GPL Blog

2021 Year in Review

From the Director: Progress. It is difficult to recognize in the moment whether one is moving in the right direction or even moving at all. The distance traveled isn’t apparent until the end of the journey. Only now, after 2021 has ended, can we see how great our strides were. Our new building is on the way. Our website has been redesigned. Our resources are accessible to more people, thanks to the elimination of late fees and a path for individuals experiencing homelessness to qualify for library cards. And we’ve learned a lot about how to better serve our community.

Most importantly, we’re still here, thanks to you. Our volunteers, donors, cheerleaders, partners, Friends, Foundation, and Trustees provide the support and direction we need to move forward, even when those movements look different from what we had planned. — Noelle Thompson, Director

From the Board: The Cambridge dictionary chose “perseverance” as its word of the year for 2021. Perseverance was certainly characteristic of the director and staff of the Galesburg Public Library during the last year. For a time the building may not have been open, but the library was never altogether closed. Even when the physical library was unavailable our curbside pickup continued to operate, moving inside to convenient shelving just inside the back doors when we reopened.

More recently, with the help of Travis Downs, our new technology and employment specialist, our computer resources have become a lifeline for people applying for jobs and doing their first Zoom interviews. The Board of Trustees of the Galesburg Public Library is proud of the staff and the skill with which they have maintained library services in the current building while planning for the construction of the new building. — Laurie Muelder, President, Board of Trustees

For more highlights from 2021, check out the full 2021 Year in Review.