GRAVETTE — Over the past few months, the Gravette Public Library has had a lot going on! In June we held a Renaissance Festival in Old Town Park, where 600-650 people attended. Shortly afterward, we held the Summer Reading Program and had 44 children in attendance for the full week. We did our inventory and our weeding process and now have a great book sale going on until the end of summer.
Currently, the library holds a little over 19,000 items in books and materials, including a nice selection of paperback Westerns recently donated by a patron.
Our e-books (digital books) are making slow growth monthly, and you can help by telling your friends that they’re available now. Our library website (gpl.sirsi.net) can help you with logging into the Overdrive network where you obtain the e-books. For those of you new to this concept, you can now read a book on a tablet, smart phone, computer or Nook/Kindle for two weeks and then it disappears from your device. It’s handy for those with sight problems, like my dad who is in the church choir and has visual problems. Now he can read the Bible on his Kindle!
We have reopened on Saturdays at the mayor’s request. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular hours Monday through Friday are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Mondays, wehave a book mobile that serves our seniors at the Senior Activity and Wellness Center. Tuesdays, we have our Tuesday Reading Program from 10:30 to 11 a.m. for prekindergarten kids. We read to them and do a craft, song or game. Parents’ participation is needed.
GED classes will resume when a teacher is secured. An active search is on for a new teacher to conduct the classes which are accredited through the Northwest Arkansas Community College. Nothing is required to take this class but yourself and a desire to get a GED. The teacher will test you and let you know where you will start. We are uncertain about when classes will begin at this time.
We have 18 computers/ laptops available for patron use and a reference room if you need to hold a class or work on genealogy. Microfiche is included. For the kids, we have two Early Learning Stations (computers) for children wanting to learn to read or play. WiFi is available if you need a hot spot!
Checkout periods on books and materials are for three weeks. No fees are assessed if the patron lives in Benton County. We need proof of residency, and a photo identifi cation is required. Adults may check out five items, and children three items.
On Sept. 19 and 20, we will hold a job fair at the Gravette Civic Center with businesses looking for employees. Persons seeking employment are welcome to come andhand in a resume or fi ll out applications. No resume?
Come to the library and let us help you with that!
Need help setting up an email address for computer use? We can do that too! Faxing is $1 per page for incoming or outgoing faxes. Charges for copying or computer printouts are 25 cents for black and white pages and $1 for color pages.
Perhaps our most exciting news is that we are going to be building a new library, approximately 6,000square feet, behind the current library. The current building will be taken down when the new one is finished to make room for parking and a green area for sitting.
To help with the building project, we are having a library gala from 6 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Horton Farms, with a silent auction. Tickets go on sale Sept. 1 at the library and both banks. Cost of a ticket is $50. Watch the Westside Eagle Observer for more information.
Community, Pages 8 on 08/28/2013