Skip to main content

User account menu

  • Log in
Shopping cart 0
Cart

Search

Search
Home The Winona Times

Domain menu for The Winona Times (main)

  • Home
    • Newsletter Email Sign Up
    • FAQ
    • Our Staff
    • About Us
    • Notifications
    • Monthly Website Statistics
    • Our Awards
    • Contact Us
    • Rack Locations
    • Wedding Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Post
    • Post Dashboard
    • Payment Settings
    • Leaderboard
  • Top Stories
  • Most Recent
  • Most Read
  • Local News
  • State
  • National
  • More News
  • Sports
  • E-Editions
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • Social
  • Submit News
  • Schools
  • Comics
  • Games
  • Communities
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising
    • How to Advertise
    • Classifieds
    • Pay Bill
    • Ad Rates
    • Ad Staff
  • Archives
  • Home
    • Newsletter Email Sign Up
    • FAQ
    • Our Staff
    • About Us
    • Notifications
    • Monthly Website Statistics
    • Our Awards
    • Contact Us
    • Rack Locations
    • Wedding Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Post
    • Post Dashboard
    • Payment Settings
    • Leaderboard
  • Top Stories
  • Most Recent
  • Most Read
    • Most Read This Week
    • Most Read This Month
    • Most Read This Year
    • Most Read All Time
  • Local News
  • State
    • Other State Websites
    • Most Read Statewide
    • Most Recent State News
  • National
  • More News
    • Features
    • Entertainment
    • Lifestyles
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Associated Press
    • Press Releases
    • Public Notices
    • Submit News
    • Documents
    • Videos
  • Sports
    • Local Sports
    • State Sports
  • E-Editions
    • Newspaper E-Edition
    • Magazine E-Edition
    • Special Section E-Editions
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Cartoons
    • Letters
    • Polls
    • Comments
    • My Two Cents
    • Submit Letter
    • Submit My Two Cents
  • Obituaries
    • Submit Obituary
  • Social
    • Weddings/Engagements
    • Anniversaries
    • Births
    • Submit Wedding
    • Submit Engagement
    • Submit Anniversary
    • Submit Birth
    • Submit School News
  • Submit News
    • Submit Obituary
    • Submit Wedding
    • Submit Engagement
    • Submit Birth
    • Submit Anniversary
    • Submit News
    • Submit School News
    • Submit Letter
  • Schools
  • Comics
  • Games
  • Communities
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising
    • How to Advertise
    • Classifieds
    • Pay Bill
    • Ad Rates
    • Ad Staff
  • Archives

Visit your public library

By Amanda Sexton Ferguson, 3,660 Reads
Fri, 02/14/2020 - 5:47 PM

According to a recent Gallop poll, in 2019, more Americans visited a public library than to a movie theatre.

“Visiting the local library remains by far the most common cultural activity Americans engage in,” the website Literary Hub stated.

The poll showed that American adults visited the library 10.5 times in 2019 compared to 8 times or less of visiting concerts, plays, national parks, museums, casinos, theme parks, or zoos.  Women visit libraries twice as much as men, and adults in low-income households use the public library more than high-income adults.

In my opinion, the Gallop poll was very telling on two points.  First, lower-income families rely on the public library and its various services (computers, internet service, DVD rental, research materials, books, e-books, CDs, and digital music services) are free to use to anyone who holds a library card, which can be obtained at no cost.  In today’s world, technology, rentals and streaming services, and trips to the bookstore are outside many people’s household budgets.

The public library offers not only books, DVDs, and CDs to check out, but the Hoopla digital service allows library card holders to watch movies and television programs, read e-books, and listen to streaming music.  And it is free of charge.

We are lucky to have five public libraries in our community – Winona, Duck Hill, Kilmichael, Vaiden, and Carrollton/North Carrollton, and I applaud our local elected officials for continuing their commitment to financially supporting our local libraries.  Not everyone can afford to have a computer in their home or internet service.  These days, you need both to do school research projects and even to apply for a job.

Also, with our local schools efforts to get all elementary schools reading at grade level, having access to books, especially during the summer months, plays a large role in our students’ success.

Second, for those of us living in rural communities, activities for adults and children aren’t as plentiful as in large cities.  We do not have a movie theatre in Carroll and Montgomery counties.  In rural communities, local entertainment is usually provided by the schools, churches, and civic clubs and organizations.  We are blessed with the Montgomery County Arts Council and their productions, wonderful recreational sports parks, and unique adventure spots like Old Mountain Outdoor Adventures and Piney Hills ATV Park.

For parents of small children, a trip to the public library is an adventure, and our local libraries do so much to give these children activities throughout the year – movie times, special programs, Christmas pajama parties, Summer Reading Programs -- in which to participate.

My mother was a voracious reader, and because I was the youngest, after my sisters started to school and I was still waiting my turn, Momma and I would drive to the First Regional Library in Hernando and spend hours browsing the hundreds of books, finally leaving with a pile to be read at home.  It was these library days with Momma that not only gave me a lifelong love of reading but of the public library.

These days, it is easy to hand a child a tablet or mobile phone, and those things will occupy him for hours.  Even though that is the easy thing to do – I am guilty of it myself – but studies show it is detrimental on a child’s development.  One study reported that 40 percent of children spend 30-plus hours a week looking at a mobile device or tablet.

From my personal experience as a parent, watching adults play with toys on YouTube is absolutely fascinating to a six year old.  He can watch it for hours.  Now, he can’t sit through worship service without telling me he is bored, but he can watch strange people playing with action figures for hours.

I would much rather my son fall into his imagination while reading a good book like I did while growing up, but technology is a central part of the world these days.  Banning it from my home would be as traumatic on my husband and I as it would be on my son.  All in moderation I guess.

If you haven’t visited your public library, I urge you to stop by.  Just like between the cover of a good book, the library has an entire world of entertainment inside.  And it won’t cost you anything to participate.

‹ PreviousNext ›

Most Recent - Winona Times

Jackson Councilman Kenneth Stokes leads protest across the street from gun show

As hundreds gathered at the Mississippi Trade Mart this weekend for an annual gun show, Jackson… READ MORE

Most Read News Article

  • Week
  • Month
  • Year
  • All Time

Jackson Councilman Kenneth Stokes leads protest across the street from gun show

As hundreds gathered at the Mississippi Trade Mart this weekend for an annual gun show, Jackson… READ MORE

Mississippi lawmakers get big budget assist from feds
Serving those who served
Decision in medical marijuana case could be coming shortly
COVID-19 vaccine coming to Winona
Mississippi DPS expands police power with takeover of MDOT, Capitol Police, city interstates

Mississippi increases monthly welfare check for first time since 1999

Mississippi’s relatively small number of families receiving federal Temporary Assistance for Needy… READ MORE

Carrollton water customers reminded of boil water alert
Vaccine-resistant COVID-19 strain detected in Mississippi
MDOT employee severly injured in accident
‘We got totally screwed’: Dobbs explains why Mississippi trails others in COVID-19 vaccine rollout
SALTER: Farmers watching California pro-union law before Supreme Court’s new majority

Needy families get July 4th holiday boost

For some families in the Carroll and Montgomery area, the Fourth of July holiday just became a… READ MORE

Favorite dips to enjoy for summer
Recipe even better the next day
Charges against Curtis Flowers dismissed
Two killed in I-55 crash
4-H hosts first-ever Virtual State Congress

“Hill Fire: Knee Deep” based on the stories of the late Arnold Dyre

This weekend, the Montgomery County Arts Council will present a special play inspired by the life… READ MORE

Stars to face St. Joseph in first round
Carpenter wins runoff, Daniels new constable
Orvlie Hunt
Four injured in Carroll plane crash
Black Hawk resident meets Austrian pen pal for the first time

edition-button

Sign Up for Notifications of Local Breaking News

Start E-mail NotificationsStop E-mail NotificationsStart Mobile NotificationsStop Mobile Notifications

Social - WT

Audit Finds Savings in Outside-the-Classroom Spending at Hinds County School District

Below is a press release from the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor:

IHL approves tuition increase at 7 of 8 Mississippi universities
Congressman Guest to Hold Congressional Art Competition
History Is Lunch: Anne Farris Rosen, “A Journalist on the Frontlines of the Civil Rights Movement”
Some favorite Spring recipes
Serving those who served

Obituaries

Henry Franklin “Buddy” Blount, Jr.

Henry Franklin “Buddy” Blount, Jr., 74, and a lifelong resident o

Kathrine 'Kay' Heath Steed
Susie Kuykendall McElroy
Lora Ann McCuiston
Lester Bell, Jr.
Tannie Dixon, Jr.

SPORTS

2021 All Crossroads Basketball Team

The 2020-2021 basketball season had its high points and low points.

Tigers bring home wins
Lady Tigers fall to Eupora
Tigers, Lady Tigers win district track meet
Jags will take on Independence on April 20
Brian Dozier will be at home on Opening Day and loves it

Cartoon Button

  

Comic Button

COMPANY COMMUNITY ADVERTISE E-EDITIONS MORE NEWS
Contact Community Calendar Subscribe Newspaper Archive Cartoons
FAQ/Help Obituaries Ad Rates Newspaper E-Edition Columns
Our History Engagements/Weddings Ad Staff Special Section Editorials
Our Staff Most Read My Account   Politics
Statewide Most Recent Rack Locations    

Click on the city name to visit its website.

ACKERMAN  •  CARROLLTON  •  CHARLESTON  •  CLARKSDALE  •  COLUMBIA  •  DUMAS(Ark.)  •  EUPORA  •  FOREST  • 

FRANKLINTON(La.)  • GREENVILLE  •  GREENWOOD  •  GRENADA  •  HATTIESBURG  •  JACKSON  •  KOSCIUSKO  •  INDIANOLA  • 

LOUISVILLE  • MAGEE  • MENDENHALL  •  McCOMB  •  NEWTON  •  PETAL  •  QUITMAN  •  SENATOBIA  •  TALLULAH(La.)  •  WINONA  •  YAZOO CITY


Copyright 2020 - Montgomery Publishing | Privacy Statement | Help | Terms of Service

Montgomery Publishing - 401 Summit St. Winona, MS 38967 - (662)-283-1131

Emmerich Newspapers proud to serve your local communities.

Thank you for visiting our website.