Viking Library System Legacy Grant SFY 2014 - SFY 2015
Minnesota’s 12 regional public library systems, which encompass 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional public library system receives a formula-driven allocation from the annual $3 million Minnesota Regional Library Legacy Grant.
Viking Library System (VLS) is a federated regional public library system with central services located in central western Minnesota. VLS has eleven member public libraries located in six counties: Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, and Traverse. With Arts and Cultural Heritage funds, VLS and its member libraries present an array of arts, cultural, literary, and Minnesota history programs in collaboration with arts and cultural organizations, independent artists, historical societies, and community organizations. Programs contribute to the cultural vitality of the region and build a lasting legacy.
Activity Highlights:
Brodini Magic Show
The Brodini Magic Show was the featured summer reading program performance throughout Viking Library System, which includes eleven member libraries and the bookmobile. Thirteen performances were held with a total of 1287 children and adults in attendance which is an amazing number considering the size of some of the communities. The comments from the various audiences were universally positive evidenced by the following examples: Brodini was fantastic with the kids. As soon as he was set-up he started interacting with the audience. He actually started doing tricks 15 minutes before the show started and he was talking to the kids all the way out the door after the show ended. The kids loved him!" "I learned that curiosity and wonder are still very much alive." This was a high-energy interactive program that kept the entire audience engaged.
Transfer of Memory Exhibit | Coordinating Programs
The Fergus Falls public library and the Otter Tail County Historical Museum partnered to bring the Transfer of Memory exhibit, a touring exhibition of portraits and accompanying stories of Minnesota Holocaust Survivors to Fergus Falls- This exhibit is offered through the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Legacy funds were used to support the coordinating programs for the exhibit, including the Opening Night Reception, a book club discussion featuring Jack and Rochelle: A Holocaust Story of Love and Resistance, and a Holocaust Survivor documentary film showing. The Opening Night Reception, which was attended by more than 100 people, featured a panel presentation including: David Sheiman, Exhibit Photographer; Steve Hunegs, Executive Director of JCRC and Joni Sussman, second generation Holocaust Survivor. The coordinating programs drew many people to the exhibit throughout its run.
Exploring Norwegian Roots
Exploring Norwegian Roots was a series of two events that featured programs associated with the Norwegian culture so prevalent in the Viking Library System region. For the first event, Clarice Dieter taught 12 participants the art of rosemaling, a form of decorative folk painting that originated in Norway in the 1700s. She also presented the history of rosemaling including which styles originated in the different regions of Norway. Each student painted a cutting board to take home.
The Stavig Letters was the very popular second event featuring three historians from Sisseton, SD in a reader's theater production which provided personal insight into the immigrant experience through the lives of two brothers, one who immigrated to Minnesota and one who remained in Norway. The production is based on the letters between the two brothers which are also featured in the book "Dear Unforgettable Brother."
These amounts are appropriated to the commissioner of education for grants to the 12 Minnesota regional library systems to provide educational opportunities in the arts, history, literary arts, and cultural heritage of Minnesota. These funds shall be allocated using the formula in Minnesota Statutes, section 134.355, subdivisions 3, 4, and 5, with the remaining 25 percent to be distributed to all qualifying systems in an amount proportionate to the number of qualifying system entities in each system. For purposes of this subdivision, "qualifying system entity" means a public library, a regional library system, a regional library system headquarters, a county, or an outreach service program. These funds may be used to sponsor programs provided by regional libraries or to provide grants to local arts and cultural heritage programs for programs in partnership with regional libraries. These funds shall be distributed in ten equal payments per year. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.28, the appropriations encumbered on or before June 30, 2015, as grants or contracts in this subdivision are available until June 30, 2017.
Total Number of Programs Held: 107
Total Attendance: 5,855
Total Number of Partnerships: 134
These amounts are appropriated to the commissioner of education for grants to the 12 Minnesota regional library systems to provide educational opportunities in the arts, history, literary arts, and cultural heritage of Minnesota. These funds shall be allocated using the formula in Minnesota Statutes, section 134.355, subdivisions 3, 4, and 5, with the remaining 25 percent to be distributed to all qualifying systems in an amount proportionate to the number of qualifying system entities in each system. For purposes of this subdivision, "qualifying system entity" means a public library, a regional library system, a regional library system headquarters, a county, or an outreach service program. These funds may be used to sponsor programs provided by regional libraries or to provide grants to local arts and cultural heritage programs for programs in partnership with regional libraries. These funds shall be distributed in ten equal payments per year. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.28, the appropriations encumbered on or before June 30, 2015, as grants or contracts in this subdivision are available until June 30, 2017.
Total number of activities, programs, and/or events: 42
Total participation/attendance: 8,012
Total number of partnerships: 173
Viking Library System celebrated this opportunity with collection additions for the bookmobile and member libraries; Moo! display pieces for the bookmobile and member libraries, visits to all Head Start centers in the region and distribution of paperback copies of Moo!; to Head Start students; and programming at every member library, from Trunk Shows and Moo!-velous Celebrations to Storytimes and passive programming.
The Trunk Shows at six locations promoted storytelling through reading, puppetry, music, improvisational storytelling, and drawing. Moo!-velous Celebrations at three locations featured live music and an artist-led painting activity for children.
Doug Ohman shared original photos, history and personal stories through a slide presentation about sites and structures in Minnesota that are quickly being lost in Minnesota. He spoke at three libraries and four bookmobile stops. Each program focused on one of the following: Churches of Minnesota; Journey Down the Mississippi River; Cemeteries of Minnesota; Historic Homes of Minnesota; Barns of Minnesota; and Developing Your Own Photography Angle Workshop. Mr. Ohman's programs are always entertaining as well as informative and he continues to draw large crowds.