Posted: 5/2/07
Library director bids Farewell to Arms ...
 For 21 years, Bob Boese has overseen the operations of the East Central Regional Library system. A lover of books, as he says goodbye to the library he will continue his passion at his Cambridge bookstore. |
By Jon Tatting
Isanti County News
Your local, neighborhood library is often known for its quiet atmosphere. It can also speak volumes as the heart and soul of a community.
Bob Boese has experienced a plethora of accomplishments and challenges in his 21 years as director of the six-county East Central Regional Library system. With his retirement set for June 28, he reflected back on his long career during an interview this month from his basement office at ECRL headquarters in Cambridge.
"After 21 years, I leave with mixed emotions," he said. "I have loved most of this job, but it's now clear that the library needs new leadership."
To Boese's knowledge, East Central Regional Library is perhaps the oldest joint powers agreement in Minnesota. Turning 48 years old this December, it is the oldest of the 12 public library systems in the state.
One of his accomplishments has been keeping the ECRL counties of Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine, Chisago, Isanti and Aitkin on track. "Yet we are the cheapest, most efficient joint powers system" despite challenges with bureaucratic hurdles and meeting constant demands for services from growing communities, said Boese, citing the push for an Isanti branch as an example.
While ECRL was the state's first to offer computer/Internet services, the demand for books, computers and wireless capabilities appear never-ending across the 14 different branches within the system -- which already offers a total of 150 computers system-wide.
Meeting more demands
Boese argues an Isanti branch could further meet local demand of library services since it's been found that thousands of Isanti residents with library cards are going to the metro-area.
Before the city of Wyoming offered a library -- where library users check out around 70,000 books a year, people were going to Forest Lake, the Twin Cities or not at all, he noted.
"I used to not want more branch offices because of funding road blocks," said Boese, noting times have changed for the better with more funding opportunities. Still, challenges exist with regard to proving need in a community as well as generating majority agreement from all six counties.
Support of new facilities has recently occurred, however, with three new library buildings (worth $6.5 million) opening last year in Chisago County and the new Milaca branch opening this month. Boese has seen 11 new branches open in the two decades he's directed ECRL.
Further, Boese hopes the next ECRL director can find support in expanding or remodeling the existing Cambridge branch, 244 S. Birch St., as it hasn't been touched in the past 33 years.
"That's been a great disappointment for me," he said, noting the county, city and ECRL system help fund the building and the services it offers.
Early influences
Throughout his career, Boese solely worked for regional systems in places as Willmar, Minn., and Iowa before arriving with wife Bonnie and family in Cambridge. He estimated he's written up to 100 grant applications over the years.
"I believe in working for a cooperative of libraries. ECRL gets by with little duplication of efforts and materials. ECRL is the pinnacle of cooperation," he explained.
Growing up, he was always a big reader. He eventually discovered an interest in the audio-visual and video portion of libraries and worked for TV stations while in college in Sioux Falls, S.D. He later landed a scholarship for the master's degree program in library science at the University of Iowa.
"My mother always made sure we had books and a library card at the Sioux Falls library," he recalled of his earlier years growing up with two sisters. His wife Bonnie, too, had an influence as she had been a librarian before him.
In reflection, Boese can identify the true benefits a library can offer a community. "The library is also a place of refuge for people," he said, stressing that people are still reading books despite the growing Internet era. "It's a place to go as a community center ... one that offers social networking where people can share materials with their neighbors."
In retirement
Though Boese will be saying good-bye to the East Central Regional Library, he won't be bidding farewell to life and his passion for books.
He looks forward to more time with family and paying more attention to his business, Cambridge Books, where he buys and sells rare Minnesota-related books. "I have 3,000 to 4,000 books on Minnesota, including local history," he concluded.
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