Practical Help @ Your Library

By Nicholle Gerharter, Reference Librarian

January 25, 2012

            Many people use the library for fun reasons.  They check out movies, read the latest fiction bestsellers, listen to music, and use books on CD while traveling.  They flip through magazines while spending time downtown, jump on the Internet to check their email, and find themselves revisiting the ‘classics’ they once loved.  Children laugh as they explore new authors and stories.  We all love the library and the popular materials it offers.

            In addition, the library provides a tremendous practical value.  How-to books and DVDs, repair manuals, guides and maps give you concrete answers and facts to help with your daily life. 

            For example, homeowners may want to check out library materials to teach themselves to tile, landscape, decorate, renovate, or make repairs.  By utilizing library materials, not only are you saving money by not purchasing the books you’ll need only once, but you are learning skills to complete the tasks yourself.  Do-it-yourself projects go much easier with up-to-date learning materials that explain and show.

            Most Wyomingites enjoy experiencing outdoor adventures.  Practical books that include campsite locations, fishing tips and tricks, historic routes, and identification guides are a must on any vacation.  For me, a recent visit to Yellowstone National Park would not have been as fun or as successful without the guides we checked out from the library to bring along. 

            The library also offers informational events and personal assistance.  Each Friday beginning January 27, seniors, students and low income families can get individual help filing their tax returns in the NCPL Crawford room.  The assistance is provided by IRS-certified volunteers as part of the Wyoming Free Tax Service, and is available on a first-come, first served basis from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. weekly until April 13.

            Parents of teens may find it difficult to set boundaries for their kids during the headstrong years.  A series of “Be the Wall” workshops beginning February 2 led by police officer Sara Nelson can give parents the tools they need to set clear expectations for their teens regarding juvenile crime and alcohol consumption.  The first workshop will be held February 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the library.

            Unfortunately, one of the most practical services NCPL offers is also one of our community’s best kept secrets.  Weekend-warrior mechanics can find repair information and wiring diagrams for vehicles from 1982-2009 with the All-Data repair database, available in the library. All the information and diagrams are printable and can help with those quick vehicle fixes.

Also available is the Chilton Library Database, which can be accessed online at www.natronacountylibrary.org.  Click on “Search the Online Resources,” choose “Chilton Library,” and enter your library card number and PIN (call the library at 577-READ if you need a PIN). 

The practical uses of the library are too numerous to list here.  We encourage you to visit NCPL to discover how library materials and staff can assist you in the practical projects you undertake each day.  Please call 577-READ for more information.

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