VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The following news releases by Valley City Barnes County Library Director Steve Hammel and Library Youth Services Director Melissa Lloyd provide an update to the public about the services offered this summer during this pandemic.
Melissa Lloyd said, “The Library closed its doors to the patrons on March 19th. Normally it’s a quiet place, but there are always little noises. I can tell you; it has never been so quiet as when I sat in the Children’s Library that chilly day in March. No laughter of kids in the playroom. No slamming and thump, thump, thump as people entered and exited the building through the SE door. No creaking as people walked back and forth across the 100-year-old floor. It was a silence of profound sadness.
She said we made it through the end of March with a skeleton staff and an uncertain future.
Libraries across the United States were all asking the same question, how can we provide programs for our patrons?
On April 1st, (thanks to the publishers giving permissions to educators, and librarians to read their books online) we brought our first virtual Story Hour to the people of Barnes County. That first program was Silly April Fool’s Day Story Hour. I certainly felt silly singing, dancing, reading, and even crafting all by myself, with only my iPhone to watch me. Thankfully, people at home did watch and just like that, the Library was providing Virtual Programming. A virtual weekly story time! Yes win! But another, even more daunting dilemma loomed on the Library Horizon; “What about
Summer Learning?”
“Yes, library lovers, there will be a Summer Learning Program this year.” Even though many regular activities over the summer in question are being cancelled; we will still have the Summer Learning Program available. We normally spend nine months of planning to create the awesome Summer Learning program you have come to expect for the kids and teens. The first of April, we had to scrap the plans we had, six months of work, (I’m still mourning the loss of the Renaissance Festival) and start fresh.
In the past two months, we put together a Virtual Summer Learning Program, from scratch. Starting June 1st, you will be able to access all our programs through Facebook, and our new library YouTube Channel. We start off with a bang the week of June 1st. Public libraries across the state will be participating in a week long shared Kickoff event. Participating libraries are doing thirty-minute presentations and each program will be something different. VCBC Library’s is doing Enchanting Chemical Tricks and making ice cream in a bag Thursday June 4th at 1:30 pm, so please be there to cheer us on. Also starting June 1st, every Monday through Friday for 10 weeks we will be featuring entertainers, performers, authors, crafts, fun with food, take n makes, games nights, story hours and even an old-time radio show. The calendar of events will be out soon on Facebook and the Website, so keep your eyes open. It won’t be the same as in person, but it will be just as awesome!!
To track reading this year we are partnering with the North Dakota State Library to use a fun service called Beanstack. Sign up at https://librarynd.beanstack.org You’ll earn badges based on challenges and you can create an account for the whole family to track everyone individually. Reading challenges begin June 1st and go until August 15th. The Valley City Barnes County Public Library is once again participating in the Bank of ND 529 plan so make sure your register and log your reading.
For More information about the Summer Learning Program or the Library please call 845-3821 or email support@vcbclibrary.org
The following is a statement attached below is from Steve Hammel, Director of the Valley City Barnes County Public Library.
The following attachments are the June and July calendar of the Valley City Barnes County Public Library.