by Sherrie DeMartino
February 14th is Valentine’s Day (Don’t forget! It’ll be here before you know it!)
February 14th is also:
Library Lover’s Day – a day started by lovers of Australia’s libraries that has spread across the world.
Read to Your Child Day – introducing your child to books from an early age has proven to enhance literacy, enrich vocabulary, and foster a lifelong love for reading.
And…
In addition to all of that, the month of February is National Library Lover’s Month – a whole month to celebrate the magic of libraries and the love of reading. The idea for this celebration was founded by the Friends and Foundations of California as a way to channel support for libraries in their state.
Did you know that libraries were first established almost 5000 years ago in Southwest Asia’s Fertile Crescent, an area that ran from Mesopotamia to the Nile in Africa? Library “books” at that time were made by using clay tablets and papyrus. Imagine carrying around a clay tablet to read! Today’s libraries have evolved into community centers of information, technology, and learning. Visit your closest branch or check out the library’s events page at https://www.adamslibrary.org/events/month to find out more about all of the innovative programs that we have to offer!
Here are some great ways to love your library and raise awareness of all of the wonderful things the library provides for our community:
- Sign up for a library card
- Visit your local branch and check out some books, DVDs, audiobooks, or magazines.
- Sign up to use our e-book and e-audio database, Cloud Library
- Commit to reading at least one book per month
- Take your kids to the library for story time
- Give a shout-out to your favorite library
- Become a library volunteer
- Attend a library program (in person or virtual!)
- Join a book club
- Encourage the importance of literacy
- Tag your library on social media
- Participate in a library fundraiser
Sherrie DeMartino is Branch Manager of the Carroll Valley Library, pictured above.
I love the Gettysburg library and am wondering what’s the status of the new library breaking ground soon at the seminary? I haven’t heard anything lately on its status or when the library will take possession of the property to demolish the current buildings there fo where the new library will be built?
Thank you for your curiosity and for your love of your library! Adams County Library System is working to finalize the subdivision of the property at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg so that ownership can be transferred to the library system. The process is complex as the property extends into two municipalities. We hope to have that completed very soon. In many ways, it feels like we’re nearing the finish line. In reality, municipal approvals and closing on the property will be the starting line!