Library News

Library Closings

2011-12-23T11:53:00.000-06:00

HOLIDAY Closings
Sat. Dec 24 - Mon. Dec. 26
Sat. Dec 31st at Noon thru
Mon. Jan 2

CCL Debuts MOBIUS November 21st

2011-11-09T13:08:00.000-06:00

Beginning November 21st, 2011, Christian County Library patrons will be able to request materials online from MOBIUS member libraries, including the Springfield-Greene County Library and most college and university libraries in Missouri. MOBIUS is a network of mostly college and university libraries in Missouri. The libraries share an online catalog and courier delivery system and accept requests online directly from patrons in participating institutions across Missouri. Materials are picked up and returned from the person’s home library. MOBIUS users appreciate the delivery speed, ease of making requests, and the large collections of library materials available to borrow.

The MOBIUS Union catalog, easily accessible from the Christian County Library website beginning November 21st, gives patrons access to 5.8 million unique titles, and over 23 million volumes. If CCL doesn’t own the title you want, you’ll be able to search for and request your title immediately through the MOBIUS catalog, as long as it’s available from a MOBIUS member library. Staff will notify you when materials are available for pick up, often within a matter of days, at the Christian County Library and its Community Partner locations, the Nixa Community Center, Clever Public Library, and Sparta J & M Foods.

Since the 1998 founding of MOBIUS, Christian County Library patrons have requested access to MOBIUS. Two public libraries, Springfield-Greene County and Missouri River Regional, joined at its inception. Then membership was closed to public libraries. When MOBIUS became a non-profit in 2010, rules changed to again allow public libraries memberships.

Two Ozarks libraries, Christian County Library and Camden County Library will be the first added public libraries to offer MOBIUS to their residents. On behalf of these two libraries, the Springfield-Greene County Library applied for a Technology Ladder Grant from the Missouri State Library. Awarded earlier this year, the grant was approved to pay seventy-five percent of the cost of loading the initial catalog records for the two new members into MOBIUS and other beginning costs.

Visit http://mobiusconsortium.org/ to learn more about this system. The library will be closed all day November 17^th for MOBIUS staff training. Brochures and online tutorials will be available at the Christian County Library and at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us beginning November 21^st.

November Closing Dates

2011-10-27T10:58:00.000-05:00

Library November Closing Dates

The library will be closed on the dates listed above. You may return your items at the Ozark, Sparta J&M, Nixa Community Center, or Clever Bookdrops. You may place holds for desired items or renew items by logging into "my account" from the library catalog.

November News and Events

2011-10-20T11:34:00.000-05:00

Check out what is happening at the library in November!

November Kids Calendar

November News, Programs, and Events

2011-10-05T13:05:00.000-05:00

Join us at the Christian County library for an afternoon of refreshments, door prizes and games for all ages. Bring your friends and family and be ready to have fun!

Saturday

November 12, 2011

NOON to 5:00 pm

This event is free but registration is required.

Must be present to win door prizes.

Contact Lucinda Dailey for more details.

417-581-2432 or info@christiancounty.lib.mo.us

2011-08-25T11:44:00.000-05:00

The Christian County Library is seeking bids for a cleaning service. If you click on the link below you will find an Request For Proposals and details of services that we are requesting. Please contact the library to schedule a walk-through of the building.

http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/RFP/janitorialRFP.pdf

Library Logo Survey

2011-05-05T16:05:00.006-05:00

Winner!

Chris Stuart of Imaginaut Designs.

Christian County Library Board Vacancy

2011-03-22T10:33:00.003-05:00

Effective March 2011, a vacancy exists on the Christian County Library Board. Applicants must be a registered voter in North Linn, South Linn, North Galloway or South Galloway Township and should be familiar with the library. Trustees are appointed for four-year terms. They must participate in monthly board meetings, which now occur on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. in the library. Except for November and December when they are earlier to aviod conflicts with Thanksgiving and Christmas, meetings are usually the last Friday and generally last from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the agenda.

Perspective trustees should pick up a board brochure and application form from the County Commission or at the library or copy one from the library's website: http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/library/BoardBrochure.pdf . The completed form should be returned no later than closing time the day before the board metting, 8 p.m. Thursday, March 24 or 8 p.m. Thursday, April 28, so they can be distributed to trustees at the meeting before a brief interview during the board meeting. The President of the Board of Trustees will take a slate of candidates to the County Commission with recommendations from board vote. Terms will begin wtih receipt of the Commission's decision.

Library good first step to a fruitful garden

2011-03-03T10:47:00.000-06:00

Originally published in the News-Leader (Nixa and Ozark editions) on 3/2/2011
By Katy Pattison

It's almost spring, but if you're a gardener, you've probably already spent weeks dreaming, seed catalog in hand, of how to turn your outside space into the garden you want, moving grass and trees, fruits and vegetables, shrubs and flowers about on paper.

Now is the perfect time for drawing garden plans and figuring costs. The Christian County Library has the resources to make your garden planning fun and fruitful.

Looking to create a space-saving garden? "All New Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew covers efficient and simple techniques for making the most out of a small garden space with the least amount of work, including raised beds and vertical gardening techniques.

If your garden is already established and you're looking for some easy projects to enhance it, check out "Easy Garden Projects to Make, Build and Grow" by Barbara Pleasant. It discusses tips and tricks for saving time while gardening and creating garden improvements from items you likely have on hand.

Organic gardening techniques are a popular topic. For an easy overview on creating, cooking and preserving from an edible organic garden for small spaces, try "Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces" by Gayla Trail.
Want a classic and comprehensive tome on organic vegetable gardening? "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" by Edward C. Smith describes raised-bed techniques, soil quality, companion planting, crop rotation and more with plenty of pictures to supplement Smith's information.

This is just a sampling of the hundreds of gardening books available with your library card. Need information on seed saving? Growing perennials? Landscaping? It's all available at your library. You can even place materials on hold through our website and have them delivered to the Nixa Community Center, Clever Public Library, or J&M Foods in Sparta for pick up.
Can't make it to the library or our pick-up locations? Use your library card online to access a collection of more than 100 journals in our database, Gardening, Landscape and Horticulture collection. Here, you'll find more than 3 million articles focused on key issues in gardening, landscaping and other areas of horticulture for gardening enthusiasts and professionals alike. To search it, visit our databases page at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/.

Visit the Christian County Library online at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us for more information, or call us at 581-2432.

Software benefits job seekers

2011-02-16T08:20:00.000-06:00

Originally published in the News-Leader (Nixa and Ozark editions) on 2-16-2011

The Christian County Library is premiering several new databases in February, making it more convenient for Christian County residents to use library-quality resources from their home computers.
In an exciting development for job seekers, Optimal Resume software is now available to all cardholders in the Christian County Library system.

Optimal Resume allows users to create the full spectrum of career documents, from resumes and cover letters to online portfolios, video resumes and professional websites. They can also answer common interview questions and share the recorded answers to get feedback and suggestions for improvement.
"This goes far beyond simple resume templates," said Rhonda Riley, head of technology at the library. "There are sample resumes for dozens of career fields and positions, lists of power words to spark ideas, the ability to easily create and edit your own documents and website and even options for staging mock interviews with your webcam. Our staff was blown away by the possibilities."

A second database now available to library cardholders is Morningstar Investment Research Center.
A valuable investing resource, the service is from Morningstar Inc., a leading provider of independent investment research, in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Christian County Library patrons interested in stocks and funds will have access to valuable Morningstar's premium information. This includes Morningstar analysts' independent opinion on 1,700 stocks, 2,200 mutual funds, and 300 exchange rated funds.

Morningstar Investment Research Center also offers accurate, up-to-date data on 35,000 stocks and funds, along with industry and market data. The database lets users build and test portfolio ideas online, and provides financial education through its Investing Classroom.

Both new databases and many others can be accessed through the research databases page on the Christian County Library website: http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/databases. You'll need a Christian County Library card to access them. Don't have a card? Bring a picture I.D. and proof of current address to the library to obtain one free. Call 581-2432 for more information.

Library offers opportunities for resume improvement

2011-02-09T14:15:00.000-06:00

Originally published 2/9/2011 in the Christian County Headliner

In an exciting development for job seekers, Optimal Resume software, one of several new databases the library is premiering in February, is now available to all cardholders in the Christian County Library system.
Optimal Resume users can create the full spectrum of career documents, from resumes and cover letters to online portfolios, video resumes and professional website. They can also practice answering common interview questions and share the recorded answers to get feedback and suggestions for improvement.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for Missouri in December, 2010 was 9.5 percent, the 35th highest for any state. Many workers in Missouri have been displaced or are transitioning in their careers right now. Optimal Resume provides all the resources that job seekers need to help them create their professional documents, such as resumes and cover letters, to get noticed by prospective employers as well as resources to assist in interview preparation.

“This goes far beyond simple resume templates,” said Rhonda Riley, head of technology at the library. “There are sample resumes for dozens of career fields and positions, lists of power words to spark ideas, the ability to easily create your own website and even options for staging mock interviews with your webcam. Our staff was blown away by the possibilities.”

Mark McNasby, chief executive officer of Optimal Resume, said he is thrilled to work with job seekers in Christian County. “Every day we hear how Optimal Resume is making a difference for job seekers,” he said. “Whether it’s by helping them create great resumes, or be more confident during an interview, patrons can use the software with little or no assistance required from a library staff member. We will continue to strive to provide libraries with online career software that is useful for almost all ages and skill levels.”
To learn more about services provided through this database, visit http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us and click on the Optimal Resume icon.

Library Can Help During Job Search

2011-01-19T08:22:00.000-06:00

Originally published in part by the Nixa and Ozark News-Leader on January 19, 2011

By Katy Pattison

Factories close. Stores go out of business. Service industries reduce staff. The headlines are common today. When the employer and the job are your own, however, the news is painfully personal, and the decisions difficult. Among agencies that can help is your Christian County Library.

Brush up on your computer skills and make yourself attractive to potential employers with our free Library Community Courses. Classes are offered year round. On Saturday, January 29^th from 10 to 12am, the library will present in cooperation with the Missouri Career Center “Job Search Success”. Learn the proper way to fill out job applications, create resumes and cover letters, and ace job interviews, plus the best strategies for finding a job. Registration is required. Call the library at (417)581-2432 to sign up or inquire about the full Library Community Course schedule.

You’ll also want to check out our Job Resource Center, accessible with your Christian County Library card from our databases page at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/databases.html. Here, you’ll find hundreds of Springfield area job listings and articles on job searching, plus an easy search option to research the companies to which you’re applying.

The Christian County Library also carries dozens of popular and useful books to guide your job search or help write or refine your resume. Harvey Mackay’s Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door, available from the library as an internet-accessible eBook or in traditional format, uses humor and quick chapters to convey useful tips and help you make a game plan to get a job or improve your position with your current employer.

Want to try social networking tools in your job search? Check out How to Find a Job on Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and Other Social Networks. Authors Brad and Debra Schepp lay out the basics of using each social networking site to market yourself to employers so that even novice social network site users will feel like experts.

Over 40 and You’re Hired by Robin Ryan provides job hunting tips for baby boomers, including an overview of how to use the internet to find and get jobs, how to update a resume, and how to get back in the job market after a gap in employment.

Finally, the Christian County Library has computers you may use for online job searching and resume creation, and knowledgeable staff who can help you find the information you need.

Morningstar Investment Research Center Now Available at Christian County Library

2011-01-17T16:19:00.001-06:00

Christian County Library as part of its continuing mission to serve the needs of the community announced the addition of the new online investing research tool Morningstar Investment Research Center to its reference collection.

Morningstar Investment Research Center gives Christian County Library patrons another valuable investing resource. The service is from Morningstar, Inc., a leading provider of independent investment research, in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Christian County Library patrons interested in stocks and funds will have access to valuable Morningstar’s premium information. This includes Morningstar analysts’ independent opinion on 1,700 stocks, 2,200 mutual funds, and 300 exchange rated funds.

Morningstar Investment Research Center also offers accurate, up-to-date data on 35,000 stocks and funds, along with industry and market data. The database lets users build and test portfolio ideas online, and provides financial education through its Investing Classroom.

It's another way Christian County Library is serving the need for information that educates residents and helps them achieve their personal and professional goals.

The Library will be closed Wednesday, Jan 5

2011-01-04T13:31:00.000-06:00

We are officially closed the full day on Wednesday. The goal is to complete pulling the old carpet out and complete sanding the glue. The carpet workers said they need the full day. We hope this is the last closing, but they can not guarantee that they will complete all the sanding. Thank you for being patient with us as we recarpet.

Carpet remodel update 12/29

2010-12-29T11:50:00.002-06:00

Today, Wednesday: DVD/Junior Fiction area is being carpeted.
Thursday: Children department's old carpet will be removed. Sanding is estimated to begin sometime around 11:00am. We are going to reopen at 5:00pm,
Friday: Director's Office & Special Location stack areas will have the old carpet removed and sanded. Children's department can be open with bare concrete. (We can get the books shelved hopefully.) Sanding in Special location is estimated to begin around 11:00am, but could be a little earlier or later. We will just close when the sanding begins.
Monday: Children's Department will be carpeted first and will need to be closed for half of the day. The rest of the library will be open.
Tuesday: Special Location and Director's Office will be carpeted.
Wed and following days the remainder of the building

Children's Department is unavailable until Jan 3.

2010-12-28T10:45:00.000-06:00

We apologize but the library Children's area will be closed until Jan 3rd. Children's books will be available at the front desk for check out.

Library Tentative Carpet Remodel Schedule

2010-12-27T15:33:00.002-06:00

The library continues recarpeting while attempting to remain open as much as possible. During this time areas of the library will not be accessible and computer Internet stations will be limited. There will be days that we will need to close early due to sanding and dust in the air from the old carpet glue. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.

Here is the schedule for the coming days. It is possible that the schedule could change.

Tues. Dec. 28: Pulling up and sanding DVD thru Adult 370s all the way back to the Junior biographies. We don't know the exact time he will begin the sanding until he has this pulled. We will probably need to close when he begins sanding.
Wed. Dec 29: Glue and carpet the above area
Thurs. Dec. 30: Pulling and sanding the Children's department We will probably need to close when he begins sanding.
Fri. Dec. 31: Carpeting Children's department; Library Closes at Noon
Sat. Jan 1st: Library Closed: Pulling & sanding between the stacks & Mabel's office. We will probably need to close when he begins sanding.
Mon. Jan 3: Carpeting Mabel's office and the stacks

Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010 - Library closed from 11:30-5:00pm

2010-12-22T13:22:00.000-06:00

Re-carpeting began today. The floors are currently being sanded, so we're closed until about 5:00pm today to protect the health of patrons and staff. Thanks for understanding!

Christian County Library gets a NEW look!

2010-12-21T11:58:00.000-06:00

Please bear with us and "Pardon our Progress Mess" beginning Tuesday, December the 20th. We will undertake a month long process to put new flooring down throughout the library. The new tile in the bathrooms and hallways will be put down on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd. The new carpet laydown will begin in the reference area and proceed down the building toward the children's department. There will only be a limited number of internet access computers available for use on December 21st through the 28th. We look forward to having the remodels complete and hope you will come by and check them out!

2010-12-14T11:58:00.000-06:00

http://library.morningstar.com/Membership/setup.html
Username: christian Password: library
MorningStar Investment Research Center has given the Christian County Library a limited trial. You may access this resource using the above user name and password. Tell us what you think about it, so that we will be able to make an informed decision as to whether or not our library patrons would use this research database.
You may let us know from a Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christian-County-Library/298972405866 ) reply or an email to info@christiancounty.lib.mo.us

Family Programs this Fall

2010-11-03T14:38:00.004-05:00

Appeared in the Christian County Headliner 11/3/10

By Katy Pattison

At the Christian County Library, fall is the time of year we pack our schedule with family programs. In celebration of the theater release of the film “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” the library continues its Harry Potter Movie Marathon. The fourth and fifth movies in the series show Saturday, November 6^th at 10am and 1pm respectively. There are free refreshments and door prizes at both showings, plus a chance to win tickets to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at the final showing.

On Saturday, November 13 from 1-5pm, hundreds of libraries across the country will showcase gaming programs and services in support of the American Library Association's National Gaming Day @ your library. Many libraries are stocking their shelves with video games, planning board game competitions, and participating in a national video game tournament.

This is the third year the Christian County Library is participating in National Gaming Day. We'll have a wide variety of board games, plus a Nintendo Wii, and free refreshments. It's true that video games attract teen users, but gaming programs are attracting other generations as well. Systems like the Nintendo Wii offer games ranging from bowling to tennis to race car driving, and appeal to all family members, from young children to grandparents. Gaming is an example of how a new format can fulfill the desire to learn, play and even read at the library. You can learn more at http://ilovelibraries.org/gaming .

To learn about our full list of upcoming programs or register for those mentioned above, call the Christian County Library at (417)581-2432 or visit us online at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us.

Game Day @ YOUR Library

2010-11-03T11:43:00.001-05:00

Join us at the Christian County library for a FREE afternoon of games. There will be board games, video games, card games, and puzzle games among others. There will also be refreshments and door prizes. There will be games for all ages and lots of fun! The event will be free but registration is required. Must be present to win door prizes.

Click Here to Register
Saturday, November 13, 2010
1:00 to 5:00 pm

Storytime is More than Stories

2010-11-03T11:41:00.000-05:00

By Katy Pattison
Appeared in the Springfield News-Leader
November 2, 2010

Rhonda Riley remembers coming to storytime at the Christian County Library as a child. "They had books laid out all over the tables, and I always had to pick books from the tables instead of the shelf, because I knew somebody else had liked them."

Many library users today visit the library and enjoy reading as adults because, like Rhonda, someone brought them to the library as children.

The Christian County Library has been offering storytime since 1974. Today, the library hosts at least three storytimes for 3-6-year-olds each week: 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday in the library, and 9:15 a.m. every Thursday at the OC in Ozark. No registration is required.

Storytimes are more than just stories. They often include songs to introduce rhyme and music, finger play to improve fine motor skills and even crafts to introduce children to art and the skills they'll eventually need for writing. And we know much more today about the impact library storytime can have on a child's early literacy skills.

Early literacy refers to what children know about reading and writing before they learn to read and write. This includes understanding that letters have sounds and form words, realizing that words are read from left to right and tell stories, and having a positive impression of books and reading.

Parents have the biggest influence on children's early literacy skills, but not all children grow up in environments suited to fostering early literacy. Even parents who enjoy reading and keep books for their children in the house can benefit from having a model for teaching early literacy in fun, interactive and age-appropriate ways.

This is where children's librarians and library storytimes come in. Trained children's librarians, like Christian County's Lucinda Dailey and Children's Assistant Cathy Roten, host storytimes that are just plain fun. But they also model for parents of preschoolers how to choose books, how to read to children interactively and how to introduce new words and concepts to their children.

For children, attending storytime is an introduction to listening and social skills they'll need in school. Librarians don't teach children to read, but children who visit the library with their parents might just learn to love reading.

Katy Pattison is the technology assistant at the Christian County Library.

Pets as Listeners

2010-10-28T11:45:00.000-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 10-13-2010

By Katy Pattison

Renee Lynn and her dog Missy arrive at the Christian County Library promptly at 4:00 the second and fourth Monday afternoon of each month. They come not to browse for books, but to host the library’s Pets as Listeners program. Pets as Listeners, or PALS, is a program for children who are learning to read or struggling with reading. Children participating in the program read to Missy. “They like to pet Missy while they read and show her the pictures in their book,” explains Renee. Renee and Missy began in the PALS program at the Republic Library. Last year, Renee decided to implement the program at the Christian County Library closer to her home in Ozark.

Missy isn’t just any dog. She’s part of the Pet Therapy of the Ozarks program. Dogs who work with the organization receive special training to make sure they’re comfortable being around adults and children in many situations. They practice being in a hospital setting, greeting other dogs, and getting past distractions, among other skills.

Any child can attend PALS and practice reading to Missy. Similar programs have been popping up in schools and libraries around the U.S. for years. Children who participate in PALS at the Christian County Library feel more comfortable and less judged reading to a trained therapy dog like Missy. And now, a 2010 study at University of California –Davis indicates that children may actually increase their reading fluency 10-30% by participating in a program like Pets as Listeners for 15-20 minutes each week. That’s a benefit that parents and teachers appreciate too.

To register for Pets as Listeners, call the Christian County Library at (417)581-2432.

Friends of the Library

2010-10-28T11:44:00.000-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 9-29-2010

By Katy Pattison

The Christian County Friends of the Library is gearing up for its twice-yearly book sale. It promises to be a big one. The group, formed in 1980 to support the Christian County Library, holds spring and fall book sales in the library’s meeting room. The next sale runs October 9th-16th, noon to 8pm during the week and 8:30-5pm on Saturdays. Thursday and Friday are half-price days. The last Saturday is a $2-per-bag sale. The library accepts donations of books, magazines, and audio and video items throughout the year. Some titles are added to the library’s collection. The Friends of the Library sell the rest during the week-long sale, their primary fundraiser.

Friends president Elizabeth Barns, part of the group since 2004, says there are often new or barely used materials for sale. She even starts her Christmas shopping during the October sale, saying “I have always been able to find something. There are craft books and kids books for my grandchildren, religious books, and novels. There really is something for everyone.”

Anyone can join the Friends of the Library. Membership costs just $5 per family annually. Members may shop the book sale Friends Night, before the sale opens to the public. You can join the Friends of the Library anytime by visiting the Christian County Library, or you can join at the door on Friends Night, Friday, October 8th between 7pm and 9pm. Barns says the group needs volunteer members to help set up and staff the sale. If interested, contact the library at (417)581-2432.

Membership dues and book sale proceeds support the library. Major annual projects funded by the Friends include the Summer Reading Program for children and teens and the library’s participation in business expos. The Friends also pay for the library’s monthly Movie Days, maintain the outdoor plantings around the library, and provide a staff luncheon during National Library Week each year. Recently, the group started a popular drawing for seasonal gift baskets. Patrons visiting the library can enter to win throughout the year. The best part of being part of the Friends of the Library, says Barns: “[The library has] become a home away from home for me.”

Books to Go

2010-10-28T11:42:00.000-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 9-15-2010

By Katy Pattison

For a library district like Christian County’s, where income allows only one official library branch to serve a county of more than 77,000 people, outreach services are vital. This is where library Courier Scott Villareal, who has been with the Christian County Library since 2001, comes in. He runs the “Books to Go” program. The most basic “Books to Go” service is pick-up and drop-off of materials at our Community Partner locations: the Nixa Community Center, J & M Foods in Sparta, and the Clever Public Library. County residents may place books on hold and choose a pick-up site over the phone or through the online catalog at http://coolcat.org/search~S4. A staff member delivers the materials, and notifies patrons that their items are ready for pick up. Users show their library card at the pick-up site and sign for their materials. Later, patrons may return materials to a drop box outside each site.

“Books to Go” is more than just pick-up and drop-off at Community Partner locations, though. Scott also provides library materials to county schools, life enhancement centers, senior apartments and nursing homes each week. He carries a rotating collection in the library’s delivery van, just like a bookmobile. When a Christian County Library tax increase failed in 1997, the ailing 1974 bookmobile was retired and replaced by a delivery van. Library staff still affectionately refer to the van as “the bookmobile.” Traditional bookmobiles today cost over $150,000 and are very expensive to maintain and operate.

This year, Scott is working with four area schools to increase “Books to Go” usage. Participating schools are Sparta High School, and Matthews, Inman, and Thomas Elementary schools in Nixa. Teachers request materials. The library delivers to them at the monthly “Books to Go” school stops. Teachers can essentially create a small, temporary classroom library using Christian County Library materials. This is particularly helpful when a class is studying a specific subject, historical event, or country. At the end of the school year, the teacher borrowing the most books will receive a new book for each student in that classroom. View the entire “Books to Go” schedule at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/bookmobile/calendar.html.

Clever Public Library

2010-10-28T11:40:00.000-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 9-1-2010

By Katy Pattison

The Clever Public Library, currently housed in a 325-square-foot space, will soon move to a new a 1,200-square-foot unit in the Southwest Center business strip on state Route 14, across from the Dollar General. A Christian County Library tax levy increase failed in November 2009 and again in April 2010, putting plans of a county-wide expansion of library facilities and services on hold. But the city of Clever had the $180,000 Sims Fund, a bequest given to the city by the Sims family specifically to provide public library services in Clever.

In 2007, the City of Clever and the Christian County Library partnered to create the Clever Public Library, with the Sims fund paying for the Clever Public Library’s current location, building maintenance, and utilities, and the library providing staff, materials, and technology. But only a small portion of the Sims Fund was being used. The city hoped to use the Sims fund to help with the 5,000-square-foot branch the Christian County Library had planned for Clever. When the tax levy increase failed, they decided to find another way to use the money, and entered into discussions with the Christian County Library board.

The result is an updated library - city agreement, where the city pays costs associated with the new building, and the library continues to provide staff, library materials and services, and internet. The Christian County Library will add Monday hours and open an hour earlier on Saturday, taking Clever Public Library from 20 to 25 hours per week and expand the selection of materials available for check-out. The city will increase the number of public computers from one to three, and like the Christian County Library in Ozark, offer free Wi-Fi at the Clever Public Library.

As plans for the expansion came together, donations worth thousands of dollars began to roll in: shelving from the University of Missouri at Kansas City; a book cart, two computer desks and many chairs from the Republic School District; and a circulation desk from the Nixa School District. The owner of Campbell Tile in Clever happily donated his tiling services for the building’s restrooms, telling Library Board president and Clever resident Ken Barthelette that he first got into the tiling business because of books and DVDs he checked out at a library. The Clever Public Library is slated to open its new location October 16th.

Summer Wrap-Up

2010-10-28T11:39:00.001-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 8-18-2010

By Katy Pattison

Technology Assistant

Christian County Library

August is a transitional time at the Christian County Library, as it is for many families. June and July are our busiest months. Circulation and computer usage broke records again this year. The Summer Reading Program wrapped up at the end of July, with 346 children signed up to read and attend exciting programs. Nearly 100 kids made it to the finale, a magic show followed by an award ceremony recognizing their reading accomplishments. Thanks for prize contributions go to local businesses Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Arby’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Backyard Burgers, Jump Mania, Wal-Mart, Godfather’s Pizza and McDonald’s. As in past years, Christian County Friends of the Library contributed numerous volunteer hours and money to fund the Summer Reading Program.

As parents and children gear up for school, the library staff is busy preparing this fall’s exciting programs and classes. Our free Library Community Course series continues with “Microsoft Excel 2007 Basics” on Saturday, August 21st from 9-10am and “Microsoft Word 2007 Basics” on Monday, August 23 from 5:30-6:30pm. These classes are perfect for those comfortable using computers, but wanting to learn more specialized tasks like spreadsheet manipulation and word processing. Call the library at (417)581-2432 to register.

On August 28th from 1-3pm, Dee Davidson Dosch will sign her book “A Summer in ’69” at the library. The Nixa author’s memoir chronicles her adventures as young coed working and hitchhiking her way through Western Europe with her two friends.

Join us for Movie Day this month, August 28th at 1pm, to see the Tale of Despereaux on our big screen, with free popcorn and punch provided. Regular story times resume in September every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30am. No registration is required for either [of these] event[s].

On Saturday, September 11th, library staff will be at the third annual Read Around the Square in Ozark, an event hosted by the Ozark School District to encourage literacy. Stop by our booth and bookmobile to meet library staff, learn more about our materials and services, and pick up free bookmarks and stickers for the kids.

Stop by the library any time and check out our ongoing mini-book sale. VHS tapes, audio cassettes and paperback books are available for less than a dollar each. Visit our website at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us to see a full listing of upcoming events at the Christian County Library.

Genealogy @ the Library

2010-10-28T11:38:00.000-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 7-21-2010

By Katy Pattison

Genealogy is popular all over the world, and the Internet makes it easier than ever to trace your family history. Knowing where to start, or where to go when you get stuck in your genealogy research, however, can be more difficult. The Christian County Library abounds with historical and genealogical resources, in both online and traditional format.

You might begin by taking one of our free hour-long courses at the library. For new researchers or those who need help getting organized, there’s “Start Your Family Tree,” covering research and organization techniques and basic resources. More experienced researchers might register for our “Internet Research for Genealogists” course, to learn about both well- and lesser-known online genealogy resources. This course is scheduled next for Saturday, August 7th, at 9am. Both courses are offered several times throughout the year. Call the library at (417)581-2432 to register.

Eager to jump right in? Visit the Christian County Library webpage, http://www.christiancounty.lib.mo.us, for instant access to a wide variety of genealogy resources. You’ll find links to some of the best genealogy sites on the web under the heading “Genealogy and History” on our website. If your family is from Christian County, you’ll want to visit the recently revamped MOGenWeb site. Patti Hobbs, who lives in Clever and works in the Local History department at the Library Center in Springfield, took on the massive task of reorganizing and maintaining MOGenWeb’s Christian County site. Genealogy buffs will find census records, marriage records, obituaries and more dating back to the formation of Christian County up to present day, many transcribed for online viewing by Christian County Library director Mabel Phillips.

Wherever your family lived, don’t miss our subscription genealogy databases. Heritage Quest allows users to search federal census records, 28,000 local and family history books, 2.1 million genealogy and local history articles, Revolutionary War era records, the Freedman’s Bank covering freed slaves from 1865-1874, and more. America’s Genealogy Bank contains obituaries past and present from newspapers all over the United States, the complete Social Security Death Index, plus access to thousands of historical newspapers, books, and documents to help in your research. Your library card gives you access to both from your home computer with internet access. Connect at Christian County Library’s database page at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/databases.html. Ancestry Library Edition is the world’s largest online genealogy resource. This is available only in the library, either at a public computer or from your own laptop using our free Wi-Fi. Ancestry has census collections, military records, immigration records, and birth, marriage and death records from all over the world.

If you want to dig deeper into local history, don’t miss the Anderson History room in the Christian County Library. You’ll find hundreds of rare local books and photographs, and in our microfilm area, county records and newspapers back to the county’s 1859 formation. And, as always, our helpful and knowledgeable staff is here to answer your questions, genealogical or otherwise

Watercolor Program

2010-10-28T11:36:00.000-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 7-7-2010

By Katy Pattison

The Summer Reading Program, “Make a Splash,” continues at the Christian County Library in July with more water-themed activities for preschoolers, grade-schoolers, and even teens. There are 10:30am story hours for all ages each Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday, July 14th, the library is hosting a Pirate Party for 3-6 year olds at 10:30am, and “Octopus Garden” July 21st at 10:30am. For 7-12 year olds, there’s “Underwater Wonders” July 14th at 2:30pm, where they’ll hear stories and create dioramas of an ocean scene.

Teens can participate in the summer program too, and they’ll want to sign up for “Watercolor with Jane Huggins.” Teens will learn a masking off technique using watercolors, where tape is applied to the paper to create white areas, and local artist Huggins will teach participants to do watercolor washes to create an abstract underwater scene.

Watercolors are a good medium for teens learning to paint, who, according to Huggins, tend to be hesitant when they begin painting. Watercolor is her favorite medium, says Huggins, who works at the Finley River Art Gallery. “It’s all about color. With watercolor, the white of the paper shines through and makes the color appear brighter. It works with the paper instead of covering it.” Huggins wasn’t always a professional artist. Her interest in creating art began while she was a professional clown. Fascinated by clowns, she began drawing them in colored pencil. She soon moved on to painting them, and then retired from clowning to become a full time artist. But it wasn’t until she was in her 40s that she realized there was more to watercolor than a plain box of eight colors, and she hopes to share her love of the medium with teens who attend the Christian County Library program.

Jane Huggins has plenty of experience teaching art. She is currently teaching residents at NorthPark Village, an assisted living facility in Ozark, has taught art in Indiana and substituted in Springfield high schools. She’ll be teaching this class for 13-18 year olds July 22nd at 2:30pm at the Christian County Library.

As always, library programs are free to attend. Call 417-581-2432 to register, or visit the Christian County Library website at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us to see the full list of upcoming activities.

Five Things You Didn’t Know You Could Get at the Library

2010-10-28T11:35:00.000-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 6-23-2010
By Katy Pattison

If you haven’t been to a public library recently, you might not know what you’re missing. We hear it all the time: “Who needs the library now that we have the internet?” or “I don’t really like to read. Why would I use the library?” Book lovers know that the library is still about books, but a modern public library is about more than just books. The Christian County Library may be stuck in its 70’s-era building for the time being, but the programs and materials offered there are anything but dated. Here are five things you didn’t know you could get at the Christian County library, all for free:

Have you heard about Playaways? These are tiny portable audio devices, about 2x3 inches, with pre-loaded digital content. You can get everything from the latest James Patterson novel to Sarah Palin’s biography to Spanish lessons, or even a guided yoga workout. Just slip it in your pocket and clean the house, work in the garden, or take a walk while you listen.

If you have a library card and a computer with internet access, you can use eBooks. These are full length books you read on your computer. Skip around in a book with a click of your mouse, or search for a word or topic within a book. The Christian County Library gives you 24/7 access to at least 4,600 eBook titles on a broad range of topics.

Want an Ivy League education, but can’t afford it? Great Courses CDs and DVDs offer course lectures from top-rated professors who teach at leading universities in a variety of disciplines. Learn about Religion, Philosophy History, Social Sciences and more. CCL has over 50 Great Courses, and the collection continues to grow.

On top of fresh formats and materials, the Christian County Library offers programs and activities for everyone. There are classes year round, covering basic computer skills and search techniques, specialized programs like Microsoft Word and Excel, job searching, and even genealogy research.

And, if you just want to be entertained, you can attend Movie Days. CCL shows popular movies on our big screen. Admission and refreshments are free. Come see “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” June 26th at 12:30pm and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” July 10th at 1pm.

Library Online

2010-10-28T11:33:00.000-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 6-9-2010
By Katy Pattison

The current Christian County Library can be a bit of a drive for some residents. Funding at present precludes expansion to underserved areas like Nixa, but there’s good news. If you have internet access from home, no matter where you live, you don’t have to make a trip to the library to use many of their resources. From the Christian County Library website, http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us, you have access to the library catalog, databases, Community Course schedules, and more.

If you visit the library’s online catalog at http://coolcat.org/search~S4, the first thing you’ll want to do is sign up for a library card. You’ll need to make a trip to the library once to verify your identity and pick up your library card. Once you’ve created a card online, you can search for books, audiobooks and movies in the library catalog. You can place holds on items you want, and they’ll be set aside for you to pick up at the library. Or, you might choose to have your materials sent to be picked up at the Nixa Community Center, J & M Foods in Sparta, or the Clever Public Library. The online catalog also allows you to renew your books, check your fines, keep a reading history, and see what new titles have arrived this week at the library.

Besides the catalog, the library website gives you quick access to the programs and classes the library offers each month. Find the schedules for children’s story hours and programs, free computer classes, programs for teens, and Movie Days. Register for any of these through the online catalog with your library card.

One of the most important features of the Christian County Library website is access to databases. Databases, to use some library speak, are searchable collections of information grouped together by topic. The library pays for databases so you, the library card holder, can have access to a myriad of information not freely available online. There’s the Chilton Library, repair information for vehicles of all makes and models, the Gale collection, which provides access to millions of full-text magazine and journal articles on a wide variety of topics, and Learning Express Library, study information and practice tests for everything from the ACT and GED to Cosmetology, Law Enforcement, and Nursing exams. Visit http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/databases.html to view the full list of databases you can access with your Christian County Library card. There truly is something for everyone.

If you’d like more information on library resources available online, visit the library’s website or call at (417)581-2432 to speak with a staff member.

Summer Reading Program

2010-10-28T11:32:00.000-05:00

Appeared In the News-Leader 6-2-2010
By Katy Pattison

The end of school is fast approaching, and parents are on the lookout for affordable ways to entertain their children this summer. The 2010 Christian County Library Summer Reading Program may be the answer. The program, whose theme this year is “Make a Splash,” is geared towards three to eleven-year olds. And like all Christian County Library programs, it’s free and open to all county residents.

Participation in the Summer Reading Program at the Christian County Library is on the increase. The library had over 200 children participate in 2007, and more than 450 in 2008. And it’s no wonder. Studies show that public library summer programs like those offered at the Christian County Library help bridge the summer learning gap. Educators know that school age children can lose more than a month of learning over the summer. Children who read at least six self-selected books retain reading progress they have made over the course of the school year. Those who read 10 to 20 books may even make reading gains during the summer.

The summer reading program pairs incentive to read with fun, often literacy-related activities. For the reading portion of the program, children keep a reading log over the course of the summer, and are recognized at a ceremony at the end of the program. Sign up for the reading portion is already in progress. Forms can be picked up at the Christian County Library or at http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us. The library also holds a story and craft hour for three- to six-year olds most Tuesdays, no registration necessary. For the activity portion of the program, children can sign up for two of a number of exciting programs, including visits from KY3 meteorologists, the Mad Science crew, a magic show, and more. Sign up for these begins Wednesday, June 2nd , at 9am. These programs fill up fast, so participants are encouraged to sign up in the library or online with their library card early on June 2nd.

If the reading and Summer Program activities don’t keep you busy enough, you can attend family movie days at the Christian County Library. Movies this summer include Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Disney’s The Frog Princess. Refreshments are served at these events and no registration is required.

Call the library at (417)581-2432 for details and schedules.

Upcoming Programs @ the Christian County Library

2010-10-13T15:39:00.001-05:00

Friends of the Library Book Sale

The largest book sale that has been held at the Christian County Library is going on NOW!
October 9-16
Monday through Friday 12:00pm to Library close
Saturdays 8:30 - 5:00
Thurday and Friday are 1/2 price days
Saturday the 16th is Bag Day everything that you can fit into a paper bag for $2.00
Call 581-2432 for details.

Opening Day for Clever Public Library
The Clever Public Library is MOVING! They will be closed October 9-15 to complete the moving process. It is scheduled to re-open on October 16th at the new location.

Harry Potter Movie Marathon
Watch all six movies on a BIG SCREEN! Refreshments and door prizes at all show times, plus a Chance to Win FREE tickets to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on November 6th! Free To Attend but Registration is required. Hurry seats are filling up fast! Must be present to win for all door prizes. You are welcome to bring your own chair to this event if you wish.

Saturday, October 23

Harry potter and the Sorcerers Stone
Start Time 10:00 AM

Saturday, October 23
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Start Time 1:30 PM

Saturday, October 30
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Start Time 10:00 AM

Saturday, October 30
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Start Time 1:30 PM

Saturday, November 6
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Start Time 10:00 AM

Saturday, November 6
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Start Time 1:30 PM

Click HERE to register for Harry Potter online!

National Game Day @ Your Library 2010
Join us at the Christian County library for a FREE afternoon of games. There will be board games, video games, card games, and puzzle games among others. There will also be refreshments and door prizes. There will be games for all ages and lots of fun! The event will be free but registration is required. Must be present to win door prizes.

November 13, 2010 1:00 to 5:00pm
Click HERE to register for Game Day online!

Library Community Courses

Free Computer classes for the community.

Click HERE for a schedule!

Library Board of Trustees Officers

2010-08-26T14:58:00.002-05:00

With the first full board since their president moved out of state in April, the Christian County Library board held elections July 30 for officers to complete 2010.

Ken Barthelette, Clever, was elected President. A library trustee since 2008, he spent much of his career with the Missouri State Parks. Ken represents East Polk, West Polk and Lincoln townships. He is very active with his church and the Clever Community Betterment group and enjoys visiting his children and grandchildren.

Loretta A. Hermann, Nixa, attending her first meeting since her appointment, was elected Vice President. She represents Union Chapel, Northview, Rosedale and Garden Grove townships. A semi-retired reading teacher, Loretta is a former resident of the St. Louis area. She is a member of Springfield International Reading Association and a volunteer Reading Buddy in Nixa schools through RSVP. She has two grown sons and grandchildren, Sydney and Cooper.

The treasurer is Charles Heldenbrand who lives just outside Ozark but has a Nixa address. He represents Cassidy, Riverside, West Finley, East Finley, McCracken, and Linden Townships. While in the Air Force, he was on the maintenance crew for Air Force One. He and his wife Lois were foster parents for numerous children while and after raising the children born into their family. An active member of the local VFW, he often works with Delmina Woods and the Boy Scouts.

Rebecca Block, Highlandville, is the new Secretary. Appointed to complete the term of former President Reta Alphin who moved out of state, she was attending her second board meeting. The representative for North Galloway, South Galloway, North Linn & South Linn townships, she has a Bachelor of Science in K-12 Art Education. She is the mother of a toddler. She and her husband operate their photography studio, Pure Captures, among other small businesses.

The American Library Association member is Shirley Gott-Stoecker, Garrison. Appointed last fall to complete the term of long-time board President Christine Jones, she represents the county’s largest but most sparsely populated area including West Benton, East Benton, Sparta, Bruner, Oldfield, Lead Hill, Chadwick, Garrison and Seneca townships. Shirley taught Spanish at levels from third grade through third-year college, occasionally combined with junior-high English. An Ozark High School graduate, she lives in the house where she was born in southeast Christian County with her freelance writer husband of 31 years, Richard “Dick” Stoecker, a St. Louis native, their two cats and four dogs. She and Dick enjoy Bible study, reading and all kinds of music. A second generation Christian County Library board trustee, she is the daughter of Adrian Gott who served June 1951 to August 1959 while County Superintendent of Schools.

Public library trustees set policy, adopt and monitor budgets, and serve as liaisons between the public and the library district. Terms and contact information for library trustees are on the library website http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/library/board.html

Circulation Clerk, Luella M. Long Retires May 8

2010-05-03T15:36:00.000-05:00

After more than two decades with the Christian County Library, Luella M. Long will retire May 8. Luella began at the library January 1989 on the Green Thumb employment program and was hired as a circulation clerk in March of 1990. She trained many student shelvers, helped countless patrons and especially enjoyed finding unfindable misplaced library materials. Staff and patrons will greatly miss Luella. The public is invited to stop by and wish her well.

HELP!

2010-04-21T14:59:00.002-05:00

The children's department needs shoe boxes and empty paper towel tubes for this summer's craft projects. If you happen to have any lying around that you don't need or happen to come across some before June, please bring them by the library!

Explore the Universe @ your library

2010-04-17T11:44:00.000-05:00

Hubble and Imax

Explore the Universe @ your library
Learn about the Hubble Space Telescope and enter for a chance to win great prizes from IMAX®!

Click here for more information.
http://atyourlibrary.org/hubble

Come “Explore the universe @ your library” for your chance to win great prizes from IMAX®! All you have to do is answer six questions about the Hubble Space Telescope for your chance to win.

Contest runs through April 30, 2010.

levy

2010-04-16T14:45:00.002-05:00

Library levy fails 59% to 41%

Spring Drawing by Friends of the Library

2010-04-02T17:15:00.002-05:00

Friends of the Christian County Library Announce Drawing Winners

Jen Nelson and Brianna Makatchie are the winners of the Spring Basket drawing today, sponsored by the Friends of the Christian County Library (FOL).

Jen Nelson is a Certified Nurses’ Assistant at Century Pines in Ozark. She uses the library frequently for a source of books, magazines, and DVDs to share with her three year old son. Jen was quite surprised when told that she had won the basket, because she never wins anything. Jen is looking forward to the new libraries being built to have a bigger library. Jen stated, “Ozark is a great place to live.”

Brianna Makatchie is a sixth grade student at Upper Elementary in Ozark. Brianna said that she is “almost twelve years old” and considers herself to be a lucky person. She enjoys playing volleyball and softball. She sometimes likes to read, especially mysteries. Brianna’s family just moved to the area a year ago. Her grandmother, Dianne Makatchie, says that she has been taking Brianna and her sister to the library since they were old enough to attend story time. She thinks that it is a good idea to build new libraries because we need them and the central location will be closer to their home.

The Friends of the Library are giving away 13 baskets in 2010 to show appreciation to the patrons and promote use of the Christian County library, located on 4th Street in Ozark. Each basket is a $50 value and includes new books, sometimes candy, and other seasonal items. The next basket for Mother’s Day will be on display in the library by April 16th with the drawing taking place on May 7th. For more information regarding how you can enter the drawings or join Friends of the Library, contact Christian County Library staff at 417-581-2432.

Less than a week left!

2010-03-31T11:50:00.000-05:00

Don't to forget to vote on April 6th!

Please contact the library it you have any questions at all. We would be happy to answer them!

Phone: 581-2432
Fax: 581-8855
Email: info@christiancounty.lib.mo.us
FAQ page: http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/library/FAQ.pdf

Teen Writing Workshops with writer Susan Atteberry-Smith

2010-03-19T15:40:00.003-05:00

The Christian County Library will offer free monthly writing workshops in grades five through eight. Susan Atteberry Smith will be conducting the four workshops. Finding ideas for writing and poetry - writing poetry will be the focus of the first session. Other kinds of creative writing will be explored in March, April and May. Seating is limited to 15 participants so registration is required. You may call, fax, or email the Christian County Library for more details or to register. Please contact Lucinda Dailey or Taneesa Hall.

Phone: 417-581-2432

Fax: 417-581-8855

Email: info@christiancounty.lib.mo.us

Click Here to register online

FAQ Question of the Week

2010-02-24T11:26:00.000-06:00

Q. What about repairing, remodeling and enlarging the existing location?

A. The 1972 building replaced the crowded, deteriorated original 1956 library in a former livery stable just off the Ozark square. It greatly improved library service to the then 15,000 county residents. In 2002, surveys, focus groups, panel discussions and consultants began to study ways to update and improve library services for the population now estimated at 75,000. Reusing the current building would disrupt library services for at least two years as the two story addition was built, then the original structure gutted and rebuilt. Upgrading the 1972 building, without an increase in funding, would consume all savings to create a larger building which the district could not then afford to operate. The limitations of the existing building would complicate a library design. An adequate building size, necessary parking, and setbacks to comply with code to allow an occupancy permit could not fit on the current lot. The county library’s location would still not be centrally located to serve Ozark, Highlandville, Selmore, McCracken, Fremont Hills, and Nixa, requiring a separate, equal building to serve some locations. County citizens clearly preferred improvement for all. Seventy-seven percent of residents in surveys preferred the three-library option over the two library or the most expensive four library options which might have included a renovation of the 1972 building. Convenience, fairness and costs are primary reasons for residents’ decision.

FAQ Question of the Week

2010-02-17T12:29:00.001-06:00

Q. What will become of the 4th Avenue in Ozark property?

A. Once the Central Library is operating, the current library property will be sold and the money applied to the costs of new facilities.

FAQ Question fo the Week

2010-02-12T09:31:00.000-06:00

Q. What will a successful levy increase provide?

A. The new property tax rate will pay to construct, equip, furnish, stock, staff and operate three libraries, a central library and administrative center serving about 50,000 people in and near Nixa and Ozark; a west county branch serving about 15,000 people in and near Billings, Clever and the rest of the Christian County Panhandle; and an east county branch serving about 15,000 people with addresses in Rogersville, Fordland, Bruner, Sparta, Chadwick, Forsyth and Garrison.

Teen Writing Workshops with Susan Atteberry-Smith, freelance writer

2010-02-04T09:42:00.001-06:00

The Christian County Library will offer free monthly writing workshops in grades five through eight. Susan Atteberry Smith will be conducting the four workshops. Finding ideas for writing and poetry - writing poetry will be the focus of the first session. Other kinds of creative writing will be explored in March, April and May. Seating is limited to 15 participants so registration is required. You may call, fax, or email the Christian County Library for more details or to register. Please contact Lucinda Dailey or Taneesa Hall.

Phone: 417-581-2432
Fax: 417-581-8855
Email: info@christiancounty.lib.mo.us
Click Here to register online

FAQ Question of the Week

2010-02-03T13:12:00.000-06:00

FAQ Question of the Week

2010-01-26T14:34:00.000-06:00

Q. Why is the current allowable eight point seven five cents collected rate stated on the April ballot when the voted twenty cent voted rate was mentioned on the November ballot?

A. Several years ago, the library received an Attorney General opinion that ballot issues must state the voted levy amount on ballots seeking a levy increase. The collected rate may change annually, including after the ballot is certified, but the most recent voted rate remains the same until voters change it. That opinion, followed on the November ballot, was a completely legitimate and legal option. Since then, our bond attorney’s search of current laws revealed no statutory requirement to state the voted rate. Senate Bill 711, a wide-ranging Missouri property tax law passed in 2008, is still being interpreted. Both SB711 and the public opinion survey favor mentioning the collected rate, even though it is flexible and changing. That is the wording on the April 2010 ballot. Like the November 2009 ballot, the wording is a completely legitimate and legal option. Although we explained the difference in voted and collected rates at every opportunity, we hope this will be clearer to voters.

FAQ Question of the week

2010-01-21T10:12:00.000-06:00

Q. When will the library issue appear on the ballot, and what will it say?

A. Trustees of the Christian County Library District voted unanimously on December 18, 2009 to submit to the voters of the Christian County Library District at the April 6, 2010 election a proposal to increase the current Christian County Library levy to twenty-five cents for the purposes of constructing and operating libraries to serve the entire county. It was submitted to the Christian County Clerk’s office immediately after a special meeting of the Library Board on January 15, 2010 to discuss ballot wording. It will read:

OFFICIAL BALLOT SPECIAL ELECTION CHRISTIAN COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT

Shall the assessed valuation for the Christian County Library District be increased to
$0.25 per hundred dollars assessed valuation from the currently collected rate of
$0.0875 per hundred dollars assessed valuation?

0 Yes
0 No

For the full list of Frequently Asked Questions please Click Here

February Movie Day

2010-01-20T13:12:00.000-06:00

We will be showing "Enchanted" In Celebration of Valentines Day.

A classic Disney fairytale lands in modern-day New York City when a storybook princess is thrust into present day Manhattan by an evil queen. Her prince follows after to rescue her but her journey causes her to change her views on life and love after meeting a handsome lawyer.

Refreshments will be served. The movies shown will vary each month in subject matter and target audience. Please call Lucinda Dailey @ 581-2432 or email info@christiancounty.lib.mo.us for details.

Try Again

2010-01-12T16:21:00.000-06:00

The Christian County Library will be placing a levy issue on the ballot April 6, 2010. If the levy passes, CCL will be able to improve its services to Christian County.

Christian County Library Post-Election Survey 2009 Results

2009-12-21T12:33:00.000-06:00

Survey Demographics A

Survey Demographics B

Movie Day @ Your Library

2009-12-16T10:21:00.000-06:00

Beginning in January, the Christian County Library will be hosting “Movie Day @ Your Library” the fourth Saturday of each month at 1pm. Refreshments will be served. The movies shown will vary each month in subject matter and target audience. Please call Lucinda Dailey @ 581-2432 or email info@christiancounty.lib.mo.us for details.

January 23, 2010 @ 1 pm we will be showing “Alice in Wonderland” in celebration of Lewis Carroll’s birthday.

Christian County announced today that the winners of the Fall Basket drawing are Adam Fellner and Kathy Withrow.

2009-11-23T09:51:00.000-06:00

Adam is a sixth grade student at Ozark Upper Elementary. He participates in Scouts and AWANA. He likes baseball, basketball, and reading good books.

Adam is pictured here with his father, Karl Feliner, who says his son is “a great kid.”

Kathy is a Senior at Ozark High School. She works part time at Murfins’, plays flute in the band, and participates in Color Guard.

Kathy has been accepted at Missouri Science of Technology in Rolla and looks forward to studying aerospace engineering after graduation.

She is excited about the proposal of three new libraries because there will be more books and a greater library.

Elizabeth Barns, President of Friends of the Library, presented the baskets. Each basket contains two books currently on the best seller list, candy and other seasonal items.

The baskets for the Christmas Holiday will be on Display at Christian County Library by November 21^st and the drawing will take place on December 16^th.

For more information regarding how you can enter, contact Christian Count y Library at 417-581-2432.

TIME FOR THANKS From: Mabel Phillips, Director, Christian County Library

2009-11-21T13:30:00.000-06:00

November 3, a small Christian County voter turnout narrowly rejected a long-overdue, citizen-produced plan to bring Christian County Library services to near state average. Without funding, convenient, modern libraries cannot happen at this time. From the effort, debts of gratitude remain due and payable.
Hundreds of Christian County citizens participated in mail and telephone surveys and community forums during the six years of resident input into the library improvement proposal.
The State of Missouri and the Missouri State Library approved planning grants to produce the strategic plan and provided training in LibrisDesign, a software to project needs and costs of future libraries. Dr. Mark Ellickson of Opinion Research Specialists arranged, conducted, analyzed and reported on public surveys and forums. Carol Grimes served as a consultant to create several scenarios for improved Christian County libraries, of which the three-library plan was preferred by over seventy percent of a random sampling of citizens.
Springfield-Greene County Library District, MoDOT, OTC, the cities and school districts of Ozark and Nixa, county building and planning and zoning departments, engineers, investment experts, and interested citizens generously gave their knowledge, experience and advice in a valuable panel discussion on the library's situation, future possibilities, site selection, and making choices always in the best interest of citizens.
For a decision on their vote, many residents asked to know where libraries would be located and what they would look like. Thom G. Field, and later Paul White, of Neale and Newman actively worked with the library on site acquisition and provided legal services for real estate and professional services contracts. Owners of three proposed library sites each sold well-located land below appraised market value. Todd Hensley and the People's Bank of Clever, Scott and Naomi Bilyeu of Ozark and Lindel R. Lipes of Sparta individually and collectively provided sites where citizens' vision of better county libraries could become reality. Clever, Ozark and Sparta and Christian County staff worked hard to perfect the deeds, get building sites properly approved, and provide invaluable help in advisory and cooperative capacities. Sparta and Mr. Lipes even offered to share costs to bring an access road up to code.
Michael Sapp, James Stufflebeam and Eric Street of Sapp Design Associates, Architects; engineers Fred Palmerton with Palmerton and Parrish, Inc. and Jared Rasmussen and other Olsson Associates personnel; Aaron Austin of Austin Land Surveying, LLC; National Valuation Services of Springfield, Inc., and Bryan Cox of Engineers Reprographics prepared for sites and libraries where modern and convenient information and community services could be provided to Christian County.
Bond counsel Carson Elliff with Yates, Mauck, Bohrer, Elliff & Fels, P. C.; underwriters Julie Portman and Richard Han, with Edward Jones and Christian County Edward Jones staff, including Patrick Morrison were ready to finance improved library services.
Christian County Commission; Springfield-Greene County Library District personnel who hoped to show Christian County residents what support for local library services could provide to Missouri citizens who choose it for themselves; current and past members of the Board of Trustees of the Christian County Library; Friends of the Christian County Library; Friends of Clever Public Library; Christian County Library staff; members of the SUCCEED - Support Christian County Education and Enhancement through library Development; Richwood and Ozarks Technical Community College administration; and the LIFE - Library Improvements For Everyone Campaign committee and many who contributed money, time and effort to the committee gave moral support, encouragement and a lot of hard work toward providing county residents with the robust and thriving library services residents request and need.
Christian County voters’ community pride, love and respect for future county residents and understanding of the opportunities uniquely available right now in the bargain rates of both building and financing led them to support at the polls what would have been truly community, life quality and Library Improvements For Everyone.
Its Thanksgiving. For all those listed above who understood and cared about what Library Improvements For Everyone meant for Christian County, we are deeply grateful. Thank You!

Library Board Meeting

2009-11-18T12:21:00.000-06:00

The Library Buard of Trustees will meet in regular session on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 9:30 am. All who wish to attend will be welcome.

Voters deny request for library improvement.

2009-11-03T21:35:00.000-06:00

We appreciate and thank the dedicated volunteers and supporters for their valiant efforts. Library services continue at current low funding level.

Libraries give us souls

2009-10-28T09:42:00.000-05:00

By: Paul Johns
Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 12:08 AM CDT
Christian County Headliner News

When not working at farm chores during the summers when I was a boy growing up in Christian County, there was little to do. I never saw any of my classmates during those summer months—our farm might as well have been in a foreign country. Dad did buy a new Sears Hotpoint (black and white) television when I was 7, but TV really was a not-so-vast-wasteland in those days. Two stations in Springfield and not much in the way of programming. So, when I wasn’t out in the woods enjoying nature, I did something to past the time that I am very grateful for today. I read.

I would go with my father on Saturdays to the Farmer’s Exchange in Ozark to get his feed and while he was busy, I would run over to the nearby Christian County Library. It was tucked into a quaint building and filled with books. I would check enough out to last me through the week. I read everything—from non-fiction of all kinds to every kind of novel the library carried. If I was interested in a subject, the friendly library staff would help me find a book about it. Lucile Anderson, Ruth Davis and Freida Sweet were the gatekeepers to a vast world for me.

Then I would take the books home and read the words written by someone who lived far from Christian County; someone I would never meet, but who was talking to me across the miles and sometimes from beyond the grave. Sitting in a chair or lying in bed, I would be transported to another place far removed from the small bit of the world I knew. I would live other lives vicariously, soak up others experiences, learn and learn and learn.

The library was a wondrous place for me, and still is. Nowadays the library is far different than the one I knew. But it is still a storehouse of stories and ideas that can make us think, make us grow, make us learn and even change our lives. The young people of today deserve a modern up-to-date library that fits the needs of a child growing up in a world of technology.

In the hard economic times that face us now, there is one thing we can not scrimp on; one thing we can not do without—and that is knowledge. Our children must be prepared for whatever comes along and a good library is the foundation for that preparation. A good library provides students of all ages with a resource that can improve the education they are receiving at any level.

Our county is part of a region that has long been called “an arrested frontier.” But in researching the lives of our ancestors I find one common element—the poorest, most uneducated person in these hills often kept a small library of treasured books in their home. They read and re-read them and borrowed books from neighbors. Soldiers from Christian County during the Civil War often carried at least one book with them to read in the evenings or while waiting for the impending battle.

Today Christian County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. In addition, we have some fine school systems and we are close to several fine universities our children can attend. Our library system must complement those educational institutions.

A Roman philosopher once said, “To add a library to a house is to give that house a soul.” We all can’t afford to add a library to our house because we don’t have the room and books are expensive. But together, and that is the key word—together—we can make our county library one to be proud of and one that will continue to be a soulful place.

Paul Johns is an account executive for the Nixa Xpress and writes a weekly history column for the Headliner.

News on KOLR 10

2009-10-22T11:35:00.000-05:00

Taxpayers View Three Library Proposals for Christian County

Countdown to New Moon

2009-10-22T11:15:00.001-05:00

Help us celebrate the release of "New Moon" in theatres across the country. We will be showing the first installment of the series on a big screen and serving refreshments. You could win free tickets to opening night of "New Moon" or some of our other great door prizes! We ask that you please register so we can get an accurate count to provide refreshments. You are welcome to come dressed as your favorite character or in red, black and white. Everyone is welcome to come but only those 18 and under will be eligible for door prizes!

Saturday, October 31
Party starts at 1pm

Click Here to Register

Pettijohn Cemetery Dedication

2009-10-14T12:18:00.000-05:00

To help celebrate the 150th anniversary of Christian County the earliest white settler in the area will be honored with a marker at Pettijohn Cemetery. The Dedication will be held Saturday, November 14 at 3:00pm. It is hopes that many of the descendants will be able to attend the ceremony.

To Share Pettijohn Family Stories or for more information contact Wayne Glenn at 417-725-5580 or wayneglenn@att.net

Library Recieves Technology Mini-Grant

2009-10-13T11:37:00.000-05:00

The Christian County Library has recieved a grant from the state of Missouri to purchase new computers. The Library will purchase eleven computers to replace the nine public access computers that are unreliable and cannot run current software, replace one reference computer, and add one computer to the children’s department.

See the article in the Springfield News Leader
Click Here

National Game Day

2009-10-13T11:29:00.000-05:00

Come join the fun while we participate in National Game Day 2009. Bring the whole family for board games, video games, refreshments and door prizes! We ask that you please register so we can get an accurate count for refreshments.

Click Here to Register

Pets as Listeners

2009-10-13T11:24:00.000-05:00

Join us on Monday afternoons as we welcome Pets as Listeners into the library. Children may read to our very special friend. Registration is requested. Contact Lucinda Dailey at 417-581-2432 for more information.

Public Forum/Press Conference

2009-10-02T13:31:00.000-05:00

When: Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6:30PM

Location: Nixa Super 8 Hotel's Meeting Room

What: Public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Please join us to discuss the upcoming election and proposed library plans. Members of the library staff, library board, design firm, and financial firms will be available to answer any question that the public may have.

Articles in Springfield News Leader

2009-09-08T14:12:00.000-05:00

Public Forums Planned
Appeared September 1, 2009

Ballot Offers Voters Options for Cities, Library
Appeared September 8, 2009

Site Plans for Three Proposed Buildings

2009-09-04T11:40:00.000-05:00

Please feel free to view these plans online.
Click on the image below to see them in more detail.

Answers to Questions About Upcoming Library Levy

2009-08-31T17:59:00.000-05:00

Do you have questions about the library tax levy on the November ballot? You might attend one of the public forums mentioned below, or you can read our Frequently Asked Questions page, which should answer many of the questions you may have. Have even more questions? Ask them here in our comment section and we'll add our answers to our FAQ page.

Three Pieces of Land

2009-08-27T15:29:00.001-05:00

The Central Library will be at 801 N Fremont Rd, Nixa, adjacent to the Richwood campus of OTC. If you drive up Fremont Road from 14 you will see the sign fairly quickly.

The West County Branch will be on Highway 14 beside the People’s Bank in Clever, with entries from both Highway 14 and Public Avenue.

The East County Branch will be at 161 Wilson Court, across Highway 14 from the Sparta Post Office, between the Sparta Cemetery and the shopping center with the doctor’s office and Family Cafe.

Why was land purchased before the election?

Christian County land in visible, accessible locations with utilities available has become much harder to find and more expensive in recent years. Searching for appropriate land and obtaining it is a lengthy procedure. Voters often told us that they needed to know where the libraries would be and what they would include before making a decision on their vote. In anticipation of someday being able to provide better for library users, the district has been saving a little money each year for about fifteen years. Since the land might not be available later, the search would be unpredictable, and the price could be expected to increase, we bought the land with the saved money. Another advantage is that, having the land allows construction of new libraries much quicker after approval than if a land search had to follow an election.

LIFE Committee Website

2009-08-27T13:39:00.001-05:00

Please be sure to visit the Library Improvements For Everyone campaign committee website. Keep up to date on meetings and information on how to donate either time or money.

www.cclibrarylife.wordpress.com

Public Forum Planned

2009-08-19T11:10:00.000-05:00

The public is invited to discuss the Christian County Library's upcoming tax levy issue (Nov. 2009), general library operation, and Sapp Design Associates' preliminary plans for three proposed library buildings. Public Forums will be held throughout September.

Tuesday, September 15
Clever High School Library
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Thursday, September 17
The OC in Ozark
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Tuesday, September 22
Nixa, The Center
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Thursday, September 24
Sparta City Hall
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Coming in September

2009-08-05T16:02:00.000-05:00

Read to Dogs will be coming some Mondays starting in September. For more information or if you are interested in participating please contact Lucinda at the Christian County Library 581-2432.

Volunteers Wanted!

2009-08-01T11:55:00.000-05:00

Everyone who would like to volunteer to help with the campaign commitee should attend the LIFE meeting on August 6, at 6:30 pm. This will be the volunteer drive and committee set up.

There will be additional regular meetings on August 17 and August 27 in the Dorothy Netzer Meeting Room in the Christian County Library.

Library campaign group forming

2009-08-01T11:52:00.000-05:00

Appeared in the Christian County Headliner News Wednesday, July 29, 2009.

Click Here

Links to Springfield News-Leader stories

2009-07-28T15:47:00.000-05:00

Library levy heads to Christian County voters
July 25, 2009

Library looking to upgrade
July 28, 2009

LIFE: Library Improvements For Everyone Campaign Committee Meeting

2009-07-28T09:07:00.000-05:00

Thursdays, July 30 & August 6th @ 6:30PM in the Dorothy Netzer Meeting Room in the Library.

LIFE will be accepting volunteers at the August 6th meeting.

Election Committee Meeting

2009-07-15T15:22:00.000-05:00

At the July 14th organizational meeting of the campaign committee for the November 2009 election to increase the Christian County Library District's levy to twenty-five cents, the group elected a president, started learning about how to set up a campaign committee and chose a name.

The campaign committee will be known as LIFE - Library Improvements for Everyone. Libraries serve people of all ages, birth to death. Libraries serve people of all status and viewpoints - political, religious, educational, health, economic, race, gender, place of residence within the district, interests, passions, and ambitions. Libraries serve people where ever they are in LIFE. The name Library Improvements for Everyone emphasizes the fact that a large central library and east and west branches are planned to serve everyone in the county better than the current single thirty-seven year old 10,000 sf facility. This plan resulted from six years of public opinion polls, focus groups, panel discussions and consultants.

Kerri Bruce was elected President of the LIFE Committee. Other volunteer positions will be announced as they are filled.

Anyone interested in Christian County having the quality of library facilities, materials and services available to residents of most county library districts of similar size is invited to attend and participate.

Those who would like to contribute financially to the campaign costs may do so after the organizational papers are filed and approved with the Missouri Ethics Committee.

Events of note in the Children's Department

2009-06-24T14:26:00.000-05:00

This fall we will be starting a new program. Children Reading to Dogs will start in September and will take place here at the library every other Monday.

Scary stories. Everyone loves to hear them and everyone loves to tell them. Scary stories are particularly popular among upper-elementary and middle-school kids. August House invites you to celebrate Scary StoryWeek with us October 22-31.Whether you celebrate in the lighted classroom or the darkness of your Halloween carnival,with properly selected reading resources and enrichment activities, you can satisfy language arts standards while having fun with your kids. See Lucinda Dailey for more information or an entry form.

Christian County Library Purchased Land

2009-06-17T11:05:00.000-05:00

Press Conference Saturday, June 20th at 2:00pm on location just to the west side of People's Bank on Hwy 14 in Clever

During the Clever Independence Day celebration on Saturday, June 20, at 2:00 p.m., the Christian County Library District and the Peoples' Bank of the Ozarks will announce the purchase of land immediately west of the Peoples' bank for a proposed future Christian County Library branch to serve the western portion of the county. Construction is dependent upon voter approval on November 3 of funding to build and operate three libraries, in response to six years of public surveys, focus groups, and panel discussions and consultants.

View KOLR 10 news bit HERE

View KSPR 33 news bit HERE

Christian County Library in the news

2009-06-05T08:43:00.000-05:00

An article appeared in the Christian County Headliner on May 27 about the library and the ballot issue set for November.

See it online HERE

Christian County Library had a story on KSPR 33 about the ballot issue set for November.

See it online HERE

LIBRARY BOARD SETS ELECTION DATE

2009-05-06T12:03:00.000-05:00

For immediate release

For more information, contact:

Mabel Phillips, Director, Christian County Library,

1005 N 4th Ave, Ozark, MO 65721 Tel 581-2432 Fax 581-8855 mphillip@christiancounty.lib.mo.us

The Christian County Library Board of Trustees will place on the November 3 ballot an option for voters to support improved, more convenient library facilities and services similar to what the average Missouri library district offers.

The library hopes to improve and update library services currently offered in the district’s single 1972 building near the Ozark City Park. The plan resulted from six years of citizen surveys, focus groups, panel discussions, and consultants.

People highly value convenience. Those responding to the surveys and participating in the focus groups asked for information, library materials, and programming when and where it fit individual schedules. The library offered and put in place immediately as many added conveniences as funding and existing facilities allowed. A broad based variety of remotely accessible databases were purchased and made available. Use of even a couple of the databases gives any library patron who chooses to do so and has internet access many times the value of their annual property tax support without even coming to the library. Extended library hours are 8:30 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Friday and Saturday. Book returns are available 24/7 at the library, J and M Foods in Sparta, the Nixa Community Center and the Clever Public Library. Pick up of requested materials is provided during public hours at the three additional sites. A laptop lab offers community courses based on patron needs and requests. Library websites and catalogs have become more convenient and responsive.

Providing requested conveniently located, adequate facilities is more expensive and is impossible with the existing 8.7 cents collected levy. Studies prioritized room for programming, collection, modern library services, and pick-up windows. A survey presented three possible scenarios to randomly selected citizens: 1) about 22,000 square foot libraries in Ozark and Nixa with administrative offices and staffing added to one of them 2) about 22,000 square foot libraries in Ozark and Nixa with administrative offices and staffing added to one of them plus 5,000 square foot branches in Sparta and Clever 3) about a 37,000 square foot headquarters between Nixa and Ozark and 5,000 square foot branches in Sparta and Clever. Seventy-seven percent of the survey respondents most preferred the three facility option. The board approved three-library plan will place a library within ten miles of over eighty-five percent of all Christian County residents.

Before voting, citizens want to know where libraries will be and what they will look like . Prime Christian County locations are now less available and more expensive. The district carefully saved money toward future needs. Although much too little to build, let alone furnish, equip, stock or operate even one library, it allowed purchase of library sites. In 2008, the board decided to purchase land and hire an architect before setting an election date. Thom Field of Neale and Newman represented the library on site selection and negotiation. Sapp Design Associates, Architects, helped evaluate sites and propose placement of building on sites and will design proposed new buildings. The library hired Carson Elliff of Yates, Mauck, Bohrer, Elliff & Fels, P. C. as bond attorney and Julia Portman of Edward Jones as Underwriter. Plans toward meeting residents’ hopes and expectations for future library facilities and services moved forward.

At the April 24 board meeting, trustees decided that progress on site selection and preliminary design will allow us to answer the “where will it be?” and “what will it look like?” questions by this summer and hold the election in November.

Architects, consultants and the underwriter‘s estimates agree that building and operating the proposed libraries require a levy increase to twenty-five cents a hundred dollars. Christian County Library’s voted levy is twenty cents. Reassessment and the Hancock amendment have decreased the allowable collectable rate to 8.7 cents since the April 1971 election setting that rate. Twenty-five cents is the average levy now supporting Missouri county libraries with populations between 50,000 and 100,000. If approved, the plan would bring Christian County support, facilities and services nearer the state average. Per capita, Christian County is now among the lowest in the state on most reported measurements. For each $100,000 assessed value of a home, the proposed levy would increase property tax about $34 or just under a dime a day.

Library Services

2009-03-18T17:03:00.000-05:00

Residents’ informational and recreational needs are served by the Christian County Library District. Founded April 1949 at the minimum ten cent levy, Christian County Library has had a single levy increase in sixty years. In 1972, voters approved supporting library services at twenty cents per hundred dollars. Reduced by reassessment and Hancock, the 2009 collectable levy of $ .087 is a third of Missouri’s average twenty-five cent support. Income is inadequate to build, equip, stock, staff or operate adequate facilities. Thus, funding, facilities, collection, programming and collections are well below state and national public library averages.

In 2008, Christian County Library issued new library cards to 3,886 individuals. Attendance at library headquarters was 102,430, and 6,252 visited the Clever Public Library. The library’s internet connection was used by 20,296 people within the building, not counting wireless users for the first half of the year, catalog searches or use of the laptop computers in library classes or scheduled open labs. The library’s chief website was used 178,898 times. Materials checked out were 196,201. Not counting the e-books or other virtual sources, 5,408 new books and audio and video materials were added to the collection. In 2008, 466 children registered for the summer reading program.

Christian County Library operates sixty-three hours per week. Services are provided to Clever Public Library twenty hours a week. The library van makes deliveries three half days a week during the school year and less during the summer. Over 73,000 books and audio and video materials are available for public use. Most of the library’s thirty-one subscription databases are remotely accessible. Total active card holders are 21,231.

In Missouri, county library districts are governed by a five member Board of Trustees, each appointed for four year terms by the County Commission. The terms are staggered, with one trustee’s term expiring for three years out of four and two terms expiring in the fourth year. Insofar as possible, trustees are of different ages, occupations, genders, strengths, interests, backgrounds and residences throughout the county. Outgoing members are replaced with someone from the same general part of the county. Trustees represent the public to the library and the library to the public. At regular meetings, trustees set policy, adopt budgets, keep aware of library progress and hire a library director who is in charge of library operations.

Friends of the Christian County Library’s spring and fall book sales and other fundraising efforts pay for library participation in business expos, prizes for summer reading programs, flowers for the picnic area, and many other equipment, materials and services not covered by the library budget.

The library headquarters in Ozark was built in 1972 when county population was a fifth of the 2009 population. An addition was constructed in 1984. Most county libraries serving over 70,000 have branch locations. Typically, branches are within ten miles of all residents. Christian County’s single ten thousand square foot building is a bit northwest of the center of the county, leaving some southeast county residents over thirty miles and many residents in south and west Christian County citizens at or near twenty miles from the library. To update services to all residents; to serve residents living far from the library; and to help compensate for budget-restricted facilities, collection and services, the library offers remotely-accessible databases, community pick-up and drop-off sites and a regular van delivery schedule. Still the shortfalls result in many statistics, when computed on the per capita level, being well below average. A standard comparison tool, Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings often called HAPLR, uses weighted per capita criteria such as building and collection size, attendance and circulation, income and programming attendance from public libraries’ annual statistical reports to compare what each library offers and how citizens use the services. Christian County Library’s 2008 HAPLR score, based on the 2007 report on 2006 statistics was 322 of a possible 1,000. The average score of Missouri public libraries is 462. HAPLR places the library at the national percentile of twenty-one percent. Overall, of 550 American public library districts serving between 50,000 and 100,000, the size of Christian County’s income, facilities, collection and staffing place it at 423rd.

The Christian County Library District operates primarily on a $0.087 per $100 assessed valuation real and personal property tax levy. In 2008, property tax and in the interest on it made 93% of all library income. The balance of library income derived 5% from state aid and athletes and entertainers’ tax, 0 .7% cost recovery from late materials returns, printouts, and photocopies; and 1.3% from gifts and replacement of lost or destroyed materials. These percentages do not include one-time income from major grants.

In addition to operating the Christian County Library, the district in September of 2007 began an annual contract to provide collection, staff, library automation, internet, and materials delivery to the newly-founded Clever Public Library. It is housed in the office of a former fire station. The City of Clever, through a $180,000 bequest restricted for library services, and fund-raising efforts of Friends of the Clever Public Library provide the building, supplies, furnishings, equipment and utilities. If adequate funded becomes available, a branch library will replace the current arrangement. Library users may also request materials to be delivered for them to pick up at J & M Foods in Sparta or the Nixa Community Center during their regular hours. Library users may return borrowed items at bookdrops in all four locations.

The library has available for up to one hour per day per person use ten public-use internet computers, one of them restricted to use by children. In addition, two adult and one children’s area computers are library catalogs and a computer is a sign-up and notification station for computer use waiting lines. Internet access is provided on a T-1 line through the Remote Electronic Access to Libraries, REAL, Project of the State of Missouri and Missouri Research Network, MoreNET. The library recently became eligible for T-5 access, possibly later in 2009. In compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act, internet access arrives pre-filtered. Wireless users are authenticated via an individual access code supplied before log-in.

The Christian County Library uses Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III) library automation system to catalog, locate and track library materials and maintain the records of users and material via barcodes. Resources and personnel for maintaining the system are pooled in the eight-county Consortium of Ozarks Libraries (COOL) . Library patrons have access to materials belonging to other library districts through requests staff submit on their behalf to the Missouri Library Network Corporation (MLNC), the OCLC cooperative, and First Search, a single search method of looking at the catalogs of hundreds of libraries simultaneously.

Three library websites serve users at any computer with internet access. The catalog at coolcat.org allows searches, requests, renewals and checking on personal materials loan records. The transcribed records website at www.rootsweb.com/~moccl provides guidance and information for researching families and history in Christian County. The library home page at christiancounty.lib.mo.us is a frequently updated, customized collection of information about the library and its services and the most useful and reliable websites in the categories of Reference, Christian County, Missouri, the United States, the World, Family and Home, History and Genealogy, Work and Play.

Particularly useful and convenient are the databases, some provided statewide and paid with state funds, others carefully chosen and subscribed to by the district for the use of Christian County residents. Databases of searchable and full-text newspapers and magazines; hundreds of the best reference books; business contacts and information; auto repair; small engine maintenance; hobby and craft information; legal forms; homework help; genealogy; history; literature; educational and vocational practice tests; reader’s advisory; over eight thousand electronic books; science and biography are available for use at any internet connection, usually with the library card number. Companies fo not off a couple of popular subscription databases, Ancestry and the Kansas City Star, for remote access. These must be used in the library at library computers or on personal laptop computers. Access to all is through http://christiancounty.lib.mo.us/databases.html.

Meeting citizens’ current and anticipated future library needs will require funding levels nearer those of library districts which better meet those needs. Since 2002, the district has conducted surveys, focus groups, panel discussions and related means to determine citizen priorities and ways of providing the modern and adequate services available in other better supported districts. Convenient library locations, hours and access for residents throughout the County; a drive-through pick-up service; a diversified collection, in the full range of current formats from print, audio, and video to on-line, to match the increasingly diverse interests of the county’s growing population; space for collections, programming, equipment and library users; remote 24-7 on-line access to many of the library sources; and staffing to facilitate full library services are among citizen-identified needs.

As a basis for a decision on a ballot issue, citizens ask most often “Where will it be?” and “What will it look like?” Combined with the disappearance of suitable land and the increasing price of remaining land, the board decided to answer these questions before approaching the voters with a proposal to provide twenty-first century library services to Christian County. In 2008, the district hired a real-estate attorney, Thom Field of Neale & Newman, to identify, negotiate and obtain sites for three library locations using criteria determined from the studies. Proposed are a headquarters building between Nixa and Ozark of approximately 35,000 to 37,000 square feet to serve the over 40,000 residents within or near those cities; and two branches of about 5,000 square feet each, centered in the east and west parts of Christian County at Sparta and Clever to serve the remainder of the county. A list of ideas and requests from previous citizen input and consultant studies will be refined and finalized at public hearings prior to completing library designs. The estimated cost for the three libraries is about eleven million dollars. The district hired Sapp Design Associates, Architects, to coordinate engineering and surveying services to determine site suitability and to design and coordinate construction of library facilities. Carson Elliff of Yates, Mauck, Bohrer, Elliff & Fels was named Bond Attorney and Julie Portman with Edward Jones, Underwriter. As soon as all sites are determined to be suitable for building sites and under contract, the Library Board of Trustees will set an election date at which voters may decide whether to support convenient, adequate, modern library services for Christian County. The date is expected to be soon after July 2009. Should citizens approve funding, we anticipate plans to be completed, contractors hired and construction begun on all facilities within months. Barring unforeseen delays, all three locations should be open and operating within three years of the election. In addition to the property tax, every effort will be made to raise private funds, cooperate with others, and seek grants to enhance the basics provided by the levy, provide for features not payable with public funds, hasten the time when income can be spent for ongoing and future library services, and to address evolving future expectations and demands.

COMPARISON OF PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICS 2006 – REPORTED 2007

CATAGORIES US average MO average Christian County

Tax Rate (per $100) various support methods $0.25 $ 0.0872

Per capita Spending 23.51 26.27 9.55

Volumes per capita 2.37* 5.96 1.21

Library visits per capita 3.98 4.91 1.64

Circulation per capita 5.54 7.15 2.57

Sources: haplr-index.com 2008; CCL statistics; Missouri State Library, Institute for Museum and Library Services; National Center for Educational Statistics.

All per capita statistics are based on 2000 census figures, so CCL actual will be lower than stated, due to population growth. *US average volumes per capita from HAPLR is print only. Missouri and Christian County also includes audio, video and e-book counts.

Clever Library

2008-10-10T11:37:00.000-05:00

Clever Public Library will celebrate it's one year anniversary this month with a book/bake sale. Join them on Saturday October 18th from 9 am to 1 pm for the sale and a live band. Fun for the whole family! For more information contact:

Clever Public Library
210 S. Clarke
Clever, MO 65631
Phone 743-2277
email: clever@christiancounty.lib.mo.us
Hours: Tuesday – Friday 3:00 – 7:00 pm; Saturday 10am – 2pm

RSS Feeds for New Titles

2008-09-09T10:05:00.000-05:00

The Christian County Library is now offering RSS feeds so patrons can keep up with new titles in the library's collection. Patrons may choose to subscribe to a feed of all new titles, or pick from a variety of genres such as Christian Fiction, Playaway Audiobooks, Children's DVDs and much more. You'll find the link to a page listing available feeds on our catalog home page, or go directly to this list at http://coolcat.org/screens/ccl_feeds.html.

Never heard of or don't know how to use RSS feeds? Sign up for our Library Resources class to learn how to use this nifty tool, plus information about the library's subscription databases and hints for using our library catalog from home! See our Library Community Courses blog at http://christiancountylibrary.blogspot.com/ for details about upcoming classes.

Sparta is Newest Library Pick-Up and Return Site

2008-09-09T09:53:00.000-05:00

Materials checked out from the Christian County Library may now be returned to Sparta. J & M Foods is providing space for a book return along the sidewalk between the grocery and the video store. The book return formerly at Chadwick School was moved July 31 and is now available. All library materials go here, not inside the store.

Any one with a valid Christian County Library card may request books, DVD’s, audio books or other materials eligible for check out for delivery to the store. Library staff will call or e-mail when materials have been left. Residents may pick up their items during regular store hours. You will need to show your library card and sign that you have received the package.

Whether checked out from the library, the library van on its route or picked up at J & M Foods, all Christian County Library material may be placed in the book drop.

We anticipate the pick-up and delivery schedule to be three days a week, probably about five p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

All materials will be delivered in sealed and barcoded fabric library bags for privacy and security. The bags are also checked out to the user and are to be returned in the book return.

Questions about the service should be addressed to library staff at 581-2432, or info@christiancounty.lib.mo.us. J & M Foods will provide space for the book return and storage of packages of requested materials, and will check identification of each package and of person getting the package and hold the signed receipts for library pick-up. The library appreciates their generosity in providing this service. Current and new library users are urged to take advantage of the new convenience and express your appreciation to J & M staff.