By Annie Andrews, aandrews@nebraska.tv
What happens when your commodity becomes old technology? That's what Grand Island's Edith Abbott Memorial Library is trying to decide looking forward to 2020. They say the traditional platform of paperback books just doesn't cut it, so they're looking at transforming their $8 million brick and motor building into a community center of learning.
"I try to bring her over a couple times a week," said Mike Endorf talking about his daughter. A couple times a week, Dora the Explorer takes them on an adventure. "They have different activities for her," he said rattling them off. "She can color, play games, she can read books, they even have castles for her, over there."
Only one thing Mike Endorf mentioned sounds like a library, and that's the point.
"Our children's section is really a children's museum," said Library Director, Steve Fosselman. "It's set up for parents to come in with their young children and have activities where they're learning to become readers."
Although construction on this building is just four-years-old, the idea that a library is just a library is ancient. "These days its increasingly important to have digital information, databases and e-reader content," said Fosselman.
Fosselman calls this library the community center, "we're a focal point in the community." Over the next several months, the library board will be discussing ways to keep that concept alive. From themed resources, like health information, to bringing back a mobile version and even perhaps a satellite version.
"We want to see in the next few years where our community wants us to grow," he said. "Do they want us to have a small branch like has been mentioned up in the northwest part of our community," he asked.
The idea is to adapt with the generations, taking a tip from Kerrigan and her dad and making sure it keeps the interest of the reader.
