Library’s Hot Spots Cut Over Lack Of Funding
The Roosevelt County Library board held its regular meeting in Wolf Point June 28, starting at 10 a.m.
Attending were Joyce Harvey, board chair; Gretchen Wagner, trustee via Zoom; Helen Welte, trustee; Vernie Madison, vice chair; Clyta Dillon, trustee and Janet Livingston, director. Guests included Mary Drake from the Culbertson Library and Tracy Cook, Montana Statewide consulting librarian.
The Emergency Disaster Plan on file was reported to be out of date. Livingston has started working on an updated version.
At the main library, staff has been busy. A Cyber Montana Digital Privacy Clinic was on June 14. On June 10, the Main hosted a virtual program through the state library.
Summer Sprouts, a program for children 5 and under had a successful year, with readings, crafts, planting flowers, artwork on paper covered tables and homemade strawberry jam.
Due to a lack of state funding for hot spots at libraries, the board decided to put them on hold for the time being. The board decided that there would probably not be enough money in this year’s budget to pay for them.
According to Livingston, staff will keep track of requests to reinstate the hot spots. Trustees will consider options for offering them in the future.
Some staffing and work issues have arisen with the shortage of one position. Trustees have requested to look over the current job descriptions and evaluate them.
Everyone agreed the new windows look nice and are a much-needed improvement.
The summer reading program is in full swing with good attendance from the community children. The program will run June 10 until July 17, and the “Lego Guy” was at the library. A blog has also been started with several patrons contributing book reviews. Mary would like to be open one Saturday a month for programming. This will be on the agenda at the next meeting in July to discuss how to proceed without adding the hours the library is open. Mary and Emma have also discussed having a booth set up at the fair.
Harvey handed out an example of a preliminary evaluation form for the director. Cook pointed out the form was no longer a part of the standards of the Montana State Library. Further action on this matter has been tabled for a future date.
At the Froid library, the “Lego Guy” appeared. The summer reading program has also begun. Plans are in the works for a Blind Date With a Book program, with patrons writing a short review of books read.
Janet Anderson, a BLM fire prevention technician, stopped in and discussed being a guest reader for Playtime Pals and other programming ideas for children and adults to raise awareness about fire safety.
The board approved the hiring of Mary Drake for the Culbertson Library.
The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 26, in Wolf Point.
