With money and time being tight, people will find relief and helpful tips during free programs at Pierce County Library System.
FRIENDS of Lakewood Library sponsor Frugal Grocery Shopping: Managing your food budget to help reduce your debt, presented by Beverly Pogue, professional organizer.
- Lakewood Pierce County Library, 6300 Wildaire Road S.W., Saturday, May 2, 11 a.m.
- Tillicum Pierce County Library, 14916 Washington Ave. S.W., Saturday, May 23, 1 p.m.
Pogue will share time-saving techniques for thrifty, tasty meals and practical ways to set a reasonable food budget, track food expenditures, reduce money spent on food, and make the best use of the money saved.
To help people save money, as well as support their wishes to eat healthy and locally-produced foods, Pierce County Library is purchasing more gardening books. According to the gardening industry, people are putting in the highest number of gardens since the 1970s. Home-improvement retailers report that more people are taking on do-it-yourself projects. The Library is beefing up its selection of books on topics including home plumbing and household repairs, as well as home remodeling, because people who used to pay for these services are turning to the Library for guidebooks so they can do repairs on their own.
The Library has also compiled Web sites with local help and information.
Other cost-saving library services include family programs such as movie nights and game days, along with used book sales offering bargain prices on books, CDs, DVDs and more. The Library also conducts many computer classes to instruct people in basic computer skills, resume writing and job searching.
Pierce County Library has seen a dramatic increase in use, due to the economic downturn, as well as offering additional services from a re-authorized levy voters passed in 2006.
Examples of increased usage:
- Items checked out: 2007—5,844,827; 2008—6,616,850: 13 percent increase
- Library visits: 2007—1,966,837; 2008—2,299,338: 16 percent increase
- Web site visits: 2007—881,678; 2008—1,549,299: 75 percent increase
- Number of card holders: 2007—193,234; 2008—212,831: 10 percent increase