The Blog

The modern public library offers a vast array of services that extend beyond traditional services such as books and public computer usage. It is important to our library staff that we continuously increase awareness of the many ways you can benefit from using your public library. Here are just of the few things the Library can do for you that you may have been unaware of:

Programs: Just this week the Headquarters Library in Kinston is offering two exciting programs that are sure to enlighten on our area’s rich history. On Wednesday, November 13 at 6 p.m., “North Carolina Indians Before the English” will be presented by award-winning author, professor, and public speaker, Dr. David LaVere (Sponsored by the North Carolina Humanities Council Road Scholars program). On November 14 at 6:30 p.m., Paul E. Allen, a Canadian author and retired educator with family roots in Granville County North Carolina, will appear at the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library to offer a presentation on his book When Tobacco Was King. And coming in December, the Library’s annual Night of Joy will be held on December 5 at 7 p.m. For a full listing of upcoming events for all ages, visit the Library’s website at www.neuselibrary.org.

Services: The Library offers several services at modest fees to its patrons that, in some of the more rural areas of our region, may not be available anywhere else. The Library can send and receive faxes and can scan documents and send them by email. Additionally, the Library has notary services available across the Region; not all employees are certified Notary Publics, so we encourage you to call ahead to ensure availability.

The Library can also proctor exams for distance learning students whose exams meet the Library’s proctoring guidelines; contact your instructor or the Library for more information. Finally, the Library’s newest service is its most cutting edge: 3D printing. Library users can submit a 3D file they find on the Internet or create themselves to be printed at the Library in a variety of sizes or colors.

Materials: You’re probably already aware that the Library has books, magazines, and DVDs available for checkout. But did you know the Library also has a number of other special types of materials? Audiobooks are available on CD and digitally, and the Library rents video games on a number of systems. The Library has a large collection of graphic novels and manga available as well as a dedicated collection of materials specifically aimed at teens, located in its new Teen Area. The Library also has materials available in Spanish and audiovisuals materials that teach how to speak a number of foreign languages. As we’ve mentioned before in this column, the Library also has access to large collections of eBooks through its eLibrary services; visit www.neuselibrary.org to learn more.

Technology: The Library has a number of incredible resources that are also available through its website, or through www.nclive.org. NC LIVE is a statewide partnership that gives those with a library card access to some extremely valuable online resources that would otherwise require a paid membership. Examples include Mango, a free online language-learning tool that features over 70 languages, and the Testing and Education Resource Center, which provides access to prep materials for tests such as the SAT and ACT as well as professional and military tests like the ASVAB and Postal Exam.

There are many more invaluable features of your local Library, so we invite everyone to visit their local library and explore everything it has to offer, visit the Library’s website at www.neuselibrary.org, or call their local Library. If you’re wondering if the Library can help you with a project or problem, don’t be afraid to ask; you may be surprised at what it can offer.