I was so pleased to read the news stories about the wheelchair-accessible covered wagons that made their debut in this year's lighted Christmas parade. To learn that this was the idea of a local student who recognized the accessibility issue faced by some of his peers is so inspiring! Then, community partners invested in the idea and helped bring the project to fruition. This is what equity work looks like – being aware of barriers that others face and finding opportunities to uplift them into full participation with their community.
At the library, we are working hard to identify current barriers patrons may encounter as well as prevent the placement of future barriers that would have negative impact on our visitors. This work covers everything from shopping for new conference room chairs that are an easier fit for a variety of bodies to ensuring our collections are freely accessible to all who come to browse. Equity and inclusion are not dirty words, and they are not political words. To embrace principles of equity and inclusion is to recognize that we each bring a variety of lived experiences to our work, our education and our social groups.
I want to thank the many Crook County residents who have given an outpouring of support as the library strives to maintain our equitable practices. Your letters, flowers and overall advocacy have buoyed our spirits and helped us stand strong in our vision of being "relevant, accessible and useful to our community."
We have learned that folks have a variety of experiences with libraries, and even the most dedicated public library users may not know the full extent of the work and care that goes into creating and maintaining such a cherished organization. While board meetings have been exciting as of late, the standard reports from the management team provide insight into the powerful work the library team is doing.
You may have read in last week's issue that I am now in my last week as Director of the Crook County Library. It has been my absolute pleasure to serve alongside the tremendous library staff here. We made our way through the pandemic, using our time to launch new services like our Words on Wheels homebound delivery program and our Library of Things, where patrons can check out Wi-Fi hotspots, Legos and robotics kits. We have had incredibly successful summer and winter reading programs, and we established a regular library presence in Paulina. We are working with new community partners, such as the Latino Community Association and SNAP-Ed and continuing work with Crook County on the Move and area schools. Through it all, our staff continues to seek new ways to engage and empower our community.
I am grateful for the time I've spent in Crook County; as I work through my final days, I encourage local residents to get curious about the library and discover the many ways we can help you. 
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