The Rotary Club of Garrettsville-Hiram was pleased to have Jon Harris, new director of the Portage County District Library as their speaker on January 28, 2019. He has recently assumed the leadership position after being in children’s services in the PCDL Aurora branch (The district also has branches in Garrettsville, Windham, Streetsboro and Randolph.).He offered the information that, of the fifty states, Ohio has the most library cards per capita and that, like most public libraries in Ohio, the PCDL is largely funded by the state and not the local community. There is no longer a bookmobile but there are drop boxes and pick-up points in locations that have no branches, as well as shut-in services and delivery.
The district offers as much service as possible, given the financial constraints. These include going fine-free (Replacement charges do apply, however.)and being the source for movies, streaming, audio features, mobile hot spots, discussion groups, crafting and a whole range of other activities. The district would like to be contemplating expansion but will be rewriting and updating policies and assessments of community needs before that. He had an interesting reason for wearing a bowtie.
On the regular agenda was the delivery/distribution of the dictionaries to the Garfield third grade on Monday, January 28, as well as the acceptance of the most recent financial report, some anticipatory thoughts on the 2019 Reverse Raffle, to be held at SugarBush Golf Club on the first Wednesday in November (6th). The club also voted to sponsor the Penn-Ohio writing competition at the Garfield Middle School and to join with the Garfield Education Association in sponsoring signs of recognition for students who are seniors next year.
Happy bucks went into the pot for realtors’ recognition, an honored service member, escape from weather, recognition in the district newsletter, a cube event, dictionary distribution.
The 4-Way Speech Contest is coming and local prizes will be awarded.
There are hopes of raising more interest in local students becoming exchange students.
Back again next week at noon in Cal’s II, Sky Plaza, Garrettsville.
