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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!"
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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
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