Annual Report 2023 (HTML version)

Excerpt from “Adobe”

Adobe

Sacred architecture
Bricks and walls fashioned by bronze hands left to hardened in the sun
Here in the southwest
Where the rivers run
And the ristras hang
And the valleys speak
And the bones of the indigenous rest beneath our feet

We stand

We stand here a library of collective memory Stewards of the land
Where nature nurtured us
And our grandmothers endured

We,
A people before borders
Old as the wind
We, with stardust on our tongue And moonlight in our eyes

— Bobby LeFebre
Colorado’s Eighth Poet Laureate

Published with permission from the author

Table of Contents


Our Mission

We Open Doors for Curious Minds


Our Values

Compassion for our customers and for each other
Passion for our product
Eagerness to learn
Everyone is creative
Optimistic attitude – we believe that anything is possible

The Anythink Libraries 2023 Annual Report features art from the “Animal Lore” series by Jessica Moon Bernstein-Schiano. The series was originally commissioned for Anythink’s mySummer 2023 program.

Message from the Anythink Executive Director

Anythink is at an important time in its history, a time of transition and transformation in response to the world around us. The path winds as we navigate new services and new modes of thinking – always with people at the center of what we do. Reflecting on 2023, I’m proud of the work our staff has done providing exceptional programs, services, collections and experiences for our community, which has led to a 13 percent increase in visitors over the prior year.

As we forge new paths in 2024, connectivity will guide us — connecting with each other, connecting with our community, connecting with partners and with new ideas that help us to be the public library system that Adams County residents deserve. We will continue to shape our diversity, equity and inclusion strategic plan to guide our internal work while strengthening relationships. We will embark on a new community engagement project to gather input from both Anythink users and non-users alike to help inform future decision-making. We will expand services through new hours at Anythink Bennett, Anythink Commerce City and Anythink Perl Mack, and through the opening of the new Thornton Community Center library this fall. This summer, construction will begin on the Anythink Nature Library, a space dedicated to helping people find their place in nature. Alternately, Anythink continues on its course to be the catalyst for innovation in Adams County by extending its services into the metaverse with Anythink World.

We are grateful to be on this journey with all of you, and we look forward to connecting soon.

— Mark Fink, Anythink Executive Director

744,394
Number of library visits in 2023
*Statistics listed are unaudited.

13%
Increase in library visits from 2022
*Statistics listed are unaudited.

Message from the Anythink Board of Trustees President

2023 was a year of growth with a new director, collections representing many perspectives and two new buildings in the works. Our staff welcomed all to meet their varied needs for culture, connection and career development. Our arts partnerships involved Anythinkers, offering opportunities to reflect and stretch creatively. Anythink fulfills an essential role for our community.

— Lynne Fox, Anythink Board of Trustees President


1,698,852

Items borrowed
6% increase from 2022
*Statistics listed are unaudited.

99,528

Cardholders
36% increase from 2022
*Statistics listed are unaudited.

Anythink Staff Profile

Name: Mo Yang
Role: Studio Manager, The Studio/Support Services
Years at Anythink: 20
Word that describes 2023 at Anythink: Evolving

“Anythinkers have always been passionate about making a difference in our communities. Between 2009 and 2020, we saw a lot of exciting and organic change in what it meant to be an Anythinker, but the spirit of being an Anythinker for me has always remained the same: possibilities, compassion, innovation, creativity and a deep understanding of the needs of our community.

“Now, as we have emerged from the pandemic, we’re in a new phase of redefining what it means to be an Anythinker. This is an opportunity to build on our strengths and grow in new ways, while staying true to our roots.”

Year in Review


mySummer


In 2023, Anythink’s annual mySummer initiative was inspired by the theme of “Let’s Play.” The summer included opportunities for people of all ages to learn in fun, new ways, find joy through games and embrace carefree moments.

Anythink partnered with local artist Jessica Moon Bernstein-Schiano to create a custom card deck featuring Bernstein-Schiano’s vibrant “Animal Lore” art. The card deck was exclusively available to customers who registered for mySummer.

10,989
mySummer participants
*Statistics listed are unaudited.

“Working with Anythink was a truly enjoyable experience, not only for the organization’s collaborative spirit and commitment to innovation, but also for its unwavering support of visual artists and deep appreciation for the arts, which was evident in every aspect of our collaboration. Their staff’s dedication to fostering creativity and valuing the arts enriched our partnership and made it a truly memorable endeavor.”


— Jessica Moon Bernstein-Schiano, Artist

The Universe Awaits

The Universe Awaits, a learning program for all ages that focused on space and the stars, was hosted from Sept. 30 to Oct. 21, 2023. Along with partners Wings Over the Rockies, the Fiske Planetarium, and Sid Whiting, an educator and member of the Sicangu Lakota, Anythink offered a variety of free public programs for anyone who wanted to explore the cosmos and our place in the universe.

1,602
Community members who looked to the sky during Anythink’s eclipse watch parties on Oct. 14
*Statistics listed are unaudited.

17,000
Eclipse-viewing glasses distributed
*Statistics listed are unaudited.


BMoCA at Anythink Fall Artist Showcase

Anythink and the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) partnered for a third year to make arts anm,d culture more accessible to Adams County residents through the BMoCA at Anythink Fall Artist Showcase. The 2023 initiative featured the captivating work of artist Chelsea Kaiah at Anythink Bennett, Anythink Perl Mack and Anythink Wright Farms.

“The BMOCA at Anythink Fall Artist Showcase connected me to the different communities surrounding and staff at the libraries. It’s valuable as an artist to work in different spaces and share m practice on another level that people are not used to. This is how you share experiences, culture and discussions. My time at the libraries also progressed my art practice and gave me the space and time to experiment.”

— Chelsea Kaiah, Artist

400
Guests who attended the Native American Heritage Month Celebration at Anythink Wright Farms as part of the 2023 BMoCA at Anythink Fall Artist Showcase
*Statistics listed are unaudited.

Anythink Staff Profile

Name: Matthew Galloway
Role: Adult Fiction Buyer, Collection Development/Support Services
Years at Anythink: 5
Word that describes 2023 at Anythink: Creative


“I’m incredibly excited about Anythink’s DEI initiative, as it will make our libraries even more welcoming and compassionate places for all staff and customers. It’s work that’s very close to my heart — something I’ve always worked toward in my 13 years in libraries — as a member of marginalized groups who grew up around the world.”

Anythink Staff Profile

Name: Lisa Allarid
Role: Accounts Payable Pro, Finance/Support Services
Years at Anythink: 10
Word that describes 2023 at Anythink: Assiduous

“Being an Anythinker today means using your voice, trying new things and representation.”

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Anythink

Anythink began a partnership with Tangible Development to develop the organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) strategy. Staff completed a climate survey and participated in focus groups and one-on-one interviews from May to July 2023. Information from the survey and focus groups will inform DEI strategy development.

2,968

Library programs held in 2023

Dr. Ashley Hazelwood-Cameron
Tangible Development DEI Strategist


Dr. Ashley Hazelwood-Cameron is a DEI strategist at Tangible Development and is helping lead Anythink’s DEI strategy development. She was also a guest speaker at Anythink’s all-staff Training Day in October 2023.

“My work with Anythink has been deeply developmental and gratifying. The organization continues to demonstrate its commitment to growth in the areas of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by taking intentional steps to elevate its organizational culture. When met with challenges along the way, Anythink project leads Executive Director Mark Fink and Director of Products and Technology Logan Macdonald responded with nimbleness and adaptability. As our partnership ventures into the strategic planning phase of DEI work, I look forward to the responsive and creative ways in which Anythink will continue to respond to the needs of the workforce, who are deeply committed to DEI work and advancement.”

Anythink Staff Profile

Name:
Logan Macdonald
Anythink Director of Products and Technology


“Our work with Tangible Development has provided valuable insights that we can use to make Anythink a more inclusive place for customers and staff, helping us fulfill our mission and values as we welcome all people to our libraries. I believe the high staff response rate to the survey and robust participation in focus groups and interviews demonstrated that Anythinkers throughout the organization are committed to this work.”

Anythink Staff Profile

Name: Nadia Ceniceros
Teen Guide, Anythink Brighton

Years at Anythink: 2.5
Word that describes 2023 at Anythink: Passionate

“In the past year, Anythink Brighton has been making huge efforts to provide access to our collections and provide excellent service to our Spanish-speaking customers by providing bilingual signage and curating displays in Spanish.

“One of my proudest moments of 2023 was having the opportunity to represent Anythink at the National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color in Florida. I was fortunate to attend and learn what other libraries in the nation are doing to be diverse and inclusive with staff, customers, collections and programs.”

Building Projects

Work on Anythink’s two new building projects was a major focus for the district in 2023, and will continue to be so into 2024, as the library centers its work on expanded services.

Construction for the new Thornton Community Center kicked off with a ceremony in February 2023. Expected to open in fall 2024, the 40,000-square-foot building at 2211 Eppinger Blvd. in Thornton, Colo., will house a rec center as well as a 10,000-square-foot Anythink library. Anythink York Street staff and collections will move to this new location in order to best serve the many families and residents of the south Thornton community.

Design of the Anythink Nature Library continued in 2023 with architects Davis Partnership and THK Associates. The 35,000-square-foot library on the Aylor Open Lands property at 136th and Quebec Street in Thornton, Colo., will help people find their place in nature, providing programs, collections and spaces that inspire learning and connection with the outdoors.

In 2023, Anythink formed the Anythink Nature Library Advisory Council, an appointed group of six local indigenous representatives who worked together with district leadership and architects to inform the design of the Nature Library.

Sarah Ortegon
Anythink Nature Library Advisory Council member

“Working with Anythink on the Anythink Nature Library Advisory Council helped me redefine collaboration. I felt like I had a chair at the table, and not only did we have a chair, we were also each given the respect of being heard. I enjoyed this process, even though some of the topics were not easy to work through. I believe we worked together and hopefully the goal of a beautiful, accessible space for all is accomplished.”

Design rendering of the front of the Anythink Nature Library during the daytime (subject to change)

Anythink Funding

Anythink serves the residents of Adams County, Colo., with seven branches in Bennett, Brighton, Commerce City, Thornton and the Perl Mack neighborhood of Denver. The library also offers outreach services through Anythink in Motion, the district’s bookmobile, which visits neighborhoods and communities throughout the county.

2023 Funding at a Glance

These are the primary sources of Anythink’s funding, and how the organization spends those funds.

Revenues

  • Property Taxes:
    82% - $25,751,721.30
  • Specific Ownership Tax:
    6% - 1,858,506.21
  • Interest on Deposits:
    11% - $3,580,113.81
  • Grants, Donations, Erate, Misc:
    >1% - $173,906.00
  • Fines and Fees:
    >1% - $56,879.62

Total revenues
$31,421,126.94

Expenditures

  • Personnel:
    42% - $9,623,105.96
  • Professional and Technology:
    8% - $1,829,657.01
  • Facilities, Vehicles and Equipment:
    7% - $1,708,690.00 Operations Expenses: 4% - $1,013,141.00
  • Library Materials:
    14% - $3,372,792.00 Library Services: 2% - $579,402.00
  • Miscellaneous:
    18% - $4,120,767.56 Capital Expenditures: 5% - 928,047.00

Total expenditures
$23,175,602.53

Anythink Foundation

The Anythink Foundation supports the library’s mission by providing special programs and projects outside of the library’s operating budget. These opportunities provide memorable experiences for the Adams County community that would otherwise not be possible without the generous support of our donors.

Foundation Snapshot





Funds raised by the Anythink Foundation support programs and services in four key areas:

  • Capital projects
  • Public art
  • Expansion of collections
  • Exceptional programs, activities and technology education

In 2023, funds from the Anythink Foundation contributed to enhancements of Anythink Brighton’s Nature Explore classroom, ice cream socials at Anythink York Street, and the purchasing of a beautiful chess table at Anythink Bennett for visitors to enjoy. The Anythink Foundation also helped to fund the Anythink Wright Farms Pollinator Garden, designed to further learning and understanding of the importance of pollinators in our area.

$240,487
Total current assets

Anythink Foundation Members, Sponsors and Supporters

*Statistics listed are unaudited.

Thank you to our generous members, sponsors and supporters. The following list includes Anythink Foundation members and individuals and organizations that donated to the Anythink Foundation at the $100 level and above in 2023:

  • Aaron Ott
  • Amazon
  • Amelia Wahl
  • Ann Edwards
  • Apoorv Malmane
  • Barbara Garrity
  • Betty Herrick
  • Bonita Wirth
  • Bruce Davis
  • Chris Blackwood
  • Colorado Gives Foundation
  • Cori Ames
  • Craig Fowler
  • Dan Mackin
  • David Wolfe
  • Dennis Humphries
  • Donna Bowser
  • Donna Good
  • Emily Brooks
  • Germaine Persinger
  • Gretchen Lapham
  • Heidi Khoury
  • Jay Weber
  • Jenette Garding
  • Jennifer Kendrick
  • Joyce Gonzales
  • Justin Sager
  • Kathy Hansen
  • Kelley Staudenmier
  • Kurt and Michelle Jones
  • Leora Black
  • Lisa Griffin
  • Lucy Wirth
  • Luke Cable
  • Lynne Fox
  • Marissa Mink
  • Mark Fink
  • Marsha Marcilla
  • Mary Welsch
  • Michael Gelormino
  • ML Environmental Group
  • Norm Union
  • Pam Smith
  • Peggy Schick
  • PFM Asset Management
  • Rachel Meints
  • RBC Capital
  • Richard Delaney
  • Richard Randall
  • Ron Ebenkamp
  • Rose Community Foundation
  • Sam Masiello
  • Schneider Electric
  • Sean Zeiler
  • Stacie Ledden
  • Steve Hansen
  • Tamera Ashcraft
  • United Power
  • Upasana Mohapatra
  • Virginia Edley
  • VMWare Foundation
  • Zoe Reese

Anythink Leadership

Anythink Board of Trustees



Lynne Fox
President

Suzie Brundage
Vice President

Trisha Kramer
Trustee

Gretchen Lapham
Secretary/Treasurer

Savannah Vickery
Trustee

Staff Leadership

Mark Fink
Anythink Executive Director

Susan Dobbs
Assistant Director

Logan Macdonald
Director of Products and Technology

Stacie Ledden
Director of Strategic Partnerships

Suzanne McGowan
Director of Customer Experience

Anythink Foundation Board

Chris Blackwood
David Bell
Kim Crawford
Kyle Kreischer
Michelle Halstead