Libraries share a host of services to the community
Apr. 1—National Library Week's theme this year is "There's more to the story." Indeed there is: Libraries increasingly offer a host of services above and beyond loaning out books. In fact, when the Vigo County Public Library opens its 12 Points branch in 2024, it will emphasize its many family-friendly activities over book checkouts.
The Vigo County Public Library will be observing National Library Week, April 23-29 — as well as another holiday tucked into the middle of that week — in a variety of ways, says Elizabeth Scamihorn, the library's strategic communications manager.
There will be several in-house Library Week displays at both the main and West branches, and more popularly, Scamihorn said, the branches will produce its yearly offering of "We Love Our Library" yard signs in April.
"Community members love those yard signs — they come in and say, 'Is it time for the yard signs yet?' " said Scamihorn.
Both branches will also celebrate National Library Workers Day on April 25.
"We don't just work in this community, we live in this community," Scamihorn said. "We want to make sure that the work we're doing and the change we're bringing is beneficial to everyone.
"One of the unique features of a library is that we function to support our community," she added. "One of our greatest assets is to be able to listen and respond to what the community wants. Our communication isn't just a one-way street, it's a two-way street where we get to hear what they want and we're able to respond to those needs and put those ideas into practice."
Opening a branch in 12 Points is a prime example of heeding community requests.
"We are very excited to join the 12 Points community," said Scamihorn. "We chose that community because it has a variety of people who live, work and play in that neighborhood."
Scamihorn listed some of the popular services offered by the library, ranging from demonstrating how to use 3D printers to simply notarizing documents. Classes range from podcasting to making one's own lip balm.
A number of the events are technology-driven. A popular contest is a Robotics League, in which participants engage in a series of simple coding activities and compete against other programmers to see who can make their robot go the fastest or win other challenges. Even those who have never done coding before can participate in the event for all ages, though children should be accompanied by adults.
Another popular visitor is the Pancake bot, a robot who prints pancakes for attendees on its quarterly appearance in the Haute Create area.
A kids' event called "Secret Agent Science & Stories," which frequently gets booked up quickly, tests participants to see how they would perform as a secret agent.
Though not particularly technological in nature, the library's Lego Lab, offered every other Thursday, "is always a big, big deal, always a full house," Scamihorn said.
"Battle of the Books" may sound like another misguided effort to ban reading material, but it's another library program, conducted in partnership with the Vigo County School Corp. When created in 2002, only two schools would compete against one another, but by 2008 all local elementary schools participated.
On April 6, five middle schools will compete in round-robin brackets. On April 14, fourth and fifth graders from the 15 elementary schools will square off, as will the Gifted and Talented classes from Lost Creek and Dixie Bee in a separate competition. The battles take place at the school corporation's administration building in West Terre Haute.
Janet Brosmer, VCSC's curriculum coordinator, explained that each year the Indiana Library Federation selects the Young Hoosier Book Awards, naming 20 picture books, 20 intermediates and 20 aimed at middle-school readers.
Some of the titles are "The Screaming Hairy Armadillo and 76 Other Animals With Wild, Weird Names" by Matthew Murrie and Steve Murrie, "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein, "The City of the Plague Gods" by Sarwat Chadda and "My Life as a Potato" by Arianne Costner.
Brosmer said retired teacher Myla Evans reads every intermediate and middle-grade book — a total of 40 books varying in length from brief to bounteous — and writes 20 questions about each one. Those good at both reading and math know that means Evans has to come up with a total of 800 questions.
"She loves it, she absolutely loves writing these questions," Brosmer said. Evans' questions ask about particular narrative details, each beginning with "In which book ... ?" Contestants must name both the book's title and author.
An author of one of the books appears at the event and gives children autographed copies of the book. The library underwrites the author's traveling expenses and also offers schools the chance to book a youth librarian to come to the school and assist in practicing for the Battle.
Each school prints up team T-shirts. A Google meet link for every competition allows parents to watch from work.
"The library has enjoyed partnering with the school corporation for many years to support the Battle of the Books to encourage individuals to read and to study on a fun level, to expand literary skills," Scamihorn said. "It's been a fantastic partnership."
David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.
