Residents will soon have the opportunity to offer their input in ongoing discussions about forming a library district in Jefferson County.
The Board of County Commissioners (BCC) is holding a public hearing:
Tuesday, March 11, 2008, 5:30 p.m. Hearing Room One Jefferson County Administration & Courts Facility 100 Jefferson County Parkway Golden, CO
Background After studying operations of other Colorado libraries for more than a year, the Jefferson County Public Library Board of Trustees met with the Jefferson County BCC in late November 2006 to ask for approval to further research of the advantages and potential disadvantages of forming a library district.
Acting upon the Library Board's request, on Dec. 19, 2006, the BCC formed a steering committee comprised of key Library and county staff to analyze district formation. The steering committee recently completed its work.
Click here for details about the benefits and considerations of forming the Jefferson County Public Library District.
More on library districts Library districts are not new. In fact, 51 of the 114 public libraries in Colorado are districts, including most of the largest library systems, such as Adams County, Arapahoe County, Douglas County, Fort Collins/Larimer County, Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Weld County and Pueblo.
How can a library district be formed in Jefferson County? The decision to form the Jefferson County Public Library District is made by resolution of the BCC and not a vote of the people because the library has its own dedicated funding source already approved by the voters.
The public hearing set for March 11 is the first step in the formation process.
Ways to share your input
- Attend the March 11 hearing - E-mail Library Board Chair Keith Grebe at keith_grebe@hotmail.com - E-mail the BCC at commish@jeffco.us. - Mail comments to the BCC at 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80419.
For additional information regarding formation of the district, please contact County Librarian Bill Knott at 303-275-2200.
It’s Library Lovers’ Month, a month-long celebration of school, public and private libraries. Has the Library made a difference in your life? We’d love to hear your stories. Mail them to K. Romer, 10200 W. 20th Ave., Lakewood, CO 80215, or send them via e-mail to kromer@jefferson.lib.co.us.
Show your love for the Library and its great staff – send an online Valentine to your favorite library location or staff member.
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards is this weekend and music might be on your mind. After catching the show you may want to hear more from an artist or maybe you’ll be inspired to play some of their music on your own.
Whether you are a casual listener or a devoted fan, you will find many fun and useful online resources linked from JCPL’s recently updated Music page. The web provides information on a wide variety of musical styles and genres, and this page pulls together some of the best of what is out there. From this page, you can access web sites with educational materials on music and music history, downloadable sheet music, reviews of new releases, and Internet radio stations.
You also can use this page to access JCPL’s Downloadable Audio subscription. With a valid JCPL library card, use this service to check out free, high-quality digital music and audiobooks.
To access this page and many others from the JCPL homepage, just click Research Tools and scroll through the subjects listed under Research and Reference.
If you are unable to attend the Caregiver Survivor Skills class offered this month at the Evergreen Library, you might like to know that JCPL provides links and subscription access to a wealth of information on this complex topic. Below are several web sites drawn from our Seniors page as well as information about accessing full-text articles related to this topic.
Subscription Databases In addition to these resources available on the web, JCPL provides free online access to high-quality newspaper and magazine articles on these topics. Try these databases to continue your research on issues related to being a caregiver:
MedicLatina (Spanish) – A Spanish language collection of medical research and investigative journals published by renowned Latin American medical publishers.
These resources are available 24/7 with a valid JCPL library card. Just go to JCPL’s Homepage, click Research Tools, click Databases A-Z and find your desired database on this alphabetical list.
Get the tax information you need in one convenient place. You’ll find links to Colorado and federal tax forms and publications, tax help and tax law on the Library’s web site: click on the Research Tools tab on the Library’s home page, click “Current Events,” then click “Taxes (tax year 2007).”
JCPL’s Tax Facts brochure, http://jefferson.lib.co.us/pdf/taxform.pdf, is a compact local guide with information about where to get tax forms and answers to your tax questions.
Need help preparing your taxes? Receive free tax help at six JCPL locations from February – April 2008. AARP provides IRS certified volunteers who offer free tax counseling and preparation services; special assistance is provided to those 60 and older. Go to http://jefferson.lib.co.us/pdf/aarp.pdf for times, dates and locations.
You can pick up state and federal tax forms at any JCPL location while supplies last.
In 2007, Jefferson County Public Library provided resources to more patrons than ever. Statistics continue to confirm Jefferson County residents are taking advantage of Library services in greater numbers each year. In fact, in nearly every area, usage has doubled over the past seven years.
Here is a quick rundown of some of the most recent and impressive Library figures:
Checkouts More than 5.7 million, a 9 percent increase over 2006
Loans 97,621 items loaned to patrons of other libraries, a 21 percent increase over 2006; 84,011 items borrowed from other libraries; a 2 percent increase over 2006
Online Library More than 3 million page views, a 4.5 percent increase over 2006
Visitors More than 2.6 million
Classes and programs More than 118,000 people attended 5,481 free classes and programs
Library staff continues to provide high-quality library services for the ever-changing needs of our patrons. One way we do this is by utilizing new technologies. Some of the most recent upgrades include outfitting libraries with self-check units and a more efficient holds pick-up method.
We appreciate knowing that residents of Jefferson County, and beyond, continue to turn to us as a resource for reading, research and technological needs and we look forward to continuing to meet your needs in the future.