Lost Article for June 25, 2011

Thinking Library!

Carole Stanger

June 25, 2011

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

One Summer by David Baldacci

Against All Enemies by Tom Clancy

Twelfth Prophecy by Bodie Thoene

Greater Journey by David McCullough

I’ve Never Met an Idiot on the River by Henry Winkler

Devil Colony by James Rollins

Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? by Steven Tyler

Carte Blanche by Jeffery Deaver

Coming Events @ the Library!

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Sundays—closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us

• The Library Board regular meeting Monday, June 13, 5:30 p.m. upstairs

• Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds has ended for this school year. They will start back up on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 7 & 8 from 10-11 a.m.
• Thursdays in June are Reading Buddies from 11 am to 12 noon.
• Babysitting Classes for June 13, 20, and 27 are FULL.
• Tuesdays in June and July 5 are ICN programs for K-3^rd graders from 10-11 a.m.
• Monday, June 27 is Movie Day for K-2^nd graders 1:30-3:15 p.m.—no registration!
• Monday, July 4 the Library will be closed in honor of Independence Day!
• Wednesday, July 6 is Blank Park Zoo for 1^st-5^th Graders 11 a.m.-12 noon.
• Monday, July 11 is Craft Day K-3^rd graders 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 12 is Hitchcock House/Slavery Program with Lora for 4^th -6^th graders from 10-11 a.m.
• Wednesday, July 13 is Silent Library for 6^th-8^th graders from 10-11 a.m. AND Movie Day for K-3^rd graders from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
  

• At Home Summer Reading has begun and goes until July 23! Reading Logs can be turned in by July 30. Prizes will be drawn every Friday!

Did You Know… what the GRAND PRIZES are for our readers this summer are??? Keep reading and enter each week! 6^th-8^th Grade is a Nook! 4^th-5^th Grade is a “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” package! K-3^rd Grade is a Shark Slip & Slide!

Behind My Desk… Julie tells me that registrations for the rest of the summer library programs are not full, so just show up! That’s cool! We have some great things coming up for July.

I’m at it again…I am cleaning my desk and office and am really trying to “down-size.” That is a real challenge! I was able to get rid of a bunch paper, so I can store more stuff. Does that sound just a little off-kilter to you, too? Oh, well. I’m trying.

It’s almost the end of the fiscal year for the library. That means I need to be ready for the next year starting July 1^st. It also means I need to finish up reports for the fiscal year ending on June 30^th. I’ve been working on next year’s things, but I just have this strange feeling I’m forgetting something important. I hate that.

We will have a new member for our July library board meeting. The Mayor has appointed Mike Waters for the position. We all hated to see Betty Trewet resign, but totally understand and appreciate all she has contributed to our library these last ten years.

Have a safe and great 4^th of July… and Keep Thinking Libraries!

All Sorts of Summer Reading @ Your Library!

Thinking Library!

Carole Stanger

July 9, 2011

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Disturbance by Jan Burke

Escape by Barbara Delinsky

Glenn Ford, a Life by Peter Ford

Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay by Beverly Jensen

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen

One Dog Night by David Rosenfeld

Coming Events @ the Library!

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Sundays—closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us

• The Library Board regular meeting Monday, June 13, 5:30 p.m. upstairs

• Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds has ended for this school year. They will start back up on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 7 & 8 from 10-11 a.m.
• Monday, July 11 is Craft Day K-3^rd graders 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 12 is Hitchcock House/Slavery Program with Lora for 4^th -6^th graders from 10-11 a.m.
• Wednesday, July 13 is Silent Library for 6^th-8^th graders from 10-11 a.m. AND Movie Day for K-3^rd graders from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Thursday, July 14 is Movie Day for 4-5^th graders from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Monday, July 18 is “Minute to Win it!” for 6-8^th graders from 10-11:30 a.m.
• Tuesday, July 19 is “Cooking with Tamara” for 4-6^th graders from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
• Wednesday, July 20 is “Fun Stations with a Caricature Artist!” for 2^nd-5^th graders from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• At Home Summer Reading has begun and goes until July 23! Reading Logs can be turned in by July 30. Prizes will be drawn every Friday!

Did You Know… that the Atlantic Public Library checked out 90,496 items from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011? By using the library, our patrons saved $1,326.990.45! Sounds like a bargain to me!

Behind My Desk… We have had plenty of busy days this summer at the library. I enjoy that. There’s an energy that fills the building. Now, I have to admit my tolerance of some energy is not as strong as it was years ago. When we have “munchkins” who want to play Tag or Hide and Seek or use the elevator like a carnival ride in the library, I tend to frown on that…I might even get a little loud about that. Parents, be warned.

I like to have a relaxed atmosphere in the library. I know that once upon a time libraries were very strict and very, very, very silent places; but that’s no way to use a library. I do expect common sense and courtesy. I don’t think that is too much to ask from anyone. Everyone makes mistakes, but working with the public is an eye-opening experience for a new staff member. But, I need to add that most of our patrons are patient and good-natured people. Thank you for that!

RAGBRAI is coming to town soon. (Almost sounds like the circus, doesn’t it? Ok, in many ways it will be!) In years past the library has been open for access to restrooms, cool rooms, and public access computers. This year the bikers will be coming in on Sunday. The library will be closed. The free access wifi will still be available in the parking lot, and most people now have mobile phones for communication, anyway.

Julie brought this to my attention. It sounds like great thing.

The Goldfinch Award is an award given by PreK-3rd grade students in the state of Iowa. This award was designed to encourage children to read more quality books, provide a positive dialogue about books, and give recognition to those who write books for children. To be eligible to vote students in the participating grades must read or have read to them five books off the list. Books are added to the list from student nominations and reviewed by Goldfinch Award committee members. The library has practically all of the books on the list. In my next column, I will list the titles for our readers. Julie has read all of them and loved them.

Enjoy summer reading… and Keep Thinking Libraries!

ICN--Important Assett

The Atlantic Public Library has an ICN room. ICN stands Iowa Communications Network. It is a fiber optic network across the state of Iowa. This room makes it possible for people in the Atlantic area to take courses without having to drive to a college. It also make it possible for people to have meetings with one another without having to drive huge distances. Julie has used it for children's programming! This past fiscal year we had 197 different ICN sessions.

Isn't it amazing what libraries can provide for people???

Summer Programming in Full Swing!

Readers have reached July 4th! Young people have several challenges this summer. It looks that our Elementary School Principal's challenge is getting many takers! That's great! We are so glad he was able to "piggy-back" on to Julie's Summer Program for the first time! Reading is critical for every child. If Julie's challenges succeed in giving children special prizes and Mr. Roecker's challenge succeed in giving children more special prizes, it's a "Win--Win" situation. I do hope this cooperation between the Atlantic Public Library and the Atlantic school system will continue in other avenues!

ALA D.C.!

Just a quick update. I am in Washington, D.C. this weekend attending the American Library Association's Annual Conference. Can you imagine thousands of librarians in one place at one time??? There are very famous people speaking here this summer...Senator Bill Bradley will be the Opening Session Speaker and I think Garrison Keillor closes the conference. I missed the session with David Baldacci. All sorts of sessions and a HUGE exhibits area. It's been a number of years since I have been to ALA. It can be quite overwhelming for a newcomer!

I'll be back at the end on next week!

Voice Mail Glitches

We are so close...but not quite. In last week's newspaper column I mentioned the Atlantic Public Library had voice mail. Well, we are supposed to, but it's not connected to the main system yet. It will be soon (in the next few days, I hope).

Meanwhile, the Children's Library has been overwhelmingly busy this summer! That's a great thing. The boys and girls are reading and enjoying the library summer programs. As usual, the summer days just fly by!

All systems--Go!

The Atlantic Public Library opened this morning after a week of being closed for re-carpeting.

The carpet has been replaced both upstairs and down this year. It's guaranteed for 25 years. The library staff also did a little rearranging of furniture and areas. I like it, and I hope our patrons will, too!

We just keep moving forward!