Library board recommends extending two temporary hires through Dec. 31 amid busy summer programs

The Spanish Fort Library Board voted to recommend extending the terms of two temporary library employees through Dec. 31, saying the extra staff helped sustain high summer attendance and supports plans for expanded after-school and adult programming.

The recommendation, made by a board member and seconded, will go to the City Council for final budget approval after the board's unanimous roll-call vote. The board made the recommendation during its regular meeting after hearing a report from Library Director Shaniaia Spencer about summer programs, volunteers and proposed fall activities.

"We had 760 people that signed up to be a part of our summer reading program," said Shaniaia Spencer, the library's director. Spencer told the board the library received 288 completed reading logs totaling 115,940 minutes of reading, which she said equaled roughly 80 days of reading by participants. She credited city staff, volunteers and local business partners for supporting events and prizes.

Spencer described a wide array of summer partners and…