Activity.
It’s the one thing every public library wants and needs.
Co-Librarians Barb Bode and Dianne Gunderson showed the Elgin City Council last week just how busy the library has been in the past 12 months.
They said the summer reading program, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, was “a huge success.” The program changed this year as participants took part in more take-home activity packets for children in pre-school to first grade. A reading challenge was conducted for grades pre-school to adult.
Altogether, 24 children participated in the take home packets and another 32 boys and girls signed up for the Reading Challenge. Altogether, 15 reached or exceeded 100 percent of their goal and were rewarded with prizes.
A Thrivent grant, they said, was used to help with the expense of the summer program. In addition, the Coffeehouse Café and The Bank of Elgin donated prizes.
Other numbers which showed just how busy the library was are:
• Patrons — Altogether, 331 patrons (families) utilized the library. That number is up by 24 from last year. It breaks down to 226 patrons (in Elgin) and another 105 rural patrons.
• Circulation – 3,600 patron visits were recorded during the year.
• Items — The library added 420 items, making the total 8,880. The additions include children’s books, adult books (fiction and nonfiction), large print books and DVD’s. Member amount saved was in excess of $225,000.
* Lego league — Average attendance for the league which met once a month through February 2020 was 25 children.
