Friends of the Library Pledge $650,000 to New Branch

A rendered image of the Library's atrium shows small meeting spaces on the left and stairs leading to the main floor. In the background, bookshelves and computer workstations are visible behind a large glass wall. Patrons are scattered through the spaces.

On Sunday, June 27, The Friends of the Monroe County Public Library Foundation pledged to donate $650,000 to the Library to equip a new branch on the south side of Monroe County. 

“We are excited to partner with the MCPL in funding the Southwest Branch as just one more way the Friends support the vision and values of the Library,” said Emily Bedwell, Friends of the Library Board President. “We believe that the strength of the community lies in our public libraries and their unique positioning to be centers of growth, learning, and civil engagement.”

Get to Know Your Family!

Get To Know Your Family!

For many of us, connecting with friends and family has been especially challenging this year. If you’re unable to spend time with loved ones in person this holiday season, here are some tools to help you connect with them online! 

To access these resources you’ll need your library card number and password. If you’re not sure where to find that information, visit our eLibrary access guide to get started.

 

Ancestry.com

Library Installs Little Free Library in Will Detmer Park

A new Little Free Library has been installed in Will Detmer Park! 

According to children’s librarian, Ginny Hosler, “a Little Free Library is a free-standing book-sharing box. Each Little Free Library has a steward, the person who sponsored and built the library, and each one is super unique to the neighborhood it lives in.” Find more information on the nonprofit organization behind the movement at littlefreelibrary.org.

Quaranzine, Vol. 3

Quaranzine, Vol 3

Welcome to the third issue of the Library's community Quaranzine!

There are two different versions––one is for reading on a screen, and the other has been imposed so it can be printed at home, folded, stapled, and read in that fashion. Select short-side binding on most printers to print correctly.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this zine. Please consider contributing to the next issue, coming September 1!

Prisoner Support Zines

Prizon Support Zines

Prisoner support encompasses a variety of activities aimed a providing assistance to prisoners. There are a variety of ways to support prisoners: letter writing, visitations if possible, providing financial support, and, here in Monroe County, donating books for the jail library.

The Monroe County Public Library visits the county jail multiple times throughout the week, and circulates over 1,000 books a month to around 200 inmates. Each inmate has access to the library around once every three weeks.

Zines for Teens!

Zines for Teens

Zines are for everyone! And that means everyone: adults, teens, and even kids! Included in that are zines written for teens, as well as zines written by teens.

Young people making zines isn’t by any means a new pastime, it's a passion many have enjoyed for years. When you were in elementary or middle school you probably knew some budding young comic artist, if you were not one yourself, who produced and sold mini comic books. Those were zines, even if you didn’t call them that at the time.

Celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act

On Saturday July 28, 2018, the Bloomington community will celebrate the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. MCPL's own Chris Jackson will be helping run the wheelchair course, just one of many skill challenges and activities planned for the day.

Jackson chairs the Accessability Committee for the Local Council for Community Accessibility, the organization hosting the event. He hopes that participants in the wheelchair course will experience what it is like to navigate the world around them while using the chair.

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