Sponsor a magazine for a year with benefits at the Beach library
Weekly Activities
Preschool Story Hour on Wednesday, July 22, at 10:30 a.m.
Introduction to Computers class on Thursday, July 23 at 10:30 a.m.
Summer Reading Program sessions on Tuesday, July 28, at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Activity Details
Preschool Story Hour continues July 22 as usual on Wednesdays. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to accompany their child for the readings and activities.
Introduction to Computers on July 23 aims to offer better understanding of computer basics. Pre-registration is needed.
Summer Reading Program on July 28 is open to ages 5 to 7 at the 9:30 a.m. session, and to ages 10 & 11 at the 11:00 a.m. session. Two sessions of the Program are already behind us and we’ve enjoyed the youth. Each session has been full and not only have the children been well behaved but seemed to enjoy the readings as well as the craft activities. Pre-registration is needed.
Upcoming Activities
Thursday, July 30, will offer a forty-five minute demo, Introduction to Vista that gets into the computer operating system Vista and how to utilize it better.
Fire Alarm
We had our annual testing last week Thursday morning. Half of the testing was completed before we opened and early morning users got rather used to hearing the alarm and messages. We are always glad when the test is behind us and also glad that all is in operating safe order.
You would be surprised at the number of inspections and tests that we go through each year. Some seem to have been the result of legislative dictate in response to a mishap someplace, and others pressure to satisfy an industry desire, and some good commonsense. It would be efficient if the legislature evaluated the wisdom of the many required inspections and tests.
Magazines
We carry over 100 print magazine subscriptions and 99 percent of these are actively read and enjoyed by many. It reinforces the value of a public library-resources shared efficiently. Not only do the magazines offer much current information, or update of ideas, but share what many folks in various communities are doing. Having the subscriptions can be a healthy green practice as one can read the magazine and share it with others, and not consume extra trees to have issues that only get limited reading. We find most patrons still like the physical feel of the magazines and seeing the color photos and paging experience.
If you’re electronically included or searching magazines from home, go to our webpage, www.fmb.lib.fl.us, click on Electronic Resources, then on Databases, on ‘here’ on the left column, and click on Proceed (from home, put your library card number in the box and then click on Proceed), and then page down and open Popular Magazines. You can then search among 25,965,458 articles in 100 some magazines.
Daily newspapers are also read and enjoyed by many library users in the library. We have not yet found an economical way of wide electronic access to newspapers.
Subscriptions
You saw above how much the print magazines are enjoyed and read in the library. We welcome sponsors to continue the subscriptions. A business or individual can sponsor a magazine for a year for between $11 and $75. You can add your business card to the binder or have the magazine donation in honor of a special event or person.
A list of available magazines is posted on the board on the left side of the front desk. Please consider your investment in this well used resource.
Construction
I had the pleasure of speaking with a gentleman last week who had moved away from the Beach and Florida, but missed what many of us see as paradise so much that he bought a condo again on the Beach and will be returning. His presence will be appreciated.
In the course of the conversation, he mentioned he expected to already see a new expansion of the library. It didn’t take long to realize that the reason for no activity was in large part dependent on the same economic downturn that many of us have experienced in the past two years.
Our plans remain as before, except that the timeline is expanded a bit. We are aware that the library is used so much that it simply must grow to stay current and continue to be an exemplary service institution. Some residents who are not library users have little idea of how much activity goes on in this inviting space. There are also some who are content with the way things are today and see no need to expand when their immediate needs are met today. However, the taxpayer surveys and focus groups conducted before the Board made the decision for the expansion reaffirmed many, many times over the value of having more space to offer an expanded collection and more possibilities for the community.
It’s tempting in an economic slowdown to want to just shut down. However, we will move ahead. While the construction fund financing has seemed to have a slow road when bankers indicate no tax-exempt funding is available, we remain open to exploring options as they come along.
Library Hours
Don’t remember library hours? Call for information. When we are closed, a recorder gives the hours of operation, either on 765-8162 or on 765-8163. Except for holidays, which would be mentioned on the recorder, we are open Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.. We look forward to seeing you.