Here's one for the community clubhouse

The truth is libraries are raucous clubhouses for free speech, controversy and community.

–Paula Poundstone

Of late, many library members and Facebook fans have been receiving requests for letters of support for the John Trigg Ester Library's capital proposal to the legislature. As members, you all have a wide variety of options to choose from when it comes to opinion or action. You can even ignore the project, focus on other things in your lives, etc. But what is a library truly worth? And why should you support building a "raucous clubhouse"?

Well, here's what some notable people have thought about the value of libraries:

With a library you are free, not confined by temporary political climates. It is the most democratic of institutions because no one—but no one at all—can tell you what to read and when and how.
—Doris Lessing

Cutting libraries during a recession is like cutting hospitals during a plague.
—Eleanor Crumblehulme 

What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about education.
—Harold Howe  

What is more important in a library than anything else—than everything else—is the fact that it exists.
—Archibald MacLeish

As board members, it is our role to bring the vision of the Ester library to reality in a timely and fiscally responsible fashion. Even if our attempt to gain an appropriation from the Alaska Legislature fails this year, the support we gain will bolster our attempt next year. The JTEL can provide a strong example of thrifty, far-seeing northern-appropriate public construction of the kind that should be supported by the legislature and business. And letters can always be aimed and used for other proposals that we will be crafting and sending to other funders. So please—write a letter of support. Thank you.

Once and future timeline

Looking at our capital fundraising and our new library-related construction, this timeline extends into the past as far back as 2012 and as far into the future as 2017. Its midpoint is February 6, 2015 (although it isn't exactly that precise on this graph), because that was the due date for the proposals to the Alaska Legislature (5 pm, to be exact). This gives you an idea of the variety of events and construction ahead of us!

We are looking for members for the Construction Committee, the Fundraising Committee, and help with the upcoming fundraisers. The Friends of the Ester Library can use your help, too—even a little bit makes a big difference!

January 2012 events at the Ester library

The next year at the Ester library will be full of activity! Between our new committees and programs and planning for the building construction, there will be many opportunities to volunteer, experience the library's programs and community events, or savor the collection's offerings!

Growing Ester's Biodiversity: program launch

The new GEB program is being launched in January, starting with a book & movie discussion group. The initial meeting of this group is Saturday, Jan. 14, 4:30 pm at the library business office (studio #8, 2922 Parks Highway, upstairs at the Annex).  The next day, same time and same place, the GEB grantwriting group will get together to create the long-term plan for the program and get down to some serious grant applications. Please sign up for the GEB program newsletter if you'd like to stay informed about program events and volunteer opportunities.

Library Lecture Series: Sandy Jamieson

Sandy Jamieson, local painter, pilot, and guide, is the featured speaker who will be kicking off the 2012 lecture series. Come and hear Sandy talk about his experiences on the third Wednesday of the month, Jan. 18, 7 pm at Hartung Hall.

Capital Campaign: fundraising to construct the new library

The library's capital campaign, begun in 2009, is gearing up for the home stretch on fundraising for construction. The library has received strong support from the state and the borough, and the Grants & Fundraising Committee is now looking to private foundations and individual donation drives & fundraisers for the rest. The library design should be completed in January, and we are finishing up the business plan and developing a construction plan, but can use help! The committee meets on the first Tuesday of the month; our first meeting in 2012 will be at the JTEL office, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 6 pm. If you have grantwriting skills or knowledge of grant management, please come! We can use your help.

On Sunday, Jan. 22, 6 pm at the JTEL office, Monique Musick, JTEL president, will present an outline of grant-related needs to the Construction Committee at their first meeting of the year. If you are interested in serving on the construction committee, please attend!

For other meetings and events, please see our Calendar page on this blog, or follow us on Facebook!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The JTEL Board of Directors put out a Thanksgiving update to the membership:

Happy Thanksgiving!

The board of directors of the John Trigg Ester Library would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support over the years. We have so much to be thankful for. With your support we have purchased land for the new library, constructed a gazebo for outdoor gatherings and performances, designed an incredible community space to Passiv Haus standards (meaning it has nearly net-zero energy demand, makes its own heat and much of its own electricity, and is a VERY affordable building to operate), became a federally recognized nonprofit organization, established an endowment for long-term support of JTEL operations, and so much more. The turnout at our fundraising events this year, including the Library Lallapalooza, LiBerry Music Festival & Pie Throwdown, and Readers on the Run, broke all records and provided vital operating and building support funding. We are currently about one-quarter of the way toward being able to build the new library.

We have made a lot of progress, but there is still much to do. As members, bibliophiles and library supporters there are many ways that you too can help. Our board meetings always include opportunities for public comment, so join us the second Tuesday of each month in our office at the ANNEX, Suite 8 (upstairs). Our agendas, minutes and other information are available on our website: www.esterlibrary.org. And please, become a JTEL fan and follow us on Facebook.

CURRENT LIBRARY
When was the last time you stopped in to the current Ester library? It is filled from floor to ceiling with a great variety of books and media. Volunteers have done a great job clearing out the stacks of books and making the library as neat and functional as possible. The JTEL is operating on a self-service, honor system and is maintained by volunteers. If you are interested in helping out with the book return system, shelving, cleaning and other chores around the current library, let us know and we'd be glad to train new volunteers to assist with managing the library. We have plans for improving the current space that we hope to be announcing soon. Stay tuned for news of a newly improved library! If you'd like to help, please respond and say you'd like to be a LIBRARY VOLUNTEER.

EVENTS & PROGRAMS COMMITTEE
Have you attended one of our library lectures? We have had presentations from artists, authors, builders and more. We are planning a whole new line-up of presenters starting next spring. Do you have ideas on great presenters? Maybe you like helping to plan fundraising events? We are looking for brand-new fundraising event approaches. Do you have some great ideas? If so, you are the perfect fit for this committee! Please respond and say you'd like to be put in contact with the EVENTS & PROGRAMS COMMITTEE.

CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
Since 2006 we have been working on designing a library with room for gathering space and improved services for the community of Ester and surrounding areas. After many variations, we have finally arrived at a truly revolutionary design utilizing Passiv Haus building standards. The JTEL library will be the first public building in Alaska to have Zero Energy consumption annually. The work for the construction committee is by no means finished even though our plans are 95% complete.

We need an updated construction timeline. We need to complete our local builders and vendors list for procurement. We need to begin drafting an RFP for contractors. We need to identify our project management strategy and all steps needed to bring the library from plan to finished project. We need to keep in touch with the designers and project leader to make sure we answer any building-related questions and planning concerns. The construction committee, as opposed to the general make-up of the board, includes contractors and other professionals familiar with the building industry in Alaska. If you are interested in joining the team please reply and say you'd like to be added to the CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE e-mail list. Generally the committee meets once a month on a Sunday evening.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN & GRANT WRITING COMMITTEE
Community support for the library has been incredible, but we have to look beyond the checkbooks of our neighbors to make the $800,000 building a reality. Volunteers on the capital campaign committee have been busy brainstorming ways to generate the funding needed to build the new library, including identifying grant opportunities for which the library is eligible. There are many aspects to this work, and more roles than just grant writing. The look and branding of the library is a part. The committee is working on marketing materials and community outreach in addition to business planing, budget development, and creation of a boiler-plate grant application. We have not yet submitted any grant applications because so much work needs to happen first to finalize the building and operating budgets, identify partners and gather the demographic data needed for the statement of need and evaluation plans. It is a mix of MARKETING, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, and GRANT WRITING, and it is absolutely vital to the future of the library. The committee meets once a month, generally on a Sunday evening, with special meetings held by subcommittees for specific projects on other dates as agreed. If you are interested please reply and say you'd like to be added to the CAPITAL COMMITTEE e-mail list.

FINANCE COMMITTEE
Up to this point the treasurer of the organization has had a lot of control over the finances of the library, with regular reporting to the board, but as the library grows, so to must its accounting practices and financial policies. This is a temporary committee dedicated to writing up accounting procedures for the JTEL. From clarifying Quickbooks procedures to establishing cash management policies, we need to make sure that JTEL is following GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and is audit ready. If you have an accounting or business management background and would like to offer assistance in the development of financial policies please reply and say you'd like to be added to the FINANCE COMMITTEE e-mail list.

MEMBERSHIP
Life is busy, and many of you probably do not have time to commit to the library. We understand. One way you can always help the library is to maintain your membership. We distributed membership envelopes broadly before the October annual membership meeting. Did you return yours? An annual membership is a minimum of $5 per person, but if you are able to contribute more it is truly appreciated. The new membership year began in October—chances are your membership has expired! Stop by the current library and fill out the membership form there, send in an envelope if you have one around the house, our reply and ask for MEMBERSHIP information. I'm sorry, but we do not have online membership renewal at this time.

If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact me. Blessings to you and your loved ones during this season of thankfulness.

Best Regards,
Monique Musick
JTEL President

The nonprofit JTEL: a 501(c)(3) public charity

The John Trigg Ester Library, Inc., is now officially a public charity!

The JTEL received its official letter of determination from the IRS today:

Dear Applicant:

We are pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax exempt status we have determined that you are exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to you are deductible under section 170 of the Code. You are also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code.

Furthermore, the effective date of the exemption is our incorporation recognition date with the State of Alaska: November 19, 2009.

This is a huge step in our organizational work, and will enable us to qualify for many grants that we could not previously apply for. If you would like to assist the JTEL in working on grant applications or other fundraising efforts, please consider volunteering for our Capital Campaign Committee, or, if that seems daunting, we also have a Fundraising Group and temporary committees for our community fundraisers.

Latest developments at the Ester library

Many exciting new developments have occurred in the last few weeks. These include:

• Sending the 501(c)(3) application to the IRS. It's quite likely that we will receive our federal charitable nonprofit status sometime this summer (the application was sent March 1); this means that donations to the library will be tax-deductible for the 2011 calendar year. The board of directors has been working toward this for over a year and a half, developing the appropriate policies, bylaws, and other organizational documents needed for a charitable organization. We will provide donors with a receipt and our identification number when we receive it. And our sincere thanks!
• The (almost) final architectural plans have been received from USKH. Other pieces, including the civil engineering and site plan, the structural plans, and the detailed architectural plans, have been contracted for and are expected by May 11, 2011. Electrical engineering, the computing and internet technology plan, and our various permits are also progressing. To view the current floor and site plans, please check out the design and construction planning pages on our website.
• Launching our community survey. This important survey will help the board plan future programs and better manage the library; the suggestions and comments we've already received in this first two weeks have given us some great insights that will help us with construction, operations, and budgeting. The board is seeking critiques, comments, kudos, and suggestions; we are hoping to see how the community views the role of a library; the importance and meaning of libraries and community spaces to the local population; the best hours and desired programs or services for the community; how important internet access, computers, and e-books at the library are to people; reading and materials preferences; and more. Board members and other volunteers will be at the Ester Post Office every Saturday through the month of April from 10 am to 1:30 pm to discuss the library's future with you. Please come and talk with us and tell us what you think!
• Setting up an endowment. While we have a capital campaign to raise funds for our building construction, we also need to plan for our long-term fiscal health. Operating the library in perpetuity requires a stable source of funding, and an endowment can help supply this stability. The board voted at its March 13 meeting to establish an endowment with the Alaska Community Foundation, beginning with a $2,000 allocation from our savings; we will need to increase this to $5,000 within a year in order to secure it. As soon as it is set up (which should be no later than the end of April, and perhaps sooner), supporters of the library will be able to donate to the fund in a variety of ways, including payroll deduction, the PickClickGive program, bequests, and other possibilities.
• Scheduling a grantwriting workshop. A significant part of our capital campaign includes applying for construction grants. We are offering a grantwriting workshop/work session to the public on the first two weekends in April, where attendees will gain experience in the grant application process by working on actual grants for the construction of the library. We expect a group of people of mixed experience; students will be both teaching and learning from each other and the instructors. (For more information, please contact us at library@esterrepublic.com or call 451-0636.) If you are on Facebook, you can sign up as an attendee there, too.
• Our second library lecture series season has begun! Upcoming lectures will include Thorsten Chlupp on April 20, discussing the type of design we plan to use in the new building, Passivehaus design for low or near-zero net energy usage; Jennifer Jolis on the fate of the people of Attu Island during World War II (May 18); Neil Davis; Sandy Jamieson; and others. This season's lectures are at Hartung Hall on the third Wednesday of the month, 7 pm.

These are the major highlights of the library's current activities, but there is more. If you are interested in becoming more actively involved with the John Trigg Ester Library or would like more information, please contact any member of the board.

February meetings

Two meetings have been scheduled for February so far:

JTEL Board Meeting
February 10, Thursday, 6 pm
JTEL office, studio #8 the Annex
2922 Parks Highway
please see the agenda

Capital Campaign Committee Meeting
February 17, Thursday, 6 pm
JTEL office
agenda (coming soon)

Capital Campaign Committee meeting Jan. 26

The next meeting of the Capital Campaign Committee for the Ester library is this week, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 6 pm at the JTEL office (studio #8 at the Annex gallery, 2922 Parks Highway).

We'll be discussing the community survey, logos, the lallapalooza, the FY 2012 appropriations request, and more. Library members are encouraged to come!

Upcoming library meetings

Both the Construction Committee and the Capital Campaign Committee are meeting this week.

Capital Campaign: Wednesday, December 1, 6 pm at the JTEL business office (agenda)
Construction: Sunday, December 5, 4 pm at the Golden Eagle Saloon (agenda)

And the library board is meeting next week:

Board of Directors: Friday, December 10, 7 pm at the JTEL business office (agenda)

All of these are open meetings; if you are interested in helping with the fundraising, please come to the Capital Campaign Committee meeting.

New office!

The library now has office space! The JTEL office is at studio #8, the Annex, 2922 Parks Highway. We expect to be here for at least six months, after which the JTEL board will re-evaluate the utility of an office space and our current location.

We are still seeking furnishings and office sponsors, and will announce office hours shortly. Office furnishings and equipment still needed are:

• table
• rug
• desk and floor lamps
• multifunction printer
• chairs
• desk
• office tools, supplies and equipment (power strips, three-hole punch, file folders, scissors, pens, letter-sized paper, etc.)
• telephone

Several items and records have been moved to the office so far, although organizing the place will take a little time. This has created some extra room at the John Trigg Ester Library; a Soup & Stow work party will soon be held there to clean up and reorganize the library to make it more welcoming now that it is roomier. (Check back for more information on the Soup & Stow.)

T-shirts will be available for sale at the office, and board and committee meetings will be held there.

The first meeting in our new office will be the next Capital Campaign Committee meeting, November 17, Wednesday, at 6 pm.

Annual meeting update and upcoming committee meetings

The JTEL annual meeting was a success, with 23 library members in attendance. New bylaws were reviewed, amended, and passed, and a new board elected. The board of directors now includes:

• Ken Bluhm, new member and alternate, to 2012
• Greta Burkart, re-elected to another term, to 2012 
• Nancy Burnham, continuing member, to 2011
• Amy Cameron, new member and alternate, to 2012
• Roy Earnest, new member, to 2012
• Eric Glos, continuing member, to 2011
• Melinda Harris, re-elected to another term, to 2012
• Deirdre Helfferich, continuing member, to 2011
• Monique Musick, continuing member, to 2011

Two new committees have been created to focus on the design and construction of the library building and to raise funds for the library. Several people volunteered for these committees at the meeting, but both committees could use more help.

• Capital Campaign Committee: this group will focus on grantwriting, organizing the fundraisers, publicizing the library for the purpose of fundraising, setting up an endowment or other long-term support, the bookshelf dedications, shirt sales, solicitations to individuals and companies or organizations, and coming up with other means to provide funding for construction, library operation, and library programs. The committee's first meeting is Wednesday, Nov. 3, 6 pm, at the Republic Press office, studio #2 at the Annex, 2922 Parks Highway (entrance on the right-hand side of the building).
• Construction Committee: this committee will oversee the construction of the new library building, establishing a budget and timeline, securing materials and labor, working on the details of contracts, and so on. The first meeting is also on Wednesday, Nov. 3, but at 7 pm at the Golden Eagle Saloon on Main Street in Ester. MEETING CHANGE: the meeting will be held Sunday, October 31, 4 pm at the Eagle, so all members can attend.

Annual meeting this Sunday!

The library's second annual membership meeting is coming up this weekend, October 24th, at 4 pm. A potluck will kick things off, starting between 3 and 3:30. There will be door prizes and plenty of good food, as well as information on:

• grants and appropriations
• construction plans and committee
• architectural design
• marketing and publicity
• library history & update
• capital campaign and endowment
• bylaws & the federal nonprofit application
• board elections (see candidate bios)

Some information is on line in advance of the meeting. You can find the meeting packet and the agenda at the JTEL website.

See you there!