Your Library: A Place for the Curious

By Brenda Thomson, Community Relations Coordinator

September 8, 2010

They say curiosity killed the cat, but in fact, it is a key factor in lifelong learning and education. That need to know leads us to discover new information, which raises questions, piquing our curiosity once again.

If encouraged, curiosity can lead to a perpetual cycle of learning throughout our lives. Albert Einstein said, “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.” Being the curious person I am, I have to agree.

When I saw in the library’s annual report that over 25,000 reference questions were asked last fiscal year, I could not help but wonder what people were asking. What did they learn or go on to do after using their library?

Here are just a few examples of what our reference librarians have helped people accomplish in the past few months.

They have researched topics like the Salem witch trials, raising horses, building houses, politics, wind energy laws in Wyoming, and city and county ordinances.

Many people use the library to complete personal business like defending themselves in court, preparing to adopt a child, signing children up for school online, and identifying a type of spider prevalent in their house. If you don’t know where to start on projects like these, try your library!

NCPL has a wealth of financial resources available. Patrons have determined whether a used car for sale is overpriced, learned about budgeting and saving money, and attended online homebuyer education to get a discount on their home purchase price.

The library is a great help when it comes to business and employment. Each day we help people write business plans, complete job applications, research business questions and study for exams like the GED, ASVAB and CDL.

Researching medical conditions can be as difficult as studying for an exam. In the past month the library has helped people understand medical jargon used by their doctors, learn to eat healthier for weight loss, use home remedies to treat minor medical conditions and look up details in the health care bill.

Of course, lifelong learning isn’t limited to researching serious issues or attending to business. Many people use the library to enrich their lives and discover new experiences. Avid travelers have stopped by the library to learn Spanish before a trip to Mexico, or plan a family vacation in and around Disneyland.

Others have used library resources to choose a dog to adopt or buy, find a childhood favorite song or book, design a Celtic tattoo, plant a vegetable garden, learn to dance, or solve some tricky clues in a crossword puzzle.

And these are just the uses we know about! Many patrons prefer to browse the shelves on their own, finding all manner of information to pique their curiosity and inspire further learning. The possibilities are endless at your library.

September is national library card signup month. This is a great time to sign the kids up so they can use library resources and get homework and research help throughout the school year.

It is also a good time for adults to find out how much they can benefit from using library resources. Visit us in downtown Casper, at our branches in Mills and Edgerton, throughout the county at bookmobile stops, or online at www.natronacountylibrary.org

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