GBPL Board of Directors welcomed a new member, Alicia Lear, at their regular meeting Monday afternoon. Lear replaces Rose Kelly, who served the board for many years, reaching the limit of terms allowed. She and her husband own the Harper Camperland RV Dealership in Great Bend. They have two daughters and one granddaughter.
With the beginning of a new fiscal year, the board also appointed a new slate of officers. Lear volunteered to take her predecessor’s position as secretary. The slate of officers approved unanimously were: Marla Davidson, chairman; Krista Smith, vice chairman; Karen Ekberg, treasurer. Bill King agreed to serve as the board’s Central Kansas Library Service voting representative.
Great Bend Public Library Director Gail Santy also introduced the library’s newest employee, Michael Adamyk, the marketing and technical services manager. He takes the place of Elizabeth Dukelow, who took a cataloguing position with the Central Kansas Library Service recently. He spoke briefly of his plans to increase awareness of what the library has to offer, including digital services, as well as promoting library services to homebound and nursing home populations.
Plans were made concerning the annual CKLS Library Bus Tour happening on Monday, Aug. 27. The board agreed to allow the library to close that day so library staff can attend. The highlight of this year’s trip will be a visit to the newly remodeled Wichita Public Library.
Santy reported efforts are underway to begin weeding the library’s collection of obsolete offerings. The first step, determining what items haven’t been checked out in the past decade, has been completed. 4,000 items were identified, she said. She also noted that digital circulation via ebooks is increasing while circulation of print circulation is decreasing. Reference is not being used much, and there is a higher demand for DVDs and popular fiction, she said.
Santy also shared about her experience meeting the three candidates for the Great Bend City Administrator position. She and administrative assistant Steve Kumer attended a recent Great Bend Chamber of Commerce coffee meet and greet, and she made a point of asking each candidate what their thoughts were about creation of a strategic plan and where the library would fit into such a plan. All three, she said, spoke of the critical importance a library is to the community.