Director's Desk

Making Sense of the Israel/Palestine Conflict

2009-01-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

When the headlines don’t make sense, turn to your library. We have dozens of books and access to hundreds more written by experts that will help you sort out the causes of conflict and remedies for peace in the Middle East. Your library strives to provide information vital to your daily life. Call or stop in today to reserve any of these books or DVDs.
Palestine : peace not apartheid / Jimmy Carter."The bottom line is this," Carter writes in an online excerpt posted by his publisher." "Peace will come to Israel and the Middle East only when the Israeli government is willing to comply with international law, with the Roadmap for Peace, with official American policy, with the wishes of a majority of its own citizens -- and honor its own previous commitments -- by accepting its legal borders. All Arab neighbors must pledge to honor Israel's right to live in peace under these conditions." (Washington Post)
Perilous power : the Middle East & U.S. foreign policy : dialogues on terror, democracy, war, and justice / Noam Chomsky
Perilous Power, is based on 14 hours of dialogue between Comsky, an MIT poilitcal activist and Gilbert Achcar, a Lebanese-French academic, author, social activist, Middle East expert and professor of politics and international relations at the University of Paris. It covers US foreign policy in the most volatile and turbulent region in the world, the Middle East, and discusses the wars in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and Afghanistan as well as such key issues as terrorism, fundamentalism, oil, democracy, possible war against Iran and much more. (Stephen Lendman)
The much too promised land : America's elusive search for Arab-Israeli peace / Aaron David Miller.
For nearly twenty years, Aaron David Miller has played a central role in U.S. efforts to broker Arab-Israeli peace. His position as an advisor to presidents, secretaries of state, and national security advisors has given him a unique perspective on a problem that American leaders have wrestled with for more than half a century. Why has the world’s greatest superpower failed to broker, or impose, a solution in the Middle East? (Random House)
The Israel lobby and U.S. foreign policy / John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt.
The Israel Lobby,” by John J. Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago and Stephen M. Walt of Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, was one of the most controversial articles in recent memory. Originally published in the London Review of Books in March 2006, it provoked both howls of outrage and cheers of gratitude for challenging what had been a taboo issue in America: the impact of the Israel lobby on U.S. foreign policy. Now in a work of major importance, Mearsheimer and Walt deepen and expand their argument and confront recent developments in Lebanon and Iran. (Macmillan)

The missing peace : the inside story of the fight for Middle East peace / Dennis Ross.
A Ziegler distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Ross was the chief Middle East peace negotiator in the first Bush administration and under President Bill Clinton. He personifies the enormous attention the Israeli-Palestinian conflict received under presidents of both parties. (Mother Jones)
Six days in June: the war that redefined the Middle East (DVD)For Israel, the 1967 war was a military success. But it also redrew the map of the Middle East and mired the region in a never-ending cycle of occupation, terrorism and reprisal.

LIBRARY OFFERING MORE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN 2009

2008-12-12T10:03:00.001-07:00

It’s a fact. When the economy sours, people turn to their free public libraries more than ever for job help, computer access, information and entertainment. While public library use goes up, many libraries respond to funding shortages by cutting services. This week, the Free Public Library of Philadelphia announced they would close 11 of 54 branches. Fortunately, the Wilkinson Public Library, despite no projected growth in revenues, is prepared to offer even more programs and services in 2009. By expanding partnerships, aggressively seeking regional and national grants, and practicing sound fiscal management, your library is pulling together a slate of programs and services to inform and entertain you.
Here’s what you can look forward to in 2009:

GO Green! Watch as the library’s roof gets fitted with solar panels and attend educational events to help you understand how renewable energy works. Through a partnership with The New Community Coalition, WPL will offer year round classes on what the library is doing to reduce its carbon footprint and how you, too, can GO Green!
Meet world renowned mountain climber Jeff Evans as he brings his stories to Telluride in January, thanks to a partnership between the Telluride Adaptive Ski Program and WPL. Evans most notably leads blind climbers up Everest.
Join a film discussion group. In cooperation with the Telluride Film Festival, WPL will offer its first Independent Film Festival, a free series of films and film discussions with a kickoff appearance by NPR commentator Howie Movshovitz.
Enjoy free live music. Wilkinson Café, a free monthly series of live musical performances, will showcase our local talent.
Get inspired and bring the kids to our first Children’s Literature Festival.
Discover the link between literature and film. Writers in the Sky literary festival, an annual Telluride event, returns in September, featuring screenwriters and their films.
Solve community problems. Community Conversations, a series of roundtable discussions, will bring the Telluride region together to find the answers to local challenges. The series will kick off with film and discussion on our deteriorating public works systems and continue year round with support from a grant through the Gates Foundation.

For the latest news and events, check the library’s website at www.telluridelibrary.org.
See you in 2009!

WORRIED ABOUT THE ECONOMY? REDISCOVER YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY

2008-11-25T13:47:00.003-07:00

When times get hard, the public library gets busy. It's a fact proven time and time again. Here at the Wilkinson Public Library, we're ready to get you through tough economic times with plenty of free programs, books, music, and movies to entertain and enlighten. Need to learn how to do those household repairs yourself? We can help. Need a fun night out? We have plenty of fascinating programs on the horizon for all ages. Join us for free holiday programs and activities for children or lectures from experts on Middle East affairs, an evening with Everest climber Jeff Evans or an afternoon perfecting songwriting with Nashville producer and music industry author Gabriel Farago. Use our Creation Station to enhance your business promotion, or explore our Non-profit Resource Center to make your grant application the best it can be. Our friendly staff is here to help with all your information needs. Hope to see you soon!

Save our DVD Collection!

2008-10-31T14:54:00.003-06:00

DVD technology was never meant for the kind of use a library puts it through. It's meant for the home market, where the discs might be read five or six times a year. Nevertheless, in an area where high speed Internet isn't pervasive, library users still prefer taking home a movie to downloading one from our Overdrive movie collection. (See E-resources on our home page for access to our downloadable collection.)
So what we have is a well loved collection in terms of use and a poorly loved collection in terms of condition. The vast majority of our users take good care of the DVDs they borrow. But too often we see DVDs returned to us that look they were strapped to the bottom of a pair of hiking boots and dragged up Tomboy Road.
So here's our plea- PLEASE! Take good care of the materials you borrow from the library. Someone else is waiting to watch that DVD you just popped into your player. When you're through, please return it to the case promptly, without jelly fingerprints, and return it lovingly used.
For every replacement copy of a DVD or CD we have to purchase, that's one less new movie or music CD we can buy. Wouldn't you rather have a larger collection with more variety?
I thought so.
Thanks for your help!

2009 Budget on Display

2008-10-10T09:28:00.003-06:00

In accordance with statute, the library has posted its 2009 budget proposal on the public bulletin boards in the library's lobby. A copy is also available at the front desk.
Perhaps the most exciting element of next year's budget is the board's committment to supporting the community's efforts toward sustainability. Together with The New Community Coalition, the library will be implementing a solar energy educational program. The first step is a $100,000 allocation of capital reserve funds toward installation of solar panels on the library's roof. Kris Holstrom will be working with our programming staff to develop displays that explain how the new system works and allow the public to see first hand the energy savings our solar panels generate. We are delighted to fulfill our role as a center for lifelong learning through this new initiative.
Questions concerning the 2009 budget proposal are welcome and should be directed to my attention: bbrattin@telluridelibrary.org. You are also invited to call me at 728-4519 x12, or drop in and chat with me during library hours.

BUDGET PRIORITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
In 2006, the community identified Youth Services as the primary service emphasis for the 2007-2009 Long Range Plan.
The 2009 Budget supports this community directive through
· Funding for an additional full time youth services staff member.
· Generous funding for youth programs and collections.
· Funding for training leading to a children’s specialist position.
· The first annual Children’s Literature Festival.

In 2006, the community identified Computer Center as one of three top service responses.
The 2009 Budget supports this community directive through
· Increase in funding for computer software to bring all staff and public machines up to Microsoft 2007 products
· Addition of a Creation station for teens
· Increase in funding for computer consulting as the LAN grows
· Additional eight hours per week for a network assistant
· Consistent capital support for computer additions and replacements
· Shift of funds from print to electronic reference

In 2006, the community identified General Information as one of three top service responses.
The 2009 Budget supports this community directive through
· Consistent funding for staff training in reference and readers advisory skills
· Support of the service specialist position
· Support of a new children’s specialist position
· Tuition support for three library staff members
· Funding library materials above Colorado Public Library Standards’ 95th percentile level. ($25.40 per person served)

In 2008, Wilkinson Public Library demonstrated dramatic strides in staff development:
· WPL was awarded $8,000 in grant support for MLS training from the Public Library Association.
· Sarah Lawton was named one of 120 national “Emerging Leaders” by the American Library Association.
· Barb Brattin finished three of seven required classes toward certification as a Public Library Administrator through the Public Library Association.
· Daphne Davis was selected for the Colorado Association of Libraries Leadership Institute.
· Amy Bradley and Sarah Lawton will both finish their Masters in Library Science degrees in 2009.

The 2009 Budget supports the administrative goal of staff development by
· Providing travel expenses for regional and national conferences and trainings.
· Providing tuition support for three staff members toward their MLS degrees.
· Funding MLS staff positions for our graduating students.
· Funding memberships in professional organizations for MLS librarians and department managers.
· Funding staff recognition and rewards
· Supporting the cost of an updated wage study conducted by an outside consultant.
· Funding the cost of staff training on effective performance appraisals.
· Funding the cost of a staff satisfaction survey conducted by an outside consultant.

In September 2008, the library reorganized staffing to focus resources toward its goal of superior customer service. Two new departments emerged: Public Services and Materials Management. Existing staff were reallocated and provided with advanced training to accomplish this goal.

The 2009 Budget supports the administrative goal of superior customer service by
· Funding ongoing customer service, readers advisory, and general reference staff training.
· Funding two annual staff development days.
· Creating a training program leading to a children’s specialist position.
· Supporting recruitment by raising the baseline hourly wage to $14 per hour.
· Supporting retention by granting a 4% across the board salary increase and additional merit bonuses to selected managers.

It's All About the Staff

2008-09-28T09:30:00.002-06:00

I've been meeting a lot of satisfied customers lately. What a wonderful library ! is a resounding cry whenever people discover that I work at Wilkinson. It's not just the building, they are quick to tell me. It's the people who work there. They are so friendly and helpful!
What a wonderful thing to hear! We've been putting extra effort into our customer service lately. We've created new positions at all the service desks, emphasizing training so our staff can answer a lot more of your questions at any desk in the library. Our staff is enthusiastic about making your visit the best you've ever experienced in a library, and it shows!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback. Your smiles make our jobs the best in town.

Library Honored by "Emerging Leader"

2008-09-19T14:59:00.002-06:00

2008 has been a banner year for library staff.
WPL was awarded $8,000 in grant support for masters level education from the Public Library Association. We'll have three staff members in library school this fall.
Sarah Lawton was named one of 120 national “Emerging Leaders” by the American Library Association this past week.
Barb Brattin is working toward certification as a Public Library Administrator through the Public Library Association.
Daphne Davis was selected for the Colorado Association of Libraries Leadership Institute.
Eight staff members completed intensive customer service training last week in an effort to provide you with outstanding service every time you visit the library.
Our Youth Services staff has become well known in this corner of the state for their extraordinary, imaginative programming and have been nominated for awards at the state and national levels.
One might question why this small library has such a dedicated, talented staff. In all my years in the library field, I have never worked with people who believe in the mission of the public library more. I'd like to think that they work in an inspiring environment, but I think the real reason transcends the walls of this library building. Telluride is a nurturing environment. In this tolerant, educated, appreciative community, we are able to redefine what library service means without fear of failure. It's like nurturing a child in an intelligent, peaceful environment. The results are bound to be spectacular.
Thank you, Telluride, for providing the setting where your library can excel and where the people who believe in the mission of the public library can thrive!

Just the Facts Series

2008-08-03T12:18:00.002-06:00

Libraries have never played a more critical role than they do in this information age, and with an important election before us, we are taking that role very seriously. The job of the public library is to provide unbiased information in a time of information overload, when it isn't always easy to tell what's a fact and what's an opinion. We sort through the mess and offer you the good stuff, whether you're liberal or conservative, or a middle of the roader. We collect expert commentary, scientific research, and official statistics from a variety of trusted sources, provide them to you with a smile, and let you decide for yourself how you view the issues. What's missing? Dialogue. Good, constructive, friendly dialogue.
This month we're initiating the first in of a three part series of programs called "Just the Facts." We're inviting the community to discuss the most important issues of this campaign- the economy, the environment, and the future of our health care system. We'll provide the facts, the sources of those facts, and a forum for the public to discuss the issues and come to their own conclusion on the solutions to these problems.
Please join us Saturday August 19th at 10am as I moderate the first "Just the Facts" program on healthcare. What are the statistics surrounding healthcare in this country? Who's insured? Who's uninsured? What does it cost small business in America to insure its workforce? How does this affect American competitiveness in this globalized world?
We'll provide the facts. You'll provide the solutions.
See you there.

Report on Library Funding

2008-07-16T12:47:00.002-06:00

OCLC, a major support organization for libraries, was awarded a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to explore attitudes and perceptions about library funding and to evaluate the potential of a large-scale marketing and advocacy campaign to increase public library funding in the U.S. The findings of this research are now available in the OCLC report, From Awareness to Funding: A study of library support in America. Though this study was based on data from the United States, there are findings in the report that could be applicable to any library seeking to understand the connections between public perceptions and library support. Among the findings from the report:
1. Library funding support is only marginally related to library visitation.
2. Perceptions of librarians are an important predictor of library funding support.
3. Voters who see the library as a 'transformational' force as opposed to an 'informational' source are more likely to increase taxes in its support.

None of this is surprising to me, except the fact that OCLC got the right answers. Most librarians know that wealthy citizens may not use the library for various reasons, but won't live in a town without one. They feel the same way about museums. It's a necessary part of a quality culture.

We get plenty of feedback from our visitors about their perception of our service, and it's overwhelmingly positive. Still, like Google teaches us, great is not good enough. So, we're launching a campaign to do much more training for our staff so you will not only get friendly service at every desk, but be able to have your questions answered even better.

Transformational. I've always hoped that's what every public library is. I know in this town we are transforming many lives. Thank you, everyone, for supporting the work we do. I hope we will continue to transform your lives.

Google' Fundamental Axioms

2008-07-14T12:48:00.002-06:00

I've been doing a little spring cleaning and came across a blurb I had cut out of a magazine about 5 years ago. After re-reading Google's fundamental axioms, I understand the reason for Google's success even more clearly. I also see more clearly just why this library is so successful. Take a look:

"10 Things Google Has Found to be True"
1. Focus on the user and all else will follow.
2. It's best to do one thing really, really well.
3. Fast is better than slow.
4. Democracy on the web works.
5. You don't need to be at your desk to need an answer.
6. You can make money without doing evil.
7. There's always more information out there.
8. The need for information crosses all borders.
9. You can be serious without a suit.
10. Great just isn't good enough.

In a word, Google's goal is to do important stuff that matters to a lot of people.
I believe that's what we do at the Wilkinson Public Library, too, better than any other public library our size. Some people have told me we do it better than any other library in the country, and they should know- they're visitors who have travelled the world.
We appreciate those comments, and all the other ones that keep us striving for perfection.
After all, great just isn't good enough.

Maintaining Your Community Treasure

2008-05-29T14:17:00.005-06:00

I've been travelling to libraries across the country this spring and have been surprised at the pattern of library buildings in disrepair. It seems many library districts place facility maintenance on the bottom of their priority list. In my mind, care of a library facility is a public trust. When voters agree to pay taxes for a library building, they expect their investent to be well looked after. I can assure you that in Telluride, we take this public trust very seriously.

Here at WPL, the library has an annual capital plan, and a long range capital plan that spans fifteen years. By projecting out so far, we can predict when carpet will need to be replaced, when a boiler might fail, or when the roof might begin to leak. Your library board feels a deep responsibility to make sure the money will be there when things start to go wrong. Each year we spend our operating money as wisely as we can, then transfer what's left to the capital reserve fund where it sits ready and waiting for any emergency, expansion, or improvement.

Along that line, let me tell you what we've done this year that's part of the capital plan.
As you can tell, we've rearranged some spaces to allow more room for the collection. In 2000, we opened a gorgeous facility that we intend to make last for as long as possible. By re-planning the interior space, we've managed to give ourselves four more years of growth in this building.

The children's room just received new carpet. This is one phase in the overall plan to keep all carpet in the building in good condition. Instead of spending an enormous amount of money in one year by replacing all carpet, we replace carpet in phases, then resuse what we can in other high traffic areas of the library wher the carpet wears out faster. The best of what we took from the children's room will be used to replace worn carpet in the circulation area and where the reference desk on the second floor used to be.

With the new spaces come new lighting needs. All of the lighting fixtures in the building will be reused. We're also on track to repaint the library, one area at a time, so the entire building gets repainted every few years. In a facility with over 250,000 visitors every year, the walls get a bit banged up from time to time. We are committed to keeping the library looking clean and fresh.

We've already recaulked the whole building. This summer, we'll be repairing the flower beds on the outdoor patio which have been leaking when the snow melts. It should be messy back there for a few weeks while we remove the trees and perennials, seal the beds, then replant.

Thank you for your patience during this space remodel. I know you'll love the results.

Sustainable Communities and Libraries

2008-05-18T15:51:00.003-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about sustainability lately. To most people, sustainability means environmental survival. But sustainability is a three tiered concept- community, economic, and environmental. Telluride strives for all three at the local level, and the library is at the heart of them all. Here's how the library contributes to Telluride's sustainability:

Community- Ask any local where the community center for the town resides, and she'll tell you "the library." It's where locals come to meet, to discuss, and to pursue lifelong learning. It's the community's forum for ideas.

Environmental: Snow melt monitoring, window shades, low flush toilets, flourescent lighting, recycled carpet, energy efficient equipment- WPL is striving to reduce its carbon footprint. All fines collected in 2008 are earmarked for green projects.

Economic- We're working with Mountain Village to participate in community problem solving. We believe a library branch in the core of the village will revive business there, and are committed to doing our part to keep the local economy sustainable.

As Mountain Film approaches, look to your local library to further your education on all things sutainable. We look forward to seeing you!

Community Problem Solving

2008-04-07T09:28:00.003-06:00

Librarians have been talking about the digital divide for years- the disparity between those people with access to computers and information and those people without the equipment or skills to navigate this modern technological world. The public library is seen as the great equalizer in this lopsided equation and indeed the public library as an institution has made great strides in trying to bridge this gap.
Librarians are now talking about a new divide- how society has become divisive over political and social issues by arguing with each other instead of conducting intelligent debate. Look at any prime time television programming and you'll see what I mean. Argument for the sake of argument. Opinion disguised as facts. The public is frustrated while problems remain unsolved.

Several weeks ago, I attended a leadership training institute in St. Paul, Minnesota, at the 3M company. One of the ideas we discussed was the concept of learning circles, which are common in Sweden and Australia. In those countries, the government supports lifelong education by providing the funding for small groups of citizens to study a topic, then come together in circles to discuss solutions. Millions of people are involved. The idea has been replicated several places here in the U.S. and I'm excited about the concept of learning circles in Telluride.
This July, we'll be bringing in a professor from Colorado College to talk about the Palestinian question. In advance of his lecture, the library will be creating packets of information, including the history of the conflict, and opposing viewpoints from learned sources about the underlying factors that have so far prevented a solution. Included will be several models that have been suggested by scholars and diplomats for resolving the long standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. The community will be invited to join learning circles which will receive these information packets several weeks before coming together in small groups to discuss the issues. Groups will be moderated by learning circle members and each member will have a role in the discussion.
I hope that you will join in this new effort by the library to become a leader in solving the issues our community faces. I believe learning circles are a model for every library and every community to direct us toward intelligent, communal problem solving. Watch for details as the summer season approaches.

What a Library Should Be

2008-03-17T17:44:00.003-06:00

I just finished watching News War, a documentary on journalism and its clash with business and politics. One of the segments explored major newspapers and the struggle to compete with Internet news providers. I thought the story resembled the current climate in libraries in many ways. In the documentary, the San Francisco Chronicle is bought by the Chicago Tribune, a company whose main goal is high profit. Give the readers what they want, says the Trib. No more reaching for masterpieces of journalism that win the Pulitzer. Local sports, local politics. High profile gossip. That's what the readers want.
Like newspapers, many libraries are reaching for high circulation numbers to prove their worth to the masses, providing more copies of popular DVDs and bestsellers at the expense of esoteric materials. I have always felt a library should be a place of discovery, where browsers can find magazines, newspapers, literary fiction from small presses, foreign and documentary films-things they would never find anywhere else, especially in the big box book stores. Things that stimulate a person's thinking and represent a variety of viewpoints on all topics.
The Wilkinson Public Library represents a good mixture of the popular and esoteric. At the same time, our circulation is the highest it's ever been, and off the charts for a library our size. Lucky for us, we have a curious audience who appeciates quality and is willing to experiment with literature and film that isn't always mainstream. It's just one more thing I love about Telluride. It's a great place to be a librarian.

Skating to Where the Puck is Going to Be

2008-02-29T13:52:00.002-07:00

Everyone's heard the story of Wayne Gretzky's interview when he was asked his secret of success. Gretzky replied that instead of chasing the puck, he skated to where the puck was going to be.
Good planning requires similar foresight by libraries.
Last summer we hired a space consultant to tell us how to make the most of our building. During the process, we calculated that we have about four years of space left in this building for collections. That doesn't even count the demand for meeting space or programs.
Your library board has been engaged in a conversation ever since about "where the puck is going to be," and how we can be proactive in our service instead of panicking four years from now. The upcoming changes to the building's interior reflect our imminent needs for more collection space and different environments for different users. We've done all we can to retain our popular meeting space while creating a quiet zone on the second floor. The staff will be shifting their work space to accommodate a growing collection. The teen area has been upgraded and enlarged for our young visitors. We're shrinking our older format audio visual materials to make room for the new.
It's where the puck is going. I hope you'll join us on this exciting journey.

Why Libraries Need to Change

2008-02-22T17:47:00.002-07:00

I'm in Phoenix at a class that's part of a library administrator certification program, and my head is brimming with ideas. In particular, I'd like to share this interesting idea about how society has changed and how libraries need to adjust to that change:
When libraries began, information was expensive and our users had lots of time. We were therefore the gatekeepers to information, our organization of the information was meticulous, and access was a skill that was taught.
Things have changed.
Now information is cheap and ubiquitous. Time is the valuable commodity. Yet, our collections are still arranged in an unfriendly order, our catalogs are not intuitive, and our databases are worse still. Our users aren't willing to take the time to learn our complex systems.
So what do we do?
We do the best we can.
We find open source software and create catalogs that are user-friendly.
We display our collection as much as possible, anticipate what our public wants, and group like things together.
In fact, that's the direction we've been headed over the past year.
The collection is on display more than ever. DVDs are all face front, magazines are displayed in various places, tables and racks are filled with themed groups of the collection.
We've created a travel and languages section and a grouping of books for non-profit organizations.
The missing piece is our catalog.
The problem lies in cooperation.
Can we create an easy, intuitive catalog? Yes.
Is the Marmot membership, the 19 other libraries we share the catalog with, willing to make the leap? Probably not.
The beauty of cooperatives is, there is strength in numbers. The challenge of cooperatives is, there is strength in numbers. What Telluride views as progress, other libraries do not. The group moves us forward, the group holds us back.
It's the nature of the beast.

Space Planning

2008-02-16T09:45:00.002-07:00

Over the last few months, you've seen the library collection moved into a more user-friendly arrangement, with documentary DVDs displayed face front, tables and displays on current topics, a travel and languages section, and a small collection for nonprofits. We angled the stacks to allow more light into the right places, and placed more soft seating throughout the second floor. We moved mysteries and large print books to their own sections at the front of fiction to make them easier for you to find.
Your response has been tremendous. We've seen a 25% increase in the use of the collection in just one year.
We're not done.
Last summer we hired a space planning consultant to tell us how we can continue to grow in our finite building. She gave us some great suggestions that we're ready to implement, changes that involve knocking out walls and constructing new spaces.
The business office will be moving upstairs and the director's office will take its place, creating more floor space for our growing music collection. The circulation desk will move off to the side, creating space for two back to back self check machines, a display wall of new materials for checkout, and a space for you to pick up your own hold items.
On the second floor, the reference desk will move toward the stairs, opening up a living room area with sofa and chairs and a wall full of new books for you to enjoy.
The teen area will see a new counter designed by Lisa Isenberg this week that will hold ten computers, finishing off an awesome remodel for our young adult users. Through a grant from Just for Kids we've added a beautiful new booth for the teens to enjoy and painted the walls a bright, fun green. They are delighted with their new space!
As the library gets more popular with our school children, we're working to create a variety of spaces to satisfy every user. Some visitors like the buzz of a community center, others prefer the traditional quiet library. So we've added doors to the Telluride Room and will do the same on the Periodical Room, creating two quiet spaces as an alternative to the busy humm that any busy facility experiences. Please feel free to enjoy these spaces any time the library is open.
When we're all done, we'll have four more years worth of space in our beautiful Pacific Ave. facility.
Construction will begin soon. Thanks for your patience while we work to make the library even more comfortable and responsive to your needs.

Child Care and Your Library

2008-02-13T10:39:00.003-07:00

Elizabeth Tracy, Youth Services Manager, and I have been attending the county Child Care Task Force for several months now. You might wonder what child care has to do with libraries. Visit the library any morning and weekdays after school and you'll see there is a very close connection.

On any given day we'll host dozens of preschoolers and as many as sixty elementary age kids after school. Our staff has been taking storytimes to area preschool facilities for years. We feel our visits foster a strong foundation for preschoolers' transition to readers. Our area preschools are filled to capacity and each has a long waiting list. Who are the children missing out on these important programs, including early literacy training? This is a problem that affects everyone.

After school, the library helps with homework and fosters kids' imagination in our colorful youth services room. It's not unusual to see upwards of twenty teens relaxing in their brightly painted and furnished teen area. Indeed, the library has become a de facto after school program, and we're stretching to the point of breaking. Kids arrive hungry and fidgety, not a great state of mind for library work. The noise in our small facility is a constant concern. What children need is a physical outlet where they can burn off pent up energy and visit with their friends in a supervised environment. Later in the afternoon, when their minds are in a calmer state, the library is the right place for them to work on homework and research projects.

In the months to come, the community will hear proposals from the Child Care Task Force regarding preschool and after school programs. I encourage everyone to consider the importance of providing safe, appropriate, quality care to all our children. Please get behind this important effort.

The library thanks you.

Growing Our Own

2008-02-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

Ask any business owner in town what their top challenges are, and you'll hear them list recruitment and retention of quality staff as a primary concern. As our library staffing needs evolve, we're finding the same challenge, particularly when we seek out professional staff. While we receive many applicants for positions that require the masters degree, very few feel they can tolerate long winters and survive the high cost of living. Others come for only a short time before they realize that living in a remote mountain town, however idyllic, presents its own set of challenges.

Our strategy this past year has been to invest in our top talent, encouraging them to enroll in online masters degree granting programs and supporting them with tuition reimbursement. This past week, we learned that our efforts will be further supported by the American Library Association, who has awarded our library $8,000 over the next two years to "grow our own" librarians. Two of our top talents, Amy Bradley and Taegen McGurk, collaborated to write the grant. Only nine grants were awarded, and ours was the only library of our size in the country to recieve this funding. We hope to grow four librarians whose dream is to live and work in this beautiful box canyon.