'Not just books': New Belmont library director aims to ‘grow’ library love, community

BELMONT — On a quiet Friday morning, Tricia Sturm takes a few minutes to open the curtains of the Belmont Public Library, casting sun over the stacks in the 1927 building.

Sturm’s energy is as radiant as the sun, her passion for libraries abundant as she flits about the room, tidying up and grabbing summer reading materials and flyers.

Meet Belmont Public Library’s new director, a former school librarian and military wife who landed in the Lakes Region when her husband was transferred to the Space Force station in New Boston.

“I love every aspect. My mom taught me how to cover books, and book maintenance,” Sturm said. “She took very good care of our home library, so that kind of stuff was just part of life growing up.”

She loves to form community connections at the library.

And she knows first-hand about community connections. Sturm previously worked for the town library part-time, and after former Director Eileen Gilbert resigned, she thought to throw her hat in the ring.

As a school teacher, Sturm learned the foundation of library work, and fell in love with educating minds of all ages.

“It was an incredible experience. I learned some details about library work that go beyond what you normally would pick up.”

Modernization and growth

Running a library in a digital age is no easy feat, but luckily, Sturm has a few ideas up her sleeve.

“Throughout all the different travels within the military, I got to experience a lot of different libraries. I worked in another school library for a couple of years, and just with all of the public libraries and the military libraries, I've gotten to see how a lot of different things work,” she said. “So I'm excited about incorporating a few aspects.”

There are computers in the library, available for patrons to use, as well as access to phone apps to read items like magazines and newspapers.

“There's a lot more than books here. Yes, we have books. We have apps where you can access not just books, but magazines, and you can borrow TV shows and movies through your computer. If you come in, we have a library of things where you can try out a new hobby, borrow a telescope, and go stargazing. And we've got adult things as well as kid things. We have a board game kit. We have a variety of craft kits. We have a lot of things you can check out. Not just books.”

Sturm takes library programming seriously. She amped up her promotions for this year’s summer reading program, going above and beyond the standard deliverables and creating a prize board.

“My goal for this summer is to get the Belmont community to grow with our library,” Sturm said.

More than 150 readers have signed up for summer reading this year, known as “Plant A Seed, Read,” where individuals are encouraged to GROW the community together.

Forming GROW are four important words: Gather, Read, Observe and Wonder. Each week, readers are encouraged to complete a challenge, and mark off the scoresheet found at the library. Each time a row is complete, readers are entered for a chance to win one of several popular prizes, including passes to Pirate’s Cove, LEGO sets or a gift card to Funspot.

“Wonder: Learn something new. It doesn't have to be something completely outside of your ballpark. If you like to ride a bike, find a new place to ride the bike. Explore a new area. Try a new hobby. Maybe you've already tried all the hobbies you care to. Try a new project within that hobby. Try a new variation on a game, read a new book, a new author, learn a new topic, you know, go investigate something,” Sturm said. “Any of that counts as wonder. So, as people are doing those things, they're growing. That helps the whole community grow.”

In addition to the summer reading program, the library offers an array of museum passes, including to Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center and the Mount Washington Observatory.

Sturm also stresses the fact anyone who lives or works in Belmont can get a free library card.

“You do not have to have a library card to borrow a puzzle. You do not have to have a library card to attend a program,” she said. “A lot of Belmont employees do not realize that Belmont library cards are for anyone who lives or works in Belmont. Yes, if you spend your day [working] in Belmont, you can swing by the library on your way home from work, and pick up a book.”

To learn more about the Belmont Public Library, visit belmontpubliclibrary.org.

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Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.