Check this out: There’s a television in the library.

This sound is turned off most of the time, as the flat-screen TV flashes notices of upcoming events at the library, and community events such as Relay for Life. Cara Negaard, who is in charge of the reference and acquisitions departments at the Great Bend Public Library, said it was installed a couple of weeks ago.

"I think it’s eye-catching," Negaard said, adding it’s also "green," because now the library doesn’t have to post so many fliers. Sometimes the staff switches from public service announcements to live webcams, such as the ones showing baby bald eagles hatching.

And although the sound is off on the television, it could be turned on if people want to watch a particular event, such as a State of the State address.

"We wanted to show the royal wedding," she said, "but we weren’t open at 5 a.m.!"

Also new at the library is a different website, still under construction but open for viewing. The new address greatbendpl.info will replace the old one, ckls.org/~gbpl, which was part of the Central Kansas Library System.