Andalusia Star News

Andalusia Public Library is expanding its services to include immersive learning kits, thanks to the help of a local charity that aims to put $120,000 back into the community this year.

The United Fund acts as an umbrella agency, raising money for a number of organizations within Covington County.

“The United Fund has really helped us branch out to nontraditional library items,” APL director Karin Taylor said.

“We’re looking to purchase S.T.E.M. materials, bird-watching kits, microscopic kits, geology kits. We’ll also have stargazing kits and telescopes to check out.”

The Andalusia Public Library has a computer lab, Internet access, several free book websites, DVD rentals, movie rentals and game rentals.

“We’ve had magicians come in to entertain children,” Taylor said. “We’ve even had a real cow in our library. We have a summer reading program for our younger people. We’re really more than just a library, we’re a community center.”

Taylor has already purchased some of the kits, and will soon have them available for check out.

“We get $700 for the year,” Taylor said.

She said the United Fund money would get them started, but more donations are needed to continue to add to the take-home items.

Taylor is hoping that the kits will help bring in more patrons.

“The kits are really educational,” she said.

“We have two levels of bird-watching kits, one for adults; one for children. They’ll feature field guides so that people can write which birds they saw locally. New users can look back on the old entries and determine which birds are active in the area. We’re really excited to offer more to our patrons,” Taylor said.

The United Fund has set a goal of $120,000 for its 2018 distribution. Donations for the Covington County United Fund may be sent to P.O. Box 1791, Andalusia.

The Covington County United Fund also contributes to the Lucile Pierce Family Literacy Center, Opp Parks and Recreation, Opp Public Library, Meals on Wheels, Covington County 4-H Programs, Sav-A-Live, American Red Cross, Florala Senior Center, Florala Public Library, South Central Alabama Mental Health, Crossover Ministry , Covington County Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Bethesda House, Opp Benevolence Fund, Andalusia Community Christmas, Andalusia Adult Activity Center and Andalusia Department of Leisure Services.

For more information on their new services at APL, contact Karin Taylor at 334-222-6612.

Andalusia Star News