Morris Area Public Library

The Morris Area Public Library will host the AARP driver safety program from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm on Thursday, April 22 and Friday, April 23.

This two-day, eight hour course is designed to reinforce safe driving skills so that older drivers can remain safely behind the wheel. It covers age-related physical changes, declining perceptual skills, rules of the road, and helps participants identify their own specific shortcomings and improve their driving behavior.

On February 10, the Morris Area Public Library joined libraries throughout Illinois for “Snapshot!: One Day in the Life of Illinois Libraries.”  Snapshot Day captured in photographs, comments, and statistics how the library’s services were being used on an average day.  Statistics on the number of visitors, computer use, program attendance, and items being checked in and out were gathered, as were testimonies from the people who use the library.  Surveys were distributed to anonymously collect comments from library visitors and data on the services they used.

“It’s been a very enlightening process,” said Library Director Kyla Waltermire.  “Even those of us who see how the library’s spaces and services are being used every day were surprised to see what a normal day looks like in terms of raw numbers.”

Despite snowy weather conditions, the library had 671 visitors and checked out 618 items.  A survey respondent in 5^th grade noted, “I use the library for all the books I read.”  Another respondent stated, “[The library is] my only source for good reading.  I drive 11 miles each time I get books.  I am a senior citizen on a limited budget & cannot afford to purchase reading materials.”