Speakers Bureau Brings Life-long Learning to the Community!
The Washington-Centerville Public Library in Centerville, Ohio, offers a
Speakers Bureau as part of its Outreach Services Department as a way to bring life-long learning and entertainment to community members who may not be regular library goers. Speakers research, write, and present programs on:
History (such as "Destiny of the Republic" about the assassination of President James Garfield, "First Mothers" about the mothers of U.S. Presidents, and "Flags of Our Fathers" about the U.S. flag raising on Iwo Jima during WWII)
Culture (such as "The Book of Kells" about the ancient illuminated manuscript, "Erma Bombeck: A Celebration of Laughter," about the humorist from Dayton, and "Aging with Humor," describing the lighter side of aging)
Technology (such a "Intro to Genealogy," "Online Social Networking" and "eBooks Made Easy").
Travel (such as "Haunted Ohio" and "Taking a Tour Around Ohio")
Each original program lasts between 35 and 45 minutes and several have been edited to 15 minutes, making those programs perfect for lunchtime bookings. In all, there are 27 different programs Library Bureau speakers can take 'on the road.' Access this link to see a complete list of programs:
https://www.wclibrary.info/speakers/.
Developed in 2012, the Speakers Bureau at Washington-Centerville Public Library has exponentially grown in the past five years. Through repeat bookings, targeted mailings, and word of mouth advertising, the Speakers Bureau went from eight bookings in its first year to 91 bookings in 2016!
by Debe Dockins | Community Outreach and Development Coordinator
Successful Outreach Stories (S.O.S.) are sponsored by the OLC's Outreach and Special Services Division Action Council, but anyone is welcome to submit a story. Please limit your story to 2-3 paragraphs of information and provide contact information in case anyone has questions for you. Contact Melissa Wagner, Wadsworth Public Library, at melissa.wagner@wadsworthlibrary.com if you have something you'd like to share.
