5.4 LIBSR 10-26-20215.4
Library Services Coordinator Report -Board Meeting-10/26/2021
Let's start off with a Summer Reading Program recap. We had a total of 868 children, babies/toddlers,
and teens participate in 2021. This number was lower than our participation in 2019, but with only 98
participants in 2020, we are celebrating 868 as a huge comeback! We gave away approximately 570
books, as well as pencils, bookmarks, gift cards, and other prizes, thanks to the generous support of our
Elk River Friends of the Library and our donor. We also had about 60 children/families participating in
the Story Stroll challenge, which was co -sponsored with the City of Elk River, Sherburne County Parks
and Rec, and our Becker and Big Lake branch libraries. The planning has already begun to offer this
program again next summer.
We are slowly returning to in -person programming at the library. We continue to encourage social
distancing at these programs and ask patrons to stay home if they are sick. Masks are currently
recommended in the library, per CDC guidelines, but are not required. We have in -person story time on
Mondays at 10:30 am, and we have consistently had 10-15 children and their parents attending. We are
offering our Schooled in Art Learning Series once per month, and in November, will begin offering our
Lego/STEM hour again. Our adult book club has returned to in -person as well, on a monthly basis.
On October 7, we offered a dance performance with Afoutayi, a Haitian dance group with music and live
drums. This event was available courtesy of the MN Arts and Cultural Heritage fund. We will be offering
a Halloween magic show for children and their families on October 26, also courtesy of the MN Arts and
Cultural Heritage fund. In December, we will have two musical performances funded by these same
Legacy funds. The Mistletones, a caroling group, will be at the library on Dec. 9, and Chris Ward, a
harpist, will be here on Dec. 16. We are looking forward to having these programs and events in the
library again.
,%GRgrA RIM M10MAL
RARY