Fine Arts Reputation Grows | Branch Manager Wins Award
Library Staff Donate to Hurricane Relief Efforts
Library Hosts Holiday Celebrations
Staff Activities | Patron Feedback

Fine Arts Reputation Grows 
Tricia Gerard began her artistic career at the age of three using lipstick on a bedroom carpet. Marla Craven started with a Brownie camera on her way to Girl Scout camp. Ronda Kivett works with beads, Jim Ewbank prefers cut glass, while Lori Hinrichsen recycles sewing patterns and cancelled bank checks into paper creations.

Despite their many differences, all of these artists have one thing in common. They are among the growing ranks who have shared their art work at the KCK Public Library.

The library continues to build on its reputation for having an exceptional fine arts collection and outstanding gallery exhibits. The West Wyandotte Library in particular is noted for both.

Glenda Flanagan has taught art in the Kansas City area for nineteen years, and is herself an accomplished painter. She distributes maps to her Shawnee Mission East High School students showing them how to get to the West Wyandotte Library.

In December, Flanagan joined four other art teachers from Shawnee Mission East in displaying their work in a group show at the West Wyandotte Library. The exhibition attracted the attention of a producer for KC Roundabout, a local cable television program.

A camera crew came to the library, and Glenda Flanagan, Arts and Humanities Librarian Sarah Wilson and West Wyandotte Branch Manager Pat Gaunce were interviewed for the program. Flanagan told the interviewer that all of her fellow art teachers use West Wyandotte as a resource library.

Shortly thereafter, Gaunce’s granddaughter called to tell her that she had watched the program in her junior class at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Ashley Hoffman reported that she had a hard time convincing her classmates that the woman being interviewed on television about fine arts at the West Wyandotte Library was, in fact, her grandmother.

In addition to gallery shows at the Argentine, Main and West Wyandotte libraries, the KCK Public Library also hosts a virtual gallery of exhibits on the Internet. The web page features photos of works from past exhibits, as well as brief biographies of the artists and links to other art resources on the Internet. The web address is www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/finearts/fineart.htm.

Branch Manager Wins Award
One minute of Pat Gaunce’s time was worth $2,500 in November. That’s about how long it took her to come up with an idea for the next phase of the "Not Your Ordinary Cowtown" marketing campaign for KCK.

Pat’s suggestion of a focus on youth in education was selected as the best of more than two dozen entries received from KCK Area Chamber of Commerce members at a Business After Hours gathering. The prize was $2,500 in services from TNT Group, Inc., the advertising firm responsible for the original "Not Your Ordinary Cowtown" campaign.

After learning that she had won at the Chamber’s First Friday Focus gathering on December 4, Pat promptly turned the award over to USD 500. The free advertising services will be used to develop a special marketing campaign for the school district and the library.

The new policies are designed to help reduce the incidence of lost materials, and to increase the availability of materials to all patrons.

Library Staff Donate to Hurricane Relief Efforts
Several car loads of food and clothing will find their way to hurricane victims in Central America thanks to the efforts of KCK Public Library staff members. Staff collected the donations for the Heart to Heart hurricane relief effort.

Patty Meza, Processing and Data Entry Assistant, organized the collection in the Technical Services department. She then personally delivered the items to the local collection point with help from coworker Marina Williams, Cataloging Associate.

In addition to the special efforts on behalf of hurricane victims, library staff also continued their annual tradition of contributing to local charities for the holidays. Technical Services and Main Library staff adopted a family through the Salvation Army. Staff at the Argentine Library adopted a family through Emerson Elementary School.

Library Hosts Holiday Celebrations
More than 1,000 people attended programs at the library in December. High on the list of crowd pleasers were several holiday celebrations.

At the Argentine Library, 113 people attended the second annual Family Christmas celebration. The Washington High School Chamber Singers performed at the program, and Father Christmas made a special appearance. The event was organized by Youth Services Supervisor Susan Haley and Adult Services Supervisor Darla Keller.

The Main Library’s annual holiday party drew nearly 50 people. The program included refreshments and performances by singers from the Roswell Church of Christ and storyteller Joyce Slater. A holiday program in the Youth Services department at Main featured a visit from Santa, refreshments, and a reading of The Night Before Christmas by library patron Granny Goff.

A Kwanzaa celebration at the Main Library included a candle lighting ceremony and a presentation on the meaning of Kwanzaa, a holiday based on the African harvest festival. Other performances included readings by Sister Moses, a puppet show by Phyllis Moore, a display of art work by Melvin Moore, and a talk by Charlotte Hill O’Neal, a KCK native who now lives in Tanzania. Library staff provided refreshments, including Senegalese cookies made by Helen Prater, Information Desk Assistant, and a West African ginger drink made by Vickie McEnroe, Youth Services Supervisor.

The Friends of the Library hosted a holiday tea at the West Wyandotte Library. Friends members and their guests enjoyed refreshments and musical entertainment provided by Teresa Garrison, Assistant Library Director, and Sarah Wilson, Arts and Humanities Librarian.

Children’s holiday programs included a special presentation of the play Bob Humbug, The Christmas Grouch at the West Wyandotte Library. The play was followed by a visit from Santa. Other programs included holiday crafts, movies and storytimes at all three library locations.

Bookmobile and Extension Services Supervisor Anne Miller took the holidays on the road. She joined former coworker April Armstrong in presenting a puppet show for 75 people at an old-fashioned holiday celebration hosted by the Wyandotte County Historical Society.

Library staff presented a total of forty-one programs in December.

Staff Activities
Vanetta Bell has been accepted as a first year student in the KPLACE program at Emporia State University. KPLACE is open to library staff, trustees, or active Friends members who want to expand their library and leadership skills.

Katherine Reed, Switchboard and Room Reservations Assistant at the West Wyandotte Library, was presented with a gift at the monthly meeting of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce. The presentation was in appreciation of all her work on behalf of that organization.

Darla Keller started work as the new Adult Services Supervisor at the Argentine Library. Darla is a recent graduate of the School of Library and Information Management at Emporia State University.

Adult Services Librarian Barbara Jolley has accepted the position of Circulation Supervisor at the Main Library. Barbara will also continue her Fiction/Reader’s Advisory duties.

Patron Feedback
The Wyandotte County Republican Women’s Committee donated a book to the collection at the West Wyandotte Library. Carol Levers, West Wyandotte Circulation Supervisor, accepted the donation from the organization on behalf of West Wyandotte Branch Manager Pat Gaunce.

The Argentine Library received what has become an annual holiday donation of $100 from a local doctor. Another donation was received from a patron who had fond memories of Bessie Blackler, Argentine librarian from 1952 to 1972.

The Friends of the Library donated a copy of Microsoft Office 97 to the library for use in the Kansas Room. Kansas Collection Librarian Georgia Slaughter has begun using the software to develop a database of major articles and photographs from the Kansan newspaper.

John Russell donated a pair of stuffed Christmas mice to the Youth Services department at the Main Library. Russell is the manager of a HyVee grocery store on Quivira.