JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Equipped with approximately 40,000 books and a knowledgeable staff, the Joint Base Andrews Library supports a philosophy that it is never too late in life to become an avid reader or reap the benefits.
The library contributes to the education and enjoyment of both children and adults, with more than 200 books being checked out daily.
"Some people were never encouraged to read for pleasure, they only associate reading with things they don't enjoy, like working or school," said Cheryl Gritton, 11th Force Support Squadron Library Director. "People who read for pleasure increase their vocabulary, understanding of sentence structure and ability to think logically."
The library maintains an array of books covering a vast amount of subjects and genres, and will outsource upon request for titles they don't carry. The facility also carries multiple College Level Examination Program and Dantes test preparation books and ACT, SAT, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, and graduate record examination study guides.
"Reading more means learning more," said Ellenora Brooks, 11th FSS senior library technician. "Reading about certain subjects makes you more versed, so when you are met with that subject you have that prior knowledge and know what to do or how to react to the topic."
While reading more can benefit service members studying for military requirements such as upgrade training or testing for rank, it can also assist families traveling to and from foreign assignments to learn the local language.
"I had a family come in with two small children, they were returning from an overseas assignment and the children spoke no English," Gritton said. "The mother would read to her children every day, and by the end of the summer both children were fluent in English."
The library also has a collection of 2,000 DVD's, 400 video games, e-books and audiobooks for checkout. There is no limit on the number of books that can be checked out and all checkouts are due back in three weeks. Audiobooks, however, are limited to five per checkout.
For more information, call the Joint Base Andrews Library at 301-981-6454.