April 2, 2019 • Page 12 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Libraries Can Help Nurture Strong Communities BY DANA SCHMIDT Yankton Community Library Today’s libraries are about so much more than the books on the shelves. To me, libraries and librarians are about what they do for and with the people and the community. Libraries are for everyone. I am currently reading “The Library Book” by Susan Orlean (Great title, right?) and she describes her experience witnessing a library in Los Angeles opening its doors in the morning: “Then, in an instant, people poured in — the hoverers, who bolted from their posts in the garden, and the wall-sitters, and the morning fumblers, and the school groups, and the businesspeople, and the parents with strollers heading to story time, and the students, and the homeless, who rushed straight to the bathrooms and then made a beeline for the computer center, and the scholars, and the time-wasters, and the readers, and the curious, and the bored. … They were a rivering flow of humanity.” Though Yankton is quite different from Los Angeles in many ways, this description of the library feels familiar. We see every age of patron, from newborn babies to the folks we visit in the nursing homes during outreach programs. Though our population is not nearly as diverse as that of Los Angeles, we help people of different races, ethnicities, languages, religions, backgrounds, and political beliefs. We get asked a full range of reference questions from the simplest to the very complex. We help where we can and offer suggestions for other resources if we can’t. Libraries offer experiences, opportunities for interaction and space. Libraries promote the free exchange of information and knowledge without censorship. It is difficult to put into words how important and special libraries are to the communities they serve. National Library Week (April 7-13, 2019) is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries and library workers play in transforming lives and communi- ties. The Yankton Community Library will be celebrating by offering special activities all week long. • Throughout the week, we will be offering “Stories on Demand.” Children can ask library staff to read them a story. We will have some of our favorites on hand, but will take special requests as well. • Monday, April 8 from 3-6 p.m., we will host a Community Resources Vendor Fair, with organizations from the community present. You can stop to visit with representatives from these organizations to see what they have to offer and to hear more about what they do for our community. This vendor fair will include individuals from the Department of Social Services, Food for Thought, Independent Living Choices, Parents As Teachers, Pathways, River City Domestic Violence Center, Yankton Housing and Redevelopment and more! • Friday, April 12, we will be celebrating DEAR (“Drop Everything and Read”) Day. We ask members of the community to take time to read at the library that day. We will have a special sign-up available on our Facebook page to reserve your spot in our comfy reading chairs! • Saturday, April 13, the library will be hosting an Escape Room for those 14 and up. This is a free activity but we ask that you call or stop at the library to reserve your spot! • Saturday, April 13 from 6-9 p.m., we are hosting an After-Hours Teen Event which will include the Escape Room, Capture the Flag, crafts and more! Please call or stop in to reserve your spot. • Throughout the week, we will also be offering the opportunity for community leaders to experience being a “Librarian-for-a-Day.” Stop in to see some familiar faces in a new space as they learn more about our library. You can find more information about these events on our Facebook page. We hope to see you during National Library Week so you can help us celebrate how wonderful libraries are. All are welcome here! Heather Forney Named New VP Of Finance At SD Mines versity president, executive council, and cabinet on financial matters. “I am honored and humbled to be given this opportunity at SD Mines,” says Forney. “I look forward to working with President Rankin and the entire leadership team to contribute to the advancement of the university’s mission and vision. Graduates of SD Mines are changing the world, and I’m excited to be some small part of that.” Forney’s extensive experience and work in state government make her an asset for SD Mines. She came to Mines in 2014 following a successful career in state government that included service as the Director of Finance for the South Dakota Board of Regents and a Deputy Executive Director for the Public Utilities Commission. Her experience includes work in academia; she served as an adjunct instructor of economics and accounting at the Capital University Center in Pierre. She holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in accounting from the University of South Dakota. Find What You’re Looking For! By Gov. Kristi Noem Earlier this month, our state was hit by a bomb cyclone – an unusual name to match unusual circumstances. The middle of our state got buried in snow, while the southeast corner was devastated by four inches of rain fallen on frozen ground, sending it into the river and causing major flooding throughout the region. As soon as it was safe to leave Pierre, I headed to the southeast to visit Yankton, Dakota Dunes, Sioux Falls, and other communities impacted by the storms. I saw flooded basements, destroyed fields, collapsed foundations, and city parks with brand new equipment – all completely underwater. I was thankful for the conversations I had with local leaders and the ways we’re working together on recovery efforts. On March 15, I issued an emergency declaration that will allow us to use special dollars for rebuilding our communities in the coming weeks. We lost a lot of bridges, culverts, trails, and infrastructure that will need attention. It will also help us qualify for federal programs and FEMA funds. I’ve been in constant communication with Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken and other community leaders in the southeast. I’ve also positioned one of my senior staff members in the Sioux Falls Emergency Operations Center so our local and state teams can seamlessly coordinate on recovery efforts and execute quickly when situations arise, especially as we’re preparing for additional flooding along the Big Sioux River. Furthermore, I have been in close contact with the White House and other federal officials to ensure we’re utilizing all available resources to address storm damage. As a result of these conversations, FEMA representatives have frequented storm sites and the Corps of Engineers has agreed to an operational training mission to assist with levees. Recovery from these floods requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, so it’s important we use appropriate local, state, and federal resources to minimize damage and enhance communication in communities. Storms often bring out the worst in people, but in South Dakota, we see the opposite. I heard the story of a Highway Patrol officer who went on a rescue mission, got stuck in the weather, and ended up staying at a farmhouse for several days while the storm passed. They took him in like family. I know of people who used snowmobiles to help their neighbors get to work at our hospitals. Plow drivers who pulled double and triple shifts to keep roads safe. Law enforcement officials who didn’t hesitate to face dangerous situations to ensure order and peace in communities. It’s pretty incredible. It’s part of that South Dakota grit. The storms were strong, but South Dakota is stronger. We’re resilient. We’re tough. Working together, we will get through this. ng the We rf b? RAPID CITY, SD (March 28, 2019) — Heather Forney is the new Vice President of Finance and Administration at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Forney most recently served as the director of finance and held the interim position following the retirement of past vicepresident of finance, Steve Malott. In her new position Forney will continue maintaining the overall financial health of the university including its $98 million budget. She will also serve as a member of the senior leadership team that helps shape the direction and future of the university and will advise the uni- Governor's Column: South Dakota Grit In The Face of Storms Su Yankton Library Surf on over to www.missourivalleyshopper.com in the Classifieds. MV Shopper MV Shopper M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y In Print and Online! 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