The Churchill County Library Board of Trustees began preparations Sept. 24 for Library Director John Hong’s annual evaluation as longtime trustee Dr. Sue Segura announced she will leave the board when her appointed term ends.
During trustee reports, Segura said she felt she had fulfilled her term and civic responsibilities and that it was time to give someone else the opportunity to serve. Board members and Hong thanked Segura for her service to the library and community.
Churchill County Human Resources Director Kim Bronma explained the library director evaluation process, telling trustees that county employees are required to be evaluated at least once a year.
Each trustee will complete an individual evaluation of Hong and may meet individually with him to discuss his performance and provide feedback, according to Bronma.
After the evaluations are received, Bronma will combine the trustees’ ratings and comments into a composite evaluation. The feedback will not identify individual trustees. Hong will receive the composite evaluation at least seven days before it is presented and discussed during the board’s Oct. 22 meeting.
Trustees also discussed future planning for the library as part of Trustee Training Module 10. Hong reviewed the library’s existing mission and vision statements and five-year strategic plan, and trustees discussed how the board and staff can work together to address changing community needs.
Members suggested revisiting the strategic plan near the end of the year or in early spring and discussed potentially forming a committee to help update it. Trustees were advised that such a committee would be subject to Nevada’s Open Meeting Law.
Trustees also discussed more closely tracking progress toward strategic plan goals. Hong suggested providing a regular report connecting library activities and statistics to those goals.
In his director’s report, Hong said a candidate had been selected for the vacant library page position and would be announced at the October board meeting. He also reported that while the library was short-staffed, the Churchill County Museum provided an employee to assist with shelving on Saturdays.
Hong reported that the children’s services librarian and technical services librarian attended the Association for Rural and Small Libraries conference in Alabama in September.
Trustees discussed the library’s involvement with Nevada Promise, including providing volunteer opportunities for participating high school students who need to complete service hours. They also discussed participation in the library’s chess club, college students using newly purchased whiteboards to study, and use of the library Annex for meetings, book clubs, and other activities.
Hong reported continued participation in story times, chess club, a wildlife presentation, and adult programs. Upcoming events include Frankentoys on Oct. 24 and Tricks, Treats, and Tales on Oct. 29. The library also plans to participate with the Churchill County Museum in the Main Street Spooktacular on Oct. 31.
Hong also reported community engagement during the library’s outreach at the Cantaloupe Festival and increased engagement on social media, including interest in a Dolly Parton display featuring books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
He shared feedback submitted through the library’s “Speak Up Spot,” including a request for homeschool science activities involving microscope slides, cells, and molds. Hong said the library would look into the suggestion.
The board unanimously approved the monthly budget report and library gift fund report for August 2026.
The board’s next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 22.
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