October is also Georgia Archives Month

This year the Society of Georgia Archivists has designated October 2010 as the month to Travel Back in Time. The purpose of Archives Month is to celebrate the value of Georgia's historical records, publicize the many ways historical records enrich our lives, and recognize those who maintain our communities' historical records.
For years now, that has been the job of the Ellen Payne Odom Genealogical Library...to maintain our communities' history. It's an archival treasure house of historical
records.
The Travel Back in Time celebration will be publicized across the state through proclamations, posters, newspaper articles and events at various repositories. Even bloggers will be telling how to bring the past into the future.
I've felt that over the past several years people have become more interested in caring for their family history and family heirlooms.
Look at the television shows that draw attention to hidden family treasures, such as Antiques Roadshow, and family relationships, such as History Detectives and Who Do You Think You Are.
And the Internet has various websites to instruct you on how to preserve your personal documents, not only the paper but electronic kind.
Today, right here in our own library, we are interviewing and recording service members from the wars of World War II, the Korean and Viet Nam Wars.
Here in Moultrie, just a block away from our public library, the Museum of Colquitt County History is presided over by historian Jack Bridwell.
In the Odom Library, Irene Godwin is the genealogist with Ann Glass as assistant. Also our director of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System, Melody Jenkins, has written a book about Colquitt County history and is presently working on her second book of historical
pictures.
You might think you don't have a reason to preserve your family's history, but you do. Think of it this way. Somewhere down the genealogical line a child will wonder about his family, about his history. He'll even wonder who you were. Why not begin recording today, by handwriting or on your computer or by a tape recorder, those oral histories and folk tales you were once told. Maybe the little songs that your mother sang to you or when your uncle showed you how to catch a fish.
If you're not sure how to go about such documentation, please visit the Odom Library or the Museum of Colquitt County History. You'll see things that will jog a memory in your head, a memory you'll just need to record, a memory to share with future generations. Talk to Irene or Ann or Jack. Both will be more than delighted to help you figure out what to do.
After all, when you travel back in time, you never know what might unravel in your head and all those hidden treasures will appear. It's time to preserve them.
(Source: Society of Georgia Archivists, http://www.soga.org/)

A Little Tour Around Town

On Monday, when some of the businesses were closed for Presidents' Day, I took a "little tour around town," as my Mama used to say. Do you know, our town makes me think of books!
My first stop was at Al's Deli where I had a cup of coffee and a bagel with cream cheese. Just thinking of the food I was eating made me realize we have cookbooks at the library, such as: Food, Fun & Fable (641.5W), Not By Bread Alone (641.5N) and Recipes from the Olde Pink House (641.5R).
When I left Al's, I stopped a couple of stores down at Market on the Square to take a quick peek. There are strange and delightful antiques in that store, and I got interested in a couple. I knew we had books at the library about antiques that could explain some of them, and they are: Antiques You Can Decorate With (749.2G), Antique Collector's Dictionary (R708.04C) and Miller's Antiques & Collectibles: The Facts at Your Fingertips (745.1M).
Next, I walked across the street and stopped at Citi-Trends. They have clothes in there, but what caught my eye were the wind chimes they had for sale. At the library, the book we have about wind chimes is Wind Toys That Spin, Sing, Twirl & Whirl (745.5B). Neat sounding book, huh?
From Citi-Trends, I walked to the next block and stopped at Everything Special, a quaint little shop stuffed with gifts for birthdays, weddings, babies, gardeners, and children. There are gifts for every event you can imagine. Books about gifts we have at the library are: The Book of Presents: Easy to Make Gifts for Every Occasion (745.5B), Scrap Saver's Gift Stitchery (745.4F), and The Meaning of Gifts (150T).
Not wanting to miss any shop around the square, I backed up in my tour and went around the corner to Griner's Jewelry Company, where I spied beautiful diamond jewelry in their windows. A couple of books we have at the library about diamonds are: Engagement & Wedding Rings: the Definite Buying Guide (R739.27M) and Official Investor's Guide (R737.4H).
When I left Griner's, I walked across the street to the last leg of my four-sided tour around town. I made my way into Books 'n' More to check out books by Southern writers. I not only found the books, but had a delightful little visit with the owner. My visit made me think of the books we have at the library about Southern writers, such as: Southern Black Creative Writers (R016.81F), Going to Ground: Simple Life on a Georgia Pond (975.8B) by Amy Blackmarr, and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (YF-AR McCullers) by Carson
McCullers.
The next time you take a "little tour around town," see what books you think of as you visit each store. It's an interesting game to play if you're so inclined.
Maybe I've just been a book lover for too long...

We've Got The Best References In Town

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