Letter From North Valley Public Library

A Letter commending MAPS for our service and professionalism.

November 2, 2012

On behalf of the Board of Trustees for the North Valley Public Library, I am pleased to present this letter of recommendation and support for the MAPS Media Institute in Hamilton for the outstanding work done by MAPS for the Library.

ln early spring of 2012, our Library Director and I met with Laura Henderson, Director of MAPS, to ask if they may have an interest in producing a commercial information piece for our Iibrary. We were interested in having film footage documenting the services we provide to the public, the condition of the library and the need for a new building, as part of our attempt to gather support for a major library building renovation project. lt is our intention to put the finished product on our Library and.the Library Foundation websites, as well as provide the film footage on a DVD to potential donors or foundations thinking of supporting the project.

At the very beginning of our discussions, I was impressed by the professionalism of the staff and thewelcome we received from the MAPS team. As with mostlibraries in Montana, we do not.have extra,cash reserves to pay for a project such as this” Laura and her staff were extremely sensitive to our funding and budget concems, and made a rnost generous offer of doing the work on. a pro bono basis. As Library Board Chair, I have approaehed many government agencies and private boards for assistance, but I have never been treated in a more kind, sensitive and genuine fashion.

The project involved filming in the Library and needed to be done in a way that depicted Library services and building condition. This was not an easy task as filming around the Library needs to be sensitive to patrons and participants. Erin Belmont and her film crew assistants were able to film around the Library at just the right times, capturing the building at its busiest times, such as during fundraising events and children’s programs. The interviews were crafted in such a way that they really provided the interviewees an opportunity to communicate the importance of the Library in Stevensville and the need for a new building as a vehicle to provide services to the community. The Board was amazed that all this could get captured and accomplished on film in three minutes. This is a testament to the fine work done by Erin and the training MAPS provides its workers.

I have made many business contacts on behalf of the Library and my experience with the MAPS Media Institute has been a most positive experience. Not only are they are a tremendous community resource, but they provide training and necessary skills for students in the media arts that they will use now and in their professional careers.

John Conlan
Chair, North Valley Public Library Board of Trustees
208 Main St., Stevensville MT 59870,406-777-5061
www.northvalleylibrary.org