National Library Lovers’ Month
This is National Library Lovers’ Month, and we’re going to give you the top three reasons why you should love your connection point:
• Ease of access — Despite being a single-site library, we have made using our services increasingly easy. Digital library cards can be applied for and received online immediately and are available for any Garland County resident to use the library’s digital collections. Full-borrowing library cards are available at the library. Free delivery is available to nearly all of Garland County and four new remote book lockers are available throughout the community, located outside the library for 24/7 access, inside the Hot Springs YMCA, at 401 Mid-america Park, and at the Sunshine Store at 3129 Sunshine Road. Email delivery@gclibrary.com to learn more about these services.
• Thoughtful expansion — The library is growing. Growth is currently happening in the upper parking lot located between the library and the RIX Professional Building where we are adding a community garden and park. Following that project, the library plans to expand its current structure by adding a second level mostly within the building’s existing framework.
• Considerate leadership — The library’s longtime director retired in late 2019, leaving leadership to Adam Webb, who barely put in three months as director before the pandemic changed everything about the library and its services. Webb closed the library for only two weeks before pivoting to a limited availability curbside-only service, which kept staff members safely socially distanced and enabled the community to continue to use the library’s physical collections. During this time, Webb was key in adding the Garland County Library to the Arkansas Digital Library Consortium (ADLC), which increased local ebook access by nearly 150%. Webb’s thoughtful leadership has continued most recently as he’s represented the interests of Arkansas public libraries on several committees and in lawmaking discussions.
There is truly a lot to love about the Garland County Library during Library Lovers’ Month and every month. Keep up with what’s going on at the library at http://www.gclibrary.com/news and visit http:// www.gclibrary.com, call 501-6234161, or visit the library in-person at 1427 Malvern Ave. in Hot Springs for more information about the library’s services and offerings.