The Ainsworth Library Board held its regular monthly meeting on April 7, 2021 at the Ainsworth Public Library. This meeting was advised in the local newspaper, over the radio, at the Library, and posted on the library’s website and Facebook page. President Phyllis Leach called the meeting to order at 5 p.m. Notice was given on the posting of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act.
Roll called showed four members present. They included Todd Flynn, Stacey Gilliland, Phyllis Leach, and Alane Lentz. Member Luke Hitchcock was not present. Library Director, Gail Irwin, was also present for the meeting.
Alane Lentz made the motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting. Phyllis Leach seconded this with all members voting in favor of. Stacey Gilliland moved to approve the claims for payment. Todd Flynn seconded this with all members voting in favor of. The Monthly Library Report for March and a list of titles purchased were shared with the Board. It was noted that Gail plans to take a week of vacation the last week of April.
An update was given on the Book Club. The March selection of “Big Little Lies” discussion was moved back several days due to snowy weather. The group loved this book and had lots to talk about. The April title is “Zoo Nebraska” by Carson Vaughan. The group will meet on the 19th to share thoughts on it. This will be the last meeting until the fall.
Take and Make Packets were discussed. Two packets were handed out in March with a Dr. Seuss theme (Horton’s Ear headband and Wocket in my Pocket). The two packets for April will include the Bubble Wand and the Pinch Diver Toy.
A review was given on the Read Across America/Dr. Seuss Day held the first week of March. We held “Name That Dr. Seuss Book” on the library’s Facebook page. We posted an illustration each day of the week from a Dr. Seuss book and people listed which book it was from. If they answered correctly, they won a set of Dr. Seuss Book Marks.
The Board discussed the Covid-19 restrictions at the Library. No changes were made at this time other than we will recommend wearing masks now and not require them. We will continue to do social distancing and having items returned in the Book Drop outside. Having more open hours and more computers open to the public will be addressed next month.
Plans for National Library Week (April 4-10) were shared. We will do a GO FISH: READ A BOOK all week long. People may take a fish out of the fish bowl and then check out the title listed on the fish. We have three different age groups for people to fish. Monday, we will feature the Bubble Wand Take and Make Packet #1. Tuesday, will be Movie Check-Out Day. If you check out a DVD, you will get a packet of microwave popcorn and a popcorn bag to make. Wednesday, is No Fine Day. Thursday will be Book Character Day. If you visit the Library in a Book Character Costume, you get to pick out a free book to take home. Friday will be Color Your World Day. People will pick out a coloring page/bookmark to color at home or at the library.
The Library will be promoting D.E.A.R. Day (Drop Everything And Read) on April 12th. An article will be in the newspaper, on the library’s website, and posted on the library’s Facebook page to encourage everyone to stop whatever they are doing and read for an half hour on this day.
Discussion was held on the Summer Reading Program. Concerns were voiced on the highway construction this summer and having large groups in the meeting room. The theme is Tails and Tales. We will use the Reader Zone Online Program again this year to keep track of time/books read. We can also do some activity programs now with this program. The children will read from June 1st to June 30th. We will not have a Toddler Program this summer. The program will be for children in preschool to 4th grade. Sign up will be from May 10-15th. We will plan to have the children at the library on Tuesdays and Thursdays in June. We will have each level/grade come for 45 minutes where we will read several books, do a game or activity, check out books, and hand out a packet for an at home craft. If Covid-19 cases increase, we may do away with the programing on week days.
The library was approached by a local author to do a reading with children on her new Christian book. Director had informed her that the library was not doing any in person programming with children right now but would visit with the Board about this. The Board did not want lots of children inside the library at one time yet. They felt it would be safer to do a Book Signing where the people could come and go when they liked. It would keep the gathering to a small amount of people and still promote the book. The director will contact the author and illustrator and see if we could get a date set for a book signing.
The proposed budget for 2021-2022 will be worked on at the next meeting.
Reviews were given on various workshops/meetings that staff has attended. Items discussed at the Thursday Director Zoom Meetings on March 4th, 18th, and 25th was shared. Information from the Niche Academy Training on March 9th was shared. Director had attended the Nebraska State Advisory Council on Libraries Board Meeting on March 19th. It is hoped that the July Meeting could be in person in Lincoln. It was noted that Wanda Raymond had been attending a Mental Health and Libraries On-Line Course. Gail Irwin had signed up for a Nebraska Public Employees Financial Wellness Program On-Line Course which starts the first of April.
Under correspondence we shared information from OverDrive/Libby on the removal of color books due to burden of print pages; library performance on Goggle; information on a state-wide survey of all court users from the State of Nebraska Judicial Branch; and on President Biden’s infrastructure plan that fails to include funding for library facilities. Director has sent letters out to the President and to the four Nebraska Senators and Representatives in D.C. Items of interest from library newsletters and journals were also shared with the Board.
The next meeting date and time was set for May 5th at 5 p.m. Since there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:47 p.m.
