Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area ReporterAmong the 70 who attended the groundbreaking for the Wyoming Area Giese Memorial Library Aug. 5 were some who like stories, but are too young to read for themselves, and others who need glasses to keep on reading.
They met to celebrate, dig some dirt and thank everyone who helped with planning, designing, fundraising, and who had the idea for the library in the first place.
Behind an improvised podium of books, Sheree Vincent, co-chair of the Wyoming Area Library Society, credited the Chisago County commissioners for their ìbraveryî for supporting the libraries, the Chisago County HRA-EDA that worked with the bonds to finance the buildings, and the city of Wyoming for donating land for the building.
She said $150,000 has been earmarked for books for the three new libraries to be built in the county, including the one in Wyoming. Vincent also thanked Sarah Weiner, architect with KKE, who designed the library.
Vincent introduced Congressman James Oberstar, who has served the 8th District since 1974.
Oberstar reminisced about his growing-up years in Chisholm and the importance of the local Carnegie library to him as a child and a high school student. At a time when school libraries were small, the public library was the primary library. It was also a place to read papers other than just the local weeklies, he said.
Libraries have ìadapted to the times,î he said Oberstar said of the 16,400 libraries in the nation, 9,400 are supported by local organizations. About 66 percent of the residents have a library card and prefer it to the Internet, he said.
Oberstar stressed the adaptability of libraries when there were massive layoffs in the iron mines in the 1980s. They stepped-up to offer assistance to unemployed workers trying to learn new skills, develop resumes, do job searches, and remodeled facilities to include baby-changing areas for many of the fathers who were studying and caring for children, while wives worked.
ìThe library is the centerpiece of the community,î he said Oberstar concluded with remarks about Myles Giese, for whom the new branch library is named. He called Giese a ìcommunity oriented banker who helped the community grow.î
Mayor Vern Haag talked about the 10 years it has taken for the planning for a new library, and the hard work of the WALS members. He urged the audience to ìhang on for the ride, this community is very special.î
County Commissioner Ben Montzka said that there are higher reading scores in communities with libraries. He thanked council members, City Administrator Jill Teetzel, former administrator Dennis Coryell, former mayor Neil Gatzow, Attorney Tom Miller, and fellow Commissioners Lora Walker and Rick Oleseen. He called Oleseen, a ìgreat hero for literacyî with his efforts for the $6.5 million county bonds to finance the buildings. Montzka also thanked Chisago County Administrator John Moosey for his support.
ECRL Director Bob Boese has worked closely with Chisago County during planning. At a time when its own budget was cut by two-percent, the ECRL has budgeted for staff for the three new libraries and are short only $14,000 a year to meet this budget. Verna Hoppe, an ECRL board member, has worked hard to support these new libraries, Boese said.
At the ìofficial naming,î Montzka said the library is a memorial to long-time resident in Giese, the late president of the First State Bank of Wyoming. He was also a former city council member, volunteer fireman, and member of the Chisago Lakes Hospital Board. Giese was instrumental in the development of the cityís industrial park and volunteered with fund raising for the library. He also made pancakes at a regularly-scheduled prayer breakfast for many years.
Four generations of the Giese family attended, including wife Madelyn. Montzka presented small framed sketches of the new library to the Giese children: Don Giese, Virginia (Ginny) Peterson and Bea Zaruba.
Montzka presented a proclamation of commendation to Stephanie Salzman for her work as co-chair of the Wyoming Area Library Society. The commendation read in part for her ìsignificant tenacity and bravery in working to ensure that a Wyoming area community library would be constructed.î
Finally Montzka declared Aug. 5 as Sheree Vincent Day within District 4 of Chisago County. Vincent has served as co-chair of the library society and ìspent countless hours, including service on two county-wide library services task forces, working to ensure that a Wyoming area community library would be constructed.î
Others attending were State Sen. Sean Nienow, State Rep. Pete Nelson, Commissioners Oleseen and Walker, former mayor Gatzow, city council members Lynn Koalska and Sandy Standridge, ECRL Director Boese, ECRL member Hoppe, Wyoming Elementary Principal Mike Conway and Weiner of KKE architects.
Giese family members, all the speakers, city officials, members of the WALS, ECRL, state officials, and Weiner all took part in the groundbreaking.
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