It’s 10:30 p.m. You’re writing a report for work, and you realize that you need a critical question answered. Even though you’ve searched the Internet, you still haven’t found what you need. And the Delaware County District Library — with its knowledgeable and search-savvy librarians — is closed for the evening. What do you do?
One of the community programs that the Delaware County District Library has been involved with for many years is the “Great Decisions” program, a free discussion series developed in 1954 by the Foreign Policy Association. “Great Decisions 2012” focuses on current U.S. Foreign Policy, and you can learn more about the areas up for discussion this year by reading the accompanying booklet at the Main Library, 84 E. Winter St. or the Orange Branch, 7171 Gooding Blvd. This short booklet is shelved behind the Information Desks and contains chapters on the Middle East, cybersecurity, Afghanistan, the oceans, Indonesia and energy geopolitics. There are fliers with details of the series including dates, speakers and topics for discussion available, too.
It’s that time of year again, and dozens of you have already visited the Delaware County District Library seeking out tax forms. We have put tables for pre-printed federal, state and local tax forms in the vestibules at all locations for your convenience, but if you don’t find the form you’re looking for, you can always use the library’s Internet computers to search the IRS and Ohio Department of Taxation websites to print the form you need.
Over the last few months, the number of e-books that you have downloaded from the Delaware County District Library to iPads, iPhones, Nooks, Kindles, Droids, computers and other devices has increased a lot each month. In December 2011, the number of downloads totalled more than 2000 — a 240 percent increase from December 2010. Overall, e-book downloads grew by more than 153 percent in the last year.
Over the last three years, the Friends of the Delaware County District Library have donated nearly $30,000 to the library, helping to provide you with enhanced library programs, services and products. I think it is a remarkable achievement, especially when you realize that our Friends of the Library group was organized only four short years ago. This group of dedicated, hardworking and enthusiastic volunteers — more than 200, currently — have held book sales, author and illustrator presentations, antique appraisal clinics and raffles to raise these funds, and they have been very generous in sharing them with the library.
Have you attended one of the DCDL Cinematheque programs at the Delaware County District Library’s Orange Branch? If you like movies coupled with good discussion, then this program is for you. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, we will be screening “Michael Clayton,” starring George Clooney. The film centers on a law firm that brings in its “fixer” to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multi-billion dollar class action suit. The film will be shown in its entirety in the community room at the Orange Branch, 7171 Gooding Blvd.
With the holidays now pleasant memories, many folks have returned to their regular school schedules. The Delaware County District Library offers a wide menu of support for students of all kinds — traditional, nontraditional — and ages — children, teens and adults.
This year has been a history-making year for the Delaware County District Library, on many different fronts. The opening of the long-awaited Orange Branch certainly changed the history and the future of the library, and you have fully embraced the facility, its services and its staff. Since it opened, the staff at the Orange Branch has issued nearly 10,000 new library cards, and you have checked out more than 170,000 books, DVDs, magazines and audio books. We could not be more pleased with the success of this beautiful and welcoming new facility!