Laramie County Library System is now fine free! The library’s Board of Directors voted to eliminate overdue fines, forgive existing fines, and remove most fees for services and materials, which means our services are more accessible than ever before. The policy change also helps Laramie County Library System continue to pursue its mission “to be a hub for engagement, literacy and learning, and lifelong curiosity and discovery,” by making it even easier to use the library to discover new books, new resources, and new information.
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Welcoming New Board Member Steven Leafgreen to the Library
Laramie County Library System recently welcomed Steven Leafgreen to its Board of Directors. Steven’s first term on the Board will last from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024. Board members for Laramie County Library System are appointed by the County Commissioners who are required by Wyoming state statutes to provide library services to their constituents. Individuals who are interested in serving on the Laramie County Library Board must fill out the Laramie County Commissioners’ board application and follow the guidelines provided on their website. Every time we welcome a new member to our Board of Directors, we like to offer the community an opportunity to get to know a little bit about them and their goals for Laramie County Library System. Steven shared a little bit about himself and his goals for future contributions to Laramie County Library System.
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2022 Summer Reading Challenge Drawing Prize Winners
Our 2022 Summer Reading Challenge ended on August 15. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Summer Reading Challenge! Over 167,000 days of reading were logged between all of the challenge’s participants. We hope to see everyone back for next year’s Summer Reading Challenge! Keep an eye out for other fun reading challenges throughout the year, including our “Read Your House” Harry Potter challenge in October.
To review a list of our youth, teen, adult, and treasure chest drawing prize winners, please click here. Anyone whose name was drawn will be contacted directly via the contact information provided during sign up.
An Evening with Mark Miller
On July 7, Laramie County Library had the pleasure of hosting an evening with Mark E. Miller, former Wyoming State Archeologist and author of the new book, Big Nose George: His Troublesome Trail. The book chronicles the events of the Elk Mountain Murders which took place in Carbon County in August of 1878.
Laramie County Library System Now Offering Laptop and Hotspot Check Out
Laramie County Library System is now offering free check out of laptops and hotspots to help keep library users connected for homework, work, or fun! Use this service to work on projects, apply and interview for jobs, stream video, play video games, participate in online meetings, and so much more.
Laramie County Library has 7 laptops available for check out and 2 laptops available for in-library use in Cheyenne. The Pine Bluffs and Burns Branch Libraries each have 1 laptop available for check out. The library has 8 hotspots available for check out in Cheyenne and 1 each in Pine Bluffs and Burns.
Visit https://lclsonline.org/laptophotspot to learn more about this new service and discover how you can check out a laptop and hotspot today!
Habitat: Artists’ Books
Featured image: “Confluent Septa” by Marc Snyder and Harvey Hix
Introduction from the exhibit curator, Mark E. Ritchie:
Words and images are at the core of books. As the curator of the 2022 annual Laramie County Library book arts exhibition, I paired artists and writers based on the imagery, themes, and sensibilities I had experienced in their writing or artwork. They were asked to explore the theme of “Habitat” with simple single page broadsides or folded folios. Each pair defined their work parameters and relationship. Most described their interactions as “conversations.”
Mary Gillgannon Retires from Laramie County Library System
Mary Gillgannon, Laramie County Library System’s Fiction Collection Development Coordinator, retired at the end of April after a 32-year career with the library. Mary began working at the Central Ave. library in the spring of 1990 as a Circulation Desk Assistant. After ten years, she moved into a new position assisting with the library’s Fiction Collection Development. She took on additional responsibilities when she began her role as a Senior Circulation Assistant and in 2006 Mary was promoted to the Fiction Collection Development Coordinator.
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Seed Library of Laramie County is Open for the 2022 Growing Season
The Seed Library of Laramie County is open and ready to grow! Check out up to 12 packets of seeds from the Seed Library, located at Laramie County Library, and take them home to begin planting your own garden. There are over 170 varieties of flowers, herbs, and vegetables, and every seed has been carefully chosen for its ability to thrive in Wyoming’s climate. The service and seeds are free to Laramie County residents and do not require a library card for use.
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Books Coming to the Screen in 2022
With all the streaming services and Hollywood looking for content, there are quite a number of books coming to the screen in 2022. Check out this helpful list to find your new favorite book-based movie or T.V. show.
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Hiring and Training New Employees at Laramie County Library System
Ever wonder what it takes to work at the oldest continuously operating county library system in the United States? Now is your chance to catch a peek!
Jeff Collins, Deputy Director of Public Service, wrote a feature article published in the most recent issue of Public Libraries magazine. The article, Constructing a New Employee Training Program, provides an overview of developing a universal training program for new library employees and is intended to provide information and best practices for libraries of all sizes. Readers can catch a glimpse of how Laramie County Library System hires and trains new employees to provide exceptional public service.
Public Libraries, published six times a year, is the official journal of the Public Library Association (PLA) and the only American Library Association (ALA) journal devoted exclusively to public libraries. Each issue includes important industry news, PLA and ALA updates, and columns and feature articles that offer strategies and ideas for the library profession.
Source: Collins, J. (2021). Constructing a new employee training program. Public Libraries, 60 (6), 20-25.