When the City of Waseca went through their Vision 2030 process, the library integrated itself into the planning process--helping Waseca meet its goals. Waseca Public Library staff realized their organization was perfectly positioned to take on some heavy lifting in creating a more vibrant and dynamic community. From Wellness Day and Adventure Packs to School Coding Days and a Community Music Garden, the library interlocked its mission with the community's to create healthy, interesting, and forward-thinking community events and assets--held inside and outside the library. Staff also reached out to community members to connect them to the library itself through events and our Leaders Are Readers initiative. In this presentation, we'll talk about a variety of community engagement techniques we use in working towards Waseca's vision. We'll also cover how to spot opportunities for libraries to step up to the plate in their communities.
Sarah Scheffert is a fanatical reader and terrible speller. When she's not helping patrons at the library, she compiles the library's monthly stats and helps with the teen programming. She likes taking pictures, her chickens, and red shoes.
Kim Bauer is the Distribution Clerk for the Waseca Le Sueur Regional Library System. Kim runs the rotation of new materials throughout the library system. She loves working with patrons of all ages and helping bring resources to the community. Making fun displays is one of her favorite... Read More →
Afton is a Teen and Adult Librarian who can be found buried in a stack of RomComs while riding the Peloton. She is a murderino who loves, Hanson, Pens, Hockey, and any type of sweet.
Erica Forsythe is passionate about making the library a pillar in its community. She works closely with Waseca's businesses and people to provide continued support and knowledge in the forms of classes, clubs, and reader's advisory. Erica enjoys staying current on what hobbies are... Read More →
The children's librarian at Waseca Public Library, Brianna Bleeker has been working as an official librarian for 2 years and is very excited to be part of such a dynamic library.
