When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to unite under the banner of respect and mutual appreciation of the unalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, a decent respect to the opinions of all people requires that they should declare sources whereby they might obtain these rights.
While the mission of the Library is to promote literacy, education, and a thriving community, the Library also strives to help individuals succeed in their pursuit of happiness. And because everyone has their own idea what the pursuit of happiness means, the Library has a wide variety of offerings to assist in that pursuit.
The Library has an impressive collection of books that we hope will appeal to just about everyone who walks through the doors of our three locations. If you find that the Library is missing a book, we have procedures in place to either purchase the book or to acquire the book from another library. For those who don’t enjoy reading, the Library has a growing collection of audiobooks, on CDs, Playaways, and available for download on a variety of mobile devices.
One of the staples of modern entertainment is the television and film industry. From foreign films to musicals, comedies to reality series, the Library has a DVD collection that we hope will appeal to nearly every audience type. Additionally, the new video game collection houses the most popular games for all the latest consoles, including the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
There are many who think of the Library as a simple repository of information, a warehouse to hold materials that could far more easily be obtained via the internet. While it is true that the Library does perform this function, the offerings of the Library far exceeds the measure of the collection.
The Library offers a multitude of events that target the varied peoples of Natrona County. StoryTime, crafts, clubs and tournaments all strive to help in the pursuit of happiness. Many events have a learning element and many more focus on increasing literacy. But all events are intended to help people smile.
The Library has hosted regular virtual reality events for over a year; quarterly video game tournaments during that same time. We have book clubs for those who love history, young adult novels, and drinking. We have regular meetings for those who love to color and for those who love to write. Additionally, the Library is in the process of designing a space for those who love to create.
Our community is not solely built of individuals, but of businesses and organizations too. Recently, the Library has partnered with CLIMB Wyoming to teach important skills to single mothers. We have also met with local architects, Rotary clubs, the Low Vision Support Group, and the Tate Museum to discuss applications of virtual reality technology in our community. We have partnered with local businesses to offer staff technology training and frequently help individuals connect with local job opportunities.
Our mission at the Library is to help you become better; to learn something more, to develop a new skill, or build a new relationship. We are here to help you in your pursuit of happiness.
Matthew Farnsworth is the Technology Specialist at the Library.