Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Libraries topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Great River Regional Library highlights rising use, volunteer contributions and local programs
Summary
Library executives told commissioners the six-county Great River Regional Library system is nearing 100,000 borrowers regionally, reported strong volunteer hours and outlined local programming in Royalton, Little Falls and Swanville.
Representatives of Great River Regional Library updated the Board of Commissioners on March 20 about regional service levels, volunteer involvement and local programs in Morrison County.
Karen Punsak, executive director of Great River Regional Library, said the system serves six counties with 32 buildings and that patrons should have the same level of service across locations. “It is a one-library system even though we have 32 buildings across the entire 6 county region,” Punsak said.
Punsak reported nearly 99,000 borrowers regionally and noted the digital library accounts for heavy usage (about 34,000 users). She said volunteers contributed over 10,000 hours across the region with more than 480 volunteers supporting library operations; the system employs about 220 staff.
Royalton branch coordinator Terri Deal Hansen described local literacy programs such as the “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” initiative and a therapy-dog reading program: “River comes monthly and for kids who are struggling to just read out loud, it's a very non-threatening easy way for them to be comfortable,” Hansen said. Hansen also mentioned outreach to preschools and collaborations with ECFE and after-school programs.
Jade Lauber, library services coordinator for Little Falls and Swanville, said Little Falls is one of the system’s larger buildings and recently celebrated the 120th anniversary of its Carnegie library. Lauber described upcoming events including a haiku workshop for National Poetry Month, exhibits from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and recurring tech-help sessions with a librarian from St. Cloud.
Commissioners asked about the Sartell locker pickup system (a city-funded locker where patrons can pick up holds) and about building maintenance and funding. Punsak explained Great River’s funding arrangement: most partner cities provide building space while the regional system supplies materials, technology and staffing; the six-county cost-sharing formula is based on borrowers, net tax capacity and population and means adding a new library shifts costs across all counties.
Commissioners thanked library staff for local engagement and noted upcoming events such as the regional book sale.
