Op Eds

The Oswego Public Library, located on 120 E. Second Street, has big plans for this summer by offering classes and programming for all interests and ages.

Librarian Edward Elsner, who has been working at the library for six years, is in charge of running the oldest public library still operating from its original building in the country. The library opened in 1857, with about 8,000 titles. "Most of the books were printed in Europe," said Elsner, "The library was open to anyone, even children. If you could sign you name, you could get a card."

This year, the children's summer reading program's theme is "Every Hero Has A Story," which features heroes like "Rosa Parks, military heroes, animal shelter volunteers and superheroes," to name a few, said Kathy Nalle, one of the organizers of the program. The first speaker is Paralympic gold medalist Daniel McCoy, who will talk about what it means to be a hero to program participants on July 14. Sign-ups for the program begin June 29, and continue through July. By reading books and doing the weekly exercise challenge, participants can earn "Hero Points" that earn them prizes at the end of the program. The finale features an obstacle course. "I'm really excited for this year," said Nalle.

The library offers adult classes with the Library Learning Center on basic computer skills and career training as well as specialized programs such as Excel and Photoshop. Volunteers, as well as hired tutors available through the help of the Friends of the Library, teach patrons wanting to learn or improve their skills. Additionally, the library offers access to video streaming sites on certain days, and genealogy site Ancestry.com for patrons to use, said Elsner.

The Library, through grants and donations, is always looking to improve. The library is part of the Northern New York Library Network, or NNYLN, which means that anyone with a library card in the system can use the services of any other library belonging to that network. NNYLN also provides interlibrary loans, as well as grants to digitize journals, newspapers, and glass plate negatives. "The next database the Oswego Public Library is looking to tackle is Consumer Reports," said Elsner.

The historical building will undergo construction to repair the decorative turrets in a few weeks. "There's no construction yet, but it will be done hopefully by the end of July," said Elsner. The 158-year-old beautiful Hepburn Library has undergone renovations before, and only years ago the renovations tackled the third floor, now where the children's collection and most non-fiction can be located.

The Oswego Public Library is just another reason I heart Oswego. For more information on classes, programs, or services, the informational website can be found at http://www.oswegopubliclibrary.org/.