By T. Scott Boatright
Approving a deal with Louisiana Tech University to bolster workforce numbers and discussing an upcoming planned $500,000 renovation were the primary orders of business Thursday as the Lincoln Parish Library Board of Control held its April meeting inside the George Byrnside Conference Room at the LPL.
Edward Teal, a training specialist for Louisiana Tech’s Financial Aid Operations, appeared before the board to discuss Tech’s offer to make the library a community agency working with the university’s federal work-study program.
Library Director Jeremy Bolom explained how the offer came about.
“Edward called me and said he was looking for some more opportunities to get work for student workers in the Louisiana Tech Federal Work Study Program,” Bolom said. “And he said checking with the library was one of the first things on his list, so he called and sent me over the paperwork.
“Then I got that paperwork approved by (the Lincoln Parish Police Jury) so that it could bid it if we wanted to do it and that everything was kosher to go. We can get work-study students to work for us in whatever capacity we see fit — we create the job descriptions.”
Bolom said the next steps are filling out a form to become a community agency for Tech’s federal work-study program.
“The students will have to demonstrate a certain level of need so that these will be students really needing (financial) aid to get them through college,” Teal said. “We usually award around 400 students with federal work-study funding each year. I think this year we’re roughly at 300 right now.
“I know the last couple of years we’ve worked with the DA’s Office. They’ve been our main community service employer off campus. With the program at Tech we do have to spend a certain percentage of our federal funds through these community service agencies, so it’s kind of a win-win for everyone because we have to spend the money with a certain percentage having to be through community service.”
Teal pointed out that Louisiana Tech will be responsible for 100% of the involved students’ wages as well as workers’ compensation.
“A lot of times when I talk to agencies about this program, they literally think it sounds too good to be true,” Teal said.
Teal said students work up to 20 hours per week to abide by university work-study policy and that students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.0.
“The only responsibility for the library would be keeping up with time sheets for each work-study student employee,” Teal said. “I can supply you with the format; the library just has to keep track of the hours and send them to me every two weeks.”
LPL Board Chair Bill Jones pointed out that the library will need help moving furniture and other materials around as renovation work puts in new flooring for the LPL, asking if that could fall under work-study specifications.
“With the types of jobs that fall under work-study programs, unfortunately, there’s not a lot of guidance as to what technically qualifies,” Teal said. “I can’t technically give a black-and-white answer, but I’ll try.
“Generally, work-study work is basically administrative-type duties, but the Lambright Center at Tech is one of our biggest employers with workers moving equipment and that type of thing, so I don’t think it would be a problem. It would just be important that the job description I receive for that kind of work be worded so that the student is receiving some type of professional development.”
Teal said the number of students needed by the library should not be a problem.
As far as library renovations, architect Mike Walpole, Bolom and Jones have come up with a four-phase plan set for work to begin on Nov. 2 and hopefully be completed by Feb. 8.
“I’m really excited about this,” Jones said. “This will be the first renovation work since the new library opened in 2004. And I want to compliment this board. This renovation work is possible because this board for the last five or six years, and the library’s staff led by Jeremy, have exercised sensible budget control. Because of that we’re in a position where we can do this work.
“And it’s not a minor project. It’s substantial.”
Jones said the renovations will be all inside the library and will not involve the Events Center.
“We’re going to have new flooring, all new painting and all new (LED) lights,” Jones said. “And there will also be some rearranging of areas.”
Jones said the bidding process for the work will be held in September.
“There’s going to be disruption to the library,” Jones said. “The library will remain open during the first three phases but closed during Phase 4, which will be work on the foyer.”
Jones said he hopes that final Phase 4 work will be completed in one week.
“Phase 1 is the flooring and will take four weeks,” Jones said. “Phase 2 will be work on the Children’s Section and Chautauqua Gallery and will take around four weeks to complete. Phase 3 will take a couple of weeks but will keep the same flooring.
“And Phase 4 is the foyer and restrooms, and we will have to close for that.”
