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Springmier Library director reports rising circulation and new programs in Tiffin
Summary
Springmier Library Director Liz Peterson told the Board of Supervisors the Tiffin library has increased circulation and public programming and described efforts to expand collections and services while operating as a shared school/city library.
Liz Peterson, director of the Springmier Library in Tiffin, told the Johnson County Board of Supervisors Wednesday that the small but growing library has seen marked increases in circulation and public programming this fiscal year.
"My name's Liz Peterson. I'm the director of the Springmier Library in Tiffin," Peterson said in opening her update. She told supervisors the city of Tiffin has about 6,300 residents, the library counts roughly 443 active public patrons and 836 student and staff patrons under a shared arrangement with the Clear Creek‑Amana School District.
Peterson said the library’s public patron counts and circulation have risen compared with fiscal 2023–24 and that the library has emphasized children’s programming and a newly configured learning center. She described partnerships with Johnson County Farm Bureau and local businesses for summer programming and highlighted new offerings including a streamed video service (Kanopy), expanded teen and adult collections and nontraditional check‑out items such as cake pans donated by patrons.
"We have created a learning center within the library," Peterson told the board, describing usage by the district’s transition program and other youth groups. She outlined hours (Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–noon) and said the library schedules some programs outside regular hours.
Peterson said the library is still operating within the school building under a 2018 agreement with the Clear Creek‑Amana district and that the town’s growth makes the library’s collection and shelving needs more pressing. She said the library’s children’s materials total roughly 3,375 items and that staff are working on collection development to reflect community needs and improve shelving and genre classification for user access.
Supervisors asked about digital resource access across nearby libraries and the library’s hours; Peterson said digital lending via Libby is assigned by patron address and that some rural residents have alternative access arrangements. No board action was taken; the library update was informational and will not require immediate county funding.
Peterson concluded by noting summer plans that include the Iowa State Insect Zoo and other place‑based programs intended to serve families and youth in Tiffin.
