Library eliminates fines and adds seed library

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Changes to the Jackson County Public Library’s circulation policy recently were approved.

In her director’s report, Julia Aker said the changes include student digital access to OverDrive at the Seymour library and elimination of overdue fines, which a lot of Indiana counties have been implementing lately.

“It’s like an avalanche with everybody realizing that with us being closed and then reopening, nobody’s coming in,” Aker said. “A lot of people don’t come in because they owe us money.”

Dan Davis, president of the library’s board of trustees, said it has been hurting the kids whose folks won’t bring them back to the library because of the fines they owe, and the kids really need the board’s help in this matter.

“Overdue fines will still be assessed on items coming from other Evergreen Indiana libraries that charge fines, and there will still be charges for equipment and lost and damaged items,” Aker said.

Late items will be charged to a borrower’s account after 28 days instead of 45. Old accounts consisting of overdue fines only and their collection agency fees will be waived.

Also during the meeting, Circulation Manager Christina Hime gave a staff report and talked about National Library Week.

Also, after establishing COVID pay in March 2020, the board voted to end it April 30 of this year. Staff with paid leave will now use that leave for COVID-related illness or quarantine.

Board member Angie Keasler attended her final meeting April 19 after resigning from the board due to moving out of the library district.

She was appointed by the board presidents of the Brownstown, Crothersville and Medora school boards. A replacement from Crothersville will be sought to fill her term through Dec. 31, 2023.

Keasler said she has learned a lot being a member of the board and has really enjoyed her time serving.

“I can’t thank you all enough, and it has been a great, positive experience for me,” Keasler said. “If this hadn’t been the case, I was absolutely going to do my four years and probably would’ve continued.”

Keasler said she was very appreciative to all of the board members and would miss them.

Seed Library

In other business, the board approved spending $1,266 from the library endowment fund at the Community Foundation of Jackson County on establishing and maintaining a Seed Library.

The Roman statesman Cicero famously said, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”

The library wants to help meet that need by launching its new Seed Library.

That’s a collection of heirloom seeds (flower, fruit, herb, vegetable) that anyone can take to plant and grow at home. A library card or library district residency is not required to participate.

Since supplies are limited, there is a limit of one envelope per seed variety, and there is no guarantee on availability. At this time, the library does not accept donations or saved seeds due to state seed law and regulations.

Seeds are housed in an old card catalog upstairs at the Seymour Library that was purchased in September 2018 by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library from a former downtown Seymour antique shop.

Prior to that purchase, suggestions of a Seed Library had come from several library visitors.

Anyone interested in participating or with questions about the Seed Library can visit information services upstairs at the library, email [email protected] or call 812-523-4636.

A website also is being developed at myjclibrary.org/seeds. Seeds can be sent to the Discovery Bus or Crothersville or Medora libraries on request.

The next regular board meeting is at 4:30 p.m. May 17 at the Seymour Library.

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Jackson County Public Library Seed Library selection

Flowers: Lavender – English; Sunflower – Mammoth Grey Stripe; Zinnia – California Giants

Fruit: Cantaloupe – Hale’s Best Jumbo Melon; Pumpkin – Jack O’Lantern; Watermelon – Crimson Sweet; Watermelon – Sugar Baby

Herbs: Basil – Genovese; Basil – Red Rubin; Basil – Sweet; Chives – Garlic; Cilantro – Slow Bolt; Dill; Lavender – English; Parsley – Italian Flat Leaf; Sage – Common; Thyme – English

Vegetables: Arugula; Bean – Blue Lake Bush; Bean – Kentucky Wonder Pole Green; Bean – Tahoe Bush Green; Beet – Detroit Dark Red; Bell Pepper – Cal Wonder Red; Bell Pepper – Sweet Cal Wonder; Bell Pepper – Sweet Keystone Giant; Bok Choy – White Stem; Broccoli – Calabrese; Cabbage – Red Acre; Carrot – Chantenay Red Cored; Carrot – Scarlet Nantes; Cauliflower – Snowball; Celery – Utah; Chard – Fordhook; Chili Pepper – Cayenne Thin; Cucumber – Pickling – Sumter; Cucumber – Slicing – Marketmore 76; Eggplant – Black  Beauty; Jalapeño Pepper; Kale – Dinosaur; Kale – Dwarf Blue Curled Vates; Kale – Red Russian; Lettuce – Bibb Butterhead; Lettuce – Green Leaf Black Seeded Simpson; Lettuce – Romaine – Paris Isle Cos; Okra – Clemson Spineless 80; Onion – Evergreen Bunching; Onion – Yellow Sweet Spanish Utah; Pea Pod – Dwarf Grey Sugar; Pepper – Ring-o-Fire Cayenne; Pepper – Shishito; Pepper – Sweet Red Marconi; Pumpkin – Jack O’Lantern; Radish – Cherry Belle; Spinach – Bloomsdale; Squash – Butternut; Squash – Spaghetti; Swiss Chard – Ruby Red; Tomato – Beefsteak; Tomato – Big Rainbow; Tomato – Brandywine Pink; Tomato – Red Cherry; Tomato Roma; Tomato – Rutgers; Tomato – Yellow Pear; Zucchini – Black

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