LEWISTON: Movin' on up

Samantha Thompson-Franklin, Collections & Acquisitions Librarian at Lewis-Clark State College, has been promoted to Associate Professor, effective July 1, 2010.

—Submitted by Samantha Thompson-Franklin

MOUNTAIN HOME: Hosting a founding father

Guess who is coming to the Mountain Home Public Library in July! Why it is Ben Franklin!

“Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World” will be coming to the Mountain Home Public Library in July 14th through August 27th.  Mountain Home is one of only forty libraries in the United States selected to host the traveling exhibition, which was organized by the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary and the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office. The Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary is a nonprofit organization established by a grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts to educate the public about Franklin’s enduring legacy and inspire renewed appreciation of the values he embodied.

Besides serving his country as a skillful diplomat and negotiator, Franklin was a scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, humorist and philanthropist whose wisdom and wit continue to inspire and entertain us more than three hundred years after his birth.  Franklin was dedicated to making the world a better place and himself a better person.  He was the quintessential American success story.

Between July and August the library will be hosting several programs which will be sponsored by The Friends of the Mountain Home Library.  These include a Colonial Day, Invention Convention, Colonial American Girl Tea, kite flying and a concert by William Zietler, one of the few Glass Armonica (Armonia) players.  The Glass Armonica was created by Franklin and music was written specifically for that instrument during his life time by composers such as Tchaikovsky.  There is also information afoot that Mr. Franklin may be dropping in for the Grand Opening event on July 15th. 

The traveling exhibition is made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): great ideas brought to life.  

—Submitted by Robin Murphy

NAMPA: New library director

The Nampa Library Board of Trustees selected Mark Rose as the new Library Director of the Nampa Public Library. 

Mr. Rose comes to Nampa from Marion, Ohio, where he served as the Director of the Marion Public Library for the past five years, and he spent two years prior to that as the Assistant Director of the Provo City Library. He received his MLIS from Brigham Young University, and before beginning his library career served as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army for four years.

“Mark has worked in library management for many years and has a sound understanding of policy and people. His experience, commitment to public service, and his dedication to community involvement were major factors in our decision to extend the Library Director position to Mark,” said Dr. Kim Keller, library board chair. “We share his vision for the future of the Nampa Public Library and look forward to his leadership.”

Mr. Rose began his work as Nampa library director on April 26th.

—Submitted by Camille Wood

REXBURG: Remodel & expansion

In August, 2008, the residents of the Madison Library District approved a $3.92 million bond to expand and remodel the present library. Construction has proceeded nearly on schedule, and we expect to be moved out of the old library and into the addition by June 1st. The remodeled portion should be done by the first part of September. An open house / grand opening is planned for mid-September.

—Submitted by Judy Dewey

WEIPPE: “Best Small Library in America” finalist

At the recent Public Library Association conference in Portland, the honor of 2009 finalist for the “Best Small Library in America” was awarded to the Weippe Public Library. At left is Terri Summerfield, Weippe Library Director, accepting the award from Rebecca Miller, Executive Editor of Library Journal.

Also attending the conference and proud of the award (below) are Marge Kuchynka, Clearwater County Library District Trustee; Jill Nishi, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Melissa Mayberry, WPL Children’s Librarian; Terri Summerfield, Director; and Michelle Berreth, Assistant Librarian.     

Library Journal's annual award for the Best Small Library in America, cosponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was founded to encourage and showcase the exemplary work of these libraries. Now in its sixth year, the award honors the public library that most profoundly demonstrates outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less. Members of the editorial board of Library Journal, librarians from around the country, and a representative from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation judge nominations based on key factors, including:

• Creativity in developing services and programs that can be replicated by other libraries, including outreach to special populations
• Innovation in introducing and supporting public access computing
• Success in educating patrons in computer use, and measuring the results of technology usage
• Use of technology to expand the reach of library services
• Demonstrated community support
• Sustained cooperation with other libraries
• Partnerships with other agencies and businesses
• Increase in library use, particularly by new users
• Evidence of library's role as community center

Director Terri Summerfield says she is honored to receive the award for the library. She reports that libraryies are so much more than books today. In this information age with high technology, she feels it is the library’s role to bridge the digital divide and provide needed technology to her community.

Finalists receive paid memberships and conference costs to attend PLA, along with the incentive and inspiration to continue to offer excellent service to Library users and to offer additional new programs to both current users and non-users.  The winning Library receives a $15,000 cash award, which went to Union County Carnegie Library, South Carolina. Finalists are encouraged to apply again and continue to challenge themselves to excel.

The Weippe Public Library plans on applying again as they strive to be the best. The staff invites you to visit the library and see what all they have to offer besides books, including free public access computers,  DVDs, WiFi, XBOX, Wii, Lego programs for kids and more. After attending the conference, the library staff is excited about new projects and ways to benefit the community and they encourage everyone to make suggestion of what they need or want. They will be conducting a survey during National Library Week, April 11-17th.  Please make your voice heard as we really want to be the Best Small Library in America!

—Submitted by Terri Summerfield