It’s not just books

Jay County Public Library will be open 27 days in October.
It has at least one program scheduled on 23 of those days, and more than one on most.
Programming has been a focus for the library as it extends its reach beyond the traditional idea of simply checking out books.
“I think we’re reaching a little bit more of the audience we need to reach,” said youth services librarian Linda Shreve, who has worked at the facility for 20 years. “It used to be you came to a library and checked out a book. When you thought of a library, that’s what you thought of.
“We’re not just a book-lending place anymore.”
The push for more programming began in early 2014 after the library was in a state of flux the previous year.
Its adult services librarian position was vacant, and Shreve was filling in as the interim director. After Eric Hinderliter was hired as director in December 2013 and Cheryl Lucas as adult services librarian, the staff worked the board to develop a long-term plan.
A key part of it was programming.
“We looked at what we had done in the past, and it was all good, but certain things were lacking and certain demographics were being underserved,” said board president Mike McKee, noting the English as a second language community and those with special needs.
One of the library’s most successful programs over the last year, Hinderliter said, was its Summer Challenge.
JCPL had always offered a summer reading program, but it revamped and re-branded the event this year in an effort to expand its appeal. It focused on books, as always, but participants could also earn points by participating in a variety of activities in and out of the library.
It also encouraged more participation by offering a community goal — 20,000 points — as well as an individual prizes.
Those who took part in the challenge more than doubled that goal, earning more than 43,000 points and resulting in MainSource Bank donating $250 to Helping Hand Food Bank.
“That was a situation where we just kind of took a chance to see how it would go. And it went over extremely well,” said Hinderliter. “I think the big key is we were able to appeal to more people.
“We were only appealing to a small segment of our readers and not appealing to the community at large.”
The library’s calendar is loaded with children’s events, from story time at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays to Lego Club at 2:30 p.m. the same day.
Hinderliter also noted that there will be a special focus on having programming when Jay School Corporation is on breaks. For the fall, that includes pumpkin decorating Oct. 22 and an all-day Lego Club event Oct. 23.
Shreve is especially excited about programs that promote creative thought as part of the “maker movement.” The focus this month was on learning about electricity with program about static electricity and circuits. October will be about robots, with a craft session at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 2 and building robots out of toothbrushes and small motors a week later.
“What we’re trying to do is help facilitate opportunities for kids to come in and make things, play around with things, test things out,” said Shreve.
Though there is an emphasis on children and early learning, the library seeks to provide services for all ages.
Lucas is looking forward to a resume workshop scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13. It will offer an opportunity for library staff to work with job seekers on formatting resumes and getting them on paper because they are often built on websites like Peoplelink or Manpower.
Helping build such life skills — technology classes for seniors are offered through a partnership with John Jay Center for Learning and Lucas hopes to hold a car maintenance seminar in the future — is key to the library’s mission to serve adults.
“The library is here to help support continual learning, provide information,” said Lucas. “It’s used a lot for entertainment — fiction reading, music, movies, things like that.
“We want to be sure that we’re also offering opportunities to learn and continue learning, and as many free opportunities as we can.”
While there has been increased programming in order to draw visitors to the library, the staff has also put a focus on moving beyond the facility’s walls.
Library assistant Cindy Strietelmeier visits nearly 20 preschools each month to hold story times. And Shreve has weekly programs for Latchkey at General Shanks Elementary School and the boys and girls clubs at Jay Community Center.
Hinderliter also emphasized partnerships with Jay County Chamber of Commerce, Jay County Historical Society, LifeStream, Jay-Randolph Developmental Services, Arts Place, John Jay and the community center.
“Programming has probably always been important, but in this day and age, we have to prove our worth in different ways and we have to deliver services in different ways and give people experiences in the non-traditional library sense,” he said. “I think a lot of people have the stereotype version of what the library was when they were a kid. … With how technology has changed, it forces us to just do things differently. I think every library should have a goal of wanting to make a difference in a community, wanting to make an impact.”