There's Lots to Love About Your Library

 

February is Library Lovers Month, and there is a whole lot to love about the Central Mississippi Regional Library System. To start off, there are twenty library branches across Rankin, Scott, Smith, and Simpson Counties- that's a lot of libraries! In these libraries, there is a collection of nearly half a million items that can be checked out by the public. Having this many library branches means that each collection is catered towards their specific community. If one branch doesn’t have a particular item, then there is a good chance that it can be found in one of the other branches and transferred to your local branch.  

There’s lots to love about your library programs. Each of the twenty branches offer programs for all members of their communities. Story times are a way for youngsters to interact with other children while enjoying an activity that can help develop a love of learning. In some branches, there are classes for seniors to learn about computers or technology. In Mississippi, there is a longstanding love for gardening, and the Central Mississippi Regional Library system is no exception, with many branches having plants in the library or hosting gardening-centered programs. In addition to that, many of the families that visit the libraries are part of homeschool groups, and our branches have created programs aimed just for them to help socialize with others while still learning.   

                              

                                           A garden related to a local garden club at the Pearl Public Library 

 

There’s lots to love about the collections at your library. Did you know that you can check out cake pans and exercise kits, too? At the Brandon Library, there is a collection of over one hundred cake pans in every shape and size one could want that can be checked out. The Pearl Library hosts a collection of exercise kits too, letting you try them out before you purchase a version for your home. Even if you don’t live near one of these branches, you can put these types of items on hold and have them brought to your home library! From Blockbuster movies to bestselling books, the Central Mississippi Regional Library System works to always stay up to date on the newest releases and trendiest titles, keeping our collections fresh and full of the things our patrons want to see.  

                                                   

                                 

                                 Examples of one of the cake pans and exercise kits that can be checked out.  

 

There’s lots to love about the technology available at your local library. Our branches have public-use computers available along with top-notch Wi-Fi service, allowing you to stay connected. There are faxing, copying, and scanning services available as well, helping you get your information safely. In some branches, we also have computers with educational games just for children that help to build their computer knowledge and skills.  

2026 is not only the semi-quincentennial of the United States, but it is also the 40th birthday of the Central Mississippi Regional Library System. That number is just the start of the current library system, as many of our library branches have been established in their communities for generations. There are even a few branches that house a local history collection, cataloging the history of the area.  

How can you support your library? Well, that’s easy! Every program you attend, every book or movie that you check out, shows you support your local library. When you are not at the library, you can help show your support by just talking about all the things the library offers. This gets the word around that there is more to the library than books. Telling other members of the community and your elected officials why and what you love about your local library can help others see what there is to love about their library.