Your Library for the 21st Century: It's a Family Thing!

We hear a lot these days about ‘family engagement.’ So just what does that mean?
For families, family engagement is about the knowledge, attitudes, values, and behaviors that enable children to be motivated, enthusiastic, and successful learners.
For schools and libraries, family engagement means respectful partnerships that offer the information, guidance, and opportunities for families to be active in their children’s learning and development.

Family engagement is no longer just about how families are involved in schools—it is much broader. Children spend only 20% of their waking hours in school. Learning happens both in school and out of school - as “anywhere, anytime learning” – and children and youth thrive when they have opportunities to explore and discover their interests in a variety of spaces, including at home, in the community, and in public libraries.

For public libraries, family engagement is a natural next step in supporting children’s learning and development.
At the Cordova Public Library we are continuing to strive to work with the community as a whole and provide a place for safe growth, conversation, and lifelong learning. Wander in and see how we are doing.

Welcome to the Cordova Public Library!

The first library in Cordova began as a “reading room” within the cozy walls of the Red Dragon. Rev. Eustace Ziegler thought it important to offer the men working on the Copper River and Northwest Railway proper recreational opportunities and ran an informal lending library in the clubhouse. “A fireplace in the center of the room was kept burning for cheer,”  stated Ziegler.

Located on donated railroad property, the Red Dragon still stands as a testament to Ziegler’s efforts. In June of 1925 the women’s guild of St. George’s Episcopal Church opened the book collection to the public creating Cordova’s first public library. Since that time the library has occupied the Adams building and the Windsor Hotel before moving to the Centennial Building in 1971. In November 2015 the library moved to The Cordova Center, a spectacular multi-purpose facility designed to meet the needs of Cordovans well into the future!