Library Log 2/27/09

Kieran’s Notes from the back room:

Wow! What a week. I had the opportunity present about open source software for libraries at a conference in Grand Junction last week. While at the conference, I totally got to geek out – library science style. I spoke with folks from all over the Western Slope and other presenters from around the state. There are so many good ideas out there! I also had the opportunity to hear a keynote address by George Needham about the new OCLC report. Now for those of you paying way to close of attention, you may remember I also heard about the OCLC report in Denver. Different presenter, same report. And now with the repetition and the different styles of the presenters, I may have finally gotten it into my thick skull. The report itself is a half inch thick and is titled “From Awareness to Funding”. Mostly it is about communities and how the library fits into the bigger picture of meeting the needs of a community. It also covers how a community helps define the role and place of the library. Yeah, its also about getting libraries funded (hence the title). Seeing a bigger picture of libraries in our State and in our Nation certainly brings home how lucky we are here in Fremont County. Between us, the Penrose Library, and the Canon City Public Library, the larger community of Fremont County has terrific options and opportunities. (This seems like a good place to mention that the Penrose Library has just opened in their new library building. It is beautiful – congratulation guys! Stop by and take a look!) There is strength in libraries working together and learning from each other; a strength that benefits library users. If you want to look at the OCLC report or just say hi to me, come by the back room and we can library geek out together!

Library Log 2/19/09

Kieran’s Notes from the back room :

I was talking (ok it was e-mail… welcome to 2009) with someone at the American Library Association the other day. She is part of the Gaming Interest Group of ALA. I have been asked to speak on their panel discussion about gaming in July. I asked her about scholarships and grants for traveling all the way to Chicago for the big conference and I mumbled something about tight budgets and small rural areas. She said casually, “If their was a donation button on your website, I’d donate.” Wham! We suddenly realized there wasn’t a simple button on the website to assist people who want to help us out! Well, now there is. Check out the very cute button gracing every page of our website! Heck, test it out if you want. You can even specify in the note field what you want the money to go for, or just make it a general donation. We also have great news. We won $500 worth of free books. Our strategy (thanks Robin!) of entering every drawing and give-a-way at ALA Midwinter paid off. Rowman & Littlefield Publishing along with The Scarecrow Press offered up $500 worth of their merchandise as a prize. Robin’s name was picked at random, and now we are picking out some great new titles. Yeah, it’s the extra effort that pays off. Our community has always gone above and beyond for us, and we try to do the same. I think the effort of our community and of the staff makes our library a very special place. Anyhow, as EBSCO has recognized us with their Award for Excellence in Small and Rural Libraries, I want to recognize you for getting us to this place. Well a little mutual admiration never hurt, hey. Stop by the back room and I’ll congratulate you in person.

Library Log 2/12/09

Kieran’s notes from the back room :

Lots of books are flowing through the back room these days. It is often hard for me to resist glancing through the children’s books as I process them. I think the little ones will love “Little Beauty” written by Anthony Browne. It is the charming story of a very unlikely friendship between a gorilla and a very small kitten named Beauty. The pictures rock! One book for older kids caught my eye, “Alabama Moon” by Watt Key. When I was done processing it, I had to check it out! It is an adventure book about a boy who has been living in the wilderness his whole life, but is caught when he is ten years old. He learns to adapt to and survive in the modern world. Come on in and browse the shelves! The cool part about library books is if you start one and find it just isn’t for you, you can stop and return it without being out any money; plus we have a lot to choose from! This week, when I wasn’t cataloging the books overflowing my cart, I went over to the middle school to be a judge at the science fair. Talk about some innovative youngsters we have in our town! Good job! (…and I bet there isn’t any Mentos or Coke left in the whole county!) After the middle school, Gypsy and I went to the high school to meet with Mrs. Wasmuth. The library will be busting out the video games in recognition of a job well done by two of her classes. They earned us as a reward for reading quite a number of pages. Good job again!  We also have the all-ages library Rock Band tournament for cash prizes coming up on Saturday February 21st at 2pm. So hold on tight to your guitars and drum sticks and come belt it out at the library!  And feel free to say howdy to those of us in the back room!

Library Log 2/5/09

Kieran’s notes from the back room :

So I wanted to tell you a little more about the American Library Association’s Midwinter conference some of us went to in mid-January. The conference was up in Denver with 6000 librarians and 2000 vendors. Natalia Gray, Robin Hohn, Mary Campbell, Jesse Weaver and I gathered 106 free books. Yes, that is one hundred six FREE books. The ’street value’ of our pile of books was $1730.94. Not bad for a short drive to Denver! Most of the books are advance copies. All that really means is the cover art might not be the same as the final edition and there might be typos. It also means we may have gotten it before it releases to the general public. Besides shuttling arm loads of books to and fro, I also had the opportunity to attend a few meetings (Yea! Fun!) It was a good experience. Speaking of experiences, if you haven’t seen our website lately, we have been redesigning. Robin is redecorating our HTML. And for all you business owners in Florence with websites – Send us the link! Robin will set you up on our local links page. The other thing I experienced recently was the Florence Middle School. We went there to help set up a video game reward for the good citizens of the seventh grade. Gypsy Kelso, Bev Allen, Tom and Gail Jubar, and I went to seventh grade last week and had a lot a lot of fun. Tom ran the Dance Dance Revolution like the disco king he is, and Gail was the best roadie for Rock Band! We had so much fun at school that we are headed to the high school next. Isn’t it great that a library can be a part of a reward for kids! Well, stop by the back room and say, ‘Hey there’ if you get a chance.