Special Anniversaries at the Library

The Library is celebrating two milestones in 2012—10 years at 10 South Batavia Avenue and the 10th annual One Book, One Batavia event.

The “new” Library building

The current library building was dedicated on January 27, 2002, during an open house attended by more than 6,000 people. The Library opened for business the next day. One of the many enhancements the newest Library building had to offer was meeting and study room space available for public use. In the past ten years, the Library has been the gathering place for dozens of local organizations, students, teachers, book discussion groups, and more.

Another immeasurable asset of the building is the number of public-access computers available for Library District residents and visitors, adults and children. It’s a long way from the tiny closet-like room housing three computers in the previous Library building!

The public is invited to visit and help celebrate the building’s 10th anniversary on Friday, January 27, to see a pictorial display reviewing the changes and achievements of the last ten years and to enjoy some light refreshments. Registration is not required.

One Book, One Batavia

2012 also marks the 10th annual One Book, One Batavia event. One Book, One Batavia is a community-wide reading program presented by the Batavia Public Library in cooperation with Batavia High School and co-sponsored by the Friends of the Batavia Public Library.

The purpose of One Book, One Batavia is to offer a shared reading experience to the community, to expose readers to a variety of subjects and ideas, and to promulgate the enjoyment of reading.

Each year the Library hosts a variety of programs relating to that year’s selection. Programs have included author lectures, book discussions, historical or cultural presentations, and musical programs.

The Library is pleased to announce that the One Book, One Batavia 2012 selection is A Night to Remember by Walter Lord. This non-fiction book offers a look at the events taking place as the RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. Programs for adults and teens for One Book, One Batavia are being offered in January and February. Additional programs will be offered in March.

Under the Cupola

“Ten Years at 10 South Batavia Avenue”

The citizens of Batavia Township voted to establish a free public library on 5 April 1881. Batavia’s seventh public library facility since that time—the current, world-class Batavia Public Library at 10 South Batavia Avenue—was dedicated on 27 January 2002.
The Library is a very busy place! From 2001 to 2011, the number of books and other materials checked out increased 164.6% (from 294,389 to 779,053) and the number of visitors increased 125.7% (from 145,444 to 328,251).

However, the true measure of a public library is in the quality, value, excellence, or relevance of services it provides to its community. In this respect, the Batavia Public Library is outstanding, and was one of only 80 libraries in the United States and Canada recognized for “significance to community life” in the book Heart of the Community: The Libraries We Love (2007).

How has the Library changed in ten years? It now offers 28 public-access computers (up from three in 2001) and a diversity of computer classes, provides a great resource in its Local History Room, and produces phenomenal programs for children, teens, and adults. In fact, attendance at children’s programs increased 218.3% (from 4,395 to 13,988).

Up to 90 groups per month use the Library’s meeting rooms, and study rooms for individuals and small groups are very popular. Adequate parking makes the Library an easy-to-access community destination and Wi-Fi makes the Library a wonderful “third place,” an important social environment separate from home and work. The Library’s art collection is a visual and cultural feast.

Many of the Library’s resources are with you at home (BataviaPublicLibrary.org) and on the go, with Live Homework Help, reference databases, and e-books (and e-audiobooks). Stay connected with Facebook and Twitter.

There is so much more, from DVDs to video games to Literacy Kits! The Library offers gallery space to local artists and brings the world closer to Batavia with Books Between Bites (since 2002), One Book, One Batavia (2003), and the New Lyceum Lecture Series (2008). With apologies to Mark Twain, reports of the library’s death are an exaggeration.

Join us on Friday, 27 January 2012, to celebrate ten years at 10 South Batavia Avenue!

George H. Scheetz
Director