ANNUAL REPORT 2024
LETTER FROM THE LIBRARY STAFF
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, Finney County Public Library (FCPL) continued to engage our community, by offering a variety of materials, services, resources, and more. We realized goals and built new strategies for growth in the coming years. Thank you to everyone involved in making this past year one to remember. We look forward to continuing our service to the public and are excited to see the many ways FCPL impacts our wonderful community.
-Finney County Public Library Staff
LIBRARY VISITS
NEW BORROWERS
PUBLIC SERVICE HOURS
COLLECTIONS
The Finney County Public Library has over 75,000 physical items available for checkout plus online libraries and databases such as Hoopla and CloudLibrary. The Library offers cake pans, video games, board games, and mobile hotspots for checkout. Our free online libraries and databases provide additional services such as Newsbank, driving tests, Hein Online, Learning Express Library, as well as helping patrons sign up for an account to access the State Library of Kansas databases. The Library’s website also features multiple links to resources for all ages for education, entertainment, and more.
“There is a place for everyone on our shelves.”
Calli Villanueva
Assistant Library Director
EMATERIAL CIRCULATION
PHYSICAL CIRCULATION
TAKE AND MAKE PARTICIPANTS
PROGRAMS
The Library offers a diverse range of events that bring the community together and foster creativity, learning, and fun for all ages. From the annual Spring Break Lego City event, where families work together to build a vibrant Lego town, to the Anti-Prom for teens who want to enjoy a night of games and dancing without the pressure of traditional prom, there’s something for everyone. The Summer Reading Program hit the road with an adventurous challenge across local destinations, giving kids the chance to win exciting prizes. Beloved traditions like the Halloween Extravaganza brought families together for crafts, games, and over 16,000 pieces of candy, while International Games Day welcomed gamers of all ages to enjoy a variety of games and consoles. With so many opportunities to connect, learn, and have fun, the Library’s programs have been unforgettable.
“Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life.”
Sidney Sheldon
American Writer
PROGRAMS
PROGRAM ATTENDANCE
SUMMER READING PROGRAM ATTENDANCE
SUNDAY FUN DAY
With games and activities for the whole family, Sunday Fun Day on Sundays throughout the year utilized reading, crafts, STEM-related activities, and so much more for Finney families.
LET’S GET CREATIVE
An all-age weekly art program that offered intergenerational and diverse interactions. Patrons created art inspired by various cultures and famous artists, including Picasso-inspired collages and Monet-inspired acrylic and oil paintings.
WEE READERS
Wee Readers is a themed program with storytime, music, and crafts, offered Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 am (three times a week in summer). It encourages young children and their parents to jump up out of their seats and dive headfirst into reading.
Story Walk
This year, we proudly launched our first-ever Story Walk, an innovative initiative designed to promote literacy, wellness, and community engagement. Installed along the Talley Trail starting at Main Street, the one-mile walk invites participants to experience a multilingual story unfold one page at a time. Welcoming individuals, families, and groups of all ages, the Story Walk has quickly become a favorite for those looking to combine outdoor activity with the joy of reading. This project exemplifies our commitment to accessible, inclusive programming that brings stories to life—one step at a time.
The Story Walk was created through a grant from Western Kansas Community Foundation and a partnership with the City of Garden City.
Summer Reading
Summer Reading 2024 was a whirlwind of excitement! The program kicked off on June 3rd with a Farm Animal Story walk where the Library welcomed goats, chickens, and cows and storytime all around the outside of the building. In between each animal, we had a storytime or activity for patrons. 1,764 participants joined us for our kick-off!
The Summer Reading Program consisted of reading maps that took participants out on different library and literacy-related adventures. SRP ended on August 9th with a National Night Out Summer Reading Block Party complete with hamburgers and chips – over 600 hamburgers were served! Our local first responders joined in for music, games, and fun activities and participants enjoyed our finale to another successful summer of reading, learning, and connecting.
SUMMER READING PARTICIPANTS
MINUTES READ
SUMMER READING PROGRMS
OUTREACH & SERVICES
Finney County Public Library participated in numerous community events this past year. If patrons could not come to us at the Library, we made an effort to bring our services to them. The Library proudly took part in: Fall Fest, Beef Empire Days, Mexican Fiesta, Non-Profit Fair, Art in the Park, Renaissance Fair, Community Culture Fair, Highlighting Community Resource Fair, Friday Food Trucks, Buster Con, Health Fair, USD 457 school events (Literacy, Parent and Fun Nights), Christmas Lights Parade, Great Plains Makerspace Christmas Event, Earth Day at Lee Richardson Zoo. Community events like these help us build a strong relationship with members of the community, local businesses, and other community leaders. It builds a partnership and strong community connections.
“The public library is where place and possibility meet.”
Stuart Dybek
American Writer
WI-FI SESSIONS
WEBSITE VISITS
REFERENCE QUESTIONS
In addition to these larger outreach events, the Library also provided available programs/events/activities/services like our short story dispenser for people to print short stories with the touch of a button. We also have free little libraries located at the Library and parks around town. In our certified Nature Explore Center Classroom, patrons can explore nature in a safe and beautiful environment.
The Library, through a partnership with our local art center, created a sidewalk obstacle course where people can read, jump, run, and weave their way through a multi-themed adventure. We offer free Wi-Fi inside and outside the Library, and our floor beam projector is and continues to be a patron favorite, where patrons can play games with their feet!
PARTNERS & SUPPORT
The Friends of the Finney County Public Library bookstore has become a staple of the Library. A corner of comfort and quiet in the Library, people often go to find a new bestseller or a cherished childhood story. The Friends’ generous support and countless volunteer hours are much appreciated and make a real difference in Finney County. We could not do what we do without their assistance, ideas, and contributions.
The Finney Library Board is an energetic, informative and vocal part of the Library. The Board provides timely and sound advice to counsel both the Library Director and LS&S on development, plans, and policies. The Library could not function without a supportive and empathetic board that spends countless hours advocating for us.
Thank you to our staff, patrons, county leadership, and other partners who supported the Library this year!
BOARD MEMBERS:
- Paula Kimbrel, Chairperson
- Marsha Rupp, Vice Chairperson
- Jay Cook, Secretary
- Marsha Wright, Treasurer
- Dave Jones, Ex-Officio Member
- Matias Gonzalez Flores, Member