[02:48.67]SUSIE:Hello?
[02:49.56]PAUL:Hi, Susie, it's Paul here.
[02:52.23] How are you? Enjoying your new job?
[02:55.36]You're working at the library, aren't you?
[02:57.71]SUSIE:Yes. I started when the library re-opened a month ago. It's great.
[03:03.46]PAUL:Actually Carol and I have been meaning to join for a while.
[03:07.12]SUSIE:Oh, you should. It doesn't cost anything, and the new library has all sorts of facilities.
[03:14.12] It's not just a place where you borrow books.
[03:17.46] For instance, there's an area with comfortable seats where you can sit and read the magazines they have there.
[03:24.33] Some people spend the whole morning there.
[03:26.92]PAUL:Mmm. Wish I had that amount of time to spend!
[03:30.52]SUSIE:Yes, you must be pretty busy at present, with the children and everything?
[03:35.14]PAUL:We are, yes. But we're hoping to get away this summer.
[03:39.43] We're thinking of going to Greece.
[03:41.78]SUSIE:Well, we've got a much larger section of the library devoted to travel books now, so you should come and have a look.
[03:49.51] I can't remember if there's anything specifically on Greece, but I should think so.
[03:55.47]PAUL:OK. Now Carol's organising a project for the history class she teaches at school - it's about life in the town a hundred years ago.
[04:05.08] Do you have anything that might be useful?
[04:07.80]SUSIE:Yes, actually we've now got a new section with materials on the history of the town and surrounding region.
[04:16.57]PAUL:Right. I'll tell her.
[04:18.74]You can't always find that sort of thing on the internet.
[04:22.06]Now in the old library there used to be a separate room with reference books.
[04:27.81] It was a really nice quiet room.
[04:29.95]SUSIE:Yes. We've put those books in the main part of the library now, but we do have a room called the community room.
[04:38.62] It can be hired out for meetings.
[04:41.13] But at other times people can use it to study.
[04:44.42]PAUL:I might use that.
[04:45.99]It's hard to find anywhere quiet at home sometimes.
[04:49.28]SUSIE:I can't remember how old your son and daughter are.
[04:53.43] We've introduced a special section of fiction written specially for teenagers, but they might be a bit young for that?
[05:00.85]PAUL:Yes, they would be.
[05:50.15]SUSIE:Well, we do have lots of activities for younger children.
[05:53.96]PAUL:Yes?
[05:54.95]SUSIE:For example we have a Science Club.
[05:58.09] At the next meeting, they're going to be doing experiments with stuff that everyone has in the kitchen - sugar and flour and so on.
[06:07.28]PAUL:They might be interested, yes.
[06:09.50]SUSIE:And we have a competition for children called Reading Challenge.
[06:14.57] That doesn't begin until after the end of term.
[06:18.23] They have to read six books, and they get a certificate if they manage it.
[06:23.56]PAUL:So that gives them something to do while they're on holiday, instead of getting bored.
[06:28.57]SUSIE:That's the idea. And there's special activities for adults too.
[06:33.64] On Friday we have a local author called Tanya Streep who's going to be talking about her new novel.
[06:41.53] It's called "Catch the Mouse" and she based the story on a crime that actually took place here years ago.
[06:49.42]PAUL:Right. We're not free on Friday, but I'll look out for the book.
[06:54.07]SUSIE:Now this probably isn't for you, but we do have IT support available for members.
[07:01.38] We get quite a few older people coming along who are wanting to get up to speed with computer technology.
[07:08.33] It's on Tuesday mornings - they don't need to make an appointment or anything, they just turn up.
[07:15.07]PAUL:Well, my mother might be interested, I'll let her know.
[07:18.68]SUSIE:OK. And there's another service which you wouldn't expect from a library,
[07:24.53] which is a free medical check-up.
[07:27.30] The hospital arranges for someone to come along and measure the level of sugar in your blood,
[07:33.30] and they check cholesterol levels at the same time.
[07:36.59]PAUL:Really?
[07:37.33]SUSIE:Yes, but that's only for the over-60s, so you wouldn't qualify.
[07:42.66]PAUL:OK, Well, I'll tell my mother, she might be interested.
[07:46.99]SUSIE:What other information...
[07:49.60]Well, we do have a little shop with things like wall charts and greetings cards, and also stamps,
[07:57.90]so you can post the cards straightaway, which is really useful.
[08:01.83]PAUL:Yeah. Well, I'll bring the children round at the weekend and we'll join.
[08:06.43] Oh, one more thing - I'll be bringing the car, is there parking available?
[08:11.23]SUSIE:Yes. and it's free in the evening and at weekends.
[08:15.31]PAUL:Perfect. Well, thanks, Susie, see you soon.
