From streaming movies and genealogy research to children's programs, computer help, voter registration and even puzzle swaps, the Geneseo Public Library offers considerably more than shelves of books.
For generations, the public library has been a place to find something to read.
That is still a big part of what happens at the Geneseo Public Library District — but it is far from the whole story.
A look through the library's programs and services shows an institution that also functions as a technology center, meeting place, children's activity space, local-history resource, entertainment provider and, occasionally, the place to go when you need something laminated, notarized or faxed.
For residents who haven't looked closely at what their library card — or simply a visit to the building — provides, there may be a few surprises.
Movies, Audiobooks and Digital Reading From Home
A trip to the library does not necessarily require leaving the house.
Geneseo library patrons have access to several digital services through their library cards.
Libby provides ebooks and audiobooks that can be borrowed digitally and enjoyed on a phone, tablet or other compatible device.
The library also provides access to Kanopy, a streaming service offering movies and other video programming, as well as Hoopla, which gives Geneseo patrons access to additional digital content.
Those services extend the library's collection well beyond what can physically fit inside the building.
Computers, Wi-Fi and Help When Technology Doesn't Cooperate
Free wireless internet is available throughout the library.
The library also maintains eight public internet stations at no charge. The computers include Microsoft Word, Publisher and Excel, and patrons can scan documents to the public computers.
Two additional computers are available for homework and personal projects that do not require internet access. A large-screen computer with larger buttons is also available for patrons with visual impairments.
For children, three computers in the children's room include games and learning activities without internet access.
The library also recognizes that simply providing a computer doesn't always solve the problem.
Staff can provide limited computer assistance for specific issues. Patrons who need additional help can arrange a 30-minute one-on-one computer assistance appointment.
The library may also offer basic computer instruction based on community interest and can help patrons locate more extensive training opportunities.
Printing, Scanning, Faxing and Lamination
Some of the library's most practical services have little to do with reading.
A public copier is available for letter- and legal-size copies, including double-sided copying and enlargement or reduction. Black-and-white and color copying are available.
The library can also scan documents and email them or save them to a patron's flash drive. A public-use scanner is available as well.
Need to send an old-fashioned fax? The library can do that, too. Both sending and receiving fax services are available.
Lamination is another service offered for smaller documents and standard letter-size pages.
Fees apply to some of these services.
Need Something Notarized? The Library May Be Able to Help
Several library staff members are notaries public.
Patrons are encouraged to call before visiting to make sure a notary is working at that time.
The library can also register Henry County residents to vote. Residents need to bring two forms of identification showing their current address.
Those offerings make the library a place residents can turn for routine civic and administrative needs as well as recreation.
Researching Geneseo — or Your Own Family
For anyone curious about local history or genealogy, the library maintains dedicated resources.
Two computers in the Genealogy/Local History room provide access to Ancestry Library Edition for public use.
A separate computer is available for reading microfilm.
The genealogy and local-history resources give residents a way to trace family histories, research former residents and explore Geneseo's past using resources that may not be readily available from home.
Starting Young — Very Young
Some of the library's programming begins before children are old enough to read for themselves.
The Rubber Ducky Club is designed for children from birth through age 3 and their caregivers, combining simple stories, songs, movement and rhymes.
Story Time gives older preschool children an opportunity to enjoy stories and a craft.
The library also offers Music Time with Miss Tina, led by an early childhood music education specialist, with separate sessions designed for different age groups.
Art from a Cart gives children an opportunity to get creative with provided art supplies, while visits from therapy dogs give young readers a particularly patient audience as they practice reading aloud.
For older children and teens, programming has included Dungeons & Dragons Adventures, designed to be beginner-friendly with materials provided.
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
The library encourages families to make reading part of everyday life long before a child enters a classroom.
Through 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, families can sign up at the library and receive a reading log.
Parents and caregivers record the books they read with their children. The same favorite book can count again when a child inevitably asks to hear it for the 47th time.
Completed logs are returned to the library as families work toward the 1,000-book goal.
The idea is simple: build a habit of reading together before formal schooling begins.
They'll Help You Sign Up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Families with young children can also get help enrolling in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
The well-known early literacy program sends participating children free, age-appropriate books in the mail, helping families build a home library during a child's earliest years.
Library staff can help families with the enrollment process, making the public library a starting point for getting books into children's hands both inside the library and at home.
Community Art, Quilts and Collections
The library also provides space for local residents to show what they create and collect.
Local quilters regularly display their work near the library entrance, while works from area artists are featured elsewhere in the building. Exhibits rotate throughout the year.
Collectors can get involved, too.
The library invites residents to share their own collections in display cases, giving everything from childhood collections to adult hobbies a temporary place in the spotlight.
It's another way the building serves as a showcase for the interests, creativity and history of people who live here.
Speakers, Clubs and Programs for Adults
Adult programming extends well beyond traditional book discussions.
The library brings in speakers and presenters covering entertainment, history, food, culture and other subjects.
Programs have included presentations exploring television history, American cookbooks, and beekeeping.
The library also hosts book discussions and other activities throughout the year, with offerings changing as new programs are scheduled.
There's Even a Book Sale
For people who prefer owning their books, the library maintains an ongoing book sale area.
Books, magazines and DVDs are added regularly.
The library accepts some donations of saleable materials during regular operating hours, provided items are in good condition. There are restrictions on some types of donated materials, so residents with larger donations or questions may want to check with the library first.
More Than a Place to Check Something Out
Taken together, the offerings paint a much broader picture of what a modern public library does.
One person might walk through the doors looking for a novel.
Someone else may be there to research a great-grandparent, use a computer, register to vote, get a document notarized, laminate a page, entertain a toddler, learn a new skill, work on a puzzle or get help signing a child up to receive free books through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
Others may never enter the building at all that day, instead using their library card to download an audiobook or stream something from home.
The Geneseo Public Library District's mission includes meeting residents' personal, educational, recreational and cultural needs while encouraging lifelong learning and reading.
Sometimes that involves a book. Sometimes it doesn't.