Menu
PCPL to relocate Children's Area
The Putnam County Public Library Board had much to discuss during its monthly meeting on Wednesday evening as it continues to make several changes not only with recent hirings, but renovations as well.
With the Children's Department preparing to undergo a massive transformation in the coming months, Director Grier Carson announced that they would be closing the department off for the duration of the project.
"The decision was made to close Children's off for the duration for the renovation (July 7-Sept 12) so as to minimize risk to patrons and staff while allowing for a 'grand opening' celebration in mid September," Carson said. "The plan then is to move a portion of Children's materials, selected by Children's staff, all technology resources and much of the programming resources into the Kiwanis Room during the renovation."
Although the Children's Area will be closed, patrons will still be able to access materials and programming events in the temporary location.
"A consequence of this will be that PCPL programming will have to occur elsewhere, and the decision was made to make use of other public spaces within the library itself to hold day and evening events," Carson said. "This will lend these events some exposure, allow for potential off-site programming and maybe shake things up a bit within the library."
With construction beginning in July, the Children's Area will be moved into its new temporary location by the end of June.
"We're very confident in this decision," Carson added. "It makes it more exciting when we open it back up. It is my strong belief that a successful transformation and opening of this space will prove crucial to the eventual and ongoing transformation of PCPL itself."
Along with the announcement of the temporary closing of the Children's Area, the library also welcomed Mollie Beaumont as its new children's/youth services manager.
Beaumont, a native of Milwaukee, Wis., received her undergrad in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is also currently earning her Masters of Library and Information Science from her alma mater and will graduate in August.
"Ideally, I wanted to be a children's librarian so I can spread my passion for reading," Beaumont said. "Through reading, doors just open for you."
Beaumont, who has always wanted to be a librarian, hopes to bring several of her ideas to life at Putnam County Public Library by not only involving children but teens as well.
"Even though the larger part of the library is going to close, we're still going to run some programs," Beaumont said. "Incorporating food programs is my big thing and we're also going to do more digital literacy programs such as playing with the Wii and learning computer applications and things like that."
Closing out the meeting, representatives from OMS presented the final proposal, which outlined a number of details that will be in the new children's area.
Among the highlights, the entire area will have new lighting, technology, a more useful nature nook as well as a tree with faux sky-lighting in the center of the room.
The area will also include window seating, an area for cooking, a projector and flat screens and unique areas for programming.
With the $100,000 budget, OMS stated that the project does not have to be publicly bid. Therefore, they have begun talks with contractors they have worked with before to seek out bids.
Bids will be presented to the board on June 25 with the project beginning on or around July 7.
In other business:
* After three and a half months of discussion, the board agreed to accept a bid of $60,000 from Roofing Renovations and More to replace the roof of the main building, which has several minor leaks. The project will take about one month.
* With the departure of Communications Director Sam Hirt, the board approved the hiring of Michael Acsbock as the new technology integrator/media specialist.