Since forming in April, the new Friends of Kemper-Newton Libraries group has raised more than $1,500 in membership fees and from the Union book sale in May. I am proud to say that I was one of the initial members of the group and was elected as the treasurer at our first meeting. This past week I opened a bank account for the friends group, and although it took around two hours, (opening a bank account for an organization or business can be very tedious) it was well worth it b
ecause now the group can distribute the funds to the library system when it is needed.
The purpose for the group was to be able to apply for grants and raise funds for the Kemper-Newton Regional Library System in ways that wouldn’t be legally possible for the system itself. Because the KNRLS is funded by the state, the two counties and the five municipalities that it serves, it is considered a government entity so it cannot legally apply for certain grants from corporations and non-profits. That’s where the friends group steps in, and the system will most likely need more financial help this year after the latest round of state budget cuts to nearly all state agencies.
Now there might be some of you who don’t see how vital libraries still are to the community, so let me give you a few reminders. For many Newton County residents, the computers each branch provide are the only ones to which they have access for applying for jobs or doing research for school.
Each summer, the libraries also provide information and entertainment for K-5 students during summer break with its summer reading program which helps keep their young minds sharp.
The program also gives parents an opportunity to participate in a learning activity with their kids outside of the house for a few hours during the summer, something that I’m sure is greatly appreciated.
Also, with the closest bookstore in Meridian, the three county libraries are the closest venue for those summer reads.
And after one year, I can honestly say that the system’s partnership with online streaming service Hoopla Digital alone is worth getting a library card. The service has an impressive list of eBooks, audiobooks for those long summer trips, and music albums available at all times, with new titles being added each week. Since I started using the service last June, I have been most impressed by the selection of music. Hoopla has nearly every artist from every genre you can think of from any era. My favorites list is filled with several albums from the 1990s that I never got around to listening to when they came out, and I challenge anyone to not be able to find one thing they like among their thousands of titles.
Even in this second decade of the 21st Century, libraries still hold an important place in everyday life. If you want to show your support to the KNLS, visit our Facebook page or visit knrls.lib.ms.us and click on the “How Do I …?” link.
