It has been a while since I have visited a library in person. I chose to visit the public library near me. It was nice to take a closer look at what is available to me and my family.

The Space and Physical Access

The Kempsville Public Library is located off Kempsville Road in Virginia Beach. The building has a similar look and feel to the schools in Virginia Beach. There are two entrances to the parking lot of the library. One from the front and one from the side. The side parking lot is spacious. There were several handicap parking spaces, a ramp, as well as a bike rack available. The library has a few benches to sit on, and there was a drop-off area to return books located outside the library.

When entering the library, I immediately noticed the restrooms and check out counter are located toward the front. There was also a wheelchair available if someone needed it. The library is welcoming, well-kept, and accessible as everything is located on one floor. There are a variety of spaces to sit and work, meeting rooms, various types of seating, and public computers available. There are several types of rooms; a computer room, quiet area, study rooms, meeting rooms, and a children’s room. Most of the shelves are a reasonable height and could be accessed by most patrons. The teens section and children’s section are pretty spacious. There was a variety of furniture of various sizes meant for different ages throughout the library.

Services and Intellectual Access

There are signs throughout the library that tell the patrons information about the area or equipment. While I was there, a summer reading program was going on for children. I was able to speak with the staff and register my children for the program. The staff also let me know that the library programs available were listed online, and that I could register and look at the schedule for more programs. The library catalog is available on several computers throughout the library. One of the first things I noticed walking in is there is an area in the front for large print text. While the area may not be very big, it was nice to see patrons with visual impairments are being included in the library. 

The other thing I noticed is the Growing Gardeners program was available where patrons could take home seeds to plant at home. There was also fresh fruit and vegetables available once a week from local farmers. In addition to the regular programs in the library, there is also a story walk available outside.

People (Patrons and Staff)

This library serves the public. While I was at the library, I was able to observe diversity in regards to the type of people that were working and present in the library. Patrons visiting the library were very diverse in race and in age. There were young children, teenagers, young and older adults. Many people visit the library to borrow books, sit, read, study, use the internet or public Wi-Fi, use library technology, or search for resources (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, p. 82). I observed many of these things as patrons in the library were utilizing computers, and various spaces throughout the library.

The library consisted of 5 staff members that I noticed in different areas. The staff varied in ages (young to older adults), and were also diverse in race. I observed staff checking out books and working the front desk, walking around and putting books back on the shelf, staff working the summer reading program, and children’s area. I had the opportunity to talk to some of the staff. They were friendly and helpful. Everyone was more than happy to answer my questions.

Collections

The library is organized using the Dewey Decimal system and by different genres; adult nonfiction, adult fiction, bibliographies, teen novels, youth fiction, children’s books, and audiobooks. In the children’s section, there were board books, picture books, and foreign language books for children.

There were different types of technology available. They had a computer room and catalog computers. In the children section they had tablets with applications available for children. In addition, they had computers for a youth STEAM station. In the teen area, they had an area where you could check out controllers for games for a PS4 and Nintendo Switch. There was also an interactive display InFocus board that was meant for collaboration. Assistive technology is not available at this library branch. It is only available at two other public libraries in Virginia Beach. In addition, a hearing loop is only available at one branch in Virginia Beach in their meeting room. Therefore, I do feel that presents some accessibility issues at this particular library. 

Digital Access

There is not a website specific to Kempsville Public Library, but there is a Virginia Beach libraries page. Here is the link: https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/libraries/Pages/home.aspx

Overall, the website is easy to navigate. The library has many tabs that address different areas and questions about the library. There is evidence that the library includes all ages, disability services, and community outreach. Staff is listed by administration and leadership. It also lists coordinator positions for adult services, youth services, technology training, teen services, programming and community outreach manager. It provides telephone numbers, emails, text, and in person availability for answering questions. There is also evidence of social media contact as well.

You can register to create an account online, but you renew your account every 2 years by phone or in person. The library catalog can be accessed online and it is clear there are eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines available for patrons to check out. In addition, there are several technology tools that you can check out to take home. At the special library branch, there are talking books, talking book players, audio magazines, and catalogs that can be mailed directly to customers’ homes. There are also on demand programs available online. 

Additional Thoughts

With the pandemic, it’s been a long time since I have walked into a library. I usually check my books out online using my Kindle. I was happy to see how much diversity was present in my local library. I did not expect to see the large section of audiobooks, and the addition of the large print section. Since I have been there, they have remodeled and created more private sections for patrons’ various needs. The children’s section is separated which helps with keeping the rest of the library quieter when the young patrons visit. In addition, the teen section was very inviting and with it being sectioned off, I feel it would be a nice place for teens to spend their time. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much technology is now available at the library. As Rubin and Rubin (2020) state, public libraries today recognize that their places must be flexible and adaptable to meet rapidly changing conditions (p. 80). I feel many of these updates are a response to the community needs.

References

City of Virginia Beach. (2017). Virginia Beach public library. https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/libraries/Pages/home.aspx

Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.