MasterClass Grant

 

2-23-2024

Today is my two-year anniversary as Library Director and more than second birthday. Soon after I started, a gentleman donated several brown paper bags of DVDs from MasterClasses he had purchased. Memory tells me most were science related, though I seem to remember thinking a few were interesting which probably means they were history. Regardless of topic, Miss Nancy theorized that the represented quite a bit of money.

Today, MasterClass streams its content from a website. The pricing model has also changed. Rather than pay per classes, they charge an annual membership fee of $120. (Actually, their site reads, “Starting at $10/month”) Another option for Prairie Lakes Library System patrons is to sign up for of the 4,000 free 1-year licenses provided to us through the MasterClass Grants program. A link to the sign-up form is available on the home page of our new website.

The MasterClass website shows they still offer science courses such as Space Exploration with Chris Hadfield, formerly an astronaut and commander of the International Space Station. All of their classes consist of fairly short videos created by experts in the field. Science topics also include Gut Health, The Science of Better Sleep, and Think Like an FBO Profiler among others.

Other categories of topics include Business, Wellness, Food, Writing, Home & Lifestyle, Community and Government, Sports & Gaming, Arts & Entertainment, Design & Style, and Music. Next week I’ll be at Disney World with my daughter and her Dance Team. The only item on my must do list is at least one meal at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, so his cooking class does appeal to me.  More than Gordon Ramsey’s anyway. I don’t think he would yell on the videos, but never assume.

There really is a wide variety of topics. Explore their website, and if they sound interesting, all you need is an internet ready device and a library card.

Last week I set a short-term goal of finishing our autumn puzzle from, well, autumn. Nobody else was home at my house Thursday night, so it is done.  Our current puzzle is a book store. We’re not taking any chances with a season puzzle right now. General consensus is that it looks like Ink Link. Both are warm and inviting with beautiful shelving units and murals. This one won’t take nearly as long. Stop in to see it before it’s too late.

  

Reading Now: A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge, 1984 by George Orwell

Listening to Now: Hounded by Kevin Hearne (First book in Iron Druid Chronicles)

Literary Soul Mates - Year 2

 

2-16-2024

I have a note in my calendar that reads “Literary Soul Mate”. I thought it was a reminder to write about Claudia Felske’s traditional Valentine’s Day gift to her AP Students. It wasn’t, but I will anyway.

Last year I mentioned receiving a Valentine’s cookie from a nameless friend in honor of Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice and why I like him. At the time I didn’t mention her name partly because making the cookies for her students was a meant as a surprise. Given the students in AP English Lit are mostly seniors and any future students they would tell have a year to forget, it might have actually stayed a surprise. I wasn’t going to publish it in the newspaper.

This year, however, is Claudia’s final lap through the school calendar. She retires this June, so I may announce it from the rooftop. I also posted the question on Facebook: Who is your literary soul mate? If you don’t already follow ETLPL, now’s a great time to start doing so.

While you’re online, this weekend is also our current website’s swan song. You may bid it farewell. Lisa and I, mainly Lisa, have been transferring the information from our current site and reorganizing a bit. The new site looks a little cleaner and hopefully requires few clicks to find information. Gone will be the rotating display in the center of the home page. Instead, there will be focused announcements and a more prominent weekly calendar of events. The library’s IT and our web developer will begin the handoff Monday morning at 8:00. They predict a two hour turn around time, so the new site should be up when we unlock the doors that day.

I’m hoping one piece of news on the main page will be the number of community surveys were completed. Last week I challenged the community to exceed the under 50 expectations and reach triple digits. At 2:00 on Monday, we had 93 completed. I have faith seven more will have been turned in by the time it closed this morning.

The Strategic Planning Committee’s next step will be to analyze the data from those surveys which will include comparing it to our service population’s demographics and identifying common themes. Sounds like fun doesn’t it?

We’ll follow that up with long term goal setting.

My short-term goal is to finish the autumn puzzle that has been in the library since, well, autumn. Part of the picture is a very colorful tree that is making finishing it difficult. Once that’s done, there are plenty of puzzles left from our puzzle exchange to replace it. The shelving to house a permanent swap were assembled by Lisa’s husband Jim. On February 1^st, the puzzles were moved down there. Anytime a patron wants to donate or exchange a puzzle, we can open that room.

Reading Now: A Killer in the Family by Gytha Lodge

Listening to Now: Hounded by Kevin Hearnes (Book 1 of Iron Druid series)

 

The Bitter With the Sweet - Children's Librarian

 

2-9-2024

I have bittersweet news this week. We have posted the Children’s Librarian opening.

The bitter. Nobody can replace Miss Nancy. We continue working diligently creating her memorials. The bronze bench purchased with a large portion of the community’s donations has been tucked away in our meeting room for months waiting for fine weather to be installed under the flag pole. Children’s books have been moved from that locked meeting room into the storytime area of the lower level. Memorial plaques have been ordered and paint colors to refresh the look have been selected. While the Lower Level will be even more inviting when all is done, it won’t be the same.

The sweet. Our staff will once again be large enough to allow for illness and vacation time without spreading us too thin. There will be another friendly face to greet and assist patrons. That will be a consistent face for our youngest visitors.

For months I’ve been saying my dream candidate would be a former elementary school teacher, whether a retiree or someone who wants to work part time. Either way, one who doesn’t want to lose that connection to children. For that reason, the posting states that candidates with significant early childhood experience rather than a library background will be considered. The posting with a link to the required Village of East Troy application is available from the ETLPL and Village websites. Our link is actually a link to the Village.

Feel free to pass the word. Children’s programming is the position’s primary responsibility with the possibility of cataloging being an additional task. The cataloging can be taught. In all likelihood even an experienced cataloger will go through some training on our system. There are several places related to libraries I was able to post. Getting the word to candidates with an education background is a little more difficult.

The new librarian will be taking over preschool storytime and out new Tuesday morning play group. Early Childhood Education students from the high school have been helping out, but their class and February end together. So far, the students haven’t needed their planned activities as the little ones enjoy exploring the toys. Free play also works as a better ice breaker. That said, everyone seems to enjoy the time. The high school students are here 10:00-10:45. Once they leave, we serve a snack and welcome families to stay until 12:00.

 

Community Survey

2-2-2024

          This week the Strategic Planning Committee is sending out our community survey. This is arguably the most important step in the planning process. Without community input, we’re just a group of library lovers working in a vacuum.

          That brings me to my ask. We would love to have everyone who reads this article complete the survey and peer pressure a friend who doesn’t read it into completing one too. That may give us a variety of perspectives. Some people will complete it simply because they love the library. Others won’t want to because they hate surveys. I generally fall into the second category. To the second group, know that the survey is only 20 questions: 17 ask for checked boxes, 2 ask for ranking a list in order of priorities, and 1 free response. Just one.

          Fliers are being placed on any community board we could think of and stuffed into Hansen’s grocery bags. They include a QR code that takes smartphone users directly to the online survey. There is a link on the library’s website and on our Facebook page. Printed copies will be available at the East Troy Area Intergenerational Community Center and the East Troy Lions Public Library.

          Hopefully everyone will find access to the survey easy to find. If convenient doesn’t sway people, we have two more incentives. The first is an opportunity to be entered into a drawing for $20 Kwik Trip gift cards. The second is for the competitive members of our community.

          During our preparing the survey meeting, the coordinator was asked about the number of responses we need. I won’t try to remember the exact percent she mentioned, but I do remember for ETLPL that meant less than 50 total surveys. So, for the competitive among us, I challenge the greater East Troy Community and surrounding towns who came up with a name for their community that doesn’t involve Troy, to reach triple digits in our rate of return.

          Let’s show Edgerton, Spring Green and the other libraries in our cohort that East Troy is in a league of its own.

          The survey opened on February 1^st and remains open through February 14^th. For the procrastinators among us, what better way to spend Valentines with your sweety than taking the survey together?

          For the organized and timely, here is the link to the survey.  Fliers contain a QR code to the survey. Anyone wanting a lesson in QR codes, stop in the library any day or visit the 2^nd Saturday of the month, February 10, and let IT with Lori and (Sometimes) Wade lend a hand.

 

Reading:  Monsters: A Fan's Diemma by Claire Dederer, Deep by James Nestor

Listening to: Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, What Now? podcast with Trevor Noah