Welcome to the Boise Public Library!

Maybe, when you think of a library, this is what you think of. And that's not wrong. The library does definitely offer books.

But.

Libraries are changing, and these days we offer a whole lot more.

I like to think that whatever it is that inspires you, that whatever you might need, you'll find something to support that inspiration at the library.

The Boise Public Library mission articulates similar sentiments.

"The Boise Public Library improves community members' quality of life by supporting their efforts to enhance knowledge, realize creative potential, and share ideas and stories."

In addition to our downtown location, the Boise Public Libra
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In addition to our downtown location, the Boise Public Library currently has three branches that provide a full range of library services from holds pick-up to storytimes and adult programs to reference services and community meeting rooms.

These branches are located at:
-Cole and Ustick
-Collister and State
-Orchard and Overland

And, we're getting ready to break ground on the brand new branch at Bown Crossing.
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ry currently has three branches that provide a full range of library services from holds pick-up to storytimes and adult programs to reference services and community meeting rooms.

These branches are located at:
-Cole and Ustick
-Collister and State
-Orchard and Overland

And, we're getting ready to break ground on the brand new branch at Bown Crossing.

The Library! at Bown Crossing is expected to open in December of 2016.

It will be 13,000 square feet and house approximately 35,000 books, DVDs, audiobooks, and movies. There will be 28 PCs and 12 mobile devices for public use, free WiFi, and a printing/copying/scanning center. The library will be open for 50 hours each week.

The Treasure Valley is an amazing place to live for library services. Most of the local public libraries (Boise, Meridian, Ada Community, Star, Eagle, Nampa, Caldwell, and Hidden Springs) have a collaborative sharing agreement. This means that anything you check out at one of those libraries can be returned to any of the others. If you find a book (or movie or dvd or robot) that is checked in at a distant library, you can request that item be sent to pick up at your neighborhood library.

Additionally, if none of the libraries in the area have the item, you have the opportunity through interlibrary loan to request that item be borrowed for you from one of hundreds of libraries across the United States that share materials.

Boise Public Library locations offer programs for all ages. Children's programming includes storytimes to help children gain the skills they need to learn to read and to enjoy a lifetime of literature. STEAM programs engage kids in science and technology. Afterschool programs give children an opportunity to learn and socialize outside of school.

Kidpacks are a great resource for families. They are a bag of resources surrounding a topic that helps kids focus on a set of skills and learning. This comes highly recommended from one of our colleagues (and her son).

Databases: We've got a whole page of databases and resources dedicated to homework help. With access to research, ebooks, and more, this is a great place to look for information about that report that's due tomorrow.

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We encourage historians to check out our clipping files, which include articles from regional pamphlets and the Idaho Statesman organized by subject. Great for digging into local history.

Learn about your own history by searching genealogical databases, Ancestry and Heritage Quest. Additionally, the library staff can help you find obituaries and other historical documents. Take part in our Genealogy Writing Workshop series.

Visit the library for our silent film series (The Beloved Rogue about French poet Francois Villon is coming up in November), family movie nights, and others.

Or catch up on your favorite documentaries with our online databases from PBS and Filmakers Library including Ken Burns films, the NOVA series, and more.

Discuss your work with like-minded adult writers as part of our writing workshop group.

Visit with new and established local writers and guest authors. In the last year, Jan Brett, Jennifer Nielsen, A.K. Turner, National Book Award Winner Phil Klay, Jon Scalzi, and many others have all visited BPL.

With November coming up, you can also pop in to any location for some dedicated writing time as part of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

From Teen Tech Week each March which has highlighted stop-motion animation and tinkering in the past to ebook assistance and technology petting zoos, the library offers lots of opportunities for experimenting with new technologies.

One of the best opportunities for those who love technology or are absolutely new to it are the library's 3D printing appointments. You can sign up for a free 2 hour session (up to once a week) to print toys, objects, your own designs, and more. You can even book a librarian first to help you learn 3D design and then print the object you've designed!

Treehouse! is one of our most exciting services. It is a company based in Oregon that provides almost 200 online modules and classes for all skill levels to learn digital skills, from computer basics and how the web and internet work to Java, Python, Ruby, and CSS to app-building and WordPress. One of the coolest series offered is the business series that covers how to start a business and market it, researching user needs, social media marketing, and more. You can even take classes on brand identity and designing a logo.

ROBOTS! Just recently the library has gotten a number of different kinds of robots to help teach coding. Robots are a great way to provide engaging STEAM lessons in an exciting and nonthreatening environment. We're really excited about them and hope you will be, too. In the coming months, look for robot programs for all ages at all our different locations.

Not to be left out, the library still (of course!) offers tons of resources for people who love to read. These include, but are absolutely not limited to:

*books! That's right folks, we've got LOTS of books. Kids' books, teen books, adult books, storybooks, fiction books, nonfiction books, comic books, large print books.

*ebooks. Not to be outdone, we have all of those same materials in digital form as well, so you can download (for free) some while sitting at home lamenting the fact that you just finished your novel, the library is closed, and you have nothing to read.

*magazines. Just like books, we have dozens of magazine subscriptions, some with back copies going back all the way to the late 1800s. Our digital service Zinio offers lots of free digital titles available on mobile, too, like Parents, the New Yorker, Newsweek, Yoga Journal, and Wired.

*audiobooks and e-audiobooks. I listen to e-audiobooks during my commute, while sewing or doing chores. I can download it to my phone while I'm getting ready in the morning, and I'm set. One of my colleagues said that e-audiobooks are what allowed her to continue to participate in book clubs while having small children because she could listen while she does diapers, dishes, or her kids sleep on her chest.

*NoveList. This database is SO fun. It's really great, too, if you have kids that are either picky or have read EVERYTHING. It lets you pick a book you liked, look at other related books or series or authors. NoveList had books lists, book discussion guides, activities to expand on picture books with your kids, and a LOT more.

*Ask Paige! This is one of the coolest services that the library provides, I think. You fill out a quick form telling us what kind of books you like or are interested in, and we do all the research to find and tailor recommendations specifically to you. The more information you give us, the better our suggestions will be.

Back to one of my favorite resources (are you getting the idea that I actually just love all of our resources?): Learning Express Library. Part of what makes this resource so great is that it is really versatile. There's resources for adult learners (haven't used Microsoft Office? Get started here), college students (review math, science, grammar skills), and test-takers (take free practice SAT and ACT tests, take a course to get ready for the GRE, prepare for tests for a wide variety of occupations, from medical techs to real estate to firefighting to teaching to postal service). There's also a center where many of the courses are offered in Spanish.

Book-a-Librarian: you get to reserve a librarian for an hour to learn whatever you want. Free. Interested in using a genealogy database? Done! What about preparing a resume and submitting it online? Sure! Interested in doing some in-depth research on Idaho and want access to our Idaho Room resources? Absolutely! We are here to help you with whatever you want to learn.

Federal Depository Collection: these are resources that come from different departments of the U.S. government and include a huge range of materials, from historical documents to information regarding current Congressional decisions to national park info. One of the coolest sections is the circulating material for New Americans and citizenship test preparation.

Learn a language! Mango Languages offers 71 different languages, some videos, and even targeted skills (Legal Spanish). This can also be accessed from a free app, so you can learn on the go.

The library offers a whole host of resources for businesses and non-profits.

*Non-Profit Thursdays on the 3rd Thursday of every month where community members come together to network and learn

*Small Business Reference Center database of up-to-date articles about growing a business, starting a company, and more

*Nonprofit Funding Information Collection of books specifically for nonprofits

*Foundation Directory Online which provides access to grant records and profiles

*Book-A-Librarian: this is another great use for BAL. We can help you with research, getting started in a field, and connecting you to local resources.

*ValueLine and Morningstar Investment Research Centers provide information about stocks, mutual funds, and investment tools

While preparing for this, I asked my coworkers what they thought the library's best kept secret was as far as cool services. Here are their responses:

*Consumer Reports--did you know that you have access to the full realm of consumer reports in their digital form via our databases? Heck yeah! At the refrigerator store and torn between two models? Pull up CR on your phone.

*The Staff! Which I know I've hit on a lot, but we work in libraries because we love helping people find things. We're naturally curious and if you're excited about something, we want to enhance that however we can.

*Clipping files & Idaho Statesman archive

*Freegal & local music. Freegal is our digital service that lets you download (and keep!) free songs each week. We also have local music created by local musicians in our Idaho Room that you can explore.