Base library re-opens for Team Moody

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kathleen D. Bryant
  • 23d Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  All Common Access Card holders and dependents will be able to checkout reading and education materials, movies and audiobooks from the library starting July 8, here.

The Information Learning Center is re-opening the library to allow customers to checkout materials after being closed since September 2013 due to funding.

"The library is a valuable service to the base," said Emanuella McCall, 23d Force Support Squadron force development flight chief. "Libraries not only support the mission and readiness, but resiliency, education and the quality-of-life for our military members."

The library partners with the education office to make up the Information Learning Center.

"That's the concept we're trying to move toward," said McCall. "Even when the library was closed, the education office maintained the computer lab and nearly all the services that were being provided except the checkout services and the children's programs.

"The biggest impact was the loss of the ability to checkout materials," McCall added. "We had to cut out all children's programs. It limited the number of programs that we could offer to the base."

Although the service has been unavailable for nearly two years, all service members, dependents, retirees and civilian personnel will be able to use the ILC's services when it re-opens.

"Military members do a lot of studying for the College Level Exam Program (CLEP)," said McCall. "They have [study material] online, but a lot of people still come in here and sit for hours studying CLEP exam books. Now they will be able to take them home if they want.

"For example, a military member may work on the night shift," said McCall. "They may want to take that CLEP material with them at night to study [on shift]."

As opening day approaches, the library staff is organizing and preparing the facility.

"What we're trying to do right now is cosmetic work," said Jesse Echord, 23d Force Support Squadron library director. "We need to get the books back where they need to be, get things neatened up and try to get our electronic databases back up. [After closing] everything shut down because you can't have that stuff operating for checkout purposes without a librarian present."

The ILC offers reading and education services to Team Moody, including: story time for kids, a summer reading program, a mentoring program, free Wi-Fi, computers, eReaders, and tablets.

Anyone with a military identification card may use the ILC's services during normal business hours which are:
· Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
· Closed weekends and holidays