HomeMy WebLinkAbout202310 Library Board UpdateColumbia Heights Public Library
Library Board Report – October 2023
BUILDING
• The rooftop solar array was inspected.
• Adams Pest Control inspected the building.
• A shortage of custodial staff resulted in one evening without cleaning.
• The air conditioning unit for the community room was manually reset.
• Modern Air restarted the boiler following the repair of the heat exchanger.
• Aid Electric repaired six ceiling lights which were dark, flickering intermittently, or flashing.
• A mechanical lift used for repair damaged the emergency exit door frame and security alarm.
TECHNOLOGY
• Coordinated Business Systems picked up the old public copier for disposal.
• Public Wi-Fi access points were upgraded throughout the building.
• IT worked on enabling printing to ledger-sized paper and allowing CHPS student Chromebooks
to connect to the library Wi-Fi.
COLLECTION
• Adult book displays included fire safety, horror, and new books.
• Book requests added to the juvenile collection included Bluey, Spiderman, Transformers, Disney
princesses, I Spy, Minecraft and “I Survived…” graphic novels. Additional read-along books with
embedded audio players were ordered in response to high demand.
• Weeding was completed in adult fiction V-Z and nonfiction 700s.
PROGRAMS AND SELF-DIRECTED ACTIVITIES DATE INTENDED
AUDIENCE
ATTENDANCE
Family Storytime 10/2 Children (0-5) 27
English Language Conversation Circle 10/2 Adult 6
Daycare Storytime 10/4 Children (0-5) 12
Discussing Race and Racism (Even When It’s Uncomfortable) 10/4 Adult 9
Conversation Circle 10/5 Adult 6
Painting Mushrooms in Acrylic 10/6 Children (6-11) 17
Family Storytime 10/9 Children (0-5) 38
English Language Conversation Circle 10/9 Adult 5
Tinker Time: Salt Dough Leaves 10/10 Children (6-11) 17
Discussing Race and Racism 10/11 Adult 9
English Language Conversation Circle 10/12 Adult 4
Family Storytime 10/16 Children (0-5) 32
English Language Conversation Circle 10/16 Adult 7
DIY Teen: Fall Glass Mosaics 10/17 Young Adult (12-18) 7
Adult Book Club “Mad Honey” 10/18 Adult
8
Illustrated Nature Poems 10/18 Adult 4
English Language Conversation Circle 10/19 Adult 1
Family Storytime 10/23 Children (0-5) 35
English Language Conversation Circle 10/23 Adult 4
Tinker Time: Mini Pumpkin Painting 10/24 Children (6-11) 20
Organizing Your Important Documents 10/25 Adult 21
North Park Elementary English Language Learner Family Night 10/26 All Ages 108
36 Family Storytime 10/30 Children (0-5) 36
English Language Conversation Circle 10/30 Adult 7
Columbia Heights Public Library Library Board Monthly Update – October 2023
STAFF
Eliza Pope, Youth Services Librarian,
o Continued to offer a weekly family storytime with at least 30 children and grown-ups
attending each week. Afterwards, many families move to the children’s area to continue
playing and socializing. Some spend hours playing and reading after storytime.
o Hosted Erin Holt from eHolt Art to teach a class on mushroom painting in acrylics. Kids could
draw from a reference photo or dream up their own mushrooms. They learned about
composition, how painting on a wooden panel is different than canvas, and how to mix
colors.
o Planned and led two Tinker Times. One taught kids and their grown-ups how to mix salt
dough to create leaf ornaments. Kids added a rainbow of colors to their leaves and
experimented with adding cinnamon and modifying the recipe to see what happened. A
second session allowed kids to paint mini pumpkins with paint markers. Some of their
creations included black cats, rainbows, Frankenstein, golden robots, and Pokémon.
o Hosted Mak from Rum River Art Center for a Legacy-funded program, Fall Glass Mosaics.
Mak taught teens how to design a glass mosaic and how to cut the glass to fit their design.
Unfortunately, this class did not have a lot of teens register, but one teen’s family stayed
and made a mosaic with him, and everyone really enjoyed learning how to use the glass
cutting tools.
o Hosted an English Language Family Night on October 26 in partnership with North Park
School for Innovation. North Park provided pizza, snacks, drinks, and door prizes and I
provided a brief overview of how to get a library card and library services. One hundred and
eight (108) students, family members, and teachers attended the event. Most of the families
were Spanish-speaking and one of the EL teachers translated the event. The families were
very appreciative of Spanish-speaking Library Page Yuliana, who made over 15 new library
cards.
Columbia Heights Public Library Library Board Monthly Update – October 2023
Elizabeth Ripley, Adult Services Librarian,
o Started on October 23.
o Made one delivery to an At-Home patron.
Renee Dougherty, Library Director,
o Presented the proposed 2024 departmental budget to the City Council work session.
o Met with Library Supervisor Al Mamaril and Library Page Brent Buchanan for their annual
performance evaluations.
o Facilitated the Adult Book Club’s discussion of “Mad Honey.”
o Met with the Anoka County Library Public Services Team.
o Contracted Twin Cities Upholstery for the repair of a vandalized chair.
MISCELLANEOUS
o A patron with a seizure disorder hit their head on 10/5 so staff called 911; the individual was
not transported but assisted to the family’s car.
o The glass display case featured a display for Polish American Heritage month.
o Thirty-eight pieces of Tiny Art were submitted by community artists for display.
o The Anoka County Law Librarian met with one person on 10/27.
PUBLIC COMPUTER USE 2023 2022
Users 1,043 897
Sessions 1,520 1,314
Minutes 63,723 52,353
FACILITY USE 2023 2022
Visitors 7,134 6,382
Study & Meeting Room Use 315 262
VOLUNTEERS Total Hours
Adult 4 19
Teen 0 0