Sundre Municipal Library employees give updates together with the affect of the COVID-19 pandemic on useful resource usage.
MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – County council has been given an replace on current actions on the Sundre Municipal Library, together with the affect of the COVID-19 pandemic on useful resource usage.
The evaluate got here throughout a current frequently scheduled council assembly, with library supervisor Karen Tubb showing as a delegation.
“I consider Sundre library makes a distinction in our group,” stated Tubb.
According to the library’s 2022 finances, whole income is projected to be $229,063, together with $54,148 from Mountain View County and $107,625 from the Town of Sundre.
Expenses are projected to be $229,025, together with $153,225 in wages and advantages and $39,150 for facility bills.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the Sundre library, she stated.
“Library buildings have been closed for 40 per cent of this 12 months, and even now that we’re open we’re actually restricted by way of the sorts of indoor, in-person programming we are able to provide,” she stated.
“We can present programming for youngsters and youth and households, however for adults solely academic applications and now we have to have a diminished quantity within the constructing and no organized leisure gatherings.
“So the query is how can libraries obtain our mandate of serving the wants of our group after we are confronted with limitations like that.”
The employees on the library “rose to the event and so they overcame many challenges, she stated.
When the library constructing was closed the library supplied over-the-phone tech help “which let me inform you is sort of a problem,” she stated.
Staff additionally helped with ordering books and flicks, created greater than 200 make-and-take kits for each youngsters and adults, organized outside household occasions, and supplied curbside service with a median of 14 pickups per day.
As properly, on-line applications have been created for all ages and “many, many individuals found our on-line assets.” For instance, e-magazine usage went up 600 per cent and e-book usage by greater than 300 per cent.
“Now that we’re open, we’ve modified applications to accommodate restrictions,” she stated. “We have a fantastic summer season studying membership this 12 months, with about 420 youngsters ages 4 to 11 coming by way of our door this summer season.”
New applications for household and youth have not too long ago been added, together with a robotics tech membership, she stated.
“We are trying ahead to after we can welcome our knitters and painters and e-book golf equipment and in-person applications for adults,” she stated.
Circulation is on the rise on the library, she stated.
Sundre Municipal Library is the one library within the Parkland Regional Library system that has unionized employees (not supervisor), council heard.
Counc. Peggy Johnson stated, “I salute you and your employees for all of the artistic work you do. You do plenty of great things with not a complete lot of cash.”
Reeve Angela Aalbers additionally counseled library employees for his or her efforts.
“Thank your for all the pieces you contribute to our group,” stated Aalbers.
Council accepted Tubb’s report as info.
https://www.mountainviewtoday.ca/mountain-view-county-news/library-e-book-e-magazine-usage-spikes-4826626
