Email: nvkramarz@gmail.com
According to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans spend about 90% of their time inside buildings. Based on data for the 20-21 fiscal year, the total number of computer sessions in my library system was 77,769, with each session lasting, on average, forty minutes. This means that the residents spend more than 50,000 hours at the public library in a given year, making the public library one of the most popular indoor spaces
I was in the library’s media lab helping a patron with Microsoft Publisher, and I recommended she learn how to use Publisher with an online course provided through the library. My co-worker chimes in, “and the best part is that it’s free!” I frowned and said, “it’s not free. It’s paid for with your tax dollars.” I am beginning to believe that how we think about public library services as free directly impacts how public libraries don’t get funded.
Fierce disagreements between individuals is what causes incivility and many US citizens believe that we, as a country, are more divided, so instead, this article is about how US citizens agree on most topics.
Public libraries are caught in a Catch-22 where their services are low risk for individuals who are able to access the internet from home, but increase the risk for marginalized patrons, who rely on shared public space.
Hosting programs around cooking increases financial and/or health literacy and offers wonderful tie-ins such as cultural aspects of cooking or cookbooks. From small rural libraries with heat plates to multi-branch libraries with own culinary learning centers, public libraries have embraced food-based programs.
In my last post, I discussed reasons why librarians should not handle patrons’ personal devices. As a continuation, I want to look at how much help a librarian can provide for a patron with multiple illiteracies and how this affects said patrons.
The three main issues I see with librarians handling patrons’ personal property are how it makes the patron feel, how it makes the professional feel, and liability.
I had many parents and caregivers call in and ask what the recommended age for the program was. I find this question difficult to answer because children develop at their own rate. Compatibility is not a question of age, but of interest and focus.
So yes, attending professional conferences is an excellent way to meet your peers, learn new techniques, and network, and these are all wonderful reasons to attend. The question is not really should you attend (of course you should!) but how?
Can public libraries really claim that they are informing and enriching individuals by supporting the development of literacy and lifelong learning if our citizens keep failing to meet basic literacy levels?
John Doe wanted an email address so that he could get a job. According to DMR Business statistics, as of October 26, 2018 there were 1.5 billion Gmail accounts, making Gmail one of the most utilized free email services available. In order to create the Gmail account, he needed to enable two-factor authentication. He borrowed his girlfriend’s cellphone to set this up.
In every conversation that I had with event attendees, they all said the same thing, “I didn’t know that the library had/did that!” In fact, if I had had a dollar for every time I heard it, I would have made more money than the breakfast cost to put on. Libraries are integral to their community and provide a wide array of services, so why are so many patrons in the dark?
Why not opt to get out of the library and meet the teens where they are already at?
Publiclibrariesonline.org is the companion website to the bi-monthly print publication “Public Libraries,” the official magazine of the Public Library Association. Learn more »
A division of the American Library Association
225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601
Copyright © 2022
Copyright Statement | Privacy Policy
We are always seeking new contributors to add their voices to the site. We invite you to become a part of PL’s dynamic, high-profile team. Learn more »
PL and PLonline are the only industry publications focused entirely on public libraries and public librarians. Learn more »
