26 March 2014

Sunday is the last day to turn in you slips for the Grand Prize drawing for the Adult Winter Reading Program. The drawing will take place on Monday morning, 31 March. There is still time to get at least one entry into the drawing. If you are at least 14 years old and would like to work in the Library, we have an opening coming up for the page position. We are looking for someone who is able to work late afternoons from 3-5 two days a week and alternate Fridays and Saturdays from 3-5. You need to be able to lift at least 50 pounds and take an ability test. The successful candidate will start in May. While the minimum age for the position is 14, anyone older who would be available during the scheduled hours is welcome to apply. The Library has the Federal 1040, 1040 EZ and 1040A tax forms and instruction booklets as well as the State tax booklets with the forms. They are available until they are gone, the Library WILL NOT reoder any forms or booklets this year. Later in April the Library will be hosting the PNC Bank Financial Basics workshops they will cover using a checkbook, credit cards, budgeting and other basic financil facts you need to know. It is open to the public but we must restrict it to about 25 people. These are free workshops and sign-up sheets will be available after April 1. Pawsome readers will be in the Library on April 15 from 4-6 and April 17 from 5-7. Sign-up sheets are now at the circulation desk. Please call or register in person, no emails please. National Library Week is April 13-19 and this year we will forgive the fines on print materials that are returned that week. The amnesty is only on print materials. You will still have to pay the overdue fines for CD's and DVD's. A reminder; there is no eating allowed in the stack area of the library. The only areas where the public may eat is in the meeting room in the lower level of the library. Drinks are allowed if they are in covered containers and you are not using a computer. We appreciate your cooperation on this. In April, the staff picks for reading will feature books make into movies. The books and the pick card for the movie will be displayed so you can watch the movie and compare it with the book. To Kill a Mocking Bird, Gone With the Wind, The Hunger Games, The Bourne Identity, and Jurassic Park are examples of books made into movies. What do you do when you have a DVD that freezes up or an audio book that skips and stutters? When you return the item, let a staff person know. Most of the time the disk needs to be cleaned. We are able to clean them so they are ready for circulation. If a book has pages coming loose or if they get torn, let the staff know and we can repair it and put it back into circulation. The book for the Thursday Book Club is Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline and the Brown Bag Classics Club will be reading poetry for the month of April. Did you know what the words rant, undress, frugal, courtship, gloomy and laughable have in common? They were all credited as being created by William Shakespeare. In all, Shakespeare is credited with introducing over 1,700 words into the English language. In Shakespeare's lifetime over 30,000 words were added to the English language. Remember that the Library appreciates all gifts and donations for the support of the library and to purchase materials for public use. Until next week, continue to read and stay safe. John Sheridan

19 March 2014 Only 11 days remaining in the Adult Winter Reading program. Still possible for you to enter for the Grand Prize drawing of tickets for two to see, Boeing, Boeing and Annie Get Your Gun. Remember view, read or listen to 15 titles from the library collection of movies, books and audiobooks and you get one chance for the drawing. For the first ten titles, you get an insulated lunch bag and for every five titles you view, read or listen to after the initial fifteen books and you get an additional entry for the Grand Prize. There will also be second and third place prizes. April is National Poetry month and to celebrate, the Brown Bag Classics Book Club will be reading and discussing poetry, especially from authors works before 1950. We have several books on poetry behind the circulation desk. So if your tastes run toward Longfellow or Dickinson, Stephen Benet to Edna St. Vincent Benet, pick up a poetry book and join in the discussion. In April we will be changing circulation systems. The new system allows us to contact you by email. It sends a reminder two days ahead of the due date on long term check outs and then sends out the overdues by email. Staff will be asking you if you want to notified by email when you check out. The new module for the catalog will show you the cover of the book in most cases and give a short description of the book. If you are looking to do some volunteer work, the Library needs someone to come in once or twice a week to pull obituaries from the papers and funeral home websites, make copies of the obituaries and place the copies in the obituary binder. We are also looking for a page. Our page, Kylie, is a senior in high school and will be leaving us by the first of May. The page works six hours a week, alternating Fridays and Saturdays with the other page. You must be at least 14 years of age,be a freshman or will be a freshman by September and have reliable transportation. Apply in person at the Library. Looking for something good to read? On the southside of the circulation desk we have a cart of books with the staff best reads. This month we are concentrating on fiction. In April we will have books made into movies. Remember that we display books on the window sill in the magazine section. Next month we will have our gardening books out so you can get your lawn, gardens and flower beds ready for the new growing season. Traveling? Check out our audiobook collection. A great way to make a long drive enjoyable. Until next week, stay safe. John Sheridan, Director

5 March 2014 It's March and still feels like January. Stay inside, keep warm and read a good book! This is the last month of the Adult Winter Reading Program and there is still time to participate. After you register at the Library, for every five titles you read, view or listen to, count toward the fifteen titles you need to get an entry slip for the Grand Drawing. For every five titles you read after the first fifteen, you get an addition entry slip for the Grand Prize. The Grand Prize this year is two tickets for the play Boeing, Boeing in April and two tickets to see the musical Annie Get Your Gun in April at the Kalamazoo Community Theather. The program ends on March 30 and the drawing is on March 31. Come in and see the new paint job at the Library. It is hard to believe what a difference a new coat of paint can make. When the sun shines in the afternoon, the adult area just glows in a warm light. Much better than the putty color of the walls before. Our Board President, Judy Imanse, chose the colors and the Library looks fabulous. This part of the renovation was paid from the Library's endowment fund. The fund is set up to allow part of the interest accrued to be put into a fund that the Library can use for projects such as the painting. You can donate to our endowment fund by designating a gift to the Library to be deposited to the fund. Other areas that you can donate to help the Library are for the Summer Reading Program, toward the purchase of books, DVD's, CD's magazines or other Library materials. In spite of the increased costs to the library because of inflation, the Library has been able to maintain a high level service because of the generous donations of Library patrons. The selected author for the Brown Bag Classic Book Club is Ernest Hemingway. We have severl of his works available behind the circulation desk. Come and join us on March 17, at noon in the meeting room in the basement. Bring your lunch along and enjoy the discussion. Next month is National Poetry month and we will feature American poets. Keep warm and we'll see you at the Library for a book or a movie or an audiobook. John

12 February 2014 Today is the traditional Lincoln's Birthday. It is also the birthday of Charles Darwin one of the early pioneers of evolution. These are just some of the fun facts you can learn by going through the almanacs and other non-fiction works at the Library. The Guiness Book of World Records, The Statistical Abstract of the United States and other books all subjects from A-Z are available for your reseach or just for personal enjoyment. The non-fiction area of the library can help you grow a garden or provide a recipe for you to cook and enjoy what you grow. Learn how to knit or build a backyard shed or enjoy a true crime book or learn the history of the American Civil War. The hidden gem of the Library is its non-fiction collection. Come in and enjoy the real world. The Adult Winter Reading Program is near the half way mark. There is still plenty of time for you to register and be added into the drawing for the grand prize. The Grand Prize is two tickets to see the comedy, Boeing, Boeing and two tickets to see the musical Annie Get Your Gun at the Kalamazoo Community Theater. The program ends March 30 and the drawing is March 31. After you register you need to read, listen or view fifteen titles from the library to get a chance to enter the drawing and for every five titles you read, listen or view after the first fifteen earns you an additional entry for the drawing. After the first ten titles, you win an insulated lunch bag. Register today! We are having the Library interior repainted next week. So that the painters can get the bulk of the work done as quickly as possible, the Library will be closed for normal business on Wednesday and Thursday, the 19 and 20 of February. We regret the inconvenience to our patrons. The Michigan and Federal tax forms are starting to come into the library. Yes we do have the home heating credit booklets and the Federal 1040 forms and booklets. Remember, you can get the forms you need online by going to irs.gov for the Federal and Michigan.gov/taxes for the state forms. The Brown Bag Classics Book Club meets on Monday at noon in the meeting room. This month we are reading Jane Austen. Come in and join the conversation. Next month we will be reading Ernest Hemmingway. This next week, Miss Kristy will be out of town so there will be no story-times. They will resume on February 24. On Friday mornings at 11:00 a.m., Andrea will be available for tech tutoring. If you are trying to set up an ipad, iphone, tablet or other device, she will help you get started. We are accepting books and audio/visual materials for the annual booksale held in June. The only items we do not accept are encyclopedias and magazines. The proceeds from the booksale go to support children's services. If you are looking to do some volunteer work, the Library is looking for someone to process the obituaries of persons who have died in the Library service area or who grew up in Vicksburg. It usually takes about two hours a day, two days a week. If you are interested, contact the library at 649-1648 or come in the Library for more information. It is supposed to warm up to the high twenties this coming week so keep warm and keep reading. John Sheridan, Director

5 February 2014 Happy Mid-Winter! The first week of February is the middle week to the winter, hopefully the second half will not be as bad as the first half. It is light out until after 6:00 p.m. and the sun is up before 8:00 a.m. Come on Spring! February has a lot of holidays also. Lincoln's Birthday on the 12th, Washington's Birthday on the 22nd, Presidents Day on the 17th and Valentine's Day on the 14th. To help celebrate Valentine's Day, our reference librarian, Andrea, has put together a Blind Date With a Book display. All of the books are wrapped so you cannot see the title. On the front there is a heart with a brief description of the book. For instance: Mystery, set in England, popular author. It could be a romance or a mystery or even a classic title. It is great way to try a new author or reconnect with an old friend. Remember to register for the Adult Winter Reading Program. Any fifteen titles that you read, view or listen to earns you an entry for the Grand Prize and for every five titles after the initial fifteen earns and extra entry. The Grand Prize is two tickets to see Boeing, Boeing and two tickets to see Annie Get Your Gun at the Kalazamoo Civic Theatre. If you read, view or listen to ten items, you earn a lunch cooler. The contest ends on March 30, and the drawing is being held on March 31. With weather like we have been having, earning entries will be easy as cake. Later this month the library will be having the interior re-painted. We are scheduled for the 19th. This is a Wednesday and we do not have programs on that day. We may have to close early on the 18th and delay opening on the 20th. We will let everyone know as we get nearer to the day. This will be the first time the library has been re-painted since the addition was put on in 1983. We are seeking grants to replace the carpet on the main floor of the library as that is getting worn and stained. Did you know that the Vicksburg District Library has an endowment fund through the Kalamazoo Foundation? A donation to the endowment fund is tax dedctable, as are all donations to the library, and it helps the library. The fund grants a part of the earned interest to the library for library needs. It does not need to be spent every year but it is there. The painting that will be done in the library this year will be almost entirely financed from the grantable part of the endowment. A donation to the library is an investment in the community. Unwanted books and dvd's and cd's can be donated to the library for the Annual Book Sale run by the Ladies Library Auxilary. Please no encyclopedias, or magazines. Stay warm, read a good book and visit us here at the library. John

30 January 2014

30 January 2014 This January has been a wild ride for southwest Michigan. We were closed Sunday through Tuesday because of the snow and the extreme cold. When we close, we will post the closing on WWMT Channel 3. Still plenty of time to sign up for the Adult Winter Reading Program. You have to be 18 years old or older and have a card to the Vicksburg District Library. The grand prize is a pair of tickets to see Boeing, Boeing and a pair of tickets to see Annie Get Your Gun. To earn a chance at the grand prize you need to read, listen or view fifteen titles of library materials. Every five titles you read, listen or view earns an extra grand prize entry. The more you read, listen and view the more chances you earn. After you read, listen or view ten titles, you get an insulated lunch cooler. With all the foul weather we have been having, many have been spending a lot of time indoors, the Adult Winter Reading program is meant for you. The next Brown Bag Classics Club will be on Monday, February 17, at noon in the library meeting room. This month we are reviewing the works of Jane Austen. In the past few years there has been a revival of her works, it gives the reader a glimpse of upper class British society two hundred years ago. Later this month we will be having the interior of the library repainted. We will be closing on Wednesday, February 19, so the painter can work unimpeded. That Tuesday and Thursday we may have to close early to remove the books from the shelving and to replace the books after the paint is dry. I will keep everyone informed on the times when we will be closed or open but with a bit of inconvenience for our patrons. While you are in the library and you want to try something different, we have Staff Favorite reads on the cart on the right side (as you enter)of the circulation desk. We are featuring fiction this quarter. On the top of the short bookcases under the window by the magazines we have our theme reads. These are books that are on one topic. This month we are featuring vegatarian cooking. For February we will feature love and romance in honor of Valentine's Day with a Blind Date With a Book. The books are wrapped and on the cover they will have the type of book on the front for instance, mystery, western, suspense, romance, classic, poetry, history. You may keep the book or return it to the library for the book sale. Coming in April, the library will join with PNC Bank on a series of workshops on financial management. How to make a budget, manage a checkbook and how to manage a credit card. The programs will be held at the library from 10:15 to 11:30. Later blogs will give more detail on the programs, dates and how to register to attend. Until next week, keep safe and warm John Sheridan, Director

January 22,2014

January 22,2014 Only two more months of winter are left. Just think, at the beginning of the month it was dark just after 5:00 and now it is still a bit light at 5:30. So as you are wondering how to pass the time until spring, I would suggest taking part in the Adult Winter Reading Program. It is easy to participate. Just register for the program at the Library then listen, view or read 10 items from the library and you win a cooler lunch bag. Read, listen or view five more items and you get to register for our Grand Prize. For every five items you read, view, listen to after the first fifteen, you get another entry slip for the Grand Prize. Our Grand Prize this year is two tickets to see the play Boeing, Boeing in April and two tickets to see Annie Get Your Gun in May at the Kalamazoo Community Theather. With the temperatures where they are, participating in our program is a great way to pass the time. If you have some books you want to donate, bring them to the Library. The Library will evaluate each book and what books we can use in our collection then we will catalog and get it on the shelf. If we cannot use the books,they are given to the Ladies' Library Auxiliary where they are sorted and put into the annual book sale. The money from the book sale goes to support Children's Services at the Library. Don't forget, we are always willing to accept monetary donations at the Library to help us get new books, movies and audio books and other needs of the library. If you would rather volunteer to help out at the library, we have different needs throughout the year especially for Summer Reading. Next month we will need volunteers to help us move books off some of the shelves as we get ready to have the interior painted. As most know, Rachel, our day clerk, fell and broke her arm last week. She is having pins put in today and we will be able to learn when she is well enough to come back to work. I know many patrons miss her and are looking forward to her return. The Brown Bag Classic Book Club will meet next on February 17, at noon. This month we are reading the works of Jane Austen. Austen is currently experiencing a revival and many have not read any of her works. I know that I have never read anything by her. This month we are featuring Vegetarian Cookbooks. They are displayed on the window sill in the magazine area of the library. Check these and other cookbooks out. The staff favorite fiction books are on display at the end of the circulation counter facing the reference desk. These are books our staff have enjoyed and it may introduce you to a new author or maybe to an old author that you had enjoyed in the past. Drive and walk safely when you go out. Roads and sidewalks may look clean but even a little ice can make you slip. Until next week, keep reading John Sheridan, Director