Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Culpeper County Library readies Culpeper Con, expands summer programming and plans maker space
Summary
Library leaders say Culpeper Con (March 27–28) will draw roughly 1,500 visitors and point to record teen participation in last year’s summer reading; the library plans a maker space and a local-history recording resource funded in part by Friends and the Culpeper Foundation.
The Culpeper County Library is ramping up public programs and planning new spaces to broaden services, the library’s outreach coordinator said in a recorded interview.
"We’re expecting close to 1,500 people over the course of about a day and a half to celebrate graphic novels, pop culture, gaming, nerd life," said Andrew Dicola, the library’s adult services and outreach coordinator, describing Culpeper Con scheduled for March 27–28. He said the event will include panels, vendors and a keynote and that a 5K at Rockwater Park will run the week before.
Dicola also highlighted the library’s summer reading program, noting that "last year we had the highest total number of teens participating in the summer reading program than we've ever had." He credited support from the Friends of the Culpeper County Library for enabling programs that county funding does not cover.
Beyond events, the library plans new service spaces. Dicola said staff are working to add a maker space and a dedicated local-history recording capability that would let residents record audio or video, digitize film and preserve materials for public access. "Hopefully within the next year or two, you should see a new tool in our local history room where you could start audio recording, video recording, or even storing some of your 35 mm, 8 mm recordings," he said.
Dicola listed the library’s broad mix of resources: print books, DVDs, magazines, three ebook platforms, language-learning tools and legal and genealogical databases. He noted some genealogy resources (including Ancestry.com) require in-library access to view local-history materials, while other services can be accessed remotely.
The library presents those offerings as part of a public-service mission. "This is a free and open to the public library for everybody," Dicola said. He encouraged residents to check the library and Friends Facebook pages or visit in person to learn about volunteer and donation opportunities.
Next steps: the library plans to stage Culpeper Con March 27–28 and to roll out the maker space and recording capabilities as funding and planning allow; exact dates for the maker-space opening were not specified.
