Using Resources and Accessing Information

Katie Parr, director of Martin Public Library (MPL), encouraged Kiwanis members present at the Jan. 11 meeting to continue using the many resources at their local library and also to explore available virtual options, including the Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL), a virtual library that can be accessed anywhere in Tennessee with an Internet connection. Katie explained that the more than 400,000 free electronic resources include magazines, scholarly journals, podcasts, videos, e-books, test preparation materials, federal census records, Tennessee primary source materials, and more. Earl Wright, Kiwanis program facilitator for January, introduced Katie and thanked her for the good work she is doing at MPL. On Feb. 28, Katie will mark her first year of work as director of the library. She is pictured here with Kiwanis president-elect Clinton Smith, who presented her with a certificate showing that a donation will be made in her honor to MPL. Katie holds a master’s degree in library science from Southern Mississippi University and has worked as a teacher, coach, and school librarian in public schools in Mississippi and Tennessee. Katie said that being director of Martin Public Library is her dream job and that she is excited to help everyone in the community learn and grow by utilizing the resources and programs offered through this library.