[by Evie Topcik]
I hope that the Louisville community realizes that a lending library still exists in the center of the Jewish Community Center.
- Yes – I believe that the Louisville community deserves and will utilize a Jewish-oriented library that is open to everyone.
- Yes – I, Evie Topcik, a professional librarian for over 40 years, volunteered to downsize, organize and promote the Israel T. Naamani Library in the JCC. We had community volunteers to help with the downsizing. It was difficult discarding about 5,000 books, but I made the decision to let them go to Louisville residents, rather than to sell them to an out-of-state wholesaler.
- Yes – It’s easy to find what you want – no numbers. The books and DVDs are arranged by subjects, such as fiction, Holocaust, local interest, religion, children’s, etc. Unfortunately, there are no computer listings.
- Yes – Anyone can check out books and DVDs at the lobby front desk, by giving us your contact information. The loan period is one month. A volunteer will contact you if the media is a month overdue.
- Yes – I encourage you to donate recently published media by leaving it in the box behind the Welcome Desk. We will have a bookplate available.
- Yes – I encourage local book clubs to order an extra copy of the book the group is reading and donate it to the JCL library.
- Yes – the library is a very relaxing place to just sit, maybe read, use your computer or just watch the JCC world go by.
This above all – read and learn!
Editor’s note: The library is located off the lobby in the JCC, adjoining the Patio Gallery. It’s a comfortable place for small meetings, filled with chairs and small tables that can easily be rearranged. There’s even free coffee in the morning.
Thanks to Evie Topcik for rejuvenating the Naamani Library and helping to make it a warm and inviting place.