EBC library board candidates: Jeanine Asche

With 40 years under her belt as a librarian and eight years on the library board of trustees, Jeanine Asche says her skills and experience in library services can’t be beaten.

A master of library science, Asche has spent most of her life at libraries. Over the years she’s worked as a reference librarian, children’s librarian and outreach and literacy services manager at a 13-branch library, she said.

In addition to her work experience, Asche said as an Idaho native and Sandpoint community member, she has a deep understanding of the library, its services and role in the community.

One of the topics Asche is particularly passionate about is promoting literacy, she said. Her experience includes leading the committee that formed the “Raising a Reader” childhood literacy program, which has been implemented in 3,000 locations across the country, according to the website.

At the East Bonner County Library, she’s continued to follow that passion, she said.

“When I first moved here, I began volunteering at the library, I did storytime. I helped people with their tech issues, like learning how to use their cell phones or write resumes,” Asche said. “I've used libraries since I was a kid. We could not afford books when I was growing up, so libraries have always been just at the core of my life.”

When it comes to policy, Asche said that throughout her time on the library board she’s always been fiscally conservative.

“We paid off our last bond measure early,” she said. “And we also lowered our budget this year from last year. So I think all of those things are particularly important to Sandpoint.”

If re-elected, she said one of the areas she would like to focus on expanding is the after-school room in the library.

“It's not big enough, so we need to figure out what we're going to do to accommodate all the youth that really want to come to the library,” she said. “We need to make sure we have the programs that can keep them busy.”

Another area she’d like to work on improving is the bookmobile, which she said is “falling apart,” and plays an important role helping the library service outlying areas.

One of the biggest points of contention in the library board election, the library’s mask requirement, is a move Asche said she supported and was the best move for the library at the time.

However, she said, she anticipates and is not opposed to changing the policy.

“We have been talking on the board about lessening some of the restrictions, trying to figure out a way to still be safe, but allow people to come and access the library who do not want to wear masks,” she said. “Things have changed in the community; numbers have gone down here. I think you have to take all those things into consideration.”

Throughout the pandemic, Asche said, she’s wanted to ensure library services are available to all residents.

“Being a librarian, it was really important to me that when we made this mask policy we made sure that people had access to all of our services,” she said. “So pretty much anything that you could get from walking into the library, you can get from calling a staff personal, and they'd be happy to pick up books for you and bring them out.”

Check back this week for more library board candidate profiles.