FRIGGATRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA

  
      There's a new Bookworm in town.  For several years, this blog has been written by one of the staff members at the Moultrie Library.  In June, that staff member resigned and turned her many duties over to various staff members.  She was a most talented and creative person, making her shoes very hard to fill.  During the transition period, maintaining the blog has been put on the back burner, as evidenced by the absence of entries.  Having caught up on everything else, I now have time to concentrate on writing little tidbits of Library news and personal observations.  Just as the identity of the original blogger was a secret, I will not divulge my identity either.  That air of mystery will keep you guessing.  I know I won't be as creative either, but I hope to entertain and inform you with each blog.
     Friday the 13th is probably not a good day to begin a new adventure, but I'm the daring sort and decided not to let a little superstition deter me.  In European culture, Friday is considered to be an unlucky day.  This is thought to stem from the fact that Christ died on a Friday.  Many superstitions have arisen about the "unluckiness" of activities that are undertaken on a Friday...it is bad luck to be born, get married, take a new job, visit the sick, or cut your nails on a Friday.  Sailors are loathe to begin a voyage on a Friday.  Combine that with the notion that the number 13 is unlucky and you have a double whammy.  The fear of 13 also seems to have its roots in Christendom.  There were 13 people sitting at the table during the "Last Supper" and one of them betrayed Christ which lead to His eventual death. 
     So, have you figured out what all of this has to do with the title of today's blog?  The term "Friggatriskaidekaphobia" translates into "fear of Friday the 13th".  Frigga is the Norse goddess for which the day Friday was named.  Triskaidek comes from the Greek for thirteen.  Phobia means fear.  Apparently, I am not a superstitious person because I have begun this new job and I even cut my fingernails before I came to work today.  However, I have yet to explain why most of the computers at the library have been acting like they were possessed by evil spirits today.  Do you think the folks at Carver High School in Columbus, Georgia know about this?  I certainly hope so, because I'm pulling for the Pack tonight at Mack Tharpe Stadium.

HERE'S A QUICK COMMUNITY GARDEN UPDATE

     Elois, Aileen, and I went to the Community Garden this morning.  It's located adjacent to our library parking lot, surrounded by a chain-link fence, inside the Bert Harsh Park.  And once again, we walked the seven long rows and stared at the five huge black pots.  Here's what we found:
     Row 1 - spinach and zinnias
     Row 2 - yellow squash and eggplant
     Row 3 - zucchini and yellow squash
     Row 4 - tomatoes
     Row 5 - carrots
     Row 6 - turnips
     Row 7 - beets and beans (the running kind)
     Pot 1 - peppers (bell, I think)
     Pot 2 - peppers (hot)
     Pot 3 - cucumbers
     Pot 4 - English peas and basil
     Pot 5 - cilantro.

     Well, how about that?  And people are already coming to the Community Garden and picking the greens and squash.  Aileen and Elois are patiently waiting for the beets to be big enough, but I bet they will have to be out there fast to get some.
     Everyone is so excited about this corner of the park.  If you're driving by, just park on the side of the street and take a look.  Or better yet, come inside the fence and take a walk.  You'll be amazed at how lush everything looks.
     And thank you to all the fellows who tend the garden.  You are are taking care of a great show and resource!!!!

CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK IS COMING UP

     Next week we will be celebrating Children's Book Week...May 13 through 17...just as many libraries across the nation will be doing.
     And we need to remind you that Clifford the Big Red dog will be here for a "Meet and Greet" on Tuesday, May 14th, at 4 p.m.  In fact, there are children's events lined up for the whole month of May.
     If you do not know what Children's Book Week is, let me share this information with you.
     Children's Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading.  Established in 1919, Children's Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country.  Every year commemorative events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, and home - wherever young readers and books connect!
     Children's Book Week is administered by Every Child A Reader, a 501(c)(3) literacy organization dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children.  The Children's Book Council, the national non-profit trade association for children's book publishers, is an anchor sponsor.
     While watching the news at 6 p.m. the other day, I heard one of the news anchors talk about Children's Book Week.  He asked his co-anchors to name their favorite children's book, and one anchor said hers was Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree."
     I have to admit that is my favorite book also.  In fact, I've not only given it as gifts, I have received it as a gift twice.
     The book details the events occurring throughout the life of a young boy, and the friendship that he shares with a tree—with which he is apparently able to communicate.
     In his childhood, he enjoys climbing her branches and enjoying imaginative play with her; however, as he gradually passes into maturity his requests from the tree change.
     After entering adolescence, he requests to pick her apples with which to make profit, and after reaching adulthood he cuts off the tree's limbs to construct a house.
     Years later, he returns to the lonesome Giving Tree as an old man to cut her down and use her wood to craft a boat with which to sail away, reducing her to nothing more than a stump.
     However, eventually he returns to his friend, asking for a resting place, and peacefully drifts off to sleep on the tree stump, the only thing the tree has left to give.
     If you have a favorite children's book, let us know.  And if you're near a library this coming week, take time to stop by.  In fact, if you have a youngster, bring that child to the library.  You just might find lots of events going on to enjoy.  Better yet, you'll find lots of books that not only the child will enjoy, but you will too.
     And if you're in Moultrie, Georgia, be sure to check us out!!!
(Sources: Children's Book Week at www.bookweekonline.com and "The Giving Tree" at .wikipedia.org)

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ALL THAT GARDEN STUFF?

     If you're growing a fruit and/or veggie garden, do you usually plant way too much?  And have tons of veggies you have to get rid of...give to your neighbors, give to your children and grandchildren, possibly think about putting up a roadside stand?
     Well, if that's you, and you don't exactly know what you're going to do with all that garden stuff, we have the answer for you.
     Our library is going to host a program on Tuesday, May 14th, at 6 p.m. with specific answers to that concern.
     Andrea Scarrow is a University of Georgia, Colquitt County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.  She's going to teach us how to use our fruits and veggies in her program "Using Your Garden's Bounty."
     You'll gain insight about the importance of increasing fruits and vegetables in your diet to prevent chronic disease.  In addition, you'll receive new recipes for fruits and vegetables, as well as learn about cooking methods that preserve nutrition and taste without adding extra calories.  And we'll talk about ways to get children to eat more fruits and veggies...that's a winner in itself!
     There's a special part of Andrea's program that I'm really looking forward to...we'll taste-test a low calorie fruit and veggie dip!  Learn and eat, all in the same program.  Can't beat that!
     Don't miss this enjoyable, educational time.  The event is open to the public.  Just show up!

BOOKS WITH FUNNY TITLES AT OUR BOOK SALE

     A couple of events prompted this blog today.
     First, when I visited Bill Starr's blog for the Georgia Center for the Book, I read one of his March blogs about books with funny titles.  Seems the Diagram Prize from Great Britain was awarded to books with the oddest titles of the year...such as, Goblinproofing One's Chicken Coop.  Bill went on to list a few more that were runners-up.  Needless to say, they were really funny titles.  Maybe more funny than what I found.
     The thought of odd titles caused me to venture down the long white hallway to our auditorium where members of our Library Friends were sorting the many donated books for our huge book sale this weekend, May 3 through 5.
     I asked them to pay no attention to me, that I wouldn't get in their way, because I was just searching for different, funny, and odd titles of books for today's blog.  Like Bill, I love particular book titles and found quite a few as I roamed the tables that were being covered in rapid speed.
     How about these (with comments I just had to say):

• Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson (the same author of Three Cups of Tea and a scandal, I'm sorry to say)
• The Tender Shoot  by Colette (made me think of Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss)
• Rich Men, Single Women by Pamela Beck and Patti Massman (what? married women not included?)
• The Autobiography of Santa Claus as told to Jeff Guinn (since we have Santa Claus on our Odom Library Board, I thought I'd run this one past him to see how true it is)
• I Wish You Didn't Know My Name by Michele Launders and Penina Spiegel (and then we found the one below)
• That's Not My Name by Yvonne Navarro (we have a controversy here)
• Ten Letters, The Stories Americans Tell Their President by Eli Slaslow (some people would say this is better than the stories their President would tell)
• It Probably Won't Kill You...Twisted Humor for Your Kitchen by Iyan Igma (I'm proud to say this author used to work here at our library and has some very good recipes)
• The Hormone Jungle by Robert Reed (a fiction by a man, of course) and
• Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers by Robert Kriegel and David Brandt (this one instantly sold to one of the Friends members, who said she was getting it for her husband!)

     These are all real books - look them up (so said Bill Starr also).  In fact, come to our gigantic book sale this weekend and find them. 
      Times for the sale are:  Friday, May 3, 4:00 to 6:30, Friends Members only;  Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.;   and Sunday, May 5, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.  The Big Bag Sale will be from 4 to 5 p.m. for any items not selected, bags provided by the Friends, and only $4.00 per bag! Fill it full to the top!
      You really shouldn't miss this sale.  Everything will be from 25 cents to $2.00!!!  There won't be a good buy like this until next year.  So, we'll look for you there.

WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU

     Before I went to lunch today, I watched a small portion on a Yahoo! live feed of the dedication of the Bush Presidential Library  (for the last President Bush).  There was a running dialog box on the lefthand side of the screen.
     One person stated: "Libraries are so 1950s.  Couldn't we just make him a website and save a ton of taxpayer money?"
     Another person responded:  "Shame on you.  Libraries are the greatest gifts to us and should not and will not be replaced entirely by websites."
     How do you feel about that?  Are libraries so 1950s?  Should we replace them and save the taxpayers a ton of money?  How about..."should not and will not be replaced entirely by websites?"  I thought about that word "entirely."
     I feel a little biased working in a library.  And this is my second library.  I don't believe I could answer those questions without taking into consideration all of my feelings about libraries.  Or websites, for that matter.  It might take me a long time to write it all down.
     But I did wonder if you have an opinion on this subject and are willing to share it with us.  If so, please leave a comment here. 
     We'd love to hear from you...here at our library and on our website.
     Thanks in advance.

THE MONTH OF MAY AND CHILDREN'S EVENTS

     I know you can click on May in the Children's Library on our website home page, but you know what?  I think it's worth talking about right here also.
     We have such outstanding events for children at our library.  Michele Croft, our Children's Librarian, and her assistant, Nancy Ibarra, work so hard to make the children's library a really special place for children of all ages.
     In a way, May is not really a special month for children at our library, because every month is special.  It's just that during May this year, we have great special events that not only children but adults will want to be part of.  And if you think May is going to be great, wait until you hear about June!!!
     Our May children's events actually started on April 22nd, when children were encouraged to stop by the children's library and pick up a coloring sheet to enter the "Fancy Nancy Coloring Contest."  The contest is for ages 4 to 7 and 8 to 10 years.  The children pick up their coloring sheet, do their thing with it, and bring it back before May 18th when it will be judged.  (I'll not tell who the judge(s) will be.)  And the winners will receive a Scholastic Book Pack, a bookmark, and a great pencil.  So, encourage all your little ones to get busy and finish those coloring sheets and bring them in before the 18th.
     Of course, we know that May 1st is right around the corner.  That's the day when children can come to the children's library and look for the jar with the bookworms in it.  Once found, they should guess how many bookworms are in the jar and submit their answer.  The winner will receive a prize at the end of the month.  Just think!   Two good events with winners!
     Clifford the Big Red Dog has visited our library before, but he's going to be here again.  On May 14th at 4:00 p.m. children will enjoy a story, a sing-along, and then Clifford!  He'll come out to say hello and pose for photos with the children.  Everyone loves to have their picture taken with Clifford and this is the perfect opportunity for a really great one!!!  No registration.  Just show up!
     May 18th is also "Eric Carle Story Time."  The event will be at 11 a.m. and no registration is required for it either.  The event is open to all ages, but it's best suited for ages 3 to 6 years.  Eric Carle stories are aimed for early childhood.  And...a real treat...light refreshments will be served!
    We're always glad to have local authors join us and on May 25th at 11 a.m. Gary Hardy will read from his book about the adventures of "PJ The Water Breathing Dragon."  If you don't know this story, adults and children alike will enjoy it.  It lets everyone know it's all right to be different.  And Gary's book will be available to purchase for your child or to give as a special gift.
     I know you're thinking, WOW!, that's a lot of stuff going on at the children's library, but that's not all.  The Summer Reading Club will begin registration on May 1st and continue through June.  Michele Croft has a line-up of programs you won't believe!  The Big Kid Band, a comedy magic show, Clifford the Big Red Dog again, storytellers, a ventriloquist, puppets, and animals from Chehaw Park.
     There's lots more to tell you about.  But I have to save some for next time.  Till then...put these May dates on your calendar for a month of fun at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library!

A NEW READING SEASON IS COMING

     It was announced in the last meeting of the library's adult reading club...a new reading season is coming!
     We just finished Between the Covers with various themes that kept some of us reading until the wee hours of the morning. 
     Each month we read our choice of books for the monthly genre.  For instance, last June we were reading "Books That Keep You Up All Night."  Those were the thrillers and survival stories.  We also read "Tall Tales" (bios and memoirs), "Night Time Adventures" (mysteries and detectives), and "Moon Madness" (in October with "moon" in the titles).  I'm sure you get the idea.
     Now, a new reading season is upon us and this time the title is Beneath the Surface.
     As we discussed this topic here at work, I must admit we got a little carried away with things beneath the surface.  And it was fun!  We thought of what was beneath the surface of the ground and water, what was beneath the surface of our skin or our clothes,   what was beneath the surface of...well, most anything.  That's what made it fun!  We came up with all kinds of beneath-the-surface ideas.
     For some of our months this coming season, however, we have deviated a little because of an important event during the month.  For instance in July, we really wanted to read books where we could celebrate America.  We decided to read about real and legendary heroes and heroines, or revisit classic songs or places, or follow the adventures of travelers across the United States.  We'll have an opportunity to "delve beneath the surface" of people or events or things in order to find something deeper than the obvious.
    In August we're going to read "Cold Books for Hot Weather."  That will be a great challenge! There  undoubtedly will be a surface in those books that we need to find and go beneath.
    September will be one of the months we have a special event to read about.  The last of September is "Banned Books Week" and our topic will be "Books That Break the Rules."
    Then in October we're back to Beneath the Surface with "Digging into the Past," a time for us to look at local history and genealogy.  There's no telling what we'll dig up!
     For the rest of the season, we'll be reading "Unexpected Blessings" for November, "Going Underground" for January (could include topics for underground rail services and Black History Month), "Women Who Rock" in February (early for Women's History Month in March), "Green Reads" for March, and " Shoots and Roots, Buckets and Boots" for April.
     So, there you have it.  Our list of challenging reads for our new book club season.
     Oh, for this coming June our suggested theme is "Color It Coastal."  We'll have a little brochure on the bookshelf near the 7-Day Loans that you can pick up.  It ties right in with you getting ready for a trip to the beach.  But if you can't get to a place with sand and sea, you can go by book!  The brochure has a list of great beach reads, such as "Beach Girls" by Luanne Rice, "Murder in Palm Beach" by Cat Lyons, and "The Beach House" by three different authors: James Patterson, Jane Green, and Sally John.
     Join us as we explore a different theme each month.  You can read any book of your choice, although we do have a selected group focus.
     We meet the second Tuesday of each month, except May and December, at 6:30 p.m. in the library auditorium.  We share what we've read as well as light refreshments...a little plate of something by each member and coffee/tea furnished by the library.
     June will be the beginning of our third year!  We must be doing something right!  Come see what it is!

TIME FOR ME TO REMINISCE, I GUESS

     Someone dropped off a few magazines the other day.  Of course, I always have to plow (yes, that's the way I want to spell it) through them to see if there are any I would like to look at closer.  Sure enough, there were.  It's not often I walk away without one or two.
     Today I walked away with the May/June 1996 issue of "Reminisce, the Magazine That Brings Back the Good Times."  I also had a copy of "Country, For Those Who Live In Or Long For The Country," dated April/May 2001. 
     And I wondered what I would say in my 25 minutes of writing.  Time is short today.
     Things have really been rough lately all across our nation.  Too many shootings and bombings and things like that.  Makes me wonder how far away I am from putting my head in the sand and holding my breath.  But I just can't give up, give in, give away the freedoms I have.
     As I thumbed through "Reminisce," I saw black and white pictures of vintage cars, Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert (she looked like my mother) in the movie It Happened One Night, and a woman standing in front of her brand-new fridge.  There was a story about "Grandma's Greatest Gift," a quilt that had seen some rough years; a story about learning to drive a 1919 Model T; and letters from readers who wrote about military memories.  There were color photos of a billy goat, Burma-Shave signs, tractors, iron toys, old phonographs, horses, and recipes.  There are always recipes in such magazines...creamed sweet peas, pan-fried trout, lemon bars, things like that.
     The "Country" magazine gave color photos of farms in the distance that you saw from a hill-top; a whole section about Pennsylvania (they called it God's Country); a column titled "Timely Homesteader Tips," which included ways to kill dandelions, ways to speed the spouting of hard-coated seeds; and how to get rid of woodpeckers.  A colorful two-page spread showed a blooming alpine meadow and the caption asked you to guess where the photo was taken.  There were fields of poppies, a little cowboy climbing up a fence, and horses rolling around in a bluegrass field.  And there were recipes:  salmon stuffed peppers, easy rhubarb dessert, and homemade Cajun seasoning.
     I sat and stared at the pictures and wished I could be there, in the beauty and peacefulness of a mountain lake or the hillside looking down on the patchwork of a green field.  And I was glad I picked up these magazines, so I could remember things I'd forgotten.  I was glad I had a time to reminisce and not forget my roots, my family's past, and remember that I still have all of that.  I still have all of those places in those magazines.  I still have recipes just like those in the magazines.
     Now...you're probably asking how I'm going to tie this in to our library.
     Well, those magazines are sitting out there on our "free magazines" shelf.  All you have to do is pick a few up and take them home.  We have free magazines lots of times.  Just look for them.  It's just another service we provide for you here at our library.  And you won't find much free stuff in the world now days.  That's something to reminisce about also.

WE'RE HAVING A GREAT BIG BOOK SALE!

     Hear ye!  Hear ye!  All ye book-lovers!  (And there are a ton of you out there, I know!)
     We are having a great big book sale at our library the first weekend in May. 
     Did you hear what I said?
     Yes, indeedy!  A great big book sale!  Our Friends of the Library will be holding their annual book sale soon.  The sale funds will support library programs, books, and materials that the library always has a hard time funding, especially in this day and time when there have been so many cut-backs in library funds.
     But, I have to say, the best part of the sale is that the price you pay for items will just blow your mind away!   I can't say cheap, but I can say very reasonably priced.  In fact, really low-priced!
     For only 25 cents to $2.00, you will be able to purchase gently-used (also called pre-owned) hardback books, paperback books, movies (both DVD and VHS), and children's books.  There are also some lovely coffee-table books...the kind with lovely pictures.  We have mysteries, poetry, fiction, biographies, any genre' you would like.
     And for all of you who don't know about our Amazing Big Black Book Bag, which is waterproof canvas and has a good-size outside pocket, we will have those on sale also for only $5.00.
     So, you need to put these dates on your calendar and plan to be here and load up.

• Friday, May 3 - Friends' members-only sale from 4 to 6:30 p.m.  Then it's open to the public from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  Memberships are open to anyone and available at the library during operating hours, as well as during the sale.
• Saturday, May 4 - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sunday, May 5 - 1 to 5 p.m.   A Bag Sale will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. for the remaining items for only $4.00 per bag.  Shoppers are to use the large grocery bags that will be provided by the Friends of the Library.

     All the wonderful volunteers that have helped pull together this sale are to be congratulated for their hard work.  Angie Patteson is the Book Sale Chairperson and she can certainly tell you who her helpers have been.
     We hope you'll join us on these sale days.  All books, even those that we feel we cannot keep, have great value.  They need to have a home.  Come and fill up a bag with wonderful reads.  Or two or three bags.  All books need a home.
     See you there!

WHAT HAS FOUR WHEELS, A WRAPPER, AND IS FILLED WITH PAPER?

     Can you imagine what it would be like to stand on a two-lane country road in the hot sun and wait for a bus to come along?  Not just any bus, but a bus decorated all around its outside in bright colors and pictures.  Can you imagine how excited your little six-year-old self would be as you see it coming toward you, knowing that as soon as it stops and you climb up the steps, you'll be entering a world of pictures and color and stories?  Can you feel your heart pound with anticipation?  That bus you would be waiting for is The Bookmobile.
     Next week libraries all across the nation will be celebrating National Library Week, April 14 through 20.  Today we want to tell you about bookmobiles and specifically our bookmobile, because Thursday, April 17, is dedicated as National Bookmobile Day.
     Many bookmobiles are not staying around in this day and age.  Some have been turned into labs, complete with satellite Internet access to provide computer training classes.  Some have been turned into traveling museums of local history.  Some library systems are using bookmobiles to expand their children's services with traveling programs.
     An article in a recent edition of the Georgia Public Library Service News stated that Thomas County was home to the first Georgia bookmobile.  In The History of the Public Library of Moultrie, GA, 1906-1965 by Ellen Payne Odom, it was noted that there was a "traveling librarian in 1936."
     Our Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System still uses its bookmobile, which actually began service in 1942.  The bus that is presently being driven was "born" in 1990 and has spent its 23 years traveling a good many back roads.  We have two bookmobile assistants: Sheila, who has been with the bookmobile for 15 years, and Amanda, since 2012.  They cover all of Colquitt County, which includes twelve communities, and travel approximately 375 miles per each route rotation.  The bookmobile serves eight schools, some private schools, and many homeschoolers.  The ladies also take books into homes where patrons are homebound and unable to come out to the bookmobile.
     The bookmobile carries fiction and nonfiction books for adults, audio books (which are checked out from the main library for patrons, as well as large print books), magazines, teen books, and a wide variety of children's books.  Adult readers seem to enjoy fiction, biographies, fantasy, and Christian fiction.  The children love dinosaur and tractor books, nonfiction animal books, and fun craft books.  They not only like the classics like Mother Goose, Curious George, and Clifford the Big Red Dog, but they also like Goosebumps, Junie B. Jones, and Magic Tree House.
     Other services the bookmobile provides include Sheila and Amanda calling patrons to remind them when the bookmobile will travel their route.  Patrons are encouraged to request any material they would like to have delivered to them.  Some patrons are also able to take advantage of their PINES interlibrary loan privileges at that time.
     Also, patrons are able to obtain library cards from the bookmobile.  If they have a card with the main library, it has to be cleared with no fines.  The bookmobile keeps its patrons' cards on the bookmobile, making check-out for its readers more convenient.  It's hoped that in the future the bookmobile will be set up with a Wi-Fi hot spot so they can connect with the main library to check out books or sign up new patrons right in the bookmobile.
     When asked if they had any funny stories to tell about driving the bookmobile, Amanda said, "Learning the bookmobile's turning radius was the most challenging.  And after turning on an incline once and dumping the books from the shelves, I learned quickly to turn wide!"  Sheila's story was a little more intense.  She said, "One time I turned out of a patron's driveway and hit his small ditch.  But at least it was at a farmer's house, so he could come get us out....  Then I had to come in and tell the director about it."  For both ladies, such events have created a special bond between them.
     Now you know what rolls on four wheels, has a wrapper on it, and is filled with paper.  Oh, about that wrapper...Amanda said, "It's interesting to see the expressions from other drivers and their passengers.  The children especially seem to be the most impressed with the graphics."
     Well, I guess if I were a little six-year-old, I would be impressed, too!
     We invite you to visit our library next week, during National Library Week, and say hello to our staff.  Let them know how glad you are that the library is here for you and that you appreciate their help.  They would love to hear from you.
     And the next time you see The Bookmobile on the road, be sure to give the ladies a big wave and smile!  I bet they'll wave back at you!
    

LIBRARY-ING IS SERIOUS BUSINESS

     Some startling facts hit my desk earlier this week.  It came to me in the form of a newsletter, "Did You Know...? Facts About Public Libraries," from the American Library Associaiton's Office for Research & Statistics, Georgia Public Library Statistics FY2012, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Consumer Electronics Association, OCLS, and the ReferenceUSA Business and Residential Directory.  I'm going to pick off a few of their facts to tell you about.  Such as:

• 80 percent of Americans say borrowing books is a "very important" service libraries provide.
• 80 percent say reference librarians are a "very important" service of libraries.
• 77 percent say free access to computers and the Internet is a "very important" service of libraries.   (All of the above from a 2012-2013 survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.)

     Of those patrons who visited a library or bookmobile in person in the past 12 months:

• 73 percent visited to browse the shelves for books or media.
• 73 percent visited to borrow print books.
• 66 percent of those who used the Internet at a library in the past 12 months did research for school or work.
• 50 percent visited to get help from a librarian.
• 46 percent visited to use a research database.
• 41 percent visited government websites or got information about government services.
• 36 percent looked for jobs or applied for jobs online.
• 16 percent took an online class or completed an online certification program.  (All of the above information from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.)

     Well, let's narrow that down to Georgia now.
     Georgians value the benefits their public library cards provide.

• Georgia population: 10.5 million
• Georgians with library cards: 4.5 million
• Georgians with PINES cards: 2.8 million

     Public libraries are accessible to virtually every community.  In Georgia, there are:

• 400 public library branches and service outlets
• 212 communities with a public golf course
• 207 Starbucks stores
• 180 Publix grocery stores
• 133 Walmart stores
• 63 state parks
• 60 Holiday Inn hotels

     Did you know that the 33.4 million annual visitors to Georgia's public libraries in FY2012 far exceed the number of visitors to many of the state's other attractions - combined!  Did you know there are 2,757 Georgians working in public libraries?  Did you know that more than 2,500+ Georgians volunteer with public libraries, either directly or as members of local "Friends" organizations?  Did you know that nearly 2,000 Georgians serve as trustees for their local public libraries?
     This month libraries all across our nation will be celebrating National Library Week, April 14 through 20.  The theme for this year's celebration is "Communities Matter @ Your Library."
     Come visit us.  We know you need us, and we are here to let you know we need you.  Communities matter to us...you matter to us.  We're delighted to be here for you.

CHECKING OUT THE COMMUNITY GARDEN

     It seems we just cannot stay away from the outside, what with all kinds of plants and flowers popping up everywhere.
     This morning Elois, our reference librarian, and I walked out to the community garden, which is in the Bert Harsh Park adjacent to the library.  We decided we'd go peek at the garden and see if we could identify what has been planted.  Now, I say "we," but I really meant Elois.  I've been told I can't tell an honest flower from a weed.  I thought if I took Elois with me, maybe she could tell me what is in the garden.
     The community garden is located on the southside of the park with Fifth Street Southeast to the east and Fourth Avenue to the south.  It's a plot of ground that holds seven, long, raised beds.  At the north end of the raised beds are five, huge, black plastic flower pots.  When I looked in the flower pots, I didn't see anything planted, except in one someone had stuck a very large feather.  Elois said it might have been from a buzzard.  Goodness knows, we have lots of those birds around here!
     We decided we'd check each raised bed to see what we (meaning Elois, really) could identify.
     We called the beds by number, with number one being the closest to the west fence, and we started checking bed seven first.
     That bed had been planted much earlier with collards, and it was obvious that someone had already been through and picked off the lower leaves.  We knew it wasn't that Easter bunny that visited us, so we imagined maybe the garden caretakers were involved with harvesting as well as planting.
     Bed six was covered with tiny little green leaves, each plant with one leaf on each side of the stem.  Elois said she thought that was squash, maybe yellow squash.  Down the center of the raised bed we saw, spaced wide apart, taller green plants that Elois said might be eggplant.
     Moving to bed five, Elois said that bed looked like it was planted with squash also, but she wasn't sure what kind.  Or maybe zuchinni, she said.
     Bed four had nothing but long rows dug in the rich, dark dirt.  It was obvious there were plenty of nutrients in the soil.  Even good enough for lovely, long earthworms.  We'll check for them later also.
     We didn't see anything planted in bed three either, but we feel something will be there eventually, unless it's hiding way down deep where we couldn't see it.
     Elois checked bed two and decided that some little green plants she saw had to be volunteer running butter beans from last year.  And she felt they had planted radishes also.
     But when we got to bed one, where wide-square fencing wire hangs on rebar poles, Elois was sure the running butter beans were set to grow and climb.  And she hoped, really hoped, that she saw the beginnings of beets.  Even as we walked away, she said again she sure hoped those were beets.
     Our last effort was to look around the sign on the southside of the fence to read what is printed.  And I quote:  "Community Garden, partnership with Healthy Colquitt Coalition and Moultrie-Colquitt County Library.  Built, planted and cared for by Mike Floyd, Jim Milsap, Charles Sims, Bryan Gordon, David Russell, Doug Turner, Terry Leverton, Jacob Russell, and Mark Wise."
     As Elois and I walked back to the library, we decided that every two or three weeks we are going to come back to the community garden and see how things are growing.  Maybe our puzzle will be solved when tiny little plants are big enough for us to really identify.  And we might take a plastic sack each and see what we can harvest.  Elois said the carrots she harvested last year were the sweetest carrots she'd ever eaten; she put them in her stew, she said. 
     I wonder if I'll harvest something this year.  Just being able to visit the garden will be the highlight of my day.  I bet that's what our little Easter bunny would have said, too.

THE DAY THE EASTER BUNNY CAME TO OUR LIBRARY

     They want me to tell you that the Easter bunny came to visit the library on Tuesday.
     When I came to work this morning, several staff members were talking about a cute little bunny that caused quite a commotion here yesterday.  Elois said, "You need to write about the Easter bunny coming to visit our library."  So I grabbed my pen and paper, and here's the story.
     Carolyn was leaving for lunch and as she headed toward her car in the staff parking at the back of the library, that's when she saw it.  This little white and grey bunny (mostly all white, she said).  He was running in and out from under Nancy's car.  With great concern that it might run out in the road and get hit, Carolyn headed back inside the library to our director's office and said to Holly, "You're an animal lover.  Come see if you can catch this little bunny."
     Everyone sort of got involved in one way or another.  Holly and Nancy and Aileen ran outside to check things out.  Monique and Cray were backups to help.  And Carolyn was there to make sure everything worked out right for the bunny.
     After they chased the bunny back and forth under the car trying to catch it, Nancy went to retrieve a net they use as a prop in the Children's Library.  With some effort, Holly was able to trap the bunny in the net and put it in a box someone had brought out.
     Apparently, the bunny was a pet of Nancy's eleven-year-old brother and had escaped its cage at home, only to hitch a ride somewhere under Nancy's car, all the way from her home in the Sunset area of Moultrie to the library, which is close to downtown.  Holly figured the bunny must have ridden near the engine and tire for the long ride, but she said it didn't seem traumatized, not stressed in the least.  In fact, she said the bunny was friendly and really "cool."
     I talked with the "rabbit rasslers" or "bunny wranglers," as they have been called, to see what they had to say about the whole event.
     Monique said it was an interesting time and fun.  She had helped chase the bunny from one end of the car to the other.  Holly said she had been sprawled on the ground, trying to get the bunny out from under the car, when a big SUV pulled into the parking space near where she was sprawled.  That would have made things even more interesting.
     But I think Aileen gave the best comments.  "It was definitely fun, totally different from what we expect and do all the time, and everyone was very concerned about the bunny.  It just shows the wonderful humanitarian side of everyone involved."
     Well, that's the story.  And because it happened right before Easter Sunday, we just have to believe (or really want to) that the Easter bunny came to visit us here at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library.
     Pretty cool, huh?

WE'RE ALL ABOUT JOURNALING OUTSIDE...IN NATURE

     That's right...outside in nature.
     We've talked about gardening secrets and plant sales, and now today we're talking nature journaling.  For some reason,we're all about things outside lately.  It's this gorgeous Spring-time weather we're having that keeps taking us outside into nature.
     If you've never tried nature jounaling, this is the time to learn about it.
     On Saturday, April 13th, a workshop about nature journaling will be taught at our library by author Helen Scott Correll.  "The Joys of Nature Journaling" will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library, 204 5th Street SE in Moultrie, GA.  And if the weather is permitting, we will take our little group into the Bert Harsh Park adjacent to the library.
     I wish I could say it better, but I can't say it better than Helen's website does, so I'm sharing that with you:
     "Slow down and take a walk with Helen.  For over a decade Helen has been giving talks and workshops on nature journaling, an art she loved so much she started a blog for her own.  That blog, 'Middlewood Journal,' is now a book by the same name from Hub City Press.
     "Let Helen guide you down the different paths of nature journaling and start you on your own path to knowing the world around you.
     "Slowing down and seeing the amazing world around you can reduce stress and lower blood pressure.  In this workshop Helen will discuss nature journaling, including writing and drawing in nature.  She will show different approaches to journaling through sharing of her own journaling entries.  If weather permits, the class will go outside to draw in their journals."
     You can check out her website by clicking on http://middlewoodjournal.blogspot.com and see some of the beautiful drawings she has on her blog.
     I have to tell you today that there is an April 1st deadline to sign up for her workshop.  Registration is required since space is limited.  A minimum of 8 participants is required!  No more than 20 is the maximum.
     The two-hour workshop will cost $30, payable in full at the time of registration. All checks must be payable to Helen Correll.
     And for those of you joining us (I can hardly wait!!!), participants need to bring a blank-page journal and a pen for drawing.  (We were told that Helen uses 140-lb. watercolor paper and an extra fine Pigma pen, but you can bring whatever journal and pen you'd like.)
     If you need more information, call us at 229-985-6540 or email us at mccls@mccls.org.
     And I'll see you there...be sure to wear your comfortable clothes.

CAN WE TALK ABOUT GARDENING AGAIN?

     When I got up this morning and looked at my calendar to see what day it actually is, I saw it's the "First Day of Spring."  And when I looked outside from my bedroom window, across the yard to the tall pine trees and hedge of red tips, I said, "Yep, looks like Spring."  That's Spring with a capital S.
     Of course, we've been feeling Spring here in our library since the first of March.  Anticipation after several dreary days brought forth displays of bright yellow daffodils, old watering cans, and all sorts of gardening implements.  We were hungry for bright greens and blazing colors of orange, pink, and purples.  We were just hungry for sunshine and warmer weather.
     If you are in the throes of  planning your Spring garden, you need to know this:  If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.
     We are here to help you with all kinds of information for your garden planning and maintenance.  Of course, our last blog was about our upcoming gardening program by Matt Roberts from the Colquitt County Extension Office and members of the Colquitt County High School FFA/Horticulture class.
     That might make you curious about what you can check out to take home, sit in your favorite easy chair or that back porch swing, and read about your favorite plants.
     One of our displays shows a sign with those words in bold above...about the garden and the library.  It also shows the covers of several books you are able to check out and gather more information for your knowledge storage box on plants of all kinds.
     For instance:

• The Everblooming Garden by Norman Taylor
• New Plants from Old by Charles M. Evans
• Garden Irises published by The American Iris Society
• Rose Growing Simplified by John Melton
• Windowbox and Balcony Plants by Norman Simpson

     As you can see from that very small list, we have information to cover every plant from gardens to windowboxes, from new plants to old plants, from irises to roses.
     If your Springtime itch to dig your fingers in the fresh soil hasn't struck yet, beware!  It will.  And even if you don't garden, before long, when the flowers are blooming and smelling like perfume, you will be out somewhere taking in all the wonderful Spring sights and smells.
     Ah!  It's just a favorite time of the year, isn't it?

HOW ABOUT SOME GARDENING SECRETS?

     I didn't realize it has been so long since I last talked with you.  We've had so much going on here at our library that time just seems to get away from us occasionally.
     But I do want to know...would you like some gardening secrets?  Here it is, time for us to start those veggie gardens, when the ground is warming up, the sun is shining brightly, and the rains are here to water our little seeds.
     We are going to have a really great program next Tuesday, March 26th, starting at 6:30 p.m. in our auditorium.  Matt Roberts, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent with the Colquitt County Extension Office, will talk about spring gardening and be available to answer questions on gardening secrets.
     Matt grew up in Milledgeville, Georgia, and has lived most of the last seven years in Tifton.  He attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College where he received an Associate's Degree in business administration in 2008.  After receiving his degree, he attended Georgia College & State University, where in 2010 he received in BS in biology.
     In January of 2010, he moved back to Tifton where he began work at the University of Georgia experiment station.  He was accepted to graduate school and graduated in December 2012 with his MS in plant pathology. 
     Matt's background is in vegetable diseases with experience in weed science and entomology of both horticultural and agronomic crops. 
     In other words, he's well rounded.  He really knows his business.  He loves veggies and says he would have a big garden if he didn't already have an abundant supply from his father-in-law, who is a big gardner, and the farmers he knows.
     Now that's not all of the program!  Also attending the evening event will be members of the Colquitt County High School FFA/Horticulture Class and their teacher Adrianne Smith.  They will be talking about their upcoming plant sale at the high school beginning March 28 (and they might even bring some of their sale plants as an enticement for you to check them out).
     The date again:  Tuesday, March 26th.
     The time again:  6:30 p.m.
     Where:  The Moultrie-Colquitt County Library, 204 5th Street SE, Moultrie, GA.
We'll be looking for you!

THE MAKING OF A POEM

     The little lady stopped Irene, our genealogist in the Ellen Payne Odom Genealogical Library, and said, "Do we have to register for that poetry workshop?"
     Ah, ha!  I thought.  She read the "Save the Date" poster out in the genealogy library's foyer.
     I really thought I would have until next Tuesday to post the blog about the poetry workshop, but I could see that people are beginning to be interested NOW.  Seems like today should be the day to tell you about the workshop.
     On Saturday, March 23, at 1:00 p.m., Dr. Jeff Newberry will be here to bring his poetry workshop titled "The Making of a Poem: Live and Uncensored."
     Dr. Newberry has been here at our library before when he gave a writing workshop for war veterans.  It was amazing the number of people who turned out for it, not only men but women also.
     Now he will be talking about poetry. 
     In this course, Dr. Newberry will lead the class through a short introduction to contemporary poetry and the class will discuss some possible definitions of poetry; read a few examples of contemporary poetry; complete a guided, fun writing exercise; and the class will share their work (those will who wish to).
     The workshop aims to give beginning poets encouragement and confidence in their work.
     So, if you've always wanted to write poetry, but didn't know where to start, this is the perfect time to join Dr. Newberry and learn something.
     If you're interested in knowing who Dr. Newberry is, well...

• he is the author of two books of poetry, "Brackish" and "A Visible Sign";
• his most recent writing has been published in "Waccaaw: a Journal of Contemporary Literature" and "The Chattahoochee Review";
• he holds a PhD in English with a focus in creative writing from the University of Georgia;
• as the president of the Gulf Coast Association of Creative Writing Teachers, he's won scholarships from both the prestigious Sewanee Writers' Conference and the West Chester University Conference on Form and Narrative; and
• he teaches writing and literature at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, GA, where he serves as a faculty advisor for "Pegasus," ABAC's regional literary magazine.

     Well qualified to show you the in's and out's of writing poetry.
     Come and join us.  You do not have to register or pay a fee.  Be sure to bring pen or pencil and paper.  Be prepared to learn something you've always wanted to do...write poetry.    

THE CAT IN THE HAT IS COMING!

     Yes, indeedy! "The Cat in the Hat" is coming to the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library!
     He's going to be here on Wednesday, March 6th, at 3:30 p.m.  Children from ages three to ten are welcome to the event, but must have an adult present with them.  Parents will need to call the library at 229-985-6540 to register their children, since the seating is filling up fast.
     The magical Reuben Haller brings to life the wacky world of Dr. Seuss, creator of "The Cat in the Hat."  And you won't believe what he brings with him to delight children and adults alike.
     Of course, I'm assuming that almost all kids know about "The Cat in the Hat."  But for those who don't, "The Cat in the Hat" is a children's book by Dr. Seuss, who was really Theodor Geisel, writing as Dr. Seuss. 
     This tall, mischievous cat wears a tall, red and white-striped hat and a red bow tie, and speaks in a delightful language.  "The Cat" appears in six of Dr. Seuss's rhymed children's books.  The series of Beginner Books not only promoted the name of Dr. Seuss, but also the cause of elementary literacy in the U.S.A. when written in 1954 in response to an article in "Life" magazine concerning the problems children had with reading. 
     The book has been popular since its publication; it has a tiny vocabulary and tells an entertaining tale.  More than 11 million copies have been printed and it has been translated into more than 12 different languages.  It was one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by "School Library Journal."
     The invitation is out...come see "The Cat in the Hat" and celebrate "Read Across America" with a few other surprises we have planned for you.
Source: Wikipedia

WE ARE BIOGRAPHY-HUNGRY

    We are in a wonderful phase at our library...a phase of interest in biographies.  They are flying off the shelves.
     It was first brought to my attention last week by our fast-moving shelver, Tiffany.  The day she told me about the biographies, she was shelving 15 of them.
     I looked through them to see what the public's interest was and found:

• The Hitler I Knew by Otto Dietrich
• Movie Stars, Real People, and Me by Joshua Logan
• Maugham by Ted Morgan
• Dutch by Edmund Morris
• My Father at 100 by Ron Reagan
• Hitler by Joachim C. Fest
• Audition by Barbara Walters
• Still Me by Christopher Reeve
• Debbie by Debbie Reynolds
• The Life of Rudyard Kipling by C. E. Carrington
• Natalie, A Memoir by Her Sister by Lana Wood
• Home by Suppertime by Martha Cash Bennett, and
• Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

     Well, I thought, that was interesting!  Maybe it's just a coincidence that people are reading all these biographies.
     Then this morning when I came to work and unlocked the office, there sticking in the edge of the door jam was a little note...Tiffany's handwriting.
     When I check with her about it, she said all those books were biographies.  Fourteen more of them!  And this time they were:

• Life Lines by Jill Ireland
• Myself Among Others by Ruth Gordon
• What Falls Away by Mia Farrow
• Don't Tell Dad by Peter Fonda
• Elizabeth Taylor, the Last Star by Kitty Kelley
• Natalie Wood by Gavin Lambert
• the biography of Lawrence Oliver
• Nothing Impossible by Christopher Reeve
• Balancing Act by Angela Lansbury
• Robert Mitchum by George Eells
• I Promised My Dad by Cheryl Landon Wilson
• Bkack Sheep One by Bruce Gamble, and
• Skinny People Are Evil by Monique.

     So, there you are.  A whole list of biographies being read by some of the best people we have here in Moultrie, some of our best library patrons.
     In talking with Johnnie, she suggested that school children, as well as our large group of  homeschooled children, that might be the reason for so many biographies being checked out.  That could be the answer.
     No matter what the reason.  It gave me a very good opportunity to let you know that we have a great selection of biographies at our library for your reading indulgence.  Not only movie stars, political figures, and inventors, but athletes, writers, and television personalities.  Take your pick.  They are all here for your enjoyment. 
     Visit us today for the best in "Love Your Library Month" reading.

IT'S ALL ABOUT PUPPETS

A Word from Our Director, Holly Phillips:

     We now have another statewide pass available for patrons to check out.  It's the "Passport to Puppetry" for the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta.  http://www.puppet.org/

     According to the GPLS, "the Passport to Puppetry is valid for up to four free museum admissions - a potential savings of up to $33 per family.  Parties with children must include at least one adult.  The museum provides educational fun with more than 350 puppets from around the world, highlighting the fact that every civilization on our planet has its own unique form of puppetry tradition.  By examining and learning more about the cultural traditions of other countries, one gains a greater understanding of our shared histories and values."

     The Passport provides free admission to the museum only.  It enables patrons to receive a 25% discount to the actual puppet show performances.

    You can find more information at http://www.georgialibraries.org/news/articles.php?searchid=132, and at http://www.puppet.org/museum/galibrarypassport.shtml.  

     Just ask any of our staff members working at the circulation counter for more information.

OVERDUE FEES ARE DUE

     Yes, even libraries have to increase their fines occasionally.  And we had to also.
     It's often very easy to overlook bringing a library book (paper or audio), CD or DVD back to the library on time.  But as of January 1, 2013, overdue fines for items such as those increased at PINES libraries around the state.
     Rates vary, of course, by item with the majority of non-equipment fees increasing to either 20 cents or 50 cents per day.  In most cases, the rate of increase was only 10 cents.
     There's one good thing about the increase, however.  The overdue fee for books, which increased on July 1, 2012, from 10 cents to 20 cents per day, remained at that level after January 1, 2013.  Just in case you didn't know.
     "The fee increases of the past six months are the first increases since PINES was introduced in 1999," said PINES Program Director Elizabeth McKinney.  "They are necessary to help fund the replacement costs of unrecoverable items and also to defray the costs of debt recovery agencies now required by most systems."
     A statewide consortium of 285 public libraries and affiliated service outlets in 143 Georgia counties, the Public Information Network for Electronic Services - PINES, for short - offers citizens a shared catalog of approximately 10.4 million items, with a single library card that is welcomed in all member libraries.
     So, if you're still not sure about the overdue fees issue, please talk to one of the circulation counter staff members.  Also, a complete list of PINES participating libraries, as well as a full chart containing overdue fines for all 27 items types and classications is available online at http://pines.georgialibraries.org/pines-2013-finesfees-increases.

GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR HEALTH FAIR

     Although it was a cool and rainy day at the start, the weather for our first-ever Health and Wellness Fair took a turn for the better in the afternoon when the temperature went up a little and the sun came out.
     And although some people said they didn't know we were having a health fair, it was publicized through over 40 different media outlets.
     All in all, we were very pleased with the turn-out of the fair and have received positive feedback from a good number of our patrons.
     We had 18 healthcare services participating at 13 stations, which included the bloodmobile center located right outside our front door.  And there were at least 34 healthcare providers who manned those stations during the day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
     In order to critique the health fair afterwards, we asked our providers to answer a very short survey regarding Attendance, Preplanning Communication, Management of the Fair, Booth Space, and Publicity.  We also asked them for suggestions, to estimate the number of participants they interacted with during the day, and whether they would participate in another fair, if we had one.
     It's nice to say that all but one provider said they would be glad to join us in another health fair.  The one that didn't say yes said "maybe."  I certainly couldn't blame that person, who had traveled at least an hour and a half from Tallahassee to Moultrie for the event, and who felt there should have been more communication between the initial agreement to participate and the date of the event.  So, the "maybe" was a reasonable comment from that person and good to know as their only suggestion.
     The number of participants the providers interacted with, of course, depended upon what each visitor was interested in.  Ten-minute massages while sitting in a special chair were given to approximately 150 visitors, while a special counseling provider saw only four to five people.  The blood center saw 31 people, while the health department saw only thirteen.  Where some providers did hands-on hearing checks and posture/feet checks, some had pamphlets and service information to distribute.  Some providers gave out candy and some gave pencils.
     Suggestions from the providers ranged from "have flu shots at the fair" to "give out door prizes."  Other suggestions encouraged us to "send invitations to participants" and have "a shorter time period, like 9 a.m. to 12 or 12 to 3 p.m."
     But then we had comments, such as "you had a lot of good vendors" and "I just want to thank the library for the chance to get our name out to the commuity."  Others offered to post any publicity fliers, posters, etc. in their offices.  Another stated, "The fair is an excellent way to get resources out to the public.  The people who did come by were very interested."
     To the following we give our big Thank-You:  Colquitt Regional Medical Center, University of Georgia Extension Office, Dr. Joseph H. Berger's office, Southeastern Community Blood Center, Anytime Fitness, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Alzheimer Association's Southwest Georgia Regional Office, Moultrie Medical Weight Loss Center, Colquitt County Health Department, Pharmanex, and United Hospice.
     Our biggest thanks go to our co-sponsor Chiropractic Solutions, who manned two stations, and to our MCCLS Friends for their help during the day.
     Like I said earlier, although the weather was a factor we couldn't control, we were very pleased with the turn-out of the fair.  It does show that the community is interested in their health needs and well-being.  And it does encourage us to hold another Health and Wellness Fair.  Just when...well, that's something we're going to be working on.  You might say this is an event...to be continued.

YOU'RE INVITED TO A HEALTHY LIFE

     On Thursday, January 17th, beginning at 9 a.m. and lasting until 3 p.m., we will open our doors to our very first Health and Wellness Fair here at our library.
     Co-sponsored by the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library and Chiropractic Solutions from Thomasville, we're inviting you to our Health and Wellness Fair with the hopes that you will be encouraged to engage in a more healthly lifestyle.
     We invite you to join us with questions regarding your health, wellbeing, and community resources.  Medical and community health professionals from Moultrie, Thomasville, Tifton, and Tallahassee will be present to provide useful information related to health and wellness, as well as provide many health checks.
     Stations will be set up in the library auditorium where you can obtain information about:

• Colquitt Regional Medical Center's Home Health, Hospice, Life Line, and Rehab Center.  They will be giving body mass index checks and glucose screenings, along with many informational handouts.
• The University of Georgia Extension Office will have nutritionists present to help you with dietary questions and needs.
• An ear-nose-throat professional from Dr. Joseph Berger's office will be present to give hearing checks.
• Health professionals from Anytime Fitness and Chiropractic Solutions will be available to give posture and foot checks, talk about fitness, and give 10-minute massage therapy sessions (the therapy will be held in the Classroom).
• A physician will be present from Eye Savers, Tallahassee and Thomasville, to give eye checks.
• Health professionals from Dr. Todd Trebony's Internal Medicine and Weight Loss Center will be available to give blood pressure and body mass index checks, and...
• A health professional from Pharmanex, Thomasville and Waycross, will provide antioxident screenings.

     In the adult reading area of the library:

• A health professional from the Colquitt County Health Department will be available to discuss health information and services by the health department.
• A member of the Alzheimer Association, the Southwest Georgia Regional Office in Tifton, will be on hand with information about their services, and
• A health professional from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will provide information about their services.

     The Southeastern Community Blood Center from Thomasville will have its blood donor bus parked in front of the library.  Donors are asked to register ahead of time at the library's front desk.  You must be 18 and weigh at least 110 pounds to donate blood.  They are giving prizes and some of them are BIG.
     So, join us tomorrow at our Health and Wellness Fair and put your health first!

WE'RE SHARING OUR RESOLUTIONS

     Yes, there are some of us at the library that will be making an endeavor to have a better 2013 than 2012.  Not that 2012 was too bad, but we want to make 2013 better in many ways.  Not only in our personal lives, but here at our library also.
     And we hope that by sharing our New Year's Resolutions with you, they will encourage you to continue with yours...not give them up by the second week in February, like we've been told most people do.
     So, without giving away names, I'm going to list a few of our resolutions:

• Smile more (with a smiley face near the resolution)
• Write in my blog everyday and be more positive
• Live, love and be happy
• Set goals and be a better Weight Watcher
• Be more considerate
• Graduate from college
• Appreciate the small things
• Exercise more
• Read daily devotions
• Be a better me
• Run a half marathon by Dec. 31, 2013.

     Do you recognize any of these resolutions?  Are any of them yours?  If not, do you have one you'd like to share with us?
     It seems in my lifetime I've made at least a thousand resolutions.  Some at the first of the year, but others at different times during the year.  Like saying, "I'll NEVER do that again!"
     Many people make resolutions, but never intend to share them with anyone.  Either they are too personal or  people feel if they share and don't follow-up, they've failed big time!
     It shouldn't take a lot of effort to 1) smile more, 2) be a better me, 3) appreciate the small things, or 4) be more considerate.  But sometimes it really does!  And then comes in that remembering thing.  Often we make the resolutions and then forgot what we've made.
     In fact, if we all made just those four resolutions numbered above as our very own resolutions, doesn't it seem that we will "live, love and be happy" for the whole year?  Maybe even a lifetime.
     Want to give it a try?  I think it's worth it and so do the people who made those resolutions in the first place.
     Good luck....  We'd like to hear how you're doing come the middle of February.

DITCHING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS?

     Do you know that there's a specific day for ditching any New Year's Resolutions you might have made on January 1st?   Yep, that's right.
     It's always January 17th!
     There's a sign-up sheet on the table in our Processing Room where staff members can write down a New Year's Resolution they've made, or a couple of them, if they want.  They've been asked to share their resolutions in order to help the rest of us know we're not alone with this resolution thing!  And that we are all there to encourage each other throughout the year.
     One person wrote down they are going to "run a half-marathon by December 31, 2013."  Another person said they are going to "(1) read daily devotions" and "(2) be a better me."  A third person said they are going to "(1) take an inspirational Artist Date every other week" and "(2) smile more."
     Now, those don't sound too hard to do.  But we've all heard on the news lately that most everyone who makes a resolution on January 1st breaks it about the second week in February...and probably never thinks of it thereafter.
     Some people think that for many of us, New Year's resolutions hang heavily over our heads and become a burden, and perhaps they weren't such a good idea after all.
     But some of us have decided to give it another try.
     Lots of people will be working on losing weight.  Lots of people will be working on exercising more.  Lots of people will be trying to give up smoking.
     I've decided I'm going to eat more of my healthy food and less of my "fat" food.  I'm going to take more ten-minute intervals and walk at least 30 minutes a day.  I'm going to be more positive and less negative.  I'm going to smile more.  Yes, I'm that third person you read about above.
     My Artist Dates will be solo events where I take myself some place that will inspire me to continue writing and drawing and enjoying life.  A special time just for me.
     I'm also going to post above my computer, right in a straight line in front of my face, a sign that says, "Remember: going too fast only creates mistakes."  If I remember to slow down just a little, then maybe I'll remember to breathe, and by breathing better I'll remember to smile more.  And, hopefully, make less mistakes and also find that people are smiling more back at me.
     Well, I think that's worth working on.  So, wish me luck.
     I don't feel like I'm going to renig on January 17th and give up my resolutions.  Maybe I should make that a resolution also...don't give up!!!
     I want to encourage you not to give up also, especially if you made a few New Year's Resolutions. But if you get discouraged and feel you just cannot keep one, or two, or whatever, then remember that January 17th is on a Thursday.
     If you're local, somewhere in the Moultrie, Georgia area, stop by our library for encouragement.  We will be holding a Health and Wellness Fair that day in our library.  There will be providers here to encourage you with your weight, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), nutrition, posture, and lots more.  The time will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
     Believe me, we can really make you feel better about keeping those resolutions!!!