Big Awards, Ugly Sweaters, Bright Spots and Inspiration for the New Year

Congratulations to Brandi Cummings who will receive the 2023 Susan B. Anthony Women to Watch Under 40 Award from the Kenosha Women's Network! Wowsa! That's an incredible achievement! We are so proud of you, Brandi!

Congratulations to Rob, Shannon and Linda for all being selected as WLA Mentors!

Congratulations from Linda:
"Thank you to those who entered the 2022 KPL Staff Ugly Sweater Contest! The winners are:

SI/UP: Diane

SW: Betsy

NS: Elliott

Special thanks to the judges: Michaela, Amy K., and Katy."

Inspirational Reading for the New Year

 "Why Public Spaces Are Our Best Hope for Community and Democracy," from Reimagining the Civic Commons. Makes you want to come to work every day!

The Planet Word Museum in Washington, D.C. is a fully digital museum, but look what AI can do when it's employed for good! Spend a couple minutes on the video tour and I'll bet you can't help but gasp. I can't wait to visit! One of the architects who designed this museum is working on the concept for an ADA accessible Simmons Library. 

Overwhelming majority of voters oppose book bans (From EveryLibrary). "It appears that voters want to make their own choices about what to read. The survey shows that they oppose banning books on the grounds of race, sexuality, and other concerns. They are also opposed to legislators who create legislation that bans books, a clear violation of the First Amendment. They are willing to take that opposition to the polls."

Several school districts in Florida have implemented new systems that require parental opt-out or parental opt-in to accessing material in schools–including the ability to borrow materials from school libraries. But less than 1% of parents opted to restrict their children's access to books in Florida schools when given the option. 

This week's Bright Spot nominations come from Brandi and Heather:

From Brandi: "I wanted to drop a note of appreciation for Phillip and Rob, who helped me get the KPLF annual solicitation letter out last week. With their help, I cut the task time in half and ensured the letters were in the mail before the holiday!"

From Heather: "A big shout out to the Southwest team! Everybody has been especially helpful and supportive of their coworkers lately. Just a few personal examples include Rosa covering the YFS desk one night when we had a gap, Katie E. covering the YFS desk during a morning gap, DJ noticing that the play area was a total mess and coming to help me clean up before closing, and Michaela jumping in to cover a family art program due to an emergency. Thank you for your kindness and helpfulness! Also, a special thank you to Shannon and Brandi who are flexible with scheduling staff to assist with coverages, and who consistently model kindness and helpfulness when leading their teams."

Our Heroine Jennifer

A KPL Christmas story to warm your heart, starring Jennifer K, the Bright Spot of the Year! Jennifer, Eric, Jason, Jeff, and Janet, thank you for your compassion and for embracing all the values of the public library and helping another human being in crisis. 

From today's building log:

At about 7:30am, Jennifer arrived at Northside for work. She noticed recent regular patron Chris
Levandowski (subject of recent building log from 12/17, white, approx 30s, wearing a black snowsuit, and black bags, also has a bike) in a sleeping bag under the overhang. Upon entering the building, she spoke with maintenance staff Jason, Jeff and Eric, noting that he was out there and she was worried about him in the cold. Jason, Jeff and Eric went out to say good morning and ask if he was alright, if he needed any help, and if he would like to come into the lobby to warm up and use the restroom before the library opened. Jennifer set down her things while they spoke to Chris and then swapped out with them in the lobby. Jason and Jeff waited inside near the self-checks while Jennifer spoke with Chris for a few minutes. It was learned that Chris has been experiencing homelessness for about 5 years now, and
doesn't have any friends or family in the area for help. He was unaware about the incoming snowstorm or further drop in temperatures. He also expressed that he has worked with "all the agencies" in the area
(naming several), but that ultimately, even when he qualified for services, landlords wouldn't accept the
program. Jennifer asked if she could reach out to some agencies on his behalf, to try to find a warm, safe place for him to stay the next few days and Chris accepted. At about 8am, Jennifer called the KHDS Crisis line and asked who to best reach out to on this issue currently, and they suggested she call back after 9am and ask for the Housing department. Between 8 and 9am, Janet offered Chris a cup of coffee or tea to warm up, which he accepted. At 9am, Jennifer did this and after a bit of phone tag, got
connected with Toni. After speaking with Chris, Toni was able to connect him with a voucher for a motel, starting tomorrow midday through Tuesday. After he hung up, Jennifer also offered him a bus token, either to help get him to the motel or for another place to warm up in the meantime.

Join the Green Team!

Did you know?

• We purchase 100% wind power to electrify out buildings.
• We have converted every light fixture in our buildings to LED, drastically reducing our electric consumption.
• Our maintenance team collects our recycling and takes it out to the county recycling center.
• We recycle our printer cartridges.
• We don't use fertilizer, herbicides or pesticides on our lawns. We have learned to love the dandelions that the rabbits love.
• We're actively working on installing electric vehicle charging stations in our parking lots.

Love what you just read? Would you like to join a Green Team at the library? Our Green Team has been inactive for a while, but there's so much more to do! If you're interested in joining a newly formed team, check with your supervisor to see if they can spare you an hour per month to brainstorm how KPL can be better environmental stewards. If the answer is yes, let me know and we'll get started! Thanks!

Our license to CreativeBug will expire June 2023 and there's no intention of renewing- just an FYI.

Here's an interesting way to embed social workers from Everett, Washington- within the police department, fire department and library, all 3 because the same people tend to be seen by all 3. We are finding that our own social work student Savannah is making a great impact. Savanah will be with us until May 2023 and we've already told Carthage that we'll be grateful for another student when Savannah graduates. 

Many state legislatures are proposing legislation to control the collections of school and/or public libraries and it's more widespread than you think. Here's a list  from EveryLibrary, a nonprofit organization that works to provide referendum and marketing support for public libraries. In Wisconsin it seems to be critical race theory that is the point of contention. Locally, we continue to receive complaints from a small group of people who are opposed to our Big Read selection, Homegoing, characterizing it as "pornography."

This week's Bright Spot awards:

From Barb: The Southwest team for their fantastic displays! Truly, the tables and shelves we have going right now are a model to the library (and book retail) world of really enticing, creative ways to remind the public that they love books and movies and all the things the library has to take home. Outstanding job, everyone! Way to shine!

From Phillip: As the end of the year approaches, I wanted to acknowledge the staff that have been extra supportive of me during my transition into my new role.
Gina Williamson and Katie Engle:
In 3 months, Gina and Katie are two of the most supportive staff members I have ever had the pleasure of working with. The norm in which they operate is to offer unconditional support to whoever they are working with, patrons and staff alike, and their day-to-day humility when interacting with others is truly commendable. During the week that I was quarantined, I did not have access to my notary logbook, but had to submit notary stats for the Board packet. After trying to figure out how I could submit the stats from home, in the end, it was Katie and Gina who were willing to help me, and actually brought my logbook to me via curbside pickup, so that I could submit my statistics. It is ironic how a situation that was so stressful to me could be resolved with such empathy, that I was actually grateful for the experience. Their willingness to support their staff members in any way possible only speaks to their brilliance as individuals. What an honor it is to work with you!

Brandi Cummings, Betsy Leach, and Michaela Beltran:
December 5th was the first official time I had the chance to organize any type of event for a large number of people. When it comes to the planning aspect, none of it would be possible without the support of Brandi. There is not enough room on the page to describe how helpful Brandi is in all capacities of my role; all I can do is try to learn from her, I am very grateful. Michaela and Betsy, on the other hand, were the heroes when it came to helping me put all the various moving pieces together. Not only did they offer their assistance when it came to putting the packages together, but they were also a huge support in helping brainstorm designs for cards, and verify logistics like how many staff members KPL has, and which locations they typically work at, so I could deliver the packages to their rightful places.

Tara, Dina, Katy W, DJ, Amanda, Justin, Kimmy, Janice, Elliot, Susannah, and Janet all deserve recognition as well. They have all supported me in putting on this event at some point, or offered to be of assistance if needed, and in many ways it was thanks to them that the food deliveries were signed for and set up at each location. I hope I did not forget anyone! Thank you all!

Jeremy:
Can be an honorable mention, because I appreciate all the guidance I received from him in the short time we worked together.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Vacation Carryover, Project Updates and Bright Spots

Happy Thanksgiving week, everyone!

I hope you all have a wonderful, restful holiday full of laughter and warmth with family and friends! I am thankful to be working with all of you doing this important work and I am thankful to know each of you, as each of you has greatly enriched my life by teaching me patience and kindness, guiding me through difficult times, or simply making me laugh. You are very special and Kenosha is very lucky to have you at their libraries.

As we approach the deep dark winter before us, it's important to know that KPL will be the only evening warming center for the city again this year. Froedert continues to restrict access due to COVID-19. If you get questions about shelter, please remember that Savannah is here to help. On the staff intranet under departments, the Simmons/ UPT team has posted a list of the best places for referral for various needs including shelter, food, and mental health counseling. That list continues to be updated, so feel free to make it your first stop when looking for community resources.

If you find yourself with an abundance of 2022 vacation to use by the end of the year, you have the option to carry over up to 40 hours into 2023. Any carryover needs to be used the first quarter of 2023 (by the end of March.) If you want to do this, please email me your request, per the handbook.  Remember that personal time does NOT carry over, so if you have personal time that you haven't scheduled yet, make that the first thing you schedule. 

Project progress:

• We're drafting a contract with Engberg Anderson for the design of the children's library space.
• We have a request for proposal out to three consultant firms to help us raise money for the children's library.
• We're pulling together a 100 Extraordinary Women campaign to kick off fundraising for the children's library.
• We're finalizing a contract with a bookmobile expert who will guide us in the selection and design of a new bookmobile.
• We have a contract with Mulberry History Advisors to write a NEH Infrastructure and Capacity Challenge grant application starting January. That grant would provide significant funds to KPL for Simmons restoration and to create an ADA accessible entrance on the building.
• We're just about ready to launch our FINRA funded financial education 2 year initiative that will include public workshops, individualized financial coaching for the public, staff training, and financial education collection development. This is a partnership with The Urban League.

I'll keep you posted as these projects progress.

This week's Bright Spot nomination comes from Marcia.
"I want to nominate Kimmy Smith for Bright Spot award for shoveling the NS front entry and the book drop approach Saturday afternoon when the heavy lake effect snow accumulation left too much snow to ignore. Kimmy went out and shoveled and salted in cold, windy darkness."

KPL KIDS @Uptown Library rising from the rubble

Uptown Lofts and KPL Kids @Uptown Library rising from the rubble

We're already working hard planning a fundraising campaign for the space, working with architects to plan the space, and lining up partners to activate the services we'll offer there. We're determined to pull this all off in one year, so fasten your seat belts! Here we go!

It's a busy week ahead. KPL Friends and Foundation will be in a virtual retreat Tuesday evening with the Library Board to sort out roles in our fundraising campaign. Wednesday I appear before the Common Council Finance Committee to present the 2023 operating and capital budgets.

Another retirement announcement, this time from Mary Kozel. (frown face). Her last day will be January 12th. So sad to see you go, Mary, so happy for you to do whatever you like whenever you like in retirement!

This week's Bright Spot Awards:

From Jennifer: "I wanted to share a Bright Spot for Kimmy Smith - As we navigate the scheduling challenges that inevitably come with the holiday season and end of the year, Kimmy has been incredibly flexible in her schedule in a way that feels above and beyond. While everyone is trying to use up PTO and work out the best ways to see their families during the holiday season, Kimmy has been cheerfully picking up nights and weekends, as well as shifting things around to fill building gaps to make sure the rest of us get that time. We are so grateful!"

From Barb: Yay to our Southwest public service desk staff  for "working the line" for elections, offering to look up ward numbers for voters and making a tough day for elections staff so much easier. Voting day is when we see a lot of people who don't use the library often or at all. You really delighted a lot of people on Tuesday, hopefully reconnecting them with everything the library has to offer. And the new central position of the service desks has already proven to be a good thing. Well done, everyone!

Budget Cut- Be Sure to Thank Our Board

We have heard back from city administration about our 2023 budget request and for the 6th year in a row, they have decided to either cut or simply maintain our funding. This year's reasoning is based on the Library Board's decision to provide all staff with a 4% wage increase. The City maintains it can only afford to provide a 2.5% increase to city staff, and they have cut our budget request by the difference. Please take the time to thank your Library Board for putting staff first. I know that 4%  won't be enough to catch up with the increase in prices this past year, but I hope it helps a little.

The 2023 county budget for the library system which provides us with reimbursements for the service we give to Kenosha County residents who don't live within the city limits and supports most of our electronic collections, delivery, and technology infrastructure, passed without any changes. 

We are collecting Toys for Tots this year at our larger branches.

This week's Bright Spot comes from Shannon:

"I want to nominate Rob for a bright spot award this week for his continual hustle, troubleshooting, and patience while we set up the new service desk. (Even when we forgot to turn the printer back on.) Thanks, Rob!"

Library Naming Contest Winner

 Libraries Can Unite a Lonely, Divided Nation reminds us of our critical role as "social infrastructure."

Marcia has returned from the ABOS (bookmobile and outreach services) conference with good news- there are some options for a hybrid vehicle for our replacement bookmobile. It would be wonderful to deliver the same service while reducing emissions and depending less on a generator.

It's official- the Lakeshores Library System (Racine and Walworth Counties) and the Arrowhead Library System (Rock County) are merging to form the Prairie Lakes Library System, effective January 1, 2023. Racine PL will continue to be the sorting hub for the system. 

Children's Library Updates:

• Uptown Lofts will include 70 apartments, all deemed "affordable housing." Kenosha News had previously indicated 160+ apartments, but they were probably counting a second apartment building that has been dropped from the plan.
• The project has been accelerated. According to the developer, the building shell will be completed by July 2023 and we'll be able to begin construction on the interior space.
• Heather, Linda, and I met with Joe Huberty last week to talk about design. His architecture firm is the same one that built the Kenosha Public Museum.
• I am working on a request for proposal (rfp) for a capital campaign manager to guide us through the fundraising process and track our success.
• We have a winner in the Name the Children's Library contest. Marcia created this beautiful branding for the space based on our existing KPL Kids brand. Can't you just see this gorgeous logo on the big storefront windows beckoning kids to come inside?

KPL K.I.D.S @Uptown Library

Knowledge. Imagination. Discovery. Success!

Updates from Shannon on SW space planning progress:
The non-fiction weeding is done and shifting should be finished next week. We should also be moved over to the new desk by the end of next week and Rob is going to talk to the electricians about removing the power from the old desk base unit so maintenance can remove that as well.
Rob is also waiting on a quote from the carpenters and stack movers. Once we have that I expect him to give me a timeline on that part of the project so I can work with maintenance to set a timeline for swapping the shelving and other equipment around.
The display furniture is also on hold because of using main street to park shelving units during the carpeting project.
In the interim, we will continue to move non-fiction to the back and start sorting the fiction by genre so the collection improvements will be completed simultaneously with the flooring and merchandising.

This week's Bright Spot nominations:

From Linda:
"I'd like to thank Brandi for giving me the opportunity to lead a team of PS team members in another successful larger event: Haunted Simmons 2022. Thank you to Kahlil for saying yes to co-leading the Haunted Simmons Committee and to the leaders that worked endlessly and creatively on the details to bring it all together: Jessica (Slightly Spooky Simmons), Amanda (Haunted Simmons Tours), and Amy (Decor)! Thank you to Ed and Laura for being superstars that provided crowd pleasing performances, to Joel for being the KPl bartender, to Amanda, Elliott, and Kimmy for being clever to choose costumes/characters that are well loved, and for Emily for helping out in decor and in enthusiasm! Thank you to those who jumped in to fill the planned gaps and to those who hustled in to fill the spontaneous gaps! Thank you to Aaron and Brandi for getting the word out about the event and for being open to printing more when the crowd for Haunted Simmons Tours grew! Please know that it takes everyone to make a larger program successful. Back to Kahlil, today is the day I am passing the Haunted Simmons baton to you for 2023. Good luck!"

Survey for Public Services Staff

Now that the ARPA grant focusing on Whole Person Librarianship has concluded, our data specialist is wrapping up data pieces and is doing the Staff Post-Test at the 11th hour in hopes to have given everyone enough time to percolate on what they did as part of this experience both through the WPL training, as well as local library projects and capture how you are feeling about your work. If you are a staff member who meets the public on a regular basis, and if you have sometimes been asked about what social services are available or if you have experienced difficult behavior from patrons, please help our project by answering a few questions on this anonymous survey. I will only know the overall results of our team's answers, not what you individually reported, so please answer honestly without concern about any judgment. 

Thank you for your help and for your willingness to try these new methods to improve our skills when working with people in need.

Barb

Architects and Bright Spots

We had an initial meeting  this morning with Joe Huberty from Engberg Anderson about creating a magical space for our kids in the Uptown neighborhood and we're excited about getting started. I also met with the developer this week and we have a timeline that has us opening to the public closer to January 2024. Our federal funding is about $1.5 million, $750,000 for the space and $750,000 for the interior buildout, and we have some exciting additional funding opportunities we'll be pursuing to enhance the furnishing budget even further and hopefully even set up a Foundation fund to support the operating budget into the future. I'll keep you posted as we move forward and Brandi has started a section of for the website that will engage the public with the project, as well. Here's the link to our video announcement about the project that KABA helped us create.

This week's Bright Spot Nominations:

From Emily: "I'd like to nominate Debbie and Dina for Bright Spots this week for their amazing job cleaning up the breakroom at Southwest last night! It looks so much more organized, and they were even able to do something about that weird stain on one of the chairs. Great job Debbie and Dina!"

Fundraising Success and a Couple of Bright Spots

Brandi and I enjoyed our time this morning at the KABA Inspire leadership event. The KBA Foundation pledged $2,000, one of the speakers announced a $2,000 match and a third speaker announced a $5,000 match, so we walked away with $9,000 toward the new Uptown Children's Library! Plus a really inspiring promo video of the project is now in our toolkit, thanks to KABA. I'll share that short video as soon as we get a copy. All of the glory goes to Brandi who arranged for the library project to be announced at the event and worked hard to line up all the pieces that made our morning so successful. Brandi, you're a Bright Spot every week, but this week you hit it out of the ballpark!

More Bright Spot nominations from Marcia: "I would like to nominate Heather and Jessica from YFS and planning and executing an absolutely delightful family program 'Novels & Nosh' last night at Somers Elementary. It was so lovely to see families interacting together and to see such excitement over the books chosen for each. I went along to do circulation duties and issue cards, we had 155 checkouts and 9 new cards."

NEA Big Read Controversy

Dear KPL Staff,

Many of you may be wondering how to think about the recent publicity we've received about the choice of Homegoing for the NEA Big Read. I've heard a few curious comments from staff that make me want to clear up some misconceptions so we can all talk about the challenges with the same information.

To clarify the book selection process:

The National Endowment for the Arts provides grants annually to libraries and other cultural institutions that might want to host a community discussion based on themes highlighted in literature. Each year NEA presents a list of books for grant applicants to choose from. KPL staff chose Homegoing from that list. So, to be clear, it is a book recommended by NEA, but there were other books to choose from. KPL staff chose Homegoing from the NEA list and that is the book we will read and discuss in 2023.

The second misconception by challengers is that the Big Read is the same thing as the Summer Reading Program. Naturally, SRP is aimed mostly at kids. So the challengers expressed concern that kids were going to read Homegoing. I've worked hard to clear up that misconception, and we have purposefully rescheduled the timing of the Big Read to earlier in the year to make it crystal clear that they are not the same program and do not have the same audience. Kids won't be reading the book unless their parents give it to them to read and no kids programming is planned for the Big Read.

Most book bans across the country are happening in schools where the challenged book is part of the curriculum and is required reading. It's important to note two very distinct differences between those challenges and the Big Read: The Big Read is an adult level reading program and engages with adult level themes commonly found in adult level literature. It is a voluntary program- you can participate or not based on your opinion or interest in the book, just like every other program we offer. And it is fully funded through the NEA federal grant and private donations, not local tax dollars.

Now, I know that the majority of you are Real Color blue people, meaning you care a lot for others and may personally be feeling the attacks on the library. You may be very uncomfortable with conflict and a few of you might be worried about me and the personal attacks I've been facing. I appreciate your support so much, and a thumbs up when you see me totally makes my day. But remember this- I'm a "green." I'm analytical. Immersion in debate surrounding principles like the freedom to read are my wheelhouse. I dislike conflict as much as anyone else, but I see the value in challenges like this to activate our community's understanding of the critical role of the public library- to defend everyone's right to access to information and ideas, even the ones I don't like. The Public Library is the cornerstone of democracy. It doesn't matter what political persuasion you identify with. In the words of  a community supporter, "I'll be damned if someone tells me what I can and cannot read." That's an American principle. We serve people from all backgrounds and beliefs and walks of life. So our collections represent a broad spectrum of ideas and interests. That's our job, no matter how difficult it gets.

Homegoing brings up a lot of uncomfortable questions about our past and our present. It is not surprising that people will refuse to participate. But I hope they do.  Unless we try to see the world through the lens of experiences other than our own, how will we reach the level of understanding necessary for a peaceful world? 

If you have any questions about our NEA Big Read, Brandi or I will be happy to talk with you. Remember that the community loves you and supports you. Thanks for the good work you do!

Barb

Fast Facts and other tidbits

Fast facts:

1. The new service desk at SW arrived with missing hardware. Oh, surprise! The hardware has finally arrived and the maintenance crew will assemble the second half early next week.

2. NS is getting ready to extend their vinyl flooring down "main street" to the back windows. As soon as we can get that scheduled, we'll move ahead. The plan is to also replace the carpet on the side where the AV collection is currently housed.

3. The FOL Book Sale continues through the weekend. Sales are robust! Thanks to everyone who has volunteered so far!

4. The foundation has been gradually sinking where the new building meets the old at SW. Our structural engineer did a thorough assessment and assures us the building is safe. You'll notice the YFS floor is becoming more sloped. There's also a couple cracks in the drywall along the outside walls in adult NF. The architects are proposing to monitor the movement to determine the cause. The insurance company has been notified and will visit to assess the problem. Once we fix the floor in YFS we'll replace the flooring throughout the space.

From Michelle:
Two COVID updates for you:
1. I have updated and attached the KPL COVID process map for your review. Please make sure you have this document available to you if you have a COVID situation arise while out of the office and you need it for reference. If you have any questions about what you should do, please do not hesitate to reach out to your supervisor, your department head, or to me.
2. Vaccines for children 6 months and older are now readily available. Because parents may make the choice to vaccinate or not vaccinate, we are lifting the mask requirement for YFS staff and anyone working in the youth areas. If you are under COVID protocol, you must wear a mask per the protocol in any and all work related situations, in or outside of our buildings.

We still recommend social distancing and good hygiene to stop the spread of germs at work (hand washing, covering sneezes etc.) (Guidance attached)
And you may continue to mask at any time in any place while at work.
Thank you for your attention to this continuously evolving situation. 

___________________________

Next week is super busy!

Monday we begin participation in the Wisconsin Science Festival by passing out Science in a Bag kits at SW. Monday is also our Kenosha County Library System regular board meeting (5pm virtual)

Tuesday evening at 5:30pm at NS we'll hold our next regular Library Board meeting. Staff are always welcome and encouraged to attend. We'll be talking about the Foundation's fundraising decisions for the new children's library.

Friday we're at the Inspire event at Journey Church and the children's library project will be announced on stage with the opportunity for participants, largely from the business community, to make a contribution.

Rob is out on vacation all week.

This week's Bright Spot nominations:

From Brandi: "I'd like to give a super special bright spot nomination to Brent, Max, Dan, Jason, Jeff, and Eric. These guys all jumped in and helped me problem solve in many ways - before 7:30 am and before I had had adequate caffeine. They are always willing to help - even when it pulls them away from the task they were trying to accomplish, and I appreciate how much they do to support all of us (often behind the scenes and without recognition).
We're lucky to have these fellas on our team! "

From Barb:

Thanks to Nate for taking me along on the Horizon Park bookmobile stop. I had a blast and learned a lot about what we should be shopping for in the next bookmobile! 

News for the Week

The Simmons air conditioner replacement continues to be delayed due to unavailability of mechanical parts. The good news is, it will get done while we don't need air conditioning! We'll keep you posted as we know more.

Melbourne Australia is using pop-up libraries to lure people back to their downtown. Love the way they have the quick picks on the back wall. They look like they're recessed but they're on acrylic shelves in front of painted circles. 

Book banning in the news:  Independent bookstores and libraries are facing many challenges. KPL is beginning to face challenges to books in the collection and we're hearing accusations of promoting pornography to children. The books in question include a YA book that is the memoir of a queer young black man and the other is Homegoing, our upcoming Big Read title.  Remember that arguing with people doesn't really get us anywhere, but reassuring them that the Big Read is not the same things as the Summer Reading Program for kids is a fact worth sharing and one that is being distorted. And that all our collection choices are based on professional reviews, which include advice about age-appropriateness. Listening will go a long way- they are likely very well intentioned and might have heard things that aren't true. Plus they like you. It will be hard for them to believe that you would intentionally "hurt" children. 

We have a collection development policy accessible from the website (see policies link at the bottom of the home page) and the Request for Reconsideration form is at the end of the policy if they are adement that they want to make a formal complaint. 

We're getting Wisconsin State Parks Passes for checkout! Patrons may check out the day use passes, place them on their dashboards, and receive free entry to any park in the state for a day. WLA will send us lots of promotional materials. Hoping to get this up and running mid-October.

The KPL Foundation has agreed to hire a professional fundraiser to solicit donations toward the new Uptown Children's Library!

This Week's Bright Spot Nominations
From Michaela:
"I would like to nominate Jeff for a bright spot this week. He took time in between cutting wooden hedgehogs for YFS to help me put up shelving in the OS office, fix cabinet drawers that no longer opened and overall just made the whole rearranging process go smoother.
I would also like to nominate the Outreach team as a whole. Thank all of you for welcoming me back to KPL and making my transition into Outreach so smooth and stress free. The amount of leg work that goes into this department is astonishing and all of you are amazing at what you do! I'm so happy to be a part of the team."

From Heather:
"I would like to nominate Jessica for a Bright Spot. While she has been doing a great job with Instagram reels in general, Brandi told me that her newest reel (starring Miss Karen) got 20,000 views within the first two hours of it being posted! Incredible work!"

Happy Banned Books Week

September 18-24 is celebrated as ALA Banned Books Week. ALA reports there were more challenges to books in 2021 than in the previous 20 years they've been keeping track. There have always been challenges to books, especially in school libraries, but the effort has become more organized. At Tuesday's board meeting, we updated our Collection Development Policy and the associated Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form. Phillip is working to update both documents for our website and the digital workspace so you'll have access to the latest materials. Remember that people generally have good intentions and listening politely is sometimes enough. Should they wish to make a formal complaint about an item in the collection, please provide them with a copy of the policy and the reconsideration form. We will only consider requests to reconsider KPL collection items from Kenosha residents. People living in other municipalities should contact their home library with their reconsideration requests.

Also on Tuesday, our library board reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the Library Bill of Rights and its Interpretations.  I encourage you to re-read this document as we prepare to meet book challenges here in Kenosha. Libraries are a forum for all ideas, even the ones we do not like. We serve all people, therefore our collections must reflect the diversity of our culture and our ideas. 

Ever wonder about the architect behind the Simmons Neighborhood Library? Daniel Burnham didn't limit his talents to library buildings. In fact, he only built 2 in his career, and Simmons is by far the most beautiful. Read about Burnham in this article from the Library of Congress. And if you're really interested in knowing more, the Simmons Historic Structure Report was commissioned for Simmons and completed in 2019- ask me for a copy.

Heather and Barb are both taking next week as vacation. Linda is your point person in Heather's absence and Linda or Rob can cover for me.

From Linda:
In addition to our Haunted Simmons Tours, this year we've added kid focused events called Slightly Spooky Simmons. Here is the info:
Slightly Spooky Simmons
Sunday, Oct. 16th and Oct. 23rd 12-4pm
Slightly Spooky Simmons is a frightfully festive event for the whole family. There will be games, crafts, and activities aimed at kids aged 2-12. Pumpkin bowling will be making a reappearance as well as a Halloween scavenger hunt and a super cute cupcake liner monster craft. There will be slightly spooky storytimes at 12:30 and 2:30 with a costume parade and trick or treating following the storytimes at 1:00 and 3:00. Kids are encouraged to dress up and show off their cool costumes!

This week's Bright Spot nominations:

From Michelle:

"My nomination for a bright spot this week goes to Jeremy Erickson. I am grateful Jeremy has continued to provide SW staff with beverage options in our breakroom after the departure of Sandy Bear. The additional selections are fun too! I especially like the caffeinated seltzer. This service takes time and energy and I truly appreciate it."

From Alejandria:

I think Karen R. deserves a Bright Spot. Karen is always finding ways to bring joy to others' lives. 8:00 AM is an early morning for many in our department, but Karen made it extra sweet by providing YFS with a 'chai bar' at our department meeting. She even made sure to get different kinds of milks for those of us who drink something different. Karen is a treasure.
I'd also like to give a shout out to Brandi Cummings. Last Friday, Brandi heard me mention that I needed to make a run to Woodman's to get more teen snacks since we were running low. Brandi offered to pick some things up at Costco and, right at closing, Brandi pulled up with several boxes of snacks to replenish our offerings. As a person who doesn't really enjoy going to the grocery store, I'm so appreciative of Brandi's kindness in offering to help out in this way.

From Barb:

Congratulations and effervescent thank yous to the YFS team for an incredibly successful and impactful summer reading program! Every year they conduct an after-SRP survey to find out whether kids were more engaged with reading and improved their reading skills because they participated. Once again, the caregivers just gushed about how much the kids enjoyed reading and yes, their skills improved just as we'd hoped. As we face year after year of disappointing proficiency test results in our county, our youth and family services team stands as a bright beacon for how to strengthen neighborhoods, inspire learning, and keep kids and their caregivers curious. Thank you for your amazing work, your huge hearts, and your endless creativity! We are so proud of the work you do!

Social Work Student Coming to SI and UPT

As you all know, we've been talking about Whole Person Librarianship and the relationship between social work and library work for a good year now. We've visited area social service agencies, attended WPL training online, and taken opinion surveys about the role of the public library in this type of work. This morning we received word that we'll have Savannah Bezotte, a social work student from Carthage, doing her field placement project at Simmons and Uptown for the coming semester. Savannah is here to learn as well as teach us the most effective ways to refer people to the social service help they need. We'll bring her around when she arrives so you have the opportunity to meet her.

If you're interested in learning more about social workers in libraries and Whole Person Librarianship in general, our City Library Collective has created a new website to provide public libraries with a "toolkit" that includes background and sample projects from the 11 mid-size Wisconsin libraries involved in this Resilience Project. The website is under construction, so it's constantly being updated , but there's already good stuff there.

Vacation carryover and SciFi citywide data network

As we approach the end of 2022, many of us have vacation to use, so now is a good time to repeat that those of you with vacation balances have the option this year of carrying forward up to 40 hours of vacation time into 2023. This benefit comes with the requirement that you use that 40 hour carryover in the first quarter of 2023. No exceptions, please!

The City is moving forward with its plans to bring high speed Internet to every resident. There will still be Internet Service Providers like ATT and Spectrum, so this is not a free service, but it is an opportunity for growth in a world that relies so heavily on technology and it will be part of the city's new buildings downtown, in the Uptown neighborhood, and in the new KIN project. Check your email for all the details I've forwarded from Public Works. We'll arrange for a special meeting with the SciFi rep and Public Services staff so we can have more answers in hand when the community calls on us with questions about this city project.

Brandi has arranged for us to showcase the new Children's Library project at the upcoming KABA Inspire event in October. You might see us filming a short promotional video late next week to take with us.

Those of you who work at SW might be wondering when the front door will be fixed. There is a supply problem keeping us from a quick fix. As soon as the parts arrive, we'll get it done. You might also be wondering what we're doing toward the back window with those new low shelving units. Our talented Jason Holmes (my Bright Spot nominee this week!) has crafted magazine shelves from pieces and parts in storage. We'll arrange this low shelving around the new soft seating on order and shelve the magazine and newspaper collection in plexiglass cubes on those low units. See the YA magazines section @SW for an example. Here's an example from Waunakee PL, as well. If you ever get up that way, do stop in. Their library is absolutely stunning.

Karen sent in these Bright Spots for the week:

"Thank you Megan for listening intently to a mom of one of our teen patrons who has had some not so great experiences in the past. Megan showed empathy and apologized for what had happened and really helped both the mom and daughter feel more at ease when using the library. Kudos to you Megan!!
Thank you Heather for always being so understanding when some last minute personal issues have come up and I have had to leave work. You are an AMAZING BOSS!! Thank you for being so flexible with our schedule!


Thank you Alejandria!! The Teen Books look great!! Lately, I have been showing this area to several parents of teens and they love how the shelves are labeled. They can't wait to show their teens! Thank you!


Thank you Alejandria for taking time out of your busy schedule to organize the craft, program supplies and updating the inventory spreadsheet. YFS would never be able to find anything if it weren't for your organizational skills! THANK YOU!!"

Have a fabulous holiday weekend, everyone! 

Barb

Staff News and Strange Library Stories

Mark your calendars! The Wisconsin Library Association Annual Conference will be held November 1-4 in Lake Geneva this year. The conference schedule is due out in a few weeks. This is a great opportunity for many of our staff to attend training locally. 

Strange but true:
The Library of Congress hair collection (yes, hair) contains locks from Walt Whitman and George Washington, among other famous dignitaries. Take a look at fascinating pics at the LOC website.

Teens Rise to the Occasion:
How Teens are pushing back against school book bans

FOL's pallet book sale was a big success! Thanks to all of you who came out to help!

Our vending machines are just about ready for prime time at the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club. The book return units are in place and Aaron is finishing up signage. We need to replace a bad cable on one of the machines, then we'll schedule library card signup events at both locations in early September to celebrate National Library Week.

Lots of Bright Spot nominations came in last week from Jennifer @ Northside:

"I have many bright spots this week and I wanted to make sure I shared them with you.

A huge thanks to the maintenance team - They moved a shelf into large print for us, brought down around 25 chairs from the attic, and also brought over those 4 racks from Southwest for us this week. Very exciting for us at Northside and we appreciate their work (and heavy lifting!).

I also wanted to specifically thank Jeff - after our very successful "Make it or Break it" event last Friday, Jeff transported and disposed of a van full of broken tech, so I wouldn't have to worry about it. This thoughtfulness and willingness to help wherever he can is a definite hallmark of Jeff's work at KPL.

Yesterday, I got a call that meant I needed to run out into the pouring rain to get something over to my son's daycare unexpectedly. I had left my rain jacket in my car and Patty immediately loaned me her umbrella AND offered her rain jacket. I am always grateful for her unceasing kindness!

For Marcia and the OS team (+ Karen and Emily!) - They planned all kinds of fantastic activities for the Nights at Northside: NASA @ the Library event for July, and then rescheduled it for tonight when a storm came through. That is two weeks of being incredibly flexible with their time to make sure we have plenty of staffing for this event.

And finally, for Lisa who is always such a support for the Northside staff. Whenever someone is having a rough day, Lisa is always right there, offering moral support and understanding. She has a real gift of empathy that is so appreciated by the NS staff."

Have a great week, everyone!

Barb

Vending Machines Ready to Launch

 The Vending Machines have arrived at the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club and people are stopping by with grins on their faces while we load them up with children's books!

This was truly a team effort and there are a number of people to thank for making this happen!

• Amy Rae for the enticing collection choices that have kids asking when the machines will be ready!
• Rob for his awesome technical expertise that helped us get everything working just right.
• Marcia and the Outreach Team for agreeing to keep the machine fully stocked and bring back returns.
• Dan and the Maintenance Team for delivering the book drops that will sit beside each machine.
• Jeremy for doing the work necessary to code the grant budget and get the grant reimbursements.
• Brandi and Aaron for managing the messaging, current and future.
• Tara and the CS Team for setting up the collection rental agreement and processing all the new books.
• Aaron for designing the gorgeous machine wraps- we've heard lots of compliments already!

Here's what you need to know:

• You can use the machines now, but they aren't completely stocked. We're still waiting on picture books.
• This project was funded with federal pandemic relief dollars and is intended to give kids easy access to books so their reading skills will improve. Currently 27% of KUSD 3rd graders can read at a 3rd grade level.
• The collection covers reading levels from picture books to chapter books. 
• You can't pay fines or place holds on the machine. Think of the machine as a candy bar machine stocked with books. I scan my card and choose 204 to get the book in the front of that row.
• Patrons can return any item they have checked out from any branch or the machines to any book drop, including the ones by the vending machines.
• Patrons DO NOT have to use a PIN at the machines- just scan your library barcode and choose the item you'd like.
• At this time you cannot scan the patron barcode you have stored in your KPL app. Our vendor will replace the machines' scanners over the next few weeks to enable that feature.
• Remember there are no overdue fines on children's books and the machine holds nothing but children's books.
• People are already asking whether we'll also stock books for adults. This project's intention is to help kids catch up with their reading proficiency post-pandemic. So for the first year we'll only be stocking children's materials.
• The machine gives printed receipts.
• The checkout period for items in the machines is the same as any kids books in our collection.
• The collection will change over completely four times per year. We have a rental plan to make sure the books are always new and pretty. The first year of the rental plan is paid for through the grant. Future years will be paid through our library collection budget.
• The records for the books in the machines do not show in the SHARE catalog. So no holds.
• Some of the children's books for the machines are really skinny and we may have incidents where they drop unexpectedly. We'll figure out these small problems as we go. 
• If you get phone calls from the general public you can't answer, offer to call the patron back and talk to Linda, Rob, Marcia, or me for help. Please don't transfer patrons directly to us- we're on the go a lot. We don't want the patron to dead-end.
• If you get calls from the Y or the BGC staff, go ahead and transfer those to us.

Northside Book Sale, Lakeshores/ Arrowhead Merger, and a Sneak Peak at SW Furniture

We're in a bit of a space jam, so FOL will be holding a pallet-style fill-your-bag book sale in the Northside garage August 20-21. Publicity to come soon! In order to prevent this backup from happening in the future, we're going to start using a new service from Baker and Taylor called Sustainable Shelves.  In a nutshell, we send weeding lists to B&T, they send us back a subset list of what they're willing to buy back, we box it and send it, and they apply the credit to our account. 

Furniture and display units are on their way for the SW space remodel, including a beautiful double sided round service desk. It's great to see the progress we've already made. Aaron is receiving many compliments for his selection of the flooring! Here's a sneak preview of the furniture styles. Everything is moveable, so we can play with arranging the furniture until we are comfortable with the perfect placement.

As you might have read in the Kenosha News, Lakeshores Library System and Arrowhead Library System will merge by the end of the year. The newspaper article was somewhat, but not completely accurate. The cost savings is because one system director will retire. Less staff costs=  cost savings. Their merger has no affect on Kenosha County. We are all still in SHARE. We will continue to run our own one-county library system until we see a good reason not to. Because KPL staff runs the Kenosha County Library system and the system does not pay for that staff support, there are no cost savings to us if we merge, so it's not on the table at this time.

I'll be here Monday and Tuesday next week, but then will be away until Tuesday, August 9th. In my absence, Rob and Linda are in charge. 

Have a great weekend, Everyone!

Bright Spots Galore!

Hello, KPLers

The past couple of weeks have been a challenge with so many staff on vacation or out for other reasons, a flooring project at SW, and space changes here and there.  What a great thing to witness such terrific teamwork making everything work for our patrons! It has been my honor to work beside you as I attempt to help at service desks and at outreach stops and I am very grateful for your patience as I learn the ropes.  Spending time serving the public directly reminds me how much I miss it and I'm excited at the proposition of returning to that role in my future retirement.

It's no surprise that I received a lot of Bright Spot nominations this week. Thanks to all of you for being Bright Spots in our community!

This week's Bright Spot nominations are many! 
"I would love to send out a Bright Spot to all KPL staff members. I have placed an interactive passive display at NS asking patrons about their favorite thing(s) at the library. Six of the comments were about how much the patrons love the staff - and I agree! I am so happy to be working with all of you at KPL. You all make this job great!
Kimmy"

From Michelle: "My first bright spot(s) go out to Janet Frieman and Kimmy Smith who saved me from disaster due to a printing snafu. Their prompt response and intuition was so greatly appreciated. Secondly, I want to give a bright spot to Jennifer and the staff at Northside for pivoting quickly when I needed to move the pickup for the Whole Person Librarianship tours to Northside with less than 24 hours notice. Their hospitality and grace is much appreciated."

From Zander: "I'd like to nominate Rob as a brightspot. He has been putting in early morning work to make sure everything is settled for the re-flooring. He's also been available each morning to answer any questions I've had about opening, and how to direct patrons around the project. At 1:00 P.M everyday, there has been a massive crowd rush and he's out there with the public service staff, helping to make sure patrons know how they can move around the library and receive the best service possible as we are all-hands on deck for the opening rush."

Southwest RefDesk Speedrun

 

Watch the Southwest Reference Desk disappear in less than a minute.

Southwest Flooring - Day 1

Today was very productive for the Mainstreet flooring replacement. The east side of Mainstreet was removed, sanded, and leveled. The Maintenance Team cleared the Reference Desk in just a couple of hours, and a plan was put in place to prepare the Circulation Desk for its replacements. Tomorrow, we can expect the flooring to be installed, and Wednesday, there will be a team of 5 installers to work on the west side of Mainstreet. Here are a few images of today's progress: 

Congratulations, Shannon and Teen Liaisons to the Library Board

Happy Thursday, Everyone!

I am delighted to announce that Shannon Urban is officially the Branch Manager for the Southwest Neighborhood Library! Shannon will now oversee all the circulation and reference functions at that branch. If you missed last week's blog post explaining the changes in our staffing structure, please refer back for a complete overview. The Board has approved all these changes, so we're moving forward with our plans.

Also at Tuesday's board meeting, a proposal from YFS to add 2 teen liaison, non-voting members to the Library Board was approved. We'll be recruiting for these talented young people so we can hear from them about future library services of interest and help them in their leadership development.

This coming Monday, the flooring replacement along "main street" at SW is finally getting started! The project is scheduled over a 2 week period. We'll be closed to the public  @SW  the first week in the morning to keep the public safe while the workers clear out the old flooring and level the floor as needed. There will be no curbside service during those closed mornings.

Good news this week- we have an installation date for our children's book vending machines at the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA: August 9th. This is a grant funded project to get books into kids hands and improve their reading success. 

This week's Bright Spots:

From Barb: Thanks to everyone who has patiently helped me acclimate to service desks and outreach activities while I attempt to fill in scheduling gaps. I have learned so much and am so happy to witness the wonderful service we provide to our community. You are all my Bright Spots!

From Marcia:
"I would like to nominate Amy Rae for Bright Spot. OS had a furious patron call to say that he wanted a Hebrew translation of a certain bible story but he actually received the Christian version via the ILL book we delivered today. Amy Rae just happened to be in my office and she helped me find The Jewish Study Bible in the NS stacks that had the specific translated Hebrew story the man was looking for. I was so happy to be able to call the patron back and let him know we would fix the mistake right away and he was so pleased. I'm dropping off the book tonight when I go to Lincoln Park for chess."

New Branch Manager Position @SW and other positions coming soon

Hello, Everyone,

Over the past few months we've had some turnover in our staff and, as we always do when someone leaves us, we take a hard look at our current needs and decide how best to replace the position. For many, many years we worked with no branch managers and it showed- although all our staff is dedicated to our success, without someone specifically in charge at each location, little things go unnoticed. Establishing Branch Managers at SI, UPT and NS has made a very positive difference. You can feel it and you can see it when you walk through the door. So with the retirement of the Circulation Team Leader at SW, we decided it was high time to do the same for SW and establish a Branch Manager there. This full complement of Branch Managers, all with library degrees, allows us to form a system whereby staff at each location has a leader on site for direction and support. Each Branch Manager can provide training locally and service desks at all locations can be blended with staff who are trained in both circulation and general reference service. We think this is a very effective model, and so did our space planner when he created new floor plans for NS and SW, so we're moving forward with this plan.

With the Board's permission at their July meeting next week, we will eliminate the Adult and Digital Services Department at KPL, and reassign Shannon Urban as Branch Manager at SW. Shannon will oversee all circulation and former ADS staff assigned to SW. Branch managers will supervise any public service staff assigned to their branches. If you are asked to work at a different branch than normal to help out for a day, your supervisor is the Branch Manager at the location assigned. In other words, wherever you are asked to work, the Branch Manager at that location is your direct supervisor for the day. 

I know it always feels like something is changing, and I know that can be uncomfortable for some of our staff. There's nothing to fear. I have watched all of you provide exceptional service whatever your title or location or reporting structure, and I'm so, so proud of what you do. Many of the changes listed here are already tried and in place at 3 of our 4 locations and have worked really well. This change in a reporting structure won't change who you are or your dedication to your community. You'll be great!

There are a few more job descriptions changing in other departments, as well. Our Digital Media Specialist resigned a few months back, and Brandi has elected to pursue a Content Creator position instead who will do lots of writing for our online and print publications. I'm changing the duties of the Administrative Assistant to support both the Director and the Head of Administration and isolating the finance and payroll piece into a new PT position. So look for those opportunities coming soon.

Barb

Happy July 4th - Library News of Interest

Simmons HVAC is scheduled for service on Tuesday. Fans are going- hopefully the marble interior will keep things comfortable.

We now have off-site storage for discarded books and other materials waiting for the next FOL sale. Thanks to a volunteer group called Public Allies, our FOL group was granted 10 months of storage paid for at CubeSmart  across the street from SW. Our maintenance staff will monitor the garages at NS and SW and move whatever they can to the storage unit to keep our garage spaces cleared.

Rob is planning to ask the Friends for a replacement motorized scooter at SW. Hopefully we'll receive their support and have one available soon.

The SW circ and adult reference desks are now merged. Thanks to Shannon for her outstanding leadership planning that transition! Just a few more weeks until we have new flooring on "main street." Dan is working to get some bids on leveling the youth area floor at SW which seems to have sunk.

We have 3 new board members! Atifa Robinson is employed by UW Madison Extension doing nutrition counseling. Sonya Gaines is an LPN at Aurora working on her BSN. Chris Allen is Executive Director of the Kenosha History Center. We are thrilled that all three have or will be been appointed by the July Board meeting!

We also have a new member of the Foundation Board. Ben Anderson is an attorney at Anderson and Anderson Law Office, a firm started by his grandfather. Keeshia Jones was elected to be the next KPLF President at Monday night's meeting, Katie Chada will serve as VP, and Georgia Owens will serve as Treasurer.

It is possible as the city changes health care providers at the staff clinic that there will be no service available September through October. This will affect our annual HRAs. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

Some sad news: Linda's mom passed away on Friday, July 1. We send out deepest condolences to Linda and her family. 

This week's Bright Spots:

From Amy Rae: "I'd like to nominate Katie E for a bright spot. She's taken on an absolute mountain of relabeling for YFS, and she's done such high-quality work. That might sound like faint praise - "how much work can it be, putting a sticker on a book?" - but the reality is that Katie catches mistakes and lets us know when she notices discrepancies in how things are labeled. She's helped us out immensely, and she's done it cheerfully. Katie's a KPL treasure."

A (June 23) note of thanks from Jennifer: "As I hear Southwest was also, Northside was overwhelmed with returns over Juneteenth weekend. I wanted to nominate the following people for Bright Spots, as they took significant time out of their days to help us in our shelving efforts: Nate, Alex L, and Kelly. Megan also emailed and offered to come help if we still needed it. Shawn and Sandy also helped cover the desk for an afternoon, after we had someone call in.

We are incredibly grateful for our supportive and caring coworkers!"

From Amy Rae: "Jason Holmes singlehandedly solved a problem that was stumping my colleagues and I, making it possible for us to finish a project we had to pause. He was super helpful!"

From Barb: Special thanks to Sandy for being such a great employee and the best teammate anyone could ask for. Thanks for your willingness to continuously learn, and for all your support that made the good things happen. We will all miss you very much! Hope you love your new job and come back and see us often.

Happy 4th of July, Everyone!

Barb

Guns in the Library, Big Read 2023, and other news for the week

Congratulations on being selected  to host Big Read 2023! Here's the announcement from Brandi:

Today is an exciting day! The Arts Midwest has announced the NEA Big Read recipients for 2022-2023. This means our embargo has officially lifted, and we can discuss some of our plans for the upcoming NEA Big Read celebrating Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Before I hit send on our local press release, I wanted to pause and celebrate with all of you.

Some fast facts for you should you get questions:
We will be executing NEA Big Read programming beginning in May 2023, with programs going throughout the summer. KPL plans to tie the NEA Big Read program in with our adult summer reading program next year, so there will be programs throughout the summer.
Homegoing was selected because of its beautiful storytelling and rich character development that allows us to explore what it means to be human and how events great and small can impact us for generations. There are a lot of diverse topics and themes to unpack, and we are excited to create experiences for our entire community, focusing on them.
More information will be coming closer to May 2023, but we will continue to share our excitement until then. If you have anyone who has questions about partnering with KPL or being a distribution site, please feel free to give them one of my business cards. In the meantime, I encourage you to read the book and share any inspiration for programming or events with me.
If you have any other questions, let me know.

___________________________

Northside recently experienced an incident where one person threatened to bring his gun the next time he visited to settle an issue with another patron. There are more and more questions surrounding the right to carry a gun these days, especially with the county supervisors voting soon on changing their rules to allow people to bring guns into the county office building. So let me clarify what our policy is, what the statutes say, and who can do what.

Our libraries are municipal buildings and state statutes prohibit people from bringing firearms into our buildings unless they have special permissions (such as a police officer on duty). We have signs on our front doors to that effect.  However, in the current climate of tension over gun rights, we can expect that someone will try to test that rule. 

Police Chief Larsen assures me that people with special permission to carry a gun in public buildings are very unlikely to wear that firearm in plain sight. If we have a visitor that is openly displaying a firearm, he unequivocally states we should CALL THE POLICE to handle the matter. You never know what frame of mind people openly toting guns are in- be very careful about engaging. 

_________________________

A number of municipal buildings and libraries in Wisconsin have been visited by citizens with cameras in a test to see if local governments are adhering to the first amendment rights of citizens to know what their government is doing. Milwaukee and Eau Claire libraries have had these visits. Here's a video (long one-you'll get the idea after a few minutes of watching) from the duo's visit to Eau Claire. 

So what do we do if people show up here with video cameras? Above all, be friendly. They have the right to film in public buildings, as long as they don't impede on other people's rights, including confidentiality of library records. They can film in public areas, but they should be reminded not to film what people are doing on the computers or checking out- that's each person's private business, protected in the state statutes. They can't film in staff areas and they know it. Overall, if you welcome them and smile, they will be friendly in return. If you push them back, they'll use that the way they did in this video.

________________

Over the past few months, we've had 2 incidents where a group visit left a child behind. Our Unattended Child Policy didn't specifically address exactly what to do, so we updated the policy upon the advice of the City Attorney and the Police Chief:

CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND AFTER A GROUP VISIT

If a child of any age is part of a group visit that has left the child behind, library staff are instructed to call the police non-emergency number (262-656-1234) to request an officer manage the reunification of the child with an authorized adult.


If a representative of the agency that left the child behind returns to retrieve the child before the officer arrives, library staff should not release the child into their custody until cleared by the police officer to do so.

__________________________

The Mayor reports that construction on the Uptown Lofts project where we will have a new children's library will begin July/August! Can't wait to see action on that site! Tonight we're visiting Brass Community School for a Community Conversation where we'll begin to get feedback on the types of programs parents would like to see at our 5th location. 

___________________________

The City of Kenosha will offer an opportunity for residents to shred documents free of charge at three city locations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 25, 2022. Shredding will be offered outside in the parking lots at the Northside Library, 1500 27th Ave.; at Southwest Library, 7979 38th Ave., and at the Kenosha Water Utility, 4401 Green Bay Road. In addition, hard drive destruction is offered at the Kenosha Water Utility location only. Kenosha residents are welcome to bring up to five bags or boxes of items to be shredded by Shred-It representatives. A future shredding date is set for Saturday, October 22.

___________________

Brandi reports "The Kenosha Art Market kicks off this Sunday at Union Park and our very own Kelly and Melissa will be their selling their fantastic art!"

https://www.kenoshaartmarket.org/

_________________________________

This week's Brights Spot:

From Jennifer:  "Amy H made this fantastic display (photo attached) for Northside this month as well! Her gift for displays is enjoyed by both staff and patrons."

I'm heading for the Alaskan wilderness on Friday and will likely have no internet or cell service where I'm going. Linda and Rob are fully in charge in my absence. Have a fabulous, hopefully cooler, week! 

See you on the 27th!

Barb

News for the Week

With our new Simmons and Uptown Branch Manager on his way, we've been brainstorming where we can set up one more staff office for Linda, who's been using the one at Simmons. The only viable option is for one of us to move to the purple room at SW, so I will be moving my office into that space in the coming week and Linda will be returning to my current office space in the SW circ workroom. For now, the KCM students who need to edit their files will continue to do so on the machines along the back wall outside the KCM office. It isn't optimal, but it's working. Hopefully we can create a little staff work space at the new Uptown Children's Library to help with our cramped quarters.

There's a big hole at the bottom of the back steps into Simmons.  We're finally fixing the drain at the bottom that's been flooding that area for years. Staff will need to enter the front of the building until that work is completed- see Linda for details. 

From Alejandria: Please be aware that the Southwest Library Teen Space will be open Summer Hours starting next week. We will be open 1:00-6:00 PM through summer. 

From Rob:

Please be aware that the Maintenance Team will be attending training sessions at Gateway Technical College on:

June 22 - 8 am to 12 pm

June 29 - 8 am to 12 pm

July 13 - 8 am to 12 pm

July 27 - 8 am to 12 pm

August 3 - 8 am to 12 pm

August 9 - 8 am to 12 pm

August 16 - 8 am to 12 pm

During this time, they will not be in the buildings and if an emergency pops up, please contact Dan by phone. 

The SW Mainstreet Flooring Project will start on July 18 and is estimated to last until July 29. Dickow & Cyzak will do no sanding of the subfloor; they use a surface leveling compound. When finished, the laminate floor will be walkable.   

Dickow & Cyzak is coordinating with their installers to begin the project as early in the day as possible to minimize the patron impact. 

We're asking the Board to close SW mornings the first week (M-F) of the installation to speed up the work. We'll be open at 1pm till regular closing time. Look for training announcements to fill those mornings while we're closed to the public.

From the city:

Candelora Voss, Medical Assistant at the Health & Wellness Clinic, has resigned from Everside. Candel's last day in the clinic was Wednesday, June 1, 2022. The City continues to make progress in evaluating other vendor options for the Health & Wellness Clinic that will position ourselves make the best decision in order to provide employees with quality medical services. Presently, Everside has committed to staffing the clinic with a provider and medical assistant in the interim while we continue to search for permanent replacements for both positions. It is our expectation that City employees and spouses will continue to be receive excellent medical care at the Health & Wellness Clinic, however, there may be some days in which a provider or medical assistant sub isn't scheduled to work in the clinic. We apologize in advance for any of these inconveniences and will have additional updates to share soon.
Employees can continue to call the clinic at 262-653-4444 to schedule an appointment.

This week's Bright Spot nominations come from Brandi and Elkid:

From Brandi: "I'd like to nominate Jason and Jeff. Jason and Jeff lead a Women in Focus Ms. Fix-It workshop for students of the Kenosha Literacy Council, teaching them basic tool skills and home repair. We all know just how busy these guys are - their willingness to use their skills to help guide others shows their commitment to the library's mission. Super proud of these two bright stars!"

Also from Brandi: "Our very own Kelly is a regionally recognized artist! How lucky are we to have such talent on staff? Not only does Kelly do an amazing job working in collection services but she also lends us her artistic talent from time to time. Keep an eye out for a pop-art-inspired photo backdrop at Nights at Northside that Kelly is making just for our event!

How a Horlick grad went from reading Teen Vogue to having her work featured in it

Elkid nominating Amy H: "A group of young boys came on the BKM at Harborside and they were so excited about the pictures on the APA (Asian Pacific Americans) display. They didn't register that it was about APA Heritage Month. They were pointing to the pictures of the athletes and just sharing stats and facts in that overly excited way that middle schoolers do. It was really cool to watch and let them fill me in on all kinds of sports news.
On a side note, did you know that Manti Te'o is the tallest player in the NFL?*
*(this has not been fact checked - and my resources were 13-year-olds)

Barb on vacation 

I'm heading for the Alaskan wilderness for a week off grid. I'll be gone June 17th-27th, back the 28th. Linda and Rob are in charge during my absence. 

Stay dry, everybody!

Summer Reading Program Procedures

 Registration

The Summer Reading Program runs from June 1 - August 31.

There are two registration options: Beanstack or a paper log.

• Beanstack: The patron can register themselves online at mykpl.beanstack.org or use the Beanstack Tracker App.

• If a patron needs assistance registering for or using Beanstack, refer them to staff at a reference or youth services desk.
  
  

• Paper Log:

• Before giving out a paper log, staff must register the patron using the 2022 Summer Reading Registration Form.

• Children and Teens: Ask their age and select it from the drop-down menu. Click the radio button that corresponds to the log they were given (e.g. If they are 4 years old, they get a 0-5 log)

• Children who are 5 years old have the option of taking a 0-5 log or a 5-12 log.

• Children who are 12 years old have the option of taking a 5-12 log or a 12-19 log.

• Teens who are 18-19 can either have a 12-19 log or an Adult log.
  
  

• New in 2022! Children’s Visual Progress Tracker: Each branch will have an interactive wall display in the children’s area to help encourage children to return to the library throughout the summer while completing the SRP. This will look like paper vehicles (SW: Cars, NS: Fire Trucks, SI: Boats, UP: Trains) on a course with stops along the way that represent the number of days read (5 - 45 days).

• When children register for the SRP in person, offer them a paper vehicle to color and/or write their first name on. Use a rolled piece of tape on the back of the paper vehicle and have them put it up at the “starting line” of the course. Explain that when they come back throughout the summer, they can move their vehicle to new stops depending on how many days they’ve read so far. 

• If a child is participating on Beanstack and inquires about the progress tracker in person, please give them a paper vehicle, too!

• A YFS staff member at NS, SI, and UP will send out more details to staff regularly scheduled at those branches regarding the specifics, such as where the progress tracker is located and where to get supplies.

• If a child’s paper vehicle is lost or destroyed during the summer, please give them a new one.

• Participating in the visual progress tracker is 100% optional.
  
  

• Adults: 

• For age, select “Adult.” 

• There is only one adult log this year.

**If you are unable to use the online form to register someone, print out a copy of the 2022 SRP Quick Sign-Up Sheet. Write down their information on this sheet and give them their log. Enter them into the online form as soon as you can. Cross them off the quick sign-up sheet once they have been entered into the online form.

Scroll down for SRP Completion Instructions! 

Completion

• Someone says they finished the SRP on Beanstack: 

• Go to mykpl.beanstack.org.

• Log in with username: kplstaff  password: summer

• Click “People” button.

• Find a participant by searching for their name or email address. Children are usually registered under an adult’s account, so it may be easiest to look up the adult’s email address to find the child.

• Once you locate the participant’s name, click the “Redeem Incentives” button on the right side of their name.

• A box will pop up showing you which incentives they have earned so far, such as prize drawing entries and prize books (for children and teens).

• Click here for a video tutorial of this step! 

• Register the patron using the 2022 Summer Reading Registration Form. Select “Beanstack” as the branch location. Click the radio button that corresponds to the program they completed.

• Open up the 2022 Summer Reading Program Registration & Prize Tracking spreadsheet and locate the patron’s name (likely at the very bottom of the spreadsheet if you just registered them). Enter the number of prize entries earned in the appropriate cells on the right side of the spreadsheet.

• Ask the patron which gift certificate they would like to be entered to win.

• Choices for adults: $50 Blue House Books, $50 Equinox Botanical Boutique, or $50 The Buzz.

• Choices for ages 0-5: $25 Blue House Books, $25 PlaySpace Kenosha, $25 Scoops (ice cream), or $25 Jerry Smith’s. They can only choose one.

• Choices for ages 5-12: $25 Blue House Books, $25 Scoops (ice cream), $25 Alpaca Art (pottery painting), or $25 Guttormsen Rec Center (bowling). They can only choose one.

• Choices for ages 12-19: $25 Blue House Books, $25 Colosseum Games, $25 Alpaca Art (pottery painting), or $25 Scoops (ice cream). They can only choose one. 

• Go back to the Beanstack screen and check the boxes that say “redeemed” next to each prize that you noted in the spreadsheet.

• If the patron is a child or teen:

• Make sure they select a book prize! Book prizes must be selected in person from an available assortment at each branch. Ask the caregiver to fill out a survey.
  
  

• Someone hands you a completed paper log:

• Open up the 2022 Summer Reading Program Registration & Prize Tracking spreadsheet. The online registration form automatically populates this spreadsheet with registrant information.

• Locate the patron’s record by searching for their last name*. If there are two or more patrons with the same full name, ask for their phone number to distinguish them (or age, if a child or teen).

•  *Tip: Click a cell under the Last Name column and press CTRL+F. That will bring up a search box where you can type in someone’s last name and be taken right to it.

• If a child or teen: 

• If they earned a prize book, let them look through the prize books while you are entering the information into the spreadsheet. Ask their caregiver to fill out 1 survey per child who completed the SRP.

• Use the log to add up the number of prize drawing entries earned (up to 5 for activities and 1 for completing the reading challenge). Put that number in the appropriate cell on the right side of the spreadsheet.

• Write which gift certificate they circled on their log in the appropriate cell on the spreadsheet. If they did not circle one, be sure to ask which one they most want to win before they leave! 

• Enter the rest of the information from the log onto the spreadsheet.

• Initial & date the log when all info has been entered.

• Retain the completed logs and send them to Heather in SW YFS at the end of each week.

• If an adult:

• Ask the patron which gift certificate they would like to be in the drawing for, and enter it in the appropriate cell on the spreadsheet. 

• Enter the rest of the information from their log onto the right side of the spreadsheet.

• If they’ve already earned a drawing entry from completing challenges or additional reading time, add another entry to the total. They may earn up to 3 drawing entries.

• Keep the completed logs and send them to Brandi at SW at the end of each week.

Scroll down for Completion Requirements & Prize Information!

Requirements for Completion & Prizes:

Ages 0-5: 

• Read 15 minutes per day for 45 days = earn a prize book of your choice and 1 prize drawing entry.

• Complete up to 5 activities to earn up to 5 prize drawing entries. 1 activity = 1 entry.

• Gift card prize drawings: $25 Blue House Books, $25 PlaySpace Kenosha, $25 Jerry Smith’s, or $25 Scoops (ice cream). They can only choose one.

Ages 5-12:

• Read 20 minutes per day for 45 days = earn a prize book of your choice and 1 prize drawing entry.

• Complete up to 5 activities to earn up to 5 prize drawing entries. 1 activity = 1 entry.

• Gift card prize drawings:$25 Blue House Books, $25 Alpaca Art (pottery painting), $25 Guttormsen Rec Center (bowling), or $25 Scoops (ice cream). They can only choose one.

Ages 12-19:

• Read 30 minutes per day for 45 days = earn a prize book of your choice and 1 prize drawing entry.

• Complete up to 5 activities to earn up to 5 prize drawing entries. 1 activity = 1 entry.

• Gift card prize drawings: $25 Blue House Books, $25 Colosseum Games, $25 Alpaca Art (pottery painting), or $25 Scoops (ice cream). They can only choose one. 

Adults:

• Read 15 minutes per day for 45 days = 1 prize drawing entry. 

• Adults may complete 60 days of reading for 2 drawing entries.

• Adults may complete 60 days of reading and 3 or more of the listed challenges for a total of 3 drawing entries.

• Gift card prize drawings: $50 Blue House Books, $50 Equinox Botanical Boutique, or $50 The Buzz. 

Scroll down for FAQs!

FAQs

Can someone complete the Summer Reading Program more than once?

No. While we won’t stop them from going above and beyond, they will only earn prizes for completing the program once. 

Can someone in a different state participate in the Summer Reading Program?

Sure--that’s easy to do with Beanstack! Unfortunately, they must be able to pick up prizes in person at a Kenosha Public Library branch. We will not ship prizes.

Do you need a KPL library card to register for the Summer Reading Program?

No. Anyone can register.

Can *I*, a staff member, register for and complete the Summer Reading Program?

YES. Please do! And while you’re at it, tell all your friends to register and complete the program, too! 

How do we know that someone actually completed the Summer Reading Program?

We don’t. It’s on the honor system.

It’s June 30 and someone says they completed the Summer Reading Program.

Nope! Since the program starts on June 1 and requires 45 days of reading, the earliest possible completion date is July 15.

When will prize drawings happen?

In early September. Winners will be notified at the phone number they provided during registration. 

Why is the Summer Reading Program important?

The Summer Reading Program is absolutely critical in helping to prevent “the summer slide” (which is way less fun than it sounds) in children. Essentially, children experience significant learning loss if they don’t read during non-school months. The learning loss is more dramatic for children from low-income households who do not have access to books. When those children go back to school in the fall, they’re academically behind those who did read during the summer and they have to struggle to catch up. The effect is cumulative over the years, resulting in them being further and further behind. Factor in COVID-19 learning loss, and we’ve got a perfect storm! Reading consistently over the summer is the best way to prevent learning loss and help secure a successful future! The Summer Reading Program is a huge part of the solution.

But what about adults? Well, a 2019 Pew Research survey showed that 25% of adults didn’t read a book in the past year. Research shows that reading contributes to living longer, delays the onset of Alzheimer's/Dementia, and promotes stress relief and empathy. And if the adult has a child in the household, they are providing a stellar example by reading on a regular basis! 

Who do I ask if I need more logs at my branch?

Please let Aaron Gundersen (agundersen@mykpl.info) know if you need more logs sent to your branch. 

If you are in a pinch and need to print out 0-5, 5-12, or 12-19 logs right away, contact someone in Youth Services (564-6150)--they will be able to help you get them printed at your branch. Or, if you need an Adult log right away, contact someone in Adult Services (564-6130) for immediate assistance. 

If you’re using the online version of this document, you can click the links below to print out the logs:

• 0-5 Log

• 5-12 Log

• 12-19 Log

• Adult Log

Who do I ask if I have more questions?

Heather (hthompson@mykpl.info) or Brandi (bcummings@mykpl.info)!