New equipment, opportunities available at library thanks to fundraisers

RANDOLPH - The front garden area of the Lied Randolph Public Library will be jazzed up - quite literally - with the addition of a new instrument library.

A samba drum, chimes, and a cavatina (xylophone), and a weather-proof music book are all on order and set to arrive later this summer, said Librarian Peggy Leiting.

“I hope it comes in by August,” she said. “I’d really like to do an open house in August or September, do something special. We’ll see.”

More than $11,000 was raised for the project from several different events: the wine tasting last fall, the kickball cup-in-hand tournament last summer, the April garage sale, as well as some private donations. A grant of $3,800 from the Kreutz Bennett Donor Advised Fund also came through for the project.

There’s room to add more to the instrument library in the future, Leiting said.

“There’s so many more fun things if anyone wants to add,” she said. “We have room. This is a great start. If this is all we ever do, it’s a wonderful addition, but can easily be added to.”

At the same time she was raising money for the instrument library, Leiting also was seeking funds for new MakerSpace equipment.

Patrons got a taste for the equipment having a vinyl cutter, laser cutter and sublimation printer and heat press, and design computer at the library’s Innovation Studio for four months last year on loan.

About $47,000 total has been raised to make a permanent home for some of the most popular equipment.

Using about $28,000, a new laser etcher was ordered and library staff are currently training on how to use it.

“We’re not open for public business with that yet,” Leiting said.

Other MakerSpace equipment acquired by the library as part of the project includes a heat press and printers, a button maker and a large vinyl cutter. A 3-D printer will also be coming in the near future.

“We have to get one thing figured out before we get another one ordered,” Leiting said.

The money for the MakerSpace equipment came from this spring’s fish fry, the April garage sale, and several private donations large and small. First State Bank provided $10,000 for the project while Randolph Farm Supply gave $4,000, Leiting said.

And the money is still rolling in. Most recently, the Randolph Area Foundation gave $2,000, and the library received grants from the Nebraska Library Commission totaling more than $5,000 as well.

Leiting said people can still donate to either the musical library or the MakerSpace projects.

“It’s wonderful to see the community appreciate what we’re trying to do and hopefully get lots of use out of it,” Leiting said.