Marshall library birthday wish: New carpeting

Marshall Public Library will soon begin fundraising for new flooring, board members decided at their meeting Tuesday evening, Jan 12.

Librarian Amy Crump read bids for carpeting from Marshall Home Store, $3.31 per square foot; Ehrhardt Floor Covering, $3.73 per square foot; and Carpet Plus, $3.29 per square foot. Crump also had a bid of $5 to $6 per square foot for epoxy floor covering from Epoxy Coating Specialists Inc.

Crump said she would like to give donors the opportunity to buy a piece of flooring of a specified size. As money begins to come in, she said, the library will make a visual display using slices of "birthday cake" to represent incremental increases in funds.

The board approved "selling" library flooring at $10 per square foot, to include labor and other costs and account for possible price increases before the fundraising is complete. After more research has been done into the epoxy surface, the board will choose what flooring option to use.

"We also need to consider things like cleanliness," board Vice President Ann Aulgur said.

As the new flooring at the library is part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, so is a new logo for the facility. Board members chose the new design, from several solicited from and submitted by graphic arts students at Missouri Valley College, and it will be unveiled March 20 at library birthday festivities.

In the treasurer's report, board members learned that the library is right on track with its annual budget.

"We should be at about 26 percent," Crump said, and a total of 26.55 percent of the budget has been spent.

Crump also said the library's most recent book sale earned $197.87, which will go toward the Summer Reading Program.

In her report, Crump said the library hosted 18 programs with 284 participants in December 2009, compared with 16 programs and 208 participants in November.

Circulation was down in December, however, 4,512 items compared with 4,954 items in November. At the end of December library card holders numbered 8,132.

Crump also presented an annual report about the library. A total of 216 programs were held in 2009, compared with 183 in 2008. Circulation increased about 21 percent, from 53,109 to 64,489. Cardholders also increased about 11.5 percent, from 7,136 to 7,958. Visits to the library in 2009 totaled 48,909.

The staff report noted that the library's Citizen Information Center is now complete.

"We have added more literature" onto it, staff member Vickie Johnson said.

When its regular meeting ended, the board adjourned into executive session.

Board members Anita Wright, Nikki Fahnestock, Katye Elsea, Jeanne Simonton and Arline Borchers were also present at the meeting.

The library board will meet again Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net