Comprehensive Airman Fitness: Library expands education and imagination

Published Jan. 21, 2011
By Senior Airman Natasha E. Stannard
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The adventures of aliens and kings, princesses and detectives, heroes and villains live on the shelves of Fairchild's library.

"We're here to support the entire base with education, recreation and mission support," said Lisa Love, library director. "In any environment, free libraries are so important to advance societies. Regardless of position in society, anyone can come and have access to collective knowledge."

This support provides Airmen and their families with the ability to practice two key pillars of Comprehensive Airman Fitness, social and mental fitness.

"Reading is one of the best ways to expand your mind and other possibilities like learning different lifestyles, perspectives and finding views of your own through the literature of others, "Mrs. Love said. "Reading helps improve communication. The more you read, the better you can communicate yourself, which can help with careers and relationships."

The entire family can benefit from the library because they offer materials and sections for a variety of ages like children's books and teen novels. Formats offered at the library include:

· Books, which can be checked out for four weeks
· New titles, which can be checked out for two weeks
· Magazines, which can be checked out for one week
· Audio materials like CDs, which can be checked out for two weeks
· Videos/DVDs to include new releases, which can be checked out for one week

"We're getting things in new formats like graphic novels," Mrs. Love said. "We are trying to provide as many formats as we can."

The library also offers educational opportunities for various ages with resources such as:

· Study materials like college level examination programs, defense activity for non-traditional education support , Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century study materials and leadership reading lists
· Language learning materials
· Computer access, wireless internet access, printers, laptops, children's computers with games, three scanners, a coin-operated copy machine and periodical e-book databases for research
· Meeting rooms and study areas
· Events like preschool story time every Wednesday at 10 a.m.
· Online tutoring

Along with supplying these materials, the library works in coalition with the education center, which is located in the same building, to support students in any step of their education from Kindergarten to professional military education to college classes, Mrs. Love said.

"We're here to help and answer questions," she said. "Whether it's helping a new mother with a deployed spouse or helping an Airman find a CLEP book to boost their career or a book to lose themselves in, it's a morale boost. If you aren't finding something you're looking for let us know and we'll try to get it."

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