Last month, the Pew Research Center completed a survey that suggests, “Library users don’t know, and they know they don’t know what libraries have to offer.”
Well, we offer basic services: books, answering reference questions, providing free access to computers and the Internet and children and adult’s programming. We proctor written or online exams for any academic institution.
In addition, you can check out DVDs, music on CD, Books on CD, periodicals and magazines. A library visit will allow you to play Wii games, put a 500- or 1,000-piece puzzle together or read a newspaper. On specific evenings, local musicians provide music, you can join a poetry group or view local artists’ exhibitions.
Look for family history online by checking census and family records using our Heritage Quest database. You can obtain one-on-one training on the use of technology, electronic databases and e-government access. In addition, we provide notary service, wireless Internet and Skype. Your library card allows you to remotely log on to our subscription databases, check out e-books, and eye the Gutenberg collection and the Florida Electronic Library collection.
I encourage you to come into the library and enjoy what we have to offer.
The Chelco Kill-A-Watt measurement device, available for seven-day checkout, measures energy consumption and allows consumers to check how much it costs to leave their computer, phone charger, TV or other appliance plugged in. Just connect the meter to a home electrical outlet and plug in an appliance. The meter displays cost of power consumed and kilowatt hours used, or voltage.
Even non-Chelco customers can use the service.
First Tuesday Lecture
Going Green: What You Can Do at Home: 10:30 a.m., April 2, Crestview Public Library. Featuring Tina Gainey of Greenway Saves. Coffee and cookies served at 10 a.m.
Jean Lewis is the Crestview Public Library's director.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Poll indicates little knowledge of library resources