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The Woman’s Club of Ouray County is proud to announce
the 2021 WOMEN of the Year!

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The Woman's Club of Ouray County is pleased to honor Joanie Gibbs, Maureen O'Driscoll and Aimee Vann of the Ouray Public Library as the 2021 Women of the Year!

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These ladies went above and beyond their regular job responsibilities to provide programs and services to the community during the COVID pandemic. The WCOC recognizes the contributions and the services they provided to not only the citizens of Ouray, but also Ouray County at large.

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Accomplishments the library team made during COVID-19 as one of Ouray County’s “Front Line Responders”.

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In addition to their “regular” services of loaning books and movies, Summer Reading programs, providing computer use and printing services, and answering all kinds of questions (because we all know librarians know A LOT OF INFORMATION)– during the COVID-19 pandemic these ladies at the Ouray Public Library also provided the following services:

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  • Arranged FREE meals for local school children

    • Provided free library lunches over the entire summer every Tuesday and Thursday for community youth

      •  Cooking on their own and serving outside of the library (and handing out free books!)

      • Coordinated with the Artisan Bakery to provide student lunches early in the pandemic

  • Set up a Weekend Backpack program (serves around 40 children)

  • Coordinated with the Ouray Food Pantry to distribute food to families in the city of Ouray

  • Arranged funding through Telluride Foundation to provide the loan of WiFi hotspots (also noted as a Verizon Jetpack) to local students and their families to expand a home’s internet capability because of at-home virtual schooling

  • Set up book deliveries to the homes of area residents – for FREE

  • Provided a FREE book specially picked out to Ouray County homebound residents along with the WCOC Christmas cookie deliveries

  • Provided “Grab-and-Go” Items

    • Arranged FREE “To Go” reading programs for children during the summer (saw an increase in participation during the 2020 summer)

    • Provided FREE themed craft bags

    • Movie Night bags – variety of movie theme bags – also included popcorn and candy

    • Family Activity Night Bags – puzzle, popcorn and candy

    • Holiday celebration items from the walk-up desk

      • Example: Read a Book, get a Pumpkin Challenge

    • Summer Program to Go Bags

    • Boredom Buster Bags

  • Saw an increase in Youth Circulation (up about 10%) and Young Adult Circulation (up 36%)

    • Organized a Elementary Reading Challenge

    • Organized a Middle and High School Reading Challenge

    • Virtual Grandparent and Me Story Time

    • Online Craft Time

  • Answered multiple questions to include vaccines, helping people apply for unemployment and providing information about the free legal service clinics

  • Continued to provide services from behind a plastic-shielded walk-up window

    • Included curbside pickup of Library items

  • Ouray Public Library Facebook Page

    • Provide positive messaging

    • Community shout-outs (Gratitude Tuesdays)

    • Book suggestions to young and old on their Facebook page

    • Banned Book Scavenger Hunt around Ouray

  • Expanded online service offerings – to include Flipster (digital magazines), Kanopy (online movies), Learning Express (online entrance exam prep) and Mango Languages (learn a foreign language!)

  • Virtual Ouray Public Library Book Club

The above services have been provided since March 17, 2020 when the library closed to the public.

 

Noted on the Ouray Public Library Facebook page:
Our goal is to be a GREAT library, building a strong community in a time of need. And, even though we aren't behind the desk, we want you to know we are still here to help. Let us know what you need, no matter how big or small, and we will do everything in our power to help.

   

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Congratulations Aimee, Maureen and Joanie!

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