Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, July 25, 2024. Reprinted with permission and gratitude.
By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy
Summertime, and the living’s busy at the Spring Valley Public Library (SVPL), as noted by conversations held during the July 18 board of trustees’ meeting.
Spring Valley Public Library Director Melissa Vander Plas submitted a written report that summarized the summer, sharing that there remained only one week of the children’s reading program and that it would be an opportunity for all 125 registered participants to have a good time at the final event set for this Wednesday, July 24. “Our programs have averaged an attendance of 80 kids and 20 parents/adults. We’ve had some fun crafts the kids can do after each program, and they’ve been very eager to do the weekly photo find, ‘I Spy,’ and golden book challenges.” She added that the library has scheduled “several programs for this fall” to further engage the community’s children and adults, ranging from author visits to community enrichment classes. Her report also outlined that the
Friends of the Spring Valley Public Library have been instrumental in helping manage the crafts and crowds during the summer reading program so that everything proceeds smoothly and those who attend enjoy the experience. Friends president Sarah Hansen added her own report to the conversation, relaying that the Friends have been selling ice cream at Wednesdays on Broadway, raising funds for the library to have whatever it needs when a request is registered. She asked whether there might be volunteers in the community who might like to spend a few hours scooping for the Friends, then extended that ask to encompass one for volunteers who would like to join the Friends and become the new Friends president or fill another officer’s role as necessary once 2025 elections arrive.
Library staffing and hours were the next subjects of interest. The library operated with a skeleton crew of two people following the departure of the previous director, but prior to that, there was perusal of hiring a third staff member to serve as additional hands and a substitute on days that other staff are unavailable. The matter was tabled over the winter, but Van der Plas reintroduced it shortly after her hiring as director. She spoke of establishing a library clerk’s position that would also include substituting and cleaning duties, and it was during last week’s meeting that she announced the candidate that she felt most suited to the job. The board gave Vander Plas leeway to determine that, and she informed the members that she would be contacting the candidate as soon as possible.
In further staffing news, Van[1]der Plas listed the goals that the library staff has identified for the remainder of 2024, including “planning programming, complete with marketing and reporting; develop adult reading program for January, February and March; continue to prepare for software migration by weeding collections, cleaning up borrower records, and cleaning up item records; evaluate summer reading program and wrap up prizes an reorganize materials; clean up bookshelves for better appearance and organization; launch and publicize STEM kits; continue to promote games, puzzles and other items we have beyond books; continue community outreach, including storytime at Ag Days in the park; complete ongoing projects such as picnic table and framing project; hopefully – working with the grant and preparing for a construction project; and create a holiday experience with the Friends group (and other organizations as needed) to have a Christmas tea, a tour of homes, a holiday recital, a Christmas card work[1]shop or recycled book class.”
Library hours will be changing slightly as the summer ends – the board debated about Van der Plas’s request for Friday hours to be shortened by one and an extra Saturday added to the schedule as SVPL attempts to return to its previous open Saturdays. She explained that patrons do not generally arrive at the library within the last hour on Friday, meaning that the 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. hour could be reallocated to opening on the third Saturday of each month so that SVPL is open both the first and third Saturday of each month instead of just on the first Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The board concurred that the opportunity would be useful for patrons and visitors who wish to stop in but can’t do so on Friday evenings, and members registered their consensus that the return to Saturday operation should happen. The board extended its appreciation to the generous donors who have given monetary gifts and volunteer support over the past month, including Stuart and Carol Gross, Mrs. Roland Matson and various donors giving in memory of Bev Plaehn, Vincent and Laura Mangan honoring retired Kingsland teacher Scott Mul[1]holland, Mrs. Roland Matson in memory of Arlene Oeltjen, Pat and Harlan Bucknell for their donation, Jacki Faulhaber and Larry and Marilyn Kappers CHECK for their donation, Brandon Scheevel and Thrivent Financial for a donation related to the library’s presence at Wednesdays on Broadway, Charlotte O’Connor in memory of Kevin Brady, and Carol Himle, Angela Zeimetz and Rita Hartert for their respective donations.
The Spring Valley Public Library, on Jefferson Street, is currently open Monday and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 7:00 p.m., and the first Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The friendly library staff is available to assist with just about any question that a patron or visitor may have. For more information, stop in or call 507- 346-2100.
Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325
