Library district board hires new director

RITZVILLE – East Adams Library District Board of Trustees recently hired a new library director, replacing former director Kylie Fullmer.

Ms. Venesia Adams started with the library March 29.

"She moved here from Texas, and we are thrilled to have her," Board of Trustees member Christina Heater said.

Adams said she drove up from Dallas, where she did librarian work as well as in ministry as an ordained non-denominational/apostolic minister. Adams said she liked the idea of coming to a small town.

I was told it's a very friendly town," Adams said. "And this is a national historical library, in that it is an Andrew Carnegie building and the structure has not changed. I found this will be a good change of pace from the big city to a small town. My family came from a small town in Texas, and I was just looking forward to the change."

Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Adams obtained her Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice before earning a Master's degree in Library and Information Science. Asked how she made the switch from one field to the next, Adams said she worked in the criminal justice field in hospital security for many years. But while she was in college majoring in criminal justice, she worked at the university library. She has since worked in every type of library - academic, public and special/law library.

"I decided to take the library paraprofessional test, and I scored high. I was hired to work in the reserve room at Paul M. Hebert Law Library in Baton Rouge, and my supervisor saw something within me," Adams recalled. "She said, 'You would make a great librarian.' I said I would think about it. She convinced me otherwise, and the rest is history."

Adams has recorded her own history, publishing a book titled "A Gatekeeper Or an Open Gate."

"It gives a glimpse into my life and childhood, and difficulties I had to overcome growing up and coming into adulthood," Adams said. "There were quite a few things I had to endure as a child, and I overcame them through the help of the Lord, and I wrote about it."

Published in 2020, the 94-page book is available on Amazon. The description reads, "A vivid journey of the author's life and her calling into Ministry while dealing with family secrets, insecurities, regrets and life's pitfalls. However, with healing comes amazing wisdom and knowledge coupled with accomplishments."

Public library to open up to the public

Meanwhile, Adams is excited about opening up the library for the first time since the shutdown due to COVID-19.

"We are going to open up the Ritzville Public Library starting April 15 by appointment only, whereby the public can call the main number and we will schedule them an appointment," Adams said. "They can call at 10 a.m., for half-hour appointments between 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The square footage is not that big, so only four people can be inside the library at the same time."

Adams said one person could be at the medical/health terminal, one at the public computer terminal and someone else can be in the stacks (shelves of books).

"Or we can have a mom with children, and depending on how many children, they could be in the children's room, but someone else would have to wait for the next appointment," Adams said. "Patrons will have to wear a mask, and we have masks and sanitizer at the door to use on entry. Or they can wear their own mask."

"Otherwise, patrons can still use the online system to check out books for pick up. And we still have our programming via Zoom and Facebook," Adams said.

Returned books are quarantined for 48 hours before being available for check-out again.

"We will see what the state will say come summer regarding in-person programs, and it depends on what the governor says, but we will look at in-person programming for the summer," Adams said. "We have adult programming, children's programming, young adult or teen, and right now we have some programs available in all those areas online."

Adams said new programs she is looking into for summer for young adults includes an Actor's Guild.

"We want to see what our young people will like to do in that area," Adams said. "There's a couple of ideas we as staff are going to throw around, so were looking at a lot, and improvements to the programming we already have."

Adams has a staff of three. Heidi Harting works with technical services as well as adult programming. Millie Hopkins works with teens/youth programming and Amy Hille works with the medical data base to help residents of Ritzville look up anything they need information on in that area, and helps with administrative/clerical duties as well as programming.

"We are welcoming everyone back, and I know everyone has been asking when we will open so make sure you call in and make those appointments and we will be right here to help you," Adams said. "Patrons should know we are practicing the state's guidelines of disinfecting and cleaning between patron usage and cleaning our public areas after every use."

Her office is now located in the former genealogy/research room

I had to take it over as my office space, as staff is practicing social distancing," Adams said. So we have had to make some accommodations and moderations."

Adams said they have been ordering a lot of new materials and new books.

She said the library also has Internal Revenue forms for those who have not yet filed their taxes.

The library will be open Monday through Friday.