Recent Articles

On September 9^th, 2017, Macon County Public Library held its 4^th annual Read Local Book Fair.
 
The big change over last year was moving the date from November to early September.  This was done to try and capture more of the “seasonal” population, as it was pointed out that most of this potential audience is gone in early November.
 
Approximately 345 attended the fair (about 150 more than last year); we will probably continue with the earlier date, due to this increase. 
 

Did you know that the Library offers Notary services in each of our counties? We currently have 9 Notaries on staff, with at least 1 Notary in most of our branches. We recognize that this is one of those services that no one thinks about until you need it. And when you need it, you really need it. So we are striving to have this service conveniently available to our patrons. The cherry on top of this hidden service sundae is that we provide this service completely free of charge. For more information on Notary services provided by the Library, call your local branch.
 

Libraries throughout Fontana had displays to promote Mental Health Awareness Week during October.  These were done in partnership with the local chapter of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health), NAMI Appalachian South. Displays combined resources such as informational pamphlets from NAMI and local mental health providers, with items from our collection, such as books, DVDs, and audiobooks.

Need assistance with your taxes? Look no further! All the libraries in Fontana Regional Library system provide basic Federal tax forms and instructions as a service to our customers.  Although we do not carry paper forms for State taxes we do have access through the Internet to forms for the State of North Carolina and the IRS at a cost of 25 cents a side.
 

Libraries Offering Tax Assistance Near You:

 AARP Tax Preparation Assistance at both JCPL and MCPL are by appointment only. Please call 586-2016 (JCPL) or 524-3600 (MCPL) for assistance.
 

Matthew Bateman is a personal fitness instructor at the Franklin Health and Fitness Center. He tagged MCPL in a Facebook post stating how grateful he was for a study room at the Macon County Public Library to help get organized for his clients at the fitness center.

Have you been seeing libraries popping up on every corner?  Little Free Libraries are a growing phenomenon!  As of 2017, there are over 60,000 registered Little Free Libraries in all 50 states and 80 countries. 
 

FRL is growing their partnership with the Southwestern Commission in advocating for broadband in our region by promoting their ‘Regional Broadband Assessment’ survey. The data from this survey will be used in their broadband and Economic Development planning for the region.
 

Macon County Public Library hosted a Women in Science Career Fair on September 14^th for families, children, and teens to learn more about science career opportunities.  The Women in Science Career Fair was an official event of the NASA @ My Library grant that the Fontana Regional Library recently received.  At this event, attendees had the opportunity to speak with seventeen local female scientists and learn more about a variety of scientific fields.
 

Back in mid-September, Hurricane Irma dealt a surprisingly ferocious blow to the Cashiers area. Thousands in the area were without power, running water, and internet for nearly a week. Luckily, Albert Carlton – Cashiers Community Library managed to keep power, water, and internet through the entire ordeal. We provided a safe haven to charge devices, check email, start insurance claims, and entertain children that were out of school.

Wish you had free access to 30,000+ films? Wish that included award-winners, foreign films, documentaries, selections from the Criterion Collection? Wish you could just stream them without leaving home? Well, your wishes are answered! Fontana Regional Library now offers Kanopy, a film streaming service that you can view on your computer, tablet, Roku, or even your smartphone. Kanopy debuted across FRL this fall, and patrons are enjoying the wide range of quality films available, up to 10 films per month. Check it out today!