What is more popular than visiting Starbucks or a movie theatre? If you guessed visiting the library, you would be correct.
September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month and from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30, current Mesa Public Library cardholders can exchange their old card for a newer design at no cost. The new design sports the Library's new logo and salutes the past, present and future of Mesa Public Library.
If you need to replace a lost card, make sure other fines and fees on your account are paid and you will receive a new card, normally a two-dollar fee, for free.
National Library Card Sign-Up Month is a time when the American Library Association and libraries nationwide join to remind parents, caregivers and students that signing up for a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and lifelong learning.
The American Library Association has produced several interesting facts about libraries:
There are more public libraries than Starbucks in the U.S. - a total of 17,566 including branches. Nearly 100 percent of public libraries provide Wi-Fi and offer free access to computers.
Reference librarians in the nation's public and academic libraries answer nearly 6.6 million questions a week. Standing single file, the line of questioners would span from Miami, Florida to Juneau, Alaska.
Americans go to school, public and academic libraries more than three times as frequently as they go to the movies.
Americans check out an average of eight books a year. They spend $36.96 a year for the public library, which is about the average cost of one hardcover book.
Using an online calculator provided by the American Library Association, people visiting Mesa Public Library downloaded 11,125 digital magazines last year. If the average magazine costs $4, library card holders saved more than $44,000 in 2016.
Mesa Main Library, 64 E. First St., will have a display of old library cards throughout September, including a display of the new logo made with the cards. The oldest card on display is from 1977.
As part of National Library Card Sign-Up Month, Mesa Public Library will be holding a Peanut Butter Drive from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30. Bring in peanut butter to any Mesa Public Library branch and for each jar donated, $3 of overdue fines will be waived. All donated food items will support United Food Bank. The Library requests you do not donate food in glass containers. People are also encouraged to donate food even if they don't have library fines.
Mesa Public Library has four branches:
Main Library, 64 E. First St.
Dobson Ranch Library, 2425 S. Dobson Road
Red Mountain Library, 635 N. Power Road
Mesa Express Library, 2055 S. Power Road, Suite 1031
If you are not a library member, you can bring photo ID to any library branch to sign up today. For more information about Mesa Public Library, visit www.mesalibrary.org.
Library
Contact: Kevin Christopher
Tel. 480-644-4699
kevin.christopher@mesaaz.gov