Why should you visit the library?

Maybe to spark some wistful memories: afternoons spent turning pages of a novel covered in a crinkly plastic coating. The smell of old books. Getting a library card as a right of passage.

Now, we live in a digital world of convenient information with online access to media, from audiobooks to zines, at our fingertips. Some may ask, other than that fond nostalgic feeling, what is the current day significance of a library?

In a society where the cost of living continues to rise, there are few places where one can exist without the expectation of spending money. Access to the library is free. Access to information is free. Access to the space is free. No matter where you come from, the library is there for you.

Libraries are about equality. Everyone is welcome and has access to the library’s resources, but also; the library is a support system for digital equality, education, and career readiness. The Bethel Library offers access to free job readiness skills through Bendable Maine. This website (https://maine.bendable.com) has more than 50 classes, supporting users from resume writing through interview skills.

National Digital Equity Center classes are available at the Bethel Library. Upcoming classes include Getting News and Information Online (May 8), Email Basics (June 1), and Telehealth- Connecting with your Healthcare Provider from Home (June 20). These classes aim to provide information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy.

By creating a place for equality the library also becomes a community space. It is a place where people gather to read, study, craft, or learn together. Like the Bethel Library’s Fun with Fiber, Fact not Fiction knitting group, who meet the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month for knitting and a casual chat. Or story time at 10AM on Wednesdays which brings in a host of little ones for reading and to play together.

Make a trip to the Bethel Library, for that nostalgic feeling, or to come together with the community, or to learn something new!