A message from our Director
Greetings!
Spring is in full swing. The chill is relenting and all around us we marvel at the signs of renewed life and vitality: tulips and daffodils blooming scattershot around our yards and waysides, lawns that turn lush and verdant seemingly overnight, and the dawn chorus of songbirds that wakes us (not always happily) at four in the morning with its exuberant melodies. Likewise, we see more and more of our friends and neighbors making their way outdoors, shaking off winter’s hibernation and reacquainting themselves with the picturesque towns and bountiful nature reserves of Orange County. As you’re out and about, we hope you’ll visit one of our library locations, where we are also abuzz with change and exciting new ventures.
A major focus area of our Strategic Plan is “Be a Library for Everyone,” which continues to guide our commitment to removing barriers and increasing ease of access for all community members. In 2021, we took our first bold step in this direction by eliminating fines for overdue materials. Last year, we expanded our operational hours to include Sundays. Now we are excited to announce our next major initiative, which will offer a more seamless and satisfactory experience for library users: auto-renewals. Once this goes into effect, users will no longer need to worry about manually renewing their materials. Once your loan period expires, it will automatically renew up to two times (so long as no one else has requested the materials). This feature, which has been a goal of ours for some time, required considerable work on the technical backend to make reality. As always, we owe these ongoing improvements to our service model to the invention and dedication of library staff, as well as the support of county management and government. Autorenewals will go into effect later this month, so be on the lookout. We’ll be sure to spread the word once it goes live.
We also have some exciting programs coming up this month and beyond. Of note, we are collaborating with several community organizations to take part in the 60th anniversary celebrations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” I invite you to join us at the Main Library on Tuesday, April 11th at 7:00 p.m. for a conversation on the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement in Hillsborough between Professors Freddie Parker (NCCU) and Patrick T. Smith (Duke). Learn more here, and check out other events taking place to commemorate this anniversary throughout Orange County here.
Another big event on the horizon is a reading and book signing with one of our most beloved local authors, Lee Smith. Lee’s latest book (which is reported by some to be her last), Silver Alert, will be published on April 18th. Our reading and signing event is scheduled for the evening of Friday, April 21st. Details are still being finalized, but keep your eye out. This event will be registration only and we anticipate a capacity crowd, so be sure to reserve your seat early.
If you’re looking to take advantage of milder weather, our Main Library Youth Services librarians are taking Tuesday Storytime back outside to the Eno River Farmers’ Market Pavilion for the three-month duration of spring beginning in April (Baby Lapsit will remain on-site at the library). And if you’re seeking even more outdoor opportunities, you’re in luck: 2023 is “Year of the Trail,” a statewide celebration of North Carolina’s vast network of greenways and blueways, many of which have a literary connection. Learn more here, and we hope to see you on the trails.
Finally, if you’re simply looking for a good book to enjoy in the sunshine, take a look at the Reading Recommendations page on our website. For years now, our librarians have made it a top priority to curate a diverse collection that represents our entire community. We have confidence we’ll have the perfect book for you, but if not, just let us know. We are happy to fulfill most requests whenever possible.
Wishing you and yours a happy season,
Erin Sapienza
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