Books and Bits: What our local library has to offer

Resources. Simply put, that’s what a 21st Century library provides to its community. Sure, one of those resources is books as that’s what pops to mind first when we think of libraries.

At Carrington City Library, we provide a wide range of literature and work hard to keep up with new releases as our mission is to encourage the love of reading. However, there are a lot more resources available at the library, and I’d like to highlight a few:

• You can access the Internet on one of our patron computers or by using free Wi-Fi. We can make copies and even laminate them, as well as fax and e-mail documents.

• Also tech-related, library patrons have access to e-books, audiobooks, e-magazines and videos using the Libby app. Great for reading any time, anywhere. I really enjoy listening to audiobooks on my drive to work. Our pre-readers really enjoy Wonderbooks – picture and audiobook all in one.

• For the kiddos, we have a variety of STEM activities, games and toys. The littlest readers enjoy a wooden train set, Legos, etc. Older children can begin coding with a robot mouse, create a marble track, or build their own robot using a variety of kits.

• Through our website, you can explore history by browsing digitized newspapers. Just go to carringtonlibrary.org and click on the blue “Digital Newspapers Archive” link.

• Weekly storytime, monthly crafts and STEM activities, and monthly reading clubs are all excellent resources as well.

The greatest resource our library has is the staff. They are a wealth of knowledge, but more importantly, if they don’t know, they will go out of their way to find an answer! We are happy to provide one-on-one assistance to set up patrons with the Libby app, to access online job applications, to understand how a spreadsheet works, to apply for a hunting permit…

Albert Einstein once remarked, “The only think that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” Now that you know more about the resources we have to offer, we hope you’ll make a visit to the library soon.

To make our resources more accessible, starting November 1, the library will be changing its hours. We will be open from 10:30-5:30 Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 10:30 – 7:00 on Wednesday, and 10:30 – 1:30 on Saturday.

It’s a small change from our current hours, but it provides our patrons with a chance to visit the library in the evening one day a week.