The Kent District Library is pleased to announce the addition of two new Imagination Stations to its early childhood literacy program offerings.

Children can pretend they are budding restaurateurs preparing and serving delectable meals at the Wendy’s Imagination Station.  Or they can play make believe with numbers and letters at the C.G. Witvoet & Sons Imagination Station.  These Imagination Stations are part of the KDLville offerings at the Wyoming and Byron Township branches.  

These Imagination Station experiences will be shared with KDL’s Kentwood and Walker branches and eventually be enjoyed by all young KDL patrons. Additional Imagination Stations will be introduced during 2011.

Thank you to all of our Imagination Station sponsors. 

Please join us in feeding the imagination of a young child with a donation to the KDL Fund today. 

** Read more about the Wendy’s Imagination Station here.

April 10–16 is National Library Week, and KDL invites you to Create your own story @ your library. Every day, people use the library to enhance their career, learn something new, or find something great to read, watch, or listen to. Every day, people take advantage of library services that educate, entertain, and enlighten. Regardless of your interests, these are the things that help create the story of you. From a wide selection of books, movies, and music, to events and programs for all ages, the library can help you create your own story.

Author John Grisham on the value of libraries.

If you have a library story to share, we would love to hear it.
Please post in the comment section below or send via our My KDL Story webpage.

This year, KDL celebrates its 75th anniversary! As we look forward to a bright future, we also look back to see how far we’ve come. Join us on a small trip down memory lane to the 1960s.

Click on an image to enlarge it.

 Grand Rapids Press – July 8, 1963

Detroit Free Press – March 31, 1966

Rockford Register – December 29, 1966 

The Grand Opening of the Kent City branch.

For more 75th anniversary photos and archival media, visit KDL’s Flickr page.

In an economy where knowledge is the key to success, libraries offer equal access to the tools and resources needed to excel. As we transition from a manufacturing economy to a knowledge-based economy, libraries are, and should continue to be, a critical partner in this effort. With the governor’s proposed 40% reduction in state aid to libraries for the 2011–2012 budget, libraries across the state face significant challenges. Since 2000, libraries have already witnessed a 76% drop in funding from the state, and these further reductions may result in the elimination of a number of heavily utilized services.

While we understand that the current economy has impacted everyone, and that we must all do more with less, these proposed cuts will have an unprecedented effect on library services within our state – from reduced access to library materials to the elimination of popular online resources. We encourage all library supporters to learn more by visiting our library advocacy webpage. Find out how you can voice your support of libraries to your local legislators.

We thank you for your support.

This year, KDL celebrates its 75th anniversary! As we look forward to a bright future, we also look back to see how far we’ve come. Join us on a small trip down memory lane to the 1950s.

A group of library leaders, including former director Joyce Pleune, hold a meeting at a library branch.

The Kent County bookmobile makes a stop at a local schoolhouse.

For more 75th anniversary photos and archival media, visit KDL’s Flickr page.

This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the Kent District Library, and we’re celebrating with a number of events, highlights, and special initiatives all year long to chronicle the journey. From 1936, when the Kent County Board of Supervisors officially established the Kent County Library, to today, we’ll be highlighting some of the key milestones, achievements, and challenges we’ve encountered along the way. Many things have changed in those 75 years, but our goal of enriching lives by providing outstanding library service still remains the same. 

Stay tuned throughout the year as we take a trip down memory lane and look at a few of the highlights that have taken place over the course of our 75 years. 

Now, a few treasures from the KDL archives:  

The Old Kent County Courthouse (circa 1940s), an early home of the Kent County Library.

 

Mabel Balyeat: Library Pioneer and founder of the Kent County Library Association. (Photo taken in 1984)

 

Kent County Library Bookmobile (1950s)

 

The Kent County Library bookmobile makes a schoolhouse stop.

 

Do you have any old Kent County/Kent District Library memories you’d like to share? We’d love to hear them! Please share your story in the comments section below.

Thank You so much for helping us “Stock the Shelves” with your donation to the KDL Fund.  You generously helped us exceed our goal by donating over $8,900 to purchase new books and materials for the youth collection and help us grow our legacy of lifelong learning.  

KDL is very fortunate to have friends who so thoughtfully support our library programs and services. 

During 2011, KDL’s 75th Anniversary year, we have some exciting activities planned for the KDL Annual and Endowment Funds.  The KDL Fund Development Board will continue to lead the effort to grow our endowment and support of the following activities: 

• Play, Grow, Read To Your Baby bags inspire first-time parents to help their babies become lovers of learning and reading.
• Early Literacy Computer Stations teach children so they are eager and ready to learn to read when they enter kindergarten.
• Imagination Stations engage children in an exploration of learning, play, and imagination. 

If you are interested in partnering with KDL in growing our Annual or Endowment Funds during our 75th anniversary year, we’d love to have you join us.

Thank you again! 
  

“Children learn to read being in the presence of books.” ~ Horace Mann

Are you looking for a special gift that gives back  this holiday season?

This holiday season, please consider a gift to the KDL Fund “Stock the Shelves” campaign in honor or celebration of a loved one, friend, or teacher.

In 2011, as KDL experiences increases in visitors and circulation, the depressed economy has forced cuts across all budget line items.  Among other areas, these cuts will result in a loss of roughly 13,000 items in our youth collection.

Please help us raise $7,500 for our  75th year to “Stock the Shelves” with amazing books and materials for the youth collection. 

“I love how even though our family can’t always afford to buy books, we don’t have to sacrifice to have the privilege to read. We could not be more appreciative. The kids beg to visit the library they love it so much. I look forward to many more years with my children visiting the libraries.” ~ Heather

It would be a shame if “the privilege to read” for children and their families was sacrificed because fewer books and materials were available to them.  Your support is critical to young people all over Kent County who rely on the 18 KDL branches for access to books and resources.  Please consider a donation today.

If you are giving the gift of lifelong learning by making a donation to the KDL Fund in honor of your loved ones, friends, teachers, etc., we will send a special card to that special person announcing your gift.

Thank you for helping us “Stock the Shelves” with your donation to the KDL Fund. Our founders would be proud to see we’ve continued their commitment to the youth of our community.

 “Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.” ~ Maya Angelou

Children are full of imagination . . . .

If given some toys, songs, or other props, a child can easily journey off to a magical world of play and learning. They might pretend to be a doctor caring for a sick teddy bear, or a clerk selling fruits and vegetables in a grocery store.

The Kent District Library is thrilled to introduce the Imagination Station to its early childhood literacy program offerings. An Imagination Station is a simple structure that fosters a child’s imagination through dramatic play.

Dramatic play is a key component of early childhood development.  Dramatic play helps children develop creativity and imagination, knowledge of how the world works, language skills, and cooperation with others.  From this play, children begin to develop life-long literacy skills.

Thank you to our friends at Meijer and Fifth Third Bank for sponsoring our first Imagination Stations at the Walker and Kentwood branches. The Wendy’s Imagination Station is scheduled to open at the Wyoming branch in early January.  Additional Imagination Stations will be introduced during 2011.

You can help feed the imagination of a young child.   

Donate to the KDL Fund today.

While you’re busy hunting for those holiday shopping deals online, don’t forget that you can help KDL with each purchase! Just click on the icon below, or go to http://www.kdl.org/books_and_more/go/purchase_books, then use the links on that page to continue on to Amazon.com and Schuler Books websites. By using the links on that page, a percentage of the cost of the purchases made during your shopping session will be returned to the library.

For additional shopping options, check out GoodSearch’s GoodShop program, which includes over 700 online stores! Just enter “Kent District Library” as your charity, then use their links to your favorite online shopping sites. A percentage of your purchases will go to the library.

These are just two of the ways the Kent District Library is creating additional revenue in order to continue providing quality library service to our customers. If you’re interested in finding out how you can contribute to the library, please visit our KDL Fund page. We appreciate your support!