Putnam County Public Library moving to improve engagement

During what was a meeting highlighted with positive collaboration, trustees of the Putnam County Public Library voiced support for efforts to improve community engagement Wednesday evening.

PCPL Director Brian Briscoe presented a resolution for library administrators to attend training provided by the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, an organization that works with community leaders on how they can make an impact locally.

Briscoe related that the training would provide the library with ways to increase its patronage as part of a developing focus on reaching out to areas outside of Greencastle. The training is provided on a selective basis that needed the approval of the board to follow though on recommendations Harwood would provide.

While the Indiana State Library would cover the cost of the training, board members expressed some hesitation to committing to the program if Harwood’s recommendations would require subsequent funding.

Briscoe iterated that he would not support approving those measures if it meant incurring a financial strain, but also expressed that the main focus would be on developing strategies that the library could then implement through its own means.

With that confidence, the board approved the submission of PCPL’s application for the training with the enthusiasm to invite other local leaders such as DePauw University into the discussion about future programs.

The board also approved a new food policy that would apply to the library’s patrons. The approval comes after recent discussions by administrators regarding visitors who bring full meals into the building, causing messes, obnoxious odors and trash overflows which can disrupt activities.

Briscoe emphasized that the intention was not to police visitors to the library or kick them out for bringing in snacks. Rather, the policy will be aimed at making the library’s spaces more inviting, as well as allow staff to attend to their duties.

The board also approved a request by Briscoe to close the library on Black Friday to allow staff to be with their families. Briscoe reasoned it would not be productive to be open on a day that typically sees little circulation and patronage.

The next regular meeting of the Library Board is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. in the Kiwanis Room at the Putnam County Public Library, 103 E. Poplar St.