“One of our greatest weaknesses is that we don’t talk enough about what we do,” said Daniel Neeves, assistant director at Siouxland Libraries.
While a library might seem like a place solely for book lovers, Siouxland Libraries is in actuality an extensive network of resources and connections that are an asset to any child, teen, student, adult, or family.
“You might come in and check out a book or a movie or use our public computers, but there’s so much that you have access to,” said Neeves.
Neeves started working at Siouxland Libraries in 1999 as a part-time shelver. After graduating college in 2006, he returned to the organization to drive the system’s mobile library, the Bookmobile, and never looked back.
“That’s where my heart wanted to be,” he remembered. “It was here.”
“Siouxland Libraries is a great place to work because you get to touch people’s lives in more of a way than you would think on surface level.” -DANIEL NEEVES
Now, Neeves works in leadership and development, helping staff reach their potential while remaining fully committed to Siouxland Libraries’ mission to connect people to a world of information and ideas to enrich their lives.
The existing library system was once two separate entities: The Sioux Falls Public Library and Minnehaha County Rural Libraries. In 1995, they collided to form Siouxland Libraries.
Merging allowed the organization to open 13 different branches in the county and Sioux Falls, and provided more people with resources for the common good.
Siouxland Libraries has different initiatives for four different age groups: birth to 5 years old, kindergarten through fifth grade, teen, and adult.
“Programming ranges from storytimes and parent-child workshops all the way to STEM programs, teen art contests, adult speed friending, author talks, and tech classes,” said Neeves.
Events in the birth to 5 category focus on early literacy efforts and educating parents.
“In our parent-child workshops, we have a series of classes where we bring in health professionals or other community professionals that help a new parent know they’re not alone,” said Neeves.
These classes help parents to feel confident being their child’s first teacher and express the importance of play and spending time together.
Additionally, all of the storytellers go through a program called Supercharged Storytime, which instructs them to be attentive and engaging narrators.
“We have a very high standard of how our storytellers perform, so the quality of our program matches the importance of what we do for the community,” said Neeves.
From kindergarten to fifth grade, programming revolves around keeping kids kinesthetically engaged. These young learners can enjoy different clubs and crafts, as well as reading sessions with therapy dogs.
LOCAL LIBRARY
Siouxland Libraries has 13 branches in the following 9 cities & towns:
+ Baltic
+ Brandon
+ Colton
+ Crooks
+ Garretson
+ Hartford
+ Humboldt
+ Sioux Falls
+ Valley Springs
Another offering is Kids Create—a 45-minute class with revolving themes that allows participants to explore their creative side through stories, crafts, games, and activities.
Teen programming focuses on interacting with the community, and prioritizes engagement and expression with other teens.
Events include writing clubs, book discussions, art contests, hands-on learning classes, and craft-making.
Adult opportunities facilitate community building and learning. Activities include book clubs, classes, writer’s groups, trivia nights, clubs, author visits, art nights, and more.
Siouxland Libraries also hosts a summer reading program to challenge the whole family to read together.
“The idea is to help students avoid the summer slide, so when they go back to school in the fall, they haven’t lost the art of reading and they’re not as far behind,” explained Neeves. “We do that by making fun challenges and offering prizes for families who do that together.”
Outside of programming, Siouxland Libraries offers a world of resources for everyone. Library cards are free to those who live in Minnehaha County or Sioux Falls, and provide access to check out books, DVDs, games, magazines, audiobooks, and more.
“Libraries are really about three things: Literacy, technology, and community space.” -Daniel Neeves
Other assets, such as computer and wi-fi access, mobile printing, study rooms, and community spaces are available to anyone who walks through the doors.
“We try to make it as easy as possible for people to use our services,” said Neeves.
He points out working or studying at the library can provide a change of scenery and an alternative to more expensive locations, such as a coffee shop or café.
On top of programming and services, Siouxland Libraries offers cardholders free access to online learning databases, such as LinkedIn Learning, JobNow, and Mango Languages.
“If you’re familiar with LinkedIn, LinkedIn Learning is educational classes of the same caliber,” said Neeves. “It’s amazing stuff built by professionals, and very underknown.”
Study Space
LinkedIn Learning offers thousands of courses, including:
+ Critical Thinking
+ CRM Basics
+ Developing Your Emotional Intelligence
+ Excel: Tips & Tricks
+ Figure Drawing
+ Interpersonal Communication
+ Learning Personal Branding
+ Learning Python
+ Online Marketing Foundations
+ Strategic Thinking
For workforce preparation, JobNow provides online job assistance, including professional resume critique, interview help, and job search engines.
Mango Languages offers users the choice of over 70 languages to learn. The curriculum consists of a blend of content, including vocabulary, listening and reading, audio components, and conversation-based methodology.
With branches across Minnehaha County and Sioux Falls, Siouxland Libraries is committed to offering access to free resources for all.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from—you have the ability to better yourself or to relax with a good read or a good movie,” said Neeves. “And we get to provide all of that.”
