Each year, the Wisconsin Library Association’s Awards & Honors committee recognizes an “outstanding Wisconsin library trustee” with the Trustee of the Year Award. This year, this honor belongs to Menomonee Falls Library Board Trustee Amy Schlotthauer! WLA lauds Amy’s contributions towards strategic planning, public health ventures, and advocacy for her library.
“I have been a lifelong lover of the library!” says Amy. “When I was little, my mom used to take me after my piano lesson. I could not sleep the night before the bookmobile would come to my rural school!” Amy, a Menomonee Falls resident since 2011, holds a Master’s degree in Public Health and runs her own consultation business. She lives with her husband and two children, and can often be found reading, running, or knitting.
Library Board
The Menomonee Falls Library Board is composed of seven individuals: five community members appointed by the Village Board, as well as a school district representative, and a Village Board liaison. Amy serves alongside Library Board President Nicole Barker, Secretary/Treasurer Jessica Cole, Coleen Leahy, Carole McGibany, school superintendent David Muñoz, and Village Board Trustee Ann Lessila.
The day-to-day duties of the Library Board change throughout the year. Amy explains, “Fall is always budget season! Once we have a draft budget approved, it goes through the village board process.” She describes other tasks on their plate, such as attending additional Village meetings, reviewing and updating library policy, tracking county standards compliance, and creating an annual report for the Bridges Library System. “We also get a lot of education opportunities through the Wisconsin Library Association!”
Library Initiatives
Trustees also take part in projects that shape the library. Secretary/Treasurer Jessica Cole was a driving force behind the Warrior Ink traveling exhibit, while Carole McGibany contributes to several projects in the Maude Shunk Local History Room. Furthermore, Amy assisted staff and community members in developing the new strategic plan for the Library. “That is really an opportunity for the Library to ask stakeholders what the library’s priorities should be.” Amy says, “It was a fun way to get to know and learn about people’s perspectives on a library in their community.”
Amy’s background in public health has also shaped a number of wellness initiatives within the building. Patrons can find Waukesha County O.A.K boxes, free period products, and blood pressure monitors at Menomonee Falls Public Library. Amy says, “I think that’s cool, that a lot of health departments, clinics, and nonprofits are viewing libraries as a new avenue for getting important health information out to the public. It’s more about seeing the library as a community asset, and a place where many opportunities for partnerships can arise. This is a gathering place for a lot of different people in our community, and it is open to the entire community. There are not a lot of places like the library in that way. I think the more we can leverage the library as that important community resource, the better!”