Greetings everyone! January is rushing by quickly which isn't too bad with a just few cold days but not much snow currently. I am kind of enjoying that part. Upcoming events and activities at the library are story time Friday, January 24, at 10:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome to join us. Keep in mind if you are a daycare provider or center in Lennox and are unable to make it to us, we are mobile and cand come to you. Just get a hold of us. Email us at Lennoxlibrary@cityoflennoxsd.com or call us at 605-647-2203 opt 6.
We have a coding session coming up for 3rd - 6th graders starting Monday, January 27th. If interested check out our website or Facebook page on how to sign your child up.
January 29th is an early out so we will be hosting a movie matinee. The Wild Robot rated PG will start at about 12:30 p.m. Anyone 8 years or older is welcome to attend. Anyone under the age of 8 does need to be accompanied by someone of at least age 14 to chaperone them.
February book club will be meeting on Saturday the 15th to discuss James: A Novel by Percival Evertt - When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond. James is a brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, and told from Jim's point of view.
Reminder to keep up with the latest legislative developments. They are back in session, and we are making noise. On Thursday, January 16th there was a group that presented before the senate regarding the purposed cuts and what that could mean. We have postcards you can send to help us teach them what the importance of the state library is for our community and our state. Listed below are some facts about potential risks with losing services and what the impact would be:
The State Library provides essential resources to homeschoolers and job seekers and supports equal access to materials and literacy programs in rural communities. Essential services at risk include:
*Digital Resources: Access to databases, eBooks, research, test prep, and tools like Ancestry Library for all South Dakotans.
*Interlibrary Loan System: Enables resource-sharing across libraries, critical for rural communities.
*Grants & Funding: State libraries administer federal IMLS Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds, vital for library innovation.
*Professional Development: Workshops, certification, and training for library staff statewide.
*Special Programs: Statewide Summer Reading Program, courier services, and support for underserved populations.
The proposed cuts to the South Dakota State Library and the changes in HB 1041 will impact:
*Literacy and K-12 success: The State Library’s grants, summer reading programs, and shared databases support public, private, and homeschool students’ reading, research, and homework. Cutting those resources makes South Dakota students less prepared and competitive in the job market and higher education.
*Cost savings and cost-effectiveness: Individual libraries, homeschool families, K-12 and private schools cannot afford the education, test prep and job-seeking databases provided by the State Library, or digital resources like eBooks and Ancestry Library. The State Library saves taxpayers’ money by negotiating better deals and purchasing at scale. Without the State Library, local libraries and families face skyrocketing costs.
*Rural communities’ access to services and materials: The State Library’s interlibrary loan, courier system, and shared digital resources multiply the educational and business materials and services available in rural communities. Losing these services will create "information deserts" and educational gaps for children in rural areas.
*Libraries are foundational to education, economic opportunity, and lifelong learning. The State Library’s closure would have a cascading effect that weakens this vital ecosystem, particularly for rural communities.