Page 3 - annual-report-2019

RePoRT fRoM The ChAiR (2019)
Carol Collins Malone

2019 was a good year for the Library. Our home on 79th Street remained Throughout the year, the Lecture and Exhibitions Committee, led by
a vibrant place to read, to write, to borrow books and to exchange ideas Jeannette Watson Sanger, and aided by events coordinator Sara Holliday
through our broad selection of programs. Membership levels rose slightly and her team, presented a wide range of lectures and performances.
from the level achieved in 2018. Use of our collection continued apace. Our In October the Library’s Head of Systems, Syed Rasool, made a presentation
dedicated writing spaces remained popular. In addition to a host of classes, to the Board of Trustees during which he described the ways his team is
evening lectures, exhibitions and performances, the Library presented protecting our databases from cybercrime.
children’s events for all ages. The Library recorded an operating surplus of
$141,811. Funds from the Annual Appeal declined 20% to $686,640, largely The Library is proud to be the fiscal sponsor of Project Cicero, which is
as the result of several non-recurring gifts that were received in 2018 but organized each year by Project Cicero’s Executive Committee, chaired by
not in 2019. The market value of the endowment at the end of 2019 was trustee Susan Robbins. In 2019, a grand total of 150,000 books were
$41.3 million, up 22% over 2018 as a positive investment climate favorably collected from 100 independent and public schools and distributed to 1,260
impacted our performance. teachers from under-resourced schools throughout the city. Many
volunteers contributed to Cicero’s success.
During the course of 2019 the Board directed its focus toward ways to
improve our member and staff spaces. How to increase space available for Once again, I would like to thank the trustees and the staff, especially Head
members while enlarging and improving staff workspaces absorbed our Librarian Carolyn Waters, for their hard work and for their thoughtful
attention throughout the year. Byron Bell and Jean Parker Phifer, as co- engagement on a wide range of issues. Together with our members they
chairs of the Building and Renovation Committee, helped to inform the create the unique atmosphere that has come to define our institution.
Board about our options. In consultation with the staff, the Board then Respectfully submitted on April 28, 2020
considered ways to achieve these goals while enhancing the environment Carol Collins Malone, Chair
for our Collection.
Since the end of 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives in profound
The second installment of our new program for writers, Meet the Publishing ways. The Library closed on March 16 and remains closed at the current time.
Pros, was presented in January by trustee Betty Sargent. A panel of literary Thomas Jefferson stated “To fortify our minds against…calamities and misfortunes
agents addressed a full audience in the Members’ Room. The goal of the should be one of the principal studies and endeavors of our lives.” The Library aims
program, spearheaded by trustees Betty Sargent and Adrienne Ingrum, is to provide the resources that will sustain and strengthen our members and by so doing
to create synergy between our writer members and the publishing industry. to find opportunity in crisis.