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Lisa Barker serving as PCPL interim director
As its board of trustees looks to get into conducting a search for a new director, the Putnam County Public Library will be led by Lisa Barker for the time being.
In a resolution read by Barker, the board voted unanimously at its monthly meeting Wednesday evening to officially instate Barker in the position. She transitioned from being the board’s treasurer, though it appears that she remains the library’s business operations manager.
Barker is not new to the position, as she served as interim director last year between the departure of Grier Carson and the arrival of former director Brian Briscoe, who recently left the library.
Barker effectively took charge of the meeting to discuss ongoing efforts to continue outreach in communities in Putnam County other than Greencastle, as well as plans and ideas for jump-starting the library’s Makerspace initiative.
Barker began by saying collaboration was a “common thread” she saw in developing these programs and encouraging dialogue with community partners. She added that she was excited that the library would work with Castlemakers and Conspire on developing a space where the community could meet and create.
One plan is the library could team with both to utilize the space once occupied by Bright Futures, though Barker and board members agreed that a major point was not to compete with both organizations. Barker emphasized that these conversations were in the beginning phases.
On outreach, Barker said the library needed to continue to expand efforts to connect with towns like Russellville. The board commended the efforts of Kaitlin Tipsword, PCPL’s marketing and communications director, who Barker said has taken it upon herself to apply for grants and try to establish spaces for patrons in these rural areas.
Barker said she was inspired by a system of community “mini-branches” used by the Morgan County Public Library. She said she liked the idea of each branch being overseen by a library staff member and being open for a set time.
Barker said one advantage of the mini-branch would be the library could only pay rent for a space, rather than owning a building. Another would be the space would be more permanent, given that the library no longer runs the Bookmobile and its current outreach van greatly limits service.
Barker added further she would meet with the Roachdale Public Library’s director Jennifer Stranger on how to align their services with PCPL’s through the Evergreen cataloging system.
The board also discussed a technology issue that has recently cropped up in the library’s local history department. Barker said staff were having trouble storing information into a server, and that documents needing to be uploaded online was piling up.
She added that services provided by Distinct Web Design were likely complicating the issue, and that the library was paying $199 to use them, rather than a previously stated fee of $75. Barker said she would consult further with PCPL’s technology director Arlene Tincher about possible solutions.
In his monthly report, Mark Hammer of Hammer and Swigart said the library’s finances were stable, despite still needing to receive some anticipated funding from the Putnam County Community Foundation.
The board also approved to hire Libby Dominguez as a part-time shelver, as well as Amber Compton as a part-time reference assistant.
The next regular meeting of the PCPL Board of Trustees is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. in the Kiwanis Room at the library.