WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 1 00:00:00.780 --> 00:00:06.220 The National Medal for Museum and Library services is the nation’s highest honor for 2 00:00:06.220 --> 00:00:11.430 libraries and museums that are serving their communities in exciting ways. 3 00:00:11.430 --> 00:00:17.490 Weippe Public Library & Discovery Center director Terri Summerfield and community member Gradi 4 00:00:17.490 --> 00:00:22.730 Thomson traveled to Washington to receive the national medal and spoke to IMLS about 5 00:00:22.730 --> 00:00:25.010 how the library impacts the community. 6 00:00:25.010 --> 00:00:31.610 Terri Summerfield: The Weippe Library is now also an interpretive center so it’s the 7 00:00:31.610 --> 00:00:34.600 Weippe Discovery Center and Public Library. 8 00:00:34.600 --> 00:00:37.160 And we really are the community hub. 9 00:00:37.160 --> 00:00:42.430 We have not only regular library services but we have a technology center with public 10 00:00:42.430 --> 00:00:49.610 access computers and a Louis and Clark visitor center with interpretation on the inside as 11 00:00:49.610 --> 00:00:52.979 well as a living landscape on the outside. 12 00:00:52.979 --> 00:00:58.870 Gradi Thomson: We try to go to the library once or twice a week and sometimes we go longer 13 00:00:58.870 --> 00:01:04.520 but you have just a plethora of things that you can do. 14 00:01:04.520 --> 00:01:09.850 You can rent movies; you can check out books, they have a little area for the kids to do 15 00:01:09.850 --> 00:01:12.110 things while I am looking for my books. 16 00:01:12.110 --> 00:01:16.790 So we spend a lot of time there doing different things and not only that this library has 17 00:01:16.790 --> 00:01:19.189 so many different community events. 18 00:01:19.189 --> 00:01:25.700 The day we left to come here we had a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, so there is always 19 00:01:25.700 --> 00:01:27.159 something to do at the library. 20 00:01:27.159 --> 00:01:32.729 Terri Summerfield: Well, it’s a very small community, our population’s is 440 people, 21 00:01:32.729 --> 00:01:40.979 we have a service of about a 1000 people that we serve and so everybody knows everybody 22 00:01:40.979 --> 00:01:46.840 and a lot of us are just very high energy, friendly, wanting to serve and help those 23 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:48.439 that are looking for information. 24 00:01:48.439 --> 00:01:52.590 Gradi Thomson: You walk in, you’re greeted with a friendly smile; someone is always willing 25 00:01:52.590 --> 00:01:55.100 to help you no matter what you need. 26 00:01:55.100 --> 00:02:00.329 Almost every time I go in if I need something they will put aside what they are doing and 27 00:02:00.329 --> 00:02:01.899 help me find whatever I need. 28 00:02:01.899 --> 00:02:06.780 I have never had to use the electronic look up which is a time saver with three small 29 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:07.780 children. 30 00:02:07.780 --> 00:02:15.610 Terri Summerfield: I really see the public library Discovery Center as the focal point 31 00:02:15.610 --> 00:02:23.459 for the community to provide the services that it needs in every aspect of life for 32 00:02:23.459 --> 00:02:25.460 my community. 33 00:02:25.460 --> 00:02:32.180 Due to the mountainous terrains of our community, internet access is very limited to the broader 34 00:02:32.180 --> 00:02:40.409 community and through several grants and partnerships we’ve been able to bring high speed internet 35 00:02:40.409 --> 00:02:43.860 to the library and offer public access computers. 36 00:02:43.860 --> 00:02:47.440 Gradi Thomson: They have a summer reading program where the children can come in and 37 00:02:47.440 --> 00:02:52.049 they sign up and there is a different theme every year. 38 00:02:52.049 --> 00:02:58.080 A child takes home their -- it’s a reading log and you log what you’ve read, you come 39 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:04.801 in every week for, they have a presentation, arts and crafts, you turn in your log, you 40 00:03:04.801 --> 00:03:09.860 get a sticker and you get to pick 2 small prizes and you also get to put your name in 41 00:03:09.860 --> 00:03:13.110 a drawing for a larger prize and the kids just absolutely love it. 42 00:03:13.110 --> 00:03:21.530 It brings from what I have seen kids who you wouldn’t, who don’t get a lot of reading 43 00:03:21.530 --> 00:03:28.640 time at home, it gets them to the library to open this literacy program to them. 44 00:03:28.640 --> 00:03:35.860 Terri Summerfield: We try to find interesting presenters that will entice the kids, something 45 00:03:35.860 --> 00:03:40.720 interactive, interesting subjects. 46 00:03:40.720 --> 00:03:47.129 This summer was on different cultures throughout the world and so we had different people from 47 00:03:47.129 --> 00:03:48.959 different countries. 48 00:03:48.959 --> 00:03:54.280 Our board member Ms. Marge, she has been to Africa several times and so she came in and 49 00:03:54.280 --> 00:04:00.819 did a presentation and brought drums and different types of things that she has brought back 50 00:04:00.819 --> 00:04:02.400 from Africa. 51 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:09.930 And the kids just ate it up because it was new, exciting and when that happens then they 52 00:04:09.930 --> 00:04:12.720 are excited for next week, well what’s going to be next week? 53 00:04:12.720 --> 00:04:15.430 Gradi Thomson: It is a community hub. 54 00:04:15.430 --> 00:04:20.709 You can see people from all walks of life in the library and they have something for 55 00:04:20.709 --> 00:04:21.709 everybody. 56 00:04:21.709 --> 00:04:26.330 Terri Summerfield: Even though it’s kind of cliché to say it’s my job, its my life 57 00:04:26.330 --> 00:04:33.900 more or less that I am there to help my community so that’s what I’m there to do and if 58 00:04:33.900 --> 00:04:40.300 you need help I am going to help you in any way that I can and if I can't do it immediately 59 00:04:40.300 --> 00:04:42.909 I am going to find a way to get you what you need. �