A Valentine for My Library

Ah, February, the Month of Love.

I wanted to send some love to my library, not just for all it currently does for me, but for the changes that will be occurring in the coming months (I will get to that later).

How do I show my appreciation for the welcoming atmosphere, the dedicated staff, the cool website chock full of research aids and databases, the free programs I can attend with my family, the WiFi, the computers, the free DVDs and CDs, the downloads to my Nook or other eReader…I could go on and on (and you KNOW I can!).

How can I express my love and appreciation?

Perhaps I should look to the movies for some inspiration.

Who could forget Tom Cruise saying, “Library, you complete me.”


(Can you get this at the library? Of course the library has it!)

or Daniel Day-Lewis staring intently and saying, “Stay at the Library! I will find you!”


(Yep! We've got that one too).


or the classic “Of all the libraries in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”


(Do we have it? Yep!)



I have fond memories of Heath Ledger saying, “May I ask your name, My Lady Librarian? Or perhaps angels have no names, only beautiful faces.”



(You want it? We've got it!)


There is the memorable “A library can touch us one time and last for a lifetime and never let go till we’re gone.”



(Need you ask?)




And finally, “If you love your library you say it…you say it right then, out loud…or the moment just…passes you by.”

(Again, yes!)



So I don’t want the moment to pass me by. I love you library! There, I said it.

And it’s important for us all to say it because a big change is on the horizon.

Polaris is coming!

What is Polaris?

Polaris is the name of the new computer system we will be introducing in the coming months. Our current system is 20 years old and you know what that means in “computer years…” More like 100. We want to remain a relevant, valuable community resource as we move through the 21st century and Polaris is going to help us do that. This also fulfills our promise to you as to how we would spend the tax money voters invested in the 2009 levy increase.

There will be a bit of a learning curve for staff and our customers, but this new technology will give you, our customers, the features you have been asking for.

• You will have more control over your holds
• You will save time and get better search results when you search our catalog
• It will be easier to use
• It will contain features you expect from sites like Netflix, Google and Amazon
  

And that’s just the beginning! Stay tuned.

But as I said, as with most changes, there is a learning curve so library staff will be getting ready for this big change with lots of training and dealing with all the tweaks needed to make this a smooth transition.

So that’s why I particularly want to show the love for my library this month.

So what should I say? Those movie quotes are great but don’t quite express what I want to say.

Perhaps it’s best to reach back to the classics for my inspiration. And who showed the love better than Elizabeth Barrett Browning?

Ahem, here we go (with my apologies to Liz)

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
I can reach as I try to pull the latest Sue Grafton from the top shelf (Yes! Score!).
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need as I sit in the library and read by sun and lamplight.
I love thee freely, as men and women strive for the Right to Read whatever they want.
I love thee purely as I turn page to page of “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” while listening to Usher’s “Versus” CD (just one of the 10 CDs I may check out free from the library).
I love with a passion put to use
For all the do-it-yourself books you have (I will build that deck this summer, I will!) and other resources that save me money and make my life easier.
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith I remember the story times my mother took me to at the library that helped me get ready for kindergarten (and we’re still doing it!)
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
Until I discovered I could close my Netflix account because I could get all the DVDs I wanted for free at the library.
I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life!...
I shall but love thee better when Polaris arrives.

One more movie quote:



“A library is like a box of chocolates, you never know all the great services you’re gonna get unless you go there (or check out our website).

(Do we have it? What do you think?)



So sometime this month, go to your favorite library and discover or rediscover the programs and resources that we love to provide. And while you are at it, why not send a little love to your library. We love hearing from you!