Happy Valentine’s Day! As you are remembering your loved ones this Valentine’s Day, whether with chocolate or flowers or cards, also remember to love your library. February is “National Library Lovers Month.” Here are a few ways to show that you love the library this Valentine’s Day.

Love your library by getting a library card and using it regularly. Getting and using your library card (and using it frequently, about once a month) helps library leadership to justify our funding through high demand of use. If you already have a library card, make sure your account is up-to-date by letting us know if you moved or changed your phone number or email address.

Love your library by utilizing digital resources. Check out eBooks and eAudiobooks through our Libby app. This way you have a book with you, as well as a digital library, wherever you go. When you use the Libby app through Mifflin County Library, you are using MCL.

Love your library by attending library events. MCL offers a lot of great programming for children as well as adults. To learn more about our programs, go to our website and click “Upcoming Programs.” In summer, we always have a summer reading program for children and adults. Story time for preschool is always in the works. And some of our more popular adult programs are our book groups and Creative Minds nights. In Creative Minds, different local authors visit and talk about writing, publishing and their writing journey. In addition to programs, the library offers free wifi access if you have your own device or a laptop for your use is available if you don’t have a mobile device.

Love your library by advocating and promoting the library. Tell your friends and family about library services. You could also leave a positive review online about the library. Or you could email your local representative and give them a positive report about the library.

Love your library by engaging on social media. Too many times there are negative comments on social media. Show some love by following your library on Facebook, Instagram and now MCL is on TikToc. Mifflin County Library also utilizes hashtags like #MifflinCountyLibrary. Using the hashtag will link positive comments together.

Love your library by financially supporting the library. Too often, library patrons are embarrassed by their overdue books fees. View this as a donation which helps the library purchase more books. Or donate $25 and have a book placed in honor or in memory of a special person in your life. One year, instead of gifts, parents asked that family and friends donate to the library in honor of their child’s fifth birthday. We were able to purchase a number of children’s books and each book had a bookplate (or sticker) wishing this child a Happy 5th Birthday.

Love your library by signing up for the library’s newsletter. Do you want to know more about the renovation schedule or learn more about upcoming events but don’t have social media? Sign up for our newsletter by visiting our website or email newsletter@mifcolib.org and ask to receive the newsletter.

Thanks for loving your library and Happy Valentine’s Day.

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Susan Miriello is the Executive Director of the Mifflin County Library. You can call the library at (717) 242-2391. Kish Library’s phone number is (717) 935-2880. Visit the library website at www.mifflincountylibrary.org.