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65 years of service

With a new director, Christian County Library celebrates

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The Christian County Library celebrates its 65th birthday with an observance on Sept. 15, a series of outdoor music performances and a year of fun events.

Christian County residents are invited to visit library branches in Ozark, Nixa, Sparta and Clever between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sept. 15. There will be some tasty birthday treats and some giveaways, and each celebration will have some local flair that celebrates the city where the library is located.

Tailoring the library experience to the home city has been a theme for Renee Brumett, who became the executive director of the Christian County Library system in 2021. She took over for Geri Godber, who directed the Christian County libraries through a time of change, transition and pandemic concerns over the past seven years.

"We have a good, strong connection to our communities," Brumett said. "The staff, the branch managers are very, very passionate about their particular community branch and the area that they serve, and making sure that their events and collections are tailored to those communities."

The Christian County Library reached its goal of “Four on 14,” four freestanding library branches on Highway 14 that are accessible to the vast majority of the estimated 88,000 who live in Christian County. The new branches in Sparta and Clever offer the same hours and amenities as the library branches in Ozark and Nixa.

Modern libraries aren’t just for books. Programming offers patrons of all ages to learn new skills or try new activities. If you need help starting a business, if you want to research a topic, or if you are simply looking for new ways to have some fun, you can find it at the library.

Brumett said she was happy to step into her new role where libraries have been building positive momentum and involvement for the past several years.

"There are not fires burning that I need to put out. I kind of have it made. There is stuff to do, but it's a great system already," Brumett said. "It's going great. I don't want to mess it up, so I'm excited to be part of the team."

That includes being part of the financial team.

"I've been learning a lot about our budget, what we spend money on and what our priorities are. I've done a lot with learning how we have been funded and how we do some of our projects through the bonds that the library has issued," Brumett said. "Some of those are not anything I have learned in library school."

In addition to a good deal of financial background work, Brumett has been working hard to get to know the people who work in the libraries and the people in the communities that the libraries serve.

"They're happy to be here, they're eager to make a difference. It's been a whirlwind, I think, for them the last few years with all the changes, but no one seems exhausted or burnt out," Brumett said. "We want to keep doing good things."

She is also studying the four facilities and the collections they house. It's relatively easy in places like Sparta, Clever and Nixa, where the library buildings are all new or relatively new, but the building in Ozark is starting to age. The Christian County Library planned to expand and build new library branches for more than 12 years. The library operates as its own taxing entity and is governed by the Christian County Library Board of Trustees.

In 2017, Christian County voters approved the renewal of the library’s tax levy rate, providing the needed funding for expansion. The library invested in building the Sparta and Clever branches, plus the purchase of new library materials, including books, DVDs, computers, furniture, and library supplies, at a cost of $4.1 million dollars.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a higher demand for high speed internet access than Missouri has ever had, so libraries in all four cities became hubs for people who were working remotely, or learning to work remotely, for the first time in 2020.

As part of a cost-saving measure, the two new Clever and Sparta branches are considered “siblings,” meaning they are two buildings designed and constructed with the same set of plans. The Clever and Sparta library buildings include spaces for book shelving, computer terminals, community rooms for library programs and community use, study rooms for small groups, teen and children’s areas, circulation desks, quiet reading spaces, and drive-through pick-up windows.

The same amenities are offered in Ozark and in Nixa. Brumett has an office at the Nixa branch, but spends time at all four branches as part of her job. If you are active in community and economic groups, there is a good chance you'll get to meet Brumett in the coming weeks and months.

"I just got asked to help on the county's comprehensive planning committee, so I'm learning a lot about the county and the potential needs there," Brumett said.

Brumett spent 14 years working for the Springfield-Greene County Library, and worked as the electronic resources librarian in that system for almost 12 years. In that time, she worked hand-in-hand with some of the librarians in Christian County helping to set up Mobius, the catalog system currently operating across the four Christian County libraries. It's a complicated way of saying that Brumett brought experience and familiarity into her new role in Christian County.

Live music at the Christian County Library

Each branch will host live music events to help celebrate 65 years of service. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and the whole family. Find out more at http://christiancountylibrary.com/concerts

All concerts start at 6 p.m.

Sept. 17 - Sparta - The Creek Rocks

Oct. 2 - Ozark - The Shandies

Oct. 9 - Nixa - One More Dollar Band

Oct. 16 - Ozark - Dallas Jones and Jimmy Rea

Oct. 23 - Clever - Uke 66


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