Check It Out:

This week is National Library Week. Established in 1958, National Library Week celebrates the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and encourages libraries in every community to spread the word about how World’s Connect @ Your Library. Newport Beach Public Library staffers invite you to stop by and check out the world of information and relaxation materials at your library and the special programs going on this week.

Since 300 BC, when 30,000 clay tablets made up the Great Library of Alexandria, libraries have been a place where written knowledge has been collected and shared.

Today’s libraries are much more than book repositories; they are at the forefront of the 21st-century world of technology and serve their communities with a wide variety of electronic media and online resources as well as traditional collections.

Many libraries have also developed into community centers for literary, cultural arts, and other learning activities. The role of libraries and librarians is constantly changing, and nothing tells the story better than some of the materials inside the library.

There are an amazing amount of books and movies depicting libraries and librarians. The following selections are meant to bring the reader fact and fiction about libraries and the people who work in them. Sit back and enjoy!

“Why Libraries Still Matter” published by the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation, designed, written and photographed by Joe Mozden, gives the reader a glimpse into the day-to-day life of the Newport Beach Library through photos and commentary while “Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library,” by Library Assistant Don Borchert, provides the reader with a more personal view of library happenings from a current employee (not at NBPL!), and shows the human side of library staff.

“Carnegie Libraries Across America: Public Legacy” by Theodore Jones recounts the history of these early libraries established in the U.S. If you have some time, delve into the reference book “The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World,” which includes The Vatican Library, The National Library of Austria, The Benedictine Abby Library of Metten of Germany and more.