New title for Moses Lake library branch manager

MOSES LAKE - The area Moses Lake Library Branch Manager Connie Kuhlmann oversees just got a lot bigger.

In addition to her duties at the Moses Lake library, Kuhlmann is going to become one of the North Central Regional Library's regional managers.

"That means I will be supervising all of the libraries in Grant County," Kuhlmann explained. "So I will be in (the Moses Lake) branch approximately three days a week and out on the road about two days a week."

Kuhlmann did not have any immediate plans in her supervisory capacity in the other nine branches in Grant County because she hasn't had the chance to go out and evaluate yet. The title change becomes effective April 1.

"I will be going to the other nine branches at least twice a month, providing support and helping with their collection development and those kinds of things," she said. "I will actually be in every place from Grand Coulee to Mattawa. One of the first things I understand I get to do is, Mattawa wants to paint the walls, so I get to go down and move all the books."

Kuhlmann said she doesn't have any specific plans or goals beyond being supportive and seeing what libraries need at their branch levels.

"I haven't even done a drive around yet," she said. "So right now, I'm kind of still in the 'Gee, what am I getting myself into?' stage."

The library system is beginning to provide limited bookmobile service, which is the reason for the change, to shift resources, she said.

"This just seemed like a practical way to handle it," she said. "It just means supervisors will be located to where their branches are, so it will be able to cut travel time down from Wenatchee."

While Kuhlmann is not connected to the bookmobile, services are going to be reaching out to smaller schools within the library's coverage area.

"Some of the smaller schools that don't have library service, they're going to be doing the bookmobile there," Kuhlmann said. "There's a chance they might be coming out to the Larson Heights Elementary School area, so that people that live far enough away from the library, there might be some service there a couple days a month."

Kuhlmann believes it will work better for the system to have someone working closer and who works in a branch. Similar changes are being made for branch managers in Chelan and Douglas counties, and Okanogan and Ferry counties.

"In the past, they've just had strictly supervisors and that works great too, but I think having somebody who is still on the front lines part of the time … I think it will be a good thing," she said.

A second-in-command will be named at the Moses Lake Library and 20 more hours of staff time will be added.

"They're not going to be taking away from this branch," Kuhlmann said. "This branch will be probably better manned because the people working the front desk are very knowledgeable, outgoing and know the community much better than I do. They do a great job."