As the Communications Manager for the Delaware County District Library, I’m out and about at more than 30 community events over the course of the year. I talk to a lot of individuals and the one thing I hear over and over is “I don’t have any kids, so I don’t need a library card” or “My kids are grown, so I don’t go to the library much anymore.”
Libraries have worked very hard over the last few decades to brand ourselves as the primary institution for early learning, reading readiness and pre-school education. But maybe that has also worked to the library’s detriment for the other age groups we serve?
Sure, in any given week we have 20 storytimes across our four branches. However, did you know that for adults we also have eight monthly book clubs, three weekly classes for English Speakers of Other Languages, a weekly meditation class, a twice-monthly craft night, a monthly trivia night, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg? Not to mention the 46 percent of our materials that are checked out annually from the adult collection — that’s more than half a million items.
While it might have been your kids or grandkids who brought you back to the library, I hope that you find another reason to stay. Whether it’s books and DVDs or a program hosted by one of our amazing librarians, we truly do seek to serve the entire population.
Coming up this week you might be interested in one of these adult programs:
• ESOL Class, Orange Branch Library, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12:15 p.m.
• Book Buzz with Penguin Random House, Delaware Main, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
• Heartfulness Meditation, Orange Branch Library, Wednesday at 10 a.m.
• Adult Writers’ Group, Orange Branch Library, Wednesday at 7 p.m.
If it’s the books that keep you coming in to the library, you might be interested in one of these new titles from our most popular genre — mystery.
“Love Like Blood” by Mark Billingham. A politically sensitive case involving the mistaken-identity murder of her partner compels Detective Inspector Nicola Tanner to turn to detective Tom Thorne for assistance.
“Bad Housekeeping” by Maia Chance. A once-contented academic accepts a salvaging job from her eccentric great aunt in the wake of an embarrassing breakup only to find herself embroiled in a murder mystery that requires her to find the real culprit to clear their names.
“The Last Place You Look: A Mystery” by Kristen Lepionka. Hired by the sister of a man on death row who swears he is innocent of the murders of his missing girlfriend and her parents, private investigator Roxane Weary links sightings of the missing girl to one of her late father’s cold cases.
“Persons Unknown: A Novel” by Susie Steiner. Pregnant detective Manon Bradshaw becomes embroiled in the murder of her sister’s ex-boyfriend when the case threatens her family and pits her against close colleagues.
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
