By Guest Blogger Jenny Boneno, Reynolda Manor Branch Supervisor

When many of us think of the public library, we think of book checkout and maybe a story time. But, there is so much more to Forsyth County Public Library than just that! Read below to find out about so many wonderful resources that our local libraries offer to families!

1. Did you know that your library card works at all 9 Forsyth County Public Library locations as well as 42 other counties across the state of NC? We are all a part of the NC Cardinal system that allows us to borrow books from member counties and check out and return materials from those counties. Visiting Boone this weekend and want to check out a book? Your card works at the public library there! With access to more than 40 counties’ collections, there aren’t many titles that we cannot find for you. This map shows all of the participating counties.

2. Did you know that the public library has free downloadable books, audiobooks, music, and magazines? For books, download the Libby app on your phone or tablet. All you need is your library card and PIN. The same goes for RBDigital for audiobooks & magazines and Freegal for free music. If you don’t know your PIN, give us a call and we’ll set it up for you. Make an appointment if you need help setting up your account or want to become more familiar with Libby, RB Digital or any of the other amazing databases. http://www.forsyth.cc/library/downloadable_media.aspx

                  Here are the apps to look for when you’re ready to download for Libby, RB Digital, and Freegal:

3. Did you know that the library has free, online homework help and test prep? Tutor.com offers live homework help during the school year. Just log in and receive help with a variety of subjects from qualified instructors. The Learning Express Library also offers practice tests for the SAT, ACT, GRE, GED, as well as career tests for teachers like the PRAXIS test, nursing and allied health exams, and military entrance exams. 

4. Did you know that the library has tons of free programs for kids, teens, and adults every month? Check out our online calendar for an assortment of programs including story times, book clubs, arts and crafts programs, lego clubs, music and movie programs, and much, much more. 

5. Did you know that you can research family history at the library? With your library card, you have access to Ancestory.com (in the library only), Heritage Quest, and other online genealogical databases. You’ll find detailed census, birth, marriage, and death records as well as city directories and yearbooks.

6. Did you know that the library has free computer classes and proctoring? The library’s computer training bridge program has a wide variety of classes available at various locations throughout the county. Pick up a schedule of classes or check out the online calendar here. Various library locations will also proctor for students taking online classes. 

7. Did you know that with your library card, you have access to hundreds of legal forms? Our online database provides a wide selection of state-specific (and multi-state) legal forms across the most popular legal areas including real estate contracts, wills, premarital agreements, bankruptcy, divorce, landlord tenant and many others. 

8. Did you know that the library has online language courses? You can learn Spanish, Italian, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and dozens of other languages with Mango, our online language tutorial program. A guided program will teach you from basic vocabulary to conversational skills. Mango tracks your progress as you go.

9. Did you know that the library has free meeting spaces for your group or event? All of our library locations have meeting spaces, both large and small to host your next meeting. You can book a space yourself with our online meeting room reservation system here.  All events must be free (no charge to attend and no sales at meetings) and sorry, we don’t allow parties. 

10. Did you know that we often receive best sellers on the day they are released? Many best sellers come out on Tuesdays and we have them processed and ready to go that morning. A few are non-reservable meaning you can catch them on the shelves even when the waiting lists are long. Many titles by best selling authors such as James Patterson, Kristin Hannah, David Baldacci, Stephen King, Nora Roberts, etc. are in our catalog months before the book is released. So call us and get your name on the waiting list early! You can receive notification via text, email, or phone.

 We’d love to see you sometime soon! Visit www.forsythlibrary.org for locations and hours.

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