18 December 2013 The Adult Winter Reading Program begins in two weeks! This year our theme is, "The Plays the thing." Our grand prize is tickets for the plays, "Boeing, Boeing" and "Annie Get Your Gun". There will be two tickets for each performance. When you read, listen or view ten items from the Library you get a Vicksburg District Library lunch bag and you are entered for the drawing for the grand prize. For every five items that you read, listen or view after the intial ten, you get another entry for the grand prize. The program starts on January 2, 2014 and runs through March 31. The drawing for the grand prize and other prizes will take place on April 1, 2014. The Brown Bag Classic Book Club will be reading the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne. One of the most famous and read early American authors, he wrote, The House of the Seven Gables, The Scarlette Letter, The Marble Faun and Twice Told Tales among other short stories. The next meeting of the Brown Bag Book Club will be on Monday, January 20, at noon in the basement meeting room. Hot coffee will be available. A reminder that a donation to the Library can be used as a charitable donation on your income tax. The funding for the Library is mostly local. From our millage, to penal fines, to donations. All of these main funding sources are local. The State of Michigan aid to libraries is less than forty cents per person in our service area. The population of our service area is just over 12,000 so we get less than $4,800 from the State. Please remember the Library as you make your charitable donations at the end of the year. Monday is the last day that we will be open before Christmas. Miss Kristy will be holding a special holiday storytime at 3:00 p.m. on that day. Our holiday hours are as follows: Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: December 24 & 25. Closed New Year's Eve and New Year's Day: December 31 and January 1. We will be open our regular hours from December 26 through December 30. We reopen after New Year's on our regular schedule on January 2, 2014. I WISH ALL OUR PATRONS AND FRIENDS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS. Be careful on the roads and enjoy the company of your family and friends John

11 December 2013 The raffle for the South County Pantry is complete and the winner is Thomas Howard. Thank you and congratulations to the Thomas Howard family. If you are looking for a good book for the holiday season, Rachel has put the adult Christmas fiction and Christmas music on the bookcase under the west window in the reference area. The Christmas non-fiction, which includes crafts, stories and cookbooks. A reminder, the Library will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The Library will return to regular hours on December 26. Please remember the Library when making your end of year donations. The Library gets over 90% of its operating money from local sources such as millage, penal fines and donations. A donation to the library may be tax deductable as a charitable donation, but remember, check with your tax preparer. With the winter weather remember to drive slower, keep a survival kit in your vehicle, (blanket, flashlight, energy bars, water), and leave a little earlier. Start stopping sooner, intersections can be slicker than the road. You never know when you may be delayed because the road is closed due to an accident. When driving at night be watchful of pedestrians who are dressed in dark colors and animals crossing the road. We want our patrons to make it to the Library and home safely. The Brown Bag Book Club meets on Monday, December 16, at noon. We are reading the cases of Sherlock Holmes this month. Next month we will be reading works by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Until next week, be safe and read. John

4 December 2013 Only three more weeks until Christmas. A gift to the Library is a gift to your community as donations are used for materials for the library. An easy gift is to donate the cost of a one year subscription to one of the magazines that we have at the library. From Popular Mechanics and Country Woman to Cook's Cooking magazine and Woman's Day. Maybe you have a hobby weaving or woodworking, you can designate the money you donate to purchase a book on how to perform that craft. Have a Merry Christmas and donate to the Library. There is not a lot of programming going on during December. You can come in and make a candy cottage on December 12 from 5-7. This is an open program, just come in between the listed hours and make a festive candy cottage for your home. We ask that you register by Monday, December 9, so we can make sure there will be enough materials on hand. There will also be a Holiday Christmas Storytime on Monday, December 23, from 3-4. Besides a story, there will be some holiday games and other activities. Please pre-register by December 20 so we can have enough materials on hand for everyone. The Adult Winter Reading Program is going to start on January 2 and run through March 30. Drawing for the main prize will be on Monday, March 31. The theme for this year is, The Play's the Thing. The grand prize is two tickets to see, Boeing, Boeing and two tickets to see Annie Get Your Gun, in May. To participate, beginning on January 2, you register at the library. Read, listen or view at least 10 items (Books, Audiobooks, DVDs) between January 2 and March 30. Turn in you circulation receipts so that we can keep track of items read, listened too or viewed for prizes. When you have completed 10 items you will receive a prize. When you have completed 15 items you will be eligible for the Grand Prize and for every additional 5 items, you will qualify for additional entries for the Grand Prize. The drawing for the prizes will be Monday, March 31, 2014. Besides the Grand Prize there is a prize for most read, listened to and/or viewed items and a second place drawing. The Brown Bag Classic Book Club will meet on December 16, at noon in the downstairs meeting room. We are reading the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle is most famous for his stories and novels about Sherlock Holmes but he also wrote the Lost World featuring Professor Challenger and is an early work of science fiction. We will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Stop in and say hello to Andrea Smalley, our new reference/teen librarian. She started this past Monday. Until next week, read and gain wisdom John

27 November 2013

27 November 2013 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! May everyone have a great day with family and friends and join in the celebration in thanks for the bounty which we enjoy in this country. The Library will be closed on Thanksgiving day and we will also close early today so that staff may get home to family to prepare for tomorrow. We will resume regular hours on Friday. The Brown Bag Classics Club is reading the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for the December meeting. While he is best know as the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels, he also wrote about Professor Challenger in his book, "The Lost World". While a fictional character, Sherlock Holmes gets mail from people to this day, asking for his assistance. The mail is delivered to 221B Baker St and is handled by the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. We are getting into the final week of our raffle to support the South County Community Pantry. Remember, for every new item you bring in you can put in an entry. So if you bring in a package with three tubes of toothpaste, that is considered one item. If you bring in three individual bottles of dish soap that is considered as three items as each item is priced as an individual item where the three pack of toothpaste is sold as three tubes. The raffle ends on Sunday, December 8, at 5:00 pm, (closing time of the library), and the drawing will be on Monday, December 9. The need is great and the response has been good. In this final week let the response be great. On Monday, December 2, come in and say hi to Andrea Smalley, our new reference/teen librarian. She is very excited to be coming on board here at Vicksburg and has a good background in reference and teen services. As the Christmas season begins, don't forget the library. A donation to the library can go toward meeting your charitable deductions on your Federal taxes. You can make a donation in memory of a loved one or designate the donation for the purchase in a specific area of library service, i.e. children's, audiobooks, technology, etc. As always, we encourage you to consult your tax preparer. Have a great Holiday and I will write again next week. John

Wednesday, 20 November 2013 Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching and the library will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. We will resume our normal hours on Friday. Our hours are: Monday-Thursday from 10 to 8:30; Friday and Saturday 10 to 5 and beginning the Sunday after Labor Day to the Sunday before Memorial Day, Sunday hours are 1 to 5. Only two weeks left in our South County Commmunity Raffle. Last Friday I took a box of toiletries down to South County and they were very glad to see the soaps and toothpaste. We have started collecting the next box and I will take the materials donated down to South County at the end of the Raffle. Remember to enter the raffle all you need to do is bring in some toiletries, handsoap, dishsoap, detergents, razors, or other personnal hygene or cleaning products to the library. For each item you get to put an entry slip into the drawing. The winner gets a basket with Two library mugs, a box of microwave popcorn, a box of hot cocoa mix, two family dvd's and a pocket day planner. There are families in this area that need your help, please enter this week. The Brown Bag Book Club is going well. In December, we are keeping the reading light with mystery. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is our author of the month, he is best know as the creator of Sherlock Holmes but he also wrote the Professor Challenger stories; the most famous being The Lost World. On the third Monday of the month, at noon, bring your lunch and your book to the library and share your reading experience of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Check out the Staff Favorite Reads on the shelf next to the reference desk across from the Reference Librarian's desk. Check out our display case in the lobby. The display this month are Holiday Barbies, some of them going back to the 1980's and 90's. They are very attactive and if you have young girls, I am sure that they will be enthralled with it. Until next week, keep safe. John

6 November 2013 The wet weather continues which makes watching a video and reading a good book great indoor activities. We have an extensive collection of movies at the Library, from classic and foreign films to new releases. The same can be said about our book collection; we have everything from classics to new releases. Remember the Raffle to Support Community Services Pantry. They are looking for toiletries like bar soap, razors, toothpaste, shampoo and such. When you bring one of these items in you get to put one entry for the prize basket. The book for the Brown Bag Classic Club are the works of Mark Twain. The club meets on the third Monday of the month at noon in the meeting room in the basement. Coffee and water are provided. We are doing a search for a new Reference/Teen librarian. Go to the link on our homepage for the qualifications and how to apply. Until we have a new Reference Librarian in place, all computer training and help classes are canceled. Those of you who are fans of Barbie, come into the library and view the collection of Barbies' from the 1980's into the 2000's. These are the theme Barbies that were issued mostly for Christmas. A reminder for everyone. We check out our videos for three days and the charge for an overdue video is $1.00 per day per item. Please look at the date due slip we put inside the jewel case when we check the video out to you. If you notice any damage to a book please mention it to the clerk when you bring it back so we can repair the book. If the book gets wet follow these steps. Place the book in a plastic bag. If you are coming to the library that day give it to the clerk, if it will be more than a day before you return it, put the book into the freezer before you return it. Coffee, cola or chocolate stains are not always repairable but we can usually salvage a book if it is only wet with water. We do not charge a patron for materials that we can repair only those items that are lost or damaged beyond repair. We can repair a wet book if it is still wet when we get it. Once the book dries we cannot repair it and, depending on the degree of damage, we will need to charge you for the book. Have a safe week and I will talk to you later. John

End of October

31 October 2013 Here it is the end of October and it is ending on a cloudy, rainy day. Today is Halloween and the origins go back to ancient Ireland. Halloween was the last night of the Celtic year and the belief was that on that evening the barrier that separates the physical world from the spiritual world was very thin and spirits could cross over from one world to the other. This was the night where conjurors could call forth the spirit of a dead relative and you could ask the spirit questions. They were compelled to answer you but the answer could be a lie or so cryptic that you left confused. Evil spirits could also cross over and take possion of a person's body, evicting the person's soul and sending it into the spiritual world. The demon possed body was known as a changling and to help protect a person from the demon, people would dress in disguise to escape being identified by the demon who was after you. Some people also left out gifts for the spirit of a person that had died and was known to be greedy or angry. The hope was that the gift would please the spirit and it would leave you alone. Today we dress in costumes and the children ask for a treat so you can avoid a trick. We continue to tell tales of gobblins and other demons and how they make evil for people. Our reference and teen librarian, Beth, is leaving us. Today is her last day and she will be missed by everyone on staff as well as the teens she worked with over the past eight months and many patrons. We wish her good luck at her new job. The raffle to support the South County Pantry has begun. Last week's blog has a list of items that they need. Remember you get to submit one entry for every item you bring in. For example, say you bring in a package of disposable razors and bottle of shampoo. You would get two entry forms to fill out. The raffle runs through December 8 and the drawing will be the next day. The Brown Bag Classics Club will be meeting at noon on November 18, in the meeting room. This month you may read a book by Mark Twain. We have several copies behind the circulation desk. Several of them are collected works. You only need to read one of the books in the collected works or four or five short stories. Just a reminder, as the end of the year draws to an end, don't forget the Library as you make year end donations to your favorite institutions. Our children's programs are very dependent on donations and the number of people attending the programs are growing. Also, you can make a donation in memory of a loved one and designate what you would like the library to purchase with the donation. It can be books, audio books, programming, maintenance, displays or for staff continuing education. We appreciate the support of our patrons and we will continue to give you the level of service to which you are familiar. Until next week, stay safe and read. John

October 25, 2013

25 October 2013 The weather has gone from wonderful to damp and cold. Is there anything better on these damp cold nights than sitting in your favorite chair and reading a good book? Playing video games and watching TV doesn't count. We are coming into the long time of the year where we enjoy the dark more than the light and it is a perfect time to catch up on your reading. Why read? It helps your child develop mental skills they will need in life as well as increasing their vocabulary, command of the English language and building on their knowledge base. For adults it helps to keep the mind active which helps keep the memory intact. Keeps adults aware of the world around us, inspire ideas for craft projects, and just for the fun of reading a good story. The ability to read is an amazing thing. Most people can do it and trying to live in the modern world without the ablility is nearly impossible. If a child cannot read at their grade level by the time they leave third grade, they will have a harder time the rest of their school career and have a harder time being successful as an adult. Parents, your children will follow your lead, so read for enjoyment, read to your children. I know, I am banging that drum a lot but if I didn't think it was important, I wouldn't mention it. Monday we kick off our raffle to help South County Pantry. The raffle will run from Monday, October 28 through Sunday, December 8. To enter you must bring in an item from the following list that South County needs. One entry is allowed for each item. The grand prize is a winter family basket that contains 2 mugs with the library logo on it, a box of hot cocoa mix, microwave popcorn and two DVD's for family viewing.

The items needed by South County Pantry are:

Toothpaste               Tooth brushes               Shampoo/conditioner          Deodorant             Bar soap     
Razors                     Shaving cream               Aftershave lotion                 Mouth wash          Lotions   Other toiletries         Dish soap                      Cleaning supplies                 Laundry detergent

This is the time of year when we think of those who have fallen on hard times and need a little help.  The generostiy of the people in this area is great and I hope that you will step forward and help feel the needs of our neighbors.

Until next week, be safe.

John        

9 October 2013

October 9, 2013 What a wonderful week has just gone by. Warm and sunny and on Sunday we got some much needed rain. A little chilly at the beginning of the week but it is getting better. With the shorter days we are spending more time inside and what better way to spend that time than with a good book or movie. Reading helps keep you mentally alert and parents, reading to your children helps them academically. The plus of reading to your children is that it is a shared experience with you and your children. As the children get older, they can take turns with you reading to the others. Make a story night and read for fifteen minutes, half hour or even hour. You may start off reading Little Critter books and by the time they get into high school maybe works by Robert Louis Stevenson or the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes. Just because your child is able to read on their own doesn't mean you can't read to them. It can build memories and traditions that you and your children can pass down for generations to come. An added plus for your child is that as they get older and they start to take part in the reading, they learn public speaking skills. Remember that Beth has her Tech-Tutor on the first Monday of the month beginning at 10:30. She will answer questions on how to connect your mobile device to sign in to our ebook collection or help you sign up an email account to keep in contact with family all over the country. We have about 8 Vicksburg District Library travel cups in metallic red available for you to purchase for $6.00 each. We also have Vicksburg District Library canvass book bags available for $10.00 each. The next Thursday morning book discussion book will be any work by Louise Penny. They meet the first Thursday of the month at 9:00 in the library by the fireplace. The selection for the Brown Bag Book Classics Club is any work by Charles Dickens. The club meets at noon on the third Monday of the month in the meeting room downstairs. The Library will be open at its regular hours on Columbus Day, Monday, October 14. Until next time, be safe. John

2 October 2013 Happy Wednesday. We have had to reschedule the dates for the Library/South Community Pantry Raffle. We were not able to make the deadline for the South County News and we do want to promote the raffle so that the Pantry can get a good supply of toiletries and cleaning supplies to distribute. The new dates for the raffle will be as follow. You can begin bringing in donations and register for the raffle on Monday, October 28 and the raffle will end on Sunday, December 8. Sorry for the delay. This is the time of the year when many people want to make a donation to a charity or civic organization. Remember the Vicksburg District Library. Donations and Memorials made in memory of loved ones have enabled us to purchase a new CD spinner for our music CD's, purchase easy read and early reader books for the pre-schoolers, career books and college test preparation books for the Young Adults, and many books for the Adult books. Generous donations have enabled the Library to pay for performers for the Summer Reading program. The Library has never been busier and our funding has remained the same, your donations to the Library are greatly needed and apreciated. On the first of October the Secretary of State Express website came online. You can access it from the Library or online at www.express.sos.com. From the ExpressSOS website you can perform some of the simple and basic functions that you would ordinarily have to go to the a Secretary of States office such as: Renew or replace standard driver's license or State ID card Renew vehicle tabs Obtain a replacement vehicle title or registration Submit a change of address Join the organ donor registry and much more. If you need help using ExpressSOS you can phone: (888)SOS-MICH or (888) 767-6424 Remember the Brown Bag Book Club meets at noon on October 21. This month's book is your choice of any work by Charles Dickens. So bring your lunch and join us in the meeting room in the basement of the Library. Have a great week. John

26 September 2013

26 September 2013 Fall is here and with the fall comes a whole variety of activities at the Library. The Toddler and Baby times have been very well attended, much higher than we anticipated. The Teen programs began this week with popcorn and a movie. The tweens have made posters for Banned Book Week and they are on display at and near the circulation desk. Come in and view them and vote for your favorite poster. The Brown Bag Classics Club has had its first meeting. The next meeting will be on 21 October. For this meeting you have to read a book by Charles Dickens. Some books by Dickens in our collection are behind the circulation counter but we have a good selection in the fiction stacks for you to choose from. New display at the Library! On the south end of the circulation counter, we have a display of some of the favorite fiction books of the Library staff. If a title appeals to you pick it up and check it out. The staff has a lot of favorites to replace those that get checked out. Hope to see a lot of you at the Harvest Fest this coming Sunday. I will be manning the booth and Miss Kristy will be reading stories to the children. It is a great time and I encourage everyone to attend. Look for the details of a raffle coming up to help the South County pantry. We are putting together a prize basket and to enter you need to bring and item that is needed by South County pantry. You can enter as often as you want but you must bring in an item off the list to enter. The basket will contain some hot chocolate mix, some micorwave popcorn and two coffee mugs with the Library logo on it. There is on final item we are workig on to complete the basket and I will tell you what it is next week. We will start the raffle on Monday, 6 October and it run through Sunday, 17 November. There are many people in our area who need a little extra help and this is a great way for you to help your neighbor. We ask you bring in items from this list: Toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shaving cream, disposable razors, shaving lotion, bar soap, shampoo, hair conditioner, hand soap, laundry detergent, dish soap, and other toiletries and household cleaners. Look for the library article in the South County News and remember to support our local merchants. John

18 September 2013

18 September 2013 Monday is our first meeting of the Brown Bag Classics Club. Our first book is "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank Gilbreth, Jr. We will meet in the Library meeting room in the basement at noon. Bring your lunch and we will supply the coffee and water. Next month you get to select a book by Charles Dickens and tell us about it. At the south end of the circulation counter we have a bookshelf with a display of Staff Favorite books. This month we are high-lighting favorite fiction. We encourage you to check out these books and read them. In the coming months we will feature Staff Favorite horror, non-fiction, holiday, craft, book to movie and other themed books. We are always available to reccommend a good book for you, just ask any staff member. Our new Wi-Fi room is seeing plenty of action from laptop users. In the past we have not been able to accomodate wireless users at the level of demand but we now have increased capacity to help ease the situation. The story times have started and we offer toddler time, baby time, tweens and teens programs as well as regular story time. Beth offers a walk-in computer help class every month. Don't forget to attend the Harvest Festival at the end of the month. Until next time. Stay safe. John

September 4,2013

Another month has begun and with it we begin our autumn schedule for programming and events. Next week the storytimes begin. Mom's please notice that baby time is now on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. This is before the regular opening time for the library and will be held in the basement meeting room. Teens and Tweens programs also begin next week after school. Copies of, Cheapr by the Dozen", are now available for anyone interested in attending the Brown Bag Classics Club. Our first meeting will be on Monday, September 23 at noon in the basement meeting room. Anyone who wishes to attend is welcome. The Community Tailgate Party is this Friday, plan to attend, Kristy and Beth will be manning a table at the event. This is the time of the year when children will be carrying books to school. September is also a rainy month. If you or your child should drop a book in a water puddle or accidently spill water or milk on a book take these steps to save the book. If it is a library book and it only has a few wet pages, place white paper towels between the wet pages and put a heavy weight on the book and let it sit for 15 minutes. Repeat this step once. The next two steps are similar to the first two except you let it set for a half hour. Step 5 & 6 extend the time to one hour and the last step is to place dry papertowels in the book and let it sit over night. The next morning the pages should be dry and the pages will be flat. As you use the paper towels, you can let them dry and reuse them. What if the book is soaked? If you do not feel that your can dry the book yourself, place the book in a clear plastic bag and freeze it. If it is a library book bring it back frozen and library staff will dry the book. If it is a school book contact the school and see what their policy is on damaged books. If it is your own book will will need to decide if you want to throw the book out and replace it or to dry it out. Books with glossy paper, as many children's books, need to be attended to before the pages dry on their own as the pages will dry together and cannot be repaired. Remember you can commemorate a retirement, anniversery, or remember a deceased loved one by making a donation to the library. At your direction the library will purchase books or equipment for the library to use. Or the donation may be given to use at the library's discretion. We will place a book plate commemorating the person on event for which the donation was made. If you have any questions about making a donation to the library, come in and talk with me or with our office manager, Terri. Until next week John

August 28,2013

28 August 2013 The end of August is here and this is the Labor Day weekend. This has been a good summer. There was enough rain to keep the lawns green and the crops happy, there was plenty of sun and the temperatures were not oppressive. The Summer Reading Program was well attended and the plans for programs starting in September have been made. I want to thank all of the people who have volunteered to help at the library one more time, we appreciate all you do for us. The Brown Bag Classics Club will have its first meeting on September 23 and we will be reading Fred B. Galbreth's Cheaper by the Dozen. It is light reading but it is a window into how Americans lived a hundred years ago. Mostly the tone is light-hearted but there is trajedy as well. To join all you need to do is bring a bagged lunch to the library at noon on the 23rd, go down to the basement and take a place at the table. Fresh coffee and cold water will be provided along with cups. Some of the future selections will be to select a work from Charles Dickens, one of the Bronte Sisters, Mark Twain or a play from Shakespeare. Some of the titles we will consider are House of the Seven Gables, The Virginian, Elmer Gantry and the Canterbury Tales. We will not be a literature class but we will discuss what makes these works and authors worth reading. This fall we will also be working with PNC bank to do financial literacy workshops. How to maintain a checkbook, keeping your credit score high and why it is important, managing finances on a tight budget and how to address the financial decisions that are part of everyday life. We hope to schedule these workshops on Saturday mornings so most adults or students will be able to attend. Depending on attendance, we would like to have these programs once a month. The Wi-Fi room is now ready! We now have four wi-fi stations set up in the library in the audio-book room. Outlets are available so you can plug your laptop or other device in so you can save your battery. When you come in all you have to do is sign in at the circulation desk. We ask that you sign in so we may collect the statistics for our yearly report on library usage to the State Library. The Library Ladies Auxilary is taking donations for the book sale. The only restrictions are no National Geographic magazines, no encyclopedias and no Reader's Digest condensed books. Also, if the books are falling apart or have mildew will not be acceptted. It is going to be great fall. See you at the Library John

14 August 2013

14 August 2013

If you come into the Library over the next couple of weeks you will notice that we have a bit of a mess, and for a good reason.  The audiobook room is undergoing some remodleing and we will soon have six wi-fi stations for our patrons to use.  The wi-fi stations will have access to electrical outlets so that users can plug in their laptops instead of working off their batteries. 

On 23 September 2013 the first Brown Bag Classics Club will meet for the first time.  This book club will feature classic works in literature that many have always wanted to read but just didn't know where to start.  The first book we will read will be, "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.  It was made into a movie in the late 1940's with Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy.  It is on the light side but a good book to get started in reading of the classics.  Future books to be read will be books by Hemingway, Austen, Verne, Cooper, and so on.  Bring your lunch and book to the Library basement and we will have a good discussion.  The Library will provide coffee and water.

In the vestibule of the Library you will see the Lost & Found box next to the display case.  This is for items of clothing, tote-bags, and such.  We will keep ojbects in the box for 60 days after which they will be discarded. 

Anyone who has volunteered at the Library in the past year, there will be a reception for you at the Library on 20 August 2013 at 3:00 p.m. There will be some cake and punch served and it will last about one hour.
If you can phone in and let us know if you are coming before Monday 19 August 2013, it would be greatly appreciated.

Remember to eject the DVD from the player before returning the movie case to the Library.  Since the end of Summer Reading, we have had a couple of occassions where this has happened. 

Keep reading, it keeps your mind alert.

John

Planning time

8 August 2013

Looking at the Library calender, you would think that August is a quiet month for the Library but actually, it is one of the busier times for us.  This is the time of year when we sit down and plan out our programs for the next eight months.  We will be trying to better schedule older programs so they are more accessible for all patrons and we will also be looking at adding a few new programs.  The Library will offer two new programs for the adults this fall and I will go into it more in next week's posting.

The big news is that this month we are converting our audiobook room to accommodate at least four wi-fi users. With an older building like ours, there is a limited number of electrical outlets where patrons need them to plug-in their laptops, this has led us to create the wi-fi room.  There will also be some extra shelving in the adult fiction area which will allow us to shift the books so that they can be easily removed from the shelf. We should even have enough room to add to our collection.

I know a lot of people feel they should put a book back on the shelf after they have taken it to a table or chair and used it.  We are grateful for your concern but please put them on the carts at the ends of the aisles.  When we make our yearly report to the Library of Michigan, they want to know how many of our materials are being used, when the books are returned to the carts, we can take those books and scan the barcodes so we can get a count on the materials used in the library.  On the state-aid form there is a space for the number of materials used in the library so by returning the books to the carts, you are doing us a much greater service.

We will hold a reception for all the volunteers who have helped at the Library this past year.  It will be held on Tuesday, 20 August 2013, at 3:00 p.m.  If you have not received and invitation and you have volunteered and would like to attend, contact me at 649-1648 and let me know you will be attending.  Cake and punch will be served at the reception and it will last about an hour or a bit longer.

I want to thank everyone in the community for making our Summer Reading program one of the most successful ones that we have had.  The support of the local merchants was very high and people who donated to the support of the program.  Especially to all the students who did such a great job reading.

Until next week, keep on reading, John

Half way through summer

31 July 2013

A we enter into the last half of summer the work at the library continues.  Summer reading in now complete and Miss Kristy and Miss Beth will have the winners posted on the library website shortly.  The month of August will have us planning our programs for the next six to eight months.  I want to thank everyone who helped make this summer reading program such a success.  From the folkes who volunteered their time to those who donated monety and the ones who donated prizes, to all of you a big thank you.  Our programs could not be as successful without you.

The library and all public libraries in the state will become access points for the ExpressSOS program.  This is a program that addresses the closing of branches of the Secretary of State offices throughout the state.  People can come into the library and we will help you access the Secretary of State website.  Patrons will be able to: Renew or replace standard drivers' license or state I.D. cards.

                Renew vehicle tabs

                Obtain replacement vehicle title or registration

                Submit a chang of address

                Join the organ donor registry and much more!

This does not mean we will be able to answer questions on state laws and regulation or collect money for the fees the Secretary of State charges.  We will only be an access point.  If you have questions a toll free phone number will be posted for patrons to use.

I would like to point out that the library gets no monetary consideration from the State to be partners with the State in this State mandated program.

We still need workable used cassette players for our children's listen and read station.  Any working player is greatly appreciated. 

Lots of things going on at the library in the fall and as soon as we get our schedule set, we will post it to our webpage.

Until next week, keep reading.

Johnn

24 July 2013

Summer Reading is in its last week.   Make sure you have all of your sheets updated by 5:00 p.m., our closing time, on Saturday.  Remembet the end of Summer Reading party is on Thursday afternoon at 2:00 pm here at the library.  You can phone the library and get the details on the time and place for the party.  Teens and Tweens, your Summer Reading program also ends on Saturday and the end of program party will be on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at the library. 

Join us on Monday, August 5th at 10:30 a.m. we will have a drop-in tutoring session!  Bring your laptops, your phones, your tablets and most of all, your questions and receive one on one help from Beth.

ThisVicksburg Summer Festival is being held on July 25,26 and 27 on the grounds of the historic village.  This is a great event for the community and I encourage everyone to attend at least one day.  I want to point out that the Lions Club will have Kidsight Vision Screening set-up.  It is a free eye screening and it is very important for your child.  Children with poor vision tend to do poorly in school and can also find learning boring or incomprehensible.  I have been wearing glasses since I was eleven and I know what it is like to see the world with fuzzy vision.  Here at the library we encourage reading because reading makes good students that retain what they learn longer. Without good eyesight, reading is unenjoyable and avoided no matter what your age.  So take your children to the Summer Festival and get the free eyescreening plus there will also be children's games, clowns and a raffle for the children.

When you want to give a special gift or remember someone dear to you, a memorial donation is a perfect answer.  The book you purchase for the occassion will have a bookplate placed on the inside of the book.

We have free copies of the South County News available at the library.  This is a great paper as it covers the news in the Brady, Schoolcraft, Vicksburg and other areas in the south county area that are not covered by the Kalamazoo Gazatte.  Read the South County News and get a subscription for this hometown paper.

That's it for this week, be safe and have a great time in the friendliest place in Michigan

John

  

July 17

The Summer Reading Program continues to roll with our weekly programs.  Thanks to all the volunteers who have been helping out at the craft tables for the younger children.  Only 10 days are left for the program. 

With all of the hot and muggy days, it makes good weather to read or watch a good movie.  Our circulation figures show that a lot of people have been doing that this summer. 

Are you having problems working on our computer?  On August 5, Beth is having a walk-in computer training session at 10:30 a.m.  So bring your laptop or come in and sign onto one of our computers and get some help with your problem.

As I was driving over the weekend the idea of how classic literature is being ignored.  Part of it is because we were forced to read something by Charles Dickens or Shakespeare  in high school and it has left a bad memory for many of us.  Yet most of the classics are still an enjoyable read today.  H.G. Wells the War of the Worlds and the Time Machine are a must read for anyone who likes science fiction as is Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Mysterious Island.  Frankenstein is a popular movie monster and it is based on the book by Mary Shelly written over 100 years ago.  Maybe you like something more in historical fiction?  A Tale of Two Cities is an exciting book set at the time of the French Revolution.  The Virginian by Owen Wister was the first western written and set the pattern for all westerns since.  One of the most overlooked authors of the 19th century is Robert Louis Stevenson.  He wrote novels, poetry and short stories.  What boy doesn't like prirates and has been captivated by Stevenson's famous Treasure Island?  Moms over the world have read from his, Child's Garden of Verses and the ultimate monster tale, The strange case of Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde has fascinated readers for generations.  I can go on about books that were number one best sellers like Henry Sienkiewicz's  With Fire and Sword, the first book in the Polish Trilogy.  The books cover the wars fought by Poland against Sweden, the Turks and Russia in the 17th century.  If you like Bernard Cornwell's books you would enjoy the works of Sienkiewicz. 

You may wonder where all this rambing is going.  In the fall I will be starting a book discussion group and we will read some of the classics from the 19th century and early 20th century.  We haven't set the day yet but it will meet at noon and participants will bring in their lunch.  The library will supply water and coffee.  We will eat our lunch and discuss the book or author of the month.  If you have ever thought to yourself, "I would really like to read some of the classics."  This is your chance.  More details will follow.

Write to you again next week

Pinch pots and pet rocks

This week the main program for the children's summer reading program was held on Wednesday.  The children were seperated into two groups to accommodate all that came to the program.  One group met by the fireplace where Library Board member Cheryl Lee read a story to the children.  The other group went down to the meeting room and made pinch pots from modelers clay add decorated pet rocks and placed them in their pots.    The children had a great time and their pots were very well done.  We still have two weeks to go and if you want to volunteer to help at the programs, call the library and ask for Kristy, your help would be appreciated.

When you use the computers in the library you may find that you need to save what you have been working on but you can't save it on the computer and you don't have a thumb drive.  The library now has 64mb thumb drives available at the circulation desk for $5.00. 

Some of the new books in the library.  You may notice that I usually list non-fiction books and there is a reason for that, I order the non-fiction.  With that being said here are some books I am sure you will enjoy.

Wildflowers of Michigan by Stan Tekiela and Butterflies of Michigan by Jaret C. Daniels:  Both of these books are excellent field guides to the wide variety of flowers and butterflies that inhabit Michigan.  The books are arranged by the main color of the flower or butterfly to help for quick search when you are out in the field.  Two great books for the nature lovers.

The complete stories of Ambrose Bierce:  Before there was the Twilight Zone, there was Ambrose Bierce. This collection of short stories are as exciting and eerie as when they were written over a hundred years ago.

Carrie and me: A mother-daughter love story: by Carol Burnett:  A mother's memorial to her daughter who died young.  A story that includes Hollywood stars and the mundane duties that make up daily life.  It is a sad story that is told with a love only a mother can have for her children.  You really need to read this book.

Bunker Hill: A city, a siege, a revolution: Nathaniel Philbrick latest book on early American History.  As children we all were told about Paul Revere's ride and about the Battle of Bunker Hill but there was never a connection made between the two events. Philbrick does and excellent job on taking the reader along the path of the American Revolution in this highly readable story of the beginning of American Independence.

That's it for this week,
John 

Director's Blog

July 3.2013

The Summer Reading program is nearing the half way mark and the  enthusiasm of the children continues wth good attendence for our weekly programs.  The pre-schoolers got to make catapillars out of old egg cartons and the teens made fruit smoothies.  The parents have been very helpful at the programs with helping their children with the pasting and painting of their projects.

A new addition to the children's area is the listening station. Parents with their children or the children alone can sit down in a big, comfortable chair and listen to a book. It is proving to be very popular but our cassette players are all older machines.  So I ask our patrons if they have a cassette player that they are no longer using if they would donate it to the library?  Even if it is an old Fischer-Price cassette player we would be more than happy to have it.

Check-out the exhibit in our display case this month.  It is a display on hostas and it is very informative.  I did not realize that there are over 3,000 kinds of hostas and that they are native to Japan.  It is really a great exhibt.

Everybody has someone in the family that is impossible to shop for.  Usually it is an older family member who has everything they want and if they need something they go a buy it.  The library can help solve your dilema.  Buy them a book for the library.  We will put a plate in the book that recognizes the donation of the book for that person.  For examle: This book donated in honor of John Doe's 75th birthday.

New Books on the shelf this week:
Threat Vector by Tome Clancy
The Quarryman's Bride : A Land of shining water series book by Tracie Peterson
Until the end of time by Danielle Steele

Have a happy and safe 4th of July

John

What a fantastic response to the Summer Reading Program!  Last week I challenged parents and caregivers to bring the number of children registered for the program to 400.  Miss Kristi gave me the number signed up as of 3:00 p.m. today and I am proud to announce that we now have 405 children registered.  Miss Beth has over 60 teens and tweens signed on for her part of the summer reading program.

The next program we have scheduled is on June 20 at 3:00 p.m.  Miss Beth is going to show the teens and tweens how to make a magic eight balll.  At 7:00 p.m. Miss Kristi will have a program for the youngsters with Ben Jammin'.  Both programs will be held in the basement.

The Library Board meets on June 20 and this month the meeting will be held in the Heritage Room as the basement is being used for the above mentioned programs.  The Board meetings are open to the public.

Some great new books that are on the NEW SHELF of the non-fiction are:
The Gluten-free Kitchen by Sue Shepherd  100 recipes that range from soups and main dishes to desserts

Outlaw:  Waylon, Willie Kris, and the Renegades of Nashville by Michael Streissguth  The story of how Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristophferson pioneered modern country music.

Anyone who had a Heart: My Life and Music by Burt Bacharach with Robert Greenfield   Burt Bacharach tells his story from his love of music and the fame it brought him to his private life where three marriages and the loss of a daughter were never seen in public 

Teach Yourself Visually Microsoft Office 2010 by Kate Shoup  A step by step guide that leads you through all the buttons and menus in the Office suite with chapters on Basic Office, Word, Excel, Power Point and Publisher among others.  You do each step in each program, not just read how to do it. 

Have a wonderful week and I will see you at the Library

John

Happy Wednesday,

This year's summer reading program has gotten off to a great start.  So far we have over 300 children registered for the program.  Registration continues throughout the program so I challenge the parents out there to register their children for the program so we can have 400 active readers.  Children who read in the summer have an easier time remembering what they have learned at school the previous year. 

The Binder Park Zoo program filled before noon on Monday but we still have openings for the Kalamazoo Nature Center program on July 24.

There has been an error on the program schedule calender.  The calender has the time of 2:00 P.M. but the sign up sheet had 11 to noon.  Miss Kristi will contact all who are signed up on the exact time. 

Last night Beth held the Zombie Prom for the teens.  Everyone has a great time getting made up as a Zombie and participating in the activities for the program.

With the early fruits and vegatables coming to harvest, check out the books on canning and preserving, jams and jellies and freezing the harvest from the library.  Canning and preserving is a good learning activity to do with your children, they not only learn a skill but they gain a better understanding of how food moves from the fields to their plates. 

Thank you for all who came to the Book Sale last week-end. the Library Ladies work hard on getting the books organized through the year and really out do themselves with the set-up the week of the sale.  All the proceeds from the book sale go to suppor the Children's department.  We have started to accept donations for next years book sale.

I will write again next week so you can keep up with the goings on at the library.  Until then be safe.

John

Hello,

This is a big weekend in Vicksburg as well as at the library.  There will be a car show, pancake breakfast and art show over the weekend.  Of course the Farmer's Market on Friday with a lot of great food and crafts.  Homemade maple syrup, locally havested honey, handmade cutting boards, and beefalo is just the beginnig of all that the vendors have for sale.  The early vegetables are starting to come in so they will be available now. 

For the Library, the annual booksale begins at 10:00 a.m. on Friday and runs until 5:00 p.m.  The hours will be the same for Saturday.  Come to the library and go downstairs, the books are sorted out and fill our basement.  I have been down there looking at the titles and the assortment is amazing.  From mysteries to westerns, from children's to professional. 

Summer Reading sign up begins on Monday, 6 June, at 10:00 in the morning.  Grade school children will need to have a parent or guardian to register.  Tweens and teens can register for the program on their own but if they need a card, a parent will need to come in with them. The first children's program, Binder Park Zoo, is limited to 150 attendees by Zoo policy.  If you want to attend this program you must register to attend when you register for the Summer Reading program.   Only those who are registered will be allowed admitance into this program.  No other children's program has limited registration.  For Young Adults, their first program, Zombie Prom, requires registration and only those who are pre-registered will be allowed
entrance that night. Other Young Adult will also require registration but it will not be limited.

Registration will continue throughout the reading program and the program is open to all children in the south county area.  If the child does not live in the Vicksburg District Library service area (Brady and Schoolcraft Townships and Village of Vicksburg) or in the contract townships, (Wakeshma and Pavillion Townships),  a special summer reading card will be issued to them that expires on 8/31/2013.

Until next week, be safe and keep reading

John

29 May 2013

Next week is the Library book sale.  The proceeds from the book sale is the main source of funds for the children's books for the year.  There are a lot of books, from poetry to children's books.  There are romances, classic literature, biographies, best sellers, history and more.  This year we also have some audio books on tape and videocassette tapes.  Remember the book sale June 7th,  8th and 10th .

During the course of the year we loose loved ones and family and friends like to remember them with a donation.  Remember the library when considering a donation.  In the past we have purchased books, furniture and equipment for the library.  The books that we purchase can be designated by the family to purchase a specific book or type of book, for example: mysteries, art books, cookbooks, books on hunting or a sport.  Every book purchased for a memorial donation has a book plate placed inside the front cover. All donations are greatly appreciated.

Summer reading kicks off on June 10th.  If you are able to volunteer for one or two hours a week during the program, please contact Kristie or Beth at 649-1648.  Remember that the 10th is the kick-off day but you can register anytime during the program.  Parents or caregivers must come in to register the students. 

Congratulations to all of the graduating seniors especially to our library page, Molly Ouvry.  May they all find success in the occupations they have chosen to follow. 

Until next week,

John
  

It's been awhile

It has been awhile since I posted here last, so let's catch up.

The Adult Winter Reading Program is over and the top winners have been listed on our homepage.  The big prize this year was a night at the Kalamazoo House bed & breakfast and a gift card for dinner at the Great Lakes Shipping Co.  

We are gearing up for Summer Reading.  The first day to sign up will be on June 10 and continue everyday through the program.  The first program, Binder Park Zoo, will be on Wednesday, June 12, at 2:00 p.m.  This programs you need to register to attend.  Because of the animals the performers ask that the number of people who can attend is limited to 120.
We will also have programs for pre-schoolers as well as the elementary students.  We do need volunteers to help out on all the programs, between 4-6 per program would help us a lot.

Miss Beth kicks off her Tween/Teen part of the program with a Zombie Prom on Tues, June 11.  Dress as a zombie and we will have volunteers to apply the make-up for the proper zombie look.

We invite everyone to take part in the summer reading festival this year.  Parents need to register their children.  As in past years, we do offer the Summer Reading Card, for those students who do not live in the Vicksburg District Library service area.

That's all for today,

I will write again next week