Library offers books, videos, magazines, more

I t would take longer than you might think to go through the Bill Ellis

Patrons of the Bill Ellis Memorial Library can enjoy print and audio books, videos, magazines and computer access Tuesday through Saturday. Extended hours are offered on Tuesday evenings. If the library doesn’t have what you’re looking for, they can probably get it for you. Memorial Library’s collection.

The library has about 25,000 items in its collection including adult, junior and children’s books, a paperbacks section, audio books on cassette and CD, VHS tapes and DVDs. The library also has more than 70 magazine subscriptions. Back issues of magazines are available for checkout.

Interlibrary Loan service is available to any patron seeking materials that are not in the collection.

The institution’s history collection includes a history of Port Aransas called Hurricane Junction, by Cyril Matthew Kuehne. The Stubborn Fisherman is full of recollections of old-time Mustang Island by the late Elda Mae Roberts, a longtime Port Aransan. Also dealing with Port Aransas history is a new volume, Surfing Corpus Christi and Port Aransas, by residents Dan Parker and Michelle Christenson. And the library boasts Dr. John Guthrie Ford’s series of books on Mustang Island history.

Reproductions of American masterpieces from the National Endowment for the Humanities are on display in the library, as well.

Visit the library’s Web site at www.cityofportaransas.org/ library.cfm and you will see the catalog, general information about the library and many links to interesting and helpful Web sites. Library cards are free to all Texas residents.

Card-holding library patrons can also access TexShare, a commercial database subscription that is paid for and administered by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission for use by participating libraries. Tex- Share gives immediate access to online databases with full-text articles from popular periodicals, medical resources and health information, academic reference materials and much more.

Another online resource for library patrons is LearningExpressLibrary. com. The Web site offers patrons real test-taking experiences, instant scoring and other features. Practice tests include ACT, GED, SAT, TAKS and more. Courses are offered at different levels in grammar, writing, math and other subjects.

The library has five Internet computers. Two of the computers were purchased recently with a Loan Star Libraries Grant from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Wireless Internet is available for patrons who bring in their laptop computers. A color copier is also available.

Storytime for children ages two through seven is every Saturday from 10:30 to 11 a.m. The Book Club meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.

The library is supported by library volunteers, book sale volunteers, and the Friends of the Library.

Located at 700 W. Avenue A (next door to city hall), the library is open Tuesday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. A meeting room is available for use by non-profit organizations.

For more information call (361) 749-4116 or email eml@cityofportaransas.org.