AROUND THE CITY
By Diane DuBois
This week, the Caribou Public Library joins libraries in schools, campuses and communities nationwide in celebrating National Library Week, a time to highlight the value of libraries. Libraries today are more than repositories for books and other resources. Often the heart of their communities, campuses or schools, libraries are deeply committed to the places where their patrons live, work and study. Libraries are trusted places where everyone in the community can gather to reconnect and reengage with each other to enrich and shape the community and address local issues.
Librarians work with elected officials, small business owners, students and the public at large to discover what their communities’ needs are and meet them. Whether through offering e-books and technology classes, materials for English-language learners, programs for job-seekers or those to support early literacy, librarians listen to the community they serve, and they respond.
The Caribou Public Library serves area residents by providing a number of programs for residents of all ages, including Babies & Books, Toddler Time, Mother Goose Time, Story Time, Summer Reading Programs for grades 1-4 and grades 5 and up as well as Teen Book discussion groups and Teen Advisory groups. The library also provides a number of programs for adults including adult book discussions and special programs which are held throughout the year. The library offers access to high speed Internet, WIFI, access to Ancestry.com, MARVEL Maine’s Virtual Library, downloadable audio books e-books, and more.
Service to the community has always been the focus of the library. While this aspect has never changed, libraries have grown and evolved in how they provide for the needs of every member of their community.
The library will be celebrating National Library Week with a number of activities including, drawings for T-shirts and book bags. A door prize will be given to an individual who signs up for a library card for the first time and all users will receive a National Library Week plastic book bag.
Diane DuBois is library director for the city of Caribou. She can be reached at 493-4214 or via e-mail at ddubois@caribou-public.lib.me.us.
