During National Library Week April 3-9, connect with your library

By Ann Hammond

This week, the Sonoma County Library encourages all community members to visit their library in person or online to explore and access services and programs. The library offers an extraordinary array of programs, classes and resources that are available in person or from the comfort of home, including books, movies, story times, book clubs, and digital resources that range from historical research tools to video games.

April 3-9, 2022 is National Library Week, a time to highlight the essential role libraries and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening communities. The theme for this year’s National Library Week is “Connect with Your Library,” which promotes the idea that libraries are places to get connected to technology through WiFi, computers and other resources.

Here in Sonoma County, your library system is implementing the ambitious goals of our Reimagining Plan, by offering opportunities to learn and participate, supporting community resilience, and fostering diversity, equity and inclusion.

In the past two years, we dramatically expanded our digital and online materials and services. Now that we are emerging into a post-COVID world, we are committed to a “both/and” approach to library services. Our patrons want to access the library when and how they choose, and we will continue to provide robust technological solutions, as well as excellent in-person services.

The library also helps the community connect with media, programs, ideas and classes, and of course, books. We connect our communities to each other, promote literacy, and are champions of free speech and civic engagement.

Libraries go above and beyond to keep their communities connected by expanding resources and embracing diversity, equity and inclusion in programming, resources and collections. Libraries across the country are making a difference in people’s lives by providing electronic learning resources like online homework help and WiFi access for students and workers who may lack internet access at home.

This National Library Week, the public can show their appreciation and support for their free public libraries by visiting their library in person or online, following us on social media and using the hashtags #NationalLibraryWeek and #sonomalibrary.

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April.

For more information, visit sonomalibrary.org.

Ann Hammond is the Sonoma County Library Director