Giving Thanks

As you may have heard, for the second straight year Arlington Public Library has won “Best Customer Service” and “Best Family Friendly Spot” in Arlington’s Best Business Awards, better known as the ABBIEs. Those were the two categories in which we qualified and the Library was the only government/non-profit organization contending in them.

I know how hard the Library staff and volunteers work at getting it right for our customers. This kind of feedback from the public shows those efforts make a difference.

Many thanks to you for supporting Arlington Public Library. And many thanks to the Library staff and volunteers for doing what they do. It truly makes a difference.  

Best Thanksgiving wishes to you and yours.

It’s been quite an autumn in Arlington.

First came Hurricane Sandy, which thankfully caused little of the heart-breaking destruction seen to the north. Still, Sandy forced this region into shutdown mode and that included two days without services like the Library.

Then there was the big election, which just missed a record turnout but still found Arlingtonians waiting hours in some long, cold lines outside Central Library and other polling sites.

Just days ago we were dealing with the almost-meltdown of the shared Public Library and Public Schools catalog and accounts system.  If you’ve ever lost your wallet, it was a similar feeling of dread. And then if you’ve ever had a lost wallet returned pretty much intact, it was a similar feeling of elation.

Board Chair Mary Hughes Hynes, left, with Diane Kresh.

And now bolstering a happy ending to November: the Library just won a pair of Arlington’s Best Business Awards–one for “Best Family Friendly Spot” and the other for “Best Customer Service.”

Thank you– for all the continued support, patience and best wishes we have received in the past weeks. If the Library could give out its own award, it would be a big collective one for “Best Customers.” 

So, with the equivalent of a thousand words, Arlington Public Library presents to you, below, its enduring appreciation. You’re the best.

                                                                                                          Photo by Diane Kresh

Meet the Public (through the Press)

I had the pleasure of taking part last week in a new feature at the ArlNow.com local news site.

The “Ask Me (Almost) Anything” feature invited readers to post questions about Arlington Public Library and I spent about two hours answering in real time. It was great fun to tackle such a wide range of topics.

If you missed the chat, thanks for taking a look now.

And of course if you have any questions for the Library, the best place to start is our Help page.

Thanks to all who have helped make Central a safe, cool space this week.

The staff and volunteers who have worked hard to keep the building organized, even when they had no power in their own homes. Dominion Power for keeping our electricity running so we could open our doors early and keep them open late.

And thanks to all of the Library visitors who have maintained such positive attitudes while sharing tables and outlets, reading and studying all over the building:

Click to enlarge photos

More photos from Monday and Sunday.

Adrienne Cleary, a Library volunteer at the Central Welcome Desk, reported that visitors have been in good spirits, glad to be able to come to the library, and relieved to hear that we will be open July 4.*

Along with directing people toward areas in the Library where they might find available outlets, Adrienne also helped several families with small children find open and kid-friendly restaurants nearby (the Silver Diner in Clarendon was one suggestion), as well as indoor places to take let kids run off all their kid-energy (JW Tumbles, off Lee Highway, has power).

Stay safe, drink plenty of water, and thank you for supporting the Arlington Public Library through this chaotic time.

*Due to continuing power outages in our area, Central will be open Wednesday, July 4 from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Both Central Library and the Shirlington Branch Library will stay open tonight (Sunday) until 11:00 p.m.

During this weekend’s power outage / heat wave, Arlingtonians have flocked to the Library:

By 2:30 p.m. Sunday, over 600 people were perched on practically every available service at the Central Library. They were reading and studying, charging cell phones and computers, using the WiFi and checking in with distant loved ones. Even the Virginia Room and the Auditorium were drafted into service.

See more photos

The Arlington County Fire Department helped out by creating a temporary spray park in Quincy Park for both kids and their adults:

What ever you do this week, try to stay cool, drink lots of water and be safe.

Hello friends,

The Arlington County Board has approved a Fiscal Year 2013 budget that will restore branch hours throughout the Arlington Public Library system.

In short, this means beginning the week of July 1—the start of the new fiscal year—branches that have been closed Tuesdays will again be open on Tuesdays and branches that have been closed Thursdays will again be open on Thursdays.

Even during the worst of our recent serious economic downturn, Board members made it clear that public libraries were a priority in Arlington and hours would be restored as soon as County finances had stabilized. We are lucky to have experienced such resilience.

We are also lucky—and grateful—to live in a community that expresses such strong support for its libraries. While other jurisdictions in the region still struggle with budgets and services, Arlington residents have made it clear that libraries are essential here and must be maintained at a very high level of quality. That kind of support is not forgotten.

So while some may consider the number 13 unlucky, (FY) 2013 is already looking good for the Library. Very good.

And if you’ve appreciated Arlington Public Library in the past few years, we suspect you’ll like us even more with the restored hours on the doors.

Thank you for supporting your Library.