Bethlehem Library Notes for Friday, December 18, 2015
It’s been another busy year at Bethlehem Public Library, and we’d like to thank you for all the ways you have supported us in 2015.
The library means so many different things to different people in our community, and we aim to meet those varied needs by offering a wide range of services — from our perennially popular music series and book talks to innovative programs focused on careers and technology. This year, we’ve also grown our collection to include non-traditional items for checkout, such as fishing poles and electronic tablets for kids
Keep watching for more exciting developments in this area in the coming weeks. Further cementing our role as a community hub, we added a permanent outdoor bicycle maintenance station that can be accessed 24 hours a day.
In 2015, we expanded our service beyond our doors by offering WiFi at the Bethlehem town pool — a feature that continues year-round. And you may have seen us at the local farmers markets and community events like the Rail Trail Summer Solstice Festival. We also continued our frequent visits to the Bethlehem schools, often bringing along new technology to share like our 3D printer and 3Doodler pens.
This spring we rolled out a new online catalogue, which presented an updated interface and more intuitive searches. It was a big change for both staffers and patrons, but everyone worked together to make the transition as painless as possible.
In another exciting change at the beginning of the year, we began offering more than 100 titles of downloadable magazines — the list continues to grow. Later in the year, we opened up online registration for programs that require sign up — like our wildly popular sewing programs for adults and teens, which we significantly expanded in 2015.
This year presented us with a development that required patience from staffers and patrons alike — the extended road construction project along Borthwick Avenue. As the town’s contractors worked through the summer and well into fall, we did our best to keep you updated about changes that would affect access to the library, and you responded with grace and good humor despite the inconveniences. Fortunately, a mild winter has allowed the town to finish paving this month, and this is not expected to be an issue in 2016.
As the new year approaches, we continue to explore how to help our community in relevant and engaging ways. We thank all of you for your support, and wish you a safe and happy holiday.
Holiday hours
The library will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 24 and 25, for the Christmas holiday. We’ll close at 3 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 31, and remain closed until 10 a.m., on Saturday, Jan. 2. We’re always open online at www.bethlehempubliclibrary.org.