Information Services Manager Janet Hensen gave a report during the recent Jackson County Public Library board of trustees meeting.

She told the board it has been getting busier at the library, and a lot more people have been coming in.

“We are helping people daily to print from their phones and to scan and email documents,” she said. “With the computer usage, we’re seeing a lot of interest in history right now.”

The outdoor games purchased for the library last year are on a special display to be checked out upstairs, and a lot of those have been going out the last couple of weeks. Outdoor games also are available at the Medora and Crothersville libraries.

“We also started the Seed Library last year and have continued with that,” Hensen said. “As of June 15 this year, Seymour has handed out 736 packets of seeds, and at the Crothersville Seed Library, 81 packets have gone out.”

She said the Seymour Library now has an indoor greenhouse, used to get seeds started, and a seed starting class was held earlier in the year. There will be an in-person program on seed saving on July 5.

Other upcoming programs for adults include a virtual program on the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and a program on canning, freezing and preserving on Aug. 12.

Hensen said the summer learning program, Oceans of Possibilities, is currently taking place through Aug. 1. People can still sign up and earn prizes by doing some summer reading.

The board also approved several staff appointments, changes to the information services policy and closing the libraries in the future whenever Evergreen Indiana schedules an upgrade.

Board members received an evaluation form from Director Julia Aker that is due to personnel committee chairman Don Myers Jr. by the next board meeting. Aker celebrated 35 years of service at the library on June 19 with the last 25 years serving as director.

Also during the meeting, Seymour resident Terence Tracey spoke to the board about closing off the Seymour Library parking lot during the Seymour Oktoberfest. Tracey said during the festival, the library parking lot is turned over to the Friends of the Jackson County Library group, which in turn charges people to park there.

Friends is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the libraries in Seymour, Crothersville and Medora. Its focus is on raising funds to help provide for materials and activities on behalf of the adult, teen and children’s programs, its patrons and the community. Plus, it helps fund other library projects.

Funding comes from membership dues, Oktoberfest parking, book sales and donations.

“I understand it’s all done for raising donations for the library, but the manner in the way it’s done doesn’t seem like it’s a donation,” Tracey said. “I’ve spoken with Sylvia Watson, general counsel of the Indiana State Library, and she said she didn’t see anything wrong with it as long as it’s made very clear that it’s a donation.”

Tracey said he agreed with Watson on that point but felt not everyone who goes to the library parking lot during Oktoberfest understands it’s a freewill donation to park there.

Aker said she has told the Friends group it has to be said that it’s a donation, and there was an informational session held for the volunteers, too.

“But when you have about 30 to 40 volunteers, you’re dependent on them to come, but only about 10 could be there for the training,” Aker said. “The group who’s working is supposed to tell the next group coming in to make sure to say it’s a donation.”

Aker said having the Friends group in the parking lot is good because they help keep people from parking in places where they shouldn’t and blocking cars so they can’t get out.

Board President Dan Davis said he’s usually lucky at finding parking spaces close by the festival, so he hasn’t needed to park at the library until last year.

“There were two young women working there at the Walnut Street entrance,” Davis said. “I rolled my window down and they asked if I’d like to make a donation to park there, so that was just my experience, and I made a donation.”

Friends member Sandi Hall said there have been people come into the lot to park who didn’t want to make a donation, so they parked there, and nothing else was asked of them.

Library staff and Friends members will work on updated signage and publicity stating the $5 fee to park during the festival is a freewill donation.

The board’s next meeting is at 4:30 p.m. July 18 at the Crothersville Library.