Ashe
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | |
---|---|
HOW DO I GET A LIBRARY CARD? Visit https://www.arlibrary.org/about-ashe-library/your-library-card to find out if you are eligible. HOW DO I ACCESS EBOOKS? Visit https://www.arlibrary.org/digital-library to view all of our digital collections. You may need to download an app, such as Libby. WHAT IS MY PIN NUMBER? Your default pin number is the last four digits of the phone number on your library account. If this doesn't work, or if you aren't sure what phone number is on your library account, please give us a call so we can reset your pin. NOTE: If you are using a Student Access account, your pin will be the last four digits of your lunch number. HOW DO I MANAGE MY ACCOUNT (RENEW ITEMS, PLACE HOLDS, PAY FINES, ETC.) ONLINE? Visit https://appalachian.nccardinal.org/eg/opac/login. After you log in, you should be able to manage most facets of your account. CAN I USE MY STUDENT ID NUMBER TO ACCESS ONLINE RESOURCES? Ashe County Schools students with a current Student ID number can use their number to login to services like NC Kids, NC Live, and more! Just enter your Student ID number in the "Library Barcode" field and the last 4-digits of your Student ID number in the "PIN number" field. CAN I PRINT AT THE LIBRARY? Patrons can print from a library computer or email documents to a reference librarian to be printed. Costs for printing or copying are 10¢ per page for black-and-white and 50¢ per page for color. CAN I FAX AT THE LIBRARY? Patrons can send faxes from the library, but the library cannot receive faxes for patrons. The cost for sending a fax is $1.00 per page. DO YOU HAVE A NOTARY PUBLIC? The library offers notary services by appointment only. Please call the library or speak to a librarian to schedule an appointment. Please note that library staff will not notarize any DMV documents. If a witness is required, you must bring one with you. Fees for notary services are as follows: $10 per principal signature; $10 per person for oaths or affirmations without a signature. CAN I RESERVE A MEETING ROOM? The library has three meeting rooms available for use. Organizers are responsible for all room set-up, break-down, and operation before, during, and at the end of their event. Please call the library to find out if your group is eligible and to begin the reservation process. |
Support the Library
BUCKS FOR BOOKS: A CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACPL ENDOWMENT | |
---|---|
The vast majority of funding for library collections comes from donors. Our goal is to raise $160,000 for the Endowment over the next three years. Our community’s belief in our mission helped us build and furnish our beautiful library 15 years ago, and we are counting on that same level of commitment to make sure our library remains a place to find books that edify, entertain, and educate our community. Click here to learn more about Bucks for Books and to donate online. |
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY | |
---|---|
The Friends of the Ashe County Library is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that supports the library through investments of time, talent, and donations. Friends members receive a 10% discount on Friends Corner items, a standing invitation to Friends events throughout the year, and the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting our amazing library and its staff! To learn more about the Friends, email them or call the library. |
LIBRARY ENDOWMENT | |
---|---|
The Ashe County Public Library Endowment provides a permanent source of funding for library collections, programming, furnishings, and equipment. In particular, the library has no other dedicated source of funding for books, movies, or digital collections. The ACPL Endowment, which is managed by the North Carolina Community Foundation, accepts many types of charitable gifts, which are tax-deductible. These include cash, retirement assets, life insurance benefits, publicly traded securities, stocks, and real estate. Donate online or call the library to learn more. |
PAGE TURNERS | |
---|---|
The On the Same Page Festival brings first-class authors to our community for readings, workshops, and special events. The success of this event, which is co-sponsored by the library and Ashe County Arts Council, is due in large part to a group of dedicated supporters we call the Page Turners. Donate online or call the library for more information. |
VOLUNTEER | |
---|---|
You can make a difference in the quality of library services in your community by sharing your time and talents. Whether shelving books one morning a week, working behind the scenes for a Friends of the Library book sale, or preparing crafts for a children’s story time, volunteers are essential to making the Ashe County Library the great place that it is. If you are interested in volunteering, please call the library or email us. |
SERVE | |
---|---|
If you have a heart for libraries, we would love to talk with you about the possibility of serving as a library advocate on the Ashe County Library Advisory Board, Friends of the Ashe County Library Board, or On the Same Page Festival Committee. We are looking for people who appreciate libraries and would like to give back to their community. If you are interested in serving, please call the library or email us. |
Services
PRINT, COPY, SCAN, FAX | |
---|---|
Patrons can print from a library computer or email documents to a reference librarian to be printed. Costs for printing or copying are 10¢ per page for black-and-white and 50¢ per page for color. Cost for sending a fax is $1.00 per page; the library cannot receive faxes. There is no cost for scanning. |
NOTARY PUBLIC | |
---|---|
The library offers notary services by appointment only. Please call the library or speak to a librarian to schedule an appointment. Please note that library staff will not notarize any DMV documents. If a witness is required, you must bring one with you. Fees for notary services: |
EXAM PROCTORING | |
---|---|
The library can provide remote proctoring services for students. Organizational policies regarding proctored exams vary widely so we encourage students to contact us as soon as possible to ensure we can meet your organization's proctoring guidelines. Students can call the library or email us to begin the process of scheduling an exam. The fee for proctoring is $10 per exam. |
GENEALOGY & LOCAL HISTORY REQUESTS | |
---|---|
The library receives many requests for genealogy assistance, and staff may not be able to fulfill each request due to the time-consuming nature of the research. Please call the library or email us for more information. Online resources for genealogy include the following:
|
DOORSTEP DELIVERY | |
---|---|
The library is committed to providing books, DVDs, audiobooks, magazines, and other library materials to those who love reading but are unable to visit the library. Every four weeks, our Outreach Specialist will select and deliver library materials to your home or senior living facility. The service is free for Ashe County residents, and enrollment is simple! Call the library or email us to get started, or view more information about Doorstep Delivery here. |
ASHE SEED LIBRARY | |
---|---|
The primary purpose of the seed library is to offer free, open-pollinated seeds to our community. Our mission is to grow and preserve seeds, stories, and foodways specific to Ashe County, Western North Carolina, and the Appalachian Region of the United States. In this spirit, we encourage folks to save seeds from these plants and either return some to the seed library or use them to continue to cultivate these special, regional varieties. The seed library is a partnership among ASU's Sustainable Development Department, Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (BRWIA), Ashe County Cooperative Extension, and Ashe County Public Library. To learn more about this project, click here or visit the upper level of the library. The Ashe Seed Library is open each year between April and October. |
DEVICE ADVICE | |
---|---|
Don't let technology get you down. Call the library or email us to make an appointment. You can bring your laptop, tablet, e-reader, or mobile device, or borrow one of the library's laptops for a one-hour session on setting up an email account, downloading ebooks, creating a basic resume, learning graphic design principles, and more! |
Spaces
STUDY ROOMS | |
---|---|
Students, professionals, and other individuals may utilize our three tutor rooms, each of which is equipped with a built-in desk and two office chairs, for quiet study. These rooms are available during library hours on a first-come, first-served basis. |
MEETING ROOMS | |
---|---|
The library has three meeting rooms available for use. Organizers are responsible for all room set-up, break-down, and operation before, during, and at the end of their event. Please call the library to find out if your group is eligible and to begin the reservation process. |
TEEN SPACE | |
---|---|
If you are looking for a space to read, study, socialize, or relax, and you are between the ages of 12 and 17, we hope you’ll visit our teen area. You’ll find cafe-style seating, computers, graphic novels, and more. |
HERITAGE ROOM | |
---|---|
The Heritage Room boasts an unparalleled collection of local history and genealogy information about Ashe County, North Carolina. Out-of-town visitors and local residents alike are welcome to visit the Heritage Room to conduct their own research. Use of the collection is free, and an orientation to the collection is available during regular library hours. |
MEMORY LAB | |
---|---|
Patrons can use our DIY Memory Lab to convert VHS, audiocassettes, 8mm film, vinyl records, and other legacy media to digital formats. We also have a comb binding machine for making booklets. The Memory Lab is located in the Heritage Room, and while use of the equipment is free, fees may be charged for materials to help us keep this service sustainable. |
SEED LIBRARY | |
---|---|
Ashe Seed Library is located on the upper level of the library. The primary purpose of the seed library is to offer free, open-pollinated seeds to our community. Our mission is to grow and preserve seeds, stories, and foodways specific to Ashe County, Western North Carolina, and the Appalachian Region of the United States. To learn more about this project, visit the Ashe Seed Library website here. |
GALLERY SPACE | |
---|---|
The Ida C. Marsh Gallery, located on the upper level of the library, hosts the work of local and regional artists. If you are interested in displaying your artwork in the gallery, please email us for more information. |
LACTATION SPACE | |
---|---|
Coming soon! We welcome breastfeeding families to feed their infants in the library wherever they are most comfortable. If you are seeking a private space to nurse or express milk, our freestanding, state-of-the-art Mamava pod was designed just for you. |
Bucks for Books Campaign
The vast majority of funding for library collections comes from donors. Our goal is to raise $160,000 for the Ashe County Public Library Endowment over the next three years. Our community's belief in our mission helped us build and furnish our beautiful library 15 years ago, and we are counting on that same level of commitment to make sure our library remains a place to find books that edify, entertain, and educate our community.
Ensuring a sustainable future for Ashe County Public Library
Families, business owners, students, and individuals at every stage of life rely on the library’s physical and digital collections. While books and other forms of media have become increasingly accessible, the cost of a robust home library remains a luxury for many. The public library proudly bridges this gap, providing access to thousands of physical items and millions of digital ones for anyone who needs them.
In 2009, shortly before the Ashe County Public Library Endowment was formed, then-librarian Jim McQueen noted that the Endowment would “provide a desperately needed supplement to the library’s current sources of funding for books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs, and other materials.” Nearly fifteen years later, these words ring truer than ever as we now rely on donors for the majority of funding for library collections. While a donation to the library helps to buy books and other items now, a donation to the library’s Endowment through the Bucks for Books campaign will help provide them to the community for generations to come.
Our goal is to raise $160,000 for the Endowment over the next three years. Our community’s belief in our mission helped us build and furnish our beautiful library 15 years ago, and we are counting on that same level of commitment to make sure our library remains a place to find books that edify, entertain, and educate our community.
Why our library matters
Providing books and other materials remains at the heart of the library’s mission, but our library is also a third place, neither work nor home, that encourages people to exchange ideas, find a moment of respite, and build relationships.
The library welcomes everyone and provides access to a lifetime of learning free of charge.
Library materials are available to everyone in our community, and as people discover the wealth of materials in our collection, they also come to recognize the value of library staff. Job seekers, older adults with technology questions, students of art and culture, and readers of all ages find connection and assistance in our library.
The library helps raise a new generation of readers.
Our library has the capacity to help every child in our community learn to love books and reading. In addition to making good use of library collections, families with young children experience our library as a place to have fun, encounter learning opportunities, make friends, and build connections to the community.
The library is a trusted source of information.
Library staff help patrons navigate an increasingly complex world of online information. They connect patrons to the resources they need in order to gain digital literacy, find jobs, advance in school, research health issues or resolve a business dilemma.
Investing in the library's future through the Endowment
State aid to North Carolina libraries and county tax dollars cover basic library operations such as maintaining buildings and staff salaries, while the Friends of the Library, the Endowment, and direct donations to the library provide funding for programs, technology, and library materials. If we reach our goal of raising $160,000 for the Endowment by the end of 2026, disbursements from the Endowment will fund up to 50% of the purchase of library materials, thereby providing a measure of stability for long term collection management while also allowing us to increase our investment in these other areas.
You can help
If you believe that everyone should have access to books, movies, and other media, please support the Bucks for Books campaign to raise $160,000 for the Ashe County Public Library Endowment. Your support ensures we can continue to give the gift of reading to our community for generations to come.
- Checks may be mailed to Ashe County Public Library, ATTN: Friends of the Library, 148 Library Rd., West Jefferson, NC 28694. Please make checks payable to Friends of the Ashe County Public Library with "Bucks for Books" in the memo line.
- Donate online
Download the Case for Support
Read more about the Bucks for Books campaign by downloading our Case for Support.