Your Library Connection

Something for Everyone @ Your Library

National Library Week is April 18^th-24^th.  Our theme is Something for Everyone @ Your Library.  Whether you are checking out the latest bestseller, using the Internet, finding an audiobook by your favorite author, learning computer basics, developing your resume, or finding an educational video for your child to watch, the Independence Public Library has the resources (or can access the resources) to help you find what you are looking for. 

In trying to decide how to illustrate that we have something for everyone, I thought of several different ideas.  One was to highlight different hobbies and interests, linking various hobbies to books or resources available to you on those topics.  Another thought was to tell you about our library staff and the different ways that each employee brings special expertise and value to our patrons.  Computer skills; readers’ advisory knowledge; skills in questioning to get to the bottom of a reference question; research skills; selection and effective use of print, non-print, and on-line materials; desktop publishing to promote our events, organization, and patience are ones that come to mind!

In the end, I decided to tell you what we help patrons with on any given day.  Because there is such a range of things that we do I don’t feel that I should (or you want me to) cover them all.  One day I wrote down the main things that we directly assisted patrons with during a 5-hour block of time.  Here goes…

Direct patron assistance during a 5-hour period of time:

• taught patron how to make a back-up copy of his computer disk
• formulated and gave Independence Garden Club representative a list of gardening titles for a library donation
• talked to young patrons about our Internet Usage Policy and form
• assisted with computer questions and troubleshooting
• taught patron how to use the computerized card catalog
• taught patron how to access the online catalog through the Internet
• retrieved books from upstairs since patrons aren’t allowed on the second floor
• taught patron how to use EBSCOhost to do research
• taught patron how to access EBSCOhost using Internet
• found information about Japanese beetles from non-print resources
• requested to borrow computer gaming books through interlibrary loan
• signed up 3 individuals for library cards
• assisted patron with use of typewriter
• took requests for new books and audiobooks
• assisted patrons in finding specific large print books, non-fiction books, book genres, and authors

During this time, we had 118 people visit the library, 246 items checked out, and 29 people used the computers.  Other tasks are continually worked on during library hours - necessary tasks, but not direct patron assistance - like selecting materials for purchase, processing the materials to get them on the shelves, planning for storytime, making current newspapers and periodicals accessible, shelving items, etc.  I’m sure you get the picture! 

 “Free access to the books, ideas, resources, and information in America’s libraries is imperative for education, employment, enjoyment, and self-government” is a quote from the American Library Association’s statement Libraries: an American Value.  These are the goals the Independence Public Library strives for…being part of the community’s educational infrastructure, assisting people in learning the skills and accessing the resources to better themselves and their job skills, providing materials for leisure reading and entertainment, and providing access to information and ideas for people of all ages and backgrounds. 

Library Tidbits:
We recently received the very generous donation of a water softener from Andy and Dick Donnelly of Buchanan County Soft Water.  Thank you!  (A water softener became a necessity at the library for preventative maintenance of our boiler.)    

Check out our website at www.indylibrary.org!  We have added more pictures and information, plus you can search to see if we have materials you are interested in checking out.

April 24^th from 10 am – 3 pm will be our Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale held at the library (outside if the weather permits).

May 1^st at 2 pm the library and the Senior Center are co-sponsoring a concert featuring traditional cowboy music by Bovee and Heil!  It will be held at the Senior Center, 400 5^th Ave. NE, Independence, and everyone is welcome to attend.  

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