Officials in the Starke County Public Library system will be accepting food donations in the month of July for residents who owe fines.
Continue readingStarke County Library to Accept Food for Fines in July
Starke County, Culver-Union Township Public Libraries Reopen to Public Today
Some local libraries reopen to the public today. The Starke County Public Library System says it will allow up to 25 patrons at a time in its Henry F. Schricker Branch in Knox. It will be open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Hamlet, Koontz Lake, and San Pierre branches will be open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with up to five people allowed at a time.
Continue readingLibraries Continue to Adjust Services As Buildings Remain Closed
Local libraries continue to be closed to the public, even as they keep looking for other ways to offer services. The Pulaski County Public Library in Winamac says it will remain closed due to its construction project. The library says reopening plans will be shared when construction wraps up in September.
Continue readingNorth Judson-Wayne Township Public Library Reopens to Public
The North Judson-Wayne Township Public Library reopened to the public this week. In a Facebook post Tuesday, the library said only 10 people are being allowed in the building at a time, and each person will only be allowed to stay for 30 minutes each day. Patrons can call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Continue readingStarke County Public Library System to Start Offering Curbside Pickup, Document Services Monday
The Starke County Public Library System will start offering curbside service Monday. Library patrons can request new materials by calling their local branch or placing holds online using their Evergreen account, and the library will set up an appointment for a pickup time, according to a post on the library system’s Facebook page.
Continue readingStarke County, North Judson-Wayne Township Libraries Planning to Resume Operations
Starke County’s public libraries will start gradually resuming operations Monday. Governor Eric Holcomb’s Back on Track Indiana plan allows libraries to open starting May 4, according to their own policies and CDC guidelines. Both the Starke County Public Library System and the North Judson-Wayne Township Public Library will keep their buildings closed to the public for now.
Continue readingStarke County Public Library Locations Closed through April 14
The Starke County Public Library System will remain closed at least until April 14. The decision was approved by the library board Friday, according to Library Director Kathleen Bowman. Board members plan to reevaluate the situation during their regularly scheduled meeting on April 14.
Continue readingStarke County Public Library System Closed until Further Notice
Officials at the Starke County Public Library System announced that all locations will be closed until further notice. All programming, including outreach and homebound delivery are closed and all public meeting rooms are closed.
Continue readingStarke County Public Library Locations Closed until Further Notice
The Starke County Public Library System has closed all of its locations until further notice. Those with library materials are asked not to return them yet, according to the library’s Facebook page. Due dates have been extended until April 27. Library Director Kathleen Bowman says there’s no timeline yet for when the library will reopen.
Continue readingMeet the New Director of the Starke County Public Library System
The Starke County Public Library has a new director! Community members will have a chance to meet Director Kathleen Bowman next month when the library hosts a meet-and-greet.
Bowman started in December of last year but she said the library board has been giving her some time to get acclimated to the area and the position before holding the welcome party. Continue reading
SCPL Director Submits Letter of Resignation
The Starke County Public Library System will soon be looking for a new director. Rose Frost submitted her letter of resignation to the board during last night’s meeting. June 30 will be her last day. Continue reading
New Library Director to Begin Duties Today
A new library director will be taking over the chief duties with the Starke County Public Library system.
Rose Frost is coming to the area from the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library where she was the director there beginning in 2011. Prior to her work at the library she was an online instructor with library and information studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Frost also worked as a Public Library Consultant/Grant Coordinator in Utah.
E-Books Now Available at all Libraries in Starke County Library System
E-Books and E-Audio Books have come to the Starke County Library system. Library Director, Sheila Urwiler, talks about the service.
“You get to check them out for one to two weeks, and at the end of the period the title just expires. So there are no late fees, you can’t be charged for anything. It’s a free service. We think people will really enjoy it.” Urwiler said.
We asked Sheila how many books are available.
“Oh, several thousand, and its growing rapidly. We’re part of a consortium, with other Northern Indiana libraries. Because of that, we are able to offer a lot more titles than we could if we just had to build the collection on our own. It’s both E-Books and E-Audio Books where you can download a book and listen to it.”
Digital Books to Replace Libraries?
What’s the future of libraries in the digital age? We posed that question recently to Shelia Urwiler, Director of the Starke County Library system.
“E-books are changing the library landscape quite a bit and no one is one hundred percent sure how that’s going to work out,” said Urwiler. “We do know that we are going to transition more to e-books and less print eventually. I heard a speaker say that he thinks it will be in the next two to three years – I think that’s a little overestimating. I think we’re looking more at 15 to 20 before print really is more for special collections and archives.”
Starke County Youth Photo Contest to Begin in January
The Starke County Public Library system is sponsoring a Youth Photo Contest. Children ages 5 to 18 are welcome to participate.
Photos need to be taken to the Children’s Department desk at the Henry F. Schricker branch from January 6th until January 22nd. Pick up a form to fill out to tape to the back of the photo and sign a release of liability to the Library. All entries must be a minimum measurement of 5×7. Two pictures may be submitted and they may be black and white, color, or one of each. Photos must be framed. The photos will be displayed February 1st through February 28th and judging will be done by patrons on February 15th and 16th. Winners will be posted on the library’s website and winners will be notified by email or by phone.
For more information, call (574) 772-7323.
