A group of folks (Jim Bothmer, Ken Oyer, Angie Arner, Rose Schinker, Kathy Tooker and Joy Winkler) from the Grant group wanted to visit some of the public libraries that had received a grant from us. The trip took place on June 8. Jim was driving and discovered when the van backed-up it beeped, and Jim liked beeping! Kathy was navigator and tour guide while the rest of us each had an entire row of seating to ourselves.
Our first stop was in Scribner, where we spoke with Jeanette Groppe, the director of the Scribner Public Library. The library is a remodeled store front with a bench and flowers planted on the sidewalk. Inside, it is very inviting, warm, and welcoming. Jeanette had a consumer health display, including the items she had purchased with the grant money. Jeanette gave us some background on the library and talked about the cooperative plans she has with neighboring libraries. One of the fund-raising projects Jeanette does is the annual Christmas tree decorating boutique, which raises a good amount for the library. (Hint, hint, another road trip in a couple of months?) We were surprised when the photographer from the local newspaper showed up to take our picture!
Upon leaving Scribner, we all piled back into the van, Jim got to back-up, and we were off to West Point. Kathy had planned for us to lunch at a quaint tea room called "Gloria's". It was an all-in-one restaurant and nursery....as in plants! Jeanette Groppe picked up the West Point librarian, Mary Jo Mack, and they joined us for lunch. It was great food (homemade peach muffins!) and lots of laughter.
After lunch we were off to the John A. Stahl Library of West Point. The library is relatively new (It reminds me in design of the OPL branch, Willa Cather Library, on Center street ) and was open and airy inside. Mary Jo also had a display of the consumer health items she had purchased with the grant money. However, the exciting event at the West Point library wasn't the consumer health information, but the unveiling of a photography display, set to open on Monday. Recently, glass negatives where discovered tucked away in a garage which had been owned by the family of a professional photographer in the late 1890's. The glass negatives were in perfect condition and had been donated to the library. The photos were of buildings and people of West Point. Members of the library's foundation had worked to get paper copies of the photos made and pulled the display together. They also had post cards made of some of the photos and had them for sale. (Yes, we had to shop!). It was very exciting to hear how the library was actively involved in reaching out to the community with this historical photo display. And of course, the press arrived to take more pictures of us. We were on the front page of the West Point newspaper!
Next we were off to Valley, but not without backing up and beeping first! Nina Little is the director of the Valley Public Library. The Valley library had been housed in the old high school building, but, as with many old high school buildings, renovation is very expensive. So, as a stop gap measure, Nina was able to find a house trailer that had been used as a classroom in another life and thus we visited her in her new trailer.
Inside the trailer/public library, the space was nice and well lighted. But, after looking around for a few minutes, it became obvious that there was no storage space. Nina was quick to point out that the trailer is only temporary (The big sign outside the trailer says "Temporary " public library) and she is working on Valley building a new library facility.
One item that caught all of our attention was that Nina had spent some of the grant money on a (very nice) computer printer and copy machine with fax machine all-in-one! She got it at Office Max for about $250.00. It made great copies too!
We said good-bye to Nina and of course, backed up beeping and headed back to Omaha. It was an amazing trip of learning, laughing and sharing. I can't wait for the next one and I won't lose the camera this time!
--Joy Winkler
Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center