April 13-19 is National Library Week all across the country and also right here in Albert Lea. Libraries open their doors to everyone: students, parents, young children, seniors, teachers, job seekers, readers, gamers and movie and travel buffs.

The theme for this occasion is “Lives Change at Your Library.” Has the library changed your life in any way?

Let someone at the library know, and they can give you a website where you can send your story. Judy Blume, a best-selling author, is the honorary chairwoman of this event. Her readers, young and old, will be happy to know she is writing a new book.

Here are some facts about our own library you may not know:

• The money for the operation comes from the city budget managed by the mayor, City Council, city manager and the library personnel, library Director Paggy Havener, children’s librarian Patricia Greibok and the rest of the staff. There is also a library advisory board.

• The circulation of our library was a total of 283,821 in 2013. That’s a lot of books, magazines, music and movies checked in and out.

• The mission statement is, “The Albert Lea Public Library is working to connect you with the books you want, the information you need and the community you live in.”

• Friends of the Library is an organization that provides the library with additional funds. Have you seen the beautiful new mural in the information part of the library? They commissioned artist Chandler Anderson to paint this for our enjoyment. They also run a bookstore on the main level.

• You can buy all sorts of books at a low price.

• The library staff keeps a running account of patrons who use our library. There were 11,191 in January, 10,603 in February and 15,532 in March.

National Library Week becomes an important part of our library as we realize all the important goings-on every day. It allows us the chance to recognize them.

Stop in this week, check out the books and other materials, get a library card if you don’t have one from one of our helpful library assistants and check the schedule in the children’s room for all the fun and educational programs going on for children. Can’t find a book you want? Find out how to do this through our interlibrary service.

With all these things happening at the library, people are becoming more aware that we need more hours to be open. From noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays has been proposed. The Friends of the Library will have a petition for you to sign to encourage this to happen. This will be at all levels of the library. Best of all, you will get a free prize!

Thanks for your attention to this love your library report through National Library Week.

 

Barb Sletten

member

Albert Lea Public Library Advisory Board

Albert Lea