Letter to the Editor

Library offers wonderland of options

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Dear editor:

Many people don't pay much attention to libraries, unfortunately, but the one here in Mountain Home has much to offer and is steadily growing and updating.

From Oct. 1 of last year, there were 50,445 patron visits and 42,056 volumes circulated, 23,588 by adults and 18,468 by the kids around town. Along these lines, during a five-week period in June and July, a children's summer reading program produced 4,280 books being read by 312 kids, with gift cards presented to the top readers.

There is also a winter reading program for the adults as well.

In a recent interview with the library's Louise House, I also learned that 2,510 e-books were circulated, and there are now 23 computers available for public use, which now averages about 1,100 folks every month.

The local Friends of the Library group, through book sales and donations, generated $10,500 that went to computer lab stations, sponsoring programs, American Doll cases and such. Speaking of which, there will be an American Doll Tea at the library on Saturday, Sept. 28, encompassing two sessions, from 12:30-1 p.m. and 2:30-4 p.m.

The Mountain Home Library also sponsors activities like the annual Visual Arts Council Show, various guest speakers and local authors throughout each year and Elmore County historians such as Sherri Robinson and John Hiler.

During National Library Week this past April, 412 patrons filled out survey forms as to what they would like to see more of. E-books topped list, along with more book inventory.

Our town library is definitely being used, so if you haven't been there recently, you owe it to yourselves to stop by and check out what's going on.

Be sure to keep an eye in the paper as upcoming events materialize, and come on down.

-- Mike Bradbury