Patron Stories Reveal Impact of Libraries
"Libraries Transform" is a national campaign to showcase the many ways that self-discovery through library resources truly can transform lives.
You’ll read more about that in time, but our visitors tell that story best. Here are just a few “testimonials.”
Said one Library Center staffer: “One boy came up to the (Children’s) desk and asked for headphones. He was with a tween girl he introduced as his cousin. His cousin was standing beside him and mentioned that she had never been to our library before. I welcomed her and gave headphones to the boy.
“The tween girl walked away, and the little who boy leans over the desk and whispers ‘My cousin doesn't like libraries, but she hasn’t been here before. She is going to like libraries before she leaves!’”
Later that evening the same staffer overheard a little one in the Story Hour Room shout “I need coffee! Mom, go get me coffee!”
Somewhat concerned, the librarian said, "I went to check on him and discovered that he was really excited about our Imagination Playground and wanted coffee so he could stay awake and play with it. His parents wanted to mention that he has never had coffee before, but really enjoyed playing with the Imagination Playground blocks…"
Recently, a patron sent a donation to The Library Foundation with this note for the Outreach Department, which delivers materials to homebound individuals through Walking Books. She wrote, "Enclosed is a memorial gift in honor of my precious aunt, Virginia Purcell, who died October 12, 2016. She loved to paint, to read and watch TV, so after her macular degeneration got so bad she couldn’t do any of her favorite things, you were her life line with the books on tape. Thank you. She loved all of you."
Another staffer shared this: "While walking through Jarrett Middle School to do my Chat 'N Chew with the sixth- and seventh-grade boys, another young man came up and told me 'I never had any interest in reading until you started coming to tell us about the Summer Read Program every year. You are awesome!'"
Find this article at http://thelibrary.org/blogs/article.cfm?aid=4701&lid=0