Assembly Item
Dear Editor: Here are my comments as addressed to the CBS Assembly at its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 10:
My name is Darryl Rehkopf; I am a Sitka Public Library Board Commissioner. I’m here on the library board’s behalf to express the board’s gratitude to the Sitka Public Library staff for their efforts this past summer in serving the many needs of our patrons during a busy visitor season.
The board would like in particular to thank Ms. Maite Lorente Rial, who is the library’s youth services director and who also served this summer as the library’s interim director.
As the youth services director, Ms. Lorente is involved in all things the library does to serve the youths of Sitka. She writes grants, helps patrons and works closely with other regional librarians, but most of us know her best for the work she does with groups such as the Teen Advisory Board, Preschool Story Time, Summer Reading Buddies, Babies and Books, school visits, etc. She may finger-paint with toddlers in the morning and then spend the evening in Harry Potter costume with teenagers. Her goal is to get kids reading and using the library. Over the past few months, the library has presented over 60 events directed at Sitka youths, thanks to the work of Ms. Lorente. Feel free to check out the library’s website to see what fun events are coming up in the near future.
Ms. Lorente was also the interim library director this summer, a position which required her to supervise the library staff, be responsible for the care and maintenance of library property, maintain oversight on the selection of library materials, be responsible for the efficient delivery of library services and be responsible for the library’s financial operation as mandated by its budgeted appropriations. She also maintained her busy schedule as youth services director, making it a very busy summer for Ms. Lorente. As director she found herself advocating with the city on behalf of the library board for the completion of projects which had been started but remained unfinished as part of the library’s expansion/remodel. This was all happening while Ms. Lorente was not only brand-new on the job, but also busy in the process of hiring her replacement, while working with a temporary city administrator who was also going through the same process of hiring his replacement. A summer blockbuster novel about Ms. Lorente’s life over the past few months might be called: ‘‘How I spent last summer hiring my boss while his boss was hiring his boss...’’
In closing I wish to say the library board is very pleased with Ms. Lorente Rial’s tenure as library director over the past summer. We are grateful for her service. The valuable work she does, professionally and privately, opens minds and serves to lift us all, to the great benefit of our community, our country and our world.
Thank you, Maite.
Darryl Rehkopf,
Sitka Public Library Commissioner
Presidential Team
Dear Editor: The following letter was writeen to Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
Dear Sen. Murkowski: I never thought I’d see the day: Lisa Murkowski and Elizabeth Warren teaming up on national problems. I see a presidential ticket in this. Between the two of you, there is no solution that you cannot think of. Flip a coin to see who is the president and who the vice president. Slogan “The Women Will Save Us.” Party: United Women of America. You will reunify the dream.
John Welsh, Sitka and Bethel
