Your Key to Knowledge

By Brenda Thomson, Community Relations Coordinator

August 24, 2011

There are few things more enticing to a child than a locked door. Oh, they might be patient for a while, just checking back to see if it opens. But soon they start trying to peep through the lock, or the crack at the bottom.

They begin to wonder: What’s in there? Who’s in there? Why is it locked? Is Mom hiding something? Is it my birthday present? Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it makes the mind of a child alive with excitement and wonder.

Unfortunately, locked doors mean more than secrets waiting to be discovered. In adult life they often mean (metaphorically) that something is blocking us from our goals, making it impossible to take the path we wish to take.

You might not know it, but the key to opening many of those locked doors may be your library card.

One locked door many people encounter is that of education. Perhaps they dropped out of high school to work, but now need a diploma or GED to move up higher in their company or career field.

With a library card, that door doesn’t have to remain locked. The library has many resources for preparing for the GED or other occupation and education tests. Practice tests can be accessed from the Learning Express Library online, either from home or at a library computer, so when it’s time for the real test students can feel confident and prepared. And guess what? All it takes is your library card.

Another locked door has to do with economic status. Low-income families frequently can’t give their children the resources other children may have access to. Consequently, they have fewer options when it comes to education and learning job skills. With a library card, that doesn’t have to be the case.

The library is bursting with books that can help children learn to read or polish up their reading skills. They can be used to entertain, to learn facts or skills, or complete school projects. Better yet, they can be used to inspire and motivate children to discover where they want to go in life, and give them the resources to help them get there.

Some locked doors are less dramatic. I happen to be working on a big project that requires better software knowledge than I can bring to the table. Luckily, I work at the library so I know where to go - straight to the second floor! I simply found a book on my software, worked through the sections I needed, and was able to move forward with the project quickly and confidently.

We all run up against locked doors sometimes. If they have to do with knowledge, skill building, or even entertainment, your key to opening them may be your library card. What do you want to learn? Who do you want to become? What resources do you wish you could provide your children? Chances are, your library can help.

September is Library Card signup month, a great time to try out the resources available and see how your library can help you. Don’t forget, a library card is one of the most useful school supplies your children can have, so make sure they have a card and many opportunities to use it.

For more information talk to a librarian or call us at 577-READ.

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