About the Presentation: Steve Schroeder introduced his campaign co-chair Tom Westerhaus and Library Director Tanya Misselt, who spoke to the club about the River Falls Public Library renovation and capital campaign. Several Rotarians in the room on Tuesday are on the campaign committee. Tanya's presentation emphasized the RFPL's needs that are not covered by the Flexible Facility Grant to explain why the Renew and Inspire Capital Campaign is needed. She emphasized that the grant came as a (pleasant) surprise while noting that the improvements it covers do not meet all of the identified needs.
Among the items not covered by the FF grant are the need to replace an outdated HVAC system including ductwork repair/replacement, security camera and system upgrades to permit monitoring of the lower level in particular. Much of the furniture is original to the building, and it needs updating. Tanya said that a landscaping corridor with a sustainability emphasis is another goal. Parking lot resurfacing is another identified need. Window shades and curtains are another improvement to be included in the capital campaign budget.
About the Speaker: After earning a Bachelors Degree in Sociology from UW-Madison with a concentration in Criminal Justice, Tanya spent 11 years serving the City of Appleton, WI as a law-enforcement officer on patrol and then as a sensitive crime investigator and police school liaison officer. After she and her husband had two boys, she left law enforcement to be a stay-at-home mom. Click READ MORE for more about Ms. Misselt.
During that time she worked part-time for the Appleton Public Library and earned a Master's Degree in Library and Information Science from UW-Milwaukee. After re-entering the workforce she was a school media specialist for a few years and then spent 7 years as the head of Children's Services at the Appleton Public Library before being hired as Director of the River Falls Public Library. Tanya now lives in St. Paul, MN with her husband of 35 years. Her two grown sons live in Minneapolis. For fun, the whole family likes to spend time at their cabin on the Wolf River in Shawano, WI. Tanya loves to garden and her husband loves to fish.