 |
|
A Time to Learn and Grow
by Mary O. Fumento
July 2009
Although school is out for the summer, Wyoming minds are surrounded by learning and growing every day.
As the new county library director, I am happy to be among the many people discovering the richness of our Wyoming library environment and the wealth of information available to all of us.
Wyoming is one of the most generous states in which to be a librarian and also to be a library patron. At a time when nationally many libraries are facing closures and reduced staff and hours, Wyoming remains faithful to its residents in the variety of terrific services it offers.
The digital branch is the latest in library news: using great statewide services from your home or business computer with just your library card. The options are many:
- Download videos and audio books to your own computer.
- Access general reference, social issues, health, science, business information.
- Discover historic and government documents, directories and almanacs.
- Read magazines, periodicals, and journals.
- Ask a reference librarian a research question.
- Research Wyoming history or local governments.
- Investigate grant opportunities.
The people of Wyoming are diving into these virtual library resources as well as the physical library collections. For the second year in a row, per capita circulation by Wyoming public libraries has jumped.
Library usage has remained strong in the Washakie County Library System. When visiting the library in Ten Sleep or in Worland, residents and visitors can make use of the resources we have for you:
- Copier
- Fax
- Interlibrary loan
- Meeting room
- Microfilm reader
- Projectors
- Public access computers
- Wireless access
- TV, DVD, DVD games
Both libraries have successful summer reading programs for children. During the school year in Worland, there is an after-school reading program and an anime club every Thursday at 7 p.m.
Your local public library is a place with talented staff, good tools and a commitment to help you find what you need. We have terrific volunteers who dedicate many hours to both libraries to bring special events and opportunities to you.
The Washakie County Library System is here to be a service and a value to our community. The state of Wyoming believes in our mission.
The 2008 Wyoming State Legislature provided a wonderful opportunity for county libraries when they set aside $9.1 million in matching funds to encourage establishment and growth of library endowments. Residents have been generously giving to our county endowment, and last month Texan Lee Boyd donated $1,000, putting the Washakie County Library System over $18,500 towards our goal.
How can you fully participate in the county library system and all we have to offer?
- Come in and use our resources or access them from home.
- Become a volunteer for Friends of the Library for Ten Sleep or Worland.
- Attend a children’s reading hour.
- Use our meeting space. It is completely free; just schedule ahead, please.
- Give to our endowment.
- Donate books for our book sale.
- Attend the Worland Friends of the Library book sales on Saturdays from 9 – 11 a.m. (50% of all sales go to endowment, 25% go to summer programs and 25% is used for Friends programs).
As always, we are happy to renew your library items or place them on hold. If you lost or forgot your library card, it is no problem at all.
In our commitment to connecting with the community, the library system will be working with Raising Readers in Wyoming here in our county to help increase literacy in children and encourage parents to read to their young children by providing new books as part of the well child health care visits.
As I find this county a great place to learn and grow, I hope you will stop by the Washakie County Library System and say hello. Please let us know what you need. We are here for you.
