We've Got The Best References In Town

The day I watched Oprah talk about "blowing out" her thyroid, I was confused about the word "blowing." Then I remembered Elois, our Reference Clerk, told me about a book called SOLVED, The Riddle of Illness, How Managing Your Thyroid Can Help You Fight and Control: (and it listed a host of illnesses). I'm sure this is the book that will tell me how to "blow" out your thyroid. If you're interested, too, the book is in the Reference Section at R616.4L. It's by Stephen E. Langer, M.D., and James F. Scheer.
Another book Elois told me about is The Caregiver's Sourcebook by Frena Gray-Davidson (R616.12.D). This book gives you everything you need to know about: 1) the importance of a caregiver in the lives of Alzheimer's patients, Parkinson's patients, and those who suffer other mental or physical disabilities; 2) how you can find resources for financial, medical, and legal help; and 3) how caregivers can care for themselves.
With Christmas right around the corner, Elois has another book that might help with the gift problem. If you're one of those persons who loves to give antiques to your loved one, Schroeder's Antiques Price Guide might be just the book you're looking for. It gives the identification and values of over 50,000 antiques and collectibles. Look for it in the Reference Section at R748.S.
If you're a student, you never have enough reference material when you're thinking about going to college or what line of work to go into. There's the 2008 Scholarship Handbook (R378.3C) that includes more than 2,100 programs offering 1.4 million awards. It not only tells you about scholarships, but internships and loans, and gives you eligibility indexes that guide you to awards you can get.
And while you're looking for those scholarships, you'll need to check into financial aid. The 2008 Getting Financial Aid for Scholarships, Grants, Loans & Jobs (R378.3C) gives you easy, step-by-step instructions for applying for college aid, as well as helping you find scholarships and other aid at more than 3,000 colleges, universities, and technical schools.
Then there's more. If you haven't decided what you want to take in college, the Book of Majors, Second Edition (R378.1C) has 180 professors to help you choose the right major. It also has 900 majors at 3,600 colleges, listed by state, and gives you up-to-date career information.
So, now you know where the best references in town are. At the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library, here in Moultrie, Georgia. We're only about four blocks from downtown and easy to find. Check us out.

Interesting Facts About Reading

I read an interesting survey the other day. It was an AP (Associated Press) poll that gave the reading habits of Americans in 2006. There were 1,003 adults interviewed by phone. (Amazing, but the Gallup Poll in 2005 found similar results.) Some of the AP poll's facts were:

• Among those who read in 2006, the average respondent read 7 books.
• 25% of the adults polled said they didn't read any books.
• The typical person read 4 books - half read fewer, half read more.

Who are the 25% of people the AP poll found had not read a single book in 2006?

• Nearly a third of men and one-fourth of women tend to be older, less educated, lower income, minorities, from rural areas, and less religious.
• Put another way, avid readers in current and past studies were found to be elderly, female, southern, religious, and educated.
• Southerners who do read, however, tend to read more books, mostly religious and romance novels, than people from other regions.
• Women read more of every category of books than men, except for history and biography.
• The Bible and religious works were read by two-thirds in the survey, more than all other categories.
• Popular fiction, histories, biographies and mysteries were all sited to be about half, while one in five read romance novels.
• Every other genre - including politics, poetry and classical literature - were named by fewer than 5% of the readers.

I was surprised to find myself in this poll, although I wasn't interviewed. Are you there too? And how many books have you read this year? After all, the year is nearly over. I know the next few weeks will be extremely busy, what with Christmas events coming up, but you still have time to read a little in between the cracks. Come on by the library and pick up a small book to read.

Miss Edna at the Circulation Desk recommends the following:

• Santa Cruise (a holiday mystery at sea) and The Christmas Thief (mystery) by Mary Higgins Clark
• Fresh Elastic for Stretched Out Moms (inspirational) by Barbara Johnson
• Glad Tidings, When Christmas Comes, and Christmas Letters (fiction) by Debbie Macomber
• The Choice (fiction) by Nicholas Sparks
• Skipping Christmas (fiction) by John Grisham.

Don't forget to bring your library card. And remember, reading IS a stress-buster!!!

All Thanksgiving Days Are Special

We are two days away from Thanksgiving Day 2007. This afternoon our library closes early at 5:30 p.m. We will be closed November 21 through 24, with our return to work on Monday the 26th.
Just thinking about Thanksgiving brings warm fuzzies my way. One Thanksgiving Day in particular always comes to mind. My two youngest children had gone off to their father's home for the holiday weekend, and I was left to my own devices. I think I'd made a pot of coffee and had decided to just "muck around" in my housecoat and slippers, watch a little television, read, and take several naps.
I remember the doorbell rang around 10:30 that morning. When I opened the door, there stood my two oldest children. They were both young men and on their own, so I was surprised they were standing at my front door.
Anyhow, when I asked them what they were doing, they said they'd come to take me out to Thanksgiving Day lunch. That really surprised me! But more than being surprised, I was so thankful I didn't have to spend the day all by myself. And I was extremely proud that my sons had thought of me on Thanksgiving Day and invited me to lunch.
Well, I got all dressed up and off we went. We were living in Omaha at the time and it took only about 15 to 20 minutes to get anywhere you wanted to go. Our drive was just down the street, under the bypass, and around the corner into Denny's parking lot. (I'm sure all of you know that Denny's is a restaurant.)
We had turkey and dressing and all the trimmings. We talked and laughed and simply enjoyed being with each other. And we didn't rush over our pie and coffee.
I don't remember the rest of the day or until my youngest children came home on Sunday. But I do remember that particular Thanksgiving Day and my oldest sons taking me out for lunch.
So, this Thanksgiving, because all my grown children live in different states than I do, I plan to share the Thanksgiving Day meal with my "adopted" son, who has no family close by. And guess where we're going for lunch. Yep! You're right! We're going to Denny's!
I hope you have someone to share your Thanksgiving Day with. If your family is a long way off, pick someone you know who will be by themselves also and share the meal. If you like to cook, invite friends and neighbors to get together, bring a dish, and share the meal. Sharing and being thankful for what we have is what it's all about.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your loved ones. May you make happy memories, too.

Does This Mean That Montel Is Coming To Town?

Our director, Melody, told me the other day that the PPA bus is coming to Moultrie. That didn't register with me for a while, until I realized that this is the bus I see on television all the time. The one that Montel Williams is promoting.
Well, even if Montel doesn't come to town, the bus is coming. And that's what I need to tell you about.
If you are uninsured and struggling with your medical prescriptions, the Partner for Prescription Assistance program may be able to help you. You need to come to the library to find out if you qualify for one or more of 475 patient assistance programs, many of which offer free or nearly free prescription medicines. And this bus is the fast, free and convenient way to see if you qualify.
The Help Is Here Express bus will be at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library on Tuesday, November 27th, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The library is located at 204 Fifth Street, Southeast, in Moultrie. If you don't know where it is, just ask anyone in town and they should be able to help you.
The Help Is Here Express bus is equipped with computer terminals and phones so people can find out (for free) if they may be eligible for help. Trained specialists will be on board to make sure the process is quick and easy. It has to be one of the best ways for you to see about prescription assistance.
And tell you what. . .while you enter the bus and get the help you need, I'll stand outside the bus and watch for Montel. You can be sure if I see him, I'll be the one yelling, "Montel! Montel! Montel!"

You Might have To Reserve A Spot!

The other day I did a quick tour through the library to see and listen and snoop, but I don't tell many people I do that intentionally. It's one way I gather my stuff for the blog. Anyhow, I found something interesting and asked my coworker to come with me to see it.
That's when Aileen and I sat down on one of the most comfortable sofas I've been on in a while. We sat there on those comfy seats and looked around us at the new furniture and just grinned. You see, the new furniture is in the library's reading area. And if you didn't know better, you'd think you were in someone's lovely living room.
Melody, our director, told us the other day she was going shopping for furniture, but I guess I didn't expect to see it this soon.
There's a sofa and matching loveseat in a gold/green/burgundy floral pattern. They have plush cushions and plump pillows in complimentary patterns and colors.
Then there are four mahogany chairs with burgundy and gold seats and backs. And to accompany them are three matching end tables and a sofa table.
So, here we are today sitting in our office and Aileen just said, "I need a nap." And guess what I thought? Maybe we should go sit up there in the reading area. I think I've seen a couple of people napping on those comfortable sofas.
Hmmmmm! You might have to reserve a spot if you want to sit in that area.

Today In History

There are days when my curiosity just cannot be contained and I have to go snooping. This morning I decided to see what happened today in history. The History Place is one of my favorite Internet sites and here's what I found:

• In 1666 on this date, the first experimental blood transfusion took place in England, utilizing two dogs. (Wonder if they were trying to save them, or one, or just experimenting?)
• In 1889, newspaper reporter Nellie Bly (pen name for Elizabeth Cochrane) set out from New York to beat the record of Jules Verne's imaginary hero Phileas Fogg, who traveled around the world in 80 days. (Have you read that book?) Bly returned 72 days later to a tumultuous welcome in New York. (Talk about fast!)
• On this day steamboat developer Robert Fulton (1765-1815) was born in rural Pennsylvania. (Had some relatives in Pennsylvania at one time.)
• And this is the day that French painter Claude Monet (1840-1926) was born in Paris. He pioneered the impressionist style in his landscapes including the Haystacks, Poplars, and Rouen Cathedral series. (Impressive impressionist!)
• Today was the birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru (most everybody just called him Nehru), who was born in Allahabad, India (1889-1964). He spent over 20 years working with Mahatma Gandhi (most everybody just called him Gandhi; funny, but no one calls George W. Bush just Bush). Following independence in 1947, Nehru became India's first prime minister, serving until his death in 1964.
• American composer Aaron Copland (1900-1990) was born on this day in Brooklyn, New York. He created a quintessential American music style in his ballets, film scores, and orchestral works including Fanfare for the Common Man, Rodeo, and Appalachian Spring (all my favorites!) for which he won a Pulitzer Prize. His film score for The Heiress won an Oscar.

So, there you are. . .important dates, important people, important events. All at the website www.historyplace.com where there's even more interesting news. Check it out on one of the library's 20 Dell computers which are available for public use. Just takes a library card to get online.

What's Been Happening With The Bookmobile Lately?

Josh was sitting at the circulation desk the other morning when I came in. Just seeing him made me wonder what's been happening with the Bookmobile lately. So, I asked. Boy did he have lots to say!
"We've discovered hundreds and hundreds of our children's books are AR (Accelerated Reader) and Joel, our volunteer, has helped us label them. This has helped us out tremendously as most schools only want AR books.
"Also, we have several new books and series in the Bookmobile now. Children's books include Gordon Korman's On the Run and Kidnapped series, as well as the fourth installment of the Sisters Grim: Once Upon a Crime. The Ulysses Moore, Artemis Fowl, and Inheritance (think Eragon and Eldest) series are new additions, too. And we now have all five of the Spiderwick Chronicles.
"We are constantly adding adult fiction books and have rearranged the adult fiction section of the Bookmobile. We are carrying more titles from authors like John Grisham, James Patterson, Jonathan Kellerman, Nora Roberts, Danielle Steele, and Stuart Woods.
"More noteworthy is that the Christian Fiction section, which has had an incredible amount of usage, has expanded. There are now about two-and-a-half as many Christian Fiction books onboard. We've actually had to order extra copies by authors such as Kingsbury to keep up with the demand."
So, now you know how busy the Bookmobile is. And if you're on one of their routes, be watching for the red, white and blue bus. Sheila and Josh are working hard to bring great books to you for your enjoyment.

Everyone Has A Wish List

A couple of months ago, I heard someone talking about a library wish list. But in the rush of things, it slipped my mind until today. I decided to check around and find out.
Of course, I started at the top and talked to our director, Melody, who admitted she has a few wishes. She said one wish has been granted already, but is not in place yet, and that's the new book drop that will be placed at the back of the library parking lot. Melody said the SPLOST funds helped with that.
Another wish she has is to have more book money from the state. (Something all librarians would want.) But her biggest wish is to have a full-time certified adult services librarian to provide more community services, workshops and seminars. She said the county has to have a population of 75,000 before we can have such a librarian, and we're only at about 43,000. Sounds like we have a long wait!
I strolled around the library and asked several staff members what is on their list. I was amazed at some of the answers:

• From Genealogy, Ann and Irene would like a reader-printer that would print a newspaper's full page. And a typewriter for where a computer can't be used. And greeting card software and a color printer.
• From Intra-Library Loan, Johnnie wishes for a redesign of the circulation counter (this was Leon's wish also); easier-to-open-and-secure entrance doors; fresh paint on the concrete walls of the main library; a flat staff parking area instead of downhill; tinted windows throughout the library to eliminate glare and heat, but still be able to see out of; more large print books; and new staff chairs. (Wheeeew!)
• From Bookkeeping, Ann wishes for a remote control for the wall air conditioner, since it's up too high for her to reach the controls; carpet and "her-height" (can you tell she's short?) painted wall shelves; and a tall silk plant for the corner-wall of her desk (we didn't say the wish list had to be entirely functional!).
• From Information Services, Jinx wishes the signs in front of the library would be repainted for easier reading and have better lighting. Aileen wishes for a laser color printer and that the auditorium was set up for a multimedia presentation system.
• From Cataloging, Monique wishes for a new chair, and more carousels for the CD books and DVDs.
• From the Children's Library, Norma and Cray wish for a color printer for the office, a non-skid library-related welcome rug, poster frames, more shelving, and the north wall painted blue and the south wall painted red. (Again, beauty is sometimes functional too!)
• From the Bookmobile, Sheila and Josh wish for another laptop and more book money. But most importantly, they would like wireless accessibility through each school's Internet to their PINES account to check on each teacher's books.
• Gail (Circulation) and Carolyn (Processing) were gone, but Sheila said she knew they would like a new laminator.

The list could go on and on, I guess. I wasn't able to catch everyone for their wish lists, but got the majority of the staff. When I started asking about wishes, I had no idea the list would be this extensive. Maybe we should post it on a wall somewhere and as each wish is granted, mark it off. Then we could say, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." (Didn't I read that somewhere in one of our library books?)

Technology Lunch Bunch Will Meet Tuesday, November 13

I was going to tell you about this tomorrow, but, you know, time marches on. And sometimes too fast. So, I need to tell you now!
The Technology Lunch Bunch, sponsored by the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library, will meet on Tuesday, November 13, in the Willcoxon Auditorium at the library. The meeting will be held from noon to 1 p.m. and is open to the public.
Presenter Aileen McNair, Library Information Specialist, will talk about safe Internet sites for children and parents. She said: "Since we can't always cover our kids' eyes, we have to teach them how to see."
The 45-minute session will explore ways to help our kids become Internet savvy. Discussion will be held about how to keep our kids safe online and review sites concerned with child safety. We'll also talk about how we can help them and ourselves make wise choices as the Internet becomes a part of our everyday life.
If you're a parent with a computer in your home, this is one meeting you are encouraged to attend. But remember this, kids use computers elsewhere also. So, it's up to all of us. . .parents and educators alike. . .to "teach them how to see."

Today In History

Occasionally, I get curious about what happened years ago on the day in which I presently live. There's a good website I enjoy that tells me what I want to know. It's The History Place at http://www.historyplace.com/.
Today it had a ton of stuff that was interesting, such as:

• The Treaty of the Pyrenees was signed, ending the Franco-Spanish war of 1648-59. (That was an eleven-year war! I hope the one we're in now doesn't last that long.)
• General William H. Harrison led 1,000 Americans in battle, defeating the Shawnee Indians at the Battle of Tippencanoe Creek near Lafayette, Indiana. (Another war!)
• A pro-slavery mob attacked and killed American abolitionish Elijah Lovejoy at his printing works in Alton, Illinois. (I used to live 3 hours from Alton!)
• Canada's first transcontinental railway, the Canadian Pacific, was completed in British Columbia. (Rode a train one time all the way to Texas. Had an amazing time!)
• Russian Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government of Alexander Kerensky in Petrograd. (Exactly where is/was Petrograd? I'll have to look that one up.)
• President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to an unprecedented fourth term, defeating Thomas E. Dewey. (I once saw the huge headlines in the newspapers about this. Was in a genealogy library somewhere.)
• Richard Nixon told news reporters in Los Angeles "...just think how much you're going to be missing. You won't have Nixon to kick around any more, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference." (Do you think they knew what he was going to say before he said it?)
• The East German government resigned after pro-democracy protests. (What can I say?)
• L. Douglas Wilder became the first African American governor in U.S. history, elected governor of Virginia. (Progress at one level, anyhow.)
• Mary Robinson became Ireland's first female president. (Progress at another level.)

This day, November 7, was also the birthday of Polish chemist Marie Curie who with her husband received the Nobel Prize for physics for their discovery of the element Radium. And it's also the birthday of Christian evangelist Billy Graham, who was born near Charlotte, North Carolina in 1918.

Great website, huh? You can check it out on one of the library's 20 Dell computers that we have for your use anytime you're in the library. Only takes your library card to get online. . . .

Today Is All About Cats!

When I came in today, I wasn't sure what my thoughts for the blog would be. But after getting my coffee and talking with a couple of coworkers about this little kitty I have, all I could do was think about her.
You see, she's an orphan that I rescued when she was about six weeks old and weighed one pound six ounces. Now she's five months old, and all the time she's been growing she has been like a ping pong ball! She has literally turned my home upside down. I've had to remove and hide so many items, I may never be able to find them all! And the fact that my older cat is not particularly happy about the kitty is another problem.
Of course, since I work in a library, I always wonder what kind of books we have to solve any problem I might have at a particular time. This seemed to be one of those times. So, with Johnnie's help, I located a few books about cats that I thought might help me.

• Helga Fritzsche's Cats, A Complete Pet Owner's Manual, With A Special Chapter: Understanding Cats. (Wonder if there's a chapter that tells you how to take the bounce out of ping pong balls?)
• Harry Miller's The Common Sense Book of Kitten and Cat Care. (This book gave me encouragement about a four-to-nine month old kitten. If we can live through the next few months, we just might make it!)
• Catlore by Desmond Morris has on its front cover: "Why cats purr and everything else you ever wanted to know." (This book answers some interesting questions, such as: Are there ideal cats for allergy suffers? Why is a cat called a cat? Why are cats attracted to people who dislike them? I'm going to check this book out for sure!)
• The Cat by Muriel Beadle is A Complete Authoritative Compendium of Information about Domestic Cats. (From Chapter 1 "The Chase" through Chapter 8 "How Sociable?" to Chapter 17 "Man and Beast Together," there's much to learn from this book.)
• Brian Kilcommons and Sara Wilson's Good Owners, Great Cats has a lot of promise for my kitty also. Or maybe I should have said for me. I need to check this book out also, because there are chapters about "Preventing Bad Habits," "The Great Declaw Debate," and "Chewing and Suckling Behaviors."
• And the last book I picked up is For the Love of Cats by Amy D. Shojai and Irene Gizzi. It's just a fun book of knowledge about cat history, behavior, their five senses, myths and lore, and beautiful pictures of famous people with their cats.

Maybe someone out there in blogland is going through a similar problem with a kitty. I do have a problem, don't I? Or do I? Maybe I'm just learning to live with a baby who has growing pains. Or maybe she has no problems at all. Maybe it's just me! Anyhow, for all cat lovers, the library does have some good books about cats, whether you're trying to solve a problem like I am or just want to read cat books for fun. Look for those good books in the nonfiction section, number 636.8. They're right beside the dog section. Where else?

Well, We Did It Again And Carolyn's "It"!

Carolyn Clark knew something special was going to happen, since everyone had gathered in the work room where she has her desk. But she had no idea it was going to happen to her, until Director Melody Jenkins announced that Carolyn was the November Employee of the Month for the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library.
With cheers from her coworkers, Carolyn received the E.O.M. certificate and flowers, and Ms. Jenkins announced the special parking place was Carolyn's for the month.
Thirty-six years ago, in September of 1971, Carolyn was hired to work on the Colquitt County Bookmobile. Later, she worked on the Thomas County Bookmobile when Thomas and Colquitt counties were in a regional system together (Colquitt-Thomas Regional Library System). When Thomas County dissolved the regional system in 1988 and the bookmobile service to that county from Moultrie ceased, Carolyn began working as the processing clerk in the main library, the job she holds today.
When I asked her what she liked best about working for the library, Carolyn said, "Being in the library and doing the processing. There were lots of good experiences with the Bookmobile, but I enjoy the processing now." (That's the essence of what she really said, without talking about ladies of a "certain age.")
Carolyn also enjoys her church, Oak Grove Baptist Church, where she's been an active member since 1949. She has been married to Joe Clark for 53 years and has three children (JoBeth, Donna and Brian) and seven grandchildren.
Those of us in the library who know Carolyn find her to be a kind and happy person. And when the mood strikes her, rather funny. We just enjoy working with her. So, we say, "Congratulations, Carolyn, for being it this month!"