Montgomery City/County Public Library to Change Operating Hours
Beginning September 8, 2009, new hours of operations will go into effect at the Montgomery City-County Public Library. Two libraries will remain open until 9 p.m., and three will remain open until 7 p.m. nightly, Monday through Thursday. The main library, Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial will continue to operate its regular schedule and will serve as the homework help center, where students can get help with Homework Alabama, the free online tutoring service, Tell Me More, a language learning software program and AVL (Alabama Virtual Library), and other databases and reference materials. Besides being open until 9 p.m. two nights, E L Lowder and Rufus A. Lewis Regional Libraries will add two more hours by staying open until 7 p.m. two nights a week. Coliseum Boulevard and Governor’s Square Branches will add four hours by remaining open until 7 p.m. four nights a week. Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial, E L Lowder and Rufus A. Lewis will retain their weekend hours.
New Hours of Operation
Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial Library
Monday through Thursday 9AM – 9PM
Friday & Saturday 9AM – 6PM
Sunday 1PM – 6PM
Rufus A. Lewis Regional Library
Monday & Tuesday 9AM – 9PM
Wednesday & Thursday 9AM – 7PM
Friday & Saturday 9AM – 6PM
Closed Sunday
EL Lowder Regional Library
Wednesday & Thursday 9AM – 9PM
Monday & Tuesday 9AM – 7 PM
Friday & Saturday 9AM – 6PM
Closed Sunday
Coliseum Branch Library
Monday through Thursday 9AM – 7PM
Friday 9AM – 6PM
No weekend hours ________
Governor’s Square Branch Library
Monday through Thursday 9AM – 7PM
Friday 9AM – 6PM
No weekend hours ________ ________________
Ramer Branch Library
Monday through Friday 9AM – 6PM
No nights or weekends
Rosa L. Parks Avenue Branch Library
Monday through Friday 9AM – 6PM
No nights or weekends ______
Pike Road Branch Library
Monday through Friday 9AM – 6PM
No nights or weekends
Pine Level Branch Library
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 9AM – 1PM;
Tuesday & Thursday 2PM – 6PM
No nights or weekends __________________
Pintlala Branch Library
Monday – Friday 9AM – 6PM
No nights or weekends_______________________
Don’t forget about Live Homework Help!!!
This service offers free homework help from subject specialists.
Available Sunday – Thursday — 3p.m. until 10 p.m. ! ! !
Free Tutoring – Math – Science – Social Studies – English
Grades K3-12, College Intro, and Adult Learner
HomeworkAlabama is a statewide effort made possible by the State Library of Alabama (APLS) through local public libraries, with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through their Library Services and Technology Act grant program as well as state funds requested by Governor Riley and appropriated by the State Legislature specifically for this program.
IMLS Publishes FY 2006 Public Libraries Survey Report
IMLS Publishes FY 2006 Public Libraries Survey Report
Washington, DC-The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has issued the Public Libraries Survey (PLS) report for fiscal year 2006.This is the first PLS report released since IMLS was given responsibility for the annual survey, which includes information on population of service areas, service outlets, library collections and services, library staff, and operating revenue and expenditures. More than 9,000 libraries were surveyed in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. The survey had a 97.5 percent response rate.
“The report shows the tremendous value that our public libraries have in the United States,” said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, IMLS Director. “The public library is an essential community resource particularly in difficult economic times. This survey provides solid data that helps to inform policy and practice decisions at the community, state and national levels.”
The report includes a number of key findings:
. 2.1 billion transactions were made between public libraries and their users in FY 2006; this total includes books, other printed materials and audio/visual resources. This translates to an average of 7.3 transactions for every individual living in a library service area. (97 percent of Americans live in a library service area.)
. 1.4 billion visits to public libraries were made in FY 2006; that’s nearly 5 visits for every individual who resides in a library service area.
. Children are among the heaviest users of public library resources; children’s materials accounted for 35 percent of all circulation transactions in FY 2006, and attendance at library-based children’s programs was 57.8 million.
. Public libraries had 807.2 million print materials, 42.6 million audio materials, and 43.9 million video materials in their collections in FY 2006.
. Public libraries play an important role in providing internet access to communities. Nationwide, there were 334 million uses of public-use internet terminals in FY 2006.
The FY 2006 survey is the 19th in the series. On October 1, 2007 responsibility for the PLS was transferred from to IMLS from the National Center for Education Statistics, along with the State Library Agencies Survey. The U.S. Census Bureau collects the data under a contract with IMLS. The survey’s extraordinary response rate results from the cooperative effort between the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, IMLS, and the Census Bureau.
For more information on library statistics, visit http://www.imls.gov/statistics.
–IMLS Press Release
Web Cams Arrive at MCCPL
Families in Montgomery and surrounding counties who have family members deployed overseas in the military are now able to visit one of two public library locations in the Montgomery City-County Public Library system and visually communicate with them using computers equipped with video web cameras. The new program, called Connecting Families, has put the video webcams and computers in more than 100 libraries throughout the state of Alabama. Families will be able to utilize this service at one of the two libraries – Morgan Memorial, 245 High Street or Rufus A. Lewis Regional Library, 3095 Mobile Highway, when they want to come and use this technology to see and talk to their deployed family members.
According to Rebecca Mitchell, Director of the Alabama Public Library Service, Alabama is the only state in the nation that is offering this service. Connecting Families is a partnership between the Alabama Public Library Service, the Montgomery City-County Public Library and the Alabama Broadband Initiative that Governor Riley launched earlier this year. The program got its start thanks to a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The program is intended to meet the needs of the military families, not only in Iraq and Afghanistan, but other countries; however, the service is for anyone who has need for it.
MCCPL’s Library Director, Jaunita Owes, announced that the web cams will become a permanent addition to the library’s computer network and as such the citizens of Montgomery County may take advantage of this free service and talk to any member of their family anywhere in the world. Mrs. Owes also stated that with such a sluggish economy, the Library is grateful to Governor Riley and APLS Director Rebecca Mitchell for their vision and the award of the web cams that will continue to enable the library to reach more of its citizens through specialized services.
The Juliette Hampton Morgan Memorial Library is open seven days a week and the Rufus A. Lewis Regional Library is open six days a week. For specific hours of operation please visit the library’s web site at www.mccpl.lib.al.us or call 240-4300 for additional information.
Is Your TV Ready for the Switch???
By law, full power television stations must switch from analog to digital broadcasting on or before February 17, 2009.
If you are one of millions of consumers who receive free TV through rooftop antennas or rabbit ears, you will need to upgrade your TV set to continue receiving free reception.
Any television sets that do not have a built-in digital tuner, or are not connected to cable, satellite or other pay television serice provider, will need a digital converter box to continue receiving free broadcast television after the transition occurs.
The government is issuing households up to two $40 coupons (90 day expiration period) for converter boxes. To apply for coupons, call 1(888)DTV-2009 or complete an application available at Montgomery City/County Public Libraries and submit by fax or mail.
The coupon applications are currently available at the Morgan Library and will be available at all City/County library locations beginning Friday, November 21, 2008.
Montgomery Public Library Reaches Out to Montgomery’s Newcomers
The library is one of the first places new Montgomery residents come. They were library users in their previous home town. They get their utilities turned on, their driver’s license and car registration, and their new library card. They ask questions about library service, and compare Montgomery’s libraries to those in other communities.
Kim Wilson Owen, Head of the Governor’s Square branch, joined Montgomery’s Newcomers Club in 2006, when she moved to Montgomery from Prattville. When she started work with Montgomery Public Library, she recognized an opportunity for the library to reach out to the families involved in the club. This spring Mrs. Owen was elected Newcomers’ Program Vice President.
As Program Vice President, Mrs. Owen schedules luncheon speakers on topics that are interesting and important to the Newcomers Membership. Topics range from helpful hints, to good causes and charities, to recreation and entertainment. Past programs have presented wine tasting, home organization tips, and ballroom dancing! In July for the ‘Smart Cool’ program, Trey Caton of Alabama Power shared many hints, from simple and free on up to major appliance purchases, to keep your home cooler and your electricity bill down.
Mrs. Owen’s other responsibilities include coordinating volunteers who provide table decorations, arrange for door prizes donated by local business sponsors, and serve as luncheon Chaplain. She welcomes and introduces speakers. This year, she is the Club Historian, preparing a scrapbook of of the Club’s activities and socials that will be given to the President in May. She actively invites local businesses to partner with the Club as sponsors.
When a Newcomers member suggested that Mrs. Owen ask someone from the library to come and speak, Mrs. Owen asked Jaunita Owes, director of Montgomery City County Public Library, to speak at the August luncheon about the many initiatives currently in place at area library branches.
These initiatives are a result of the Public Library’s recent and very thorough and public strategic planning process. All residents of the community, elected officials, business leaders, parents, educators and youth, were constantly asked for their input and feedback to help the library shape its services and priorities in a way that will truly meet Montgomery’s needs in the coming years. Many area residents, long time and new, have many questions about the action steps and facilities needed to meet goals outlined in that strategic plan.
Newcomers Club of Montgomery welcomes any woman who has lived in Montgomery for three years or less. Since its inception in 1965 It has evolved from a ‘ladies who lunch’ club, evocative of hats, pearls and white gloves, to a vibrant and diverse group of women from many walks of life, generations and career paths– from stay at home parenting to finance and the law and everything in between.
Newcomers is completely run by volunteers. The Club depends upon active membership and local business sponsorship to carry out its mission– “to welcome new residents into the greater Montgomery area, assist them in becoming part of the social and civic life of the area, and afford them the opportunity to make friends.”
Newcomers still lunch. Presently the club meets at Arrowhead Country Club, but luncheons have been held over the years at the Capital City Club, Wynlakes, and Montgomery Country Club. Luncheons feature plate or buffet lunches. Members have a chance to dress up a little, catch up with longtime friends, and meet new friends-to-be for the first time.
Newcomers Club strives to have something for everyone, individuals as well as couples, all ages and walks of life. If you have lived in Montgomery for less than three years, you are cordially invited to visit our luncheons and activities. The Newcomer’s Club of Montgomery’s monthly newsletter is available on the Internet at http://newcomersmontgomery.com/ . Membership is $15 per year.
The luncheon’s meet and greet starts at 11.30 am, when members socialize and make their selections from the buffet. The meeting and luncheon commence at 12:00 as the President brings the meeting to order and the Chaplain offers an inspirational thought for the day. At 12.40, the speaker begins. When he or she concludes, Club officers make announcements door prizes donated by local business are awarded.
As enjoyable and informative as luncheons are, Newcomers Club has many other groups that meet independently of the luncheons. Investing, Cooking Club, and Book Club are just a few. Many social events are open to members and their guests– dates, spouses, children, friends or family. Newcomers attend Broadway Under the Stars, attend local plays, and celebrate Mardi Gras and other holidays. In December the group takes a special tour of the Governor’s Mansion and a local group performs seasonal music or dance at the luncheon.
If you are interested in learning more about our Public Library or making new friends, August 28, 11.30 am at Arrowhead Country Club would be a perfect first meeting.
If you plan to attend, please make a reservation before Monday August 25 at noon. If your last name begins with A-M, Please call Pat Dunnewind at 409-9392. If your last name begins with N-Z, please call Marsha Preston at 409-9179. One trip to the buffet, including a selection of entrees and vegetables, salad, iced tea, coffee, and dessert, is 15.00. If you would like to request a vegetarian selection, please call Kim Wilson Owen at 334-284-7929.
Welcome to Montgomery, and we hope to see you soon, whether at our library branches across Montgomery County, or at a Newcomer’s Luncheon!
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