Did You Know Our Library Offered These Resources and Events?

Today I’ll fill you in on four fun activities that can be found through the Porter branch of our local library system.

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As we head deeper into winter, I know a lot of us (especially those with kids) are looking for fun, engaging activities to do that don’t involve a TV screen or iPad. Well today, I’m here at the Porter branch of our local library, and as it turns out, this library has four exciting activities to get involved with.

1. Interactive storytime for toddlers. This is a fun way to introduce kids to books, from the simplest things like how to hold a book and turn the pages to engaging with them through puppets and songs. It’s a perfect excuse to get your younger kids out of the house and socialize. What’s more is that it’s held indoors, so you don’t have to worry about the freezing cold.
2. Summer reading programs. This program allows older kids access to a library account where they can log on and earn points for doing community activities, reading books, and more. By earning points, they’re entered into a raffle for prizes like movie tickets and other exciting things. The program is educational, yet it provides some incentive for kids to get involved, as well.
3. Workshops for school-age children. Held throughout the year, these workshops focus on many things, including nature, science, engineering, technology, math, and more.
4. Great events for adults. Not all the library’s programs are for kids—there are events for adults, as well, including things like craft nights, knitters clubs, quilting, and there’s even an event held at a winery, which centers around a book club.

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There are lots of great things to get involved with at the library, but not everyone knows about the services they provide in addition to the events they host.

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There are lots of great things to get involved with at the library, but not everyone knows about the services they provide in addition to the events they host. Here are four more resources that our library offers that you might not have heard of:

1. The librarians will help pick books for your kids to read. Sometimes it can be hard to know exactly what your child should be reading; you want to challenge them, but you also don’t want the book to be so difficult that they get frustrated and give up. Even help from teachers doesn’t always do the trick. Well, the librarians here at the Porter branch will help you pick books that are appropriate for your child based on the reading level that their teacher has assigned to them. It’s a cool way to use local resources to help your kids read at their level.
2. The librarians will help you pull all the books you need. For teachers, there is something called ‘classroom carry-out.’ Let’s say that you’re teaching a unit on China, for example, and you’re looking for books that supplement that topic at a certain reading level—the librarians will help you pull those books and have them ready for you when you need them.
3. There are no late fees for kids and those with teacher cards. Don’t let your fear of late fees and fines scare you away from the library; those with teacher cards or kids cards can get their fees waived!
4. The librarians can find and have books from other branches sent to your local branch. If there’s a book that you just can’t find at your local branch, talk to the librarians about it. They can pull books from anywhere within their system and bring it to your local branch. They’ll also alert you when that book is ready for pickup.

Library Events & Resources:

Library Events – Here’s what’s happening! https://www.librarypoint.org/location/porter-branch-events/ Interlibrary Loans – Can’t find what you’re looking for? https://www.librarypoint.org/cant-find-it/ Teacher’s Place – Incredible resources for teachers and classrooms. https://www.librarypoint.org/teachers-place/ Local History – From Civil War to Genealogy. https://www.librarypoint.org/local-history/ STEM Workshops – Hands-on activities through a partnership with the University of Mary Washington! https://www.librarypoint.org/makerlabs/

As you can see, libraries are wonderful places for both fun events and useful services, even though they often go unnoticed by a lot of people. I hope this blog helped open your eyes to the many benefits you stand to gain by becoming involved with your local branch. If you have any questions for me, you’re always encouraged to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you with professional advice about real estate and guidance about resources in the community that you should be taking advantage of.