Just over a year ago, I became a member of our county’s library foundation board. The Jackson County Library Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization and philanthropic partner to the library system. It secures and stewards resources to support and enhance the Jackson County Library District, as public funding doesn’t provide all the resources needed to maintain all of the great programs and resources the district provides. Although I’ve lived here for more than 15 years, I’m still learning new things about the system, and there is always some event, speaker, class or activity going on at one of our 15 branches that piques my interest. When I was asked to join the board, I warned them my strengths do not lie in the fundraising realm, but I have always been an enthusiastic supporter of public libraries and was happy to lend my time and efforts to the cause.

One aspect of my work for the board is building community awareness: getting the word out to the public about the purpose of the foundation and some of the library district programs and resources it helps fund. It supports early literacy through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and outreach visits to childcare facilities. It promotes technology via the DART (Direct Access to Resources and Technology) van, which serves as a Wi-Fi hotspot and brings resources and tech to patrons who can’t get to one of our branches and/or who live in remote, rural areas; and through Spark Space, where kids can learn about coding, robotics and creative design. It also funds enhancements to our branches from upgrading furniture and carpets to developing a pollinator garden.

One of the most engaging ways to spread the word about all the great things the library district and foundation do is to have a presence at some of the many events that take place around the Rogue Valley, heart of Jackson County. As you might imagine, the spring and summer months are chock-full of gatherings celebrating everything from vintage cars to Pride Month, jazz and the blues to Juneteenth. I’ve had the pleasure of manning booths alongside some of our great and enthusiastic library staff at some of these events in the last several weeks and enjoyed the interactions with the public.

Last month saw a well-attended two-day Rogue Comic Con in spite of blustery spring weather. With the protection of the DART van and anchored canopies, we welcomed over 900 visitors to our tables, sharing stickers and coloring pages with the younger attendees and chatting with everyone about library-sponsored gaming groups, book clubs, graphic novels and more. The cosplay world is not one I’m very familiar with, but it was delightful to see all the costumes and watch the interactions between enthusiastic fans of the same franchises. It opened up a whole new world to me, and I could see how it provides much joy and a sense of community to that group. It was also gratifying to hear all the positive reactions to our libraries and see how engaged our librarians are with their patrons.

Last weekend I attended Medford’s Juneteenth celebration at our downtown Pear Blossom Park. Once again, unfortunately, the weather was unseasonable chilly, damp and windy. Nevertheless, there was a very engaged crowd, an interesting variety of vendors and informational booths, as well as some active entertainment for the kids and fabulous live entertainment on the outdoor stage. Lucky for us, the DART van and our booth were located directly behind the stage, so we got to enjoy the music all day without having to budge! We were also able to hear the inspirational speakers who promoted messages of inclusion, a cooperative spirit and positivity; it was a very spirited and inspirational event. Again, we were heartened by the positive comments visitors to our table made regarding the library and what it meant to them, and we were happy to sign up some newcomers for their library cards and share information about what the libraries and foundation have to offer.

I’m looking forward to taking part today in our local Pride celebration. It promises to be a fun-filled, lively event under (this time!) warm, sunny skies. I anticipate more delightful interactions with the people of our valley and the chance to share with them what a great resource our local libraries are.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor