Community Connectors Interview – Lenah Oltman and John Kerber

Community Connectors Episode 1 — Recap

In this 45-minute kickoff episode, host John Kerber sits down with Lenah Oltman, the director who took Reinbeck (IA) Public Library from a modest program lineup to a community engagement engine. The conversation zeroes in on two themes listeners kept asking for:

  1. Funding that Fuels Growth

    • Hear how Lenah turned data from a single successful program into a $7.8 K seed grant, then used that win to secure broader city support.

  2. Library
    Marketing That Moves People

    • From Baby Story Time and Teen targeted programs to Canva flyers, café table-tents, and more, Lenah outlines the low-cost tactics that keep patrons—and city leaders—excited.

Why Watch?
You’ll leave with a clear blueprint: start with one community-focussed program, tell that success story to funders, and echo the message everywhere your community already hangs out.

▶️ Catch the full interview below or on YouTube and grab ideas you can apply to any library, museum, park, or makerspace.

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