The Chattanooga Public Library offers so much beyond books
The Chattanooga Public Library recently crossed an amazing new threshold. In the past year, they have circulated over one million items to Chattanooga borrowers! This means library patrons are actively checking out a broad selection of material throughout the system’s four neighborhood branches, borrowing more books, DVDs, and downloads than ever before.
But there’s so much more to our public library system than simple borrowing. They’ve recently been selected as one of 50 libraries in the country to host “Thinking Money”, a traveling exhibition created by the American Library Association in partnership with the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.
“Thinking Money” is designed to teach teens and the adults about financial literacy topics in a way that is not only understandable, but fun. Through an adventure-themed storyline, interactive iPad content and other fun activities, the exhibition explores themes such as wants vs. needs, preparing for a rainy/sunny day, avoiding financial fraud and imagining your future self.
How about music? The library just built and opened The Studio, a professional recording studio in their downtown branch. It’s already home to a weekly live Facebook event, Music Wednesdays, and now they are teaming up with the pros at Dynamo Studios to offer audio engineering classes for teens and adults. Classes include live sound recording, full session recording, beat making and digital music, and acoustic guitars and singer songwriters.
Looking for a new animal companion? Head over to the downtown library the first and third Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. to read to a shelter animal. You can make a new friend while improving the lives of each and every animal that would love to see you. All the animals at McKamey Animal Shelter love reading, and who knows, you might find the perfect companion to adopt and make part of your life.
Like all good libraries, they also take an interest in the lives of their patrons. The pressures families face in today’s busy world can be overwhelming. Erlanger’s Behavioral Health Team has partnered with the library to offer guidance and support through a new program this fall and winter: Family Stress: Solutions for Everyday Living.
The next program, “Caregivers: Looking After Yourself Before You Look After Others”, is being held Thursday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. at the downtown library. Discussion will focus on what strategies caregivers can use to avoid becoming ill themselves. The meeting will also offer suggestions for grandparents who are raising children as well as for those in the “Sandwich” generation: people who are caring for both aging parents and their dependent children.
But, of course, a library is always about books. And sometimes, they have to clear out space for new books. Which is why now through Monday at Eastgate Town Center, the Friends of The Chattanooga Public Library are holding their annual book sale. It’s not only a great way to get incredible deals on used books and more, but money raised from the book sale helps the library purchase program material for Make. Play. Read. Learn. and so much more.