To wrap up a month filled with fun and engaging library resources shared with TTP families across cities, Turning the Page met with Joanna Harris, DCPL Teen Services Coordinator, to discuss how our DC residents can get involved at their local library! Public libraries have been a valuable resources to our families during this unprecedented school year. We look forward to continuing to highlight their services and to celebrate all the wonderful work public libraries continue to do for our communities.
Q: What resources is the library offering to help families who cannot or choose not to visit a library?
A: Absolutely! We have tons of digital resources available on the library’s website. Our website has hundreds and hundreds of eBooks and online audiobooks that you can check out with just your library card. Also, we have tons of digital learning resources.
DCPL also has several movie streaming services, the most popular of which is Kanopy. Kanopy works like Netflix but it has all sorts of independent documentaries, movies, and series. Cardholders can also access our brand new live online tutoring service, Brainfuse HelpNow, and our Brainfuse JobNow, our new service for jobseekers.
We also have a bunch of self-directed online classes that you can take with your library card. Classes on everything from how to write a resume to how to code in C++ are available to DCPL cardholders through LinkedIn Learning, Universal Class, and Khan Academy. You can find all of these and more at dclibrary.org/godigital.
Q: How can families get a library card?
A: I absolutely recommend going to dclibrary.org/getacard. You’ll be able to apply for your library card and also get a digital card immediately. It’s good for 90 days until you have to get a physical card at any one of our twenty-six locations.
We try to make it as easy as possible for you to get a card. It’s free for all DC residents and there’s no minimum age, so even the tiniest baby can get a library card!
Q: Why don’t more DC residents have a library card?
A: I think sometimes people are a little bit nervous about fines and fees. We have a very generous fine and fee policy. There’s a month-long grace period before any fees are incurred, and after that it’s just a $5 late fee.
For children’s materials, there are no fees for lateness, damages, or anything else to use materials. So it’s a good way to teach your kids responsibility without having to worry about paying a fine. The benefits far outweigh the risks!
Q: What virtual events might families be interested in?
A: We have a virtual event that happens for school-aged children every weekday at 4 PM. Check out our YouTube page, where our current youth librarian has been creating content. We post everything from quizzes for kids to art and STEM activities that you can do at home. So it’s a really great collection of virtual programs that our librarians are putting out right now.
Plus, every Tuesday is Teen Tuesday. We have a teen-focused program that day. I have a cohort of teen employees who run the program about things they are experts at or are passionate about, so there’s a lot of peer-to-peer learning going on. We also sometimes have special performers. In fact, we recently interviewed H.E.R., who recently got nominated for an Oscar. We also got the opportunity to interview ESPN entertainment journalist Kelly Carter. So exciting!
During the summer is our Summer Challenge Program, when we have even more programs going on. For teens, we have a civic engagement arts contest called Know Your Power, so we do a lot of arts programming over the summer with our partners, who do everything from visual art to photography. Those are going to be on Thursdays at 5 PM. We’re also doing our Summer Youth Employment Program for residents up to age 21. The application period for that has closed.
Of course, if teens need volunteer hours, they’re welcome to reach out to me at joanna.harris@dc.gov. We’re having teen blog contributors write for our blog dclibrary.org/teenscorner. I’ll show you what to do and give you your parameters for your content and you can get some volunteer hours and publishing experience! Definitely a lot of cool stuff happening right now!
At 4 PM every weekday, DCPL posts new content for children on YouTube ranging from art projects to STEM activities to trivia games.
Q: What’s your favorite book?
A: There’s so many, but probably my top one based on rereads is Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. It’s a Swedish horror novel and Lindqvist is called the “Swedish Steven King.” They made it into a movie in 2008 and an American remake later that wasn’t as good. It’s a vampire novel about a middle school boy who befriends a vampire. It’s like a more well-done Twilight (not to put down Twilight) but it’s made more for adults. I recommend anyone who’s looking to graduate from Twilight to look into Let The Right One In.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about the library?
A: Gosh! That’s really hard. I really think that my favorite thing about the library is all the resources it has. And the fact that it’s all free and available to the community so that everyone can enjoy it. It’s a repository for resources but it’s also a community center.
Click here to read our interview with the Chicago Public Library!