Library has evolved to meet community’s needs
March Break is the week of March 13-17 and there is a full slate of Make! Programs on at the library. From Robot Lab, to Hour of Code, Lego Robotics, Cardboard Creations, Make Music!, Project: Puppet, Paint Nite for kids — it’s during the day! and Kaleidoscope Science, we have something for everyone. Registration is open now, and details on each program including age ranges, registration information and any applicable fees — many programs are free! — are all available in our Spring newsletter available in branches now or online at our website.
For more information on this and other exciting programs and events, you can pick up our newsletter at any Niagara Falls Public Library location, check our website at my.nflibrary.ca, Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter. Registration for free programs may be done online at my.nflibrary.ca, by phone at 905-356-8080, or in person at any Niagara Falls Public Library location. Registration in person is required for any program with a fee. Our Spring Newsletter covering programs in March, April and May, is now available at all library locations and online at our website. FORT ERIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Fort Erie Public Library frontline employees receive feedback from the public and common themes often arise. Some themes are more common than others, though. One comment we hear in various forms surrounds our computers and how books are on the outs. Sometimes the comment touches on the use of computer games played by patrons of all ages. The card catalogue was still in use here when I was a kid and there was no Internet anyway. We’ve come a long way and change can be jarring, especially for those who haven’t been in the library for a while. Books typify libraries now, but that hasn’t always been the case.
In ancient times, libraries provided tablets chained to tables so that precious information couldn’t be stolen. The tablets served the same purpose as books: To provide information.
Years ago, I learned the library’s mission statement, which guarantees an open door to lifelong learning, recreational and empowerment opportunities for all members of the community. I wanted to impress the sitting CEO by proving I knew what our library stood for — then I realized all libraries stood for that and its meaning became poignant.
Books have outlasted tablets, but they’re subject to technological advances, too. Computers also serve that purpose, but they serve a variety of other needs, not limited to job searching and resume creation.
The same can be said of games. Kids enjoy our chess set as a recreational activity to supplement computer games. Adults often enjoy various computer games, all of which fall under recreational opportunity. DVDs and CDs provide what would once have been deemed an unthinkable service, but they are a vital part of today’s offerings.
Overdrive, our e-book download service, has been embraced by much of our clientele, perhaps because it offers more material than what fits within our walls. When I bought a Kindle, I loved my new expanded reach. The books I downloaded would’ve been hard to obtain unless I requested an interlibrary loan or stopped by a used bookstore. In January 2017, 1,940 ebooks circulated, which represented 12 per cent of the library’s total circulation.
It’s been said that any organization happy with the status quo was dead. Because needs change, the Fort Erie Public Library has evolved to meet those needs in various ways. Services and appearances change, but the Fort Erie Public Library’s commitment to learning, leisure and empowerment opportunities is the constant.
Stop by any branch to pick up a March newsletter, and the booklet full of exciting March Break programming.