The library is one happening place when it’s raining. It’s no surprise when someone says “well, it’s summer, and everywhere in the Valley gets a little more crowded.” Our staff team was able to enjoy the Canada Day long weekend with our families, and it meant for a very busy Tuesday! Patrons came in to pick up new books to read, create a craft with a child, and read and use the other services in the library. One challenge is reshelving books back into their proper homes on the shelves after receiving so many returns over the weekend. It’s hard to keep up! But we came through and served our community well.
We are happy to provide free programs for patrons of all ages in our community on several days every week, and several special events throughout the summer. Obviously, on sunny days, we experience less foot traffic, as many Columbia Valley residents and visitors frequent the beach or enjoy some sort of adventure outside. But even on hot days, it’s likely that we will have many patrons come in just to cool down. Plus, there are so many reasons why this is such an amazing place to visit. Have you ever realized how few elevators we have in Invermere? The one here in the Columbia Valley Centre is definitely a hit throughout the year. Just make sure that children are accompanied by an adult for their ride when they visit!
Furthermore, the fact that we are one of the few places to spend family time inside means that many of our locals visit the library often. Families enjoy the crafts, toys, and structures in our kids’ area. Anyone can also request to play with our Osmo iPad games, which are educational and also super fun, and adults can spend time reading or doing work in our mezzanine area or with our public access computers. We also offer self-serve printing, scanning, and faxing services for a low cost. Please just remember to bring cash!
We love being one of the hot spots in town, and anyone can come participate in any of our free programs throughout the week. Baby Rhyme Time, Summer Reading Club, Novel Idea – our adult book club, and three Family Story Times every week make this a happening place. One special event to look out for is our Family Games Night, coming up on July 24 at 6:00 pm. There will be board games, card games, and even giant games and you don’t want to miss it!
Our programs create a little structure in the library, so on rainy days when it’s busy, busy, busy, at least there is a little order to the chaos. Our Community Outreach Coordinator, Blair describes it as “the whole town shows up!”
See you in the library on the next rainy OR sunny day!
Keara Moore
Family Programs Facilitator