Director of Libraries Message for September
In linguistics there is a term “colexification” to describe a single word that has many meanings. Using an example from the Oxford English Dictionary, the English word “eye” can mean the body part, it can mean the center of a powerful storm, it can mean the hole at the end of a needle. As Santa Cruz Public Libraries begin creating our next strategic plan, ‘colexification’ has come to mind because I’ve discovered over and over again that a library is many things to many people.
At its most obvious, it is a place where you can find books, movies, music, and more recently telescopes, State Parks Passes, hotspots and more to check out for free. It’s an online space open 24/7 where you can check out or read digital books, audiobooks, newspapers, magazines and more. It’s a local resource for these materials in Spanish as well.
A library is where you can bring young children to learn about reading books and help them prepare for school and a lifetime love of reading. It’s a place to bring them to experience story times with other young children and connect with other parents and caregivers.
The library is a place to study, to do homework, to connect with a tutor, to research a topic or your own family tree with the help of librarians or genealogists.
The library is a resource for lifelong learners to connect with like minded individuals by attending one of our many programs, often led by community partners, or to gather with neighbors on a community issue in a meeting room.
A library is a place to read and relax. A place to get a little work done during a busy day, using our free WiFi or computers. A place lively with after school programs. Many days a week, the library brings its resources to you in the form of a bookmobile stop or an outreach visit. Any day of the week, the library is a welcoming space full of people from all walks of life.
What is a library to you? If you’re reading this, I know already that you have thoughts to share. We are conducting a survey in English and in Spanish that invites you to share your insights to help guide our work for the next three years. You can find a link to the survey here and we’ll make print copies available in our branches.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Christopher Platt
Director of Libraries
Mensaje del Director de Bibliotecas
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