Next Chapter Campaign

Excitement over growing the library’s programming and supporting the community through the Next Chapter Campaign are fueling Felicia Gill’s efforts since joining the North Lake County Public Library District in January 2021 as the Youth Services Librarian.

“The library is so important,” Gill said. “It gives families a safe, welcoming place to come to and it gives them access to so many things they need, like early-education programs, books, and internet!”

Gill is in charge of programming and outreach for kids of all ages. Through the Next Chapter Campaign, the story-time and Mother Goose programs she currently runs for young children will gain more room for their activities, and give the library space to add new programs. The Next Chapter Campaign goal is $2 million and has raised over $1.35 million to date.

“I love doing interactive books for story-time and our outreach Story Shuttle visits,” Gill said of her children’s programming. “I try to do one each week.” A recent favorite of hers and the children during story-time was High Five by Adam Rubin. The kids participated in the story by high fiving the book.

The library offers a 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten reading program for newborns through Pre-K, and a very popular summer reading program that has had over 1,000 registrants in years past. Many businesses and organizations in the community support these programs by offering incentive coupons or prizes for participants meeting reading goals.

“I really love interacting with the children and being able to offer these important programs,” Gill said. “It’s kind of hard to believe that my job is to read stories and sing songs with kids.” Gill uses her bachelor’s degree in literature and creative writing and work experience at the Barnes and Noble children’s department to enhance her programs. She has seen these programs grow since the library resumed offering in-person programming for children. Gill looks forward to the expanded children’s area.

The additional space will allow her desk to be stationed in the kids’ area so she can easily help new readers discover a favorite book, and will allow for more play and programming space.

Children’s Area Expands with the Next Chapter Campaign

Continuing to offer and expand youth programming at the North Lake County Public Library District is vital for readers of all ages to grow their love of literacy and lifelong learning.

“We’re excited that two of our programs, Mother Goose for young children and story-time for preschool children, are each meeting once a week after being virtual, and bringing in kids and their families to experience the library,” said Connie Brownell, president of the North Lake County Library Foundation.

Because of space constraints, these programs are currently held in the meeting room. The Next Chapter Campaign will provide a dedicated space in the children’s area which will be larger and open for kids to play, learn and explore.

The renovation project will not only provide more programming space, but will also create equally important play space for kids of all ages. A dedicated space that is safe for infants and toddlers to explore and play will be incorporated into the children’s area. Lower shelving for books will help parents and caregivers keep an eye on older kids by providing line of sight throughout the library.

To learn more about the Next Chapter Campaign, please contact Connie Brownell at nlclfoundation@gmail.com.

 

Glacier Bank has committed $25,000 to the Next Chapter Campaign and is honored to support the North Lake County Public Library District’s renovation.Glacier Bank has 16 branches across Western Montana and is focused on making a difference in those communities. The bank is always looking for projects like the library that it can support, especially projects that further the greater good focusing on youth, education, and the aging population. “Luckily the library supports everybody. It’s not an age-specific entity,” said

Glacier Bank Polson Branch Vice
President Shauna Rubel.

Rubel learned about the library’s importance while serving on the Greater Polson Community Foundation Board.

“Learning what’s available for everybody, adults included, was pretty eye opening,” said Rubel as she noted library services for adults including computers, technology classes, and the ability to copy and fax documents. With Glacier Bank’s support of the Next Chapter Campaign, the library will have the opportunity to serve and support even more people throughout the area.

Technology Services Expand Under Next Chapter Campaign

The North Lake County Public Library Foundation’s Next Chapter Campaign is excited to expand the Library’s essential technology services to the community through the upcoming renovation.

“COVID-19 has highlighted the importance for virtual learning and remote working,” said Connie Brownell, president of the North Lake County Library Foundation. “We see how vitally important technology is for everyone, and the library is committed to offering the community a safe place to access reliable internet and technology.” The bigger interior space will allow the library to have more computers for adults and a dedicated kids’ computer section. The plans also include a dedicated Makerspace to house the library’s 3-D printer and offer a space for community members to utilize special equipment for creative projects.

“We’re proud to offer tech support to our patrons as well as computer and Wi-Fi access, printing, copying and faxing, and access to our 3-D printer,” Library Director
Abbi Dooley said.

The library currently offers nine public access computers, two kids’ game computers and reliable Wi-Fi throughout the facility. During the 2019 fiscal year, there were 7,612 internet sessions launched from computers and nearly 20,000 Wi-Fi sessions from patrons’ personal devices.

To support the Next Chapter Campaign contact Connie Brownell at nlclfoundation@gmail.com.

All gifts to the North County Public Library Foundation for the Next Chapter Campaign are tax deductible. Giving before the end of the year is a great way to maximize your charitable contributions for yourself and the library with the help of the CARES Act. Here is some basic information. Speak with your legal and tax experts for advice on how to proceed.

CARES Act: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic

Security (CARES) Act has been extended for 2021. For taxpayers who take the standard deduction, the act extends a $300 universal charitable deduction allowed in 2020. These taxpayers can deduct donations directly to a charity of up to $300 per individual or $600 for joint filers on their 2021 federal tax return above the standard deduction. For those who itemize their deductions, the act eliminates the cap on how much of a taxpayer’s charitable donations can be deducted against income, allowing households to deduct cash gifts of up to 100% of their adjusted gross income. This could effectively eliminate a taxpayer’s federal tax liability in 2021. Caps on corporate giving also rose under the CARES Act to 25% for 2021.

Stocks and Bonds

Giving stocks and bonds that have increased in value can be used as an income tax deduction and used to avoid the capital gains tax. Giving securities directly to a qualified charity, your income tax deduction is based on the security’s fair market value and can offset up to 30% of your adjusted gross income, which could reduce your tax bill. Also, by giving appreciated securities directly, neither you nor the charity pays a capital gains tax on the donated securities, effectively increasing your donation.

Qualified Charitable Distributions

For those who are ages 70 1/2 and older, you can donate up to $100,000 from your individual retirement account directly to a charity. The contribution counts towards your required minimum distribution and isn’t included in your adjusted gross income, which could qualify you for tax breaks tied to your adjusted gross income and reduce or eliminate taxes on Social Security.

If you’re interested in any of these types of contributions, contact your financial advisor to see how you can make a tax-deductible gift and impact the Next Chapter Campaign.

The Next Chapter Campaign allows donors to create a legacy in the community by naming a space in the North Lake County Public Library. Giving in support of a naming opportunity is a wonderful way to honor or memorialize a family member or friend, or to be recognized as a community-leading company that cares about the people of Polson and its surrounding areas.

“Leaving a legacy for future generations in Polson shows how important the library is to our community.” Library Director Abbi Dooley said.

North Lake County Library Foundation Naming Opportunities

Entire Library $1,000,000

Community meeting room (fulfilled by Jarecki Foundation)  $250,000

Family Reading Area (Western Atrium) $250,000

Children’s Reading Area $250,000

New Entrance  $100,000

Maker’s Space $100,000

Coffee Shoppe (Friend of the Library Book Shop) $75,000

Montana Art and Culture Gallery (fulfilled by Joyce Erickson) $75,000

Small Meeting Room – A $50,000

Small Meeting Room – Low Vision Center $50,000

Children’s Section – Pirate Ship Divider (Gallagher Foundation)  $25,000

Infant/Toddler Nook (fulfilled) $25,000

Teen Seating Area $25,000

North Window Reading Nook $25,000

Large Print Section – based on number of shelving units $15,000

Cabinet for Native American Cultural Displays (The Newgard Family) $12,000

Adult Computer Group Table   $10,000

Kid’s Computer Group Table (fulfilled by Polson Rotary Club) $10,000

Movable Shelving for Books – A (Bob and Sharon Fulton) $10,000

Movable Shelving for Books – B     $10,000

Aquarium and 5 years maintenance $10,000

Seed Catalog   $2,500

Montana Section (fulfilled)   $2,500

Sections of Bookshelves (40 available) each, double sided  $1,000

Individual Tables  $1,000

Individual Chairs: $1,000

North Lake County Library Foundation’s Next Chapter Campaign will bring much needed improvements to the library by creating a new entrance, easier access to restrooms, and wider space between shelves, all of which will bring the library into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

“We’re excited to relocate the library entrance to the corner of 1st Street and 1st Avenue. The new configuration will greatly ease accessibility for those with mobility issues and wheelchair users,” Library Director Abbi Dooley said. “The current ramp is very steep and is difficult to negotiate.”

The library has proudly served the community since 1912 and has been in the current location since 1989. The facility’s ADA accommodations were grandfathered in but need to be brought up to code to better serve and support the community.

Next Chapter Modernizes Library Accessibility Wider spaces between shelves also will provide secure lines of sight for library staff and patrons. “Increasing the space between shelves and updating the bathrooms will not only help patrons in wheelchairs but also parents who have strollers and small children,” Connie Brownell, president of the North Lake County Library Foundation said.

The $2 million raised by the Next Chapter Campaign will help expand the usable space within the library by 2,000 square feet and create more room for valuable mission-driven offerings like children’s programming, technology access and creative exploration.

“Our library has always been an important asset to our community, and we want everyone to have safe and easy access to enjoy our services and programs,” Brownell said

Donor Calls Library a Positive Force

Growing up on a farm, Penny Jarecki’s mom read to her after lunch every day. Penny did not live near a library but would have loved to have been able to go like the “town kids” did. Seeing the children visiting the North Lake County Public Library for story hour reminds Jarecki of her love of reading as a child and how vital the library is to the community. For this reason, Jarecki has pledged her support to the library’s Next Chapter Campaign to expand and improve its facilities. “The library is one of the first places for children to go to find out how much fun and adventurous reading is,” Jarecki said.

In 1970 she married local rancher, Chuck Jarecki. During their years on the ranch, the Jareckis were deeply involved with beef industry organizations on local, state, and national levels. After the ranch sold in 1990, Penny volunteered her time to community projects. She was a founder of the Greater Polson Community Foundation, which was created to support the needs of the community – including grants to the North Lake County Public Library. Jarecki said that besides the children’s programs, the library has stayed in step with the times by offering computer access and technical support, Wi-Fi, eBooks, access to books from other libraries in the state, and meeting rooms for the community.

“The library is a magnet, a positive force with so many aspects including bringing in authors, guest speakers, and special films,” Jarecki said. She supports the $2 million capital campaign to renovate the library because the library is committed to using its existing location by repurposing 2,000 square feet of interior space in the renovation. Jarecki believes updates that will bring the library into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act are important. “It really is time for a renovation,” Jarecki said. “The remodel project will make more efficient use of the existing space for both library staff and library users.”

Growing up in Kalispell, Connie Brownell and her sister spent Saturdays at the library while her mom ran errands. “That’s where my curiosity developed, from looking at things I didn’t have at home,” Connie says. “There was the aardvark in the glass case that was interesting and the 3D old-fashioned pictures.” She loved mysteries and devoured the Nancy Drew series while solidifying her love of libraries.That tender spot for libraries grew when she became a high school science teacher and spent most of her career in the Chicagoland area. She retired and returned to Montana in 2007. Eight years ago, she was asked to join the North Lake County Library Foundation Board as she looked for a place to give back to the community.

Now serving as the foundation board president, Connie is working to advance the Next Chapter Campaign’s effort to raise $2 million in community support to increase the library’s public space by over 2,000 square feet and bring ADA improvements to the entrance, the restrooms, and throughout the library. “We have a very steep ramp leading into the library, and it’s difficult for moms with strollers and for older people who have trouble with mobility,” Connie says. “These improvements will provide greater accessibility and open up the spaces for the comfort and safety of library patrons and staff.”

The project also will expand children’s programming and make room for a creative Maker’s Space, a 3-D printer and additional computers.

Connie believes the library should be viewed as a community asset and supported as such. “The library is a resource for everyone in the community and the financing of its improvements should be shared with as many people as possible who value the library as a community center,”
she says.

New Library Children’s Area to Expand Space and Programs

With the success of the Next Chapter Campaign, the North Lake County Public Library District will become a more open and inviting space, especially for its youngest patrons. The new design will expand space for the library’s popular children’s programs and set the area further back in the library. “Story-time and early literacy programs for children are so important to us,” says Library Director Abbi Dooley. “We must create a library that can comfortably accommodate all kids and families who are interested in these programs.”
In 2019 alone, the library’s youth programs had total attendance over 7,000 for the year. New space will allow the library to expand its programs and meet additional demand. The new library space also will have lower shelves creating an open view throughout the library and will bring improved technology options for children. “The new space will have a dedicated children’s computer section, which will allow for more users on the main computer banks,” says Connie Brownell, president of the North Lake County Library Foundation Board. “We have a pretty diverse community as far as age groups go. I think that on both ends of the spectrum it’s nice to have free resources and availability for getting help with new technology in the community.”

Polson Library Foundation | nlclfoundation@gmail.com | P.O. Box 74 | Polson, MT 59860