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Clearwater libraries: closures for graduations and festivals, Comic Con, staff development day and outreach plans
Summary
The Main Library will close for multiple events this spring including multi-day graduations in May and the Sea Blues Festival in March; the system also announced Comic Con, Night at the Library (North Greenwood) and a rescheduled staff development day focused on a strategic plan kickoff.
The Library Advisory Board heard a series of program and closure updates from Library Director Jen.
Closures and large events: Jen said the Main Library will close for three consecutive days in May to accommodate multiple graduations relocated to BayCare Sound; the library will be used as a staging/lineup area for graduates and will be closed to the public while four graduations per day occur. She also said the Sea Blues Festival will require the library to close on Saturday, March 1, because festival activities use the downtown green and lawn areas. Exact dates for graduations were described as the third or fourth week of May; Jen said she would confirm dates and post them.
Comic Con and community programs: Jen said the annual Comic Con will be held all day Saturday, March 15, at the Countryside Rec Center this year due to space needs. She highlighted spring programs including story times, maker programs, an Easter egg hunt, and Day of the Book/Day of the Child (a Hispanic-focused program in April). She also noted a book-bike outreach vehicle painted for outreach events and said staff are selecting a public-submitted name for the "book bike." Jen said staff already take outreach programs to community events.
Staff development and strategic plan kickoff: The library had to cancel a previously scheduled staff development day because of the storms and has rescheduled it for Monday, March 24. The rescheduled day will be held at the Main Library and will include a facilitator to begin development of a new strategic plan; the director said the library will solicit stakeholder and public input as the multi-step planning process continues. Jen said all Clearwater branches will be closed on that staff development day.
Night at the Library and North Greenwood programs: Jen said Night at the Library (in honor of Black History Month) will be held at North Greenwood on the date announced for that program (board referenced a date around Feb. 21) and that the branch runs active community programming year-round.
Friends and Foundation: Jen said the Friends of the Clearwater Library continue to manage donated books and fund programming; the Foundation is less active currently but provides annual support for programming and occasional capital campaign work when needed.
Ending: Jen said she will post confirmed closure dates and keep the board updated about festival logistics and graduation scheduling.
