Library offers resources for Saber community

  • Published
  • By Kelly Desmond and Ellick Ruffin
  • 52nd Force Support Squadron
Have you visited your base library lately? Spangdahlem Air Base's library is one of the most popular locations on base, seeing more than 500 people on an average day since last year's consolidation of resources from two bases into this one location. The base library is located in Bldg 148 and is open seven days a week. The library now contains more than 30,000 items, including popular movies and series on DVD, more than 50 magazines for browsing, CLEP and DANTES study materials, music CD's, audio books, board and electronic games, and books for all ages. All of these items are available for free checkout with a U.S. Air Forces in Europe library card.

Additional online resources like Mango Language database, Morningstar Financial Reports, Country Watch, Ebscohost and Infotrac online newspapers and magazines, among many others, are also available 24/7 via www.usafelibraries.org and require only a library card to access. Spangdahlem Air Base library cardholders may also request books from any USAFE library simply by logging into same website. The library welcomes purchase suggestions and paper inter-library loan requests for any materials our customers are seeking.

The library facility offers computers with internet access and printing for only 10 cents per page. Wireless internet access courtesy of the library is available 24/7 and extends out 25 feet from the building. Faxing for $1.00 per page and photocopies for 10 cents per page are also available. The library is staffed by two professional librarians, a computer specialist, and both German and U.S. library technicians, all of whom are happy to help with your information needs. The library staff offers a variety of programs, including a weekly toddler storytime on Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m., a monthly book group, online database classes and individual or group introductory library classes as requested.

A new program funded by USAFE Libraries is the "Books on Demand" program. This program allows USAFE customers to request items that for one reason or another the Spangdahlem Library cannot procure. New technologies at the library this year include a self-checkout station and a brand new study room with smart board and video-conferencing capability that will shortly be available for small groups to use.

Finally, the base library is the place to register and participate in the DoD 2011 Summer Reading Program, "A Midsummer Knight's Read," with many great events and prizes. It does not matter whether you are young or old, from the north, south, east or west, what you will find is that we offer you the best. We strongly encourage you to visit the place where we transform readers into leaders.