[2007-05]
HAVE YOU BEEN TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY LATELY?
Public libraries have evolved to serve the new generations raised on TV, computers, and multi-media. If you haven't stopped in lately, you'll be greatly surprised when you do.
Gone are the millions of 3x5 file cards I learned to use in high school fifty years ago. Now I walk up to one of the computer screens relegated to searching the files for me. And they're not just searching MY library branch, they're quickly sifting through the whole county library system.
But that's just the beginning. Today's libraries stock a lot more than library books!
The shelves of books are still there, but now you also have the choice of audio (both cassette and CD), and video (DVD's and VHS Tapes).
Novels by my favorite authors started showing up in audio format at the library a few years ago. That was a boon for me because at the time I was commuting more than two hours a day back and forth to my JOB.
Suddenly I was ready to leave a few minutes early every morning because I was anxious to start the next chapter. If traffic was bad, I didn't complain. It just meant I got to listen to more of the story.
If YOU have a long commute to work, give the audio novels a try. Check out a dozen or so at a time. If you don't like the one you start with, you can try the next one. The price is right, thanks to your public library.
Ask your friendly library staff which day of the week is best to pick out a DVD or VHS to enjoy at home. In my town, most of the best are already checked out by Friday --- there are many people who enjoy free movies over the weekend.
But they're usually back by the middle of the week. So Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning are the best times to look for videos to check out. That's when we have the most selection to choose from.
Sometimes I know exactly what I want, or at least have a pretty good idea, but not enough available time to browse for what I want in the library. That's when the Internet feature becomes my best friend. I can log on from home (even at 4:00 a.m.), browse the catalog, and reserve a title.
If all copies of that title are already checked out, my reservation puts my name on the list to be notified when it comes back.
Either way it's usually not more than a few days before I receive an email from the library system telling me the item I reserved is waiting for me at the front desk of my designated branch.
Imagine that! It might belong to my branch, or any other branch in the system. Whether I requested a book, an audio, or a video, it's sitting there at the front desk and all I have to do is run in quickly and show my Library Card to pick it up.
So what's next? You guessed it -- downloading from your library system right to your PC (audio and/or print) or MP3, or eBook reader! As this feature grows in popularity and available technology, your ultimate complete public library system will be at your fingertips anytime, anyday, anywhere!
Send me an email if you've already tried these new services, and tell us about your experience! (LLoni@LLPublish.com).
