Search site New Info on the Site Search catalog Renew Library Items Calendar of Events Recent Donations Give a Memorial Give an Honor Book Library Blogs Sign Up for E-News Interlibrary Loan Web Search Engines Hickory Metro Information Pathfinders Recommended Web Sites Websites en espanol Websites in Hmong Electronic Resource Tutorials Library Information   Who are we?   Where are we?   Who may use the library?   Library Closings   General Services   Children's Services   Reference Services   Library Periodicals   Library Policies   Long-Range Plan   Staff Directory   Media Releases   Loan Periods   Library Statistics   Library History   Staff Columns   Photos from Past Programs   Library Organizations   Library Endowments   CITY OF HICKORY   Staff Intranet © 2006 City of Hickory       All Rights Reserved

WHAT YOUR LIBRARY CAN DO FOR YOU

Beth Bradshaw
Head of Reference and Technical Services

I had the opportunity recently to speak to a group of local businesspeople at a Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast at Patrick Beaver Memorial Library. The goal of my speech was to let the audience know a little more about how the library can save them time and money. I’m going to share some of that information with you today, because no matter what type of information you are looking for, your public library is a great place to start.

Libraries can save you time because librarians have received two years post-collegiate training on where and how to find information. If you need to find a particular piece of information, a librarian can help you find it faster and from a more reliable source. Put simply, librarians know where to look for information.

Saving money is also very important today. Libraries have a wealth of resources available to their members. Hickory Public Library has over 110,000 books, 350 magazine subscriptions, plus thousands of cds, dvds, audiobooks, and electronic books. These items are available to be checked out to Hickory Public Library cardholders, so you save on average $20.00 each time you use the library to check out items.

If you are looking for information, the library has hundreds of reference books. These books can run to several hundred dollars each. They contain a wealth of reliable information and your local librarian is there to help you find what you need. You don’t have to spend a dime.

The library also provides you with access to electronic resources, like NCLIVE. This service, funded by the State of North Carolina, allows library cardholders to access over 60 subscription databases with more than 10,000 full-text publications and over 24,000 electronic books in the library and from your home or office computer with a password.

So if all of this sounds great, but you don’t have a library card, come to the library and sign up. If you are a Catawba County resident there is no charge for the card. If you live outside of Catawba County, you may still get a card by paying an annual fee to support the library. Let us help you save time and money.

Hickory Public Library is a department of the City of Hickory. Patrick Beaver Memorial Library is open Monday-Thursday 9-9; Friday and Saturday 9-6; and Sunday 2-6. Ridgeview Branch Library is open the same hours except it is closed on Sundays.