Author: Manhattan Public Library

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Madison Ogle, Head of Community Engagement
Phone: (785) 320-5376 | Email: pr@mhklibrary.org

MANHATTAN PUBLIC LIBRARY NAMES NEW DIRECTOR

MANHATTAN, KS – The Manhattan Public Library Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Eric Norris has been named as its new MPL/NCKLS Library Director. He’ll succeed current Library Director, Linda Knupp, who will retire at the end of the year.

A native Kansan, Norris has extensive library experience and is currently the librarian for the State of Kansas and has worked there since April of 2018. Before that, he was the director at Hays Public Library for six years. Norris received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas, a master’s degree from Fort Hays State University, and a master’s degree in library science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to join the team at the Manhattan Public Library. Manhattan is a growing and dynamic community that knows the value of its public library and I look forward to meeting people, making connections, and helping to create opportunities for growth. It is an exciting time for libraries as we explore ways to advance educational, informational, and recreational services throughout the Manhattan and the NCKLS area,” Norris said.

To assist in conducting a director search, the Library Board of Trustees invited a number of library staff, board members, and library supporters to participate in the selection process.

“Through all the shutdowns, jarring changes, and social upheaval of the past year, I believe that libraries are evolving well beyond the idea as simply a place to gather, and that public libraries are in the perfect position to adapt and evolve into what ‘new realities’ lie ahead,” Norris added.

Norris will begin his duties in late December. Knupp will retire at the end of December after 20 years of service.

Manhattan Public Library is located at 629 Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan, Kansas, (785) 776-4741.

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MANHATTAN, KANSAS – The Manhattan Public Library hosted its first Kansas Scholastic Chess Association-rated Chess Tournament on Saturday, January 13. The tournament had 95 participants competing in K-5, K-8 or K-12 sections in the 6 Round Swiss Tournament.

Parijat Mondal, a student at Manhattan High School, took first place in the K-12 section with fellow student Jacob Grace who took 8^th place. However, it was not just a day for individual wins for Manhattan High School.

The Manhattan High School Chess Team took 2^nd place. The team included Parijat Mondal, Jacob Grace, Matthew Pickering, Gergely Chikan, and Austin Bender.

The tournament was organized by Tom Claman, a current marketing analyst at GTM Sportwear, and Charles Carlson, a PhD student in the Biomedical Computing and Devices Lab at Kansas State University.

Other local participants included Solon Xia, Ethan Xia and Harvey Anspaugh.

Congratulations to all who competed! Manhattan Public Library continues to connect the community to a world of ideas and information.

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SIX LOCALS TO SPEAK AT SECOND TALK20MHK EVENT

MANHATTAN, KS – The public is invited to attend the second Talk20MHK event on Thursday, January 25, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in the Manhattan Public Library auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Six local speakers will each give a dynamic, seven-minute presentation featuring 20 PowerPoint slides. Topics at this event will range from beekeeping with Nikki Bowman to community building with Josh Hicks. The audience will have a chance to ask questions and visit with the speakers after the presentations.

Talk20MHK is a collaborative project of UFM Community Learning Center and Manhattan Public Library. The goal of Talk20MHK is to build strong community connections by giving individuals a platform to share their knowledge, stories, and skills with others in the community. Two events will take place each year, one in June and one in January.

Talk20MHK January 2018 presenters include:

Nikki Bowman– Beekeeping

Jessica Canfield – Hidden Beauty of Landscapes

Jeffrey Hicks—Math, Science and Where They Meet

Josh Hicks – Community Building

Palma Holden – Finding Beauty in Everyday Objects

Carmen Schober – Storytelling and Goal-Setting Through Film

For more information about the presenters and the event, visit www.talk20mhk.org. Manhattan Public Library is located at 629 Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan, Kansas, (785) 776-4741.

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