KPL Kids Floor Plan preview and many Bright Spots

The 2022/23 Biennnial Budget just passed by the Wisconsin Legislature provides a long-awaited increase in state funding for library systems, including our own Kenosha County Library System. What does this mean for KPL? As the largest library in the county, we've shouldered many of the costs associated with the system, including the AMH equipment that sorts all items from Prairie Lakes Library System for our county libraries and the statewide delivery service that supports ILL for area libraries including a few schools and colleges. This state aid increase allows us to receive state support for those costs and frees up local funding toward operating costs for our new children's library. 

We have a final layout for the new kids library and Brandi's team will be posting big pictures in all the branches for the staff and public to look over. Here's an itty bitty preview

A Bright Spot nomination this week from Amy K-T:

"Marcia and Jeff made a special trip to move the Charlie Cart from Southwest to Northside for an upcoming cooking program at Northside. This was the first time it was moved, but Marcia and Jeff looked like seasoned pros. I just wanted to share how thankful I am for their help."

From Amanda:
I have a few Bright Spot nominations:
For Kahlil keeping the SI/UP staff informed on what is going on with our building. It is never fun when air conditioning doesn't work during a WI summer and he's been keeping a cool head about it the entire time.
For Nique sending the SI/UP staff silly and positive emails to keep our spirits lifted while we are all displaced.
And to all of the staff at the other branches and departments for hosting the SI staff while the AC at Simmons gets sorted out. It's been great getting to spend some time seeing how other branches work and meeting staff members who we've only seen mentioned in emails.

My pick for Bright Spot this week is Amy Rae, who makes me grin every time I read her comments from libinsights. Here are a few recent ones:
"One of my best patron buddies, a kiddo around one or one and a half, keeps coming over to feed me plastic strawberries. What a sweet kid. arw 06.20.23
"You don't sell naps? But that's all I want." The parent playing with a kiddo in the Ready to Read space is intensely relatable. arw 06.20.23

May you all love your jobs the way ARW does!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Barb