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Friday, November 11, 2011

Isn't it time to give back to an organization we have all used??


About a year ago I realized that I have been using an organization in Howard County for over thirty years that had saved me thousands of dollars. That organization easily saves me $50-$75 dollars a month. I thought it was time to pay them back for some of those savings.  That organization is the Howard County Library.  We are very fortunate to have one of the very best library systems in the country and what it does to enhance our community is invaluable. So a year ago I joined the Friends of the Library as my small step to pay the Library for the great service they have provided me and my family. Today I am asking you click on the Friends of the Library picture I have on the right side of this blog and become a member.  I am asking you to consider being a reoccurring monthly donor with an automatic charge to a credit card.  This is what I have done.  No need to write an annual check just have it done automatically.

Our Library is not satisfied with just being a great place to get reading material but they actively partner with Howard County schools to encourage students to become life long readers with fun activities.  Check out the events at the Library.

In 2002 the Library set up the A+ Partners program with local schools.  This info comes from their website:

In September 2002, Howard County Library System (HCLS) and the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) launched a groundbreaking county-wide initiative, A+ Partners in EducationSM. Several years later, Howard Community College (HCC) joined the partnership.

Our collective vision is to provide for Howard County students the best possible chance to achieve overall academic success. What makes A+ unique?


  • Every HCPSS school, and each HCC department, is assigned an HCLS branch and liaison.
  • Each student receives an HCLS card through school registration.
  • Kindergarten field trips to HCLS are part of HCPSS' curriculum.
  • HCLS instructors teach A+ Curriculum Enhancement classes at HCLS branches, and in the schools.
  • Faculty send HCLS instructors Assignment Alerts.
  • The partnership is celebrated annually at the A+ Partners in Education Celebration.
Since its inception, numerous libraries and schools have requested information about how to replicate such a partnership. If you are interested, review our toolkit for details.

STEM

A launching point in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) pipeline of future scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to fill high-tech BRAC-related jobs, Howard County Library System delivers an impressive line-up of STEM-related classes for preschool, elementary, and middle school students. The series, which teaches STEM through children's literature and experiments, includes: Having a Ball with Chemistry, Candy Science, Wiggly Giggly Gelatin, Snowflake Science, Go Figure, Robotics Fair, and Everyday Engineering. Watch a video about HCLS' STEM-related classes.

HCLS' A+ Curriculum Enhancement
guides, source (quarterly classes and events guide), and online calendar
list the STEM classes, which HCLS instructors teach at HCLS' six branches for the general public, and take into school classrooms as part of A+ Partners in Education. 
 
Rube Goldberg Challenge
The Rube Goldberg Challenge unleashes the creativity of fourth and fifth grade students as they apply STEM concepts to solve a problem. Download a PDF of the photo sheet from the 2011 Awards Ceremony. Details.

Howard County Library System Spelling Bee
Participate in the seventh annual Howard County Library System Spelling Bee. Details.
Download PDFs of photo sheets from the 2009, 2010 and 2011 competitions. Visit our Flickr page for more 2011 photos.

Battle of the Books

The fourth annual battle takes place April 20, 2012.  Details.

Download PDFs of photo sheets from the 2009, 2010 and 2011 competitions. Visit our Flickr page for more 2011 photos.

Great Scavenger Hunt

Read a book. Take a trivia quiz. Enter a prize drawing. Details.

Howard County Library System Teen Idol

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the competition! Details.

Summer Reading Club

A record 27,000 students enrolled in HCLS's 2011 summer reading clubs.
Download PDFs of photo sheets from the 2009, 2010 and 2011 kickoff events. Visit our Flickr page for more 2011 photos.



P.S.
11/11/11 just one more year to experience sequencing of the date for all of us.  This one even says the same thing upside down.  At 11:11 am and pm should make us all just pause for this unique experience.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually, you pay for the use of the library through this thing known as "taxation". One of the things that amazes me about liberals is their inability to reconcile benefits to costs. Seems like they only focus on one or the other. Of course, if you want to pay twice for the service, knock yourself out!

That said, I like the library. I just wish they would charge a membership fee or something so it is self-financing. If the library's users (which I suspect is around 30% of the county population) love it so much, they should be willing to pay for what it costs.

duanestclair said...

Of course the library does receive tax dollars to provide "normal" library services but those of us that want to see the library do the extra things like the A+ program recognize that those tax dollars can't do everything. To make the library self financed would deny the benefit of reading to those who might need it the most.

I do agree in a way with your logic in a small way. I want to directly contribute to those organizations that I value above and beyond whatever tax dollars I might provide to them.

So I have a question for you if you like the library and believe in self financing---Are you a member of the Friends of the Library? I hope you are consistent on your point of view.

Welcome back Anonymous to commenting on this blog. I do welcome your opposing viewpoints. I put my name on this blog so everyone knows who I am so how about putting you name on your views?

Anonymous said...

Don't forget all the babysitting the library does for the after-school crowd.

Anonymous said...

Ha, so much for opposing viewpoints, eh?