BLOGGED- BLOGGED- BLOGSPOT- BLOGGED
CANADA MILITARY NEWS: OUR LOCAL LIBRARY- The saving grace of our identity- culture -gathering place and safe place of learning… and being and remembering who we are – KENTVILLE NOVA SCOTIA LIBRARY IS THE MOST VIBRANT OF ALL PLACES FROM POOREST OF POOR TO WEALTHY- We deserve a grand Library and parking like the old Harvey’s Restaurant Bldg.- We helped raised $$$hundreds of thousands of dollars 4 better??? What is going on? OPEN ARMS- are u open yet? Christmas Parade Kentville – 4 the children- the good things of which there are many.
http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2014/11/canada-military-news-our-local-library.html
BLOGSPOT:
CANADA MILITARY NEWS: Nov 15,2013- Public Libraries- All ages, cultures, abilities, disabilities- the safety zone of communities who love 2 learn- HEY STUDENTS- GET BACK UR LIFE WITH LIBRARY TUTOR SITE- school, vocational, college, university- Annapolis Valley Regional Libraries Rock Babe!
and..
BLOGSPOT:
WELCOME 2 CANADA-Come2Canada Irish youth- EU Youth and work
-study- we'd love 2 have u- a land of immigrants- 36million people 2nd largest
country on planet- come work here or/and study- GET UR CANADA ON -Come on
Asians, Europeans, Africans, Middle East, Balkins- get ur education- get good
jobs -Get ur Canada on..and a bit o history of the Maritimes 2 -come on -we'd
love 2 have ya/updates April 2014-
BLOGGED: 2014
CANADA MILITARY NEWS: OUR LOCAL LIBRARY- Kentville Library Lego Movie- The saving grace of our identity- culture -gathering place and safe place of learning... and being and remembering who we are - KENTVILLE NOVA SCOTIA LIBRARY IS THE MOST VIBRANT OF ALL PLACES FROM POOREST OF POOR TO WEALTHY- We deserve a grand Library and parking like the old Harvey's Restaurant Bldg.- We helped raised $$$hundreds of thousands of dollars 4 better??? What is going on? OPEN ARMS- are u open yet? Christmas Parade Kentville - 4 the children- the good things of which there are many./Guardian's UK Love letters 2 Libraries huge hit
http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2014/11/canada-military-news-our-local-library.html
BLOGSPOT:
CANADA MILIARY NEWS: Public Librarys Pg2- empowering students 2 home tutoring through their libraries- amazin- private, personal and free - all grades- Annapolis Valley Regional Library- Education is the greatest empowerment u can have- ur're worth it Nov 22-2013
Kentville Library has over 6,000 active members - amazing
safe place disability free and welcoming to all.... was reading a Japanese
author ...a favourite last summer and was telling the librarian wanted the rest
of his books.... and did not see Japanese tourists with their children at the
little boys and girls toy and book section... they were just thrilled the
librarian told me later... EVERYBODY GOES... especially the poorer and those
disabled and youth and aged who want privacy and 'their' private time searching
and net and book checks and articles- Kentville library, it's the lifeblood of the community from
babies to 95- gotta get at my housework-
oh look a book... Jonathan Kellerman... looooove himmmm
Big step forward: Kings County, Kentville to
share library costs
Kirk Starratt - kingscountynews.ca
Big step forward: Kings County, Kentville to share library costs
Published on November 13, 2015
Published on April 12, 2012
Kentville's library
Kirk Starratt
KENTVILLE - County council says it's willing to pay half of the annual lease
costs for a new library in Kentville - as long as it gets a say.The town and county “have to work together,” unless the county wants to build its own library for the Kentville area, said Coun. Mike Ennis.
“If we’re going to help the towns, we have to think of the eastern end of the county,” Ennis said. “We’ll have to take Hantsport into consideration as well.”
One of the conditions of the cash is each municipality has equal input into the site selection and can agree on a new site. Both municipalities would also have to agree on a lease agreement.
Council has directed chief administrative officer Tom MacEwan to work with Kentville CAO Mark Phillips to review the two proposals the town has received and to make a joint recommendation on the preferred location to both councils in December or earlier.
MacEwan cautioned council about the precedent this set, adding, “we’ll have to look at funding for the Town of Wolfville and the Town of Berwick at budget time.”
Coun. Jim Winsor, the only vote against the recommendation, said his vote isn’t about not supporting literacy: it’s about “mandate creep” and taking a consistent approach to funding. He said his argument is a “philosophical point.”
“We don’t understand the impact on our budget of supporting this,” Winsor said. “Let us take the time to understand.”
Two possible locations
The current Kentville library has to move to make space for a new Cornwallis River bridge. Work on the new bridge is expected to begin in the spring.
Kentville has received a proposal from the Whynott Group for a new, LEED-certified library building. Annual lease costs are expected to be between $70,000 and $100,000.
The other proposal, from Parsons Developments, involves repurposing of the former Kentville United Church building, with the old sanctuary used for the library. Annual lease costs for this option are estimated at $61,000.
In addition to provincial contributions, the County of Kings currently contributes $311,000 a year to Annapolis Valley Regional Library operations. The towns of Kentville, Wolfville and Berwick contribute $37,700, $24,320 and $20,377, respectively.
What they said…
“I’ve been lobbying for this, not making decisions without the context of the whole picture. This is one recommendation where we don’t have the whole picture, but I want to support collaboration.” – Coun. Patricia Bishop
“Literacy is what our entire county is going to sink or swim on. I support the motion.” – Coun. Peter Muttart
“I would support doing something similar for Wolfville and Berwick if there was a demonstrated need.” – Coun. Pauline Raven
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Digby Area Learning Association giving away 3,000 children's books
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TOWN OF KENTVILLE, KINGS COUNTY, ANNAPOLIS VALLEY- NOVA
SCOTIA, CANADA
Kentville is the shire town of Kings County, Nova Scotia. It is one of
the most beautiful and richest agricultural districts in North America, in the
heart of Nova Scotia’s great apple industry. It is 107 kilometres from
Halifax, 230 kilometres from Yarmouth and 193 kilometres from Saint John, New
Brunswick by boat. Being only 8 kilometres from the headwaters of the
Minas Basin, this was the location chosen in 1755 from which the British
transports sailed, while deporting those patriotic sons and daughters of
France, from the land of their adoption. This touching and pathetic
story, so well portrayed by the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in his
“Evangeline,” will never cease to be read in prose and verse.The town owes its location to the fordable condition of the Cornwallis River utilized here by the earliest inhabitants the indigenous Mi’kmaq. The river was first known as the Grand Habitant by the Acadians. Near where the Dominion Atlantic Railway (DAR) station was later built, a large sand hill stretched to the banks of the Cornwallis River. The mound caused the banks to narrow and made a convenient place for fording the stream at low tide. A few settlers made their home near the ford. When later in 1870’s the time came to build a bridge, that same narrowness seemed a favourable spot for the location of the structure.
This area developed into one of the most prosperous within the Province under the skilful hands of the French who cultivated lands using a technique of dyking (including aboiteaus) to reclaim salt marshes from the sea and turn them into fertile farmlands. Later after the Expulsion of the Acadian population in 1755 the land was settled by the New England Planters — some 8,000 came to Nova Scotia between 1760 and 1768.
On September 16th, 1766, the first deed of land was granted, by Jonathan Darrow, to James Fillis and Joseph Pearce. It is thought that the house which Fillis erected (diagonally in back of the property on the corner of Main and Cornwallis Street and across from the Cornwallis Inn) was the first permanent dwelling, in what is now the centre of town.
In 1785 Henry Magee, a Loyalist, received a grant of land from the Crown, which was located in the Aylesford Township near Auburn. The land was in the shire town of Kings County, and here he lived during the years 1788-1806. It was here, on the banks of the Mill Brook, where he built his home on Main Street, his grist mill and his store. By 1800, there were 14 houses and Magee’s store in the village. It was called Horton Corner, as it was in the northwest corner of Horton Township.
In Dr. Silas Rand’s book, “The History of the Indians of Nova Scotia” the original Mi’kmaq name for this location was “Obsitquetchk” , meaning “the fording place.” The area was also known as “Penoock”, meaning “Pineo’s Place” and was believed to have referred to Peter Pineo, a New England Planter, who came to the Township of Cornwallis in 1764.
In 1794, the Duke of Kent commanded the military forces in Nova Scotia. When His Royal Highness, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, father to Queen Victoria, visited the hamlet, while journeying on horse back from Halifax to Annapolis, he stopped overnight at the “Royal Oak Inn.” In 1826, Horton corner was renamed “Kentville” in his honour.
Early historians cite the County’s African Nova Scotian population as descending from those individuals who arrived with the New England Planters either as servants or slaves. Probate records give instances of African Nova Scotians being given grants of freedom in 1790 and 1800. By 1800 the institution of slavery was no longer practised after the Act of Abolition was passed. The local population was supplemented by later migrations following the American Revolution when some 3,500 people of African descent arrived in the province between 1783-1784. Records show that 38 individuals came to Horton and Cornwallis Township (New England Planter designations for what would become Kings County), and 69 settled at Partridge Island (later Parrsboro), which was once part of Kings County until 1840. Following the War of 1812, another 2,000 people of African descent who had supported the British emigrated to the Maritimes. Known as the “Refugee Blacks” some of this group may have also added to the local population of Horton and Cornwallis. The Community of Gibson Woods was established about 1804 and took its names from one of the founding families. A Baptist Church was established in 1902. The former school now houses the community centre.
In 1829, a courthouse and a jail was established in the town, and many years later, Kentville was incorporated on December 7, 1886. These incorporation proceedings stemmed from a public meeting of the rate payers, which was held in 1885 when a committee was appointed to consider the matter of fire protection and water supply. This committee included five men all of whom served in the office of Mayor — namely, Judge J. P. Chipman, Brenton Dodge, William H. Yould, R. S. Masters and J. W. Ryan. Others serving on the committee were Arthur Calkin, John W. Margeson, Kenneth Sutherland, T. P. Calkin, George W. Woodworth and Colonel L. DeV. Chipman. Kentville also has the distinction of electing the first female Mayor in the Maritimes, and the first female member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly — Gladys M. Porter MLA, M.B.E., D.C.L. (1893-1967).
In the early days there were two main streets in Kentville – Main (also known as the Old Military Road) and Cornwallis Street. These roads had been made by the Acadians. The two streets that now complete “the square” (Webster Street and Church Street — now called Aberdeen Street,) were laid out by Dr. William Bennett Webster. Dr. Webster was probably the most enterprising and farseeing man in the village in its early history. Although he extended Church Street over the steep sandy bank, he received very little praise and much ridicule, for his effort.
Later, in 1914, the first concrete sidewalks were laid and soon after, in 1918, paving of the roads took place. This construction was done for $50,000; later in 1926, the new streets were named and the buildings numbered.
Prior to the end of the Second World War in 1945 much of Kentville’s economic power came from it being the headquarters for the Dominion Atlantic Railway and a hub for local tourism (establishment of the CP Hotel the Cornwallis Inn), the home of the Kentville Research Station, and within such close proximity to the Provincial Sanatorium and Camp Aldershot. The Apple Blossom Festival was born in Kentville in 1933, and the Grand Street Parade is still held here each spring.
After the war major economic changes such as the growth of highway travel and decline of the railway would impact the Town. Today Kentville has been reborn as the business centre of the County and remains the professional centre for the Annapolis Valley. The rest, they say, is history!
(Revised November 2014)
*”Some History of the Town of Kentville”, 2000, from the archives of the Kings County Museum.
Other Sources for Town History Include:
Comeau, Louis V., “Images of our Past; Historic Kentville”, Halifax, Nimbus Press, 2003.
Nichols, Mabel G., “The Devil’s Half-Acre”, Kentville, Town of Kentville, 1986.
“Kentville”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentville, November 2013.
Kings County Museum (www.okcm.ca)
------------
Dissolution
of the Friends of the Kentville Public Library Society- 2006- this was
the dream... and had over $100,000 – WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR FUNDING?
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Vatican Library
in Rome, Italy
Pope Nicholas V established the library in the Vatican in
1448 by combining some 350 Greek, Latin and Hebrew codices inherited
from his predecessors with his own collection and extensive acquisitions, among
them manuscripts from the imperial Library of Constantinople. The Biblioteca
Apostolica Vaticana was established in 1475. (Source)
The library at
St. Catherine's Monastery at Mount Sinai, Egypt
The oldest record of monastic life
at Sinai comes from the travel journal written in Latin by a woman
named Egeria about 381-384. [...] The monastery library
preserves the second largest collection of
early codices and manuscripts in the world, outnumbered
only by the Vatican Library. (Source)
---
Kentville, county to share cost of library
FRANCES WILLICK STAFF REPORTER fwillick@herald.ca
@fwillick
A bigger, better library in Kentville is one step
closer to reality.
The Municipality of the County of Kings decided
at a council meeting last week that it will contribute 50 per cent of the
building costs for a new location.
The Kentville library must move by next spring
because the land where it stands is needed for the approach to a new bridge
that will be built over the Cornwallis River in 2016.
While the town and the county contribute
financially toward staff and books at the library, funding for the municipally
owned building has previously come solely from the Town of Kentville, even
though county residents make up roughly half the library's users.
Tom MacEwan, the chief administrative officer of
the Municipality of the County of Kings, said part of the decision to fund the
project was a recognition of that imbalance.
But the new library will also bring benefits to
patrons, he said.
‟It's going to provide them with the ability to
attend a bigger, more modern facility," MacEwan said.
‟Wherever it goes, it's going to be upgraded.
It's putting the library patrons into a long-term facility that's going to have
significant capital upgrades over what they're currently using." The town
has already received two development proposals that the town and county agree
are front-runners.
One is a proposal by the Whynot family's group of
businesses to construct a building on River Street, and the other, pitched by
Parsons Investments, would see a former church beside the liquor store on Main
Street repurposed to house the library. In both cases, the space would be
leased.
Whichever proposal is chosen, the annual building
costs are expected to be about $80,000 per year, which does not include the
cost of staffing and books. Right now, building costs are about $30,000.
The space will also grow from about 2,100 square
feet to roughly 4,000 square feet.
The county's funding decision is contingent on
the county and the town having equal input and agreeing on a relocation site
and on the successful negotiation of a lease.
MacEwan and Town of Kentville CAO Mark Phillips
hope to make a joint recommendation to their respective councils by December
and have a confirmed agreement with the developer by the end of the year.
‟Having the town and the county agree, at least
by handshake right now, that we're going to move forward on this now is such a
big piece. The train has left the station, so to speak," said Phillips.
MacEwan agreed.
‟We see it as a win-win, and whenever you can
find those, you have to take advantage of them." The timeline to complete
the move is tight, as the library must be vacated by May or June, Phillips
said.
‟We feel confident with at least the two
developers we're talking about that a renovation can be completed, or that a
new build can be completed.
‟We have been told that a fiveto six-month window
is what they would need for a turnkey operation. That being said, in the
construction world, even with the renovations, there's always the
unknowns."
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Local Public Libraries
Serve Important Functions as Meeting Places, but Demographic Variables Appear
Significant, Suggesting a Need for Extensive Further Research
R. Laval
Hunsucker
Abstract
Abstract
Objective – The investigators hoped to gain an understanding of the extent to which local public libraries are used by their visitors as meeting places, and in what ways. Furthermore, they sought to determine whether certain demographic variables correlate with variations in these ways of using the library. Finally, they were looking for evidence of a relationship between the degree of the subjects’ general community involvement on the one hand, and their participation in various types of meetings in the library on the other.
Design – Questionnaire-based telephone survey.
Setting – Oslo, Norway.
Subjects – 750 adult residents (eighteen years or older) from 3 of Oslo’s 15 boroughs.
Methods – The researchers selected these boroughs (not identified in this article and referred to, unusually, as “townships”) because they judged them to represent three demographically varying types of urban community. In March of 2006, a professional survey organization drew numbers at random from a database of telephone numbers in each borough, continuing until it had reached the desired number of 250 actual survey respondents, including cell phone users, for each borough. It weighted the sample according to gender and age, and administered the telephone interviews on the basis of a questionnaire which the researchers had designed to yield quantitative data for ten independent, and seven dependent, variables. Interviewers asked the respondents to answer questions on the basis of their entire recollected personal history of public library use, rather than during a specific defined period.
Six of the independent variables were demographic: borough of residence, occupational category, age category, educational level, cultural/linguistic background (dichotomous: either non-Norwegian or Norwegian), and household income category. The other four were: level of participation in local activities, degree of involvement in community improvement activities, degree to which a subject trusted various community institutions, and frequency of local library use. “Meeting intensity,” or the number of different meeting types for which a given subject could remember ever having used the library, was one dependent variable. The others were participation/non-participation in each of the six defined meeting types. The researchers employed hierarchical multiple regression analyses for determining degrees of correlation.
Main Results – “Meeting intensity” correlated significantly and positively not only with frequency of library use in general, but also with the number of local activities participated in and level of involvement in community improvement activities, as well as with non-Norwegian cultural/linguistic background. It correlated significantly and negatively with household income. The investigators report no significant relationship of meeting intensity with occupational or age category, or with level of education. Participation in certain of the defined meeting types did correlate significantly with certain independent variables. Respondents tend to turn to the local public library more for “public sphere” meetings as they grow older. Participation in this kind of meeting is likewise more common among those with a higher level of community involvement and engagement, but also among the lower-income respondents. High-intensive “joint activities” meetings with friends, acquaintances, colleagues or classmates are especially popular among adults in the lower age categories, as well as among respondents with a lower level of education and with a lower household income. “Virtual” meetings (via library Internet use), also defined as a high-intensive meeting type, are especially popular with the occupational categories “job seeker” and “homemaker,” as well as with the younger respondents and with those who have a lower household income. Use of the local public library for both the “virtual” and the “joint-activities” types of meetings is also considerably more common among those with a non-Norwegian cultural/linguistic background. Frequency of library use in general was not related to participation in either of these two types of meetings at the library, but it was related to library use for the more low-intensive meeting types (chance meetings and encounters, library as rendezvous point for joint activities elsewhere), as well as to what the investigators term using the library as a “metameeting place,” i.e., a place for finding “information about other arenas and activities” in the local community.
Conclusion – The local public library seems to serve, for many of its patrons, an important function as venue for meetings of various kinds. In general, using it for meeting purposes appears to be something that appeals more to younger than to older adults, more to those in the lower than to those in the higher income categories, and more to those with an immigrant than to those with an indigenous background. The perhaps even less expected finding that use of the library for a relatively intensive, instrumental kind of meeting activity correlates significantly with a lower level of education would particularly suggest a need for further research. Noteworthy, as well, is the apparent fact that those who make use of the local public library as a venue for relatively intensive meeting activity, whether physical or virtual, tend to come to the library expressly for that purpose, and visit the library less often for other reasons than do other library users. The urban districts in which respondents resided were in fact not internally homogeneous enough, nor socio-economically distinct enough from one another, to yield correlations of practical evidentiary value.
It was the researchers’ working assumption that their three independent variables of community engagement – i.e., level of participation in local activities, degree of involvement in community improvement activities, and degree to which one trusts community institutions – can be taken together to represent the amount of a respondent’s “social capital.” They detected, in general, a positive correlation between the extent of such “social capital” and the use of the library as a meeting place. Neither the strength nor the direction of this relationship was clear, however, from the results of this study: both will have to be explored through further research. “Does the library contribute to generating social capital,” they ask, “or is the use of the library as a meeting place a result of pre-existing social capital?” (p. 25) They were hoping at least to discover whether the library, specifically in its role as a low-intensive and “public sphere” meeting place, contributes to the generation of “bridging” social capital between citizens of differing cultural backgrounds, with differing values, viewpoints, and interests. Though their findings did not justify this conclusion, and Skøtt’s (2005) study even contradicts it, the researchers nevertheless express their confidence that, while not a genuine “third place” in the sense intended by Oldenburg (1999), “the library as a meeting place plays a substantial role in equalizing the possibilities of being an active citizen across social and economic differences” (p. 25). But however that may be, they are in any case convinced that their questionnaire and categorization scheme for meeting types have now shown their value, and that the grouping of types into “low-intensive” versus “high-intensive” appears to be fruitful. They do concede that their approach still requires more thorough and detailed examination, and that their survey instrument must be further refined and developed.
Objective – The investigators hoped to gain an understanding of the extent to which local public libraries are used by their visitors as meeting places, and in what ways. Furthermore, they sought to determine whether certain demographic variables correlate with variations in these ways of using the library. Finally, they were looking for evidence of a relationship between the degree of the subjects’ general community involvement on the one hand, and their participation in various types of meetings in the library on the other.
Design – Questionnaire-based telephone survey.
Setting – Oslo, Norway.
Subjects – 750 adult residents (eighteen years or older) from 3 of Oslo’s 15 boroughs.
Methods – The researchers selected these boroughs (not identified in this article and referred to, unusually, as “townships”) because they judged them to represent three demographically varying types of urban community. In March of 2006, a professional survey organization drew numbers at random from a database of telephone numbers in each borough, continuing until it had reached the desired number of 250 actual survey respondents, including cell phone users, for each borough. It weighted the sample according to gender and age, and administered the telephone interviews on the basis of a questionnaire which the researchers had designed to yield quantitative data for ten independent, and seven dependent, variables. Interviewers asked the respondents to answer questions on the basis of their entire recollected personal history of public library use, rather than during a specific defined period.
Six of the independent variables were demographic: borough of residence, occupational category, age category, educational level, cultural/linguistic background (dichotomous: either non-Norwegian or Norwegian), and household income category. The other four were: level of participation in local activities, degree of involvement in community improvement activities, degree to which a subject trusted various community institutions, and frequency of local library use. “Meeting intensity,” or the number of different meeting types for which a given subject could remember ever having used the library, was one dependent variable. The others were participation/non-participation in each of the six defined meeting types. The researchers employed hierarchical multiple regression analyses for determining degrees of correlation.
Main Results – “Meeting intensity” correlated significantly and positively not only with frequency of library use in general, but also with the number of local activities participated in and level of involvement in community improvement activities, as well as with non-Norwegian cultural/linguistic background. It correlated significantly and negatively with household income. The investigators report no significant relationship of meeting intensity with occupational or age category, or with level of education. Participation in certain of the defined meeting types did correlate significantly with certain independent variables. Respondents tend to turn to the local public library more for “public sphere” meetings as they grow older. Participation in this kind of meeting is likewise more common among those with a higher level of community involvement and engagement, but also among the lower-income respondents. High-intensive “joint activities” meetings with friends, acquaintances, colleagues or classmates are especially popular among adults in the lower age categories, as well as among respondents with a lower level of education and with a lower household income. “Virtual” meetings (via library Internet use), also defined as a high-intensive meeting type, are especially popular with the occupational categories “job seeker” and “homemaker,” as well as with the younger respondents and with those who have a lower household income. Use of the local public library for both the “virtual” and the “joint-activities” types of meetings is also considerably more common among those with a non-Norwegian cultural/linguistic background. Frequency of library use in general was not related to participation in either of these two types of meetings at the library, but it was related to library use for the more low-intensive meeting types (chance meetings and encounters, library as rendezvous point for joint activities elsewhere), as well as to what the investigators term using the library as a “metameeting place,” i.e., a place for finding “information about other arenas and activities” in the local community.
Conclusion – The local public library seems to serve, for many of its patrons, an important function as venue for meetings of various kinds. In general, using it for meeting purposes appears to be something that appeals more to younger than to older adults, more to those in the lower than to those in the higher income categories, and more to those with an immigrant than to those with an indigenous background. The perhaps even less expected finding that use of the library for a relatively intensive, instrumental kind of meeting activity correlates significantly with a lower level of education would particularly suggest a need for further research. Noteworthy, as well, is the apparent fact that those who make use of the local public library as a venue for relatively intensive meeting activity, whether physical or virtual, tend to come to the library expressly for that purpose, and visit the library less often for other reasons than do other library users. The urban districts in which respondents resided were in fact not internally homogeneous enough, nor socio-economically distinct enough from one another, to yield correlations of practical evidentiary value.
It was the researchers’ working assumption that their three independent variables of community engagement – i.e., level of participation in local activities, degree of involvement in community improvement activities, and degree to which one trusts community institutions – can be taken together to represent the amount of a respondent’s “social capital.” They detected, in general, a positive correlation between the extent of such “social capital” and the use of the library as a meeting place. Neither the strength nor the direction of this relationship was clear, however, from the results of this study: both will have to be explored through further research. “Does the library contribute to generating social capital,” they ask, “or is the use of the library as a meeting place a result of pre-existing social capital?” (p. 25) They were hoping at least to discover whether the library, specifically in its role as a low-intensive and “public sphere” meeting place, contributes to the generation of “bridging” social capital between citizens of differing cultural backgrounds, with differing values, viewpoints, and interests. Though their findings did not justify this conclusion, and Skøtt’s (2005) study even contradicts it, the researchers nevertheless express their confidence that, while not a genuine “third place” in the sense intended by Oldenburg (1999), “the library as a meeting place plays a substantial role in equalizing the possibilities of being an active citizen across social and economic differences” (p. 25). But however that may be, they are in any case convinced that their questionnaire and categorization scheme for meeting types have now shown their value, and that the grouping of types into “low-intensive” versus “high-intensive” appears to be fruitful. They do concede that their approach still requires more thorough and detailed examination, and that their survey instrument must be further refined and developed.
---
Community
Centered: 23 Reasons Why Your Library Is the Most Important Place in Town
by Julie Biando Edwards, Melissa S. Rauseo, &
Kelley Rae Unger
As librarians, we know the value of our community
services, and our patrons appreciate their importance as well. But in an
increasingly digital world, we see the role of libraries as community and
cultural centers at times undervalued, and occasionally under fire. When
shrinking municipal budgets combine with the nonstop technological revolution,
public library services that focus on building community face-to-face,
inspiring and educating patrons about art, literature, and music, and helping
patrons engage in civil discourse can seem quaint. But it is precisely those
shrinking budgets and the onslaught of technologically mediated life that make
public libraries’ cultural and community offerings more important than ever.
David Morris wrote a stirring piece last May in which
he argues for the value that public libraries bring to their communities.[1] More than just
books and banks of computers, libraries are still places where individuals
gather to explore, interact, and imagine. We decided to take a look at some of
the specific ways in which libraries add value to our communities and serve as
cultural centers for our patrons. We separated library services into five very
broad categories: (1) libraries as community builders, (2) libraries as
community centers for diverse populations, (3) libraries as centers for the
arts, (4) libraries as universities, and (5) libraries as champions of youth.
Under each of these we highlighted specific ways in which libraries serve in
these capacities, and included examples of unique or exemplary library services
that support the notion that libraries are about more than just information.
In building this list we had two goals. First, we
wanted to highlight some of the incredible work in which libraries are engaged.
From tiny public libraries to huge city institutions with multiple branches,
libraries across the United States are building community and supporting local
culture in exciting ways. Take a look, the examples are inspiring. Hopefully,
they will encourage librarians interested in community services and cultural
outreach to make connections with each other, share ideas, and build
partnerships. We believe that reading these examples will spark some new ideas
for public librarians and prompt them to try a new program or service, or to
expand upon the great services that are already in place at their libraries.
Former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, a strong supporter of libraries as
community builders, addressed librarians saying, “Unless you are out there
changing neighborhoods, you are not completing the work you are to do.”[2]Strengthening
neighborhoods and championing the cultural lives of communities are big
responsibilities. We think librarians are up to the challenge.
Second, we hope that this list will not only inspire
librarians to become more active in creating services and programs that are
community focused, but will give them some tools with which to advocate on
behalf of public libraries. As we said, we all know the value of our libraries.
It’s time to take the value we add and use that to advocate for better funding
and more resources. Those who argue that libraries are becoming obsolete don’t
know what public libraries do in the twenty-first century. We hope you use the
examples that follow to help educate stakeholders, making them aware that
libraries are more than books and technology. Libraries build citizens. They
educate individuals and foster thoughtful communities. They are essential components
of communities—worth fighting for and worth funding. Hopefully, the
presentation of these examples to city governments, library boards, and the
community at large will help us demonstrate our worth and become increasingly
valued partners in our communities.
Libraries as Community Builders
- Libraries help revitalize struggling or depressed neighborhoods and downtowns.
- Place-based economic development stresses the importance of offering attractive, functional, and community-based places, such as libraries, in town squares and depressed neighborhoods. Like a major department store in a mall, libraries attract large numbers of people, creating economic opportunities for a myriad of businesses and organizations in the surrounding area. Large cities (such as Chicago[3]), medium-sized ones (Hudson, Ohio), and even small towns (Putney, Vermont) have successfully transformed their libraries into the hubs of vibrant neighborhoods.[4]
- Libraries are important partners in sustainability.
- As key municipal agencies, and focal points for community education, libraries are major players in creating livable, environmentally friendly cities and towns. The Urban Libraries Council released a report detailing the unique ways in which libraries can further sustainability at the local level.[5] Beyond ensuring that library construction projects consider environmental impact, libraries can take a lead in supporting local foods and artisans, like the Peabody (Mass.) Institute Library’s (PIL) partnering with local businesses to pioneer a farmers’ market in their courtyard, or the Richmond (Calif.) Public Library’s (RPL) seed lending library which “nurtures locally-adapted plant varieties, and fosters community resilience, self-reliance and a culture of sharing.[6]”
- Libraries’ special collections grow out of specific community needs.
- In addition to RPL’s seed lending library, there are other examples of libraries that provide circulating collections of everything from cake pans to fishing rods to bike locks. The Iowa City (Iowa) Public Library circulates framed posters and original artwork through its Art-to-Go collection[7]. The Temescal Branch of the Oakland (Calif.) Public Library literally builds the community through its Tool Lending Library, which was created in 1991 to help rebuilding efforts after a disaster[8]. Libraries that start such unique collections show how locally responsive and flexible a truly community-centered library can be.
- Archives preserve historic artifacts, oral histories, digital history projects, and monographs relevant to the community, including minority groups.
- Communities lucky enough to have archivists have a great advantage when it comes to organizing historical records and artifacts. An organized archive is a place where people can research genealogy and immigration history, do environmental research, and more. An archivist is an advocate for preservation who, among other things, coordinates the restoration of maps and paintings, the digitization of vital records, and the creation of oral history projects. With projects like the Mass. Memories Road Show[9] and the Veterans History Project,[10] evidence of the importance of archives is everywhere.
- Libraries are places where people come to know themselves and their communities.
- In the words of Robert Putnam, “People may go to the library looking mainly for information, but they find each other there.”[11] New moms connect at baby story-times; elderly people, often facing difficult life transitions, attend events and find that they make new friends; teenagers meet up in libraries’ teen spaces after school; and readers discuss current events in the periodicals room. In libraries, community-building connections are happening all the time.
- Libraries serve as catalysts for addressing social problems.
- Public librarians know their communities firsthand, and are often the first to recognize a pressing local need, simply because they interact on a daily basis with patrons from all walks of life. This puts libraries and librarians in the best position not only to bring local issues to municipal governments and social agencies, but also to partner with local governments and agencies to address the needs of a community. PIL’s “Library Lunches,”[12] part of the Summer Food Service Program, is a compelling example of how a library recognized a social need, brought it to the attention of the community, and partnered with local agencies to address an important issue—how to provide meals for hundreds of hungry kids.
- Libraries, which champion, promote, and reflect important democratic values, are a part of the community’s political life.
- Libraries can, should, and do play an important role in the political life of a community. From Banned Books Week displays,[13] which combat the perils of school and community censorship efforts, to programs such as the September Project,[14] which gathers community members and encourages them to talk about issues of freedom, justice, and democracy, libraries are pivotal in encouraging informed political involvement. Libraries also help citizens learn how to become advocates for themselves and their communities.
- Library buildings as architectural structures are culturally relevant.
- From gorgeous old Carnegie buildings to modern marvels like the Seattle Public Library, library buildings are rich in symbolism and meaning. Whether it is architecturally grand or the simplest of rooms tucked into a city government building, the physical space of the library communicates to the public our underlying values: that libraries, information, and shared community space matter, something that the American Library Association (ALA) recognizes each year with its Library Design Showcase in American Libraries.[15]
- Libraries provide important business resources, especially for small local businesses.
- With the recent collapse of many big corporations, it has become more widely acknowledged that small businesses provide most of the new jobs in our current economy. Libraries have a long history of serving local entrepreneurs and businesses, but some, like the District of Columbia Public Libraries (DCPL), are taking their business services to a new level. The Urban Libraries Council report, “Making Cities Stronger,” describes several library initiatives, including DCPL’s Enchanced Business Information Center (e-BIC) project. Located at the main branch library, e-BIC includes not only business resources, but also a state-of-the-art video conference room, full-time librarian, and staff-training workshops.[16]
Libraries as Community Centers for
Diverse Populations
- Libraries help to ensure that non-English speakers see themselves represented in their communities.
- Multilingual library websites, like those at the San Francisco[17] and Queens (N.Y.) public libraries,[18] are just one of the ways in which libraries help non-English speakers see themselves represented in their communities. Public libraries often collect books in languages other than English, incorporate appropriate signage, and hire librarians and staff members who are multilingual. Additionally, some libraries offer bilingual book clubs.[19] Services like these help all community members recognize the depth of diversity that exists in their communities.
- Libraries provide immigrants with helpful information about, and opportunities to connect with, their new communities.
- Not only are libraries gateways to the community, they provide a place where new immigrants and their families can connect with resources, learn new skills, and meet new people. The San Diego Public Library offers a specific webpage highlighting area and library services for new Americans.[20] The New York Public Library (NYPL) offers English As a Second Language (ESL) classes, provides citizenship information, and celebrates Immigrant Heritage Week.[21] PLA offers an online learning module for librarians interested in providing new or improved services to new immigrants.[22] Services like these make libraries essential for new immigrants, as they provide services and information about their new community and government while at the same time meeting the needs of these new patrons in an accessible and appropriate way.
- Libraries provide information, resources, and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexed, and questioning (LGBTIQ) patrons.
- For gay teens, libraries are much-needed safe spaces and supportive librarians are allies and mentors. NYPL offers programs for LGBTIQ adults and teens,[23] including an annual anti-prom designed for high school students who may not feel welcomed and included at a traditional school-based prom. The NYPL also maintains a blog that connects readers with LGBTIQ resources and information.[24]
- Libraries provide information, resources, and support for patrons with disabilities.
- Recognizing that diversity isn’t just about ethnicity, language, or culture, public libraries provide unique and adaptable spaces and services for patrons with disabilities. In 2001, ALA adopted a policy on library services for people with disabilities,[25] and many libraries, including the Denver[26] and Chicago[27] public libraries, offer a variety of tools and services, from software and equipment to special collections and homebound programs. The Nashville (Tenn.) Public Library has “several staff members fluent in American Sign Language.”[28] Going one step further, some libraries develop creative programs to partner with patrons with disabilities. For example, PIL’s Bookworm Café,[29] a partnership with a high school life skills program, allows the library to offer a morning coffee cart to patrons, while providing valuable work experience for students with special needs.
Libraries as Centers for the Arts
- Libraries provide access to nonmainstream points of view and give voice to local artists.
- Public libraries strive to provide collections and services that represent various points of view, and often work closely with local artists to do so. In many communities, local authors seek out public libraries as places to promote and make their new books available, and library services like Overdrive[30] allow local musicians to upload and distribute their work. From the art gallery at the Newton Free Library[31] in Massachusetts to NYPL’s collection of zines,[32]local arts abound in public libraries.
- Libraries provide opportunities for free classes that encourage art appreciation as well as art participation.
- Providing opportunities for children and adults alike, library arts programs range from the simplest of crafts to the finest of fine arts. Picturing America programs,[33] with their focus on American art and art history, creative writing workshops, and painting classes, are just a few examples of the ways that libraries offer a wealth of opportunities to explore and understand art.
- Libraries provide access to the arts for all, not just those who can afford them.
- As Keith Richards said, “The public library is the great equalizer.”[34] Despite the rising costs of concert and theater tickets, public library events (including concerts, author visits, and gallery displays) are often offered free of charge, enabling people of any income level to attend. In addition, library book groups allow people to explore and discuss the literary arts, and the Great Stories Club[35] introduce at-risk youth to literature. The best part: it’s all free and open to the public.
Libraries as Universities
- Libraries serve as the “people’s university.”
- In a time when education is increasingly expensive, public libraries provide information and educational opportunities free for all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Offered by libraries across the county, ALA’s Let’s Talk about It programs[36] are wonderful examples of scholar-facilitated learning opportunities in libraries. In addition, many libraries present classes and discussion programs, and some even provide online continuing education courses such as the Universal Class database.[37]
- Libraries offer opportunities for remote access, making it possible for those who can’t get to the library to still access the library’s cultural and educational offerings.
- In addition to bookmobiles and databases, many libraries go above and beyond to make their services available to everyone. Polk County (Fla.) Library System offers B-Mail,[38] a free book-by-mail delivery service, and in Zimbabwe donkey-drawn carts deliver library services to remote villages.[39]
- Libraries go beyond providing content to enabling patrons to create their own content.
- Librarians know that patrons aren’t just information consumers, they’re information producers. Patrons use the library to gain knowledge in order to create their own new and independent works. Increasing numbers of libraries provide spaces and services that meet the needs of people who want to learn how to edit Wikipedia, set up blogs or podcasts, create their own zines, and so much more. Many libraries offer art or writing workshops and groups, and some provide music practice rooms for patrons. Programs like ImaginOn[40] in Charlotte (N.C.) provide exciting models that take community partnership, creativity, and creation to a new level.
- Libraries promote civil discourse.
- The decline of civil discourse stems in part from the fact that it is so easy for people to watch news about, buy products from, and engage—in both the virtual and real worlds—only with those of similar backgrounds and ideologies. Public libraries, through such programs as The Human Library[41] and Socrates Café,[42] can help build small communities of difference that encourage people to interact with and learn from each other through dialogue. By both actively promoting civil discourse through these programs, and by modeling and upholding the principles of free inquiry and expression for all, libraries help individuals rediscover the importance of and increased need for civil discourse in American life.
Libraries as Champions of Youth
- Libraries teach teens important life skills.
- The skills that teens pick up from teen advisory boards, volunteer opportunities, programs, and jobs can prepare them for success in high school, college, and the workforce. Brooklyn Public Library’s Multicultural Internship Program provides teens with positive work experiences, while also providing the library with a diverse staff that more closely mirrors the demographics of its community.[43]
- Free tutoring, homework help programs, and summer reading programs for kids and teens help bridge the economic divide that impacts students’ academic performance.
- The cost of hiring a private tutor is well beyond what many library patrons can afford, so libraries offer homework help and tutoring online, by phone, in person, and even through social media and homework apps.[44] Annual summer reading programs also have a positive impact on student performance and, according to a 2010 study conducted by Dominican University’s Graduate School of Library and Information Science, students’ reading skills get a boost from these popular nationwide events.[45]
- Libraries are important partners in child development.
- Through library collections, programs, and physical spaces, children learn to share, to be engaged in their communities, to participate in the arts, and to explore their immediate world and the world at large. There are surely endless examples of innovative library services for children, including the Middle Country Public Library’s (in Centereach, N.Y.) Nature Explorium, which engages children in learning about the natural world.[46]
These examples are just a few of the many amazing
things that public libraries around the United States (and the world) are doing
to build and maintain strong community connections. We encourage you to try
some of these ideas in your own libraries, and we hope that these ideas will
help you be better able to convince your community leaders of the important
role that public libraries play in communities large and small.
References
[1] David Morris, “The Public
Library Manifesto: Why Libraries Matter, and How We Can Save Them,” YES! Magazine, May 6,
2011, accessed June 17, 2011.
[2]Robert Putnam, Better Together: Restoring the American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003), 42.
[3]Ibid., 34–54.
[4]William M. Senville, “Libraries Bring Value to Our Communities,” Planning Commissioners Journal 75 (Summer 2009), accessed June 7, 2011.
[5]Urban Libraries Council, “Partners for the Future: Public Libraries and Local Governments Creating Sustainable Communities,” 2010, accessed June
7, 2011.
[6]Richmond Public Library, “Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library,” accessed June 15, 2011.
[7]Iowa City Public Library, “Unique Collections: Art,” accessed June 6, 2011.
[8]Oakland Public Library, “Temescal Tool Lending Library,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[9]University of Massachusetts Boston, “Mass. Memories Road Show,”accessed June 7, 2011.
[10]Library of Congress American Folklife Center, “Veterans History Project,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[11]Robert Putnam, Better Together: Restoring the American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003), 49.
[12]Matthew K. Roy, “New Summer Program Provides Free Lunch to Peabody Youth,” Salem News, June 25, 2009, accessed June 21, 2011.
[13]See American Library Association, “Banned Books Week,” and “Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read,” both accessed June 21, 2011.
[14]The September Project blog, accessed June 21, 2011.
[15]Greg Landgraf, “Library Design Showcase 2011,” American Libraries, Mar. 23, 2011, accessed June 21, 2011.
[16]Urban Libraries Council, “Making Cities Stronger: Public Library Contributions to Local Economic Development,” Jan. 2007, accessed June 7, 2011.
[17]San Francisco Public Library, “United States Citizenship Resources,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[18]Queens Library, “Citizenship and Immigrant Services,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[19]Stacie N. Galang, “Peabody Public Library Starts First Bilingual Book Club,” Salem News, May 10, 2010, accessed June 25, 2011.
[20]San Diego Public Library, “Resources for New Americans,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[21]New York Public Library, “ Immigrant Services,” accessed June 21, 2011, www.nypl.org/help/community-outreach/immigrant-services.
[22]Public Library Association, “Welcome to the United States: Services for New Immigrants,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[23]New York Public Library, “Public Programs,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[24]———, “LGBT@NYPL,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[25]The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies, a division of the American Library Association,“Library Services for
People with Disabilities Policy,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[26]Denver Public Library, “Services for Persons with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[27]Chicago Public Library, “Find Services for People with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011, www.chipublib.org/howto/lib_disability.php.
[28]Nashville Public Library, “For People with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[29]Stacey N. Galang, “Cafe Launches in Peabody Library’s Young Adult Section,” Salem News, Dec. 19, 2007, accessed Sept. 27, 2011.
[30]OverDrive homepage, accessed June 7, 2011.
[31]Newton Free Library, “Calendar of Events: June 2011 Art Exhibits” accessed June 7, 2011.
[32]New York Public Library, “Zines,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[33]Picturing America for Public Libraries, accessed June 7, 2011.
[34]New York Public Library, “Live from the NYPL: Keith Richards,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[35]ALA Public Programs Office, “Great Stories Club,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[36]———, “Let’s Talk About It,” accessedJune 7, 2011, www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/ppo/programming/ltai/letstalkaboutit.cfm.
[37]UniversalClass homepage, accessed June 7, 2011.
[38]Polk County Library System, “Books by Mail,” accessed June 27, 2011.
[39]Lewis Jones, “ZDDT Appeal: Supporting the Donkey Library,”Aug. 1, 2011, accessed Sept. 27, 2011.
[40]ImaginOn homepage, accessed June 21, 2011.
[41]The Human Library homepage, accessed June 21, 2011.
[42]Society for Philosophical Inquiry, “Socrates Café,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[43]Brooklyn Public Library, “Multicultural Internship Program,” accessed June 6, 2011.
[44]Homework NYC homepage, accessed June 6, 2011.
[45]Susan Roman, Deborah T. Carran, and Carole D. Fiore, “The Dominican Study: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Reading Gap,” Dominican University Graduate School of Library and Information Science, June 2010, accessed June 7, 2011.
[46]Middle Country Public Library, “MCPL Nature Explorium,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[2]Robert Putnam, Better Together: Restoring the American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003), 42.
[3]Ibid., 34–54.
[4]William M. Senville, “Libraries Bring Value to Our Communities,” Planning Commissioners Journal 75 (Summer 2009), accessed June 7, 2011.
[5]Urban Libraries Council, “Partners for the Future: Public Libraries and Local Governments Creating Sustainable Communities,” 2010, accessed June
7, 2011.
[6]Richmond Public Library, “Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library,” accessed June 15, 2011.
[7]Iowa City Public Library, “Unique Collections: Art,” accessed June 6, 2011.
[8]Oakland Public Library, “Temescal Tool Lending Library,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[9]University of Massachusetts Boston, “Mass. Memories Road Show,”accessed June 7, 2011.
[10]Library of Congress American Folklife Center, “Veterans History Project,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[11]Robert Putnam, Better Together: Restoring the American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003), 49.
[12]Matthew K. Roy, “New Summer Program Provides Free Lunch to Peabody Youth,” Salem News, June 25, 2009, accessed June 21, 2011.
[13]See American Library Association, “Banned Books Week,” and “Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read,” both accessed June 21, 2011.
[14]The September Project blog, accessed June 21, 2011.
[15]Greg Landgraf, “Library Design Showcase 2011,” American Libraries, Mar. 23, 2011, accessed June 21, 2011.
[16]Urban Libraries Council, “Making Cities Stronger: Public Library Contributions to Local Economic Development,” Jan. 2007, accessed June 7, 2011.
[17]San Francisco Public Library, “United States Citizenship Resources,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[18]Queens Library, “Citizenship and Immigrant Services,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[19]Stacie N. Galang, “Peabody Public Library Starts First Bilingual Book Club,” Salem News, May 10, 2010, accessed June 25, 2011.
[20]San Diego Public Library, “Resources for New Americans,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[21]New York Public Library, “ Immigrant Services,” accessed June 21, 2011, www.nypl.org/help/community-outreach/immigrant-services.
[22]Public Library Association, “Welcome to the United States: Services for New Immigrants,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[23]New York Public Library, “Public Programs,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[24]———, “LGBT@NYPL,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[25]The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies, a division of the American Library Association,“Library Services for
People with Disabilities Policy,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[26]Denver Public Library, “Services for Persons with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[27]Chicago Public Library, “Find Services for People with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011, www.chipublib.org/howto/lib_disability.php.
[28]Nashville Public Library, “For People with Disabilities,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[29]Stacey N. Galang, “Cafe Launches in Peabody Library’s Young Adult Section,” Salem News, Dec. 19, 2007, accessed Sept. 27, 2011.
[30]OverDrive homepage, accessed June 7, 2011.
[31]Newton Free Library, “Calendar of Events: June 2011 Art Exhibits” accessed June 7, 2011.
[32]New York Public Library, “Zines,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[33]Picturing America for Public Libraries, accessed June 7, 2011.
[34]New York Public Library, “Live from the NYPL: Keith Richards,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[35]ALA Public Programs Office, “Great Stories Club,” accessed June 7, 2011.
[36]———, “Let’s Talk About It,” accessedJune 7, 2011, www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/ppo/programming/ltai/letstalkaboutit.cfm.
[37]UniversalClass homepage, accessed June 7, 2011.
[38]Polk County Library System, “Books by Mail,” accessed June 27, 2011.
[39]Lewis Jones, “ZDDT Appeal: Supporting the Donkey Library,”Aug. 1, 2011, accessed Sept. 27, 2011.
[40]ImaginOn homepage, accessed June 21, 2011.
[41]The Human Library homepage, accessed June 21, 2011.
[42]Society for Philosophical Inquiry, “Socrates Café,” accessed June 21, 2011.
[43]Brooklyn Public Library, “Multicultural Internship Program,” accessed June 6, 2011.
[44]Homework NYC homepage, accessed June 6, 2011.
[45]Susan Roman, Deborah T. Carran, and Carole D. Fiore, “The Dominican Study: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Reading Gap,” Dominican University Graduate School of Library and Information Science, June 2010, accessed June 7, 2011.
[46]Middle Country Public Library, “MCPL Nature Explorium,” accessed June 7, 2011.
-----------------
15
Spectacular Libraries in Europe
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Libraries of Our Lives
Your favorite libraries, in your own words
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A directory of libraries throughout the world
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Kentville Library
Annapolis Valley, NS
Phone: 902-679-2544
Library
details: Kentville Library is a Public
library.
This library is affiliated with the system that serves Annapolis Valley, NS.
This library is affiliated with the system that serves Annapolis Valley, NS.
Permalink: 
http://librarytechnology.org/libraries/library.pl?id=12501
(Use this link to refer back to this listing.)
http://librarytechnology.org/libraries/library.pl?id=12501(Use this link to refer back to this listing.)
Technology Profile
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Product Name
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Year Contracted
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Current Automation System
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2005
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Previous Automation System
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1993
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(* Older versions of SirsiDynix
Symphony were called Unicorn)
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The library participates in the
shared automation system provided by the NCompasS
Consortium
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BLOGGED:
Canada Military News: Kentville, Nova Scotia Library- WE HAD A DREAM..... and old foggie political horsesheeet of our town and county of Kings have killed the dream and the future of our seniors and kids, disabled -library hopes- right from the lifeblood of community volunteers- AGAIN... Canada we need new and young people running our towns, villages, cities, municipalities, schools PERIOD... look at the shattered dreams -$100,000 citizens and groups raised -now they want 2 throw our library dreams away- RIP OFF THE BLINDERS- we need new and youngbloods elected -and with disabilities and the poor included - HMMMMM AND HAWWWING whilst our opportunities are lost- LIBRARIES ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF COMMUNITIES CANADA...come on ..imho
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