Some parting words about making full use of your library

Here it is, the last article I will write for the library column. You may recall from a previous article that I sold my house and am embarking on a series of new adventures. While it’s all good, I will miss our weekly chats here on the pages of the Daily Bee. I am grateful to Caroline Lobsinger and the crew at the Bee for carving out space each week for us in our community newspaper. Now, a devoted fan of the East Bonner County Library District, I will continue to follow this column when the new writer takes charge.

When I began working at the library nearly six years ago, I wasn’t what you’d call “a devoted fan.” I used the library here and there, but I wasn’t a regular. In some ways, that served my position well because I could relate to folks who may not know their way around the library. I know why some people are a bit intimidated by the library. I understand how some people can get through life not knowing all of the amazing things the library offers.

Now that I have this inside information, I want to continue to share it even after I am no longer in charge of marketing and public relations for the library. If you consider yourself to be a non-library person, listen up. My final article in this column is for you.

Whether you are a reader or not, you have good reason to use the library. It’s not just for researchers, students, and brainiacs. It’s not just for ravenous readers of fiction. The library is for people who like to explore. It’s for people who want to learn something. It’s for people who want to be entertained. It’s for people who want the best for their children. It’s for those who want to be involved in their community. It’s for those who want to find quiet solitude. It’s for those who want to make a change.

Some people avoid the library because they associate it with school. Maybe their formal learning experiences didn’t encourage the kind of exploration that excites the mind. Some say the library is too quiet, even unfriendly. Some people don’t love to read, so they assume that they have nothing to gain from the library. Some people don’t have time to go to the library, so they spend money on eBooks and audiobooks, movie and music streaming services, and other resources they could have gotten from the library.

You may be surprised to know that you don’t even have to physically go into the library in order to use it. There are digital versions of many of the physical materials on the shelves at the library. Find them in The Digital Library at ebonnerlibrary.org. You can reserve and pick up materials from the Bookmobile at one of its regular weekly stops. You can reserve materials online and pick them up via curbside pick-up service.

In fact, most of the reasons people cite for not using their library are unfounded. It’s true that learning takes place at the library. But, it’s not formal education. It’s discovery, connection, and lifelong learning that excites the mind. The library is too quiet for some and not quiet enough for others. Statistically speaking, then, it’s perfect! Not a book-lover? It has been said that there is no such thing as a person who doesn’t like to read; just a person who hasn’t found what they love to read yet. Even if you haven’t found your literary love yet, you can still enjoy other aspects of the library such as movies/TV shows, music, games, online events and activities, or learning new things. You can do all of those things from The Digital Library. If you do visit the physical branch locations and Bookmobile, you shouldn’t feel intimidated. Lots of people haven’t been in a library since they were in school. Our friendly library staff love to help people discover the fascinating treasures in the physical library and The Digital Library.

The library is supported by county tax proceeds. Whether you own a home or pay rent, you are absorbing some of those costs. Since you are most likely paying for it, why not consider how you can take advantage of the resources at the library? People are using library resources to make informed decisions, to make family memories, to learn new skills, and to find a movie for date night. Your reasons for using the library don’t need to be profound – just meaningful for you. Visit our website to explore all of the surprising ways the library could be an integral part of your life.

While I am making some big changes in my life right now, I will be forever grateful for my years at the library. I’ll never take our library for granted again. I hope that you will think about how your life can be richer as a newly devoted fan of the library as I have. I’ll see you around the library.

All branches of the East Bonner County Library District and Bookmobile are open at regular hours. Proper face masks are required. Digital materials and curbside pick-up services are available. Visit the updates page at ebonnerlibrary.org for more information.

Events, etcetera:

• Saturday, Nov. 14 — "Dream Big – Engineering Our World" documentary. A giant-screen film about engineering, takes viewers on a journey of discovery from the world’s tallest building to a bridge higher than the clouds. Along the way, the audiences witness how today’s engineers are shaping the world of tomorrow. This film will be screened online via a private link available on the library’s Events calendar on 11/14, 17, & 24. For more information, visit the listing on the Events calendar at ebonnerlibrary.org or contact Kimber Glidden: 208-263-6930 ext. 1211 or kimber@ebonnerlibrary.org.

• Saturday, Nov. 14 — Readers & ‘Ritas @ Home, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; virtual author event hosted by Fresh Fiction. Visit the library’s website Events Calendar or our Facebook Events page of details.

• Wednesday, Nov. 18 — Fresh Fiction Video Book Club with Tif Marcelo, 5 p.m. via Facebook Live at facebook.com/freshfiction. This week, Tif Marcelo discusses her Christmas novella in CHRISTMAS ACTUALLY, her career, and what she's reading, watching, and listening to with the book club. Visit our event listing on the library’s facebook page for details.

• StoryWalk — At Dover City Park enjoy “Leaf Man” by Lois Ehlert and at McNearney Park in Ponderay read “The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear” by Don and Audrey Wood. Titles are updated monthly.