Who needs the library?
- Technophiles. Download books, audiobooks, and movies to your mobile device or your home computer! Configure your account to send you email, or text messages for notification on the go! Chat with us on Twitter, and on our other social media outlets!
- Technophobes. Not feeling very techno-savvy? Our computer classes cover everything from MS Word to Facebook 101, and more!
- Job Hunters. Check out these job search resources. Local listings, vocational guides, practice tests, and help with resumes and interviews. Get started here.
- Language Learners. Yes, you can borrow books and audiobooks from your branch, but you also have other online resources available to you as well, including access to Mango Languages. We have lots of programming for English learners, too!
- Music lovers. Your options for music extend way beyond just checking out CDs at your branch. Keep up with our music blog for fresh tips and recommendations, and check out all the additional streaming and downloading options you have!
- Kids. Learning literacy starts at birth and continues through your teenaged years. We've got you covered the whole way, all the while addressing your creative and social needs with Summer of Reading and After School Is Cool programming. And if you just want to pop into a branch to check your FaceBook, that's cool too.
- Students. Never pull another all-nighter cram session by yourself again! Not only do you have round-the-clock access to a plethora of online databases, but you also have 24/7 access to actual librarians!
- Grown-ups. Fresh City Life is our adult programming component. Its events include cooking, film, arts and crafts, and more. And for some very sophisticated fun, check out the annual Booklovers Ball and some of the other events presented by the Friends Foundation.
- Citizens. Do your civic duties! Get informed about elections and voting. Find out where to get forms and assistance with filing your taxes.
- Citizenship seekers. Classes, study materials, practice tests and more. The library will guide you down the road to citizenship.
- Hobbyists, Crafters, and Do-It-Yourselfers. Of course the library is an excellent resource for all your home and craft projects. Check out our Made it with the Library gallery, and submit your own creations and successes.
- History buffs. Track down your own family origins. Glimpse historical images of your neighborhood in our digital archives. Create modern history by telling us about your community!
Are you surprised to learn about any of the above services? Then you'll be surprised to learn there's more. Like I said, this is but a small sample of the people who use and rely on their library. Keep digging on this website to unearth more. Pop into a branch and ask some questions. The more you get to know your library, the more it will have to offer you.
Comments
This is such a wonderful description and so many people don't know!
Great post Chris. In light of our current "situation" we should have this made into bookmarks to hand out to the public. Thank you for creating this.
WOW! What a well written, clear expression of the role of modern libraries in people's lives! A patron brought your post to my attention - she shared it with her LIS students as an excellent example of expressing to the public the value of libraries in a meaningful way - moreso than library value calculations, etc. Excellent job!
Nice post! This gives a good sampling of what the library has to offer. And it shows that EVERYONE needs the library, now more than ever. There is a big misconception going around that libraries are becoming obsolete now that lots of people use the internet from home and use digital readers, and digital books. Could it be true that maybe we don't need libraries anymore? Thanks for answering this question. Yes, we all need libraries.
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