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HARTINGTON, Neb. (AP) — In this day of Kindles, Nooks and whatever other electronic book readers there are, finding something to read has never been easier.
Touch your cellphone screen and new books are downloaded to your account. You don't even have to leave the house.
It's good news for readers, bad news for libraries.
Tami Anderson, director of the Hartington Public Library, said it's a challenge to find things in addition to books to draw people through the door reports The Sioux City Journal (http://bit.ly/1DAwNQx ).
"We have to be more creative in our library services just because of this digital age to get library visitors," Anderson said.
Lucky for her, she's got a built-in attraction that most libraries don't have: an art gallery.
The Arlo and Anne Wirth Art Gallery is a small gem found outside the larger cities where you'd normally expect to find art galleries. Arlo and Anne were big library supporters, and Anne was a longtime library board member. They left a $75,000 gift to the library's foundation after they died.
It was a gift that helped the library do something with its old space. A new library had been built at 106 S. Broadway Ave. in 1997, connected to the town's Carnegie Library, which had been built in 1915. After the new library opened, the board pondered uses for the old space. An art gallery wasn't one of the original considerations, but the Wirths' gift "got the ball rolling," Anderson said.
Library board member Clarence Hoesing did a lot of the work to renovate the upper level of the Carnegie Library into a sizable gallery capable of displaying all kinds of art. It's not just a small corner of a room reserved for a few paintings; it's a full floor of wood-paneled walls and spotlights aimed at showing off the skill of local artists. It opened in 2002, a couple years after the Wirths' gift.
"We have some regulars who come to see every show," Anderson said. "It is a lot of work, but it adds a lot to our library."
Anderson purposely seeks out area artists whom local residents may have heard of. She's found that familiarity brings in more visitors, plus the artists' friends and relatives.
"It draws people into our community," she said.
It also adds something to the community.
The high school art teacher brings her students to the gallery to teach them about different art styles. Every March, as part of National Youth Art Month, the gallery displays art from students in all of Cedar County's schools.
The gallery also helps boost the career of young artists. For the past three years, one of the shows has featured work from senior art students from nearby Wayne State College.
"It gives those senior art students a chance to get a gallery experience to show their work," Anderson said. "There's a lot of young kids that have this artistic ability. It's kind of neat to see."
There has been a lot to see: paintings, photography, mixed media, pottery, sculpture. A local quilting group meets in the library basement, and each year their quilts blanket the gallery for a show.
Anderson and her staff like to encourage library visitors to check out the gallery. The exhibits change every two months, so there's often something new to see.
"With the changes," Anderson said, "hopefully it brings people back in."
It's certainly worth checking out, along with a couple books, of course.
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Information from: Sioux City Journal, http://www.siouxcityjournal.com
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