I'm not particularly a space geek, but I was pretty excited last week when the Curiousity rover successfully landed on Mars. Wow! NASA scientists held their breath waiting through the seven minutes of terror (the time sequence for landing the rover on the planet). But the plan went better than expected and it was cheers for everyone at the Jet Propulsion Lab. The rover landed safely in its crater and is sending wonderful photos back to earth and will be sending more data from rock and soil samples on its two-year mission.
America can still do it! We wanted to send a rover to study the possibility of life on Mars and we did it. Gradually we will study the data and discover if there is any carbon residue on the red planet. Do you know how we did this incredible thing? Through education. Plain and simple. All those folks who contributed to the success of the Mars mission were bright, curious, educated people. At some point in their young lives they decided that figuring out math and physics was fun, challenging, and important. Is our future crop of learners headed in the same direction towards curiosity, ingenuity, and success?
Well they won't be if we don't provide the resources they need to find that creative spark and grow their minds. And I believe that public libraries are an integral part of our nation's educational system. We reach out to infants and toddlers with board books and storytimes, next comes preschoolers with picture books, and then we supplement the school curriculum with fiction and nonfiction books and DVDs, and stimulate discovery through programs like "Incredible Bats" and "Real Science."
And we don't stop wtih K-12. The public library also encourages reading for pleasure and information through a collection of popular fiction and nonfiction books and books on CD. We enhance the use of these materials with book discussions and public interest programs.
We provide computer access so that people can acquire typing and other skills, create resumes, and apply for jobs. Dubuque County Library has a specific resume writing program that is easy to use and produces great resumes. It's called Cypress Resume and is available 24 hours a day from our website. All you need is a library card. We also make available from our website the Iowa Works Portal which helps you file unemployment claims, search for job openings, take tests for jobs, and learn about various kinds of job training.
So what I am saying is that learners of all ages need great schools and strong public libraries. We need to support both to ensure our future. What can you do? Contribute to your school's foundation fund, join the local parent-teacher association, and become a library Friends member. All of these organizations help bolster success.
This fall we will be teaching a series of computer classes at several of our branch locations. Let us know what kind of class you want and where it is convenient for you to attend. Send any comments or requests to me at dawnh@dubcolib.lib.ia.us. I will take your suggestions and get back to you about our computer class schedule.
Speaking of suggestions, beginning next week I will be posting on our website (www.dubcolib.lib.ia.us) replies to the comments we receive from our Suggestion boxes at each branch. If you have a comment about any aspect of library service, fill out a card and your inquiry will be responded to on our website. We want to hear from you!!
Take advantage of this respite from the hot weather and have a great weekend. Dawn
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