Books are just the beginning. They are one of many tools that your library offers in service to its larger mission: providing access to information and opportunities for education. The library is your classroom waiting to happen.
Public libraries, in particular, are committed to advancing knowledge through lifelong learning. Check out your library’s mission statement. It probably includes a sentence just like that or very similar. Books are one tool, but there are many more. Here’s a bit of what libraries offer:
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Early Literacy – We start with the very young with early literacy opportunities from story times (which are more than just stories—they are designed to help build school readiness skills of all sorts from reinforcing concepts to social skills like following directions), pretend play spaces, and other types of programming aimed at inspiring young learners.
- School Support – It might be just a quiet place to study for some, but for others a library means homework help centers, reference books, and other resources they wouldn’t have access to otherwise.
- Career Skills – With the job market the way it has been, many more people have been taking advantage of library assistance for job hunting, resume building, skill building.
- Technology – Computer and Internet access are one thing, but most libraries also offer technology classes that may range from beginners web searching to introducing new software or hosting technology “petting zoos” for those looking to get beyond the tech they know. I might also mention that there are all sorts of online research tools available through your library web site as well.
- Cultural Programming – Art exhibits? Check. Musical performances? Check. Larger libraries might even have their own performance/exhibit space. Part of this is the connection with the community that I wrote about yesterday, but it’s also about opening a cultural dialogue and facilitating access to the arts.
St. Paul Public Library director Kit Hadley shares her thoughts that the library has “always been in the learning business” in this video about the library’s role in the community. She looks forward to a future in which libraries play a vital role in a network of formal and non-formal learning. I can’t help but cheer her on. I guess I’m probably biased, being a librarian and all, but I think libraries are pretty great–and they have books too.
Tomorrow: What do librarians do? Mysteries revealed!