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Juniata County Library keeps on thriving

Giardano invites commissioners to flourishing library at meeting

MIFFLINTOWN – “Come and see us today” was the message delivered by Juniata County Library Director Vince Giardano during Tuesday’s business meeting of the Juniata County Commissioners.

Giardano was on hand Tuesday to deliver his annual report activities overseen by the library and to look into what the future might hold.

“The library is more than just books,” Giardano said. “The library fuels our community by improving property and business value. It enhances graduation rates, education levels and overall satisfaction with life.”

Giardano said 2019 was a busy year for the local facility.

“We had over 45,000 visitors this year,” he said, adding that currently over 11,000 residents of Juniata, Mifflin and Perry Counties hold library cards, which are free of charge.

Other pertinent facts about the library included:

¯ Over 2,500 attendees for youth programming.

¯ Over 100 youth programs.

¯ Over 45,000 copies and faxes sent.

¯ Assistance in over 7,500 reference questions.

Giardano said the library now offers notary public services, professional shredding services, disc cleaning and book repair, as well as free mobile hotspots–allowing visitors to take the Internet out the door with them. “We can’t keep those on the shelves,” he commented.

Currently, the library has over 50,000 materials available to borrow, with over 50 new items released to the facility’s shelves on a weekly basis. There are also more than 20,000 eBooks available, teacher accounts to help with classroom materials, ultra-fast, free Wi-Fi and public computers available at all times.

In closing, Giardano said the library strives to reach out to every corner of the county.

“The library is a beautiful atmosphere,” he continued. “Great things are happening every day.”

In other business Tuesday, the commissioners:

¯ Approved a service agreement with Nancy Schrum, Esquire, to provide public defender services for calendar year 2020.

¯ Approved a purchase of service agreement between Children and Youth Services and Diakon Services Inc.

¯ Ratified the following Juniata County Hazardous Materials checks: $55.58 to Wex Bank for the purchase of fuel; $303.50 to Deelat Industrial for materials; and $555 to Susquehanna Fire Equipment for repair services.

¯ Ratified a Home Housing Rehab Project check in the amount of $7,800 to JDS Construction for project costs.

¯ Approved the hiring of Marina Holderman, a student at Juniata High School, as a telecommunicator in the Emergency Services Department as part of the Student Co-Op Program.

¯ Approved three percent salary increases for non-union positions in the various county departments.

¯ Approved payment of bills in the amount of $103,039.46.

¯ Announced that due to the upcoming holidays, there will be no commissioners’ meetings on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31.

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