| Price City Librarian, Savannah Webster leads children in a dance during story hour. |
Public libraries are in the business of serving information and technology to their patrons. The Price City Library is no exception. The local facility is home to many different forms of technology and houses thousands of materials used for research and learning.
Along with providing Carbon County residents with information, the library also offers several outlets for parents. Each week, library workers conduct three seperate story hours which encourages young children to read while allowing parents a break from everyday duties. During story hour, parents can enjoy the library facility.
Several services that are offered at the public library include fax and copy machines, internet usage, cd’s and audio and video cassettes, tax information and inner-library loan. This service provides patrons with material which the library may not have. A request is made for a certain book and the library staff will find the item at a different library and have it sent to it’s facility where the patron may check it out. This service is free for the first five times it is used by the patron.
Recently, the Price City Library was awarded a grant which is to be used to purchase spanish material. “These items are printed in spanish and offers a much needed service to our community,” explained library director, Norma Procarione.
The facility is also home to adult literacy programs and spanish as a second language course. Anyone that is interested in these programs are encouraged to contact the library for more information.
Because many Carbon County residents enjoy reading various publications, the library subscribes to many different magazines as well as national newspapers including U.S. Today and The Wall Street Journal.
Local history is important in preserving a community. Therefore, the library keeps in stock local history books along with works that have been published by local writers. “If there is a publication that we do not have that has been done by a local author, we would love to have a copy,” Procarione explained.
While the library serves many adults in the community, it also focuses on providing fun activities and materials for youth. In the past several years, the staff has compiled a large selection of junior and teen materials.
“For many years, the junior boys in the area didn’t have much to choose from,” explained library staff member, Diana Bordea. “Now, there are just as many books for the boys as there are for the girls.”
| Halie Barrick dips her fingers in the gooey peanut butter. |
In order to get teenagers involved with reading, the library offers a teen night every third Thursday of the month. All youth who are interested in participating are encouraged to sign up the week before the event. Some activities teens have participated in during this time include tie-dying and pizza parties.
Young children are also welcome at the Price City Library. A children’s room is housed in the central Carbon County facility and offers young children the chance to become bookworms.
Along with offering young children reading material, the staff also conducts it’s reading hour. During this time, a staff member reads to the children. On Tuesday evenings, an Active Re-Entry volunteer and their pet visits and reads to the kids. The pet pals story hour allows children to interact with a trained animal, usually a dog and offers them a chance to not only read, but to interact with the pet as it performs tricks for the children.
After the children have enjoyed a story, they are allowed to construct a craft project. Some projects have included constructing edible art, coloring and creating jewlery.
During the month of October, the library will offer two separate Halloween story hours. The first will be conducted Oct. 25 at 5 p.m. and will include the Active Re-Entry pets. The second will be on Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. and both events will take place at the Price City Hall.
Children are also drawn to the library because of the various pets that are housed at the facility. Currently, there are caged rats, hamsters, birds and spiders that peak the interest of the young and old.
The library is also home to many educational classes. In fact, on Oct. 20 a free consumer health information training will take place. The event is sponsered by the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library and will provide Carbon County residents with information regarding health services. Those interested are encouraged to sign up at the library.
According to Procarione, the library is the only public library in the county that offers free internet usage to local citizens. Those who are interested in using the computers may do so even if they do not own a library card. The time limit is two hours daily.
For those who are interested in applying for a library card, the process is easy. Citizens who live within Price city limits may come directly into the library and fill out a form. For these residents, the card is free.
Residents who live in the unincorporated part of the city, may come in and request an application. The county will then pay for these cards. There is a limit of one card per family for these residents.
Finally, Helper and Wellington city residents may also apply for a card but are charged a $15 fee for the year.
Because the Price City Library is centrally located in Carbon County, it is important that it provides citizens throughout the area with the most up to date information and technology. Just like many businesses, library workers are tuned in to what their patrons needs are and how the public may be better served.