Mead's 1999 Nebraska Community Improvement Program Submission

Community: Mead

Name of Project: Library Improvements - Y2K Looking toward the future of the Mead Library

Project Coordinator: Vera Kuhr - Mead Library & Cheryl Johnson - Friend of the Library

Project Time Schedule: Long Term - On going

Date began: 1996 Date Finished: On going

Volunteer hours: 1000 Number of Volunteers: 25 Age Range: 10 - 70

Project Summary and Goal Attainment: The Friends of the Library Group meet regularly to aid Vera, our librarian in improvement projects. They have shelved books, helped with story hours, organized and reorganized. They are available and help to create shelf cards which have been out of date for some time.

Collecting Local History: The Public Library has been a focal point for local history. In fact, when the Saunders County Historical Society wanted volunteers to help capture photos for an upcoming pictorial history - it was the Mead Library who was asked to be a point of contact. Local photos have been collected and digitally scanned and written to CD-ROM for use at the library. Phyllis Nelson, a long time library supporter, was one of the contributors of photos for this project and she wanted to make sure that her old photos would be available to the library as well as the Saunders County Historical Society. Copies of the CD will also be made available to Mead School Library.

Speaking of the Mead School Library: Mead schools and Ms. Anne Stotts is another great supporter of the public library and loan books for the summer reading program from their collection to the public library to insure that there is an adequate selection available for young readers.

Rudy Paulson: Mr. Paulson was a generous contributor to the community and the library who passed away this report book year. Mr. Paulson lived in Mead as a child and kind in his donations back to our community. When he passed away, his heirs, donated many books from his personal collection to the Mead Public Library. The library meeting room is named to honor his parents.

Treasure Your Library:  This year's summer reading program provided a fun time for all! The library entered a float in the parade for Mead Days, full of sea going creatures and pirates. A speaker from the Federal Reserve came to speak about the Federal Treasury and $$$.

Saunders County Library Partnership:  For two years the six libraries of Saunders County have been visioning, planning and plotting for better library services and together they are seeing their goals met! This reporting year the Nebraska Library Commission approved a large grant to cover the costs of both hardware and software for automation of the libraries. When completed, patrons will be able to borrow books from any of the six libraries. Additionally, as of Jan. 1, 1999; out of town library user were required to pay a $10 annual fee for their library card. After careful studies it was revealed that in town taxpayers were paying about $15 per resident for library services while our country cousins were only supporting the libraries to the tune of about .11 (yes, eleven cents) per resident. New library cards were issued beginning Jan. 1, 1999.

Eastern Library System Grants:  Mead Library is a member of the Eastern Library Systems and this year requested and received a grant which will fund not only books but also a speaker. This fall we will learn to relax and be healthy thanks to Eastern's grant.

Sprucing up the library:  Wow! Talk about getting ready for a party in the year 2000, the Mead Library has undergone a face lift. New shelves really make the library look like a library. That's the inside, but outside a patio has been added to the rear and native grasses will cover the area surrounding that space soon.

Promoting the Library:  Promoting the library is an on going event. Items are placed in the Mead Messenger every month. Additionally, the Bank of Mead promotes the library's activities in it's monthly letter Money Matters. The Wahoo Newspaper is also generous in it's coverage. The library has a web page that is updated regularly and a web page design class was even offered at the library.

So many things are happening at the Mead Public Library! Come for a visit and sit and read a spell, or use our internet, or thumb through the vintage 1900 newspapers, or view the CD of old photos or ... well, come back and visit sometime!

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