A Successful Grand Opening of SkyLib at the Chattanooga Airport!
Friends of the Library enjoyed the successful launch of SkyLib at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport on September 27th, 2016. Special guest, Mayor Andy Berke, spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony congratulating the Friends of the Library for a job well done, and noted how projects like SkyLib further illustrate what a innovative and dynamic library system we have here in Chattanooga. SkyLib provides a warm welcome and farewell to travelers visiting our wonderful city and helps support the Chattanooga Public Library's mission to provide exciting and quality 21st century literacy programs to our Chattanooga community.
SkyLib at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Off to a Great Start!
August 1, 2016
SkyLib has only been open for a few short weeks, and we are already receiving great reviews from our airport customers! A staff member of the library recently received this message from a very grateful traveler.
" . . . You may not have anything directly to do with the Friends of the Library book store at the airport but I needed to rave to someone about it. I was stuck waiting in the airport last night for a plane that was 3 hours + late and found your little store. Buying a $3 paperback saved my sanity and was such a wonderful idea. I wasn’t the only customer there, and they also seemed grateful to have that opportunity. Kudos to whomever is in charge of a lifesaver at the airport. Thank you."
We are so happy to help travelers on their way and support the Friends of Chattanooga Public Library's mission!
Please stop by SkyLib and purchase some books at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport!
Jeannie Beard, PhD
FOCPL Volunteer
Communications Committee
SkyLib has only been open for a few short weeks, and we are already receiving great reviews from our airport customers! A staff member of the library recently received this message from a very grateful traveler.
" . . . You may not have anything directly to do with the Friends of the Library book store at the airport but I needed to rave to someone about it. I was stuck waiting in the airport last night for a plane that was 3 hours + late and found your little store. Buying a $3 paperback saved my sanity and was such a wonderful idea. I wasn’t the only customer there, and they also seemed grateful to have that opportunity. Kudos to whomever is in charge of a lifesaver at the airport. Thank you."
We are so happy to help travelers on their way and support the Friends of Chattanooga Public Library's mission!
Please stop by SkyLib and purchase some books at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport!
Jeannie Beard, PhD
FOCPL Volunteer
Communications Committee
Summer 2016 Read, Play, Learn Passport Program & Finale!
Front row L to R Katie Pope, Mom Michelle Pope, Kelly Pope and rear is Dad John Pope holding baby Tommy Pope.
Photo taken by Chris Hockert, Secretary and Outreach Chair of the Friends of the Chattanooga Public Library.
*Friends of the Library received a waiver for permission to use this photo on its website.
Photo taken by Chris Hockert, Secretary and Outreach Chair of the Friends of the Chattanooga Public Library.
*Friends of the Library received a waiver for permission to use this photo on its website.
Friends of the Chattanooga Public Library is proud to have supported and participated in the Summer Reading Finale Day Celebration at Northgate Library.
Mom, Michelle Pope and Dad, John are beaming with pride when their children showed their Passports today at Northgate Library.
Katie who will be entering the first grade at North Hamilton County School read over 300 books during the summer program. Her younger sister Kelly read almost 200 books. Their little baby brother Tommy even got into the excitement and was able to read books with his sisters and parents to receive his twelve tickets for free books and prizes.
Pictures from the Finale:
Mom, Michelle Pope and Dad, John are beaming with pride when their children showed their Passports today at Northgate Library.
Katie who will be entering the first grade at North Hamilton County School read over 300 books during the summer program. Her younger sister Kelly read almost 200 books. Their little baby brother Tommy even got into the excitement and was able to read books with his sisters and parents to receive his twelve tickets for free books and prizes.
Pictures from the Finale:
"Friends Group Opens Airport Bookstore"
by Alison McCarty
July 18, 2016
Friends of the Library organizations around the world are well known for their used book sales, big and small. The Friends of the Chattanooga Public Library are going even bigger than most with a used book sale in a twenty-four-hour location—their local airport. The Friends are opening Sky Lib, a bookstore at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport that will operate on the honor system, with no staff to watch the books or collect money. Customers will pay the three- to five-dollar book cost either into a secured cash box, with a credit card on the Friends’ website, or by picking up an envelope to mail in a check. All proceeds from the bookstore will go to support the Chattanooga Public Library."
"How Libraries are Advancing and Inspiring Schools and Communities"
The Chattanooga Public Library's story of becoming a "GigLibrary" was featured in the Aspen Institute Report “Rising to the Challenge: Re-Envisioning Public Libraries,” as an example of library relevance in the 21st century. Shortly after the report was released, MindShift, a news site and podcast on innovative education, asked for more details about the Library's Etsy projects, Makerspace, and other technologies.
Here's a piece of the article:
"The fourth floor of the library had historically been used as storage, but Hill decided to rip it all out and transform it into a space the community could use. 'We emptied all of that [storage] out, and turned it into a raw space with all the appeal of a 1930s factory space, with concrete floors and everything that goes along with it,' she said. 'It’s now a public space. If you’ve got an idea, you can develop it here.'
Here's a piece of the article:
"The fourth floor of the library had historically been used as storage, but Hill decided to rip it all out and transform it into a space the community could use. 'We emptied all of that [storage] out, and turned it into a raw space with all the appeal of a 1930s factory space, with concrete floors and everything that goes along with it,' she said. 'It’s now a public space. If you’ve got an idea, you can develop it here.'
"Up Close: Bright Lights, Gig City in Chattanooga | Library by Design"
By Sarah Bayliss on October 23, 2012
An earlier article published by Library Journal looks more closely at the 4th floor's historic transformation:
“When I came on board in March, I found myself in a gig city, but the library hadn’t kept up,” says Chattanooga Public Library (CPL) director Corinne Hill (a 2004 LJ Mover & Shaker). She approached Mark Kiehl, chief information officer for the City of Chattanooga, and said, ‘We need to be a gig library, because we’re in a gig city.’ He stepped up to the plate.”
An earlier article published by Library Journal looks more closely at the 4th floor's historic transformation:
“When I came on board in March, I found myself in a gig city, but the library hadn’t kept up,” says Chattanooga Public Library (CPL) director Corinne Hill (a 2004 LJ Mover & Shaker). She approached Mark Kiehl, chief information officer for the City of Chattanooga, and said, ‘We need to be a gig library, because we’re in a gig city.’ He stepped up to the plate.”