Off the Shelf: With Valentine's Day Around the Corner, a Look at 5 Reasons I Love the City's Public Library
By Savanna Draper on February 08, 2023 from Off the Shelf via Connect-Bridgeport.com
February is National Library Lovers’ Month! In the present day, libraries provide much more than books, and oftentimes, they provide essential services to the community they serve that they may not be able to access otherwise.
Libraries provide many things to love, and there are so many reasons to love the Bridgeport Public Library. Not only do I work at this library, but I am also a patron. I could write a book about the things I love about our library, but for the sake of this column, I will stick with the top five reasons I love my library in no particular order.
- We offer a wide variety of programs for all ages. Whether you are looking for a program for your preschool-aged children, or you are an older adult looking to brush up on your computer skills, we have something for you. Our calendar of events is always updated and fresh, so be sure to check it frequently at bplwv.org/events. We also love to hear suggestions for programs from patrons!
- We offer a plethora of services. For a small fee, we provide faxing, scanning, and printing services. We have free Wi-Fi to use on your personal devices as well as eight public computers available for use. We also offer computer help to those who need it, in addition to assistance with resumes, job applications, and much more! Very recently we began offering notary services, free of charge. We are always looking for additional services to offer our patrons.
- The best thing about any library is twofold—the staff and the community because they go hand in hand. I can say we truly have an amazing, dedicated, and inspiring staff. I learn things from them every single day, and I know our patrons do too. In addition to a great staff, we are lucky enough to be housed in a wonderful, supportive community. The kindness we receive from our patrons and community members is humbling and we are truly thankful for it!
- New things are happening nearly every single day. Whether behind the scenes or out in the public, we are always working on something new. New books, new programs, new services, new furniture, you name it. We love offering our patrons something new to look forward to, and it’s very rewarding for us too!
- It’s no secret we have a huge collection of print books, audiobooks, DVDs, and much more. We have materials that will interest almost every patron and we are so thankful we have the space in our building to be able to provide that. Not only do we have a large and diverse print collection, but we also offer thousands of digital materials and eResources accessible from your home.
Hopefully, you can see why the Bridgeport Public Library is special to me, and I hope it is special to you too. If you haven’t been by in a while, come in and see what new things we have going on!
