How the Library Changes Lives

I've been coming here since I was a young girl. I didn't have many friends, but the library has always been a very comforting, fun place for me to go; a place where I could read books and just relax and go into other worlds in my books. Reading has been such an important part of my life. Now that I have a four-year-old son, he also comes to the library with me quite a bit. And he loves the children's activities that are here. My son is just starting to really enjoy books and we love it so much. There are always  wonderful things to do here. There are activities for children, adults, senior citizens -- for everyone. There's always something for any one here.

--Denise Lewis

What I like about the library is that they're very helpful; they understand. You know, they're not impatient with the kids. And they're mostly here for the kids, and that's what I like. Because a lot of times, kids don't have nothing to do and a library's a good place to go. I'm 22, and I've been a kid in the library since I was about 14. I'm still in the library here today. So obviously, it's doing something right.

--Timothy Wilson

 

We were there before the program was cancelled because of Hurricane Wilma, and we were rallying for it to come back. And the kids were asking me, "Mom, when is it going to come back?" And we were so happy when it came back [when the branch reopened in 2007]. We were the first ones to sign up. There's no comparison to any of the other paid for after-school care. The kids just go there and sit and waste their time. This one here is a lot of academics, a lot of coaching and tutoring. It's beautiful. And the personnel is delightful. We love it. I don't have a problem with the kids not wanting to go. They always want to go. They love the teachers. They have things to do. They have responsibilities to do there, and we love it.

--Marlene Kaplan

 

 
I didn't like reading before. I hated reading until I came here and I had to read books every single day. So I got into reading. I wasn't really good with big words, and now that I can read, I read really fast and I can say words that are really big. I like to read non-fiction history-like the Titanic, Anne Frank, mummies . . . And I like going on the computer and playing games.

-- Nigme Kairuz

 

 

I like that this library has wifi, because I can use my laptop, so I don't have to wait for their computers. I can just go online and read stuff on my computer. I can look at MySpace and read up on the latest news. The library is quiet. It's like a place to get away and sit by myself; just be on my own computer. I don't have to be home with my brothers and sisters.

-- Simone Stephens

 

 

Yes, I do love the library much. I'm from Germany and we are used to paying a huge fee for being a member in a library. It's about 150 dollars annually. We have to pay for any lending separately as well. So, here I have the convenience to borrow anything I do like. I'm a part time resident, spending winter times in Hollywood, avoiding our bad weather in Germany.

I do like to come to any library in Broward, lending and returning to any of those libraries, not dependent on returning it to the same library. And I can do it when I ride my bike, very convenient for getting in and out.

-- Klaus Stoltenberg

 

We love it. They've got great children's programming. Their Thursday morning story time and their free play is really awesome because it enables me to help instill in my son-at such a young age-a love of reading and learning. And it's free. The library's just a great place to go.

-- Courtney Ortiz and Owen

 

I've been using the Broward County Library system since I've been a teenager and it's just always been a calm place to go and a fun place to go. When I had my kids, I started bringing them here. Every branch has great programs for children and it's a great place for them to go. You know, my kids didn't go to pre-school, so they had a place where they could come and not only learn about books, but also come to the programs and learn about sitting down, classroom style-sit down and listen to the teacher. It's a place where kids can interact with grown-ups and it's very safe. Everyone is ready to deal with the kids and be patient with them, and the library will help them.

It just seems like the library has everything I want. I remember when I was a teenager and one day I discovered that they had board game night there. And now as an adult, I don't get away that often. I'm a stay-at-home mom with two little kids, and I'm with them pretty much 24/7. And there's one night that I get off a month, and I'm coming to the library for the book club.

-- Roberta Lee-Policard

Monica Gutierrez translating for Martin Ramirez:
He's saying it's a very comfortable library. There's a lot of research that can be done here. It gives him a lot of quiet time and concentration time, and there's a lot to be offered at the library. He says the personnel here are very helpful. Any questions he's had, he's had no problem getting an answer-with very cordial manners. He lives in Pembroke Pines and he comes all the way from there to here [West Regional Library], because it's such an incredible library. He's from Colombia and he's very intellectual. He's a journalist; so he loves to read and research, and this is the place. He finds it a great place to be.

I'm a medical transcriber and I really enjoy the quietness. I need to get out of my house sometimes. And I just come here. And the scenery . . . the calmness of the library just makes me work even better. 

-- Monica Gutierrez

 

The library has always been good for me: I use the computer once in awhile; I'm always taking out books; there's so much to learn. I've done research in the libraries. It's really a great place. It's cool and it's nice! We've even entertained here. I have a choir and we performed at the library for Christmas. I've been an algebra tutor for 16 years now-I work at BCC in their math learning lab-and I care deeply for my students. Sometimes those students need that one-on-one and I meet them at the library. It's a great place to go.

-- Deborah Johnson

 

I love coming to the library because my daughter is six years old and she's learning how to read. And the main thing for me is to get my daughter involved in reading . . . the love of books . . . and learning to come to the library so she can come here and use the computers and get any kind of research that she wants. So that this way, in the future, she will always have access to any information and learning tools at her disposal.

-- Evangeline Poulos

 

We love this library because it's a nice neighborhood library; small and quaint and not too busy. We love Story Time and the children's area is great, too! That's it!

-- Shannon Bevilacqua

 

 
I like this library. It's very clean; the people are very polite over here. The staff is excellent. Anything I need, the staff is right there to help me out at all times. And I love the computers. I love this library because I love books and they have the selection I need for my criminal justice class. That's why I'm here. I'm learning to be a crime scene investigator.

-- Lesley Robinson

 

The public library is one of the few things that we can still depend on. I remember when I was young, not having access to a lot of books because of the cost, you could always go to your local library, get a book on any subject you wanted, and still to this day, you can go to the library-basically for free. And there aren't many things you can look back on 45 or 50 years ago and say it used to be free and still is. People come here who want DVDs, books, and now we have Internet in the past 10 years, which is very important. We have those things free to us. Being able to take a class in American sign language, being able to utilize the Internet, because I don't have a home computer myself, it's invaluable to me, this learning tool.

-- Anthony Watkins

 

I've been going to libraries since I've been seven years old. I don't know what I'd do without it. It's a source of information . . . pleasure . . . And if I don't have at least two books at home on reserve, I'm an unhappy person. I really and truly feel the library is a wonderful place for children and all people like myself. I come to the library probably twice a week. To return a book and usually I have one on reserve, and so I have to pick it up. And I do try to keep abreast of the best-sellers where I can really read them, fiction and non-fiction.

-- Phyllis Byrum

 

We're from New Jersey. We come every year from January 30 until about March 11. I got my card last year or two years ago, and I check on my computer at home to make sure everything is caught up. It's important for me to keep tabs on what is going on. 

--Daisy Frankenberg

 

I read the newspaper while she does her computer. It comes in very handy, it's very convenient. I read the New York Times or Wall Street Journal . . . to keep up with things. 

--Harry Frankenberg