Have you ever been so excited about something as an adult that you get a little self-conscious because most people don’t get it? That’s us right now and we don’t know where to begin. So let’s just lay it out there: The Warren County Public Library is incredible.
The library, you’re probably wondering? Yes, the library! Lie-berry, library, lie-burry, biblioteca, however you pronounce it. Truly a hidden gem in Bowling Green and a public system that rivals those in larger cities here in the Commonwealth. No, we don’t say that lightly. Having visited county libraries across the state for decades — including extensive time with the systems in Louisville and Lexington — we can confidently say Warren County offers a public system that impresses us.
Your writer recently needed to get a new library card to access old newspaper archives and check out a book on our iPad and it hit us that it’s something we absolutely have to be promoting on a regular basis. But before we highlight some of the cool stuff you can do, you should sign up for your free library card by clicking here. You can get a card that allows you to check out physical books and other items or one solely for digital services. You don’t even need to leave your home. But if you do ever want to leave your home, there are eight physical locations to explore.
Beyond the basics, the library is way more than books or audiobooks. There’s too much to list, if we’re being honest, and some of it is kind of surprising. Need something notarized? Your local library can help. What about a passport for travel? They’ve got you covered. There’s a seed library (yep, with actual seeds), you can conduct deep educational and historical research or read material from Consumer Reports (online and for free!) And to give you an idea of some the databases you’ll have access to, check this out to see what’s available for college prep.
There are also maker space services like 3D printing, kiln firings for pottery, all kinds of embroidery resources, a CNC router and more. All of that right here in Bowling Green. For free. So there’s no excuse not to explore a new hobby.
Note: If you can’t physically get to your local library, there are even delivery services, so be sure to check that out.
Have an iPhone or Android, tablet, computer or eReader? You can access nearly unlimited ebooks – so start here. You can listen to audiobooks, music, stream television shows and tons of movies via multiple applications like Kanopy, Hoopla, Libby, et al. There are great parental controls, so no worries on that front. But really — free TV and movies on the devices you already own.
Genealogy and family history your thing? If you physically go to the library, you’ll have access to the Ancestry Library Edition and at home you’ll have access to HeritageQuest Online.
Once you have your library card, you’ll want to dig in to the main website or download the app(lication – for us folks who enjoy using actual words) for your Android or iOS phone. Click here to access direct app store links. It’s a great option if you don’t want to visit a website or can’t do so easily for some reason.
Some of the things you can do with the app:
- Search the catalog
- Locate your nearest library branch, view schedules, and link to map directions
- Access your library card account to place holds, view checkouts, makes lists, change settings
- View the library’s calendar of events (you can click here for events now)
- Access ebooks & eaudio collections
- Link to ticketed events at the Capitol
- Access reading program information during summer and winter
- Scan ISBN barcodes of books at a bookstore or another collection to see if the library owns them
- Check out the route for the Little Free Shuttle when it’s launched
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Friends of the Library, a non-profit that provides funding and support for this great system. If you have free time, want to give back or just have money to spend, please check them out. Fun fact: The FOL mailing address is on Iron Skillet Court. Iron Skillet Court! How Kentucky is that?
Really, go check out the library. You will probably be impressed.