Greetings from the Great Bend Public Library! Our summer library program officially ended last week. Things were very different this year but we still hope everyone had a great time. If you participated in the summer reading program but haven’t yet come and received your prize please do so. Everyone who participated gets something and those who excel in their reading group win something extra. 

For our 0-5 year old category, our top winners are: Anthony Brown, 772 minutes; Kenzlie Rostine, 675 minutes; Hailey Snell, 663 Minutes. For ages 6-12, the top winners are: 6-12, Adelyn Stoelting 1,665 minutes; Abby Wanker, 1,200 minutes; Kole Maxwell, 961 minutes. Teen winners are: Adelyn Stoelting 1,665 minutes; Abby Wanker, 1,200 minutes; Kole Maxwell, 961 minutes. Last but not least our most voracious adult readers were: Sam Zimmer, 10,981 Minutes; Janice Stubblefield, 6,540 minutes; Sarah Stoelting, 4,295 minutes. Overall Great Bend library participants read 66,294 minutes. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone who participated!

There is still time to respond to the census for those who have not yet. Although Kansas is overall above the national average, there are parts of Barton county that are still below average. I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone how important it is to take the census. The census isn’t just a count of our population. The census can shape your community’s future for the next ten years. The census helps determine how federal funds are distributed, how community planning is done, and how our state is represented in government. 

The census also determines how much money goes into local libraries. If you enjoy many of the services the library has to offer, taking the census is a great way to support us. We use population statistics and demographics to help determine programs and library services. The verified census helps use with that determination. The census is your privilege and your right to complete. If you haven’t taken the census yet please do so here: https://my2020census.gov or by phone 844-330-2020. Remember none of your census information can be shared with any other government agency. 

For library information or questions, please visit our Facebook page or website greatbendpl.info. You can also message us on Facebook or email us at gbcirc@gmail.com.

Hannah Grippin is the outreach and marketing manager for the Great Bend Public Library. She can be reached by email at gbcirc@gmail.com.