By Nancy Washburn
Guest columnist
National Library Week will be observed April 13-19 with the theme, “Join the circle of knowledge @ your library.” First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries across the country each April.
It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. This observance includes all types of libraries – school, public, academic and special. Jacksonville is blessed with many libraries – the Jacksonville Public Library, Lon Morris College library, Jacksonville College library, BMA Theological Seminary library and, of course, the school libraries.
Also, National Library Workers Day, celebrated the Tuesday of National Library Week, is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.
The Jacksonville Public Library is a division of the City of Jacksonville led by Director Barbara Crossman. Crossman and her staff are to be commended for their foresight and ability to “keep up with the times.” This library has kept current with the ever-changing technology.
There is a web site, www.jacksonvillelibrary.com, where you can check to see if the library has a book you are interested in, renew a book, download an audio book to your computer or portable media player, etc. This is only a few things you can do from the web site. The JPL TeenLink blog was recently launched. I encourage you to check the web site out along with its helpful links.
If the library does not have a book you are interested in, they can borrow it from another library.
If you haven’t visited the library in a while, you might be pleasantly surprised to see the bank of computers that are available for the public to use – to play games, data processing, access the Internet, etc. You can check out hardback books, paperbacks, magazines, books on tape, books on CDs, and movies. In March alone, 3,697 adult books and 1,529 juvenile books were checked out.
Story time is popular with the kids. Children’s Librarian Peggy Jo Jones leads this activity by reading the story to the children and having a craft for them to do. She also visits the different day care centers to read to the children and introduce them to books. Story time is on Wednesday every week.
In observance of National Library Week, the Board of Directors has planned several activities. A collection of community leaders’ photos along with their favorite book will be on display the entire week at the library. The library will host the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce’s “Business After Hours” at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday. Also on Thursday, there is going to be an “East Texas Authors’ Forum” at 6:30 p.m. at Norman Activity Center. Debra White Smith is the featured author. Sixteen other authors will also participate. After White Smith’s presentation, the audience will be encouraged to visit with her and the other authors. The authors will have their books on display and available for sale. They will autograph the books.
The forum is open to the public. There is no admission charge.
That night, the favorite book display will be moved to the Norman Activity Center. After the event, the display will be moved back to the library for the remainder of the week.
Please take advantage of this celebration and visit the Jacksonville Public Library. It is one of Jacksonville’s “jewels.”
