Keep the lights on and the doors open in our libraries

Keep the lights on and the doors open in our libraries.

Keep these facilities staffed with trained personnel, qualified to properly manage libraries. Upon entering a library, watch community members of all ages enjoy the variety of spaces available.

Children and little tots love the library. Where would we be without summer reading programs and challenges to keep reading skills and practice in order? Children’s services offer story times, craft times, storytelling competitions, and great books for children and parents to select for home reading + connection time. These are hands-on activities that are still critical for families today. These events are not the same on a digital device.

Teens need safe spaces to come together and make connections. They need community areas to be social. Upon entering a teen or pre-teen space--sit awhile and watch students enjoy their learning space--talk to them and listen to them--pick up reading materials and share what you are reading, seeing, and thinking. They will appreciate this interaction. They really do enjoy mingling with the older folk! For these teens and pre-teens, they often say, “The library is like home away from home.” They might even use this time to teach their elders, useful digital skills!

Adults need libraries to continue life-long learning. Libraries and librarians offer needed face-to-face interaction on good reads, informational services and resources, and help with digital needs.

The library can’t be beat for offering something to everyone.

Libraries are places for people of all ages, interests, and talents to unite and share, learn and grow, build new relationships, respect, and develop an insight into the lives of others.

Creative Commons Image by C. VanHook

A Look at the 21st Century Teen

A Look at the 21st Century Teen
Originally uploaded by vanhookc

Hey, teens!

We've come a long ways! Just think what your kids are going to think about your archival means of communication, entertainment, etc. as depicted in this pic...the iTouch and the fancy cellphones. What's to come in the future?

This TV screen, you might imagine, possibly could look like a sci-fi movie if it were being viewed in 1960! 50 years ago, what would people think these were? ...newfangled b/w mini televisions or small tape cassette players??? What happened to the old fashioned pencil and paper and rotary dial phones? What is ahead 50 years from now? Think about that!


Comment by dotlizard of Flickr:
I know, that just blows me away. I mean, if you'd told me even fifteen years ago that I'd have a telephone with a camera that could stream live video over the internet which I'm not sure I'd even heard of at the time, and 8,000 times as much storage than my computer's hard drive, on a memory card the size of my pinky nail, I would have just laughed.