If you are like me, you spent the past weekend cheering our American athletes on at the Olympics. It always amazes me the sacrifices they have made and the obstacles they have overcome in order to compete. As I watched the dozens of new inspiring commercials based on these sacrifices and obstacles, one of them stuck with me. The message trying to be conveyed was that you didn’t have to be amazing in order to do something amazing, but you did have to get up and try something new and you never know what will happen from there.
That message is reminiscent of what we hope to accomplish when you visit the library. We want our books, resources, programming and challenges to spark change and greatness. This goal directs everything we do and every interaction we have. And as I thought about this, I remembered a recent visit from some patrons that I hope inspires something special.
A mother and child quietly walked into the library holding each other’s hands. As they looked around the library for the first time, wonder on their faces, they approached the shelving unit containing some of our activity kits. Standing there for a moment, I could tell that the electric keyboard (one of the items in our newest music kit) had caught her eye. The mother and child started to move on and that is when my inner librarian kicked in and I hopped into action.
“You can check that piano out,” I said. “It even comes with instructional videos and books to help you learn how to play.”
“Oh, really?” the mother asked. “My son has really been wanting to learn how to play, but we weren’t sure if he would like it. Do you know if it has lights? He suffers from seizures and that could be a trigger.”
“Well, that is exactly why we have kits like this,” I said. “We want you and your family to be able to explore all of those interests. Let’s take a look at the piano together and see if it will work for you.”
As my team and I inspected the activity kit with the mother, we learned more about the pair and engaged her in a discussion about our Reading Colors Your World Summer Learning Challenge. Excited to hear about the activities available, we set them up with our Summer Learning Activity Kit, containing tactile experiences to get them started.
And then we played a note.
From the moment the music hit the young boy’s ears, his eyes lit up and a smile spread across his face. He came running back over to the piano and tried a note himself. We knew from that moment on that this interaction had sparked something inside this boy. It was a perfect example of what we hope to accomplish with every patron we meet.
Finding out that the piano had lights that could be turned off, the mother and son duo eagerly checked out the activity kit along with some other materials. As one of the staff helped the young boy carry the piano out, a smile on his face as well as the mother’s, a warm feeling spread through the staff.
Being able to provide experiences like this is exactly why we come to work every day. It pushes our team of librarians in BoCo to be the best we can be, engaging you so we can find the thing that will inspire greatness in you. Whether you are in our building or joining us in our digital challenges we strive to introduce new ideas and activities to you and your family. Providing everyone an opportunity to enhance their lives and do something great, we hope to be that positive influence.
I’m not saying coming to the library is going to make you an Olympian, but there is only one way to find out.
Jaime Duval
Eagle Rock Branch Librarian
