By Brendan Davidson

Rowan Public Library

Civic participation is integral to the future success and survival of our society. Rowan Public Library is non-partisan and has a variety of resources to help you whatever your political inclinations are.

Come in and read some of the books we have from the Institute of Government out of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. They have many materials to help you know more about how your state and local governments work.

The United States installed a new Congress recently and the N.C. Legislature’s turn comes soon. Locally, our county commission, municipal councils and their various advisory boards continue to meet to decide the future of our region.

One of the things elected and appointed officials try to point out when they are criticized for decisions is that many people do not realize how difficult it can be to make those tough decisions. They don’t know how the process works.

Let RPL help change that. For instance, to understand local governments better, RPL has both current and historic budgets for Rowan County and the city of Salisbury.

We keep up-to-date municipal codes for the city and county. Look over some of the economic development commission’s reports to see how we have progressed through the years.

We also have the N.C. General Statutes and other code books to help you find what laws apply to whatever you are considering.

The computer labs at the different RPL branches also offer access to your local, state and federal officials. Come in and look up their contact information, sign up for a free e-mail account (through any of the various free services out there) and e-mail your representative about what’s on your mind.

Rowan Public Library would like to help you understand the electoral and governmental processes better. We even have several materials such as Ron Faucheaux’s “Winning Elections: Political Campaign Management, Strategy & Tactics,” probably the best book on campaigning by the former editor of Campaigns & Elections Magazine.

So come in to Rowan Public Library and find what you need to become more civic-minded, aware and active in your community.

Children’s programs: February through April, programs for children are scheduled as follows: Baby Time — Wednesday, 11 a.m., headquarters; Toddlers and Twos — Tuesday, 10 and 11 a.m., headquarters; Wednesday, 11:30 a.m., South; Three to Fives — Thursday, 10:30 a.m., headquarters; Monday, 10:30 a.m., South; Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., East. Two to Fives — Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., East. Noodlehead — Thursday, 4 p.m., headquarters; Monday, 4 p.m., South. School Age Adventure — second Tuesday each month, 4 p.m., South.

Library program: Let’s Talk About It!, a reading and discussion program, will focus on “Tar Heel Fiction: A Second Look” at headquarters library on Thursdays at 7 p.m. starting Thursday, then Feb. 8 and 22 and March 8 and 22. Call 704-216-8228 for more information.

Computer classes: South, Tuesday, 11 a.m., Intermediate Word.

Displays: Headquarters — turtles by Linda Patterson Pridgen and a display by Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. East — Piggy Banks by Faye Hill.

Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.

Web site: www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.