Mayor visits and tours at library locations, over 100 programs for all ages, a signed proclamation from the Frederick County Board of Supervisors, prizes, and community events help celebrate this month.
We are joining the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide for Library Card Sign-Up Month, a time to remind the public of the value of having a library card. During September, the library system will be encouraging people of all ages to sign-up for a library card if they don’t already have one, renew their card if they haven’t used it in a while to check out materials, along with participating in community events within Clarke and Frederick Counties, and Winchester-City. They will also be hosting tours of each library (Clarke County Library, Bowman Library, and Handley Library) for county and city officials, and running several contests through social media where patrons can win books and other surprises.
“Children as young as five can sign-up for their first library card, delivering access to thousands of free materials including books, digital Launchpad tablets with educational games and apps, video games for a pathway to critical thinking, and more,” says John Huddy, Director of Handley Regional Library System.
Several special visits, tours, and events are scheduled for the month. On September 3rd, Mayor Smith of Winchester kicked off the month with a social media announcement by the library system with a visit Handley Library in Winchester. September 17th Mayor Diaz from Stephens City will tour Bowman Library along with a ribbon cutting from the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber of Commerce. Other county and city officials will also be visiting library locations throughout the month. The Frederick County Board of Supervisors signed a special proclamation acknowledging Library card sign-up month and is available at www.handleyregional.org.
Huddy reports that a library card also gives the public the tools and resources to succeed in school along with their personal and professional life.
“We are more than just a building that holds books – a misleading description a lot of people think of when they think of the library. Our role is to help connect people of all ages to information and entertainment. We offer a variety of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs, DIY workshops for adults, technology learning courses for mobile devices, computers, or specific programs, plus author talks, live music, history talks, genealogy programs, and theatrical performances. There’s something for everyone at your local library.”
During September, the library system will host over 100 free activities and programs for kids, teens, and adults. The kick-off event will be an after-hours adult program called Later in the Library featuring beer, Bingo, and books on September 6 at Bowman Library. Adults can register for the beer tastings and Bingo games, with a chance to win a $100 gift card during Bingo, online at www.handleyregional.org/later.
Library system staff will also be participating in several outreach opportunities in September where they will signing up kids and adults for cards and connecting with current cardholders at several events including local schools, Bright Futures, Alamo Drafthouse Winchester, and more.
Libraries play an important role in the education and development of children. Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning. To connect with patrons 24/7, the library system has a 24-hour online digital library for eBooks, audiobooks, research databases, and more.