Monica DeCarlo began work this week as Cottage Grove’s new library programming and outreach coordinator and joined the library board at a hybrid meeting to plan programming, partnership priorities and outreach to residents at Glen Grove housing.

The move matters because board members described a multi-year gap in staffed programming that they say left Cottage Grove without regular story times and other services; the board wants to use the onboarding period to set a sustainable schedule rather than rush into new offerings. “I’m Monica DeCarlo, and I’m so excited to start with library programming and outreach here in Cottage Grove,” DeCarlo told the board on her second day of employment.

Board members outlined several near-term priorities and existing commitments: regular story times and summer reading incentives, a fall author event (the all-community read), hybrid/online presentations with university or regional speakers, and efforts to add teen- and senior-oriented programming. The board discussed continuing a published program calendar, using quarterly or seasonal planning cycles, and using a program-tracking rubric developed by former staff to evaluate attendance and outcomes.

The board discussed StoryWalk panels currently in place and whether to change them more frequently than the apparent seasonal schedule used under previous staff. Members said they believe a monthly cadence would create a reliable expectation for residents. They also discussed sponsorships or donor recognition to offset costs, noting that the library’s donor-recognition policy covers such arrangements.

Outreach at Glen Grove housing was a focal point. Board members said the village and partners have previously brought a bookmobile stop there and that approximately 50–100 children live at Glen Grove. The board said transportation can be a barrier and discussed offering programs at Glen Grove’s community space, coordinating with village parks and police, and improving publicity so residents know about events. One board member said approximately $2,000 is currently available to allocate toward programming at Glen Grove and recommended directing those funds to increase services there and to explore installing a Little Free Library.

Board members also raised interest in role-playing game programming (Dungeons & Dragons) for teens, school-day events for 4K students, and continuing hybrid lecture-style offerings (e.g., Badger Talks). The board described a planning rhythm that includes a larger planning session in December and lighter planning months in January, May and August; the board expects DeCarlo to present program plans for upcoming seasons and to use the program-tracker rubric for post-program evaluation.

Cindy, a library board member who provided a programming update, reported a recent Zoo to You event that “occurred last Thursday” with about 150 attendees and said the board and the Friends group distributed books to children to kick off summer reading. The board noted the summer months often produce lower attendance and said planning for fall/winter programming should proceed now.

Next steps the board identified include finalizing the fall all-community read date and author selection with the Friends group, scheduling follow-up meetings with parks and police to plan Glen Grove programming, and agreeing on a regular story-walk replacement schedule. DeCarlo and board members said they expect continued planning outside regular meetings to finalize calendars and partnerships.

The board moved from discussion into its regular programming report; no formal additional budget vote or new ordinance was recorded in this meeting for the Glen Grove funds (board members described the $2,000 as an available allocation to recommend to the board).