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Board: Desk project progressing at James V. Brown Library

The new solo desk in the circulation area of the James V. Brown Library should be in place in little more than a month, according to the facility’s executive director.

The one-desk project involves a makeover to the main circulation desk in the library, which redesigns the area to one main desk.

“To get an update on our one-desk … The carpet will actually be here and installed next week so that the main service desk can then be installed the first week of July once we get the carpet in,” Barbara McGary, executive director, told library’s board of trustees during its meeting Thursday. “We’re really happy with that, and it’s moving forward.”

She also told the board that its time for it to step forward in the advocacy campaign that the library has been participating in to advocate for the importance of libraries with government officials.

McGary said the month of July is meant for members of the board of trustees to reach out themselves to help add voices to the campaign.

“July is your month as trustees, so make sure that you’re talking to your constituents and make sure that you have someone besides yourself to call, write or email the county commissioners to talk about how important it is for an increase of funding for 2019,” she said.

She said the library wants to ask the county commissioners for a 5-percent increase in funding.

“That is a little bit more than $60,000 for all of the libraries together to share,” she said. “We think it is a modest increase … We are hoping for a modest increase every year so we can continue to provide library services.”

McGary said 14,040 people physically visited the library in person and 14,812 visited online during the month of May.

She said the library lent out 28,220 physical items and 5,233 electronic items in May.

In May, the library had 144 programs, which served 1,729 people, she said.

The library also reviewed its audit with John Compton, of Baker Tilly.

In reviewing the numbers, Compton said the library had two good years in 2017 and 2016.

He said the library has added $533,196 in equity over the past two years.

Kristin Caringi, chief financial officer/chief operations officer, said the replacement shed the students at Williamsport Area School District built for library is coming along nicely.

“The shed is going to go along State Street where the old shed was in the gated area. It’ll be behind the gate,” she said. “The labor was free from the school district.”

She said the library only had to pay for materials.

“We’re really very excited and very grateful for that,” she said.

She said the outside of the building is starting to reflect a summer appearance.

“If you haven’t already seen how nice the building is looking outside, it really looks great,” she said. “We were able to get Helminiak’s, in Old Lycoming (Township), to donate annual flowers for us. It was very nice.”

She said baskets for flowers are currently being filled from Helminiak’s, as well, and will be installed soon.

The next meeting will be at noon Aug. 16 at the library.

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