Moving means finding new resources in your community. Whether you just moved or you’ve stayed put for twenty years, have you been to your local library lately? The library isn’t just for checking out books. Last week I went to the Carbon Valley Library—it’s only a year old and it is awesome!
First, my library card was free and issued on the spot. A very young, very hip librarian gave me the tour. She helped me find books on the computer (they don’t use the card catalog anymore, but they do still use the Dewey Decimal System, though she said that may go by the wayside, too.) I was looking for books on public speaking for a class I’m developing. I decided to save my money and see what I could find at the library. I walked away with 7 books whose copyright dates were no older than 2005. And I can keep them for 3 weeks.
In the last few years, I have been to libraries in many cities, using their computers to check my emails (I still don’t have a laptop but now with my BlackBerry I can check my emails anywhere.) It’s bad for business not to respond promptly when someone sends an email. At the Carbon Valley Library, in the middle of the day, most of the computers were occupied. I think there were at least a dozen. They also have free wireless access.
The library even offers computer classes! I had to call up my mom and share that. Seniors or anyone looking to change jobs that doesn’t have computer skills—check it out.
This new library has great meeting rooms, delivers books to the homebound, and has an ongoing used book sale—that’s great in this economy. And DVDs, books on tape, downloadable videos. Plus homework tutors and programs throughout the year for kids and teens. It goes on and on!
And the coolest thing—you can check yourself out! The books have UPC codes, so you run them across a reader and plug in your email and it will send you a reminder when they are due. Amazing—maybe I don’t get out much, but I thought that was pretty state- of-the-art.
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