Creative collaboration extends library services to Crosslake, Pequot Lakes

Crow Wing County commissioners Tuesday approved the use of county library levy dollars to cover the costs of extending services to Crosslake and Pequot Lakes.

The Kitchigami Regional Library System and the cities of Pequot Lakes and Crosslake reached a mutual agreement to extend the regional library services to the libraries in those cities.

The change will not increase the Crow Wing County library levy. But it will use funds set aside for future library development. The county board previously sought and were successful in getting a change in the regional library's joint powers agreement to allow Kitchigami to have contracts with libraries that are not part of its system, such as the community libraries in Crosslake and Pequot Lakes.

Most of the library levy dollars - $567,358 in 2009 - pay for operating costs associated with the Brainerd Public Library. In addition, county residents receive mobile library twice a month to Pequot Lakes, Nisswa, Breezy Point, Crosslake, Garrison, Bay Lake and Emily.

The regional library set aside $15,185 to extend the interlibrary loan and delivery and acquisition services to Crosslake and Pequot Lakes giving each library about $5,000 for materials, namely books.

"We have found some great ways to work more closely with the regional system and give our residents some extended services," said Jon Henke, director of parks, recreation and library services in Crosslake.

"We have found some great ways to work more closely with the regional system and give our residents some extended services," said Jon Henke, director of parks, recreation and library services in Crosslake.

Pequot and Crosslake libraries will assist residents with Kitchigami card registration and allow them to access materials throughout the state through the interlibrary loan program. Residents with a library card may sign up for materials on the computer and it will be delivered to their community library. Deliveries are planned four days per week.

"That is the main advantage of this service contract," Henke said.

There are also training opportunities from Kitchigami to the library staffs in the two cities.

In other business, the board:

Approved the 2010 harvest plan. No one from the public spoke during the harvest plan public hearing. The county plans to cut 1,655 acres of trees with 750 acres of aspen, 180 acres of birch, 350 acres of oak, 150 acres of northern hardwoods, 25 acres of jack pine, 180 acres of red pine, 20 acres of balsam fir and tamarack/black spruce as needed. The oak, northern hardwoods and red pine harvests included selective cut areas.

Heard a suggestion from Brainerd resident Jeff Czeczok to lower the per diem payments to $40, a decrease of $10, as a way to fund a gap in reimbursement for volunteer drivers who take residents to medical appointments.

In a recent funding change, volunteer drivers will be now be reimbursed only when they have the person they picked up in the vehicle, meaning they would not receive mileage for return trips or to drive to pick up a person who may have stayed in the medical facility for treatment. Trips may include rides to the Twin Cities or Rochester. Susan Beck, community services director, previously suggested a $500 fund to fill the gap a few months while a funding solution is sought.

RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.