New!

Welcome Misti and Jamie! The library recently filled two key supervisor positions when Misti Tidman and Jamie Bayne were hired to head up the youth services and information services departments, respectively. Click for more information.

Commons Opened! The library and the city of Ashland officially invited the public to start enjoying the Library Commons, a new area linking the library with Central Park. The Library Commons, with its paved paths, benches, trees, landscaping and a large fountain perfect for cooling off on hot summer days, connects the Reading Garden at the library’s Main Branch on Central Avenue to the neighboring park, used by thousands of people each day. Click for details.

Yappy Hour in July! The library is inviting all four-legged furry friends (and their owners) to stop in and cool off at the Main Branch during July evenings. Yappy Hour is from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday throughout the month at the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave. Click for details.

Our Spanish collection. The library recently added books in Spanish to its collection at the Main Branch. The new titles, which include about 100 fiction and non-fiction books for adults, are on display in the lobby at Main, 1740 Central Ave. Any of these books can be sent to the Catlettsburg or Summit branches by request. Click for details.

Summer Reading Program. Bugs are swarming at the library during the six-week summer reading program. In fact, some bugs are already crawling around the library as it prepares to “Catch the Reading Bug!” The programs are at the Ashland, Catlettsburg and Summit branches. Click for info.

Want to be a Board Member? The library has an opening on its board of trustees. Applicants must live in Boyd County (preferably not in the Ashland city limits). Board members meet monthly to set library policies and procedures. Application (.pdf or Word .doc format) and description of responsibilities (.pdf or Word .doc format).

Free Movie Downloads! The library patrons can now add free video downloads to the list of services available through the library’s online branch. MyLibraryDV will be available here online. This unique video-on-demand service gives card holders round-the-clock access to hundreds of hours of DVD-quality programming, including cooking, travel, health programs, classic movies, foreign films and more. Click for details.

Storytime for Pre-Schoolers. The library’s Summit Branch has started a new weekly storytime program for pre-school age kids.The 45-minute program for children ages 4 and 5 includes stories and songs and has different weekly themes. It takes place on Tuesdays at 10:15 a.m. at the branch, 1016 Summit Road. Click for more.

New Video Games. The library continues to add new video games and iPod book titles to its collection. Now library card holders can check out PlayStation 3 games, in addition to the Xbox, Xbox 360 and PS2 games already available. There is also a growing number of computer games and interactive DVD games. Click for more information.

New Time for Chess Players. Chess players and those who want to learn how to play are welcome to attend the twice-monthly sessions at the Main Library. The club is open to all ages and meets on the second and fourth Thursdays. The time was recently changed to 6 p.m., in order to give the group members more playing time. Click for details.

Share Your School Pix! The library needs help from the public with its new collection of classroom composite cards. Photos from any schools located inside Boyd County are wanted, particularly those from the 1940s through 1970s. The library wants to preserve this rare collection of pictures for future use. The photos cards could be donated outright to the collection, or library staff could scan the photo and return it. Click for more information.

Teen Library Council. The library is now accepting applications to serve on the Teen Library Council. The council selects books, movies and other materials for the library to purchase, as well as help plan teen programs, including Teen Tuesdays, a social and educational teen group that meets the second Tuesday each month during the school year. Applications are currently being accepted right here online.

Toddler Time. In response to requests from patrons, the library is starting an evening Toddler Time in September. The evening program will be on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave. The structure is the same as the weekly morning Toddler Time that the library has conducted for several years: the 30-minute program includes 2 or 3 short books, singing and dancing. The program is for children beginning to walk through age 3. Click for more information.

Join the MOB! MOB (Moms on Babies) takes place at 9:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave. This very informal program will let mothers gather in a “play date” atmosphere and give them the opportunity to talk to other mothers about the latest books they have somehow managed to read, and ask for suggestions of books that are worth their “very limited time,” said Deborah Jonas, youth services information specialist. Click for more details.

Credit Cards. Starting in January, library patrons can use Visa debit and credit cards to pay fines or make purchases at any branch. The library started this in response to customer requests, said Director Debbie Cosper, and will be doing it on a trial basis this year. Click here for more info.

OverDrive. The library patrons can download more free digital media – audio books, ebooks, music and video – to their personal computer as part of a new service. Boyd County is partnering with 11 other libraries in Kentucky and OverDrive Inc. to provide patrons with 24/7 access to a growing collection of digital media, all of which can be checked out free of charge for three weeks. Click for more information.

Our Wirelessness. We've joined libraries from Greenup to Letcher counties along U.S. 23, which runs throughout Appalachian Eastern Kentucky, that now have wireless Internet. Most of the libraries have been offering the service for about six months. As reported recently on WSAZ-TV, this addition to the libraries will allow people to receive wireless access in small towns. Click for details.

New Computers! The library is replacing the public computers at all three branches with newer, faster models, thanks to a $37,700 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The library received the Public Access Computers Hardware Upgrade grant award last month and is currently soliciting bids for 24 computers. Another five will be purchased separately. Click here for details.

Download Audio Books! Boyd County Public Library card holders can now check out audio books anywhere, anytime by downloading them to a computer or personal listening device. They’re called audio ebooks. Click for more information.

Heard Any Good Books Lately? Teens can now check out an iPod to listen to their favorite book. Find out how. Click for details. And FLASH! WSAZ-TV's Bill Murray recently reported on our new program and you can see the video of that report here online. Click one of these links: Broadband or Dialup.

Pardon Our Mess! Anyone who has been in the library over the past few months has seen some things going on around the Main Library. Rooms in disarray, movers taking things out, guys with tape measures, things like that. Library Director Debbie Cosper explains why, in a column about Project: Trading Spaces. Click here for more information.

Bestseller Lists. Looking for the latest bestsellers? We've just added links to an assortment of famed bestsellers lists, including the New York Times, USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly and more. Click here for the links.

We Take Requests! If there's a book, a DVD or videocassette or music CD you'd like us to consider adding to the collection, let us know! We have a new online form made just for your wishes. Click here for details.

We're Fielding Questions! Our Research page has dozens of links to help you find the answer to even your most troublesome reference question. And if you can't find it there, now you can email a member of our reference staff for help. Click for Help!

The Teen Library Council welcomes new members at its meeting Tuesday night. The goal of the council is to get teens' input on what they want, like and need, and to find out how the library can be responsive to them. Click here for details.

It's Showtime! The Library is the newest place in town to watch movies. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. Boyd County Public Library recently purchased a "movie public performance copyright compliance site license" for the Main Branch from Movie Licensing USA. Licenses for the Catlettsburg and Summit branches could be added later, if the movies prove popular. The license allows for the public showing of movies from most of the major studios. Click here for details.

We're Wireless! The library recently installed wireless Internet access at the Main Branch. Patrons can now bring their own laptops to the library, located at 1740 Central Ave., and will find Internet access available throughout most of the first floor. The best connections are in the reference and public computer areas. Click here for more information.

Newsletter. Do you want to get all the latest news from the Boyd County Public Library? How about a sneak peek at the library's coming attractions? Then sign up here to receive a free copy of our bimonthly newsletter.

Reading groups have been set up by many book publishers. In addition, scores of independent groups are available for fans of specific authors, genres and special interests. Check out our growing list of reading groups in which you can participate through your computer.