BROOKINGS When the South Dakota Humanities Council holds this years Festival of Books in Brookings, one of the award recipients wont have far to travel Mikaela Neubauer, community services coordinator at Brookings Public Library, will receive one of this years Distinguished Achievement in Humanities awards.
They give the award to an individual, an organization, and a librarian or library worker in my case. And its just kind of a way for them to recognize people who are making an impact and doing humanities driven events, Neubauer said.
The council established the awards in 1976 to recognize South Dakotans who make outstanding contributions in promoting the states cultural landscape.
Ive worked really closely with the Humanities Council with their speakers bureau, Neubauer said. Theyre a great organization to work with because they do bring really great speakers, really great scholars into places that probably couldnt afford their fees or their travel. So its a great program, and Ive taken advantage of it many a time especially when budgets have been tighter in certain years you know where you just dont have that capacity to bring in somebody, and then the Humanities Council swoops in and saves the day.
In addition to bringing public speakers to the library, Neubauer does community outreach, library promotion and event coordination.
So my main job is working on adult events; however I do a lot of all ages events too, because adults are involved in that, Neubauer said. I also get to do things that Im extremely excited about and excited to bring to the community, because there are a lot of cultural activities in Brookings there are. But free opportunities? You start getting fewer of them. Free educational, free entertainment, free just social opportunities? Again you have to kind of search for some of those. So I think its really cool that we get to bring that in, and my job encompasses so much that I get to do this varied work.
She said her library duties are a labor of love.
My last two years of college, I started working here and just loved it as a part-timer loved the staff, loved the patrons, kind of fell in love with the community, Neubauer said. When I graduated, I said goodbye; Ill see you later, have a great time, I loved working here. They gave me a little going away package, and then this position opened up full time. And on my last day of school last final presentation day I woke up early and applied for this position. And a month later, I was back in the building working finally graduated and working full time as the community services coordinator.
She said the award reflects the efforts of the entire library staff.
This award is really a culmination of a lot of hard work which its great to get that recognition and it comes from the support of my staff. All of my cheering on comes from my supervisors and my director and obviously the other folks I work with, Neubauer said. I have been in this position for five years, and I have really worked to bring the humanities into the library and I couldnt do that without a really supportive and just open supervisor and director who let me go and run wild with my crazy little ideas and my passion projects.
She will receive her award at a ceremony Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.
The recognition for the effort Ive been putting out there I dont expect it, I wasnt looking for it but its a really lovely feeling to know your community, your state really appreciates what you do, Neubauer said. And so Im extremely grateful to the Humanities Council and to all of the patrons that I serve. Because it wouldnt be possible without their attendance, and their enthusiasm and their support too.
Email Jay Roe at[email protected].
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