5.8 LIBSR 07-23-2019Library Services Coordinator Report -Board Meeting -7/23/2019
Summer Reading Program started June 10. As of this writing, we have just over 1,100 children (870+),
babies/toddlers (90+) and teens (150+) signed up! We are slightly under our grand total from last year
(1,372), but we still have a month to go! Our passive programs in the library (trivia and the "Declan"
search) are drawing large numbers of participants as well. Dave Walbridge's Big Fun Show was here on
June 14 to help us kick off S.R.P., and it was fun to hear all the laughter coming from the 40+ people who
attended. Our new borrower registrations, in the month of June are up slightly from last year (285 in
2019, 264 in 2018), with new minor cards leading the way!
In children's programming news, we have been busy with some of our regular monthly programs like
Lego/STEM club and story times, as well as our Summer STEAM program, which we are doing in
collaboration with Sherburne County 4-H. Our Jr. Master Gardener children have been planting and
learning during that weekly summer program. Our Schooled in History class was full again in June, and
we expect it to be full in July and August. Kudos to our staff who are leading that program -last month
they talked about Normandy and the D-day invasion in honor of the 75th anniversary. This month, they
are discussing the Moon landing in honor of its 50h anniversary. It seems we are all always learning at
the library! We have had some very nice publicity from the Elk River Star News on July 6 about
children's and teen programming, the Summer Reading Program, and the April Rotary Club matching
donation. If you have not had a chance to read the article, check it out online at:
https://www.hometownsource.com/elk_river —star _news/team-effort-combats-summer-slide-at-
I i brary/article_eafe3a 10-9d c5-11 e9-ae0a-ef893848de44. htm I
In adult program news, our Acoustic Music Night program has developed a following with 10-18 in
attendance at each session. Our adult Crafternoon program has been a little slower than we hoped for
June and July, but we are looking forward to our August Crafternoon with artist Pam Whitcomb, which is
already full. We hope to have a good turnout at our Mobile Sign Shop on July 18, funded by MN Arts
and Cultural Heritage Legacy funds.
In outreach news, we were at the Elk River Farmer's Market in June, where we talked with about 140
people, mostly families. We signed children up for summer reading program, and we gave away some
free books and other prizes, courtesy of our awesome Friends of the Library group! As I am writing, one
of our staff and our Friends volunteers are at the Market today as well.
An update on our C.I.P. items ... our newly upholstered bench in the children's area looks great, and
should hold up to all the use it has been getting this summer. The new projector is working great! We
have used it for movies, and our Jr. Master Gardener class. Our next project is to replace the chairs at
the patron computer stations, which we will do before the end of 2019.
Lastly, some BIG news ... drum roll, please O ...Elk River Public Library now has a FACEBOOK page! To
start, I will be focusing on getting the word out about our programs and services. Check it out!
Looking forward to a busy rest of the summer!
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