By providing the community with the opportunity to acquire new skills, the services at Indian Valley Public Library have made it a convenient place for anyone to go.
According to Indian Valley Public Library director Margie Stern, the library is open to everyone and they “don’t turn anyone away.”
“I think it’s one of the last free places where people can go, and everybody is welcome,” Stern said.
To Stern, this factor is what makes it “a hub of the community.”
Assistant librarian Klarke Kruesel believes the library is a “community resource” in many ways. The librarians make sure to be engaging and supportive of everyone who walks through the door.
“We’re all a really collaborative group. We’re all engaged and we’re all here to support each other,” Kruesel said.
The Indian Valley Public Library has a variety of services to offer.
“There’s a ton of different services that the library has to offer,” assistant librarian Victoria Schoellhammer said.
Some of these services include the free use of computers, free hotspots, zoo passes and museum passes and programming lessons.
“[We have] everything from storytime to computer programming to lectures,” Stern said.
Members of the library can benefit from these resources in more ways than one, such as saving money, as library member Erin Saunders does.
“I’m able to save money by utilizing the different resources,” Saunders said.
Members of all age groups have the opportunity to take advantage of what the library has in store.
“There is something for everyone of all ages,” Kruesel said.
According to Stern, the library’s biggest resource of all are their books and videos. The large collection is available both online and in the library, making them accessible for members no matter where they are.
The library itself offers an environment that many appreciate. Four-year-old library member Levi Saunders appreciates the library because it is “so beautiful.”
Schoellhammer appreciates the library environment as a “cozy place to be in.”
“I love being at the library. If I’m ever not working here in the future I will definitely be coming back as a patron checking out books just because it’s so nice,” Schoellhammer said.
With a variety of resources and sources of entertainment, members find the library a convenient community spot.
“On a rainy day, it’s great to bring my kids for something to do or to get out. We usually take a stack of books home and then that gives us something to do at home,” Saunders said.
More ways that the community can get engaged and participate is through activity nights.
“We’ve got language classes, we have game nights, a learn how to play chess night, a game night, trivia night and various children activities,” Kruesel said.
Different activities and events that take place at the library open doors for learning opportunities.
One of these events was the Tech Girls event on September 28, where girls were taught the coding language Python.
One of the events that happened in October was a Halloween story walk at Alderfer Park on October 24.
According to Stern, the story walk is a “different kind of take on Halloween.”