The Great River Regional Library (GRRL) continues to provide outstanding service to people across the state.
Tuesday, GRRL Director Karen Pundsack gave the Sherburne County Board an update on how the library is constantly changing to serve county residents.
“Back when I started at GRRL 19 years ago, our computers did not have a mouse. Our website was very new and cell phones were almost non-existent,” she said. “So a lot has changed in our counties over that time and our libraries have changed to meet those needs.”
In 2017, the GRRL system had 1.326 million visits, 105,816 wireless connections, 199,220 digital checkouts and 3,630 programs. Patrons checked out almost 3.1 million items
Of Sherburne County’s 93,457 residents in 2017, about 19,500 were active library card holders, which means they checked out at least one item over the past three years.
There were 2,856 borrowers at the Big Lake branch who checked out 76,994 items, used library computers 2,266 times and made 1,757 wireless connections.
Pundsack said wireless is getting more popular all across the GRRL system, The Becker branch had 2,147 wireless connections compared to 1,457 library computer uses.
She said that’s been a big change with all the new wireless hand-held devices, laptops and iPads.
“More and more are coming in with their own device. That presents some challenges in our spaces,” she said. “People aren’t just sitting down at a library computer to access the internet.
They’re sitting down with a laptop and they need a space to do that. So how we’re offering services has changed over time.”
She said one GRRL’s core goals in 2018 is to get 100% of its public service staff comfortable answering basic technology questions.
“The number of questions and the length of time it’s taking to answer them is increasing,” she said.
Pundsack said even though technology is expanding, that doesn’t mean people aren’t reading books anymore.
“One of the misperception is that books are going away. But I saw research that showed at least 74% of people read at least one book, and 63% read it as a physical book,” she said. “So while e-books are a growing part of our business, it isn’t our core business.”
She about eight percent of patrons who use the main branch in St. Cloud are from Sherburne County. And she just discovered the St. Cloud Library is the second largest in the state.
“So we’re very fortunate to have such a great resource right here in our backyard,” she said.
Pundsack said the GRRL is hoping two library-related pieces of legislation will pass this session.
HF 1382/SF 1033 would increase basic funding for libraries by $3 million a year and change the funding formula to make it more predictable.
The second bill, HF1484/SF 2218, would appropriate $10 million for construction and remodeling for library buildings through the state’s currently authorized matching program.
“Kimball, Howard Lake, Cold Spring and possibly Waite Park may be looking for a grant in the next few years,” she said.
Other Business
In other action the board:
• Approved a $50,000 allocation to the Sherburne County EDA to be used for the Revolving Loan Fund Program;
• Proclaimed April 3, 2018 as National Service Recognition Day to highlight the impact of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps national programs;
• Reappointed Keith Streff, Director of Investigations, Animal Humane Society, as the Dangerous Dog Hearing Officer for Sherburne County for a three-year term;
• Approved the transfer of $1,057,860 in excess budget dollars into the year-end savings account;
• Authorized a payment of $8,094 to Sherburne Soil and Water District from grant funds received for the 2018 Water Plan;
• Accepted a $31,899 Family Group Decision Making Grant from the MN Dept. of Human Services to help create a safety plan to prevent out-of-home placements;
• Accepted a $7,000 Pohlad Family Foundation Summer Camp Grant to be used to fund camp experiences for children receiving services from Health & Human Services;
• Proclaimed March, 2018 as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month;
• Proclaimed March, 2018 as Professional Social Work Month;
• Approved an agreement with ISD #726, Becker Schools, for the transportation of children and youth in foster care placement;
• Passed a resolution of support to eliminate traffic signals on Hwy. 169 through Elk River to reduce congestion and improve safety in the corridor;
• Increased the gopher bounty reimbursement from $0.75 per gopher to $1.
