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Monticello library receives award
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Katrina Linde-Moriarty, Monticello Public Library director, sits outside Gempler’s Supermarket with the Mobile Library Spot this summer. The library recently won the “Super Awesome Library Award,” given out by the South Central Library System.

MONTICELLO — Monticello Public Library is the 2019 recipient of the South Central Library System Foundation’s “Super Awesome Library Award,” which is given “for the library that was overall awesome in 2019. Maybe they handled a tough situation with grace. Or took a new approach. Or found a lot of money under a rock and did something really cool with it. Or got a lot of local support and kudos because they play well with others. Or are just plain super awesome every day.”

The award was presented during the annual Cornerstone Award Fundraising Reception Oct. 17 at Buck & Honey’s Restaurant, Sun Prairie. 

The past year has been one of change for Monticello Public Library, including reorganizing the picture book collection by genre to help young and old readers find their next adventure, and remodeling the circulation and juvenile nonfiction areas, providing more space for the children’s section. 

“We also ran a mobile library spot next to Gempler’s Supermarket during the summer to check out materials to patrons and promote our resources,” said Director Katrina Linde-Moriarty, adding that the library also partnered with the school district to offer a summer class and offered supportive services to teachers. 

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The Monticello Public Library will join other South Central Library System libraries in the LINKcat online catalog.

That change will intensify in December as the library joins the other SCLS libraries in the LINKcat online catalog. 

“This has been a big project for library staff and for our community,” Linde-Moriarty said. “Our collection has undergone weeding based on circulation records and overall condition, and we have prepared the remaining collection items for the migration to the LINKcat.”

The work will pay off in December when Monticello goes live on LINKcat as the SCLS migrates to a new version of the LINKcat software. The change will allow Monticello Public Library patrons to have direct access to the holdings of nearly all SCLS member libraries, and they can access it from a home computer. 

In 2019 Monticello also joined the SCLS Foundation in a step toward better financial stewardship of funds donated to the library. 

The award is given annually to an individual or individuals who have had a significant and long-term impact on enhancing public libraries in South Central Wisconsin and represent the values and mission of the South Central Library System Foundation.

For more information, contact Monticello Public Library Director Katrina Linde-Moriarty at 608-938-4011.