County helps library plan ‘Pop-up Libraries’

A new concept, “Pop-up Libraries,” and increased use of digital materials is pushing the staff of the Marshall-Lyon County Library to enhance its services.
And the Lyon County Board was quick to jump on board with financial help and support for the new projects.
Michele Leininger, administrator of the Marshall-Lyon County Library, said the year 2017 was a year of collections, building on observations and feedback from users.
“What we would like to do is basically make our library mobile and have places in various communities that don’t have a library,” Leininger said.
“In communities such as Ghent and Lynd, if we could find a place within the community to use for about two or three hours, this would allow us to be mobile,” she added.
“What we are asking this board for is an additional to $5,000 to $6,000 to defray the costs and not put limits on the program,” said Leininger.
“We like to do more pop-up libraries,” she said. Increasing the “digital library” is also a priority for the year.
“We’re also excited about expanding broadband across the county because that helps us with digital resources,” Leininger said.
The county board approved a total of $7,000 to the various library projects.
She told the Lyon County Board about 53 percent of users of the library are adults; four percent teens and 43 percent children. They use books at a 75 percent rate; media such as computers at 24 percent and other uses at one percent.
The digital circulation is at a 263 percent incase since 2015. “It’s up 44 percent over 2016,” said Leininger.
She said there were 136,940 visitors to the library and technology use was up with 58,775 users.
“What we’re looking at in 2018 is increasing better browsing in adult fiction; moving DVD’s/Audio books; buy new books; expanding circulating puzzle collections and creating an early learning STEM play area,” said Leininger.
“We’ve increased Science Saturday, Legos and Storytimes,” she said.
“A new area allows families to have fun without putting on a lot of stress,” she added.
According to Leininger, the library had a total circulation of 168,616 with 18,450 items placed on hold during the year.
New collections in the past year were:
•Short Takes (Fast fiction reads for adults);
•DIY University (life-long learning books and media on academic topics);
•Reader’s Cafe (books to help you find your next great read);
•World of Wonder (books and backpack kits on science topics for pre-K-fifth graders).
Commitments and opportunities include:
•Archive-It Grants to archive local digital activities;
•Libraries without Borders: MN State Library grant with nine libraries to bring information to those without access.
2018 goals:
Daycare kits (pilot) topic-based kits for providers to read and do activities around five best practices of learning (read, talk, sing, play, write).
•The Memoir Project: Digital maker space, local oral history and story collections with initial focus on collecting immigrant and refugee stories.
In Tracy, the highlights of the library include increasing attendance, new programs; programming for children this summer with story time and Robotics Club; strengthening the relationship with the Hmong community and, “We’re talking about ways we can do outreach there,” said Tracy Library Director Valerie Quist.
“Our goal is to increase our children’s circulation,” said Quist.
“We received a grant to remodel the basement and construction begins in the fall,” she added.
“We have also received a grant from the Carl and Verna Schmidt Foundation,” said Quist.

IN OTHER action the board:
•Approved a Conditional Use Permit for Dean Vroman of Milroy for a new feedlot. He was asked to meet odor offset requirements. The proposed facility will consist of a 102x208 foot confinement barn with eight-inch deep bar concrete manure pit. The feedlot in Clifton Township will contain a total animal unit capacity of 720 animal units (or 2,400 head) finishing hogs.
The addition was approved by the Lyon County Planning Commission.
•Approved a Conditional Use Permit to Greg Boerboom of Marshall for a new feedlot in Stanley Township. The proposed deep below barn concrete manure pit. The  facility will be 100 feet by 200 feet with eight-inch below the barn manure pit. Boerboom will have 2,400 hogs for 720 animal units. The Lyon County Planning Commission improved the request.