Trending
January is a time when many people look back and reflect on the previous year and look forward to the upcoming year with hope and anticipation, this year even more so. The local Minot Public Library is no different as staff, board members, and volunteers reflect back on a year of change and pivot.
For the Minot Public Library, 2020 was certainly a year of transformation; some of this was planned and much of it was not. We started the year with many changes including a large exterior renovation to protect and update the building as well as re-carpeting the second floor. In addition, the retirement of our Children's Librarian, Paulette Nelson after 40 years of service was a time for celebration. We welcomed some new members to the Library team and wished others farewell as they retired, moved and began new careers.
On March 15 when COVID-19 hit North Dakota, the library closed and new and unexpected changes came to the Minot Public Library. Staff went into planning mode as to how we would continue services while not having patrons in the building. The same week the building closed, MPL started curbside service and curbside crafts for patrons, followed by virtual programs that include story times, take & make crafts, STEAM activities, 3D printing, crafts for adults, board game parties, and even book club.
Minot Public Library found that our circulation of certain collections served the public well during the pandemic. The board game collection was great for families stuck at home. Binge boxes, which have several movies in one box, became a hot ticket item to entertain during the weekends, and the tool library has given people the means to work on home improvement projects of all kinds.
The Library also went social this year. While the library has had a presence on Facebook and Instagram, staff started hosting many drawings this year thanks to funding from the Friends of the Minot Public Library. The Library continues to promote digital resources that are free with your library card, as well as, our Sweater Weather Reading Challenge, which asks people to read and log one book a month on the Beanstack App and be entered for a $25 gift card drawing. The Minot Public Library even moved onto TikTok in 2020!
Despite the obstacles, the Minot Public Library has also been very lucky over the past year. MPL received grants from the American Library Association as well as a grant from North Dakota Humanities. Funding from ALA was used for technology training and money from N.D. Humanities was put toward personal protective equipment and programming. We were excited to host a "Grab & LEGO" event, which brought over 250 children LEGO kits for free. The Humanities grant also went toward many other programs for teens and adults as well. The Adult Library was able to offer two "That's Craftastic" take & make kits a month for several months.
While the library has been open to patrons on a limited basis since June 8, the staff continue to host these virtual and take & make programs and plan to into 2021; however, all staff are looking forward to a time when programs will be in person again.
As we look toward a new year, the Minot Public Library shows no signs of slowing down in 2021. Virtual programs and take & make kits will be off and running starting Jan. 11. Curbside service is still being offered to patrons who are not comfortable or cannot come into the library. Our Tech Tutor program is still being offered to those who would like one-on-one help with computers. Plus, our computers, scanners and fax machine are up and running.
As staff have assessed the past year they have seen that many of these changes implemented during a pandemic are actually improvements to current services and many, such as curbside and virtual programs, will likely remain available. While we all reflect on the challenges of 2020, let us also maintain a level of cautious hope for 2021. One of the things librarians often talk about is the value of getting a library card: the books, entertainment, programs, tools, etc. made available with this simple free card. However, it may be more important in 2021 than you would think to use your public library as this last year has made many realize how paramount it is to support local. While the Minot Public Library is not a business, we need our patrons more now than ever. We desire to help you whether it is by finding you a great book, helping you with technology, reading to your kids on Facebook, or simply seeing a friendly (albeit) masked face in the Library. To learn more about the many free services available, follow the Minot Public Library on social media, visit www.minotlibrary.org, call 852-1045 or simply stop by.