Display at the Exeter Public Libary

 Some of the great tag factory items are currently on display in the entrance of the Village of Exeter offices and library.

Exeter Public Library Tech Lounge

The Exeter Public Library has just about finished their new tech lounge. It features several special chairs that are wired with USB and electrical plug-ins.

“We just decided it was time for some updates.  We wanted to make a central location where people could utilize our technology and resources,” explained Librarian Jessica Votipka.

The tech lounge was on hold waiting to have new electrical service run to the floor so that the chairs could be wired in to be able to have power to them. “With the powered chairs I envision people sitting with the e-readers and when they are running low, they can just reach over and plug in to continue reading.”

Funds for the chairs were provided by the Kreutz Bennett Donor-Advised Fund, an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.  The fund provides support to public libraries located in Nebraska communities with populations under  3,000.

The whole goal of creating the area, according to Votipka, was for it to be welcoming. “We wanted a nice central location for people to utilize our technology resources.” 

While the existing internet computer has been moved to the tech lounge area, the restrictions on its use remain the same.  Patrons can not check email on the computer, nor can they use it for social media.  It is primarily to be used for research.

Still coming in the lounge area is a poster of a giant library card which will be hung from the ceiling and several other pieces of library related artwork.

Another new feature of the tech lounge is an Advanced Workstation in Education (AWE) computer.

Votipka had seen the AWE literacy station computer in an library journal article and was immediately attracted to it, “It is all about kids’ learning games.  It has a section for reading, math, science and even art where you can design with your fingers because it is a touch screen.”

According to the AWE website, “The goal of this project is to provide a safe and fun learning environment for young children who may or may not have access to a computer at home.”

The AWE computer is not hooked to the internet in any way which is another reassurance for parents.  “It doesn’t plug into the internet so you don’t have to worry about kids getting into bad stuff. We can update the computer, if needed via a flash drive,” explained Votipka.

The computer includes a child sized mouse, a color-coded keyboard and a touch screen to make it more accessible to children. The library will include data collected on the learning computer in their stats for the year and hope to see an increase in computer use.

The library applied for a grant from Wal-Mart and the York Wal-Mart donated $1000 to the project with the remainder of the cost donated from the last of the Exeter Recycling funds.

Currently the Exeter Public Library has around 280 regular borrowers with approximately 2900 annual visits per year.

Votipka still has a wish list for the tech lounge which includes public wi-fi, but is working on internet service issues.  Other updates in the plans include the purchase of a new librarian’s desk and a plan to landscape the park which has been put on hold because of the possibility of the removal of the building next door.

Votipka had a drop in guest recently who was a librarian from Washington D.C., he had never seen chairs like this was very impressed with the lounge.  “We wouldn’t have been able to do this without the grants.”

Odegeo Attends Legal and Law Enforcement Session

Leadership Class Attends Legal and Law Enforcement Session

The Odegeo…Leadership for Fillmore County class attended a Legal and Law

Enforcement session on May 19, 2015.

            The class members started the day with Brandy VanDeWalle, UNL Extension

Educator.  Throughout the year she talked with the class  about power and

influence, sources of motivation, change, etc.  Now using these skills and knowing more

about Fillmore County, she asked “what will be your next step to emerge as a leader”.

  

The class members spent several hours at the Courthouse where they

toured the Fillmore County jail with Sheriff Bill Burgess, Fillmore County Sheriff

Secretary Brandie Conway, and learned about the dispatcher’s duties

            Peggy Birky, Clerk of the District Court, and Cindy Carrigan, Clerk of the County

Court, shared with the group their responsibilities and they part they play in the court

system.

Cathy Wismer, director of the Fillmore County CASA (Court Appointed Special

Advocate), explained how this program gives the judge information about the child’s

needs when making decisions.

The group then traveled to the Heartland Boys Home.  Jerry Craig,

Director, explained the program and gave a tour of the facility. Several students

at the home visited with the class members as they enjoyed a snack furnished  by the

Heartland Boys Home dietary staff.

At noon the group went to the Geneva Public Library where they had lunch

sponsored by Cornerstone Bank.  Drew Ferguson from the Nebraska State Patrol HDQ

Narcotics Unit, gave a slide presentation about the drugs that are found in Nebraska and

the ways they are being combated. 

The final stop of the day was at Youth Rehabilitation & Treatment Center (YRTC).  Dan Scarborough, Administrator, welcomed the class.  Breaking into two groups, two of the staff took the class on the tour of the Center. After the tour Dan Scarborough, Cindy Betka, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program Director, Anita Haumont, Volunteer Coordinator, and Dr. Cindy Nash, clinical psychologist, answered questions about the programs at the Center. 

On June 16^th the 2014-2015 Odegeo…Leadership for Fillmore County

Class will graduate from the program with a special ceremony and lunch at the VFW.

Persons interested in learning more about Odegeo…Leadership for

Fillmore County Development Corporation may call 402-759-4910 or email

lentfer.fcdc@genevamail.com or go to www.fillmorecountydevelopment.org

             

Exeter/Exeter-Milligan Alumni Class of 1995 and 2005

Exeter Class of 1995 – From the left are Kevin Songster, Erin Jansen,  John Horne, Joel Masters, Matt Oldehoeft, and Kim Becker Bartolomeo.

Exeter-Milligan Class of 2005 front Zack Lock, middle row from the left are Maria Manning Muhlbach, Mallory Ruhl, Ashley Sluka Warren, Roger Becker, Steve Havel, Bailee Becker Schleisman. Back row from the left are  Anthony Due, Chad Cudaback, A.J. Hansen, Elizabeth Pribyl Kaven, Kenton Moore, and Darren Engle.

Exeter/Exeter-Milligan Alumni Banquet Class of 1955, 1965 and 1970

Exeter Class of 1955 front row from the left Charlotte Rouch Hayek, Donna Petersen Jasinski, Mary Becker Pribyl.  Back row from the left are Jack Noragon, Richard Michl, Don Krejci, Wayne Olsen and Ray Franzen.

Exeter Class of  1965 front row from the left Jane McCabe Drake, Linda  Becker Wilhelm, Barb Ethington Jansen, Judy Tauriella Hansen, and Sharon McLeese Dyer.  Middle row from the left are Patsy Rouch Wright, Sharon Hall Hassler, John Steyer, Tim Murphy and Leon Harre. Back row from the left are Steve Schneider, Alan Songster, George Erdkamp Roland Jensen and Jim Walker.

Exeter Class of 1970 – Front row from the left Merry Beth Adamson-Strauss, Kristie Schneider Jirkovsky, John Tauriella, Brenda Brackham Kranz, Sherrill Papik Murphy, and Marcia Krasser Erdkamp.  Back row from the left are two teachers of the class Don Wright and Al Guenther, Ken Rouch, Kathy Rouch, Dick Erdkamp and Larry Hunt.