On Wednesday, November 5th, the Ayer Public Library Committee commenced its monthly meeting at 6:00 pm sharp. Before the meeting, the board members talked about their recent Halloweens and what their favorite candy is. This meeting also unveiled the new carpeting that was voted on in the past meeting to end the dizzy spells caused by the old carpet’s pattern. Fear not, though, the old carpet squares will not go to waste; they’re to be used as floor seating for children at library events. 

At this meeting, there was a quite special topic discussed. Our little library has just received a gift of  $10,000 from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Ayer Public Library has been a proud Carnegie Library since 1908, when Carrie A. Briggs, the library board secretary, reached out to the Carnegie Endowment Fund to receive funding to build a Carnegie Library in Delavan. Andrew Carnegie, a lover of literature, education, and a believer in the importance of public libraries, wanted his amassed wealth to make education more accessible around the country. This was to pay tribute to his upbringing and the library that helped him become who he was. The foundation agreed that this town needed a library building and granted $10,000 to the cause, though it took years of back and forth. The final decision was approved in 1913, and within a year, the library was erected in 1914 from that $10,000 donation. All Carnegie Libraries that remain now were granted the same gift this year. While 10 thousand dollars isn’t enough to build another building of that beauty and stature, it is an amazing amount of money that is going into building restoration and upkeep. Though they’re not quite sure what they’re going to spend the money on yet, rest assured, they have plenty of wonderful ideas circling for it! They’ll be announcing once they have reached a decision. 

It’s once again time of year for the committee members to report to the Illinois Library Association what they’re doing to meet the goals and expectations of the Illinois Public Library Standards. These standards ensure the library maintains proper disability accessibility, complies with state and federal regulations, operates with a balanced and transparent budget, and continues to serve as a reliable and enriching resource for the community. The committee members sectioned out this report and are working diligently to get it in. The results of which will be discussed at next month’s meeting. In a similar fashion, it’s time for the annual review. This year’s audit is underway, for which a motion was passed to request an extension on their submission. The library board will be sure to report the proper documentation to the Illinois State Comptroller. 

Mel Clauser has been busy as a bee working with the community to consult them on Medicare Part D. A cause that’s been going well, as townsfolk are keeping his sessions fully booked. If you qualify for Medicare Part D, or wish to find out if you do, consider signing up for one of these sessions. 

Ahead of the holiday season, the committee voted to set the library staff’s holiday bonus. These hard workers will be finding out what their gift is soon. They also made the decision to turn the water off in the old annex building during the winter months. The water will be turned back on once it begins to warm up. This decision will save the Library 60 dollars a month and protect the pipes from damage, as they won’t be needed during this time, and water would otherwise be left in them to freeze. The next meeting was announced to take place on Wednesday, December 3rd. The meeting adjourned at 6:30 pm.