It is the week before Christmas and I am getting increasingly desperate as I struggle to finish my gift shopping. If you are in the same situation, I have a suggestion for you: A gift certificate for a library card. It will cost you all of $5 and it will open a world of free possibilities.
We have a value calculator on our website that tells you how much you saved by using the library instead of purchasing. My current saving for 2019 is $1,231. We have books of course, fiction and nonfiction of every description, but we also have DVD movies and series, documentaries, how-to videos and nature programs; audio books which are great for long drives; magazines and newspapers; large print and other resources for the print disabled; music CDs; graphic novels; local authors; and more.
If you or your gift recipient want to cocoon at home over the holidays, we have lots of electronic resources available online. We have popular titles in ebook format including graphic novels, and we have Alberta published ebooks as well. We have online newspapers, magazines and databases for entertainment, research and learning. Many of our resources such as Consumer Reports are not freely available online, and others allow you to avoid those annoying paywalls which cut you off after a couple of articles. We have college level online courses if you’re really serious about learning.
There are lots of resources available for kids including all the chapter books, series and whatnot needed to keep voracious readers happy and parents out of the poorhouse. One really cool online resource is Tumblebooks: Interactive picture books for younger kids. Of course we also have old school paper picture books which are a superfood for developing young brains. And if the kids just want to fight aliens, we have tons of video games for multiple platforms.
We have all sorts of odds and ends in our collection. There are Raspberry Pi and Makey Makey kits you can program, cardmaking kits, power monitors, book club kits and access passes for the YMCA, Medalta, the Family Leisure Centre and the Esplanade. We even have paddles and balls for our outdoor ping pong table (okay, that might be a bit of a stretch for the Christmas season).
I have to admit that a lot of the things we offer – daily programs of every description, movies in our theatre, Internet access, comfortable hangout spaces, friendly personal assistance and beautiful river views – don’t even require a library card. But if you like us, I hope you get a card even if it’s just to show your support for this wonderful institution I am honoured to be part of.
I wish all of our patrons, and all Hatters, a safe and happy holiday season. Merry Christmas!
Ken Feser is chief librarian at the Medicine Hat Public Library.
