We've Got The Best References In Town

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

Interesting Facts About Reading

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

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

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

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

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

Miss Edna at the Circulation Desk recommends the following:

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

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

All Thanksgiving Days Are Special

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

Does This Mean That Montel Is Coming To Town?

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

You Might have To Reserve A Spot!

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

Today In History

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

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

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

What's Been Happening With The Bookmobile Lately?

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