Category: Local Interest

I have just added to our website a page that shows all of the cake pans available here at the library. They are all ready and waiting to be checked out.

Sargent Library Cake Pans

Thanks to a scholarship from the Nebraska Broadband Initiative, I am currently attending the Broadband Connecting Nebraska Conference. There was a lot of good information presented today, but I felt the talk by Ryan Mead (CEO/founder, Vitru, Inc.) was the best and most inspiring. Times have changed. No longer do people always have to move to where their job is. With a good broadband connection, people are able to do their jobs from anywhere in the world. According to Mead, small communities should not focus on bringing in a big employer with 100 jobs.  Instead the communities should focus on becoming more friendly and attractive to young families (good broadband access, child care, quality education, etc.) Try to bring back into the town those who may have graduated from your local high school 15-30 years ago. Our world is quickly changing, and we need to update our strategies for community growth.

Today I took a class in Kearney on how to increase your business presence online. Some very helpful ideas were presented. The first thing we learned was “claiming your bubble.” According to the instructor, maps are the new phone book. If anyone wants to find a business today, they don’t use a phone book. Instead, they Google it. Go to Google Maps and do a search for Sargent, Nebraska. You may be surprised to find out that very few businesses are listed on the map of our town, and some of those listed may not be that accurate. You can add your business or update your business with more accurate information.  Let’s make it Sargent’s goal to make every business visible on the maps of all the major search engines. If you would like help updating or adding your business, come to the library and I will assist you. 

The first day of our Junk Jaunt book sale went well. Many books were taken out. We still have lots of books though for those who weren’t able to make it here today. Our book fundraiser is at the Church of Christ in Sargent, NE. We will be there tomorrow and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Books are great for reading, but they can also be used for interesting crafts. Here are some stars that I made using pages out of an old book.  You can follow this link for a tutorial on how to make them. Woven Star Tutorial

Shirley, Lowell, Dennis, and I were busy today getting ready for the huge book fundraiser coming up September 25 – 27 during Junk Jaunt.  In case you thought I was exaggerating on the number of books, here’s a few pictures to prove it. It is a book lover’s paradise – ten banquet tables full of books. Be sure to come and let your friends and relatives know about it too. Since we have so many books, we are holding the book sale at the Church of Christ in Sargent, NE. We will be there Thursday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All proceeds will go toward new windows at the library, so give generously.  We are vendor #11.

 Here is another incentive to read this summer.  The Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST) will deposit $529 into NEST 529 college Savings Plan accounts for 15 lucky summer readers, five in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts selected randomly among children registering for and completing the Nebraska “Summer Reading Program.”  Each winner’s library also wins $250!

 For the Sargent area, this would require children to read or have read to them 600 pages. Those who complete the summer reading program will be automatically entered in the drawing. However, it you read the small print, it is also possible to enter the drawing without participating in a reading program.  Therefore, every child ages 3-18 needs to send in an entry. Ask at the Sargent Library for more details. 308-527-4241 or sargentlibrary@gmail.com

Our library in Sargent is fairly small, but did you know that through the Sargent Library you can have free access to most other library collections in the United States? The service is called Interlibrary Loan. If there is a book you need that our library doesn’t have, we can send out a request and borrow it from another library in Nebraska or even another state. There is no cost for us to receive the book, but you will have to pay for the cost of the postage to send it back. There is also the catch that the book has to be more than 1 year old. (Most libraries don’t want to lend out their best sellers to another library.) Interlibrary loan is also available to obtain other items. You can request periodicals, VHS/DVDs, Audio CDs, and even cake pans. Contact the library if you are interested.