Perhaps you've seen the "OneBuffalo" brand on various clothing items, accessories and even beer bottles. Now, you can see it on a library card.
Pegula Sports and Entertainment and the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System unveiled the new OneBuffalo community library cards in a ceremony Wednesday morning inside the library system's downtown Buffalo branch.
There are two versions, a red one for children and a blue one for adults. Mary Jean Jakubowski, director of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, hopes both versions will inspire those who have perhaps not previously utilized the library to try its diverse offerings.
"Library card holders can take advantage of many free services and resources that promote discovery, creativity and lifelong learning," Jakubowski said. "Whether you want to learn more about sports, the environment, theater, science, technology or math, really just about anything, a library card is your ticket to accessing this information."
Speaking on behalf of Pegula Sports and Entertainment was Brent Rossi, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy for the company. He says since Bills and Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula launched the OneBuffalo campaign two years ago, they were committed to boosting the community beyond its sports teams.
"That's why we're so proud to support this campaign," Rossi said. "It not only promotes educational living and encourages members of our community to enjoy the educational services that the library has to offer, but it also gives the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres one more way to connect to our already passionate fan base."
The mascots of the Bills and Sabres, Billy Buffalo and Sabretooth respectively, joined the library's own mascot Reada Book to welcome children from Bennett Park Montessori, who were in the front row for the unveiling. Also welcoming guests and marking the new library card was Mayor Byron Brown, who announced that more than two thousand children completed this year’s Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge.
He praised the new library card partnership for what he hopes will be a catalyst to keep people reading.
"I am confident that it is going to encourage more excitement in reading and taking books out of the Buffalo public library," Brown said. "And it will continue. As we are seeing prosperity and progress rising in the City of Buffalo, it will continue to bring the members of our community together."
