Exploring Library Programs and Services
Hello Everyone!
Welcome to my blog post!
I've lived in Virginia Beach my entire life and I grew up visiting the library when I was able to, but mainly I took advantage of the Bookmobile that stopped at a park near my house every two weeks to feed my love of books and my need to read. The Virginia Beach Public Library System has always offered great services and programs, but over the past, I would say maybe 10 to 15, years they have gotten better and better.
That being said, I will be honest and say that I found it very difficult to find any libraries that had services that my home library system did not already have. Many services from what I have been able to ascertain are universal. All the libraries I searched either had many of the services my library had or all the services my library had. I had a bit more luck with the programs, but many were similar just with different names.
When I even did find anything that my library didn't have, it wasn't anything that I could really say would be a good addition to the programs and services already maintained. Also, they were not programs and services that I thought fit my libraries mission statement, which is as follows:
"The mission of the Virginia Beach Public Libraries provide diverse opportunities for learning and gathering that promote personal fulfillment, self-reliance and a sense of community, provide free and convenient access to accurate and current information and materials, and promote reading as a critical life skill and enjoyable activity for the entire Virginia Beach community." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Beach_Public_Library_System
Dallas Public Library: The Dallas Public Library is the only library that I found that offered a service that my library does not offer. It is a service called Ask the Library to Buy a Book where patrons can request a book or books, up to five per week, that the library does not already have, to be bought and put into circulation. There are limitations, no textbooks, workbooks, activity books, software, or magazine subscriptions, books cannot exceed $100.00, and no out of print and special order items. I love the idea of this service because it makes library patrons feel they have some say in what books are being circulated by the library. http://dallaslibrary1.org/services/index.php
District of Columbia Public Library: The District of Columbia Public Library has a program called Books from Birth. It is a program that was started in 2016 that if a child is enrolled, from birth to age five they receive a book in the mail every month. I think this is a fabulous way to encourage parents to read more to their children. Reading to young children is important because it builds vocabulary and helps develop language skills. https://www.dclibrary.org/
Miami-Dade Public Library System: Miami-Dade Public Library offers a program called L.E.A.D. Literacy for Every Adult in Dade to English-speaking adults who have low literacy skills and need assistance. I think this a great program because it fits right in with the part from my library's mission statement to "provide diverse opportunities for learning." https://www.mdpls.org/
I think it says a lot about how well the Virginia Beach Public Library System is doing since I found it so difficult to find programs and services from other libraries that it didn't already offer.
Welcome to my blog post!
I've lived in Virginia Beach my entire life and I grew up visiting the library when I was able to, but mainly I took advantage of the Bookmobile that stopped at a park near my house every two weeks to feed my love of books and my need to read. The Virginia Beach Public Library System has always offered great services and programs, but over the past, I would say maybe 10 to 15, years they have gotten better and better.
That being said, I will be honest and say that I found it very difficult to find any libraries that had services that my home library system did not already have. Many services from what I have been able to ascertain are universal. All the libraries I searched either had many of the services my library had or all the services my library had. I had a bit more luck with the programs, but many were similar just with different names.
When I even did find anything that my library didn't have, it wasn't anything that I could really say would be a good addition to the programs and services already maintained. Also, they were not programs and services that I thought fit my libraries mission statement, which is as follows:
Virginia Beach Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library
Dallas Public Library: The Dallas Public Library is the only library that I found that offered a service that my library does not offer. It is a service called Ask the Library to Buy a Book where patrons can request a book or books, up to five per week, that the library does not already have, to be bought and put into circulation. There are limitations, no textbooks, workbooks, activity books, software, or magazine subscriptions, books cannot exceed $100.00, and no out of print and special order items. I love the idea of this service because it makes library patrons feel they have some say in what books are being circulated by the library. http://dallaslibrary1.org/services/index.php
District of Columbia Public Library: The District of Columbia Public Library has a program called Books from Birth. It is a program that was started in 2016 that if a child is enrolled, from birth to age five they receive a book in the mail every month. I think this is a fabulous way to encourage parents to read more to their children. Reading to young children is important because it builds vocabulary and helps develop language skills. https://www.dclibrary.org/
Miami-Dade Public Library System: Miami-Dade Public Library offers a program called L.E.A.D. Literacy for Every Adult in Dade to English-speaking adults who have low literacy skills and need assistance. I think this a great program because it fits right in with the part from my library's mission statement to "provide diverse opportunities for learning." https://www.mdpls.org/
I think it says a lot about how well the Virginia Beach Public Library System is doing since I found it so difficult to find programs and services from other libraries that it didn't already offer.
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