Alan Robinson has been named director of the Grand Junction Public Library. A resident of Grand Junction, he was previously director of the Jamaica Public Library in Jamaica.
Robinson also worked at the Cobblestone Hotel in Jefferson and at Jefferson Matters: Main Street following a 20-year career as a business journalist in New York.
“The Grand Junction library is an amazing facility,” said Robinson. “The staff and board of trustees have done an impressive job the last five years in upgrading the physical plant and greatly enhancing the programming and collection of the library. It is truly an honor to be named the director. The library is a tremendous resource for the Grand Junction community and has amazing support from the residents.
“We are looking to expand the relationship between the library and its patrons,” said Robinson. “We are especially reaching out to the youth in our community. Beginning in January, we will roll out our new KidZone program on Monday afternoons with special activities, programs, videos, crafts, some fun stuff and snacks. This program will dovetail with Mondays being PD (professional development) days for staff at Greene County Community Schools with students attending school until early afternoon.”
The GC schools also have six Mondays designated as “no school days” for students through the end of April. Some are PD days and some are vacation days. “We will expand the KidZone program those days,” he adds. “We might be able to add in a light lunch that day and start our program at noon or in late morning. The goal is get the kids into their library and engage them.”
The KidZone will debut on Monday, Jan. 22, from 2 to 4 pm and continue each Monday at that time until Feb. 19 and Feb. 26 (no school days), where the program will begin earlier in the day.
He said an adult lecture and study program with the theme, “Voices of the World,” is in the early planning stages. “We hope to get that underway by spring, so will have more details announced soon.”
Robinson spearheaded a “Coffee Chat” program on Saturday mornings at the Jamaica library. Coffee Chats are small, informal discussions featuring local topics of interest. Plans are to develop a similar series at Grand Junction. “We have so many terrific resources here in Greene County,” he said. “We hope to bring the people who are developing and nurturing those resources into our building and help them to engage with members of our community.”
Grand Junction Public Library is open Monday, noon to 5 pm; Tuesday, 1 to 5 pm; Wednesday, 10 am to 5 pm; Thursday, 1 to 7 pm; and Saturday, 10 am to noon. The library is closed on Friday and Sunday. The library is located at 212 E. Main St, two blocks west of Iowa Highway 144. For more information, telephone 515-738-2506 or email alan.robinson@grandjunction.lib.ia.us.
