National Library Week
“There’s more to the story”
Hello Friends,
This is National Library Week (April 23 -29) and it’s the time when we celebrate our amazing libraries and the dedicated folks who work in them. The theme this year for National Library Week is “There’s more to the story.”
I suppose that it’s natural that the first thing that comes to mind for most of us when we think of the library is a vast collection of books. When we grew up those collections were at the core of our libraries and our experiences in them.
However, there is so much more to the story than that. Modern libraries serve our communities in so many important ways. I live in the San Lorenzo Valley, and this winter, there were many times when I and my neighbors were at the libraries at Felton, and Scotts Valley, and Boulder Creek so we could access the internet, charge our devices, stay in touch with folks who were concerned about us, or just get warm for a little while. At the Felton branch, FEMA used our new community room to set up their local office as they processed requests for help from the Federal government.
And it’s not just emergencies that bring out the best in our libraries. Did you know that our system provides lendable technology, including hotspots and chrome books, to help students and others without access to that technology? And that they also provide help with learning how to use these technologies? And that you can access printers for no charge?
Libraries also provide spaces and support for book clubs, craft classes of various types, as well as hosting all kinds of community led programming. You can also access passes to museums and parks at the library for a family outing. There are also bilingual storytimes, as well as the wonderful Tales to Tails program where beginning readers can read to a friendly and attentive pet!
And finally, the Libraries reach out into the community in other ways that serve the underserved. There are programs for incarcerated individuals in our jail system, the library bookmobile for those who can’t come into our libraries, and a variety of resources to help folks to get their feet back on the ground.
So take a moment this week and reflect on what an incredible gift our libraries are to the community. If you happen to be in one of our branches, make a point to greet the staff and thank them for all that they do. I know they will appreciate it, and so will we.
