When friends ask Rachel Van Stratton, a young Overland Park mom, for suggestions of family-friendly, cost-effective amenities, she has a ready reply: Johnson County Library!
“What’s something inexpensive I can do with my son? I always tell people the Library,” she said. “It has so many activities.”
In these inflationary times, everyone is looking for ways to save money while still enriching their lives. Van Stratton, who grew up loving the Antioch branch of Johnson County Library, now frequently visits the Central Resource and Merriam Plaza branches with her 4-year-old son Nico and husband Nick. The Library is their go-to place for books, computers and fun.
Van Stratton estimates she saved $1,000 in 2023 and more than $1,400 this year by checking out books, eBooks and eAudio books for herself, rather than buying them. She’s saved even more money when she thinks about the many materials she’s checked out for Nico. Her husband is also an avid reader who uses the Library card a lot.
“I tell everyone the Library is wonderful because of the community is serves,” Van Stratton said. “It is such a safe space. It is so helpful.”
She usually has three titles going at once, including an eBook, an audio book and a physical book. She loves fantasy but recently has branched out to non-fiction, to understand the world around us. She started this year off reading “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine,” by Rashid Khalidi.
She also enjoyed “Freedom is a Constant Struggle,” by Angela Davis. And the Library has introduced her to wonderful Latinx authors including Sylvia Moreno-Garcia.
She is learning the Spanish language, for which audio books can be a great tool. She got the eBook “Canto Contigo,” by Jonny Garza Villa through Libby and then enjoyed the audio book of that same title.
Nico is really into books about dinosaurs. “It’s rare to leave the Library with less than five Dino books,” she said, laughing. “He knows exactly where the Dino section is at both Central and Merriam. He went and asked the Librarians, which is so sweet.”
Nico enjoys Central Library’s vibrant children’s section, plus playing in Strang Park behind Central. He also had a great time at this year’s Read to a Dog event at Central.
“He was talking about the pictures to the dog,” Van Stratton recalled. “It was so cute.”
In Merriam, the Library and Community Center share a campus. Van Stratton said that makes it super convenient for Nico to take swimming lessons and then go next door for books.
Van Stratton also teaches cooking and cake decorating at the Culinary Center, in downtown Overland Park. Johnson County Library came in handy when she was looking for a favorite Christmas cookie recipe. She finally found it in a Library book.
Van Stratton is just one patron who has discovered the money-saving value of Johnson County Library. Oher patrons estimate they save hundreds of dollars each year by checking out video games and movie DVDs.
The Library also has great resources for educational and career advancement.
Overland Park resident Rachel Audsley used the Central Resource computers, internet service and printers for her graduate school applications. She also explored e-Resources on the Libby platform, particularly the Universal Class, which offers hundreds of online university-level courses for lifelong learning. The courses are free of charge if accessed through the Library.
Patrons can put their creative juices to work, using the 3D printers, laser and vinyl cutters, electronics and other equipment in the Black & Veatch MakerSpace at Central.
If you don’t already have a Library card, sign up today to start taking advantage of its many perks. To learn more about what the Library has to offer, visit jocolibrary.org/discover.