Pierce County Library Board to discuss summer reading, public survey and other issues

At its May meeting the Pierce County Library System’s Board of Trustees will learn about plans for summer reading for teenagers; share their thoughts and opinions about results from a recent public opinion survey; discuss final closing papers for University Place Pierce County Library; and address other issues.

At its May meeting the Pierce County Library System’s Board of Trustees will learn about plans for summer reading for teenagers; share their thoughts and opinions about results from a recent public opinion survey; discuss final closing papers for University Place Pierce County Library; and address other issues. The Board of Trustees will meet at the Library’s Processing and Administrative Center, 3005 112th St. E., in Tacoma, on Wednesday, May 9, from 3:30 to 6 p.m.

Summer reading for teenagers: Library staff will give the trustees a preview of this year’s summer reading program for teenagers. The program will focus on gamification, an online gaming technique. Through gamification the Library will encourage teenagers to earn badges by reading, completing challenges, posting book reviews, and conducting other online activities. The online gaming event will launch during the full summer reading program for children and teenagers on June 23.

Public opinion survey results: At the April Board of Trustees’ meeting, library managers shared the results of a public opinion survey conducted this winter. The survey gathered ideas and opinions from 959 adults about services people need and value. The Library plans to use results from the survey to help define its product and inform decisions regarding services to continue, add, reduce or discontinue. During the May Board meeting, trustees will share their opinions and ideas about findings from the survey.

University Place Library closing paperwork: The trustees will review the closing documents related to the University Place Library. The documents relate to the library’s new location in the University Place Civic and Library Building, where the library opened in February 2011. At the end of the process Pierce County Library will own the University Place Library property and the condominium will begin operating per the final condominium declaration and operating agreement.

Pierce County Library is the fourth largest library system in the state, serving 544,000 people with 18 locations. In 2011, people made 2.6 million visits to Pierce County Libraries.