Beth Rogers gets artsy with Sakura Lautej, Sheryl Nelson and Drakelyn Trotter.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
Libraries are much more than just books, as Beth Rogers can attest. She is the new director at the Casey Library and has been in that role since Sept. 13.
For Rogers, it is both goods news and bad news that libraries offer many services and materials besides just books.
The good news is that library patrons are able to benefit in a wide variety of ways.
The bad news is that Rogers has a lot to learn, but, luckily, she is receiving help along the way. The previous director of the library, Leah Becker, continues to assist as needed with Rogers’ new role.
“She’s been helping me out a lot,” Rogers said.
Rogers has lived in Casey for 30 years and previously served on the Casey Library board, so she knows the community and what library patrons expect from a small town library. When the job became available, it felt like the right fit for Rogers.
“I was already looking for something part-time, and I wanted to stay close to home, and this came up,” she said. “And I realized this is a way I could use some of my creative talents. My degree is in graphic design, but there aren’t too many graphic design jobs in a small town.”
“Since I’m an artist at heart, I would like to get some creative things going and bring the community together — young and old,” Roers said. “Not just in artwork, but music, reading, drama, things like that.”
With artistic expression in mind, Rogers has scheduled the library’s first “artsy party” for Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. It will be a way to encourage art, even for beginners. If the program is popular, more artsy parties will be scheduled.
Rogers encourages anyone to stop in at the library, see what is offered, and make suggestions. She reminds the community that the library offers photocopying, faxing, scanning and has four computers for patrons to use.
Rogers added that the library’s offerings go far beyond what is on the shelves.
“With inter-library loan, if there’s any book or DVD that we don’t have, we can get it,” she said.
The Casey Public Library is located at 604 McPherson St. in Casey. The phone number is 641-746-2670, and the email is Caseylib@netins.net.