Providing service to the citizens of Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee Counties since 1962
Providing service to the citizens of Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee Counties since 1962
Library News
SUMMER READING PROGRAM SCHEDULED AT THE LIBRARY
The Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library is gearing up for our annual Summer Reading Program. As families begin their annual journey toward the time when there is ‘nothing to do’, we encourage parents to remember that the Summer Reading Program at the Library may be the answer to their problem! Registration for the Summer Reading Program will begin on May 20th. Children may begin checking out and reading books on May 28th. Participants will have until the programs completion on July 27th to reach their reading goals.
The 2013 summer reading theme encourages participants to “Dig Into Reading” at the Library. Children through the eighth grade may participate at any PWRL location, including libraries in Alma, Alta Vista, Eskridge, Harveyville, Olsburg, Onaga, St. Marys, and Westmoreland. Pre-readers are invited to join the program with a parent or helper who will read to them as members of the Read-to-Me Club. Each child will be asked to check out library books at their reading level and record them to earn credit in the program. Participation in activities at the Library will also be counted as part of the overall program this year. All participants will earn prizes for their efforts.
Special activities and extra reading opportunities will be scheduled throughout the summer to help promote the summer reading program at the Library and give children an opportunity to exercise their creative side. Ask your local library for details on upcoming events as the summer progresses. All programs are free and open to the public.
Studies show that children who continue to read during summer vacation perform better in the fall when school resumes. The Library’s summer reading program provides a chance for children to keep up their reading momentum, and have fun at the same time. Don’t miss this great opportunity to sign your child up, and take some time to read along with them. Summer reading is fun for the whole family!
If you don’t have one, come get a LIBRARY CARD today!! The card can be used to gain around the clock internet access to PWRL’s online library catalog with 100,000 items available to borrow. Patrons can search the online catalog, place their own reserves on any item they would like to check out, and staff will e-mail or call when the items are ready to be picked up. It the library does not own a particular item it can be requested for their use through a statewide interlibrary loan network. If you don’t have computer access, or don’t want to bother with it, just give the library a call and staff will take care of it for you!!
There is a wealth of information available. The Library has something for everyone, so visit soon and ‘Dig Into Reading’ this summer!!
For more information about the summer reading program, or any aspect of library service, call the St. Marys Headquarters Library at 785-437-2778 or go to the Library website at http://www.pottwab.org.
The Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library will join libraries in schools, campuses and communities nationwide in celebrating National Library Week during the week of April 14th – April 20th.
First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. National Library week is an annual opportunity to highlight the value of libraries, librarians and library workers.
Libraries today are more than repositories for books and other resources. They serve as the heart of their communities and are deeply committed to the places where their patrons live, work and study. Whether you are getting your first library card, learning new computer skills, planning your next vacation, or looking for pieces of your family history the library is the place where the search begins.
Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library has an online library catalog that can offer patrons 24/7 access to the library’s collection. PWRL’s library catalog can be found online through a link on the Library’s home page at http://www.pottwab.org. Patrons can also search the catalog directly at http://pottwab-verso.auto-graphics.com.
Staff can assist patrons with setting up their own online account so they can freely explore our library catalog, search full text online subscription databases, and place requests to borrow any of the 100,000 items PWRL has available for patrons to borrow. Statewide Interlibrary Loan is also available so just about any material that is desired can likely be obtained through the library.
Staff can also assist patrons with finding downloadable audio and e-books that can be transferred to various portable devices. This service is made available to Kansas residents through statewide subscription databases supported by the Kansas State Library.
“Service to the community has always been the focus of the library,” said Judith Cremer, Library Director. “While this aspect has never changed, libraries have grown and evolved in how they provide for the needs of every member of their community. Overall we do our best to provide the resources and services that really make a difference in the lives of the residents of the two counties.”
One way PWRL supports the community is through a focus on actively developing the local history holdings at the library. The library owns microfilm copies of all newspapers published in the Library’s service area. PWRL also is very fortunate to have a researcher who has created birth, death, and marriage indexes for many of the newspapers. Patrons can use microfilm readers to read, scan, or print articles from the microfilm at each Branch Location. Digital copies of articles can also be e-mailed to interested parties.
PWRL recently received a memorial donation that directly supports the library’s focus on local history. In memory of Jack Messer, a long time resident of the Alma community, the Library was able to purchase two rolls of microfilm for the Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise and a membership to Ancestry.com at the World Explorer Level. These wonderful new resources are now available for patrons to use at the library.
Millions of people use Ancestry.com to discover their family stories. It is the largest for profit genealogy company in the world with access to 11 billion records, 40 million family trees, and two million paying subscribers. All of this history is now available for PWRL patrons to search, for free, at the library.
The microfilm is also a welcome addition to the PWRL’s collection and it will be consulted by staff and patrons for years to come as they work on researching genealogy and family history at the library.
These new additions are just a part of the valuable resources the library has for anyone interested in community events or local history. Library staff is experienced in the research process, and are always prepared to assist patrons in their search for information. We have the tools to further the research process and give unique access to past events and document important slices of the life and history of Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee County.
To join us in our annual celebration of National Library Week, and take advantage of the Library’s resources, visit any location of the Pottawatomie Wabaunsee Regional Library. PWRL Libraries can be found in Alma, Alta Vista, Eskridge, Harveyville, Olsburg, Onaga, St. Marys, and Westmoreland. For additional information see the Library’s Web site at http://www.pottwab.org. If you have questions about this, or any aspect of Library services, call Judith Cremer, PWRL Director, at 785-437-2778.
Choose an issue of the library newsletter
Holiday 2010 Volume 3, Issue 3