By Stephen Floyd
The Mt. Angel Public Library is celebrating a year of landmark community engagement during 2023 and hopes to build on these successes in the coming year.
Library Director Jackie Mills spoke with Our Town about how new employees and grant opportunities allowed the “small but mighty” library to create inroads into the community.
“I think we made a difference this year,” she said.
The library took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic but attendance has since been trending upward, including in August of 2023 when patron engagement more than doubled compared to 2021.
Mills said one major player was Sara Gonzalez, who started as Youth Services Coordinator in June. Gonzalez’s proficiency in both English and Spanish helped make new bilingual programs possible, with the added advantage of her strong reputation in the local Spanish-speaking community.
“Sara has just been doing an outstanding job,” said Mills.
Gonzalez’ new programs included Creciendo Juntos (Spanish for “Growing Together”) which began in October and uses bilingual books and activities to build connections between local families. Mills said a library program is successful if it has more than ten attendees, and Creciendo Juntos has regularly drawn up to 20 patrons.
Creciendo Juntos is held Saturdays at 1 p.m. at the library and new families are welcomed to join in.
Last summer also saw the addition of a teen intern through a $4,000 Library Services and Technology Act grant, and local high schooler Sailor Hill was brought on from May to August.
Hill used her interest in ukelele playing to create a new program for kids: “Ukes for Youth.” Mills said this passion was part of why Hill was chosen. She had a clear vision for how she wanted to engage with the community.
“Having Sailor here the whole summer was really helpful,” said Mills.
Ukes for Youth saw participation on a similar scale to Creciendo Juntos, and was such a hit the library bought five ukeleles for patrons to check out. The ukeleles remain available, and Mills said this aligns with the goal of giving a local teen a valuable summer experience and to build something lasting for the library.
Mills said she plans to ask for a dedicated line item in the library budget for another summer intern, owing to Hill’s success. While other grant funds may be available, Mills said she would rather be certain of funding, and will ask the City Council during the upcoming budget cycle.
Grant funds continue to be available from the library’s STEAM Equity Grant. It funds learning opportunities for young people in science, technology, engineering, art and math. The grant provided $15,000 over four years, with 2024 being the final year. Mills said the program has created new opportunities for student engagement.
The library has featured displays on specific topics like astronomy and botany, with related books and instruments such as telescopes. After they cycle into a new display, the materials from the prior display are converted into a STEAM kit kids can check out for free.
Another kit-based program is scheduled to begin in January with the “Spice of the Month” club, allowing patrons access to species and corresponding recipes from different cultures. The club will meet the first Thursday of each month and discuss their experiences using the spices and receive the next month’s kit.
The kickoff for Spice of the Month is scheduled for Jan. 4 at 6:30 p.m. As there is no previous month’s spice to discuss, patrons will sample snacks from a Universal Yums subscription box, and receive the kit for February’s discussion.
Mills said these many points of engagement drive home the idea that libraries are truly democratic institutions where all are welcome, especially in a small town.
“Yes, we still have books, but we have so much more,” said Mills. “Really what I think we have more than anything is our programming that meets people’s needs.”
