Did You Know? National Library Week is April 7-13!
National Library Week is a wonderful yearly reminder of how libraries and library staff benefit the public. This year, I wanted to express my gratitude for the American Fork community specifically. 229,602 of you came to the American Fork Library last year and checked out 544,977 items. We saw 60,245 people at our programs and personally helped 38,913 patrons at one of our service desks. These numbers represent opportunities we have had to serve you.
Every time you visit, check out materials, use a study room, ask questions, request items, attend events, make suggestions, and say hello, you are letting us know what you enjoy about our library. We use all of these interactions to help us bring you more of what you want. For example, when we know our patrons love books by a certain author or on a specific topic, you can rest assured that we are adding more of them to our shelves! Thanks to patron feedback, we have expanded our digital resources to include Mango Languages, Kanopy, Beanstack, Bookflix, and more. High attendance has resulted in additional events and programs including English classes, Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, art shows, storytimes, author visits, after-school activities, writing competitions, and reading challenges.
Our mission is to make a positive, transformative difference in the lives of all those we serve. We are always seeking to assist those in our community with limited resources. That’s why you see our calendar full of activities for young families, teens, seniors, and those learning English and American Sign Language. We connect community members who are visually impared with materials from the Utah State Library for the Blind. We regularly host visits from special needs facilities. We collect items to donate to Tabitha's Way and local refugees each Christmas. Come in during National Library Week to see the vital role your library plays in American Fork.
While you are here, we invite you to "Send Us Some Love" by writing us a note with your own personal library story, best library experience, or favorite library book. Look for the display in the Library Rotunda for a card to fill out and drop in the collection box, or you can email us at aflibrary@americanfork.gov. We look forward to hearing from you!
Casandria Crane, Library Director
P.S. In case you're wondering, Tuesday, April 9 is National Library Worker's Day 😍 |