Director’s Thoughts – 2/16/2024

February is Library Lover’s Month! And so I thought I might share the love about libraries and give you some great reasons why libraries deserve our love and some ways you can share your library love as well! If you didn’t get a chance to read last month’s Director’s Thoughts post, you can go ahead and do that now – it’s all about the things you might not know about libraries and librarians!

Why Libraries Deserve Some Love

Let’s start with all the amazing things libraries offer! Libraries are often thought of as dusty, quiet, book warehouses and I’m here to tell you that is not what libraries are these days! Public libraries, especially are bright, (sometimes) loud, gathering spaces for people from all walks of life. Libraries are seen as a third space – not home or work – a place to gather. We’re one of the last places that you can spend the day using the resources without paying a single penny. And let’s be honest, that in and of itself is a great reason to love libraries.

Materials

But, libraries also loan a lot of really cool things. Libraries loan books, audiobooks, and movies. But, my library also loans videogames, museum passes, board games, toys, and wi-fi hotspots. Some libraries loan out household tools, specialty cake pans, sewing machines, and more. We also offer the option to never step foot in the library and borrow books, audiobooks, movies, magazines, and more online. A quick story, I just got stopped at my gym yesterday when another gym-goer asked me about getting a library card. They don’t live in my service area, but I’m all about getting someone connected with their home library! And all she wanted to do was to check out ebooks and stop paying Amazon for them.

Online Resources

Libraries also have really great online research tools like Consumer Reports, language learning, doing actual research for a school project, travel information, and so much more! Want to make a resume or cover letter, we have an online resource for that! Want to study for the GREs or SATs? We have an online resource for that too.

Programs

Plus, the programs! My library offered over 500 programs in 2023 – that’s a lot of programs. There’s always something to do or learn at the library. We’ve got storytimes for our littlest readers, we’ve got hands-on programming for kids in elementary school, we’ve got volunteer projects for tweens and teens, plus crafts, lectures and more for adults too! And every program we offer is free to attend. Where are you going to find a better deal? Probably not too many places, that’s for sure.

Services

My library also offers notary services, test proctoring, and is a passport application facility. It’s truly amazing what libraries can offer and you might not even realize it! Check out your local library’s website for all the great things your library can offer you!

How to Share the Library Love

So, how can you support your local library? Honestly, the first step is the easiest – get a library card. Some libraries depend on cardholders for some amount of funding, so the more cardholders they have the better. Plus, getting a library card is easy, fill out a form, bring your ID and you’re all set up!

Another easy way to spread library love is to talk about your library to other people. Share the great stuff you take advantage of at the library, tell them about the hot new release your reading or the fun program you went to. A lot of marketing is done by word-of-mouth and sharing your library love will encourage more people to check out their own library.

And finally, thank a librarian. This sounds a little selfish, but the job we do can be draining because we put so much joy, love, and passion into our work! Shoot an email to the library director, write a thank you note for the staff, share some nice words on their social media. Believe me, just a few minutes of your day will make our day amazing! Any time I receive a note from a patron, I immediately forward it to our Township Manager to share with our Board about our value. It’s sometimes hard to fight for a service that shares so much for so little funding. It can be difficult to fight for more money, but sometimes these little notes can help us make the case for additional funding which goes to providing more services to you. Believe me, these little notes mean the world to us!