Welcome to Your Library
Be Welcoming is an important pillar of our strategic plan. A big part of being welcoming is making sure our facilities, programs and services are accessible to every member of our community. This month in Books & Beyond, you will see changes to text color and size in our event listings to improve the accessibility of the magazine to those with vision differences. Small changes can sometimes have a big impact. If you turn to page 16, you’ll see a feature on classes at the Melrose Center now offered in Spanish – Basic Photography Concepts, YouTube Live Production and General Orientation. We hope these changes make it easier for everyone who picks up a copy to easily find a new program or event that sparks their interest.
This month is filled with opportunities to learn something new and events to broaden your perspective. In celebration of Black History Month, we are proud to host our African American Read-In on Sunday, February 16, at Orlando Public Library. Emcee Renita Hunt will welcome local luminaries to bring their favorite African American poetry, literature and songs to light. A list of the featured guest speakers and event information may be found at ocls.org/readin.
February is Heart Month and OCLS is proud to partner with the American Heart Association and HCA Florida Healthcare in the Libraries with Heart program. At branches and outreach events, trained staff will teach simple, efficient ways to monitor your blood pressure at home as well as provide hands-on experience with blood pressure monitors and cuffs. These events will educate a wide audience about the importance of heart healthy habits, how to properly monitor blood pressure and empower community members to know their numbers. OCLS card holders can check out blood pressure monitoring kits free of charge all year long at 10 library locations across Orange County: Chickasaw, Eatonville, Hiawassee, Orlando Public Library, South Creek, South Trail, Southwest, Washington Park, Windermere and Winter Garden.
So this month, we hope you will join us at one of our 15 locations or an outreach event in your community. With so many things to choose from, we welcome you to learn or experience something new.
