Occasionally, I like to take a stroll around our library and look at all the things we have to offer our patrons.
We have a really neat lighted display in the genealogy foyer, showing several of Mrs. Ellen Payne Odom's items of interest. I especially like the picture of her with her husband, Jimmack, and their little dog, Kibbitz, who inspired the doggie collection in the genealogy library. That's a fun collection to look at. Of course, there is no other library like the The Odom Genealogical Library.
And we have a new treat for patrons on the wall of the long, white hallway. This time it's all about "Little Known Holidays," such as Parents Day, National Mustard Day, and Swap Ideas Day. Johnnie and I like the Ice Cream Day and Make A Hat Day.
The Computer Section had 16 people sitting at 20 of the Dell computers, with two other people signing in at the circulation desk. That's usually the busiest area of our library.
I saw three people sitting with their laptops powered up in the Reference Section, and I'm glad they have a place to use the wireless Internet.
I also noticed we still have wonderful hardback books our patrons can "rescue" for only $1 or paperbacks for twenty-five cents. And there's lots of newspapers and magazines to read in the comfortable reading area. Two men were taking advantage of that service.
A woman was tutoring a young man in the Reading Section, and a young mother sat at a table in the Children's Library and colored printed handouts with her children.
In front of the Fiction Section is a long counter. I browsed through the literature that's left for our patrons. There's a wide variety available to pick up, such as:
*Drug Endangered Children
*Move Over! It's the Law (Highway Safety)
*Natural Gas Disconnection
*Getting Enrolled? (Moultrie Tech)
*American Heart Association brochures on physical activity, stroke, high blood pressure, etc.
*Talking Books (for blind and physical handicapped)
*Joshua's Law (Teen/Adult Drivers)
*Colquitt County Arts Center's Newsletter
*Elderhostel International's Programs
*Georgia Virtual School
*Peach Care applications, and the
*U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Worksheets.
And many of these handouts are in Spanish also.
I stood for a while at that long counter and looked out over the library and all the activity. And you know what? I realized how proud I feel to be working here. Proud not only of all the books, videos, audio books, DVDs, computers, and genealogy aids we have, but of the library as a whole.
And proud there are people working with me who are also proud of the library, who are dedicated and enthusiastic about our service to our patrons.
There are many others in our community who are proud of the library also. In fact, I see a great many of them everyday...right here...in this library that I'm so proud of.
Take a look around and find the things you're proud of here at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library. I did. It'll make you feel proud, too.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
July Is Read An Almanac Month
Have you ever had one of those days when you were just reading along and all of a sudden it dawned on you what you read 15 lines back? Well, I just did. That's when I found out that July is "Read An Almanac Month."
Johnnie helped me in the Reference Section and we located our latest almanac...The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2008. It's the 140th anniversary edition.
I remember hearing about kids who used to like to read the encyclopedias, and I must admit at the time I thought they were a little strange. But I started looking through the almanac to see why July is "Read An Almanac Month" and, you know, there's some interesting reading. Let me give you a for-instance.
First of all, even though the book is for 2008, there are some facts about 2007 in it also...like the Top Ten News Topics of 2007, The Almanac in the Internet Age, the 2007 Time Capsule, and Notable Supreme Court Decisions.
This book covers everything...economy, business and energy; crime; health and vital statistics; consumer information; the 100 most populous cities; historical figures; all kinds of sports, and all kinds of facts about the U.S. government.
Well, I didn't stop with the contents page. I decided to delve into the inner workings. The things I found amazed me.
Do you know that the size of an average farm in 1940 was 174 acres. Then in 1990 it was at the highest, which was 460. But in 2006, the average was 446. And that the number of farms (in millions) was 6.3 in 1940, 2.1 in 1990, 2.2 in 2000, 2.1 in 2005, and the same in 2006. What are we going to do if we don't have farmers someday?
I learned the number one reason for visiting an emergency room in 2005 was stomach and abdominal pain, cramps and spasms; that the drugs most frequently prescribed in physicians' offices in 2005 were antidepressants; and that the transplant waiting list in September 2007 was the highest for kidneys. There were 73,181 patients waiting on that list.
I also found the birthplace and birthdate of some noted personalities, such as Sigourney (I like that name) Weaver, Tea (like that one also) Leoni, Big Boi from Savannah, and Willie Nelson.
Listed were all the winners of Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism, Letters, and Music. Listed were the Miss America Winners from 1921 to 2007. Listed were the chemical elements, atomic numbers and the year discovered.
Oh, hey, I could go on and on. The fact is, the almanac is fascinating reading. And it's no wonder someone designated July as "Read An Almanac Month."
It's here, right here, in your favorite library. Take some time and come read it. Sorry, since it's in the Reference Section, you can't check it out. But you can sure take it to the comfortable couch in the reading area and sit a spell.
Don't take my word for it. Try it for yourself.
Johnnie helped me in the Reference Section and we located our latest almanac...The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2008. It's the 140th anniversary edition.
I remember hearing about kids who used to like to read the encyclopedias, and I must admit at the time I thought they were a little strange. But I started looking through the almanac to see why July is "Read An Almanac Month" and, you know, there's some interesting reading. Let me give you a for-instance.
First of all, even though the book is for 2008, there are some facts about 2007 in it also...like the Top Ten News Topics of 2007, The Almanac in the Internet Age, the 2007 Time Capsule, and Notable Supreme Court Decisions.
This book covers everything...economy, business and energy; crime; health and vital statistics; consumer information; the 100 most populous cities; historical figures; all kinds of sports, and all kinds of facts about the U.S. government.
Well, I didn't stop with the contents page. I decided to delve into the inner workings. The things I found amazed me.
Do you know that the size of an average farm in 1940 was 174 acres. Then in 1990 it was at the highest, which was 460. But in 2006, the average was 446. And that the number of farms (in millions) was 6.3 in 1940, 2.1 in 1990, 2.2 in 2000, 2.1 in 2005, and the same in 2006. What are we going to do if we don't have farmers someday?
I learned the number one reason for visiting an emergency room in 2005 was stomach and abdominal pain, cramps and spasms; that the drugs most frequently prescribed in physicians' offices in 2005 were antidepressants; and that the transplant waiting list in September 2007 was the highest for kidneys. There were 73,181 patients waiting on that list.
I also found the birthplace and birthdate of some noted personalities, such as Sigourney (I like that name) Weaver, Tea (like that one also) Leoni, Big Boi from Savannah, and Willie Nelson.
Listed were all the winners of Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism, Letters, and Music. Listed were the Miss America Winners from 1921 to 2007. Listed were the chemical elements, atomic numbers and the year discovered.
Oh, hey, I could go on and on. The fact is, the almanac is fascinating reading. And it's no wonder someone designated July as "Read An Almanac Month."
It's here, right here, in your favorite library. Take some time and come read it. Sorry, since it's in the Reference Section, you can't check it out. But you can sure take it to the comfortable couch in the reading area and sit a spell.
Don't take my word for it. Try it for yourself.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
July Has Some Bizaare Holidays!
In preparation for the upcoming months, I was researching what we need as a new addition to our long, white library wall. It's time to take down the Moultrie Libraries Time Line and put up something new. That's when I discovered July has some bizaare holidays!
I found out that July is National Baked Beans Month, National Ice Cream Month, National Tennis Month, Read An Almanac Month, Anti-Boredom Month, and Hitchhiking Month! And that's not all. Look at this. . .
July 3 is Stay Out Of The Sun Day and Compliment Your Mirror Day. I can do that!
July 10 is Clerihew Day. If you're like me, you asked, "What is a clerihew?" It's a verse form in two couplets, usually lampooning a person named in the first line. (Now, don't ask what lampooning is! Oh, well! It's a broad, often harsh satire directed against an individual or institution.)
July 13 is Fool's Paradise Day. We all need one of those!
July 17 is National Peach Ice Cream Day. Twelve of the thirty-one days in July on the calendar I was reading had to do with food. The food covered ice cream, chicken, cookies, pie, pudding, chocolate milk, cheese, and caviar. No wonder we're a "fat" nation!
July 19 is Flitch Day. I found out an old custom from yesteryear developed into the holiday of Flitch Day. Bacon was given to any married couple who could prove they had lived in harmony and fidelity for one year. That made me wonder who they had to prove it to and who handed out the bacon!
July 25 is Threading the Needle Day.
July 26 is All or Nothing Day.
July 27 is Take Your Pants For a Walk Day. And we all know, we do not walk enough!
And the fourth Sunday in July is Parent's Day, a special day to honor hard-working parents.
I guess the one I really like the best is July 20. That's Ice Cream Day. Lincoln made Thanksgiving official. Woodrow Wilson did the same for Mother's Day. But in 1984, Ronald Reagan made the third Sunday in July officially Ice Cream Day. And even though it hasn't made the same splash the other two have, it's still a great day! And I promise not to eat too much.
So, before long you'll see a version of these bizaare holidays up on that long, white wall, and I hope everyone enjoys them. Maybe they'll give someone a chuckle. . . .
(Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/)
I found out that July is National Baked Beans Month, National Ice Cream Month, National Tennis Month, Read An Almanac Month, Anti-Boredom Month, and Hitchhiking Month! And that's not all. Look at this. . .
July 3 is Stay Out Of The Sun Day and Compliment Your Mirror Day. I can do that!
July 10 is Clerihew Day. If you're like me, you asked, "What is a clerihew?" It's a verse form in two couplets, usually lampooning a person named in the first line. (Now, don't ask what lampooning is! Oh, well! It's a broad, often harsh satire directed against an individual or institution.)
July 13 is Fool's Paradise Day. We all need one of those!
July 17 is National Peach Ice Cream Day. Twelve of the thirty-one days in July on the calendar I was reading had to do with food. The food covered ice cream, chicken, cookies, pie, pudding, chocolate milk, cheese, and caviar. No wonder we're a "fat" nation!
July 19 is Flitch Day. I found out an old custom from yesteryear developed into the holiday of Flitch Day. Bacon was given to any married couple who could prove they had lived in harmony and fidelity for one year. That made me wonder who they had to prove it to and who handed out the bacon!
July 25 is Threading the Needle Day.
July 26 is All or Nothing Day.
July 27 is Take Your Pants For a Walk Day. And we all know, we do not walk enough!
And the fourth Sunday in July is Parent's Day, a special day to honor hard-working parents.
I guess the one I really like the best is July 20. That's Ice Cream Day. Lincoln made Thanksgiving official. Woodrow Wilson did the same for Mother's Day. But in 1984, Ronald Reagan made the third Sunday in July officially Ice Cream Day. And even though it hasn't made the same splash the other two have, it's still a great day! And I promise not to eat too much.
So, before long you'll see a version of these bizaare holidays up on that long, white wall, and I hope everyone enjoys them. Maybe they'll give someone a chuckle. . . .
(Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/)
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Thinking Ahead To September
We were sitting here in our office this morning, talking about what we want to do in the upcoming months, when I got hung up on banned books.
Do you know that Banned Books Week is September 27 through October 4, 2008?
Anyhow, the webmaster pulled up some interesting banned books websites and that's what I've been reading.
It's amazing which books have had complaints and the reasons why people want them banned. Here's several for instance:
Do you know that Banned Books Week is September 27 through October 4, 2008?
Anyhow, the webmaster pulled up some interesting banned books websites and that's what I've been reading.
It's amazing which books have had complaints and the reasons why people want them banned. Here's several for instance:
- In 1978, an Eldon, Missouri library banned the American Heritage Dictionary because it contained 39 "objectionable" words. And in 1987, the Anchorage School Board banned the dictionary for similar reasons, i.e., having slang definitions for words such as "bed," "knocker," and "balls."
- In 1992, former Christian fundamentalist minister, Austin Miles, was sued. Charges were that his book, "Don't Call Me Brother," was ". . .a vitriolic attack upon organized Christianity." The $4 million lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court also screamed "libel" and "slander." After a lengthy and costly process, the court ruled that the book was not defamatory.
- An eighth grader from Stanford Middle School in California spearheaded a campaign to remove Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" from his classroom because he was uncomfortable with the use of racial slurs. The book was taken under review of the school district and was kept in the classroom.
- "The Skull of Truth" by Bruce Coville was removed from the Highland, Illinois school district because of its depiction of a gay character. A concerned parent contacted Coville, who helped address the fact that the school board did not follow a proper process in making this decision. Coville says, "The banning of a book is a serious act. To do it in secret undermines the very foundations of a free society."
- And, of course, the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling has been banned in several localities.
Most books seemed to be banned due to "vulgar language, sexual explicitness, or violent imagery that is gratuitously employed."
The English Language Arts Classes at the Colquitt County High School last year discussed book challenges, book banning and the implication of that issue. They found out no banned books were removed from the high school. However, at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library in the last 32 years only two books have been challenged; neither were removed from the shelf, but were relocated to different sections of the library.
We're going to talk more about banned books when we get to September. It's one of the things we're are thinking about celebrating. . .the "right to read," that is.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
July Is The Beginning Of A New Fiscal Year
Yes, indeedy! We are beginning a new fiscal year! And I just had to roam around and ask everyone what they were doing.
Bookkeeping is in the throes of a monumental task. . .that of closing out the old year and opening the new year. Ann is moving paper files around to make room for the new files in the top drawer of her file cabinet, and she's creating new files in her computer also. Files, files, files! For 21 employees, that takes quite a bit of work, no matter what business you're in.
Keva has been placing the Veterans History Project records in the computer for posterity. These are public records and will include the name, branch of service, war or conflict served in, and a list of what's in each file for each veteran in the Project.
The Children's Library is covered with bugs. . .reading bugs, that is. You can view butterflies made of newspapers and wooden clothes pins; caterpillers of newspapers and pipe cleaners; plastic flies, grasshoppers, and praying mantis; large yellow paper moths hanging from the brown tree; big yellow and black-striped bees hanging from the ceiling; black butterflies with blue spots stuck to a post; and red and black lady bugs marching in a line across the blue wall. Of course, all of these bugs encourage the children to continue to read all summer!
Josh and Sheila said the Bookmobile will finish its Summer Reading Program on Thursday, July 17th. They had approximately 120 children in the program this year.
As for the Interlibrary Loans, Johnnie said we have been forwarding and loaning out more books this year than usual. She said there have been lots of books requested that are on the summer reading lists for students to read before they go back to school.
And there's some great behind-the-scene things going on in Genealogy. Irene said she is continually helping clans with their archival material and continues to bring more records out of storage, where they were put until the renovation was completed. That's a slow process! For Genealogy's new fiscal year, Irene will be ordering more books, as well as more newspapers from the surrounding counties.
One huge item for the library's new fiscal year is the placement of the new HVAC system that will be installed the first week of August. And it's during that time that the library will be closed for inventory. You'll need to put that on your calendar. . .Library Closed August 4 through 8 for Inventory. And our director, Melody, said the new T-1 line has been installed for our computers and we are not having as many problems as before. That means we now have two T-1
lines!
So, there you have it! July is the beginning of a new fiscal year for us and I do believe we've got some great things in the works for you. We'll keep telling you about them, right here on the Bookworm Blog.
Bookkeeping is in the throes of a monumental task. . .that of closing out the old year and opening the new year. Ann is moving paper files around to make room for the new files in the top drawer of her file cabinet, and she's creating new files in her computer also. Files, files, files! For 21 employees, that takes quite a bit of work, no matter what business you're in.
Keva has been placing the Veterans History Project records in the computer for posterity. These are public records and will include the name, branch of service, war or conflict served in, and a list of what's in each file for each veteran in the Project.
The Children's Library is covered with bugs. . .reading bugs, that is. You can view butterflies made of newspapers and wooden clothes pins; caterpillers of newspapers and pipe cleaners; plastic flies, grasshoppers, and praying mantis; large yellow paper moths hanging from the brown tree; big yellow and black-striped bees hanging from the ceiling; black butterflies with blue spots stuck to a post; and red and black lady bugs marching in a line across the blue wall. Of course, all of these bugs encourage the children to continue to read all summer!
Josh and Sheila said the Bookmobile will finish its Summer Reading Program on Thursday, July 17th. They had approximately 120 children in the program this year.
As for the Interlibrary Loans, Johnnie said we have been forwarding and loaning out more books this year than usual. She said there have been lots of books requested that are on the summer reading lists for students to read before they go back to school.
And there's some great behind-the-scene things going on in Genealogy. Irene said she is continually helping clans with their archival material and continues to bring more records out of storage, where they were put until the renovation was completed. That's a slow process! For Genealogy's new fiscal year, Irene will be ordering more books, as well as more newspapers from the surrounding counties.
One huge item for the library's new fiscal year is the placement of the new HVAC system that will be installed the first week of August. And it's during that time that the library will be closed for inventory. You'll need to put that on your calendar. . .Library Closed August 4 through 8 for Inventory. And our director, Melody, said the new T-1 line has been installed for our computers and we are not having as many problems as before. That means we now have two T-1
lines!
So, there you have it! July is the beginning of a new fiscal year for us and I do believe we've got some great things in the works for you. We'll keep telling you about them, right here on the Bookworm Blog.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Johnnie Reynolds Is Our July Employee Of The Month
The announcement for the July Employee of the Month was made from North Carolina, when all of us heard our director Melody Jenkins say over the speaker phone in the library workroom, "May I speak to the Employee of the Month?" That's when Johnnie Reynolds heard her name announced.
When asked what she thought about Melody calling from North Carolina to make the announcement, she said, "It was different, and exciting to know that she would take the time to do that while she's on her vacation."
She also said, "I think the Employee of the Month program not only makes a person feel good, but it lets the public know more about the people who work here."
Johnnie, who has worked at the library for 14 years, was selected for her continued excellent service to the library and its patrons. She received a certificate of appreciation, a bouquet of flowers, a gold Georgia Library pin and bookmark, and the right to claim the EOM special parking place for the month.
Her previous jobs were as a pharmacy tech when Rite Aide in Moultrie was a Super X and at The Apothecary in Doerun. Then she was encouraged to apply for a job at the library by Alice Jordan, a previous bookmobile worker, as well as Lonnie and Edna Gibson, who were pastor and his wife at her church.
Johnnie began as an Overdues Clerk in 1994. "That wasn't always a very pleasant job," she said, since she had to call people to remind them that their books were overdue. But in 2000, she took the position of Interlibrary Loan Clerk. She said what she likes most about her job are the people; not only the patrons who want to borrow books from other libraries, but her fellow workers.
As a booklover, Johnnie said, "Working at the library has saved me lots of money." Her family knows to give her books as gifts.
She lives in Doerun with husband Mike, two dogs and a cat. Her two sons also live in the Doerun area. She hopes to travel when she retires, but feels that is a long way off. We hope so, too!
Congratulations, Johnnie!
When asked what she thought about Melody calling from North Carolina to make the announcement, she said, "It was different, and exciting to know that she would take the time to do that while she's on her vacation."
She also said, "I think the Employee of the Month program not only makes a person feel good, but it lets the public know more about the people who work here."
Johnnie, who has worked at the library for 14 years, was selected for her continued excellent service to the library and its patrons. She received a certificate of appreciation, a bouquet of flowers, a gold Georgia Library pin and bookmark, and the right to claim the EOM special parking place for the month.
Her previous jobs were as a pharmacy tech when Rite Aide in Moultrie was a Super X and at The Apothecary in Doerun. Then she was encouraged to apply for a job at the library by Alice Jordan, a previous bookmobile worker, as well as Lonnie and Edna Gibson, who were pastor and his wife at her church.
Johnnie began as an Overdues Clerk in 1994. "That wasn't always a very pleasant job," she said, since she had to call people to remind them that their books were overdue. But in 2000, she took the position of Interlibrary Loan Clerk. She said what she likes most about her job are the people; not only the patrons who want to borrow books from other libraries, but her fellow workers.
As a booklover, Johnnie said, "Working at the library has saved me lots of money." Her family knows to give her books as gifts.
She lives in Doerun with husband Mike, two dogs and a cat. Her two sons also live in the Doerun area. She hopes to travel when she retires, but feels that is a long way off. We hope so, too!
Congratulations, Johnnie!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Finally, A Great TV Ad!
This morning while I was getting ready for work, an interesting ad on television caught my attention. That hardly ever happens, but this one was so different that I stopped what I was doing to
watch.
The music was mysterious and majestic. The scene was of children holding books in their hands. They stood in line beside a huffing, black train, waiting to board. One scene was of a curly-headed boy looking up on the wall of the train station at a poster about Narnia. Another scene showed the conductor stamping a boy's book with the word "Narnia." The last scene showed another boy looking out the train window at a wonderous scene. Even the words the narrator spoke were enticing. "Explore new worlds. Read. Visit literacy.gov and let the journey begin."
I was enchanted with the whole thing! But then I'm enchanted by most things that have to do with books.
When I got to work, I checked out literacy.gov. I found out there is a "Lifelong Literacy Public Awareness Campaign." In an effort to inspire young people to become lifelong learners and encourage reading, the Ad Council and the Library of Congress have launched a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) to promote the Lifelong Literacy campaign. They say when kids become good readers in the early grades, they are more likely to become better learners throughout their school years and beyond. Well! I tell you, not only that ad caught my attention, but the whole
campaign!
The Ad Council and the Library of Congress listed on their website three books that can be read online:
watch.
The music was mysterious and majestic. The scene was of children holding books in their hands. They stood in line beside a huffing, black train, waiting to board. One scene was of a curly-headed boy looking up on the wall of the train station at a poster about Narnia. Another scene showed the conductor stamping a boy's book with the word "Narnia." The last scene showed another boy looking out the train window at a wonderous scene. Even the words the narrator spoke were enticing. "Explore new worlds. Read. Visit literacy.gov and let the journey begin."
I was enchanted with the whole thing! But then I'm enchanted by most things that have to do with books.
When I got to work, I checked out literacy.gov. I found out there is a "Lifelong Literacy Public Awareness Campaign." In an effort to inspire young people to become lifelong learners and encourage reading, the Ad Council and the Library of Congress have launched a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) to promote the Lifelong Literacy campaign. They say when kids become good readers in the early grades, they are more likely to become better learners throughout their school years and beyond. Well! I tell you, not only that ad caught my attention, but the whole
campaign!
The Ad Council and the Library of Congress listed on their website three books that can be read online:
- The Arabian Nights: Their Best-Known Tales
- Stories from Hans Anderson and
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
I also listened to parts of several books that are read as radio ads:
- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
- Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
- A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
- Holes by Louis Sachar and
- Maniac McGee by Jerry Spinelli.
What I heard definitely made me want to read the books. And these are books children will thoroughly enjoy reading, as well as adults. Amazing what a great TV ad will do for you. If you're online, check out the website. I'm sure you'll find many of these great books in our library. But if we don't have them, remember we can get them for you through the PINES System. All you need is a library card and a few minutes with Johnnie, our Interlibrary Loan Clerk. (Source: Lifelong Literacy at http://www.loc.gov/literacy/about/)
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