Last week was National Library Week, and while that may not have garnered as much attention as Kim Kardashian saying she wanted to become a lawyer, the local library plays a vital role in our community and has offerings of which you may not be aware.
The Lexington Public Library has a total of six locations serving the over 300,000 people residing in Fayette County. Just in the month of April alone, they offered over 150 classes. And while you can stop in and check out a book, there are other services you don't want to miss.
1) Digital Archives - want to know more about the history of your city, including photos and other historical documents, the library hosts all of these in their digital archives.
2) Storytimes - Reading to children beginning while they are still in the womb has been proven to have a positive effect on their overall development. The librarians host weekly storytimes that will entertain and enlighten your child.
3) Digital Studio - are you a budding Steven Speilberg or musician but don't have the state of the art video, photo and graphics editing programs necessary to bring your creation to life? The digital studio at the Northside Branch has all of that stuff, plus the experts to help you with your project. Register for a class or just drop in during their open sessions and design away!
4) Lynda.com - also known as the "People's University", Lynda.com is an online cornucopia of educational classes in the fields of business, design, IT, marketing, web and so much more. You can take classes that will help you perform better in your current job or give you the necessary skills needed to land the job of your dreams, all from the comfort of your home.
5) Meetings rooms, art exhibits, and Farish Theater - If you need to host a meeting, you can book one of their conference rooms. Their art exhibits are always changing, providing a perfect respite from the chaos of the day, and the Farish Theater is home to theater, dance, live music and community events.
So you see, the library has more to offer than books. It's a treasure trove of opportunities to help everyone increase their knowledge and, as a result, make our community even better. Check out their calendar of events and start planning your next learning expedition!