Give the Gift of the Library
Many holidays and traditions that fall in December focus on giving and service. At the library, we’re dedicated to doing what we can to serve our community, and last year, we realized that one small way we can help people out is to participate in the Orange County Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive. Last year, we collected more than 1,700 toys to be distributed to families in need during the holiday season.
This year, we are once again proud to participate in the Toy Drive. Since the beginning of November, we’ve been collecting new toys at each of our branches to help make the holidays brighter for children in our county. We’ll continue accepting unwrapped, new gifts for children ages 18 and under at our branches until December 9 and I can’t wait to see if we collect even more toys than we did last year. You can visit ocfl.net/ToyDrive for more information.
It is truly a season of learning, making and giving at OCLS, and opportunities abound if you flip through the pages of Books & Beyond this month. Whether you want to create something for yourself or craft a gift for a loved one, OCLS has something for you. On December 7, bring the family to Hiawassee Branch to learn about Japanese wood block painting master Hokusai, and leave with a beautiful work of art of your own. Create your own crochet pie earrings or magnet with a three-part virtual crochet class beginning December 4 that will step you through this quirky holiday craft. Or you can assemble cookie mix jars by following the simple instructions we include on page 19.
A library card is truly a gift of resources for anyone. Tell a friend about your favorite library service and encourage them to sign up at ocls.org/card.
As 2024 comes to a close, and the new year approaches, I hope you will take advantage of all OCLS offers the community: Visit a different branch, take a class to learn something new, explore career enriching resources or just find a book and read. I look forward to a new year of welcoming people through our doors and connecting online and in-person around Orange County.
