Other action
Also during their meeting Monday, the Forsyth County Public Library board unanimously approved funds to:
* Hire five non-classified, part-time positions
* Give a 3 percent merit pay raise to all eligible staff
These appropriations must now be approved by the Board of Commissioners.
FORSYTH COUNTY — Forsyth County’s public library system and school district are set to team up with a goal of getting every student a library card.
Effective this fall, the program is expected to have schools ask all students if they want a free Forsyth County Public Library card when they register for class, according to Anna Lyle, library director.
Schools will then pass participating students’ information along to the libraries, which will input them into the system and create their card.
“I think this is consistent with our discussions about partnerships and reaching out to the community,” said Mary Helen McGruder, who chairs of the library board.
It was pointed out that not every student in Forsyth County Schools actually lives in Forsyth, including students whose parents are teachers or who work for the district but live in another county.
The unanimous vote — with board member Tim Plotner absent — made a library card accessible to anyone who: resides in Forsyth County; owns property or a business in Forsyth County; works for the Forsyth County government; or is currently enrolled in or is an employee for any public or private educational institution in Forsyth County.
“The bottom line is they’re our students,” said Kristin Morrissey, a library board member who also serves on the Board of Education. “Their graduation counts for us and against us.”