Dell Rapids Carnegie Library Director Brittany Moeller spoke to the Dell Rapids City Council during their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 21st.  She provided an update to the council on the happenings of the library and painted a picture of continued success since the renovations were completed in March of 2015.

Moeller reported that the library just completed their winter story time sessions that lasted a total of eight weeks in the months of December and January.  Around 150 children participated in the story time sessions.  Moeller and the library staff are getting ready for their spring time story sessions which will begin on March 6th.  Moeller also mentioned that over 80 children took part in their Valentine’s Day craft, which is the most they’ve had since doing the event.

The library has also seen many daycare providers bring children through.  Busy Blessing daycare has been bringing around 20 children through the library once week over the past couple of months.  The library has also seen children from Next Generation Childcare and Learning Circle pre-school.

Moeller then reported that the library will be partnering with the senior citizen center to provide technology classes.  They are looking to offer a couple of different courses including a beginners computer class, a more advance computer class, and sessions on smart phones and tablets/e-readers.  They hope to be starting those sessions soon and more details will be provided in the near future.  The library is also getting ready for their summer reading program, which will officially start in June, but they are planning for some kick-off events that will take place in May.

The library also continues to see new memberships.  Moeller said that they have had about 10 new members join since the beginning of 2017, but she anticipates they will get a big jump in new memberships when school is out for the summer.  She told the council that is typically when they get most of their new memberships since they send flyers and information home with children from both Dell Rapids public and Dell Rapids St Mary.

“Business has picked up at the library, and we’re loving it,” said Library Director Brittany Moeller Monday, July 6th, during the regular Dell Rapids City Council meeting.  Moeller presented the council with an update at the library since re-opening at the renovated building on Monday, March 23rd.

66 new library cards have been handed out since the beginning of 2015, and 58 of the new cards have been acquired since moving back into the building.  The 66 cards are servicing a total of 193 people.  Moeller mentioned that in all of 2014, only 68 new cards were acquired.  “We’re only halfway through the year, and we’re almost there,” said Moeller.  The cost for a library card is free if you live inside the Dell Rapids city limits.

The library is currently in the middle of their summer reading program, “Every Story has a Hero”.  So far 392 people from birth through adults have signed up for the program.  Last year the summer reading program had 242 people.

The average number of check-ins and check-outs has also increased since the renovation.  Moeller said, “The amount of items that we check-in and check-out every day has more than doubled from the past two years.”  Right now the library staff is averaging over 600 total check-ins and check-outs Monday-Friday.