Our Heroes

There is a group of people here in town that almost everyone knows. However, many people might not know they are library board members. They are the people that set the policies for the library system - the main library, the Doerun branch, and the Odom Library. They are the people responsible for overseeing the director for hiring and firing, submitting budgets, and general administration of the libraries. They oversee the investing of monies and spending of the endowment that runs the Odom Library. They are the people who request monies from the Board of Education, County Commissioners and State, and advocate on the State level for more funds.
These people come from all walks of life: business executives, insurance agents, homemakers, retired (and not retired) educators, a farmer, a mayor, and a pastor.
Library Director Melody S. Jenkins said: "As the economy fluctuates, the Trustees always have to be big advocates for the library. Some people feel you don't have to have a library, that it's not a necessity, but when the economy is low that's when library usage is at its height. People use it more to find jobs, learn about a new trade, take online classes or borrow books on ways to improve their lives, and they check out more movies and DVDs, etc."
That means the Trustees, who persevere in advocating for the library by finding funds and continuing to seek increases, are our heroes! They are the people who run the gauntlet to keep the libraries operating. They are the seekers of the funds. They help give life to our community libraries.
So, I'd like to tell you who these heroes are.
The Odom Genealogical Library Board Members are: Brooks Sheldon, Merle Baker, James Jeter, Jack Bridwell, Virginia Horkan, William McIntosh and Lauren Howell.
The Moultrie-Colquitt County Library Board Members are: Diane Stephens, Sharon Demott, Joanne Smith, Sharrod McCall, Jr., Terry R. Clark, Dr. Michael Helms, Alice Slocumb, Melinda Wright, Ed Willis, Jimmy Taylor and Jim Soos.
Doug Strange is the chairman for both Boards.
I hope if you see these people in town, you'll take a minute and tell them you're glad to know that they are the heroes for so many library patrons and staff members. We need to let them know we're glad they are the people who make sure our town continues to have these fine libraries: The Moultrie-Colquitt County Library, the Doerun Municipal Library, and the Ellen Payne Odom Genealogical Library.
Remember, they're your heroes too!

Do You Know About The Indian In The Cupboard?

I don't know how many of you know about this delightful little book, The Indian in the Cupboard, but our children's librarian, Miss Norma, has selected the book as her Children's Book Pick for February. Written in 1980 by British author Lynne Reid Banks, it is a Junior Read about a young boy, who discovers that when he locks a toy plastic Iroquois Indian in an old bathroom cupboard, the figure comes to life.
The boy, Omri, got the cupboard from his brother for his birthday. If used in conjunction with a key that had been his great-grandmother's and the plastic Indian from his friend Patrick, the combination brings the spirit of historical people forward in time, where they are imposed within plastic toys. The Indian turns out to be from the 19th century and is called Little Bear (although some renditions call him "Little Bull"). Patrick finds out about the cupboard and this leads to more trouble when he brings a cowboy, Boone, into the present. Between the Indian wounding the cowboy, the magical key getting lost, and Omri's brother's pet rat escaping, the story never ceases to excite the reader.
This was such a wonderful book that it was made into a movie in 1995 with the same title and starred Hal Scardino, Litefoot, Lindsay Crouse, David Keith and Rishi Bhat. The film marked the debut of Litefoot, a Cherokee rap music performer. The movie's running time is 96 minutes and rated PG. A DVD was released July 3, 2001. And it's such a famous story there is even a trivia game about it at www.kidsreads.com/funstuff/trivia/indian01.asp.
But there's more!!! In The Return of the Indian (1985), Omri discovers that any container can be made magic if locked with the leaden key. In this book he and his friend, Patrick, travel back in time contemporaneous with the Indian and the cowboy, where they discover Little Bear's village is in danger.
In The Secret of the Indian (1989), Omri and Patrick find a way to go back in time using a chest. Patrick ends up in the cowboy's time and must find a way to survive.
The Mystery of the Cupboard (1992) tells how Omri and Patrick learn the origin of the magic key and its history of time travel. And they learn about Jenny, Elsie, Bert, and numerous other historical plastic figures who have been moved in time, including Omri's "wicked" great-great aunt. In the end, Omri's father finds out about the "little people" and is let in on their adventures.
The final book is The Key to the Indian (1998), where Omri and his father have to help the Indian when his people are threatened with annihilation by American colonists; can twentieth-century British allies help them - or should they even try?
So, there you are!!! A wonderful book to read. In fact, several. And a movie. And a DVD.
You can find The Indian in the Cupboard in the children's library. Or you can find it and the other books by Lynne Reid Banks in the PINES catalog and place your order. They are great stories!!!

We Can Help You Save Money!

Yesterday when I clicked on my Yahoo! button, the home page had an item that caught my attention. An article told me how I could save $1,000 this year by using seven easy steps. Written by Margarette Burnette and provided by Bankrate.com, the article listed the library as one of those steps. Yep! The library!
On the list of seven items, #4 said: Check out materials from the library. And there were several good suggestions.
For instance, the next time you plan to buy or rent a favorite movie classic, instead borrow the video for free from the library. We even stock DVDs - movie classics and new titles - and CDs with generous borrowing periods. There are also children's videos of cartoons and educational subjects.
Just think, you could save $10 each time you visit the library, which would give you an annual savings of $120 or more per year, depending on how many items you borrow and how often you visit the library.
While you're there, check on the latest book releases. We post best-seller lists for your convenience and may have several copies of many books. By borrowing from the library, you won't have to buy that latest book you'd like to read. From the library, it's free!
And it's good to remember to return everything on time, because libraries charge late fees just like the rental stores do.
So, what does it take for you to save money by borrowing from the library? Just a library card! All you have to do is come to the circulation counter and ask for an application. And if you like to use a computer, be sure to ask for the computer application also. We have 20 nice Dell computers for public use.
We're just one of the seven easy steps that can help you save $1,000 this year!

We're Working Puzzles Together!

We've been having so much fun with the community puzzle!
At the first of the month, Miss Aileen put a large puzzle on a round table in the reading area. The 1,000-piece puzzle was a landscape of mountains, trees, Indians, horses and tepees. People visiting the library were encouraged to work on it. We all worked hard on it; staff members, mothers and their children, single people with a few minutes to help.
But it was really hard!!! So, we abandoned it in exchange for an easier one. And we had great fun with the second one! It was a picture of a small town fair with popcorn and food vendors, children running and playing, adults walking or sitting on benches along a winding path. There were buildings decked out with red, white and blue bunting, and a uniformed band playing in the gazebo.
For several days my coworker and I would take our breaks and work on the puzzle. I saw other staff members wander around the table, putting a piece in here or there. One Saturday, as I waited for my meeting to begin in the Willcoxon Auditorium, I worked the puzzle with a mother and her two daughters, ages 8 and 11. On another day, I saw my neighbor sitting at the table and joined her to work on the puzzle for a while.
And the puzzle went fast! In fact, so fast that this past Tuesday, Miss Aileen put a new puzzle on the table and sent the town-fair-one to the Doerun Branch for their enjoyment. They'd already finished one puzzle and were ready for the next. They're fast puzzlers over
there!
Now we have another new puzzle on our round table in the reading area. It has a birdhouse, four bright-colored birds and beautiful flowers. And people are already working on it.
This morning I saw my neighbor again. She says working the puzzles are addictive and she's really enjoying her time at the library. Anna and I talked for a while, then I left her to continue her fun.
You can be part of this puzzle fun also. Our big puzzle event will be held next Tuesday, January 29th, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Willcoxon Auditorium right here in the library. We're going to begin another 1,000-piece puzzle titled "Dragon Storm," and we will definitely need your help. Hopefully, it will be easier than the other one.
There will also be 200-piece puzzles for ages 10 through adult, as well as word searches and crossword puzzles. And puzzles for the little tykes will be available, too, including a floor puzzle that is 2 feet by 3 feet, called "The Policeman is on the Job." We'll have dominoes (regular and Dora, the Explorer), checkers and Scrabble for non-puzzle enthusiasts.
And we have more. . .we have books about puzzles that you can check out. You can see a sample of them when you come up the front steps of the main foyer. They're lined up on the top of the collection cases.
We hope you'll join us in our library endeavor of hosting an evening of community fun. Bring your family or come on your own. We're going to look for you!

The Power Of One Book

I was just sitting there, minding my own business, when the thought the power of one entered my head. Confused, I asked myself, "You mean the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle?" "No," was the answer, "the power of one. If you had the ability to give the power of one book to children, what would it be?"
Well, I knew what my answer was. But when I went to work this morning, I decided to ask several coworkers.
Miss Norma said she'd give them Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, a Newberry Honor Book that was made into an enchanting movie. It's about ten-year-old India Opal Buloni, who moves to Naomi, Florida, with her father, a preacher...and she's lonely. Her mother left when she was three, and her father won't talk about her mother at all. When Opal finds an unusually friendly dog at the Winn-Dixie supermarket, she adopts him and calls him Winn-Dixie. From that point on, her whole life changes. Soon she finds herself making more than a few unusual friends. And ultimately, she and her father realize that although they have had quite a bit of melancholy in their lives, they still have a whole lot to be thankful for. The Boston Sunday Globe said: "Books like this give us hope for the world, and a fine blueprint for surviving childhood."
A Taste of Blackberries by Doris Buchanan Smith is the power of one book that Miss Cray selected. The story is about Jamie, a special boy, whose exuberance and harmless prank ended in sudden tragedy. The boy who is narrating the story must find the strength to bear his grief and his guilty feeling that somehow he might have saved his friend. It is the story of an often ignored subject and a courageous young boy. The author is mother to five school-age children, four of her own and one for whom she and her husband are permanent guardians. The Smiths have also been parents to more than 22 foster children. Her experiences have given her exceptional insight into the problems of being young, as well as those of growing up.
When I asked Miss Edna about a power of one book, she grinned and said, "Little Red Riding Hood." Now, most everyone knows the story about the little girl wearing a red riding cape with a hood. She met a large wolf while on her way to visit her sick grandmother. The wolf, of course, turned the story into trouble. He gobbled up the grandmother and then pretended to be the grandmother when Little Red Riding Hood showed up. But, lo and behold, a woodsman with an axe rescued Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother, and I won't tell the rest. I asked Miss Edna why she picked that particular book and she said, "Because the story shows that people can get through difficult circumstances." How true!
Another fairy-tale-like story was the selection by Miss Aileen. She said she would give The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper (a pseudonym by the publishing house Platt & Munk). That's the story of the little railroad engine that was asked to pull a long line of freight cars up a steep mountain, because two larger trains felt they could not. The little locomotive went up the steep grade with the encouraging words, "I think I can - I think I can." When it went down the other side, it congratulated itself by saying, "I thought I could - I thought I could." Miss Aileen said, "So much of what you do depends on how you think of yourself." Her power of one book is about bravery and determination, among many other things.
The last person I asked was Miss Johnnie. I was surprised to find out that she and I had picked the same book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The story is a short morale tale about the relationship between a young boy and a tree in a forest. They become best friends, and the tree always provides the boy with what he wants: vines to swing from, shade to sit under, apples to eat, etc. In the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, the tree lets the boy cut her down so he can build a boat. The boy leaves the tree, now a stump. Many years later, when he is an old man, he returns and the tree says it has nothing left to give him. But the boy replies that he only needs a quiet place to sit and rest as he awaits death. And the tree happily obliges. That was our power of one book. A story about giving and giving and giving, but happily.
Now it's your turn to think about what book you'd select. There are so many to choose from. Give it some thought, then select your power of one book and let us know what it is. You can post your comment at the end of this blog.

Do You Know What "CCC" Stood For Way Back When?

Occasionally, Ann from the Odom Genealogy Library hands me something of interest for the blog. The other day she brought me information about the CCC.
Many of you will have no idea what CCC stands for or stood for way back in the late 30's and early 40's. It was the Civilian Conservation Corps, a work relief program for young men from unemployed families that was established March 19, 1933 by U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as part of his New Deal legislation. The program was designed to combat poverty and unemployment caused by the Great Depression.
The CCC was limited to young men 18-25 years old who were unemployed. The average age of the enrollees was 18-19. There were two exceptions to the age limits: Veterans and Indians, who had special programs and their own camps. In 1937 Congress changed the age limit to 17-28 and dropped the requirements that enrollees be on relief.
The young men went to camps of about 200 men each for six-month periods where they were paid to do outdoor construction work. They built roads, picnic shelters, bathhouses, dams, bridges, and fences. They dug irrigation canals and fought forest fires. They learned trades and took education classes.
The men worked a 40-hour week and were paid $30 per month (roughly equivalent to $425 today) and were required to send $25 of their monthly pay home to families. The CCC provided two sets of clothes and plenty of food. The Army operated the camps. Discipline was maintained by threat of "dishonorable discharge." There were no reported revolts or strikes. Late afternoon and evening activities were sports and classes. Weekend bus service was provided (or their own trucks could take them) into town or they could attend dances and religious services in the camps.
The separate Indian Division was a major relief force for Native American reservations during the Depression.
The CCC became the most popular New Deal program among the general public. There were 4,000 camps in 48 states, as well as the Hawaii and Alaska territories, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
But the CCC lost its importance as the Depression ended about 1940. As unemployment fell, so did the need for the CCC. After the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan in 1941, national attention shifted away from domestic issues in favor of the war effort. Rather than formally disbanning the CCC, the 77th U.S. Congress ceased funding it after 1942 fiscal year, causing it to end operations.
There are 34 North Georgia camp sites listed at the website Civilian Conservation Corps North Georgia Camps. Look at http://ngeorgia.com/feature/cccl.html for more information.
If any of your relatives served in the CCC, there are a number of resources available for researchers. The National Archives in Washington, DC, has extensive records on the CCC in its Record Group 35, including photographs, official correspondence, camp directories, inspection reports, and accident reports. You can also check the state archives where your relative served for additional records. And you can request copies of the enrollee's records from the Civilian Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.
To learn more about the CCC, go to the Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni website at http://www.cccalumni.org/. You'll also find information about the CCC Museum in St. Louis.

February's Spotlight On The Library Calendar

Something different happened to me yesterday. I zoomed around the corner on the way to the office and nearly ran into a small boy, who was standing in front of the library calendar, reading it.
The Spotlight on the Library calendar is in a lighted glass case on the wall just across from the restrooms. At the end of every month, a new calendar is put up with pictures and quotes of famous people, special events and holidays, the book pick of the month from the genealogy and children's librarians, story time and bookmobile calendars, and other items of interest.
The boy looked to be about 11 years old, cute with dark blond hair and brown eyes. He had his hands stuffed in his jean pockets while he stood reading the calendar.
"Got any good ideas about what we can put on the calendar?" I asked.
He shook his head no.
"Do you like the pictures of famous people?" I asked. "Do you know who they are? Well, that was dumb," I continued, "since it says under their pictures they are authors." We both laughed.
"What would you suggest we put on the board sometime?" I asked again.
He shrugged his small shoulders and his hands never left his jean pockets.
"How about toys?" I asked.
"Yeah, that'd be good," he answered.
"What kind of toys?" I was full of questions.
Thoughtfully he answered, "Old toys." Now, that really surprised me!
"What kind of old toys?"
"Like old cars." His eyes got a small sparkle in them.
"And trucks...like the old Tonka trucks...and trains?" He nodded.
"Why old toys?" I asked.
"Because they don't break like the new kinds do." Another surprise!
"What could we put up about old toys?"
Again he was thoughtful. "Like when they were made," he replied.
"And what they were made out of, and maybe where they were made? That sound all right?"
He nodded his head yes and smiled.
"What kind of toys do you play with? Any old ones?" I asked.
"No. I usually play video games."
"Oh," was all I could muster up to reply. But it was obvious he might like to have some old toys.
We stood for a while and looked at the board, then I said," Well, tell you what. I know we're going to have to put up valentines and things that are red for February. But I'll work in old toys, too. How's that sound?"
He grinned and said, "OK." He made nice eye contact.
I raised my eyebrows at him and smiled. "Thanks for your help," I said and turned to walk into the office.
Then I turned back around, looked at him and said, "By the way, what's your name?"
"A.J.," he said with another cute little smile.
So, thanks, A.J., for reading our Spotlight on the Library calendar and making us feel like what we're doing is worthwhile. And even better, thanks for the suggestion. The February calendar will be dedicated to you...and old toys, as well as those valentines.

Grumpy Was The Topic For Today's Children's Program

Once in a while, laughter floats through the main library. It usually always comes from the Children's Library and today I heard it again. So, I decided to investigate.
Sitting on the floor of the Children's Library was a group of about 50 Pre-K children with their teachers sitting on the outer perimeter as the control group. Miss Norma, the Children's Librarian, stood before them holding an open book and reading about The Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard. As she read, she also asked questions, and the children shouted back the answers to her, laughed, pointed fingers and wiggled in response.
It was fun to watch the group of tiny children. Their eyes were wide with delight as they watched Miss Norma. They were intense at times, but none got up and none cried. When The Grumpy Bird was over, they all clapped.
Apparently before I got there, Miss Norma had told the children that Library Mouse, the Children's Library mascot, was not feeling well and was grumpy. She showed them how feeling bad and grumpy looks by turning her mouth down, stiffening her neck and shoulders, clinching her hands into fists, and making her legs quiver. She said she wanted to show the children her "mad-to-glad" trick.
Miss Norma asked the children to stand and copy her actions. She made the corners of her mouth turn down, her neck stiff, her hands into fists, and she shook her legs. Miss Norma said she wanted to show the children how to feel better, how to relax. Together the children and Miss Norma let their mouths go slack, rolled their necks from side to side and lifted their shoulders up and down, unclenched their fists, relaxed their legs and let them bend at the knees. Miss Norma asked the children to close their eyes and feel like they were flying through the blue sky. And as the children completed her instructions, they all agreed they felt better.
The next story Miss Norma read was Valentine's Day Grump by Rose Greydanus, about a fellow named Gus. It seems no one could make Gus feel better; not the mailman, the newspaper lady, or the milkman. Then Tippy, Gus's dog, came along and gave him a Valentine, and Gus felt better.
After the story, Miss Norma asked Library Mouse if he felt better, and he said, "Some." He whispers his answers into her ear.
Next Miss Norma led the children in the song If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands, adding special verses about being grumpy and pouting. Everyone stood tall and sang and clapped their hands and stomped their feet.
Then Miss Norma asked Library Mouse again how he felt. He said he felt better, but wanted a Band-aid on his ear. Miss Norma told the children, "Sometimes when a person feels bad, all they need is a Band-aid to make them feel better." I heard one child say, "His ear is bleeding," and another said, "He needs a kiss." But when Miss Norma gave Library Mouse a kiss, all the children groaned, "Ouuuuuuuu!!!" Miss Norma said all that was wrong with Library Mouse was he had the Boo-boo Blues, and she had something special about the Boo-boo Blues she wanted to share with the children.
Miss Norma disappeared behind a curtain hanging from the middle of her office doorway and music began. Two brightly colored puppets appeared above the curtain and a puppet show began. The children laughed and squealed and chattered and pointed, then were quiet and suddenly would howl again at the antics of the puppets. It was fascinating to see the whole group of 50 or so children mesmerized by the actions of two hand puppets.
When the show was over, some of the children asked to see the puppets. Everyone laughed when one child said, "They're dead," because the puppets were not moving. But Miss Norma showed the children how the puppets looked up close and everyone seemed happy.
At the end of the program, she distributed pages to color that told about feeling sad and glad. As the children were preparing to leave, Library Mouse softly tapped each child's head as his way of saying goodbye.
Children's program days at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library are fun days. They are scheduled by the various school groups, but if you have children and you'd like them to be part of the fun, call the library and ask when the programs are held. That number is 985-6540. Or the next time you're in the library, check with the librarians. They'll be glad to help you.

Have You "Roamed" Our Place Lately?

One of my friends told me the other day that she really enjoyed reading about my "roamings." That's those things I do occasionally. Some people would call it snooping, I guess. But I really like to look at all the different things we have here at the library. Today I took another trip.
I checked on the plants in the atrium. They were donated by library patrons and some are twenty years old. There's a large pencil cactus way taller than I am, two Norfolk pines that would make great Christmas trees, fern, kalanchoe, a split-leaf philodendron, and pots of ivy.
The genealogy foyer is still being worked on. Tartan-covered chairs line the walls, and the large glass cabinet is waiting to be filled with a special collection. I like to look at Jim Anderson's handcarved wooden plaque on the brick wall outside the Odom Genealogy Library's entrance. It has a tree with a thistle at the very top and the words: "I found a thistle in my family tree." I think that's kind of funny, but I know what it means. Jim Anderson is an internationally recognized master woodcarver and has pieces in collections all over the United States. We are fortunate to have some of his magic
wood here.
The Spotlight on the Library bulletin board, outside the Information Services office, announces the January book picks for genealogy enthusiasts and children. Current calendars are posted for the children's story time and the bookmobile route. On the large calendar, there are pictures of famous people, quotes, and names of holidays and special events.
Then there's the group of small signs stuck to the hallway's white wall. A blue string connects them. They are Library Facts and tell about the word "library," a library's evolution, a modern library, notable libraries, and show the national library symbol.
Just down the hall from the Library Facts is the Levi Willcoxon Memorial Auditorium. You have no idea how many times I walked past the picture of Levi Willcoxon before I finally noticed it hanging there. It's a lovely old-fashioned picture in an oval frame. Mr. Willcoxon's estate provided $100,000 toward the building of the auditorium. And now we have brand new tables in the
auditorium.
The library also houses several collections. In the front foyer there are two collections I especially enjoy. One is of intriguing sea shells and another of library artefacts, such as an old glue pot and an Underwood typewriter (who remembers what a typewriter was?). There are also collections of military paraphernalia, Scottish items, and handmade wooden instruments by Edwin H. Carlton, who was a Moultrie resident. In the reading area, there's also the Talmadge Brazel telephone collection of obsolete phones and related equipment. Mr. Brazel worked for the telephone company in Moultrie for nearly 43 years.
Occasionally, I find something I didn't expect. Near the Children's Library on the left, there's a huge section of paperback books. I don't know why I hadn't noticed them before. There are romance and men's paperbacks with a 25-per-person limit, and a collection of westerns and mysteries to check out.
You should take some time and do a "roaming" of your own. You'll be amazed at all the wonderful things you can find here. Today I found some of them. Wonder what I'll find that's new to me next time.

Our Ever-changing Website Home Page

If you haven't noticed, we have an ever-changing Website home page. One reason is to keep you as current as possible with what's going on. Another reason is so you don't get bored with the same old stuff all the time. And if you will take a few minutes to look at it, you'll see all kinds of goodies on the home page.
For instance, across the top is a streaming banner. Right now it tells about the Technology Lunch Bunch meeting on January 22nd in which participants can learn more about the Library Edition of Ancestry.com. This informational meeting is a free service provided by the library for those of you with a genealogy bent.
On the right side of the home page you'll find our "library helps," such as the PINES online catalog, the Galileo database, the library calendar, and "Ask A Librarian," where all your hard library questions are answered.
In the center of the page, there is a notice that this month is Puzzle Month at MCCLS and we have a few things planned for community participation. Also in that area is the Bookworm Blog, the weather and time, and information aobut how you can order a Georgia Center for the Book license plate.
But today I want to tell you about a cople of new items that have been placed on the left side of the home page. The first is a site for legal forms. If you're selling a house, making a will, or signing a lease, you need to check out the Gale LegalForms. Our library patrons now have access to a database of blank and completed legal forms that are professionally created, state-specific and continually updated. Powered by the U.S. Legal Forms electronic database, Gale LegalForms makes downloadable, printable forms available for library patrons, customized to comply with each state's laws. The number of forms available varies by library, but typically will include 1,000 to 3,000 specific documents addressing subjects such as bankruptcy, divorce, power of attorney, real estate, taxation, and landlord/tenant law.
The second new item is also by Gale. The Testing and Education Reference Center site is primed for students. Whether it's preparing admission materials or getting a heads-up on preparatory tests, TERC is an online tool designed to help students - from high school to graduate school to specialty school - prepare to make their further education decisions easier. The site is loaded with information on colleges, technical schools and executive programs, practice entrance, certification and professional license exams that show students what to expect and how to prepare to get to - and excel at - the next level.
Both of these sites may be entered away from the library by using a password. That password is your local library card number. However, if you're using a computer at the main library or the Doerun Branch, it is unnecessary to use your password.
And while you're on the home page, be sure to check out the UGA-Colquitt County Archway Project, as well as America's News Magazine and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (the last two accessed only in the
library).
We are a wonderful library maintained by public funds. Your card is your key to library services and materials. The Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System (MCCLS) offers a wide range of materials, programs and services, and we make finding what you need easy and convenient! Here at MCCLS, we're "thinking outside of the book." You may be surprised by how much MCCLS has to offer you and your family! And our ever-changing Website home page is one way of letting you know.

The Ten Commandments of Library Service

A staff member handed me a little piece of paper the other day and said I might like to consider it for the blog. It was The Ten Commandments of Library Service.
The article was shared by Libby Collins from the Sara Hightower Regional Library in Rome, Georgia. Libby was a forward-thinking person, who thought "outside of the box." She was the director of the Hightower Library in the 80's, a very down-to-earth person, and known to be a shaker and mover in the library world.
Even though the Commandments were written for library staff, I feel it is important to share it with our patrons (including blog-readers). It's in working together that we make our library a destination of choice; not home, not work, and not just a third place to go.

The Ten Commandments of Library Service

Patrons are the most important people in our library.

Patrons are not outsiders. They are owners of our library.

Patrons are not an interruption of our work. They are the purpose of it.

Patrons are not cold statistics. They are human beings with feelings and emotions like our own.

Patrons are not people with whom we argue or match wits.

Patrons are people who bring us their wants. It is our job to fill those wants.

Patrons are deserving of the most courteous and attentive treatment we can give them.

Patrons are not dependent on us. We are dependent on them.

Patrons are the life blood of this library.

January Is Puzzle Month At The Library

During the last month of 2007, we banged our heads around and decided to create some excitement at the library during 2008. Boy, did we come up with some goodies for all year! To begin the New Year, we made January our Puzzle Month at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library.
Today we started putting together a 1,000-piece puzzle on a round table in the reading area. It is a dynamic landscape of mountains, a stream, pine trees, snow, Indians, horses and tepees; a painting by Hermon Adams called "Coming Home." The colors are dark in the foreground and bright across the mountain range. We are working on the outer edge of it right now to pull it together. So, remember to check it out and add a few pieces when you come into the library. We're going to see how long it takes the public to finish the puzzle. (Of course, every time one of our staff members walk by, they have to drop in a couple of pieces, too.) And the Doerun Branch will have a puzzle for its patrons to work, also.
We'll continue the puzzle theme on Tuesday, January 22nd, when we're going to have a genealogy puzzle. As part of our Technology Lunch Bunch program, Irene Godwin, who has been with the Odom Genealogy Library for almost 18 years, will walk us through researching an individual using the Library Edition of Ancestry.com. It will be like putting together the pieces of an individual's life to solve that person's puzzle. Irene will cover such topics as: surname searching of multiple databases in one location, searching by Soundex or exact surname spellings, finding digital images available for some original documents, and using a newly added U.S. map collection. The event will be held in the Willcoxon Auditorium at noon and no reservations are required. However, it would be nice if you'd let us know you're going to attend, so we can have a chair for you. You can do that by calling 985-6540.
The big puzzle event will be held Tuesday, January 29th, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Willcoxon Auditorium. There will be a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle titled "Dragon Storm," 19 inches by 27 inches, that we will need help in completing. There will also be 200-piece puzzles for ages 10 through adult, as well as word searches and crossword puzzles. Puzzles for the little tikes will be available too, including a floor puzzle that is 2 feet by 3 feet, called "The Policeman is on the Job." And we'll have dominoes (regular and Dora, the Explorer), checkers, and Scrabble for non-puzzle enthusiasts.
As if that weren't enough, we'll have books about puzzles for you to read. Here's just a few:

• A Clue for the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall
• Mathamusements by Raymond Blum
• Too Hot to Hoot: The Palindrome Puzzle Book by Raymond Stuart
• Perplexing Puzzles and Tantalizing Teasers by Martin Gardner
• Super Strategies for Puzzles and Games by Saul X. Levmore and Elizabeth Early Cook
• The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, and
• I Spy Extreme Challenger! A Book of Picture Riddles (a Scholastic book).

We hope you'll join us during the month for all our puzzle shenanigans. These events are for singles as well as families. We're going to have fun. And it will be a lot more fun if you show up.

Find a new book, read a new author, go into a section of the library you've never been in...

That's what my coworker answered when I asked: "What is something new a person can do this year at the library?" And I took her
advice.
I found a new book. It's called The Book of Marie by Terry Kay. Now, I'm familiar with Terry Kay because he wrote To Dance with the White Dog, a hauntingly beautiful story about love, family and relationships. And it was not only a wonderful book, but a great movie. I loved them both.
The Book of Marie is the story of a generation -- whites and blacks -- who ignited the war of change. Yet, it is also as much about the power of place -- the finding of home -- as it is about the history of events. The story is about native-born Southerner Cole Bishop, who accepts the traditions of segregation as a way of life, and Marie Fitzpatrick, a transplant from Washington, DC, who is a brilliant and assertive nonconformist with bold predictions about a new world that is about to be ushered in by the force of desegregation. The odd friendship between the two of them continues after high school through a series of tender and revealing letters. The story revolves around the 50th reunion of the Overton High School class of 1955. Bishop is reunited with classmates who have accepted a guarded assimilation of the races. And he's reacquainted with two black men -- the town's mayor and a reclusive artist. It's in those encounters that he comes to understand clearly the influence of Marie on his life.
Next, I found a new author. In our 7-Day-Loan section I found Michael Koryta and his book A Welcome Grave. Koryta is the Edgar-nominated author of Tonight I Said Goodbye, his first novel that was published when he was just twenty-one. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana, where he has worked as a newspaper reporter and private investigator. Tonight I Said Goodbye won the St. Martin's Press/Private Eye Writers of America contest for first novel and the Great Lakes Book Award for best mystery and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for best first novel. His novels have been translated into several languages. You can visit his website at http://www.michaelkoryta.com/.
A Welcome Grave, his third book, features private investigator Lincoln Perry, once a rising star on the Cleveland police force. His career ended when he left one of the city's prominent attorneys bleeding in the parking lot of his country club -- retribution for his affair with Perry's fiancee. However, some time later, when the attorney is dead (but not because of Perry), his widow calls upon Perry for a favor: track down the attorney's estranged son, who is partial beneficiary of the dead man's fortune. How Perry ends up in a rural jail is something for you to find out. Looks like a
good read!
As I headed back toward the Large Print section of our library, thinking that was the new section I'd check out, I passed Science Fiction and stopped. Ah ha! This is a new section I've never ventured into. A Plague of Angels by Sheri S. Tepper caught my eye. A flying dragon, a castle turret, and a misty moat graced the cover of the book. Turning to the back cover, I read that Tepper has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the most timely and influential science fiction writers of our time.
A Plague of Angels deals with a witch, who peers out into a world of faded pageantry, archetypal villages, and gang-filled cities of violence and plague. She knows there are terrible, enigmatic creatures called walkers, who search for the scattered remnants of mankind who sought a better world. In another part of the countryside, a young girl, who lives in an enchanted village, is growing into a beautiful woman. And somewhere nearby, a young man is seeking adventure after running away from his family's farm. As the terrible walkers scour the countryside, the young man and woman begin separate journeys toward each other. Read how these two people and the witch all come together and share a destiny that will change their world forever.
OK! I've done something new in this library to begin my New Year. How about you? What are you going to do? Come visit us and find a new book, read a new author, and check out a section you haven't visited yet. They're all here, waiting for you. . .

Ann Glass, January Employee of the Month

Ann Glass is a cheerful, smiling person, who works at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library as the genealogy clerk, where most people see her, and as the bookkeeper, a job she took on in 2006. She actually started with MCCLS on May 12, 1990, making her an employee for 17-1/2 years.
Today Melody Jenkins, library director, presented Ann with a certificate of appreciation, a gold peach-designed Georgia Libraries bookmark and pin, and a bouquet of white baby's breath with green carnation. Ann also will be parking in the specially-designated EOM space.
Melody joked that Ann is the person we always look forward to seeing each month, since she hands out the paychecks. But in all honesty, she complimented Ann on being a dedicated and caring employee. Fellow employees say Ann has a love of all people, is very mindful of them, and always goes the extra mile to help them. We know her as a person who loves to laugh and always has a twinkle
in her eye.
Like many employees at the library, Ann is fond of reading and family genealogy. But it might surprise some people to know that she also likes photography, arts and crafts, and traveling. Of course, lots of people know about her love for her children and grandchildren.
Ann is the wife of Billy, mother of Angie and Brian, and grandmother to Jonathan, Caitlynn, Brad and Bailey. She was born in Moultrie and grew up in Colquitt County.
She's a person we are all glad to know, and we say "Congratulations, Ann, you're tops!"