Library Log 4/23/09

Gypsy’s Corner:

I love movies. There’s something almost magical about sitting in a dark theater and being swept away by an amazing storyline, edge of your seat thriller, or visually captivating animated film. Unfortunately the cost of taking the whole family to the theater these days can put quite a dent in one’s wallet. Watching videos at home is fun too, but just not quite the same. So in keeping up with my weekly theme of announcements I would like to tell you about something fun we’re planning for the summer. MOVIE NIGHT AT THE LIBRARY. Starting in June, the library will be showing free movies complete with popcorn, soda, and comfy chair. There will be something for everyone including brand new releases, Oscar winners, documentaries, kid’s movies, and even a teen movie will be shown at least once per month. Stop in and give us your suggestions and we’ll set up an evening of free entertainment for all. Hope to see you there!

Kieran’s notes from the back room:

Ahh Spring! Getting your garden going? We are… of course it is a garden of books. We weed the dying and plant new books on the shelves. We have even dusted off a bunch of old classic ‘perennials’. Part of the Spring Spruce-up is preparing to hang up the art work we won from the National Endowment for the Humanities “Picturing America” Program. I am excited to see all the reproductions! The pictures will be hung in the beginning of June and stay in the main area until the end of August. We are also preparing for the Summer Reading Program which gets underway in the beginning of June. Wow! June will be a busy month to kick off your summer library experience! July 9th through the15th will be a big exciting adventure for me . I was asked to be on a panel discussion at the American Library Association Annual conference in Chicago. It will be a great opportunity for the John C. Fremont Library to show more than 20,000 librarians, and 900 exhibitors how a small rural library gets things done. It is also when we will receive our plaque for the EBSCO Award we won. With more than 2,400 sessions and meetings scholarships are extremely competitive and limited, yup you guessed it, I come to you with hat in hand. I have paid for the conference registration but that still leaves airfare, hotel and a few bites of food. If you can help out with a donation let me know, or if you just want to say hi stop by, I am the guy in the back currently glued to the computer and surrounded by books.

Library Log 4/17/09

Gypsy’s Corner:

Are you ready for your next installment of “What’s New” here at the library? I am thrilled to tell you about an exciting new collection of books and artwork that have been awarded to us from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association called “The We The People Bookshelf” and “Picturing America”. I just opened the box and there are 17 beautiful hardback editions of classic books for children and young adults and 40 high quality, poster size reproductions of notable American art for us to keep and share with you. The artwork is designed to promote curiosity, interest, and learning among young people about our nation’s history and culture through the studying and understanding of its art. The books, when read for fun or in conjunction with school assignments, will also help to cultivate an appreciation of our country’s rich history So bring your kids, your friends, your students, and of course yourself by soon and check it all out!

Kieran’s notes from the back room :

The last of the Colorado Library Consortium Spring workshops for the year was in Pueblo this last week. About 250 librarians descended upon the CSU Pueblo campus for the two day event. One of the things I heard was, “If it sounds too good to be true it is probably at the public library.” Kind of funny isn’t it…funny because it is true. Libraries hand all sorts of materials out to people, hoping only that it gets returned… so they can lend it out again to the next guy. As you know I am a bit passionate about libraries, and am really trying to nail down how we at the John C. can be of most use to you all. So I am wondering if you wouldn’t mind telling me just a little about what you like or would like to see the library doing. Come by the back room, or email me at florencelibrary@gmail.com or write it down on paper, just let me know what we are doing that you like, don’t like and would love to see us do.

Library Log 4/9/09

Kieran’s notes from the back room :

Have you seen our website recently? Robin has gone all out with a redesign. She even created a social networking page for the teens. Quite a spectacular thing! Pictures, links, a blog, I tell you there are lots of new things happening lately. I think one of my favorite odd bits of technology that the library has are called Playaways. The device itself is smaller than a cell phone and each Playaway has a different audio book on it. I just put in the ear phones and hit play – no discs to worry about scratching or losing. I can also plug it into the jack on my car stereo, just like I would my MP3 player and off we go! Long drives are nicer with a story to keep me going. We only have a few right now (we are waiting to see if you all like them or not). Price wise and title wise they are about the same as CD audio books, so the decision is really about convenience to you all. Let Natalia know what you think, and what titles you want to see! Speaking of things you want to see, I know everyone has something they are excited about or passionate and knowledgeable about. Would you like to give a program? Share your story, your interests, your expertise to the community at large. Heck, will even put your name in 2 ½ inch plastic letters – fame! Ok so not so much fame, but hey we’d sure appreciate it! Just sign up with Gypsy and get ready to wow them all. While you are in here getting your playaway and signing up to give a program about your grandma’s lint collection, stop by the back room and say hi. I’ll be the guy glued to the computer surrounded by books, literally, surrounded – I think of it as a fort… Fort Hixon.

Library Log 4/2/09

From Gypsy’s Corner:

Well, it looks as if Spring has finally sprung! Must be time to freshen up the place with new programs, materials, and activities. In that spirit, I have several new and exciting programs and resources available here at the library that I’m dying to tell you about. Rather than risk over-dazzling you with the whole list at once I’m going to tell you about them one at a time, each week for the next several weeks. Are you ready? Here we go: This week’s feature is a video based English Learning resource series called “In English on Your Own” that can be checked out on DVD. It comes with a workbook that’s available to view here online or print out and keep. What makes this learning series so fantastic is that it can be used by children or adults from any native language. It’s easy to follow, self-paced, and sequential so students can learn to communicate in English quickly at home or right here in the library. We will be happy to share this resource with schools, churches, and any other non-profit organization that wishes to help individuals in our community overcome their English speaking language barrier. Look for it on our shelves soon and tune in next week for another “what’s new” update.

Kieran’s notes from the back room :

I was pretty excited when I went into the last conference carrying my stuff in a tote bag with the John C. Fremont Library District logo on it. The bags are kind of a nice way to support my local library and carry stuff without, as my dad calls it, the grocery store matching luggage (plastic shopping bags). All the children who sign up for summer reading will get a free bag, the rest of us can get them for $3. Theoretically speaking, they can carry items that aren’t library books, but I wouldn’t know. The new “Annie Leibovitz -At Work” book has arrived at the library this week. What a photographer she is! There are also a few DVDs that caught my eye this week. One of them is a foreign film (from Belgium with subtitles in English) called Ben X. Stop by and check them out – or at least read the back and see if they are up your alley. While you are here feel free to stop by the back room and say hi to me… I am the guy behind the giant stack of books and boxes.