It’s National Library Week!

This week, April 12-18, is National Library Week—an observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries across the country. Each April for nearly 60 years we have taken time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians, and to promote library use and support.

Here at Commonwealth Learning Center we are grateful for a thriving library presence in our community. These institutions serve not only as a hub for literacy, learning, and so much more, but also as a home base for many of our tutoring services. Sending our teachers to local public and school libraries allows us to help students who may not have been able to access our programs in any other way. It also provides us the invaluable opportunity to conduct our sessions in an environment with near-limitless resources.

Did you know…

There are more than 1,700 libraries in Massachusetts alone. This includes public libraries, college and university libraries, school libraries, and “special” libraries.
You can borrow books from any public library in Massachusetts if you are a registered borrower in good standing at your hometown library.
Your local public library can arrange to bring in books from other libraries for you to borrow.
In addition to book-lending, many of our local libraries offer computer classes, lectures, author visits, book clubs, museum passes, special events for children, teens, and families, instruction for English language learners, accessible resources for individuals with special needs. The list goes on and on.
As times have changed and technology has advanced, so have our libraries. At many branches you can now borrow DVDs, CDs, e-books, and audiobooks. Some even offer streaming media services.

Our Needham and Danvers Centers serve the city of Boston and nearby suburban communities. This eastern portion of the state is quite the mecca for library lovers, and in celebration of National Library Week we wanted to share some of our favorite local programs and services.

Call (617) 796-1415 to listen to a children’s book read aloud on Newton Free Library’s Dial-A-Story line, which is updated on a weekly basis.
The Needham Free Public Library offers individualized reading suggestions for all ages. Simply fill out their Readers’ Advisory Form and the reference staff will provide you with a list of titles and descriptions in about a week’s time.
The Boston Public Library Central Branch in Copley Square offers daily Art & Architecture Tours that are free and open to the public. While there, be sure to check out their newly renovated Children’s Library and Teen Central.
Due back on the road in June, Beverly Public Library’s Bookmobile has served the community for more than 40 years. It’s one of the last services of its kind in our area, making stops at schools, nursing homes, daycare centers, elderly housing residences, playgrounds, and residential neighborhoods.
The Danvers Archival Center at the Peabody Institute Library houses a one-of-a-kind collection of books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, newspapers, and other materials that relate to the history of Salem Village and Danvers dating back to the 17th century.

This is just a tiny sampling of the diverse and innovative offerings from our local libraries, but there’s so much more they bring to our community. They are truly one of our most esteemed assets. Have you visited your hometown library lately? Why not check it out this National Library Week (pun intended, of course)!