Youth, family events pack community's libraries

Kudos to our Children’s Services librarian for organizing another successful children and family event at the library on Thursday. The library’s meeting rooms were filled to capacity and overflowing with people who showed up to learn about owls with Idaho Fish and Game’s Beth Paragamian. Beth’s programs are always a big hit with activities that illustrate the workings of nature and more often than not, live animals.

The high attendance speaks to our community’s desire for fun, educational enrichment programs for families. It also tells us a couple of things about the library. With a meeting room capacity of 72 people, programs such as the one held on Thursday have outgrown the space available here. The Rude Girls Room, as it is called, can be separated into 3 partitioned rooms of various sizes, but is most often used as a single room for relatively small functions. Library sponsored programs as well as those organized by community entities often face the limitation of the room’s capacity.

Capacity is one problem; availability is another. The library offers a robust schedule of educational and life enrichment programs, most of which take place in the Rude Girls Room. We also conduct library meetings there when the designated staff meeting room is too small or unavailable for a particular meeting. At times, it is a challenge to schedule the room for library programs because it is in such high demand. This is a frequent dilemma since the two-fold purpose of the meeting rooms is to open them up for non-profit community use and for library programs. We have had to turn people away, and have even had to bump functions from the schedule due to the lack of available time slots.

Consider, too, that the Rude Girls Room is used for multiple purposes; professional meetings, craft and makerspace programs and a variety of events. This shared functional space poses its challenges. Crafts and other discovery-based learning projects tend to be messy and sometimes require that items be left out to dry or process. Additionally, a functioning makerspace works best when it doesn’t have to be dismantled put away in another location after each session. The library’s makerspace is a program, rather than an actual space. It’s better than nothing, but Tuesday afternoons may not suit everyone’s schedule, excluding some who are interested in participating.

The multipurpose function also diminishes the professional atmosphere of the room for community meetings and events. We meticulously clean the rooms, but evidence of past painting and building projects are left on the tables and carpeted floor.

While the rooms can be separated, only one of those sections has technology amenities and a sink with a counter. Requests to reserve a room with a projector and screen outnumber the amenities available.

The second thing that Thursday’s program demonstrates is the need for an expanded children’s services area. Most of the children’s programs held at the library are held in the Rude Girls Room because the children’s area is inside the quiet area of the library and it is quite small. When there is a conflict of the meeting room schedule and Story Time takes place in the children’s area, parents and kids are squeezed in like sardines – which is a bad thing because Story Time is highly interactive. Patrons complain that it is disruptive – although a number of patrons who would normally never see our fantastic early literacy programs are lured over by the laughter and activity. Still, if you have to do concentrated research or simply come to the library for the solitude, it can be inconvenient.

Inadequate space is a good problem to have. It shows that our community supports library programs and utilizes its services to the full. The library is busting at the seams in terms of usage and for that, we thank you.

Explore the Sandpoint and Clark Fork branch libraries, the Bookmobile and ebonnerlibrary.org to see these things for yourself. The following classes, workshops and events will take place at the Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar, unless otherwise indicated.

• Saturday, July 16 —Computer class on Microsoft Word basics, 8:15 a.m. sharp. Learn to create professional looking resumes, letters and other documents. Preregistration required; call 263-6930. Class held at Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St.

• Saturday, July 16 — Dice games with Brenden, 2 p.m.; play a variety of dice games. Event held at Clark Fork Library, 601 Main St., Clark Fork.

• Monday, July 18 — Relay Races, 10:30 a.m.; for kids and families as part of the 2016 Summer Reading theme, “On Your Mark, Get Set, Read.” The goal is to help kids stay active and reading through summer. Event being held at Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St.

• Tuesday, July 19 — Mother Goose, 10:15 a.m.; story/singing program for children ages 0 to 3 and their caregivers.

• Tuesday, July 19 — Preschool Storytime, 11 a.m.; for children ages 2 to 5 and their caregivers.

• Tuesday, July 19 — Make It at The Library, 2 p.m. Teens, kids and families create with robotics, Arduinos, needlework, Legos and other projects.

• Wednesday, July 20 — Clark Fork Stories and More. 10:30 a.m.; stories, crafts, prizes and snacks for kids ages 3-8. Event being held at Clark Fork Library, 601 Main St., Clark Fork.

• Wednesday, July 20 — Make It at The Library, Clark Fork Library, 601 Main St., Clark Fork. Kids make a variety of age appropriate crafts from 2-3:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, July 20 — “How Angel Peterson Got His Name”, 2 p.m. Book club discussion for fourth- through sixth-graders and their parents at the East Bonner Co. Library Dist. Sandpoint Branch, 1407 Cedar St.

• Thursday, July 21 — Airplanes with Quest Aircraft. 10:30 AM. Discover the world of aeronautics at this free Tuesday Fun program for kids and families at the Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St.

• Thursday, July 21 — Compasses. 2:30 p.m.. Learn to use a compass and then track down a treasure. Event is being held at the Clark Fork Library, 601 Main St., Clark Fork.

• Saturday, July 23 — Computer class on Microsoft Publisher basics, 8:15 a.m. sharp. Learn to create professional looking brochures, newsletters and other documents. Preregistration required; call 263-6930. Event is being held at the Sandpoint Library, 1407 Cedar St.

• StoryWalk — New StoryWalk locations and stories. Visit Farmin, Kootenai and Northside elementary schools and Clark Fork Jr./Sr. High. StoryWalk is a community partnership between The Library and Kaniksu Land Trust.

Marcy Timblin is in charge of public relations, marketing & community development for the East Bonner County Library District. She can be reached at 208-263-6930, ext. 1204.