Originally posted to the Chillicothe Gazette on April 6, 2025.

You probably know that April showers bring May flowers, but did you know that April also brings something special for the library? This year, April 6-12 is National Library Week, a week of admiration where libraries are celebrated…most often by the libraries themselves. However, this year, we want to invite you to get in on the action. It’s probably pretty evident how much we love the library; we talk about it constantly, but it’s our goal to make sure you love it, too!

This year’s theme is Drawn to the Library. In fact, we have a whole display dedicated to some of our long-standing staff depicted as graphic novel characters! Personally, I’ve been drawn to the library my whole life. I love a good story, so a building full of them is a yes from me. But books aren’t the only reason people come here. It’s a place to meet with your tutor, to get in out of the cold, or take your toddler into public to interact with other toddlers so they don’t stay a total maniac forever and finally learn to share!

Libraries are incredible at meeting the needs of the community they serve. Obviously, we can’t be everything to everyone, but if you need internet at home, we’ve got a hotspot for you. Or if you need to study for the ACTs, we have a guide for that. Maybe you want to learn to play chess, search it on our events calendar. Not sure where your next meal is coming from, if we don’t have lunches, we can hook you up with a snack. Even if you love to read, but can’t physically make it in to pick up materials, we will come to you.

Libraries really are magical. You can literally select a different life to lead right off our shelves, you never know what you might find. And yes, some days you may find a too-loud group of teens that even computer games can’t tame; or a glimpse of someone struggling through a really rough day; but even those moments have positive potential.

I am constantly thankful that I get to be a part of someone’s day, however small. A book recommendation, a program suggestion, or maybe just a smile. It’s the little things that mean the most and libraries are all about the little things.

So, for this year’s National Library Week, we want to celebrate us by celebrating you! We are nothing without the community we serve. Have fun with us by checking out our Check Out Challenge. Pick 5 activities from our varied list and get entered to win a library prize! Some activities are things you’re already doing, like following CRCPL on social media. You are following CRCPL on social media, right? Of course you are. But some activities may be totally new, like using our digital archive access to find the headline from The Chillicothe Gazette on the day you were born. No matter what you choose, we hope that you’ll have fun doing it.

Print the challenge form from our website (CRCPL.org), or visit us at any of our locations and find your favorite new draw.

Mine is hoopla. Just putting that out there.

Sheena Brown is an audiobook fanatic and a Clerk in Enrichment and Marketing and Communications at the Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library.