PCCF donates nearly $40,000 to PCPL

Thursday, June 2, 2016

The Putnam County Community Foundation recently presented a total of $37,869 from eight endowments to the Putnam County Public Library.

The checks were presented by Rick Bittles, a member of the PCCF board.

"We're happy to be a part of (the library endowments)," Bittles said.

The checks presented were from the Putnam County Public Library endowment ($5,688), Aura May Durham Community Endowment ($13,880), Orville Webb Endowment ($2,121), Jewel W. Wright Endowment ($309), Cyril Johnson Fund for the Putnam County Library Genealogy Room ($13,587), Albin-Rector Memorial Fund for the Visually Impaired ($1,208), Betty Hughes Memorial Fund ($349), and the Author Series Endowment ($727).

Bittles also said that the PCCF has donated nearly $12 million to the community since its establishment 30 years ago. The Foundation's current assets sit at approximately $28 million.

Before leaving, Bittles requested the library consider getting more involved in the PCCF.

"We just finished a matching grant with Lilly," he said. "We received $1 million; half a million from Lilly ... so we've added $1 million to the foundation over an 18-month campaign.

"We've got various campaigns going on with the Foundation. I believe 'Share the Dream' is something every organization, non-for-profit can get involved in. It started in April; you can still get in if you want to. It ends in July, and pays out $4,000 for the top three donors. But more importantly it gets the word out about your foundation, which would build the endowments that you have. We encourage you to promote that as an organization; it could only help the community and your future."

In other developments:

-- The board approved the board appointment nominations made in April. They are as follows:

-- President: Alan Zerkel (nominated by Diana LaViolette, seconded by Tona Gardner)

-- Vice President: LaViolette (nominated by Zerkel, seconded by Gardner)

-- Secretary: Lisa McCoy (nominated by Gardner, seconded by Treasurer David Taylor)

-- The library has agreed to participate in the USDA's Summer Feeding Program, which provides free meals to local youth. Meals will be served, from May 31 to July 31, in the library's Imagination Portal Monday through Friday from 12:45-1:30 p.m. Children up to 13 years old will eat for free, and those 18 and older will pay $2.

-- Director Grier Carson reported that the Bike Circulation Program will be continued this summer with the help of Larry Shinn of Sprokets Cyclery in Greencastle. Four bikes, supplied by DePauw University, are currently ready.

"Thanks to Larry Shinn of Sprokets Cyclery, Meagan Loftis and Anthony Barratta of the DePauw Office of Sustainability and all the PCPL patrons who enjoy this program," Director Carson said. "Welcome to another summer of bicycling through Greencastle."

-- During the monthy reports, Lisa Barker reported that the library has received $61,000 from the county to place in its Rainy Day Fund. These funds were allocated by the county after it received one-time funds from the state. The library still has 64 percent of its budget left for the rest of the year.

-- Director Carson reported that he has found and plans to pilot a camera in the circulation lobby. He also said that a draft of the camera policy will be posted on the library's website and the bulletin board in the circulation lobby. The policy committee is set to submit the final draft for board consideration in June.

-- The board approved making an offer of $78,000, to be taken from the Rainy Day Fund, on the house at the corner of Walnut Street and College Avenue. Three appraisals for the property ranged from $113,000 to $78,000. If purchased, the library plans to demolish the house to make room for additional building or parking.

In other business:

-- The board appointed Elise Merrill as the part-time circulation assistant and Anna Nellis as the young adult programming assistant. Nellis is expected to start work June 8. Also, Director Carson has begun searching for personnel to replace Reference Librarian Michelle Jordan, who has left PCPL to pursue other opportunities.

-- The Kiwanis Conference Room has been fully installed with a 3D-capable projector and matching sound system. The new digital signage monitor has also been installed in the circulation lobby.

-- Director Carson reported that there has been a "significant" increase in non-registered borrowers, which he credited to the Overdrive program. He also said that young adult circulation has seen an increase for the third month in a row, and credited that increase to the efforts of Youth Services Manager Krista Mullenix.

Meanwhile, adult fiction has decreased by 15 percent, but Director Carson said it's "too early" to blame the fiction integration completed in March. Total circulation is "relatively steady" and "overall, this is a pretty good month statistically," he said.

The next Putnam County Public Library Board meeting will be June 22 at 6 p.m. in the Kiwanis Conference Room.

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