Reinbeck Public Library Director Lenah Oltman (back row, right) pictured alongside library board trustees on Monday, Jan. 12, in the library, as representatives with Peoples Savings Bank present a check for $10,000 toward the library’s three-phase remodeling project. From left: Trustee Tina Lyon, Trustee Brenda Snider, Senior Commercial Lender Jeremy Thesing (back row, left), Personal Banker Ali AL-Rabie (front row, center), President and CEO Eric Olson (back row, middle), Trustee Bonnie Shinn (front right), Oltman, and Trustee Marilyn Evans. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

REINBECK – With the help of Peoples Savings Bank, the Reinbeck Public Library (RPL) has secured the funding necessary to complete ‘Chapter 1: First Impressions’ of its ambitious remodeling project.

“[From] what I know of Peoples Savings Bank in Dike and Wellsburg, they are known for investing in the communities they are in,” RPL Director Lenah Oltman told the newspaper via email. “They wrote us a check for $10,000 for the First Impressions chapter of our ‘Writing the Library’s Next Chapter Remodel Project.’ They have pledged to be the first $10,000 towards our next (two) chapters once we contract out each phase. We are planning to contract out the (Chapter 2) Community Spaces project in July of 2027.”

With the bank donation, RPL has officially raised $100,031.91 toward the first phase of the project, including a $10,000 Carnegie Libraries 250 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and more than $40,000 in Giving Tree donations from 45 different donors.

Chapter 1 will include the welcome desk being moved from its current, center location in the 1991 addition to left of the entry by the southwest windows; construction of two new storage rooms for programming and library operating supplies; shelving relocated; cupboards and countertops moved to the new storage rooms; and the 35-year-old worn carpet replaced.

The second and third phases will also require $100,000 each to complete. Chapter 2: Community Cafe will include updating the current, one-stall restroom to be ADA compliant; replacing the current cafe seating; constructing a second restroom; and replacing the concrete in the back room in order to enable the cafe sink to be properly plumbed alongside the two restrooms.

A fundraising banner at the Reinbeck Public Library depicts progress made as of Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, towed the library's first phase (Chapter 1: First Impressions) of its upcoming remodel project. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Chapter 3 will focus on the upstairs children’s library located in the original 1917 Carnegie building. Work on this chapter has already been partially completed thanks to local carpenter Jerry Shinn who replaced, at low cost, all of the children’s fiction shelving with new, user-friendly book browsing bins. Projects that remain include replacing the 108-year-old juniors shelving; replacing the 35-year-old carpet; refreshing the paint and design of the treehouse; constructing a reading cubby; adding versatile, durable furniture designed specifically for children; and constructing a junior computer desk/charging station.

“It just comes down to being big believers in rural Iowa,” Peoples Savings Bank President and CEO Eric Olson said when asked about the impetus behind the donation ahead of a photo-op held at the library on Monday, Jan. 12, during which the bank presented Oltman and the library’s trustees with the first check. “We want to help support the communities that we’re in and it’s just something that we’ve always kind of done.”

Peoples Savings Bank currently has three locations, including the main office in Wellsburg and branches in Cleves and Dike. The bank recently broke ground on a fourth location in Reinbeck along Center Street and Grundy Avenue. The new location will be home to Senior Commercial Lender Jeremy Thesing, a Reinbeck native, and Personal Banker Ali AL-Rabie, who also lives in Reinbeck. Thesing and AL-Rabie were both in attendance for the donation acknowledgement on Jan. 12.

Per Oltman, construction on Chapter 1 is set to begin next month on Monday, Feb. 9. While the library will remain open during construction – which is slated to finish in early April – the main entrance will be closed and patrons will only be allowed access to the second floor. Public entry to the library will be through the Carnegie doors on the east side – an entrance which requires the use of stairs. For that reason, Oltman is emphasizing curbside service as well as mobile delivery to patrons within the City of Reinbeck.

“The staff will be grabbing books, puzzles, and games for patrons,” Oltman told the newspaper.

The Reinbeck Public Library's nearly 35-year-old carpet (left and back) pictured with carpet samples for the new carpet. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

As the bankers and Oltman chatted on Jan. 12, several of the library’s trustees could be overheard praising Oltman’s drive – something that has not only benefited the library, but the greater Reinbeck community as well.

“Lenah’s really changed this town,” one of the trustees said in admiration.

Those interested in donating to the remodel project can drop off or mail checks to: The Reinbeck Public Library, 501 Clark Street, Reinbeck, IA 50669. Donations can also be made through Venmo (@ReinbeckPublicLibrary).

For more information on the Giving Tree — which includes an engraved wooden book added to the handcrafted tree located between the library’s small lobby area and the Community Cafe for donations $250 and above – reach out to Oltman either during library hours (Monday 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Tuesday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., or Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m.) or by calling 319-788-2652 or emailing reinlibr@reinbeck.net.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER