2021-2022 Annual Report
Connect • Discover • Grow
Consider Making A Charitable Donation To Your Library!
Parkland Community Library is seeking donations for general operations to support the mission of the library.
Mission: The library connects people to each other and the world, serving as the cornerstone of our community by providing access to information, technology, and cultural enrichment for a lifetime of learning and enjoyment.
Improving
Your Parkland Community Library provides our community with access to technology and educational resources that broaden our horizons and connect us to the world. One charitable giving can impact more people than a supporter may ever realize. Please consider how the library has affected you and your family’s lives, and donate today.
Community Partners
Thank you for your ongoing support!
The Friends of Parkland Community Library
Jeras Corporation
The Neffs National Bank
Arangio Family Foundation
The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
Adult Services partnered with The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center for Mammograms Can Be a Lifesaver in June 2021 and a Flu Shot Clinic in November 2021. We also adopted their Clean Air Policy.
League of Women Voters
The library partnership with the League of Women Voters started in 2020. They aided us in 2021 with the importance of voting.
Luther Crest
Additionally, we continued our partnership with Luther Crest by offering monthly programs virtually and offsite.
Pennsylvania Department of Aging
Our ongoing Medicare Counseling appointments are made possible by PA MEDI.
Walgreens
Walgreens set-up a drop-in flu shot vaccination clinic in our Zirkel Meeting Rooms.
Youth Services
Youth Services partnered with local township agencies, vendors, and emergency services to offer free community programs including our annual Touch-A-Truck event.
Additionally, Youth Services librarians hosted library tours for several local scout troops.
Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley
Youth Services librarians led regular enrichment programs at Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley during the school year.
Parkland CARES Food Pantry
Parkland Community Library coordinated with Parkland CARES Food Pantry to distribute bi-weekly Snack Packs to Parkland School District students this past summer. We continue to be a food donation site.
Summer Quest Sponsors
Burger King & Menchies
Teens received free ice cream cone coupons from Burger King and free frozen yogurt bookmarks from Menchies for the Summer Quest Program of 2022.
Crayola, Just Born, Inc., Kuhnsville Car Wash
Notes from our patrons
We are so thankful for your kind words!
Thank you Parkland Library for taking note of this day and making it known to others.
(International Holocaust Remembrance)
Ruth N.
Facebook userThank you, Youth Services for having an Asian American Pacific Islander Month display. It really meant a lot to her that we recognize the month.
Anonymous
PCL PatronGreat resources for the community.
(Bradbury Sullivan Center for a Virtual Health Fair Partnership)
Kim M.
Facebook userContinuing to serve the community during a pandemic
With new COVID-19 variants emerging at the end of 2021, our January programming was derailed from in-person to virtual until case numbers dropped. PCL was able to reintroduce in-person programming in February. COVID-19 once again challenged our community, but we were able to move forward and bring back a successful 2022 events schedule for everyone to enjoy.
Virtual programs have been well received and offer versatility, such as location convenience and engagement with the world. For example, we are pleased to host online cooking classes, and patrons can follow along in their kitchens. In addition, the library brought the Texas State Aquarium to your living rooms with our Shark Week 2022 program, Let’s Talk Sharks. PCL will continue to offer virtual program opportunities.
Parkland Community Library was able to provide curbside pick-up for those in need throughout the pandemic. Patrons have enjoyed the ease of this service, and we will continue to offer it.
The Community Garden
In 2021, the Parkland Community Library received a $1,000 grant from the Western Lehigh Chamber of Commerce Community Grants in memory of Sophie Gerhard and Edwin Adamczak for a community garden. The library partnered with South Whitehall Township and Allentown West Rotary to make the community garden a reality. South Whitehall Township built several planting beds in the recycling area behind the library. The library is pleased to educate the community about food security, growing your food, and techniques to keep your gardens thriving. There were also opportunities for the kids to get their hands dirty and learn about sustainable gardening practices.
This garden continues to be a pilot project of South Whitehall Township in partnership with the library and Allentown West Rotary. We are so grateful for the help we received to make this a reality and to be able to help those in our community who require food security.
Fine Free
Removing Barriers to Provide Access
The Lehigh Carbon Library Cooperative (LCLC) has eliminated late fines to make the library more accessible to everyone in our service area. We talked with our community members, analyzed our service and financial data, and interviewed colleagues. This initiative helps us meet our mission of advancing literacy by providing access to information, technology, and cultural enrichment. It also ensures that we provide equal access to materials for our patrons. Existing overdue fines were forgiven for starting this new chapter.
Accessibility
PCL strives to understand better and aid our library users. We have studied the data collected from our local surveys and information collected by the American Library Association. We have created a Diversity and Inclusion Committee to discuss and apply tactics to best serve everyone in the community. We are pleased to offer resources for patrons and their families with disabilities.
Facts at a Glance
2021-2022 Statistics
The Library
Items Borrowed: 242,044
Number of Visitors: 83,983
Volunteers
Logged Hours: 2,858.25
Cardholders
Number of Adults: 16,060
Materials
Number of items in the Collection: 100,225
Tech by Numbers
Public Computer Hours: 1,518
Unique WiFi users: 2,875
Digital Resources
Number of Digital Resources: 14
Usage of digital resources: 34,974
Reference Questions Answered
10,858
Programs
In-person program attendance: 9,891
Virtual program attendance: 3,038
Summer Quest Reading Participants
470 Children ⧫ 62 Teens ⧫ 134 Adults
Financials & Revenue
We receive our revenue through our dedicated library tax and from the state. Your donation helps too!