Central Branch, ("Book clubs," 2012) Cooking Club, every Tuesday evening, Foreign Language Academy, ("Foreign language academy," 2012) Culture Club, various field trips taken throughout the year, Southwest Early College Campus, ("Southwest early college," 2012) Dance Team, Southwest Early College Campus*, ("Southwest early college," 2012) DNA LitFest, annual event, Reading Reptile, ("Reptile events," 2003) Downtowners Book Group, every 3rd Wednesday at Noon, Kansas City Public Library, Central Branch, ("Book clubs," 2012) Drama Club, performing The Wiz May 18th, Longfellow Elementary*, ("Longfellow elementary," 2012) Emerging Readers Book Club, 6-8 year olds, Reading Reptile, ("Reptile events," 2003) Established Readers Book Club, 9-12 year olds, Reading Reptile, ("Reptile events," 2003) Glee, afterschool, Central High School*, ("Central high school," 2012) Instrumental Music, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy* ("Lincoln college preparatory," 2012) Jazz Poetry Jams, every 3rd Tuesday, American Jazz Museum in the Blue Room, ("American jazz museum," 2012) LEGO league, 6th8th grades, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy ("Lincoln college preparatory," 2012) Piano Club, 6th 12th grades, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy* ("Lincoln college preparatory," 2012) Rhythm & Ribs Jazz and Blues Festival, October 13, 2012 (annual event), American Jazz Museum, ("American jazz museum," 2012) Women Who Dare Book Group, every 2nd Tuesday at 6 p.m., Kansas City Public Library, Central Branch, ("Book clubs," 2012)

*Other schools in the Kansas City Schools have similar programs. Education/School
Attendance Committee/Truancy/Student Support Team, Northeast High*, ("Northeast high school," 2012) Faculty Advisory Committee, Northeast High*, ("Northeast high school," 2012) Master Scheduling Committee, Northeast High*, ("Northeast high school," 2012) Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Holliday Montessori*, ("Holliday montessori," 2012) Positive Behavior System (PBS), Northeast High, ("Northeast high school," 2012) Professional Leadership Committee, Northeast High*, ("Northeast high school," 2012)

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

School Advisory Committee, 2nd Thursday of each month at 5 p.m., Crispus Attucks Elementary*, Library, ("Crispus attucks elementary," 2012) Title One Parent Review Meeting, annual meetings, Whittier Elementary*, ("Whittier elementary," 2012)

37

*Other schools in the Kansas City Schools have similar programs. Environmental
Earth Club 6th-12th grade, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy* ("Lincoln college preparatory," 2012) Environmental Club, Banneker Elementary *, ("Benjamin banneker elementary," 2012) Kansas City Environmental Education Network, various committee meetings for members, MidAmerica Regional Council, ("About kansas city," 2012) Sierra Club, every 1st Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. (except July), Missouri Department of Conservation, Discovery Center, ("Thomas hart benton," 2010) Solar Car, 9th12th grade, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, ("Lincoln college preparatory," 2012)

Ethnic
Czech and Slovak Club, April 3, 2012 (annual meeting), Waldo Library ("Czech and slovak," 2012) Hispanic Leadership Opportunity Program (HLOP), every Thursday after school from 2:45-4:30, East High School, ("East high school," 2012) Kansas City Irish Fest, annual event, Kansas City Irish, Crown Center, ("Kc irish," 2012) La Bella Italia, 3rd Saturday of every month, ("The italian meetup," 2012) Native American Ministries, services on Sundays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Kansas City Indian Center, ("Kcic classes and," 2011) SIMBA, 14 active members, Northeast High, ("Northeast high school," 2012) The Ethnic Enrichment Commissions Northern Lights Diplomatic Ball, March 31, 2012, Ethnic Enrichment Commission (hosted by the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Scottish, and Swedish Commissions), downtown Marriott Hotel, ("Ethnic enrichment commission," 2012)

Health
Al-Anon/Alateen Family Groups, every Monday 6:00 p.m., AA Hall, ("Al-anon family groups," 2012) Alcoholics Anonymous, every Tuesday at 7 p.m., Native American Ministries, Kansas City Indian Center*, ("Kcic classes and," 2011) Nurturing Parents/Successful Children, every Thursday at 12pm - 1:30p.m., Midtown Psychological Services, Inc., Kansas City, Missouri*, ("Therapy groups in," 2012) Overeaters Anonymous, every Monday at 6:30 p.m., Northgate Baptist Church, ("Overeaters anonymous ," 2012)

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

Score One, serves several schools, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Faxon Elementary, ("Faxon elementary," 2012)

38

*Similar programs are offered elsewhere. Hobbies

Chess Club, first meeting is on January 19, Paseo Academy* ("Paseo academy of," 2012) Debate, Foreign Language Academy, ("Foreign language academy," 2012) Jewelry Making Club, Banneker Elementary *, ("Benjamin banneker elementary," 2012) Kansas City Science Fiction & Fantasy Society, 3rd Saturday of every month, Writers Place, ("Kansas city science," 2011) Sewing Club, Holliday Montessori, (Holliday Montessori, 2012) Union Station Kansas City Model Railroad Society, every 3rd Monday of the month at 6 p.m., Kansas City Union Station, ("Union station kansas," 2008)

*Other schools in the Kansas City Schools have similar programs. Political
HOPE KC, 3rd Sunday of the month, from 4-6 p.m., St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, ("The lesbian and," 2012) KC Young Democrats, April Service Project (voter registration), Saturday at 1:00 p.m., Fit & Fiscal Family Sports Festival, ("Kansas city young," 2012) Middle School Student Council, Paseo Academy* ("Paseo academy of," 2012)

*Other schools in the Kansas City Schools have similar programs. Project-oriented/Service Organizations
Free Rockhurst Baseball Tickets for BBBS-KC Matches, Sunday, April 22 at 2:00 p.m., Big Brothers Big Sisters, ("Event calendar," 2012) Kansas City West Lions Club (Md 26 District 26-G), 1st and 3rd Mondays 5:30 p.m., Irene H. Ruiz Biblioteca de las Americas, Library** ("Kansas city west," 2012) Key Club, 9th-12th grades, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy* ("Lincoln college preparatory," 2012) Kiwanis Terrific Kids, Hartman Elementary, ("Hartman elementary," 2012) Kiwanis, every Thursday 12:10 p.m., Downtown Kansas City**, ("Kiwanis club of," 2012) University Academy, K-12 college preparatory public charter academy, Junior League, ("Junior league of," 2012)

*Other schools in the Kansas City Schools have similar programs. **Meeting times are specific to this chapter.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Recreational

39

Mens and Womens Basketball, Central High School*, ("Central high school," 2012) Cheerleading, Central High School*, ("Central high school," 2012) East High Steppers, East High School*, ("East high school," 2012) East Football, East High School*, ("East high school," 2012) East Volleyball, East High School*, ("East high school," 2012) East Soccer, East High School*, ("East high school," 2012) Girls swim, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy* ("Lincoln college preparatory," 2012) Cross Country/Track and Field, Cristo Rey, ("Cristo rey kansas," 2012) Book Club, every Tuesday at 11 a.m., Pottery Barn, ("Pottery barn kids," 2012) Jazz Storytelling, one Friday a month, American Jazz Museum, ("American jazz museum," 2012)

*Other schools in the Kansas City Schools have similar programs. Religious
Bible Timeline, every Tuesday 6-9:30 p.m., Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception** kcgolddome.org Fellowship of Christian Athletes, St. Pius X High School*, ("St pius x," 2012) Green Tara Sadhana Practice, every Tuesday at 7-7:30 p.m., Rime Buddhist Center & Tibetan, ("Rime buddhist center," 2012) Ministry team, St. Pius X High School*, ("St pius x," 2012) Prolife, St. Pius X High School*, ("St pius x," 2012) Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD), St. Pius X High School*, ("St pius x," 2012) Toso and Intro Meeting , every Monday at 7:00 p.m., Soka Gakkai Intl-USA, ("Soka gakkai intlusa ," 2012)

*Other schools in the Kansas City Schools have similar programs. **Other churches/temples in Kansas City have similar group meetings. Vocational/Occupational
Early College Academy, Central High School, ("Central high school," 2012) Health Sciences Accelerated Academy (HSAA), Central High School, ("Central high school," 2012) Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), every Tuesday after school after school, East High School, ("East high school," 2012) Yearbook, 9th-12th, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy* ("Lincoln college preparatory," 2012) Skills USA, Paseo Academy* ("Paseo academy of," 2012) Technology Club, Banneker Elementary *, ("Benjamin banneker elementary," 2012) Math Club, Banneker Elementary *, ("Benjamin banneker elementary," 2012) Science Club, Hartman Elementary*, ("Hartman elementary," 2012)

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

40

Academy of Finance, Bishop Ward High School*, ("Bishop ward high," 2012) Bear Nation (newspaper), 2-3 papers a year, East High School*, ("East high school," 2012) Robotics, First competition, Friday, March 2, 2012, Paseo Academy* ("Paseo academy of," 2012) Science Lecture Series, April 16 pharmacy student to speak UMKC (various science professionals throughout the year), Bishop Ward High School ("Bishop ward high," 2012) Growing Scholars, 4th graders, Mondays and Wednesdays at 3:45 - 5:20 p.m., Troost Elementary, ("Troost elementary," 2012)

*Other schools in the Kansas City Schools have similar programs.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS Appendix C

41

Collaborative Project between the Kansas City Public Library and Kansas City, Missouri School District 5th Grades Goal All 5th grade students and teachers will be taught to use the librarys resources both in the library and from remote locations. Project Narrative Through the generosity of a grant from Target, KCPL is partnering with the Kansas City, Missouri school district to ensure that all 5th graders receive a library card and a visit to the historic downtown location that will include a tour of the inside of the library building and a walking tour of the historic block the building sits on. Target is providing the costs of transportation and lunch (Target, 2010). Justification In 2008, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education commissioned a study to determine what, if any, impact school library instruction had on the standardized test scores of students. The conclusions of the study were irrefutable: No longer is the connection between school library media centers and student achievement an opinion or belief. The connection has been confirmed as a statistically significant, true relationship based on hard data (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education). Due to recent radical changes instituted by the newest superintendent in the KCMO school district, including the closing of half of the buildings, severe budget and staffing cutbacks, the ability of the school media centers to provide all of the support to their students as recommended in the Show Me Report cited above has been compromised. Through the use of

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS the Target Grant, the Central Youth Services staff has a wonderful opportunity to establish a partnership and presence in the schools that has far reaching affects.

42

The following project outline created for this course dovetails with the Target Grant and expands beyond the scope of the grant to incorporate the inspiration to dream big when conceptualizing the possibilities of presenting Information Literacy Instruction to patrons of the Kansas City Public Library. We have also created virtual tour of the downtown location of the Kansas City Public Library (Kansas City Public Library, 2006). The First Stage The Librarian Visits the Teachers: Provide an in-Service to 5th Grade Teachers to promote the Target Grant project and give an overview of what can be expected of their time at the library (described in detail below). During this 2 hour workshop, teachers will learn how to maneuver their way around the KCLibrary.org website. Highlight the features that make Aqua-Browser unique: word clouds and how to use these in the classroom. Research Resources: Demonstrate the breadth of our collections: databases, website directories. Highlight databases for kids. KCLibrary.org this is where we will spend the most time, our local history database, demonstrating the primary sources the students will use for the research projects that we hope will come out of this. We will offer ideas for the teachers to help direct their students research, based on our knowledge of our holdings, district requirements (Kansas City Public School District) and DESE Grade Level Expectations for Social Studies (Social studies grade level expectations).

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS The Second Stage The Librarian Visits the Students:

43

In an ideal world where time and staffing werent a problem, each 5th grade class would have the benefit of an introductory information literacy instruction course, All About the Library, prior to their visit Visiting the school, in the library, computer lab or classroom, the librarian will introduce the students to the resources available at the library in a presentation similar to what the teachers received in their in-service (see above). The Third Stage The Students and Teachers Visit the Library: Students will be introduced to the Missouri Valley Special Collections with highlights focusing on the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, historic photographs and post-card images and biographies of important people in KC history, focusing on how Kansas City came to be here, and how it grew, as demonstrated through changing landscapes seen in photographs as well as assorted maps through time in a PowerPoint presentation given during the orientation phase of their visit (Missouri valley special collections). We will divide the classes in half for the 45 minute tours: one group inside, the other outside, and then well switch. The inside tour emphasizes Then and Now: 1910 and 2010 focusing on the importance of libraries in our society and also how this building (as well as others in the neighborhood) was repurposed and restored. The outside tour expands on this concept and also highlights the extensive variety of architectural styles present in such a small area.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS

44

All the time we will endeavor to keep the focus on primary sources for research projects based on the idea that you cant say youre from KC without knowing about

Lists of people, events, places from the following topics (and others we will have brainstormed with the teachers): Stockyards, Vaudeville, Jazz, Clothing Industry, the frontier, Lewis and Clark, manifest destiny, slave vs. free states, Civil Rights, Negro Leagues, etc. Well also touch on inventions that made a difference such as the elevator, steam engine, sewing machine, bridges, the saxophone, photography, etc.

We are deliberately painting this in broad strokes, with the hopes that we can tailor the visits to the individual needs of each class during the time in which they are here (for instance, if a group is here during Black History Month, our focus may emphasize that, etc.) We are also hoping the students come to their own questions through their explorations of the building and our collections and seek their own answers. Furthermore, we realize that some teachers may not be interested in a research paper component, but may want more of a simpler group project. For instance, one teacher may want to divide their class into groups of four to research one topic, where one child finds an article from the database, one finds a book, one finds a website, one finds a digital image, etc. all utilizing the skills theyve learned from us to pull together a snapshot of their particular topic.

KCPL CENTRAL BRANCH ANALYSIS References Kansas City Public Library (2006, April 28). Central library. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kclibrary/sets/72157606052122532/

45

Kansas City Public Library (n.d.). Missouri valley special collections. http://www.kchistory.org Kansas City Public School District. (n.d.). ecurriculum. http://kcmo.ecurriculum.net/district/kcmo/ecurriculum/blueprints/blueprint_display.php? blueprint_id=4&bp_listing_id=1 Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (n.d.). Show me connection how school library media center services affect student achievement. http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/lmc/documents/plainenglish.pdf Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (n.d.). Social studies grade level expectations. http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/GLE/documents/ss_gle_2.0_k8_0907.pdf Target. (2010, April 16). Targeting education. http://pressroom.target.com/pr/news/targetingeducation10.aspx