SECURITY PUBLIC LIBRARY

715 Aspen Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80911

https://www.securitypubliclibrary.org/

Prepared by Yvette Rodriguez

Course ILS385 CREATING MARKETING MATERIALS
Date: December 2, 2019
 General Introduction

Community Profile Narrative—Identified Assets and Challenges

The nearest cities closest to Security Public Library (SPL) is Colorado Springs and Fountain. SPL is
in El Paso County. While the population for Security-Widefield is 32,882, the population for the
whole county is 622,263. This library shares a building with the Widefield Recreational Parks
formerly known as the Widefield Community Center (many still call it that). On the grounds you
will find the main building which houses the library, Widefield Recreational Park Main Office,
Preschool classroom, Community Room (used for dance class, book sales, library teen activities,
etc.) and Public Pool with a splash park that is opened in the summer. On the grounds you will
find 3 Sand Volleyball Courts, 4 Tennis Courts, 1 Soccer/All-Purpose Field, 4 Softball Fields, 1
Baseball Field, 3 Playgrounds, 2 Pavilions, 1 Skate Park with Spine Ramp and 1 Walking Trail (1.1
miles). In the community there are also 4 neighborhood parks. The library works together with
all these extracurricular activities instead of competing with them. The library is also part of the
school district. So, they try to fill the need in any gaps found in the afterschool programs. Other
activities in the community that might be in competition with the library are the disc golf park
located at the Widefield Park and the Security Public Pool. SPL also does not have a coffee bar.
Community members who are looking for a convenient place to collaborate where they can
also get a cup of coffee, choose to meet at Starbucks or the other coffee bars in town. Security
Public Library is also 11 minutes away from the Colorado Springs Airport.

Library Profile Narrative—Identified Assets and Challenges

Assets:
1. Community Pool- shares the same building as the Library. Library gives out free pool passes
as part of their summer reading program rewards. The library is also a place that people can
gather while waiting for the pool to open or when the pool lets out.
2. Schools in the district- teachers volunteer to teach classes at the library center. For example,
a teacher from one of the elementary schools volunteers and teaches coding and robotics once
a month at the library. Although the library does not have a 3D printer, all the high schools do.
If the library needs to use one for a library project, arrangements can be made. The library also
provides a community outreach program to the schools in which they provide special circle
times and children activities. The library also works together with CPCD and local preschool in
the 1000 books before kindergarten program. The library has a STEAM club that meets when
the local elementary schools have half a day. This provides a place for the students to go if
their parents cannot pick them up early.
3. Fire department- works in conjunction with the library during holidays to collect can goods,
coats and toys for low income families.
4. Senior Center- Once a month they put on a movie night at the senior center.
5. Homeschooled Community- Once a month the library puts on a homeschool program. They
provide hands on Steam activities and provide a place for homeschool to gather and learn
together.
6. State Parks- the library provides state park passes and a backpack with for a 7 day check out
free of charge.
7. Local Food trucks/businesses- every year the library puts on a tree lighting festival. Many of
the local food trucks attend and provides the food for the evening at a cost to the attendees,
also some local businesses put on a booth presentation and help with entertainment or pass
out hot cocoa with cookies.
8. Metro Transit System- Security-Widefield does have their own bus lines and the closest bus
stop to the library is only .7 miles away.
9. Fountain Valley Senior Center- This center provides free transportation (a special small bus)
to 55+ to places such as doctor/dentist appointments, grocery store, education/employment
and the library.

Challenges:
1. Other Libraries: SPL is in “competition” with Pikes Peak Library District. PPLD has many
branches, and more to offer in technology and stem programs. Their branches are also bigger
which in turn means that their children and teen sections are much bigger. They have a bigger
budget. Many people mistakenly believe that SPL is a branch of PPLD.
2. Turnover Rate: Town is a military town. Turn over rate every few years which means
possible changes in the wants and needs of the patrons.
3. Low incomes- Although the median household income is 62,206 there are still many low-
income families who live in Security-Widefield.
4. Budget?
5. Challenges of being part of the school district?
Existing programs
1. Messy Mondays- an art class for preschoolers- meets the first Monday of the month
2. Preschool Storytime- Storytime for preschoolers in which children librarians read them a few
books. Afterwards, the kids do a craft to take home.
3. Coding and Robotics- for grades 3-5. Kids learn to code and about robotics using Lego robotics,
Sphero Robotic Ball, Dash Robot and tablets. 6-12 graders meet at a different time.
4. Summer Reading Program for all ages.
 Children reading program for elementary age children. Prizes are given out
 Preschool reading program is mainly activities they can do to earn prizes
 Babies reading program is like the preschool one in which they do activities to earn
prizes
 Adult Reading Bingo in which they can earn prizes. I won last summer- a family pass to
the zoo for the year!
5 Homeschool Crew- monthly program for homeschool families of all ages. Enrichment STEAM
activities revolving around a new theme each month.
 6 Steam Club- for 3rd to 5th graders. Meet every month after early release on Wednesdays to work
on Steam projects. Great for kids who parents who are not able to pick them up early on early
release days. Many kids can either walk or ride their bikes from their schools.
7 Dungeon and Dragon Club- The game is open to anyone ages 10 to adult. Books will be available
through the library.
8 Monthly Teen Event- Teens get together once a month on a Friday after the library closes
(library closes at 5 on Fridays). This month they are making and decorating gingerbread houses.
Last month was a dessert contest. For the month of October, it was a Halloween costume party.
9 TAB- Teen Advisory Board- group of teens (6th-12 grade) who meet to plan the monthly teen
events. They also plan all the summer teen activities and the prizes for the Teen Reading
Program. They also give suggestions on books, magazines, manga, and anime the library should
buy.
10 Book clubs
 Regular book club
 Any Book Bookclub- bring any book you are currently reading or just finish reading to
share with the group.
11 BookKnits- Still need information on this
12 One on One computer help- for anyone who needs one on one help with anything that has to do
with computers.
13 Movie Night for Seniors- SPL sets up a movie night for the seniors at the senior center
14 Alzheimer’s Group- Support group
Identified Needs
A. It would be great if there was a way to expand the building. The teen section is very
small. There’s room enough for YA books and two chairs to sit on. The teens must use the
rooms in the children’s department for their programs. They don’t even plan anything on the
weekends because there isn’t a space for them to meet in the library for a program during the
weekend. I’m not sure if a room can be added to the library or not. It would be very costly I
believe.
B. A mommy and me (for dads too!) program as well as classes just for moms to give them
time away from their kids to socialized with other moms or adults. More toddler and
preschooler programs would be great since there are many parents who cannot afford
preschool. During the warmer months, many of these programs can be conducted outside
(since there is limited space inside)
C. A bigger toddler/baby section at the library
D. Sponsor a boardgame night at the library to let the community know that
the library has boardgames for them to use in the library. Perhaps give patrons
an opportunity to donate boardgames as well. (Focus will be on this one)
E. Provide a welcome to the community packet for all new military families moving into
the community.
F. Provide a computer or two with games on there for the teen section. The library
already has laptops that teens (or any patron) can checked out for use in the library. This would
be a special computer with teen appropriate games on it and a headphone attached.
G. Purchase a game system for teens to use on designated game nights. Gaming systems
like a PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch can be very expensive. Many people are constantly
updating their gaming system. The library can reach out and see if anyone is willing to donate
an older gaming system like a PS3, Xbox 360, a Wii U or a Wii. If anyone is willing to donate a
few DS, these can also be checked out to use in the library. Many families cannot afford these
systems and if they own them, they may not be able to afford many games. The library can
offer more game choices and give teens an opportunity to get together and meet other teens.
H. Homeschool kids could also be given an opportunity to work together on extracurricular
projects outside of the homeschool studies.
Community demographics

Security Public Library is located in Security-Widefield, Colorado 80911. Although it is a public

library it is part of Widefield School District 3. Security-Widefield is a military town. Many
languages are spoken here. I personally have heard Spanish, and German spoken many times.
For a small community, there are a lot of children who lives here. I see evidence of that by the
number of schools, the numbers of playgrounds and the number of children playing in the
parks, and teenagers walking around.

As of July 1, 2019, the population of Security-Widefield is 38,232. There are 13,412 housing
units, and 13,191 total households. The average family size is 2.88 and the median household
income is $62,967. The population has gone up 1.64% since 2010 and it is expected to grow
another 1.47% between now and 2024 while the median household is expected to grow 2.91%.
The median house or condo value is $190,468 while the median gross rent is $1,238. The
percentage of residents that live in poverty is 8.9%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%.

This pie chart shows the percentages of

different races in this community. As you
can see majority of the population is white
but that is only 63.6% of the population.
The second and third largest would be
Hispanics and then Blacks.
 Security/Widefield, CO
Population- 32,882
under age 5- 7%
under age 18- 28%
over age 65- 10.5%
White Persons- 72.8%
Black Persons- 10.1%
American Indian Persons- 1%
Asian Persons- 2.9%
Hispanic or Latino Persons- 17.9%
Foreign Born- 6.4%
Language other than English- 9.9%
High School Graduate- 92.3%
Bachelor’s Degree- 3.3%
Median Drive Time to Work- 24 mins
Persons with Disability- 12.2%
Housing Units- 12,896
Households- 235,959
Median Household Income- $62,206

Regarding education,
92.7% of the population
has graduated High
School. 21.4% has earned
a bachelor’s degree while
7.6% has earned a
graduate degree. This
bar graph shows those
that are currently
enrolled in school.

Library Profile Narrative—Our History

Security Public Library was built in 1961. The library shares the building with the Widefield
Parks and Recreational (former name was Widefield Community Center) main office. In this
building you will also find community rooms that is used by the library and the community. In
1966 the Community Center complex opens new library and recreation facilities. In 1978, the
Security Park and Recreation District (including the library) was assimilated into the school
district.

Most important library statistics

LIBRARY STATISTICS

Fill in the numbers. Put an “A” in front of those you consider to be an asset. Put a “C”
before those you consider a challenge.

Population Served- 32,882 # Programs- 985

# of Registered Borrowers-51,098
# of Adults Registered No Data
# Teens Registered- No Data
# of Juveniles Registered No Data
# of Branches- 1
# of Bookmobiles- 0
# of Staff- 9
# of Population Per Staff- No Data
# of Volunteers- 0
# of Volunteer Hours- 0
# Items in Collection-104,211
# Program Attendance- 33,375
# Reference Transactions- 65,000
# Interlibrary Loans- 7,776
# Website Hits- No Data
# Library Visits-102,554
# Computer Uses- 22,410
# Circulations-122,212
# Titles in Collection-59,310
# Electronic Books- 30,153
# Licensed Databases- No Data
Square Feet of Library- 7,600

Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives

Vision Statement

The Security Public Library is an educational support center for all ages,
a recreational reading center for popular materials,
and a learning center for adult independent learners.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Security Public Library is to meet the evolving educational, cultural,
informational, and recreational needs of the public by providing modern library resources and
services.

In fulfilling this mission, the library strives to acquire materials, plan programs, and provide
services that reflect an understanding and consideration of the community served, with
concern given for all ages, backgrounds, interests, abilities, and levels of education.
Outreach Plan Program Goal

As part of SPL’s overall vision and mission statement to meet the community’s recreational
needs the library will develop a monthly Family Boardgame Night. The library already has
boardgames as part of its collection to be used inhouse but the boardgames do not get much
use. One of the goals established would be to raise awareness of this resource that the library
has. Another goal would be to add more games to the collection that the community would
enjoy. The end goal would be to see an increase of families using the library by creating a safe
place for families to gather enjoy some family time with each other.

The Program Objective

The program objective is to increase the number of boardgames in the collection, set up a
recurring boardgame night at the library and increase the amount of use the boardgames
receive.

The Program Focus

The program focus is on the whole family with a strong focus on teamwork, reading skills,
problem solving and sportsmanship. The plan is to start with a family boardgame night. In
time, more specific game nights can be established such as a game night for elementary school
kids and a separate game night for teens. As the program gains popularity, more boardgames
can be added as well as a video game console providing more choices for Game Night. Specific
boardgames that are recommended for children with ADHC and Autism can be added to the
collection and a Game Night can be established for Special Needs children and their family.

Statement of need
As part of its collections the Security Public Library has boardgames that patrons can check out
to use in the library. A lot of the boardgames go unused. There are many programs for
children, teen and adults but not much for the whole family. Setting up a boardgame family
night will provide a program for the whole family to enjoy or a group of friends. With proper
marketing, the community will become aware of this resource and utilize the boardgames more
for recreational purposes.

What is your Target Group?

My target group is 8 families with an average of 4 per family. That would be a total of 32
people. In the future, my target group would be 10 elementary kids and 10 teens for teen
night. For special needs and their family, my target group would be 5 families.
Estimated number of potential participants

I would like to start this program in the beginning of Summer 2020. Flyers will start going out
through PeachJar toward the end of the school year prior to that summer. Physical flyers will
be posted around and in the library. Information can be posted in the school district’s
community newsletter. The boardgame night for special needs children will began in the fall of
September 2020. Flyers can be passed out the same way as before but also passed to nearby
therapy places such as Shandy Clinic and Family Support Center.
Estimated numbers of potential participants during the summer would be 20. Estimated
numbers during the school year would be 10. The program will be once a month.

Potential partners based on your assets assessment.

Potential partners would be schoolteachers, the school district, the nearby therapy places and
parents as well.

Available library physical space

Depending on the number of participants, the children’s room in the children’s department can
be used. For a larger group, the meeting room on the main floor of the library can be used. For
larger groups, the community room that is in the same building as the library can be used. A
combination of two or all three can be used as well. I have seen them open the preschool
rooms when there was not enough room for all the Dungeon and Dragon Club members. If the
rooms are not occupied, the library can use them. I have also seen them use the preschool
rooms for family art classes. They are very flexible with physical space.

Skills of your Staff

Both children librarians are experienced with facilitating programs for children and teens. They
would be more then qualify to facilitate the boardgame night.

Marketing and Communications Programs and Initiatives

1. Print and Media

a. Flyers
i. Flyers will be posted in the library and on the bulletin boards in the
community center.
b. Buttons
i. Purchase a button maker machine. Make buttons that will advertise the
boardgame night
c. Bookmarks
i. Boardgame theme bookmarks can be printed and passed out.
2. Displays
a. Set up a display at the library with a boardgame theme. Incorporate some of the
actual boardgames into the display.
b. Set up display inside near the entrance to the library
3. Social Media
a. Post information about the event on Facebook.
i. Have a schedule of when to submit postings. Post a final reminder of the
event on the day of
ii. Post pictures of the event of the event to advertise for future boardgame
nights (with permission from those in the photos!)
iii. Set up a Vlog of the event
iv. Write about it in the library’s blog
4. Word of Mouth
a. Talk to patrons about it.
b. Wear a button that says, “Ask me about our new Family Boardgame Night.”
5. Incentives
a. Include a craft in the beginning
i. Example of a craft would be to make your own playing piece
ii. Have a contest with a prize on best playing pieces
iii. Participants can use their playing pieces to play on the boardgames
6. Outreach Programs
a. The library already does outreach programs to the local schools for different
things such as Reading Hour at the elementary and preschools. Information
about the event can be passed on during these outreach sessions.