Ainsworth Public Library

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 19^th 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 12^th.  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 1^st to June 30^th.  We will not have a Toddler Program this summer.   The program will be for children in preschool to 4^th grade.  Sign up will be from May 10-15^th.  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 4^th, 18^th, and 25^th was shared.  Information from the Niche Academy Training on March 9^th was shared.  Director had attended the Nebraska State Advisory Council on Libraries Board Meeting on March 19^th.  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 5^th at 5 p.m.  Since there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:47 p.m.

OverDrive recently removed coloring books from the OverDrive Magazine collection. This was done after receiving feedback from libraries around the country about the additional technical burdens the coloring books placed on libraries when patrons sought printing assistance.Printing functionality isn’t built into OverDrive or Libby. This meant that when patrons wanted to print coloring pages, libraries/patrons needed to resort to various technical workarounds, requiring 3rd party software, in order to get pages printed, and even when they succeeded in doing so the results (resolution) were often unsatisfactory.

The Book Club will be meeting at the Ainsworth Public Library on March 15th at 2 p.m. Readers will be sharing thoughts on the title of “Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty. If you have read this book, please join us.

We will be handing out the April selection at this time. Up next will be the title of “Zoo Nebraska” by Carson Vaughn.

The Ainsworth Library Board held its regular monthly meeting on March 3, 2021 at the Ainsworth Public Library.   This meeting was advertised in the local newspaper, over the radio, posted at the Library and on the Library’s website.  President Leach called the meeting to order at 5:04 p.m.  Notice was given on the posting of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act.  Roll call showed all members present.   They included Todd Flynn, Stacey Gilliland, Luke Hitchcock, Phyllis Leach, and Alane Lentz.  Library Director, Gail Irwin, was also present for the meeting. 

Phyllis Leach made the motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting.  Todd Flynn seconded this with all members voting in favor of.  Alane Lentz moved to approve the claims for payment.  Luke Hitchcock seconded this with all voting in favor of. The Board did a review of the budget spending.  The Monthly Library Report for February was presented as well as a list of titles purchased.

Library staff continues to help the public sign up for the Covid-19 Vaccination.  We assisted a total of 15 in February.  We also have been handing out Vaccination Consent Form for people to take with them when they get the shot. 

The Library ran the Blind Date with a Book all of February.   We had selected a total of 25 books for people to pick their date from. A total of 18 were checked out.  The Rate Your Date cards were shared with the Board.  All but one date was successful.  Shirley Gambill won the “Love Basket” which was donated by Wanda Raymond.   Staff has plans to include the children next year with a “Sweet Read” program.

An update was given on the Book Club.  The 2021 One Book One Nebraska title was the featured selection.  The group was to meet on April 16^th but had to move the date to the 18^th due to the extreme cold weather.  We only had 4 readers attend the discussion.  A total of 10 readers had checked out the book.  The next title for March will be “Big Little Lies”.  The last title for the Book Club will be “Zoo Nebraska” in April. 

The Take and Make Packets was discussed.  It was noted that we did three packets in February.  Packets featured turtle Valentines, a heart windsock, and a Valentine paper circuits.  A total of 36 items were handed out.  The March packets will feature Dr. Seuss characters (Horton Headband and Wocket in my Pocket). 

An update was given on Read Across America (Dr. Seuss Day).  Besides the Take and Make Packets featuring Dr. Seuss, we are doing a Name that Dr. Seuss Book on the library’s Facebook page.   A photo from one of Dr. Seuss’s book will be posted each day.  People are to list in the comments the book it came from.   If they get the answer right, we have wonderful Dr. Seuss Bookmarks to give them.  A Dr. Seuss display was also put up to highlight his books.  The Board was sad to hear that some people have complained about his books being racist and the publisher has decided not to publish six of his books.  The President of the U.S. even refused to endorse Dr. Seuss Day.  Some libraries are following suit and not doing Dr. Seuss celebrations.

There was nothing to report on the wind damage to the roof.  Director is still trying to get someone to look and fix the damage on the roof line from the strong wind. 

The Covid-19 Restrictions at the library was discussed.  No changes will be made at this time.   Masks will still be required, social distancing enforced, and items being returned must go in the outside book drop.  Hopefully soon, staff will have their covid-19 vaccinations as well as members of the community.

National Library Week will be celebrated from April 4-10^th.  Activities will be held on-line through Facebook.  A drawing will be held for books.

D.E.A.R. Day (Drop Everything and Read Day) will be held on April 12^th.  The library will promote the importance of reading for fun each day.

Reviews of the various workshops/meeting attended by staff was given on the Summer Reading Program workshop on Feb. 9^th; The Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead on Feb. 1^st; Reader Zone Zoom Meeting on Feb. 18^th; the Library Foundation Board meeting on Feb. 18^th; Thursday Director’s Zoom Meeting on Feb. 4^th, 18^th, and 25^th; and the Big Talk for Small Libraries on Feb. 26^th.  Coming up will be the State Advisory Council on Libraries on March 19 by way of Go To Meeting and the Read for Resilience on March 23 by the Nebraska Extension.

Under correspondence we had the new password for the NebraskAccess databases and a letter from the Central Nebraska Economic Development in Chamber Nebraska on help gathering speed tests on Broadband service.   Items of interest from various library newsletters and journals were shared with the Board.

The next meeting date and time was set for April 7^th at 5 p.m.  Since there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m.

AINSWORTH LIBRARY BOARD MEETING will be held on

March 3, 2021 at 5 p.m.

AGENDA

1.            Call meeting to order

2.            Notice of posting of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act

3.            Roll call

4.            Approve minutes of last meeting

5.            Approve claims for payment

6.            Monthly Library Report/List of titles purchased

7.            Continue with Registration for Covid-19 shot

8.            Review of Blind Date with a Book

9              Update on Book Club

10.          March Take and Make Packets

11.          Read Across America Day-Dr. Seuss

12.          Wind damage to library roof

13.          Covid-19 Restrictions at Library

14.          National Library Week  April 4-10^th

15.          D.E.A.R. Day (Drop Everything and Read Day)  April 12^th

16.          Workshops/Meetings:

                a.            Summer Reading Program Workshop-Feb. 9^th

                b.            Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead-projects sent each weekday in Feb.

                c.             Reader Zone Zoom Meeting-Feb. 18^th

                d.            Thursday Director’s Zoom Meeting (Feb. 4^th, 18^th, and 25^th)

                e.            Big Talk for Small Libraries Feb. 26^th

17.          Correspondence:

                a.            Items of interest from library newsletters and journals

18.          Set next meeting date/time

19.          Adjournment