Marshall Library Director Amy Crump shows off the new low-vision center at the Marshall Public Library. The machine is designed to help people with vision limitations be able to read material more easily. It has features that help with several reading challenges, including settings for different color combinations, black text on white background and white text on black background. The center adds to the library's existing low-vision resources, including large-print books. [Click to enlarge]

Last October, I made an announcement about a new Parent-Child Book Club that was starting at the Marshall Public Library. Then in November, I had to announce that there would be a delay in that project. I am pleased to let you know that the inaugural meeting of the Parent-Daughter Club will take place on March 21 at 7 p.m..

The book we will be reading is "Little House on the Prairie" and Andrea Hatfield will be leading the group. We will have fun, food, and even crafts centered around this fantastic book.

Please come pick up a free copy of the book at the library desk, bring your daughters and join us for this exciting new opportunity at the library!

The Library now features a new service: The Low-Vision Center. It's located just past the computers on the left side of the library. Thanks to the Wolfner Library for the Blind, the library now offers a low-vision reading table, complete with special lamps and an assortment of magnifiers as well as a high-powered low-vision reader that is available for anyone who has special reading needs.

The low-vision reader has a variety of settings for many reading challenges, black on white, color, and white on black, and offers the privacy of being located in a side corner of the library.

The Low-Vision Center is enhanced with the presence of large-print books and audio books available for check-out. Several new audio books and large-print books are added each month.

Our regular patrons have been bearing with us this past week while we upgrade our computers and a new system that allows patrons to access the Internet without having to stop at the front desk.

You simply select a computer to work on and enter your library card number. This really cuts down on the bottleneck that frequently formed at the front of the circulation desk as people either dropped off or waited to pick up their library cards. It also saves time for the patrons and the staff.

And best of all, with the new system, patrons can use the computers twice a day instead of being limited to once a day.

In addition, the library now has two employees who are fluent in both English and Spanish. Norine Cruz is a student at Missouri Valley College and Edgar Sanchez is a high school student at Marshall.

Both Norine and Edgar can offer assistance with library services to Spanish speakers on Wednesdays from 5 to 9 p.m., Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Marshall Public Library is pleased to offer all of these new services to our community.

Library events

Preschool Story Time -- each Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. Games, stories, crafts. Appropriate for children approximately 3 to 7 years old.

Pajama Story Time -- each Monday at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Wear your jammies or come as you are. Games, crafts, stories.

Wee Ones Lap Time Story Time -- for babies up to 24 months old, each Wednesday at 10 a.m. Interactive finger play and song time for mothers and babies.

How can I support the Marshall Public Library?

Bring your receipts from Patricia's into the library when you're returning or checking out books. Each month, Patricia's Foods will donate a portion of the collected receipts to the library.

When purchasing items from Amazon.com, use the link to Amazon that appears on the Marshall Public Library's website: www.marshallpublib.org. A portion of your purchase will go to support the library.

Consider joining Friends of the Marshall Libraries. Membership forms are available at the library.

A gift to the Marshall Public Library is a unique and enduring way to pay tribute to friends and family. Your generosity will be a lasting source of joy and enrichment.

for the community.

For additional information, please call (660) 886-3391 with any questions.