Nevada names new library director

Nevada Public Library's Board of Trustees appointed Jodi Polk as the library director on Nov. 15.

Polk has been on staff at the public library since 2006 and had served as assistant director since 2011.

As assistant director, Polk successfully sought a $4,520 grant from the Missouri State Library to support the 2012 program this past summer. This was the first grant awarded to the library to support the summer reading program, and the sizable program reflected the possibilities of services the library could offer to the community, a news release said.

Polk piloted the first teen summer reading program and community outreach bookmobile last year. She assisted Sarah Swearingen and Susan McBeth in the eight-week youth program, which served more than 300 children ages 5 through fifth grade.

The teen program was attended by over 50 middle school and high school students. Collectively the teens read more than 175 books. The readers published book reviews to enter a drawing held to win a Kindle Fire. The outreach program delivered 100 books to the Osage Prairie Y day campers each week. Camp readers completed the incentive program with the other youth, but had access to books while at the camp that they would not have had without the program.

"I am committed to promoting the value of the library to our community and I look forward to being a part of the library's expansion of services", Polk said.

Jodi has lived in Nevada, Mo., since 1997. She and her husband, Darren, have three children, Samuel, Krista, and Mitchell.