By Molly Griffith
Most people I’ve met seem to think that libraries are calm and peaceful places, full of hushed whispers and gently turning pages. That’s the comment I get most when people learn I work at the Jean Barnett Trone Memorial Library of East Berlin, but from my experience, that image is very rarely accurate. Most of the time, our library is a bustling place, full of excitement, energy, and far from quiet.
People of all walks of life are in and out everyday: picking up arrived items, browsing the shelves for their next read, checking out stacks of picture books or graphic novels or DVDs. That’s one of my main roles: scanning library cards and all the items that people want to take home with them, and one of my favorites. It’s fun to see what people are interested in and excited about. Sometimes it’s whole seasons of crime shows, or every children’s book we have about sharks, or the next book in that mystery series everyone has been talking about.
Another thing that keeps me busy is hunting down items for our patrons, since our collection might not always contain exactly what folks are looking for. Sometimes, this is an easy fix, and I can simply request titles from other branches in the Adams County Library System. Other times, I get to request items from our neighbors at York County Library System, or even across the entire state of Pennsylvania. It’s like a puzzle sometimes, depending on what I’m looking for, because there might be different editions of a book, or different seasons of a show, and I have to be certain I’ve found the exact right one for our patrons.
Programming is a huge part of what we do at the library as well, and something I’m super excited to be getting more involved in this coming fall. Previously, I’ve helped with adult events, specifically our Girls’ Craft Night Out, from planning and promotion to the actual occasion. However, starting in September, I’ll be hosting a Writer’s Group every third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Ages 16 and up are invited to discuss their creative projects and flex their writing muscles with some activities as well. If you’d like to join me, visit our website at www.adamslibrary.org/event/writers-group-1 to register.
However, that’s far from representative of everything happening at the library. We offer programming, materials, and resources for all ages: babies, preschool and elementary age children, teens, and adults. Just about every night of the week there’s something happening here for someone, and I often get to be the face that welcomes them to the library. It’s another one of my favorite things to do, even if I’m not deeply involved with the programs themselves. Watching every kind of person come through our doors makes it so clear how huge of an impact libraries have on their communities. Especially during these summer months, the library is a busy, exciting place, full of opportunities and adventure, and I’m so glad to be a part of it.
Featured Image: Trone Memorial Library of East Berlin [Dawn Smith]