NEWSLETTER
January 2012
Shalom to all the Library’s Readers,
This week closes the 2011 work-year that included wide-ranging activity, the development of projects in different areas and organizational and administrative changes.
Firstly, I would like to thank Mr Yoav Hepher who served as CEO of the Library for the first three quarters of 2011. Yoav came into office at a time when the Library was operating under uncertainty regarding its future, and with the help of members of the board he succeeded in stabilizing the Library’s statutory status and directing the activities of the organization.
The Library has recently appointed a new CEO, Mr Amos Be'er, who is terminating his position as Head of the Department of Applications Development in the Israel Police, at the rank of Commander. Mr Be'er, who is certified as blind, will come into office in stages over the coming months. The Library Management wishes Amos every success in the post.
During 2011, we dealt with the advancement of a number of key projects which represent milestones in the Library’s activity.
- Completion of the conversion of analog literature into digital format.
- Distribution of recorded books on cassette has been phased out.
- The telephone system has been upgraded to improve the standard of service to the public.
- CD duplication of recorded material has been expanded, enabling subscribers to receive newspapers and magazines within a shorter time-frame.
- We have increased the efficiency of the book-ordering system to improve the lending service.
- A month of special events linked to Israel Book Week was held. The goal was to raise awareness of the Library and to solicit funds towards the Library’s activities.
- Production of a selection of recipes especially for the Hannukah holiday, for which some of Israel’s top chefs and pastry-chefs volunteered their time.
63,000 books were borrowed in 2011, and they were distributed to readers throughout the country, from Kela Alon on the Golan Heights to Eilat in the south and a few dozen subscribers who live abroad. We produced more than 1,000 new titles; we have distributed weekly compilations to some 1,000 readers and a monthly compilation in Braille to some 130 readers, and more.
As previously announced, during 2012 we will launch a new Library website which will be accessible to all our users. We would like to point out that due to the level of the site’s complexity and the inclusion of many new components to benefit subscribers, the development is taking a considerable amount of time. We thank you for your patience.
We are also continuing in our efforts with the Ministry of Education. We hope that the Minister of Education and senior staff in the Ministry will help us to make study material accessible to blind students and Library subscribers in high quality format and within a short time-frame.
I wish to thank the Library Staff for their dedication, their important work in providing service to our readers, whilst continuously striving to improve an increase efficiency.
I would also like to thank you, the readers, for your dedication, loyalty and constant support of the Library, and I wish us all a fruitful year, a year full of accomplishment that is rich in worthy and fascinating reading material.
Sincerely
Zvi Engel
Chairman of the Board
The Central Library for the Blind, Visually Impaired and Handicapped.
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