Author: mottlibrarian

Books, beautiful books, have transported me, enlightened me and rescued me since I began to read on my own. I was the kid who always wanted to do a book report, read more pages and find ways to make the reading out loud last longer. I am the Librarian. I often bite off more than I can chew and need a little help from my friends to make the vision come to life. I believe that all good things come from hard work and perseverance. My life includes 31 addresses in 5 states and 2 countries. I have lived many lives in this one since 1966. First child, first grandchild and an Aries. Yes, wicked might be the first word that comes to mind, but, I am a mild mannered and easy going gal. I enjoy people and I am a task master. Please visit me at the Mott Public Library and tell me about you and the books you want to read.

Special Board Meeting

mott.jpgA Special Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, August 24, at the Mott Public Library. 4:30-5 pm.

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Board Meetings update

The Board of the Mott Public Library meets each month on the last Wednesday to pay bills and approve payroll. These meetings are at 5:30 pm at the Mott Public Library.

The Board meets Quarterly in January, April, July, and October to discuss and review policies, the strategic plan and other necessary Library business.

These meetings are all open to the Public pursuant to the open meetings laws of the State of North Dakota.

Board Members

Melissa Brown, President

Michelle Quamme, City Council Delegate

Ann Blickensderfer, Treasurer

Betsy Weigand

Charles Crane

This Library 1911 to now, Part 1

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This Library is a busy place. I remember, when I first started as the Librarian, I was a bit downhearted at how lonesome the job was. Open 3 days per week for 18 hours offers limited time for patronage, but seeing up to 5 patrons all day long made it a very quiet place to work. It took only a month before I thought, perhaps, folks did not like me and so were not patronizing the Library. Silly thoughts, this was the place with books after all.

I listened to patrons. They wanted a Book Club. They wanted Children’s programs and Story Times. They wanted relevant and up to date books. They wanted a Library that partnered with other agencies and community businesses. They wanted a library which honored the rich history of the community and kept up with technological times. There was one public access computer.

Slowly it began. Training opportunities from the North Dakota State Library provided information and additional resources. The Board instructed this new Librarian to find out the rules and laws regarding the Library and proceed from there. Webinars, now widely popular for all manners of free training for almost any job position provided hours of tips and hints regarding how to run a library.

Books which hadn’t been read in 70 plus years were removed from shelves or put into a special collection, all things Mott or North Dakota. Books with damage or that moldy smell were removed. Some were classics, good Librarians had chosen well over the 100 or so years the Library had been open. Books which weren’t circulating needed to be relocated. New books were needed to replace them and interest new and existing patrons.

Programs needed visibility so the need to write articles for the local papers as well as posters, business cards and outreach to agencies, the school, child cares, the public at large commenced. Practice using existing software for publishing documents was interesting. Learning new software added challenges but was well worth it.

Starting something new is always exciting. Remembering the feel as you enter a favorite Library and then trying to recreate it is challenging and incites your most creative self. Vision, reality, daily tasks and building, the actual book by book, activity by activity building of the dream feels euphoric and demanding at the same time.

Stop by to see what a budding public Library looks like. The Mott Public Library is open Mondays from 10-1 then 1:30-6:30, Wednesdays from 12-7 and Fridays from 8-11.

Your Librarian, Carol

 

 

Fundraising for STEAM- Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics

Mix it. Shake it. Draw it. Blow it up. STEAM After School is for the curious, the adventurous and the exuberant students in grades 1-6 each Monday and Wednesday from 4-5 pm during the school year.

After School activities are numerous and varied at the Mott Public Library. Today featured the Step by Step Drawing Series: Horses, Dogs and Puppies, Cats, Caricatures, Tanks and Military Vehicles, Warplanes and 20 Ways to Draw a Tree. We then took the fabulous sidewalks  outside the Library and illustrated to our hearts content.

We finished our illustrations, shared stories about what we drew and prepared a healthy snack. We had bread, nutella, halo oranges and apple slices with water to drink.

Many of our activities are shared on the Mott Library facebook page, the Eido and The Herald. Please call or message us to find out how you can support After School Activities at the Mott Public Library.

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Board Members

I thought I had posted this somewhere on this website, but here it is again.

Mott Public Library Board Members

Melissa Brown, President

Penny Auch, Secretary

Melissa Reidlinger, City Council Delegate

Betsy Weigand, Board Member

Ann Blickesderfer, Board Member