Happy Holidays from the Staff and Board of the Brillion Public Library. Thank you for your patronage of the Library in 2009. Computer carrels, upgraded computers, resources for job hunters, flower gardens and a new bench are some of new things at the Library this past year.
A new computer carrel with 6 work stations was installed. The public computers had the memory upgraded and new improved security put in. 2 new computers were added to the public computers. The library upgraded its catalog system which made it more flexible and allowed patrons to write reviews of materials.
The Library had an LSTA grant to help job seekers that made the database, Learning Express available to the public both at home and on the Library's computers. Learning Express contains practice tests as well as some computer courses. The library offered computer classes for job seekers as well.
A flower garden was created in honor of Mel Marx around the information sign at the library. This flower garden is the work of Jane Kopidlansky and a group of volunteers. She designed and planted a variety of plants, which will have flowers blooming most of the year.
The Library Friends continued their fundraising and help. The Friends adopted the corner garden and added bulbs and flowering plants. They purchased a bench that sits near this area. The Friends sponsored author Chris Havel.
The Library continued to add to its DVD and audiobook collections. Both of these areas have proved to be extremely popular. Childrens books, magazines and best sellers continued to be hot materials at the Library.
The Library continued to offered Storytimes for preschoolers and a summer reading program for the whole family. The monthly book discussion group continues to be popular. In February and March, the Library offered travel movies at noon.
Genealogy continues to be an area of popular interest. The Library held 4 different sessions pon a variety of genealogy topics during the year. An email information list is being used to send genealogy information to anyone interested in genealogy.
The Library introduced patron initiated interlibrary loan in 2009. Patrons can now request their own items from Wiscat. Interlibrary loan brings the collections and catalogs of most of the libraries in Wisconsin to the public
The economy kept the library budget staple, but the library wasn't able to purchase as many materials as in past years because of the loss of money from grants and from shrinking interest from the Library Trust. The Library continues to work with the other 6 libraries in the Manitowoc-Calumet Library System to give the public access to a large variety of materials.
The Library provides a trained staff to assist you. Our current staff consists of Library director Chris Moede, Dahle Enneper, Janet Ponschock, Therese Peters, and Lorelei Vaness. We are assisted by student library aides Jessica McWilliams, Allison Sickinger and Casey Reidy. The Library Board features President Marilyn Schuh, Vice-president Mark Murphy, Secretary, Nick Madison and members Mary Maciejewski, Linda Deiter, Wendy Diel and Tammy Fischer.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all of you. Thank you for your patronage of the Library in 2009 and we hope to see all of you in 2010.
As I write this, I am looking outside the Library window and it is snowing again! White has blanketed almost everything outside. Snow has a way of cleaning everything up and making it look brand new.
Winter weather causes all of us to change our patterns of life. It revitalizes us but keeps us on the edge as we cope with winter drives, changes in schedules and lost time from closings. Last Wednesday, winter caused the Library to be closed. Normal activities were stopped and special events cancelled. The Library Board meeting was cancelled as was the Volunteer reception. Neither one has been rescheduled at this time. I would, however like to say something about volunteers at the Brillion Library.
Volunteers are an important part of our library operations. The Library Board is a group of 8 individuals who volunteer their time to set policy and make sure the library is running smooth. These volunteers plan for the library's future. Whether it is in the setting of a budget, the approving of a long range or technology plan, or in making sure that the library has a director to run the day to day operations of the library. The Library's current board consists of : Marilyn Schuh, Mark Murphy, Tammy Fischer, Nick Madison,Mary Maciejewski, Wendy Diel, Linda Deiter, and Betty Nies.
Another body of volunteers who serve the Brillion Library are its Friends. This group not only provides help with programs, they also fundraise and sponor library programs and events. The Friends have adopted and are caring for the corner flower bed. They have added the Library sign, and bench to the front of the library. They sponsored an author visit this year. Our Friends are led by Lorraine Emmer, Monica Schmidt and Trudy Stanley.
The Library also has volunteers who help with a variety of tasks around the library. Carolyn Bladow has been watering and tending the library's indoor plants for a number of years. Faith and Dahle Enneper have been delivering materials to the Library's housing units. Jane Kopidlansky and Julaine Hutl have been caring for Mel's Garden, which was created by Jane and a group of volunteers. Mona Cox helps the library with translation services.
The Library's summer program had a great volunteer effort. Dorene Schuster, Pat Filzen, Jennifer Kolberg from the Brillion Nature Center, Chris Havel, Heather Ponschock, and Billy Hussey all provided programming at the Library this past summer.
The Battle of the Books program had 3 volunteer coaches and a team of student volunteers who spent many hours reading and preparing for the Battle. Volunteer coaches were: Kathy Potthast, Carol Hauser, and Cheryl Glaeser. Team members were Rebecca Phipps, Jessica Jones, Katelyn Fuhrmann, and Katherine Hopman.
Currently a group of students from Mr. Hanson's class have been coming into the library and volunteering their time and talents at the library. Volunteers make a difference in the life of the library. We truly appreciate everything that our volunteers do for the library expecially in the cold, snowy winter month.. Thank you so much!
