Month: July 2022

DECORAH PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES ACCREDITATION FROM THE STATE LIBRARY OF IOWA

DES MOINES — The State Library of Iowa has announced that the Decorah Public Library has met the conditions for state accreditation as outlined in “In Service to Iowa: Public Library Standards Sixth Edition.”

Achieving accreditation requires a significant, ongoing local commitment to high quality library services. The Decorah Public Library has been recognized for its efforts in all areas of library operations including governance and funding, staffing, library collection, services, public relations, access, and facilities. The accreditation status begins July 1, 2022, and is valid through June 30, 2025.

“The director and board of trustees of the Decorah Public Library and the city of Decorah are to be commended for this achievement and their commitment to excellence in public library services for their community,” said State Librarian Michael Scott.

Of Iowa’s 543 public libraries, 403 – including the Decorah Public Library – are accredited. Iowa’s accredited public libraries are recognized for being responsive to their communities and for exhibiting excellence in their provision of library services. More than two-thirds of all Iowans have active public library cards. Iowa libraries play key roles in workforce and economic development, lifelong learning and e-government activities. Iowans use their libraries to find jobs, do homework, locate a good book to read, research medical conditions, access government information, and more.

Accredited libraries receive a higher rate of compensation through the State Library’s Enrich Iowa program. They also receive a Certificate of Accreditation signed by Governor Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, State Librarian Michael Scott, and Iowa Commission of Libraries Chairperson Carrie Falk.

For more information on the State Library’s accreditation program, and to view the Public Library Standards, go to https://www.statelibraryofiowa.gov/index.php/libraries/search/accred-stand.

About the State Library of Iowa

The State Library of Iowa actively champions libraries. Our two roles are improving library services in Iowa and delivering specialized information services to state government and to Iowans. www.StateLibraryofIowa.gov

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Rhymes With Decorah Podcast: RWD#15 Kristin Eggen – Decorah Farmers Market Manager

K_Eggen_2022_C_LAngton.jpeg

(Kristin Eggen, Photo by Charlie Langton)

 

Farmers Market season is just hitting it’s stride as we record this episode of “Rhymes With Decorah” with special guest Kristin Eggen. Kristin has been the Decorah Farmers Market Manager since 2020, but was a part of the Market community years before that! In fact, it was the power of a ukulele and the will to share her musical endeavors with a Market crowd that originally connected her to the scene.

After graduating from College at UW Stevens Point, Kristin connected with a friend who was a member of Green Iowa Americorps, working with the Winneshiek Energy District. Through a chance opportunity, she connected to an open position and finally found herself coming back to NE Iowa and Decorah!

When Kristin received the opportunity to take the reigns in 2020 from long time Market manager Steve McCargar, she jumped at the opportunity – even realizing the challenges that may come, and has ran with the opportunities.

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Over the years the Market has grown and flourished through the hard work of vendors, customers, and of course managers – from adding electronic payment methods and supporting WIC and other programs for senior citizens, the Market has worked to be as accessible and inclusive as possible.

But of course a Market is only as good as its products – and our region is incredibly fortunate to have goods from so many high quality farmers and producers. Market season is just hitting it’s peak, so don’t delay – Wednesdays from 3-6pm, and Saturdays from 8-11am, in the parking lot behind the Oneota Coop.

Thanks to Kristin for all her work to help make our market such a fun and great place to shop for local goods.

K_Eggen_FM_2022_C_LAngton.jpeg

(Josh Dansdill, Kristin Eggen, Brad Crawford, photo by Charlie Langton)

Find out more about the Decorah Farmers Market:

https://visitdecorah.com/farmers-market/

https://www.facebook.com/DecorahFarmersMarket

 

“Rhymes With Decorah” is a companion project of Inspire(d) Media.

Original music heard in this podcast performed and recorded by Nick Zielinski of Decorah. Find him on Instagram @indicative_of_drumming

2022 Fair Fun Run Results

Summary

The 30th annual Decorah Parks and Recreation Fair Fun Run sponsored by Collins Aerospace, Deco Products Company, Dental Associates of Decorah, Gundersen Health System, Oneota Valley Family Eye Care, The Family Table, was held on Saturday, July 16th with 100 people registering. The overall male champion in the 3-mile run was

The 30th annual Decorah Parks and Recreation Fair Fun Run sponsored by Collins Aerospace, Deco Products Company, Dental Associates of Decorah, Gundersen Health System, Oneota Valley Family Eye Care, The Family Table, was held on Saturday, July 16th with 100 people registering. The overall male champion in the 3-mile run was Henry Weis of Decorah with a time of 17:25. The overall female champion was Grace Blikre of Decorah with a time of 21:43.  Kids 12 and under were also able to participate in a ¾ mile run.  The overall male champion of the kid’s race was Jameson Schissel of Decorah with a time of 4:17; the overall female champion was Ada Lyon of Decorah with a time of 5:17. Medals were awarded to 1st through 3rd place finishers in each division.

 

Kids Race (3/4 mile)

Male 6 & under: Flynn Thompson (5:21), Knute Hovey (5:29), Abel Baker (5:38)

Male 7-8: Eli Lyon (4:22), William Baker (4:41), Ossie Nordschow (4:49)

Male 9-10: Jameson Schissel (4:17), Bennett Smith (4:46), Carter Todd (5:00)

Male 11-12: Carlton Nordschow (4:42), no 2nd or 3rd place

Female 6 & under: Cali Hovey (6:29), Ava Harless (6:55), Dylan Miner (6:56)

Female 7-8: Ada Lyon (5:17), Regan Miner (6:10), Andi Dibble (6:56)

Female 9-10: Eva Butler (6:57), Alice Peterson (8:46), no 3rd place

Female 11-12: Violet Schmelzer (5:25), no 2nd or 3rd place

 

3-Mile Run

Male 14 & under: Noah Fulhart (18:20), Keaton Nalean-Carlson (18:35), Bill Fulhart (18:47)

Male 15-19: Henry Weis (17:25), Chance Adam (17:47), Aidan Nalean-Carson (17:47)

Male 20-29: Tylen Burrow (25:07), no 2nd or 3rd place

Male 30-39:  Natahn Todd (20:34), Kyle Huegel (20:47), Jesse Lyon (23:18)

Male 40-49:  Lee Fulhart (20:15), Justin Scordina (21:33), Rolf Peterson (24:16)

Male 50 & over: Justin Gullekson (24:00), Scott Hervey (24:04), Dan Byrnes (24:09)

Female 14 & under: Jodi Fulhart (23:59), Jilian Volz (29:28), Kylie Brincks (46:40)

Female 15-19:  Grace Blikre (21:43), Kamryn Steines (21:46), McKenzie Riley (22:12)

Female 20-29: No entrants in this age division

Female 30-39: Megan Lyon (23:17), Stacy Miner (25:28), Elizabeth Uhlenhake (28:53)

Female 40-49:  Marissa Nordschow (22:12), Olivia Christensen (30:48), Val Brincks (46 :43)

Female 50 & over: Amy Robinson (23:48), Kathy Hageman (48:40), no 3rd place

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Attention, OverDrive app users!

OverDrive is discontinuing the legacy OverDrive app in early 2023 and transitioning users to the Libby app. Libby is OverDrive’s newer app for browsing and enjoying digital content from our library.

It’s time to give Libby a try! All your loans, holds, and wish list items will be waiting for you in Libby when you add your library card.

Libby also comes with new features we know you’ll love, like:

  • Tags to categorize books however you’d like—you can even sync your OverDrive wish list into a tag!
  • A central bookshelf for all loans and holds
  • Customizable notifications for ready holds, new magazine issues, and more
  • Compatibility with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Sonos speakers
  • Easy access to OverDrive support staff

Learn more about switching to Libby here.

Note: Our library’s digital collection will continue to be available at bridges.overdrive.com on desktop and mobile devices.

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Big Library Read

Decorah Public Library Offers Riveting USA Today Bestselling Novel for Worldwide Digital Book Club

“The Girl in His Shadow” ebook and audiobook now available for reading and discussion with global audience

Booklovers in Decorah and Winneshiek County can dive into a suspenseful USA Today bestselling novel during Big Library Read, the world’s largest digital book club. From July 13-27, readers will join over a hundred thousand others around the globe in enjoying Audrey Blake’s historical fiction The Girl in His Shadow from their public library. Decorah Public Library card holders who live in Winneshiek County can borrow the ebook and audiobook for free without waiting on the Libby app or visiting https://bridges.overdrive.com/. Readers can then discuss online at https://biglibraryread.com/join-the-discussion/.

This Big Library Read novel is available in more than 21,000 libraries around the world including  Decorah and approximately 90 percent of public libraries in North America. During the program, readers participate in engaging online discussions about the title. The program is facilitated by OverDrive, the leading digital reading platform for popular ebooks, audiobooks and magazines and creator of the Libby app.

The Girl in His Shadow takes place in London in 1845. Raised by surgeon Dr. Horace Croft after losing her parents, Nora Beady knows little about conventional life and much about suturing and anatomical illustrations of dissections. Women face dire consequences if caught practicing medicine, but in Croft’s private clinic Nora is his most trusted—and secret—assistant… until the new surgical resident Dr. Daniel Gibson arrives. To protect Dr. Croft and his practice Nora must learn to play a new and uncomfortable role—that of a proper young lady. When she makes a discovery that could change the field forever, Nora faces an impossible choice. Remain invisible and let the men around her take credit for her work, or step into the light—even if it means being destroyed by her own legacy.

Big Library Read is an international reading program that connects millions of readers around the world with an ebook through public libraries. The Girl in His Shadow is the 28th selection of this program which began in 2013 and takes place three times per year. Readers can join an online discussion about the book at https://biglibraryread.com/join-the-discussion/.

The Girl in His Shadow was published as an ebook by Sourcebooks and as an audiobook by Recorded Books. The title can be read on all major computers and devices through Libby or libbyapp.com, including iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phones and tablets and Chromebook™ without waitlists or holds. Through Libby, readers can also “send to Kindle®” [U.S. libraries only]. The title will automatically expire at the end of the lending period, and there are no late fees.

To join the discussion, learn about past Big Library Read titles and download Libby, visit biglibraryread.com.

 

 

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Luther College Community Music School reopens with new programming

July 13, 2022

Luther College music education students are gearing up to relaunch the Luther College Community Music School. Area musicians are now invited to enroll for the fall 2022 offerings. LCCMS will offer private study, service learning opportunities, and community events in the year ahead.

“I am excited about the opportunity to teach students about music in a real-world environment,” said Emily Fisher ’23, student teacher. “I know this experience will help me grow as a music educator and will be a positive experience for young students to learn a new skill.”

Students of all ages enrolling in private lessons (all band and orchestral instruments, piano, guitar, drums, and ukulele) will have twelve 30-minute weekly lessons with LCCMS teachers, scheduled for Monday evenings or Saturday mornings with other times available upon request. A LCCMS student recital will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov.14 in the Noble Recital Hall on Luther’s campus. Tuition is $150, which includes the lessons, recital participation, and an accompanist for the student recital. Registration for lessons is available online.

The service learning component of the LCCMS allows Luther music education students to volunteer under the supervision of a faculty member. Community connections will include music classes at Sunflower Child Development Center, Modern Band (rock band) classes with students from Crossroads Academy, ukulele ensemble with homeschooled students in the area, and directing the Voices in Harmony choir at Gundersen Harmony Care Center. These experiences are designed to be mutually beneficial for participants and our future educators.

The first community event, Ukepalooza, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, in the Orchestra Room of the Jenson Noble Hall of Music. Send your student (ages 10 and up) or bring your whole family for a fun evening of group playing. Bring a uke if you have one or use one of ours!

The Young Person’s Concert is an event is created for preschool and young elementary students. We choose a picture book and bring it to life with music, complete with activities for audience participation, and followed by an instrument petting zoo experience. Mark your calendars for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5!

“I am excited to teach through the LCCMS because this is an opportunity to apply what I spend so much time studying – teaching music to the greater community and kids,” said Patrick Carew ’24, student teacher. “As someone who entered college in fall 2020, the opportunity to first work with students in a classroom as a first-year was not a reality for me, so to finally be able to have exposure and a feel of what facilitating a learning environment consists of is super exciting. The earlier I can understand how I can be the best teacher I can be, the better.”

The Luther College Community Music School exists to nurture students of all ages and levels of experience in order to expand their musical skills, provide affordable music education opportunities, offer teaching experience for future music educators, and encourage lifelong music making. Contact Jill Wilson lccms@luther.edu with questions.

About Luther College

Luther College is home to about 1,800 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.

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Luther College Community Music School reopens with new programming

Lessons, classes and musical experiences are open to musicians of all ages and experience levels.

Luther College music education students are gearing up to relaunch the Luther College Community Music School. Area musicians are now invited to enroll for the fall 2022 offerings. LCCMS will offer private study, service learning opportunities, and community events in the year ahead.

“I am excited about the opportunity to teach students about music in a real-world environment,” said Emily Fisher ’23, student teacher. “I know this experience will help me grow as a music educator and will be a positive experience for young students to learn a new skill.”

Students of all ages enrolling in private lessons (all band and orchestral instruments, piano, guitar, drums, and ukulele) will have twelve 30-minute weekly lessons with LCCMS teachers, scheduled for Monday evenings or Saturday mornings with other times available upon request. A LCCMS student recital will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov.14 in the Noble Recital Hall on Luther’s campus. Tuition is $150, which includes the lessons, recital participation, and an accompanist for the student recital. Online registration for lessons is available at https://lccms.luther.edu.

The service learning component of the LCCMS allows Luther music education students to volunteer under the supervision of a faculty member. Community connections will include music classes at Sunflower Child Development Center, Modern Band (rock band) classes with students from Crossroads Academy, ukulele ensemble with homeschooled students in the area, and directing the Voices in Harmony choir at Gundersen Harmony Care Center. These experiences are designed to be mutually beneficial for participants and our future educators.

The first community event, Ukepalooza, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, in the Orchestra Room of the Jenson Noble Hall of Music. Send your student (ages 10 and up) or bring your whole family for a fun evening of group playing. Bring a uke if you have one or use one of ours!

The Young Person’s Concert is an event is created for preschool and young elementary students. We choose a picture book and bring it to life with music, complete with activities for audience participation, and followed by an instrument petting zoo experience. Mark your calendars for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5!

“I am excited to teach through the LCCMS because this is an opportunity to apply what I spend so much time studying – teaching music to the greater community and kids,” said Patrick Carew ’24, student teacher. “As someone who entered college in fall 2020, the opportunity to first work with students in a classroom as a first-year was not a reality for me, so to finally be able to have exposure and a feel of what facilitating a learning environment consists of is super exciting. The earlier I can understand how I can be the best teacher I can be, the better.”

The Luther College Community Music School exists to nurture students of all ages and levels of experience in order to expand their musical skills, provide affordable music education opportunities, offer teaching experience for future music educators, and encourage lifelong music making. Contact Jill Wilson [email protected] with questions.

About Luther College

Luther College is home to about 1,800 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.

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Luther College student assists Rochester organizations to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in minority groups

Luther College student, Michael Musa ’23, has been working with community organizations to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among minority groups in Rochester. As a data analyst intern for the Diversity Council, a nonprofit organization devoted to designing equitable communities, Musa interacted with people and data to help improve health equity for Rochester residents.

“This internship was so thrilling because I got the opportunity to build relationships with people of various backgrounds in a new setting,” said Musa. “With my work focused on analyzing vaccine event data and searching for cultural barriers that limit data entry, I was able to identify what systems I could create to improve vaccine event data collection and interpretation.”

During his time at the Diversity Council, Musa gained invaluable experience in designing data collection systems for organizations and individuals.

“The major problem I was trying to solve concerned data redundancy and incorrect data entry. Since I was largely working with a multicultural group, many acronyms needed for data collection were lengthy and confusing. By creating a database-enforced WebApp, I was able to solve these problems and improve data querying, presentation and access,” said Musa.

A recent partnership between the Diversity Council and Project Healings rose out of mutual organizational goals to improve healthcare access and outcomes for marginalized groups. One of their primary efforts is to make COVID-19 vaccines accessible to all residents of the state. The Diversity Council aims to destigmatize vaccine hesitancy and investigate the socio-economic disparities that cause it. With key partners such as Project Healings, the Diversity Council hopes to expand its reach to ensure all people are served equitably.

Musa completed this internship as part of Luther’s Rochester Semester program which provides students of all majors an opportunity to study and work in Rochester. Drawing on the college’s expansive alumni base in the area, students have unique access to immersive learning opportunities designed to help them discern career paths, acquire job-related experience, and facilitate career networking. Rochester Semester participants also enroll in two Rochester-based courses taught by Luther College faculty.

 

About Luther College

Luther College is home to about 1,800 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities, and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning, and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully, and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.

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Mental health continues to be a top concern on Winneshiek Medical Center’s Community Health Assessment

Every three years, Winneshiek Medical Center leads, or participates in, a Community Health Assessment.  The assessment is designed to gather information on unmet health needs in the area. With this data, communities can map out a course for health improvement by creating strategies to make positive and sustainable changes. In 2022, Winneshiek Medical Center partnered with Winneshiek County Public Health to complete the survey.

The survey was made available online and garnered 515 responses.  Following an analysis of the data and other population health information, the 2022 Community Health Assessment final report was approved at the July 6, 2022 Board of Trustees meeting.

The Community Health Assessment identified five overall priority categories of concern:

  • Housing Options
  • Mental Health Care
  • Older Adult Care
  • Alcohol and drug use
  • Suicide

The five most prevalent diagnoses among respondents were:

  • Vision problems
  • Hypertension
  • Sleep apnea
  • Hearing problems
  • Respiratory problems

The five highest areas of need for health care services, according to survey respondents were:

  • Access to mental health care
  • Shelter and services for victims of abuse, violence and assault
  • Alcohol and drug abuse prevention
  • Family planning services
  • Services for persons with disabilities

The full report and Winneshiek Medical Center’s Health Improvement Plan can be found on www.winmedical.org/community-health-assessment/

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