Off and Running

2013 is off and running.  I hope all of you had a good holiday season.  But the new year waits for no one and there is much to do.

I have to begin on a sad note.  Jenny Parker, our librarian at Asbury, has resigned effective January 18th.  We wish her well as she joins the library team at Clarke University. 

Dubuque County Library has it's budget hearing with the Board of Supervisors on Friday, January 18th at 8:00 a.m. at the Court House downtown.  Everyone who cares about library service is welcome to attend.  This year we are asking for a largely status-quo budget.  We are asking for a 3% increase in our book budget to cover the cost of inflation.  There is a request for a significant increase in our programming line to support more presenters and more advertising.  We are also asking to promote two of our staff members to Librarian I which is one class above their current job title of Clerk IV.  We feel that they are performing above the clerk level and do much the same as our children's librarian who is in the librarian class.  The overall increase we are asking for is about 4%. 

Another news flash is that on Monday evening, January 7th, the Library Board agreed to participate in a county-wide advisory group to study library service.  This is the joint task force that Carnegie-Stout asked to form several months ago.  The purpose is to find ways to more effectively and economically provide quality library service to everyone.  We have not met as yet to set up our goals and objectives or to discuss committee structure.  Hopefully, that organizational meeting will be scheduled soon. 

Also at that meeting we welcomed a new board member.  Tim Wilgenbusch is replacing Tony Krapfl who resigned in November.  Mr. Wilgenbusch works for TriCon Construction in Dubuque.  He and his family live in the county near Centralia.  Tim is going to be a real asset to the board.

In February the focus is going to be on the Friends of Dubuque County Library.  The Friends group is hosting open houses at each of our branches to showcase our facilities and to promote what the Friends do for our library.  Each event will be on Saturday morning from 10:00-12:00.  There will be refreshments and tours of the library.  Here is the schedule:

February 2nd - Peosta Branch at NICC
February 9th -  Farley Branch at Drexler Middle School
February 16th - Epworth Branch
February 23rd - Holy Cross Branch (Hopefully we will be in our new space on Main Street!!)
March 2nd - Asbury Branch

Stop by and enjoy a cookie, sign up for door prizes, and enjoy your local library.

Don't forget to check our calendar for programs.  Storytimes are back, so be sure to find the time that is right for your family.  Our book discussion group meets next Thursday evening at NICC/Peosta to talk about "The Persian Pickle Club" by Sandra Dallas.  The Page to Screen series continues on January 23 and 24 when we watch "The Great Gatsby."  Pick up the books for these programs at any branch location.

Have a wonderful weekend.  Dawn