BY AIMEE DURAND
Well before Ketchum was the destination it is now, or Sun Valley had been “discovered” by Count Felix Schaffsgotsch, at the behest of Union Pacific Railroad, the Hailey Public Library was founded in 1919 by the Hailey Civic Improvement Club.
Located in the old Idaho National Bank building, on the north corner of Main Street and West Bullion Street, fire destroyed the fledgling library in 1927. A “Help the Library” fund was soon established, funded by the “Legion Loonies of 1927,” an annual amateur variety show. After the fund and book drives, the Hailey Free Public Library was re-established in an old assayer’s office at the west corner of 1st Avenue North and Bullion Street.
Before moving to its current location, in the late 1980s, the library was located, with City Hall, at West Carbonate Street, where The Advocates’ Attic is now.
Library Director LeAnn Gelskey knows the library business from cover to cover. She’s been employed there for 18 years, the past eight of which she’s been the director.
“I enjoy serving the public and my community,” Gelskey said.
Gelskey said the role of the library evolved over time.
“It used to be that the library would tell you what you needed,” she said. “Now we are more patron-driven than in years past. Our mission is to provide current, high-interest materials, which we used to order. But now we wait for input from the community to ensure that its of high interest for our patrons.”
The library is also connected to other regional libraries and, if a requested book is unavailable in Hailey, a copy can be sent from one of the other affiliated public branches.
Gelskey believes the shift came about with the recession in 2008.
“People needed an affordable place to go,” she said. “During that time, the library became another place to go aside from work, school and home.
“We also began to partner with other community organizations to provide services such as work programs and computers. We have long partnered with The Hunger Coalition to build literacy and food literacy. Survival during the recession resulted in strength, and beautiful things grew out of hard times.”
By law, the library board is responsible for overseeing budgets, policies and the director. The library employs eight staff members, including Gelskey.
The board is made up of five residents in Hailey; each serves for a term of five years. There is a currently a board position open and Gelskey hopes someone in the community will apply.
After the move from the Carbonate Street location, a group of volunteers formed a nonprofit organization, known as The Friends of the Hailey Public Library, to help support the library’s needs through fundraising and other projects. Since 1994, The Friends have raised $300,000 in funds through community support. The Friends also put on the annual garden tour and the book and bake sale. “The community loves the book and bake,” Gelskey said. “We get so many donations.” Otherwise, the Hailey Public Library funds come from the city’s general fund culled from property taxes paid within the city limits. Other funding for programs and services come from grants and donations. Current programs include preschool Story Time, which meets Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. The In-beTween after-school camp for ages 9-12 meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. And a new program, Baby Time, is held at 10:30 a.m. on Mondays. Gelskey said the library also relies on its many volunteers to shelve books and aid with youth programs. “There are two in here today, painting,” Gelskey said on Tuesday. “The library would not run without volunteers. This fiscal year so far, we have 439 volunteer hours. With our upcoming renovation, we’ll have many more.”
Two years ago, the front of the library was remodeled, and this year the Children’s Room is also receiving a makeover.
“The Community Library in Ketchum is putting in new shelving, so they’re passing on what they took out,” Gelskey said. “It’s new to us, plus we have new carpeting through The Friends.”
A unique service is a receipt at checkout that compares savings between library use and if those same items had been purchased.
“It costs pennies to the dollar to use the library,” Gelskey said.
Another feature is the Express Bag option geared toward busy parents.
“We put together a bag of materials,” Gelskey said. “This requires filling out a form and a librarian picks three books for you to grab on your way home.”
These services aid the challenge of growth.
“We are at capacity,” Gelskey said. “The idea is to get the stuff out. If it is not on the shelf, then someone is reading it.”
In a way, the library is a prepaid service for Hailey residents.
“It takes a village. If you are not using it, you’re missing out,” Gelskey said. “Libraries give people the opportunity to find jobs, experience new ideas and get lost in wonderful stories, while at the same time providing a sense of place for gathering.”
For more information on the library and its programs, visit haileypubliclibrary.org.