Pet-lending, drones in library’s future?

0

“Progress” is not a word foreign to the library world. Many libraries, Delaware County District Library included, pride themselves on their ability to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technology and trends.

Our staff at the Delaware Library are excited to be exploring some new ways we can push DCDL into the future of library services. So this Saturday, April 1, I am happy to share with you an exclusive glimpse into some ideas we’ve spent a lot of time discussing and that we are strongly considering.

Back in December, Amazon made its first drone delivery in the U.K. using the Prime Air service. The Cambridgeshire resident received his Amazon Fire TV and popcorn only 13 minutes after making the purchase.

This same technology is easily available for libraries to also fill your on-demand needs. Using grant funding and an expanding volunteer base, library materials could be requested as “Need It Now,” which would trigger the drone delivery sequence.

Additionally, one of DCDL’s most popular programs is one that takes place monthly on Saturday mornings and involves furry friends. It’s called Paws for Reading and it encourages new or reluctant readers to practice their reading skills with trained therapy dogs. Children pick out a favorite book, sit down with Fido and read aloud to a non-judging, non-threatening, very lovable friend.

Realizing the benefit of this program, the library wanted to encourage this opportunity beyond our doors. Coming soon to your home is a pet-lending program we’re testing, called “Bibliopets.” Kittens, puppies, turtles, and even ponies would be available for check-out for an extended period to encourage reading at home.

Of course, the benefits of checking out therapy animals goes beyond reading, it also teaches responsibility, provides entertainment and offers mental health support. Animals who are not checked out would live in the library and be cared for by volunteers until they are placed on hold.

Our staff is very excited about many of these ideas and they could be a reality within the year. If you’d like to learn more about these ideas, I’d encourage you to visit our website blog at http://www.delawarelibrary.org/AprilFools.

In the meantime, here are some book recommendations I’ve had our librarians pull for you based on a very popular and silly April holiday:

  • Black Cats & Four-Leaf Clovers: The Origins of Old Wives’ Tales and Superstitions in Our Everyday Lives by Harry Oliver. Delve into the stories behind the traditions and superstitions that permeate our everyday lives, unearthing the fascinating histories of these weird and wonderful notions.
  • Pranklopedia: The Funniest, Grossest, Craziest, Not-Mean Pranks on the Planet! by Julie Winterbottom. Collects practical jokes of different difficulties, from sabotaging a victim’s drink, to short-sheeting a bed, to fake lottery cards.
  • April Fool Dead: A Death on Demand Mystery by Carolyn Hart. Annie Darling, bookstore owner, works with her husband, Max, to unmask an interfering prankster who caused her clever book promotion to backfire, but her search is complicated by her unpredictable mother-in-law, a troubled friend, and a killer.
  • Addison the April Fool’s Day Fairy by Daisy Meadows. Anticipating a fun-filled day of pranks and mischief on April Fool’s Day, Rachel and Kirsty are enlisted to help Addison the April Fool’s Day fairy retrieve her magical items from a thieving Jack Frost.

If you have a question that you would like to see answered in this column, mail it to Nicole Fowles, Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., Delaware, OH 43015, or call us at 740-362-3861. You can also email your questions by visiting the library’s web site at www.delawarelibrary.org or directly to Nicole at [email protected]. No matter how you contact us, we’re always glad you asked!

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2017/04/web1_NicoleFowles-1.jpg

Nicole Fowles

Glad You Asked

If you have a question that you would like to see answered in this column, mail it to Nicole Fowles, Delaware County District Library, 84 E. Winter St., Delaware, OH 43015, or call us at 740-362-3861. You can also email your questions by visiting the library’s web site at www.delawarelibrary.org or directly to Nicole at [email protected]. No matter how you contact us, we’re always glad you asked!

No posts to display