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A Tower Garden was installed at the North Manchester Public Library thanks to the Poet Bioprocessing Community Impact Grant! The installation of the garden was a part of NMPL’s Homeschool Science program and the students worked with library staff and members of the Purdue Extension Wabash County to build the garden.  Tower Gardens operate on an advanced form of hydroponics called aeroponics. Aeroponic systems use water, liquid nutrients and a soilless growing medium to grow plants in an air or mist environment rather than soil. This method is quick and efficient, using 98% less water, 90% less space, growing 30% more, and 3 times faster than traditional soil methods. There is no need for digging or weeding, which means planting indoors becomes a viable option. The Tower Garden will make urban farming accessible to the North Manchester community. Library users will be able to reserve tower sections during late winter/early spring (for spring/summer gardens) and late summer (for fall crops) for the purpose of plant starts. As plants reach the size of viability, users can take them home for transplant and a new set of patrons can start their own seeds (which they can choose at no cost from the NMPL seed library). The Tower Garden will be accessible for everyone in the community any time they visit the library, and will provide families with access to fresh produce all year long. The homeschool students planted peas, chard, lettuce, herbs, and tomatoes. The library encourages the community to stop by the library to check it out in person - and stay tuned to harvest fresh produce!
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The North Manchester Public Library Board is looking for a dedicated and visionary individual to fill the position of Library Director due to retirement.
The library serves about 5,277 area residents in the northern portion of Wabash County. The building is situated in downtown North Manchester, just miles from Manchester University. This active community includes students from birth to college, area business people, and a large retirement constituency. The library director is responsible for managing staff, daily operations of the building, implementing library annual budget, and maintaining state library standards. This person is also an ex-officio member of the library board and reports all activities to the board. This is a full time position requiring at least 35 hours a week, with some night and weekend hours included. Qualifications:
Direct any questions or resumes and cover letters to the attention of: Eileen Meyer Sklar North Manchester Public Library 405 North Market Street, North Manchester, IN 46962 Email: employment@nman.lib.in.us Review of applications begins October 31, 2023 The North Manchester Public Library (NMPL) is excited to announce that they have entered into a Local Reciprocal Borrowing Covenant with the South Whitley Community Public Library for all resident and non-resident patrons. Once a patron has a library card (either resident or non-resident) card at one library, the Borrowing Covenant will allow all patrons to sign up for an account at the other library for free. This covenant becomes effective on October 1st, 2023.  Patrons (resident or non-resident) interested in becoming reciprocal patrons only need to bring their home library card to the other library along with a valid ID or proof of address. The only restrictions for reciprocal patrons are that reciprocal patrons cannot borrow Inter-Library Loan titles or check out hotspots. The North Manchester Public Library also has the same agreement with Roann Public Library and Wabash Carnegie Public Library.
“NMPL's reciprocal agreement with the South Whitley Community Public Library is a wonderful collaboration for those who go to school, live, or work in our communities,” said Diane Randall, NMPL Director. “We’re excited to continue to expand our reciprocal services, allowing all our patrons to experience all the wonderful libraries in our area.” "With this new collaboration with South Whitley, our non-resident patrons can now access FOUR libraries for the price of one," said Jeanna Hann, NMPL Adult Department Manager and Marketing Coordinator. "Our resident patrons will have access to the same four libraries, in addition to the 100+ libraries that are on the State Reciprocal Borrowing Library covenant offered through the state library." “We’re excited to have this opportunity to collaborate with NMPL,” said Vicki Builta, SWCPL Director. “Both NMPL and SWCPL have much to offer to patrons, which means residents of both communities are the winners with expanded access to our libraries.” For more information on either library, visit https://www.nman.lib.in.us/ or https://swcplib.com/ It is bittersweet for the North Manchester Public Library and Board of Trustees to announce that Diane Randall is retiring from her position as Director of the library on December 31st, 2023. Diane has been the director at the NMPL for 4 years. In her time at the library, NMPL engaged in many new collaborative partnerships, such as working with the Community Pantry NM, the Purdue Extension, and Master Gardeners. Additionally, she had a strong focus on building maintenance, improving and updating existing technology, and utilizing library grounds. We are grateful for the time that she spent here, and we wish her nothing but the best of luck in her next adventure.
 The North Manchester Public Library is excited and honored to partner with the Paint the World™ initiative to host a collaborative canvas at the library.
Paint the World™ is an organization that “activates community-driven solutions by creating opportunities for collective creativity.” They “are on a mission to harness the power of a blank canvas, spark creative confidence, and unlock the collaborative problem-solving capacity of communities around the world. Paint the World has the core belief that a blank canvas has the power to unlock dormant creativity, tap into a community’s collective consciousness, enhance innovative problem-solving skills and provide a unique vantage point into the heart of the world.” A collaborative canvas, along with paints and supplies, will be hung at the library from Wednesday, July 26th through Thursday, July 27th. Community members can come between the hours of 10am and 7pm both days to paint and create on the canvas. Activity cards will be made available so that participants can share their experiences and feelings during their time painting. The finished canvas will be returned to the Paint the World™ organization who will auction it off to continue to support the organization and canvas placements in other communities. "We're thrilled to offer another avenue for the community to create and explore the arts,” said Sarah Morbitzer, NMPL Children’s Department Manager “This has been a big summer for art projects at NMPL! The North Manchester Fine Arts Club and the Community Foundation of Wabash County sponsored our Summer Art Series with Hannah Burnworth. Members of the Knitting & Crochet Group have been teaching library users of all ages each Friday afternoon. Josh Steely, one of our clerks, has led several workshops on Cereal Box Art. We're really giving patrons a variety of ways to explore the world around them and interact with different mediums. This Paint the World Canvas is going to be the cherry on top of our summer of art!" “As we wrap up another amazing summer, we’re excited to have one final event to say farewell to this magical summer of reading,” says Molly Magnus, NMPL Programming Coordinator. “We hope people of all ages will feel welcome to come and add their own artistic touch to this community canvas!” For more information on Paint the World™ visit www.painttheworld.com For more information on NMPL programming, visit www.nman.lib.in.us The North Manchester Public Library is thrilled to be the recipient of a POET Bioprocessing Community Impact Grant in the amount of $2,000. NMPL will use the funds for an installation of a Tower Garden (https://hunter.towergarden.com/tg) at the library. Tower Gardens operate on an advanced form of hydroponics called aeroponics. Aeroponic systems use water, liquid nutrients and a soilless growing medium to grow plants in an air or mist environment rather than soil. This method is quick and efficient, using 98% less water, 90% less space, growing 30% more, and 3 times faster than traditional soil methods. There is no need for digging or weeding, which means planting indoors becomes a viable option.  Pictured (left to right): NMPL Programming Coordinator Molly Magnus, NMPL Children’s Department Manager Sarah Morbitzer, David Pyle of POET, NMPL Director Diane Randall “We have big plans for the Tower Garden,” said Sarah Morbitzer, NMPL’s Children’s Department Manager. “The Tower Garden will be accessible for everyone in the community any time they visit the library, and will provide families with access to fresh produce all year long. It will also allow the library to expand our Dirty Diggers garden program for kids, beyond the spring and summer months. We hope to continue to cultivate a love of fresh, healthy greens and herbs in children by giving them the opportunity to grow, harvest, and taste the 'tower-to-table' experience.” Additionally, NMPL hopes the Tower Garden will show library users the positive partnership between science, environmental care, and food sustainability. NMPL plans to use it as a source of ingredients for cooking classes at the library. “We collaborate with Purdue Extension Wabash County to host Chef University, a dynamic program that gives kids hands-on experience preparing and eating healthy recipes,” said Morbitzer. “The Tower Garden will grow the herbs and leafy vegetables for the recipes, which will give us an affordable, environmentally friendly source for non-seasonal produce.” The Tower Garden will make urban farming accessible to the North Manchester community. Library users will be able to reserve tower sections during late winter/early spring (for spring/summer gardens) and late summer (for fall crops) for the purpose of plant starts. As plants reach the size of viability, users can take them home for transplant and a new set of patrons can start their own seeds (which they can choose at no cost from the NMPL seed library). "We are excited about the benefits a Tower Garden located at the library will bring to our community,” said Diane Randall, NMPL’s Director. “With this project, we seek to broaden the scope of our educational programming, address food insecurity, encourage healthy eating, promote environmental care, and build community connections. We are grateful to POET for supporting our vision and giving us the resources we need to make it a reality!"  We’re thrilled to announce that the North Manchester Public Library (NMPL) and the Roann Paw Paw Township Public Library (Roann) have expanded their existing Local Reciprocal Borrowing Covenant to include all non-resident patrons. Once a patron has purchased a non-resident library card at one library, the Borrowing Covenant will allow non-resident patrons to sign up for an account at the other library for free. This covenant becomes effective on May 1st, 2023. Previously, only resident patrons of either library could take advantage of this reciprocal program.  “With such a large underserved population in the county, we feel it's so important to provide the opportunity to obtain increased library services,” said Diane Randall, NMPL Director. “We’re excited that Roann has partnered with us to help achieve this goal.”
Patrons interested in becoming reciprocal patrons can do so by bringing their home library card to the other library along with a valid ID or proof of address. The only restrictions for reciprocal patrons are that they cannot borrow Inter-Library Loan titles or check out hotspots. The North Manchester Public Library also has the same agreement with Wabash Carnegie Public Library. "All NMPL patrons can now access THREE libraries for the price of one," said Jeanna Hann, NMPL Adult Department Manager and Marketing Coordinator. "All three libraries have rich, diverse collections and we hope these collaborations are a huge benefit to our patrons." “The Roann Paw Paw Township Public Library is thrilled to continue in a partnership with NMPL, expanding our local covenant to now include non-resident borrowers as well,” said Joy Harber, Library Director of Roann. “We love the idea of working together as much as possible to expand services to our County and patrons. Our goal and mission continues to make libraries a meaningful and valuable asset that rises to meet the ever-changing needs of our communities. We look forward to new and exciting ways to accomplish this now, and in the future.” This week is National Library Week and today is Right To Read Day. We're calling on readers, advocates, and library lovers to fight back against censorship in a national day of action to defend, protect, and celebrate your right to read freely. On this day, the American Library Association has released it's list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2022. The list follows ALA's recent unveiling of data showing record-shattering attempts to remove books from school and public libraries, and it shows us what types of books are being challenged the most and why. It's also a call to action. Join us on #RightToReadDay and beyond by participating in the actions below to support your library and defend the freedom to read in your community.
Join us on #RightToReadDay and beyond by participating in the actions below to support your library and defend the freedom to read in your community.
1. Check Out (And Read!) A Challenged Book Yep, this one is that simple. Libraries keep track of a lot of statistics, among them how frequently books are used in or checked out from the library, or requested via a library lending program like interlibrary loan (ILL). These circulation statistics prove that people want to read challenged or banned titles and support keeping those in, or adding similar titles to, the collection. Browse the American Library Association's list of Frequently Challenged Books or visit the display at the front desk to find a title that interests you, then check it out! 2. Make A Plan To Attend Your Library And School Board Meetings Most book ban battles are being fought on the local level at library board, school board, and city council meetings. That makes attending these meetings one of the most critical actions you can take to fend off book bans. Make sure local officials know you support the library and access to books of all kinds by attending, listening, and speaking out against censorship. Most government and board websites post calendars and agendas for upcoming meetings, and some also livestream them. Even if book bans or collection policies aren't on the agenda, many boards and councils allow comments on issues of concern from any community member. Visit https://pflag.org/plan-to-testify-at-local-board-meetings/ for a helpful guide for speaking at library and school board meetings. 3. Write A Letter Make your voice heard by submitting a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or writing directly to your elected officials. This Action Toolkit provides tips for writing your letter as well as suggested talking points to help you customize it. 4. Report Censorship As part of its longstanding commitment to defend intellectual freedom in libraries, the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) maintains a database of attempted challenges and bans. If a book challenge takes place in your district, ALA may be able to provide support and more customized resources to oppose the attempted challenge or ban. These reports also help ALA and other organizations stay aware of patterns and trends around efforts to ban reading materials and supply library workers and other professionals with crucial tools, resources, programs, and training to uphold the freedom to read. Reports are confidential unless you give OIF permission to share your story. 5. JOIN THE CAMPAIGN AND STAY CONNECTED Stay alert with updates, tools, and future actions from the Unite Against Book Bans campaign to help you stay aware of and fight censorship efforts in your community. Already signed up? Share with a friend or family member and help them sign up. Every person who joins the campaign is one more voice to speak out when their community is threatened by censorship. Here at the North Manchester Public Library, we proudly adheres to the American Library Association’s “Freedom to Read” Statement, as well as its “Library Bill of Rights” in selecting content for the collection. Promoting intellectual freedom and access to information are core values of the library. We believe the Freedom to read is essential to our democracy. We believe that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.  Celebrate National Library Week (April 23-29) with the theme "There's More to the Story"! First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April.
Libraries are full of stories in a variety of formats from picture books to large print, audiobooks to ebooks, and more. But there's so much more to the story. Our Makerspace-2-Go section lends out items like games, puzzles, and crafts. Our Sensory-2-Go and Homeschool-2-Go collections lend out homeschool resources, and sensory kits and tools. Library programming brings communities together for entertainment, education, and connection through big events, storytimes, movie nights, crafting classes, and educational programming. Library infrastructure advances communities, providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, and support for businesses, job seekers, and entrepreneurs. HOW CAN YOU CELEBRATE? 1. Visit the library. National Library Week is the perfect time to visit NMPL! Bring the kids or invite your friends. Meet the librarians. Check out books or other great items in your library's collection or attend a program. Take time to learn your library's story during National Library Week to see all it has to offer! 2. Participate in NMPL's social media posts. We'll be posting all week long about our library, our services, and our staff. We'll have a fun giveaway, special features, and action points. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook! 3. Attend the FOL Spring Booksale (Thursday, April 27th-Saturday, April 29th from 9am to 5pm) The book sale is a significant fundraiser for FOL, and in turn, supports library programs and updates each year. Find gently used books, DVDs, children's materials, audios, yearbooks and more! You just never know what great book adventure awaits you at the FOL Booksale! Our library tells a multi-faceted story and we invite you to participate in it with us! Per state standards, the cost of a non-resident library card at the North Manchester Public Library will increase beginning March 1st, 2023. Current Fees for Non-resident Cards (beginning March 1st, 2023): One Year Library Card — $102.00 Six Month Library Card - $51.00 Three Month Library Card - $25.50 As a public library in the State of Indiana, NMPL receives funding through property taxes paid within the North Manchester city limits. Those who live or own property inside the taxing district pay for a library card whether they ever register for one or not. However, with non-resident cards, the choice to purchase a library card is in the patron’s hands. Non-resident fees are dictated by the State, reviewed annually by the library board, and kept as low as possible. “We understand if $102 for a library card seems expensive,” says Diane Randall, Library Director. “But remember that a library card provides so much educational, entertainment, and leisure value through access to the tens of thousands of items in our collection that includes books, magazines, microfilms, large print books, newspapers, selected government materials of local and historical interest, audiobooks, music, DVDs, databases, and more. In addition to all of these resources, a library card also enables access to NMPL’s two wonderful e-libraries (Libby and Hoopla), and allows patrons to check out items from our Homeschool-2-Go and Sensory-2-Go centers.” Patrons interested in signing up for a library card can do so by visiting the library with proof of address, such as a recent piece of mail, utility bill or current driver's license.  |
NMPLThe mission of the North Manchester Public Library is to provide materials, programs, and services necessary to meet the recreational and educational needs of the community in a comfortable and easily-accessible facility, which is a community center of activity and information. Archives
November 2023
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