Library Express adds a new service at Oh WOW! center

April 13, 2017 at 12:04a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Children and adults who bring a sense of curiosity for how weather systems work, how sound and light waves travel and countless other aspects of science to a popular downtown museum can now use it for another pursuit: reading.

“It’s another avenue to foster reading and learning for those who come in,” explained Lisa Long, associate director of OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology, 11 W. Federal St., downtown.

Long was referring to the new Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County’s Library Express, which opened Wednesday morning in the museum.

The space will have more than 300 books that patrons can check out and return to OH WOW! or any other PLYMC branch, noted Janet S. Loew, the library system’s public-relations director. In addition, people can sign up for library cards and register for a Summer Discovery program.

The stock of materials, from a collection of about 500 items with an emphasis on fiction and nonfiction bestsellers, will continually rotate. In addition, the space near OH WOW’s entrance has a children’s collection, noted Heidi Daniel, PLYMC’s executive director.

“This location, while not a full-service library, will provide services important to our customers. Library Express will connect the library with visitors to OH WOW!” she said, adding, “It is our hope that it [also] will pull in downtown folks ... who want to come in and grab a book.”

The small library also highlights the strong partnership between the PLYMC and OH WOW!, and it is hoped the center will reinforce the museum’s value to the downtown corridor, Daniel continued.

Among the first young patrons to dip into a few books at the site, which also featured novels from best-selling authors such as Stephen King, Danielle Steel and Mary Higgins Clark, were brothers Adam and Austin Wentz of Austintown, 4 and 7, respectively. The boys came with their mother, Chrissie Wentz.

For a while, the 137-year-old PLYMC was looking for a downtown location for such a facility, so the museum was the ideal fit, Loew explained.

“The opportunity came up with OH WOW! and we thought it was a great idea,” she added.

Also pleased with the partnership was Suzanne Barbati, OH WOW’s president and executive director.

“We’re thrilled to offer access to the library to our downtown neighbors and the other 65,000 people who visit OH WOW! every year,” she said. “These types of partnerships help make us stronger and offer additional resources to our clients.”

The Library Express will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.