Posted by Sharon Schendel on Jun 17, 2019
Polly Cipparrone, Branch Manager of the Del Mar Library
 
Polly Cipparrone, Branch Manager of the Del Mar Library, spoke at the June 13, 2019 meeting about how libraries form part of our future. The Del Mar library was established in 1915 and is one of 33 branches in the San Diego Country library system, which has an annual budget of 46 million dollars and and 300 employees.  The library system is supported in part through property taxes.
 
The library can be thought of as a “third place”.  Home and work and first and second places, respectively, where we spend most of our lives, but a “third place” is a site for personal time.  Libraries are also conveners and connectors that work to bring the community together, not just in a physical place, but also by providing information about local events and resources.
Given its broad reach within the community, the Del Mar library hosts informational sessions delivered by experts on Medicare from Health and Human Services, retirement benefits from Social Security Administration, and parenting classes from Rady Children’s Hospital.
 
The Del Mar library is updating its technology offerings.  Their bandwidth and internet speed is expanding to provide faster access to information and services such as teleconferencing and webcasts. San Diego County residents can sign up online to get a digital library card to access over 60,000 e-book titles using the Libby app or read magazines online. The library itself still receives many print editions, including The Financial Times, Investor’s Business Daily and the San Diego Business Journal.  Stop by the library to learn about all the resources they have!