PRESS RELEASE: Veterans Resource Center Opens at Public Library
The Long Beach Public Library will launch the Veterans Resource Center on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at 10:30 a.m., at the Main Library, 101 Pacific Avenue. Opened to the public, the Veterans Resource Center is a space equipped with a dedicated computer for veteran resources, private study rooms, and a collection of materials to assist veterans and their families, which include the California Veterans Resource Book from CalVet, reference materials regarding veterans’ benefits, and other fiction and nonfiction books and DVDs. The community can check out materials with a Long Beach Public Library card; although a library card is not required to use the space or to utilize materials in the library.
"Long Beach has a significant local veteran history and presence,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “I commend the Long Beach Public Library for serving the needs of this essential population in an active way with the Veterans Resource Center. The goal is for the library to be a friendly entry point for veterans."
The Veterans Resource Center launch will kick off with a short ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a myriad of workshops open to the public, including:
A discussion of the 2017 National Book Award finalist, “Dark At The Crossing,” by Elliot Ackerman.
An art workshop hosted by Richard Harvey, an award–winning English musician and composer.
A songwriting workshop hosted by HomeFront Rising.
The “Every Soldier Has a Story" dance piece hosted by the Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre.
Detailed information for the day can be found at www.lbpl.org.
"The library has always been a place where veterans can come for information,” said Glenda Williams, director of Library Services. “The Veterans Resource Center takes that idea one step further by actively disseminating the benefits available to veterans and their families, and connecting them to local organizations that can assist in getting those benefits."
The Veterans Resource Center has been made possible through the Veterans Connect @ The Library program, and is the culminating event for Book-To-Action, sponsored by the California Center for the Book. Veterans Connect @ The Library works with California public libraries and the California Department of Veterans Affairs to help educate veterans and their families about the benefits and services available to them. By partnering with local veteran service organizations, the Long Beach Public Library aims to enrich the lives of local veterans.
These programs are supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
About Long Beach Public Library
Long Beach Public Library, founded in 1896, serves a diverse urban city of close to half a million people. The Long Beach Public Library system includes Main Library and eleven neighborhood libraries and a vibrant online presence. In summer of 2017, the Long Beach Public Library was awarded the National Medal for Library and Museum Services in recognition of successful community-collaborations, innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and literacy-focused programs to the residents of Long Beach. With an emphasis on providing free and equal access to information and support for learning for a lifetime, the Library offers books, media, databases, Internet access, Family Learning Centers, makerspaces, and a variety of events ranging from story times to cultural programs.
For more information, visit www.lbpl.org, “Like” the Long Beach Public Library on Facebook, and follow along on Twitter and Instagram.
