Despicable Me!

So...my all time favorite movie of this year just came out on DVD today...Despicable Me!!! For those of you who have yet to see this fantastic movie, shame! It's so much fun.

My top three reasons why I love this movie:
1. Someday I will have my own group of minions to do my evil bidding.
2. I love bedtime stories. Especially those read by an evil supervillain.
3. It's so fluffy, I could die.

And Chicken Little said...

"The sky is falling..."
Well at least it is...sort of...but you'd think we were getting an apocalyptic blizzard with the way the grocery store was this afternoon! It's only 1-3 inches kids. It'll be gone by Sunday. Promise.

Okay...so...

Yeah...I haven't had a lot to talk about lately and that's why I've been a bit lazy in blogging. (Apparently, there are people who do actually read my blog and I've even had some comment that it's been awhile!) Anyways, not only have I been lazy about blogging, I've been lazy about programming this past fall too. But, I'm in the process of planning some super cool stuff for 2011!

Here's what I can tell you so far:

On Wednesday, January 12th at 6:30pm our Big Read Book Club will be meeting for the third time. "What is the Big Read Book Club," you ask? Well, it is a new book club that I introduced here after receiving free materials from the National Endowment of the Arts. The purpose of the Big Read is to promote literacy and reading within communities. And of course, to pick up a really good book! Here's a link for more info: http://www.neabigread.org/ Our selection for January is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. I know there are several copies available in the system for checkout, and I will also have some available (hopefully) by the middle of December. There are also readers guides that give wonderful insight into the book and the authors, that will be available behind the front desk for those interested. I hope to see some new faces!

For those of you with kids in school, on Monday, January 17th at 2pm, Alicia and I will be giving a demonstration on a super new uber cool program we now offer called Brainfuse. Brainfuse connects students with live tutors via the internet to offer them homework help in a number of subjects. There are also practice tests for various school subjects, as well as the SAT and ACT. It's a really neat-o program that I wish I would have had access to when I was in school (eons ago...). So, for those interested, I will have a sign up sheet at the front desk.

On Saturday, January 22nd at 4pm, I will be hosting a cookie swap. That's right, I said it...cookie swap. Because in all honesty, who needs vegetables?! Everyone will need to bring a copy of their favorite cookie recipe as well as a hearty sample to share. I will be making copies of the recipes that evening for everyone to take home! Sign up is required and is limited to those 18 years and older. Cookies! Cookies! Cookies!

Finally, on Thursday, January 27th at 6:30pm, I will be offering a class on JobNow and other excellent job search databases. JobNow is another extension of Brainfuse, but is specifically for job skills. They offer live one-on-one job coaching, resume help, and interviewing skills. I will also be sharing some wonderful information I received from an online class I took this fall about job searching. If you're struggling to find a job, or need some help tweaking that resume, this is the place to be! I will have a sign-up at the front desk! Don't wait!

Well, that's about it for now. I'm in the process of trying to finalize some more programs for February.

Until my next whine...peace out...

Old School

Patron: "Do you know if this book has one of those numbers that you can put into easy bib to get the record?"

Me: "I honestly don't know, I always did my own bib records when I was in school."

Patron: "Yeah, that's how we do it these days."

It's official...I am now old school.

I had nothing to do with this...

For the record: I had nothing to do with sticking Pat in the book drop bin. It was Laure's idea. And yes, that is Pat's hand sticking out of the book drop hole in the desk. And yes, we shoved her under the counter so that she could do that. All in a day's work...

Free to Read, You and Me

HAPPY BANNED BOOKS WEEK!


Remember: "A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone"-- Jo Godwin

Heck yeah, programs!

First off, can I just say that if you missed our Edgar Allen Poe program on September 17th, shame on you! It was A-MA-ZING! And just to prove to you how amazing it was, here's some pictures that our handy dandy, bearded wonder, Len Struttmann, took that evening:



Duffy Hudson (the actor who portrayed Poe) was an absolute delight as a performer and afterwords as himself. His riveting performances of The Tell-Tale Heart, Annabelle Lee, and The Raven captivated the entire audience. So if you missed it, well, too bad for you! It was awesome!

But have no fear, we still have some other fun programs in store for you. Coming up on Thursday, September 30th at 6:30pm is the newest book club to join our ranks here at Hiawatha. The Big Read Book Club will make its dazzling debut! Our first selection will be none other than To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I chose this one first because it is the 50th anniversary of its publication and also because it seemed a fitting way to celebrate Banned Books Week. Believe it or not, To Kill a Mockingbird was the 4th challenged book in the United States for 2009. 4th! After 50 years, people still find a reason to challenge this book! Most ironically, the number one reason for the challenges is racism. Evidently they haven't read the book...anyways, to get back to the whole point of this, come out and join our new book club! I should mention, that sign up is limited to 8 participants, and each one receives a free copy of the book and a nifty little reader's guide.

On Wednesday's in October from 5:30-7:30pm you can learn to crochet with the lovely Katy. She will be sharing her expertise and mad skills with anyone who wants to learn! And when I say mad skills, I mean the woman can crochet! There is no cost for this program except that you will need to purchase the materials for whatever project you wish to complete. Here's a list of the projects you can choose from:

Fall 2010 - Crochet Classes for Hiawatha Library

Easy Crochet Gifts for the Holidays

#1 - Spa Cloths - Crochet them in several colors, tie together with a ribbon or add to a pretty basket of bath goodies.

Materials:

1 ball cotton worsted sized yarn ie: Sugar’n Cream or Peaches and Cream, etc

5.0 mm [US H-8] crochet hook

Scissors

Yarn needle (Fat eye)

#2 – iPod/MP3 Holder - A handy way to carry around iPods, or cell phones! Add embellishments to personalize for a fun gift.

Materials:

1 ball worsted sized yarn – Varigated yarns work nice for this

5.0 mm (US H-8) crochet hook

Scissors

Yarn Needle (fat eye)

Sewing thread and sewing needle

Embelishments:

Cute buttons, or lace, or ribbon, or small sew on patches, etc.

#3 – Cozy Neckwarmer – Quick to crochet these buttoned mini-scarves make easy gift giving and easy wear for the lucky people who receive one.

Materials:

150 yards Worsted sized yarn – wool, wool blend or acrylic

2 – 3/4 inch buttons – match or contrast button color to yarn

5.0 mm (US H-8) crochet hook

Scissors

Yarn Needle (fat eye)

Sewing thread and sewing needle

#4 - Winter Bucket Hat - Made plain it’s a perfect gift for men or women, add crocheted flowers for extra cuteness.

Materials:

2 balls Bulky or Super Bulky yarn; wool, wool blend or acrylic

9.0 mm (US M/N) crochet hook

Scissors

Yarn needle (fat eye)

For Crocheted Flower:

1 ball contrasting Sport weight yarn: wool, wool blend or acrylic

5 mm [US H/8] crochet hook

Well, that's about all for now. I hope to see you all at one of our programs this fall! Yippee!

Which of these things is not like the other?

Can you guess what's wrong with these two pictures?


Jean had made the top for our little announcements board several weeks ago. It was only today that Alicia realized that it said "Dancing with Scissors" instead of "Drawing with Scissors" like the one below! Whoops! We think that she may have had other important things on her mind, like who made the cast of the next season of Dancing with the Stars. :-)

Many thanks to Jean for a good laugh, even if it was an accident!

Blue Screen of Uh Oh!

It's been one of those days where you remember just how terribly frustrating and irritating computers can be. Don't get me wrong, I love technology as much as the next person. But alas, today is not one of those days! For one, our computers have been terribly slooooow. I mean really slooooow. As in, I can't do my job slooooow.

Then I had a patron come up and say that the screen on her computer went blank. And when I went to check on her computer, number eight to be exact...I saw the dreaded blue screen of death. (Hence, the funny cartoon) So all in all, here's hoping that tomorrow is a better day for these obnoxious little machines! And for me too!

Whooty Whoot, Whoot, Whoot...

I've got some exceptional adult programming coming your way in the next month! I do, I do! :-)

First and foremost, those lovely ladies of yarn are back for another round of classes in September. You know you love them, I know I love them...it's Diane and Suzy! *rounds of applause in background* They will be teaching knitting classes on Wednesdays in September starting on the 8th. The classes will be from 6-8pm in the Glenn Schminke Community Room. Participants (that's you) need to bring a skein of light, plain-colored yarn and a size 9 or 10 knitting needles.

On Friday, September 17th at 7pm, Hiawatha Library After Hours (sounds spooky, doesn't it?) will be presenting what will hopefully be the first in a long line of successful programs. In The Shadow of the Raven begins as Edgar Allan Poe rises from the scene of his mysterious death and continues as he pieces together the events of his life. Broadway and film veteran, Duffy Hudson uses a combination of biographical information and the dramatic interpretation of Poe’s literature, Annabel Lee, The Raven and The Tell Tale Heart, to provide a unique, in-depth theatrical experience of the life and works of one of America’s best-known and enigmatic personalities. Trust this whiner, you don't want to miss this performance! The dude is the awesome-ist! (Yes, I just made up that word, get over it...)

Finally, on Thursday, September 29th from 6:30-7:30 pm, I am hosting my first Big Read Book Club. Our first selection (in honor of the upcoming Banned Books Week and the 50th anniversary of its publication) will be To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This little club is limited to 8 participants and all will receive a free copy of the book, as well as a Big Read reader's guide with insightful little tidbits about the book and its history. And if you're really lucky, I just may bring treats! You can't beat that one kids, free book and free food!

Hope to see you at all of these wonderful programs. All of them!!

Holy (insert choice expletive here)!

Whew! That's all I can say about our Summer Reading Programs here at the library for 2010!

First some numbers:

33,832 is how many items we checked out in the month of June.

32,331 is how many items we checked out in the month of July.

66,163 is the grand total of items we checked out throughout the 2010 Summer Reading Program.

6,616 is roughly how many items each staff member checked out during the months of June and July.

806 is the new record to beat for the amount of people through our doors in a single day.
426 is the number of people we had sign up for the Adult Summer Reading Program.

3 is the number of times I jammed the paper shredder while trying to shred all of the drawing slips from the Adult Summer Reading Program.

2 is the number of times my boss gave me a hard time about jamming the paper shredder.

1,443 is the number of reading logs that Alicia handed out for the Children's Adult Summer Reading Program.

57 is roughly the number of times we screamed when we opened the book drop and saw what was inside.

So what does all this equate to? One ridiculously busy and mad summer for us! But, we are truly fortunate to have so many people who love us enough to come visit for free stuff! You know who you are!

For the record...

Our copier machine does not do it all. Really. It does not sort laundry, or make espresso. It is simply just a copy machine.

That is all.

The Joy of Sprinkles

I don't care what anyone says...a donut covered in sprinkles always makes everything better!

Awkward...

Have you ever had one of those conversations that was just plain awkward? I had one this morning with a patron...

Patron: Do you have a neck injury?

Me: No, why?

Patron: Just wondering why you're wearing a scarf. Are you cold?

Me: Um...nope. I just think scarves are pretty.

Patron: Oh...huh...

Whew!

It's 5:30pm and we've already had 688 people through the door!

Exhausted doesn't even begin to describe how I feel right now...oy...

Crankiness...

I am terribly cranky today. For one, I have a massive migraine that even my prescription medication is barely touching. (And who says medication solves everything...) Two, the second person I helped today was less than desirable to deal with. I really cannot stand people who believe that their time is much more valuable than everyone else's, let alone that they are entitled to certain treatment that others are not, regardless of policies. (We have policies for a reason, deal with it.) Three, my car is making that obnoxious farting sound that cars get when something is going on the exhaust system. (Did I mention I just replaced the muffler and half the exhaust piping less than 2 months ago?! Yay, more money to spend! Pfft!) Finally, I'm just plain tired. My cat seems to think that 4am is an exceptional time to use me as her own personal jungle gym/pouncing practice pad. (She'll make a fine fur coat someday...just kidding...I think...)

Tomorrow's a new day...I hope.

Whoa! It's Summer Reading Programs!

It's heeeere! That crazy, chaotic, wicked, nutty time of year!

SUMMER READING PROGRAMS!! Whoot!

We are off to a good start for our Adult Summer Reading Program, with 295 participants signed up so far! I have to say that I have been pleased with the enthusiasm and excitement that our little program has been generating. Don't forget, you still have plenty of time to get signed up! And, I must brag, the prizes are pretty darn cool this year!

We have also started our first program of the summer: Knitting with Diane. Now, although we don't allow any fun in this library whatsoever (yeah right...), these ladies seem to think that they are an exception to the rule! Just see for yourself:
I think there's punishment in store! :-)

We have our second program coming up tomorrow. Join us for Watercolor Basics with Joyce at 2:30pm. She will be discuss her creative process, special techniques and will teach a few basics of using watercolor paints. Should be a good one, hope to see you there!

Um. Gross.

Okay, to the jerk who decided it would be funny to throw two pieces of half-eaten, crusty bread into the drop.
It wasn't. You're a big jerk and that's just plain gross.

You Know You've Been to Wisconsin if...

...you've heard Michael Perry speak! We were fortunate to have Mr. Perry at Theatre Cedar Rapids this past Saturday. Let me tell you, if you missed this man speak, you should be ashamed of yourself! He was hilarious, endearing and humble with his stories which ranged from kids to kidney stones. For those of you who still are unfamiliar with this man, his book, Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time was our 2010 Linn Area Reads selection. I highly recommend it, along with his other books as well.

3 Reasons Why I Heart Lisa Scottoline

Reason #1: Everyone who meets her feels like they just met their best friend.


I have never met an author who made her entire audience feel like they were a part of the family or an old friend. I think she hugged every person who got their book signed at the event on Saturday night! She told hilarious and often personal stories about her life, but also about her work. It was literally like sharing a glass of wine with your best friend!

Reason #2: She reminded me of why I love what I do.

It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day stress of this job. It really is. What most people don't realize is that it is my job to deal with the public. And when I say public, I mean all of the public. The nice ones, the mean ones, the crazy ones, the sane ones...you get the picture. I had a particularly rough week before Lisa's visit. I found myself questioning if being a public librarian was really what I wanted for a career. At the beginning of her talk, Lisa talked about the importance of libraries. More specifically, she talked about how they changed her life and how they influenced her decision to become a writer. It is people like Lisa Scottoline that remind me that I do indeed impact lives in this profession. Sometimes in the most subtle ways. So again, to Lisa, if you're reading this, my heartfelt thanks.

Reason #3: She supports libraries.

Okay, so I briefly touched on this in reason #2, but in all seriousness, this chic does some awesome work on behalf of libraries. The most obvious example was to those who came on Saturday night. the first 100 people who walked in that door received a hardcover copy of her latest book. And where did we get those hardcover books? They were donated by none other than Ms. Scottoline herself! She also speaks at library fundraisers all around the country and even during the course of her talk on Saturday, mentioned numerous times the importance of libraries. How can you not love her?

Boundaries

Okay, I just have one simple request:

DO NOT walk behind the desk and into our work room when you need help. The desk is there for a reason. Seriously.

Cool Things

Oh, so much to tell! Where to start?

Cool Thing #1: We are fortunate to be welcoming our next OutLoud! Author to Theatre Cedar Rapids, this Saturday, May 1st at 7pm. And who is this mystery author? Well, it's the wonderful and talented Lisa Scottoline, of course! Ms. Scottoline will read from her latest book Think Twice, take audience questions, and sign books. Now, here's a really cool deal. If you hurry and stop into the Hiawatha library by tomorrow, you could enter your name into a drawing to win a copy of her latest book! And the coolest part? You could take it with you and have her sign it on Saturday! It doesn't get much better than this kids! Hope to see you all there!

Cool Thing #2: We have partnered with the Cedar Rapids Public Library to bring all you lovely patrons an amazing program called "The Relativity of Albert Einstein." Watch as Broadway and film veteran Duffy Hudson brings Albert Einstein to life! Watch as Albert Einstein explains the Theory of Relativity in a fun and exciting way! Also, learn about his life, the speed of light, time travel, gravity and just exactly what E=MC^2 is. This show is certain to excite children and adults alike to look at the workings of the universe with new eyes!


Cool Thing #3: Wait until you get a chance to see the really, really, really cool prizes that I've managed to grovel and beg to get for Adult Summer Reading Program! I hate to brag (actually I don't...), but they are super awesome this year, and if all goes according to plan, I should have even more on the way! Don't forget, Summer Reading Programs start on June 1st!

They...are...outta here!!

The VHS collection at the Hiawatha Public Library is no more! I have officially weeded 303 VHS tapes as of tonight and any others that come through will be gone! If you are interested in purchasing them, we will have them for sale at our Friends of the Hiawatha Library booksale this weekend.

Ahhh...spring cleaning at the library! :)

Down and Out...

Most days I love my job.

I really do.

But there truly are days that I question my capability to handle this job. Right now I am trying desperately to get everything ready for the 2010 season of Adult Summer Reading Program. And although this is my third year doing it, I still find myself worrying incessantly that it won't be good enough or successful enough.

I think some of this fear stems from some recent failures I've had with programs. I had a series of programs in March as part of a "Spring Cleaning Series" and almost quite literally no one showed up! It was such an embarrassment to me as a program coordinator to look at the speaker and say "well, I'm really sorry, but it doesn't look like anyone is going to show." Thankfully, all of the speakers were kind enough to not be offended by it, but it still made me feel awful.

And so, I find myself at a crossroads. Where do I go from here? Do I need to readjust my expectations as to what makes a successful program? I know I can't throw in the towel. But I know that what happened in March is simply unacceptable to me. What's a girl to do?

One more thing...

For those of you who have already read OutLoud! Author, Allan Guranus' book Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, jump in and join the online discussion with others at: http://outloudauthorseries.blogspot.com/

Holy programs, Batman!

Oh, so much to tell you all about! First off, we were fortunate enough to have our wonderful Hiawatha Firefighters out to our library last Saturday to give a fire safety demonstration. I have to give my sincerest thanks to Fire Chief Mike Nesslage for helping me to arrange and present this program. He and the guys did a fantastic job of presenting very important information to all (both kids and adults) who attended this program.

This program was part of a larger series of programs connected to our Linn Area Reads selection called Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time by Michael Perry. The book chronicles the life of a volunteer firefighter/EMS service in a small town called New Auburn in Wisconsin. Perry also mixes his tales of heroic rescues with stories of small-town life. I can personally promise you that it is a read that you will definitely enjoy!

Our own Fire Chief, Mike Nesslage will again be participating in another Linn Area Reads event on April 28th at 7pm. This event will be an EMT/Firefighter panel at the Marion Public Library and will offer those attending the chance to hear about our local EMTs and firefighters and the jobs they do. They will also share their reflections on the book and how it relates to their everyday lives.

Finally, we will be having the author of Population 485, Michael Perry, visiting on May 15th at 2pm. This event will be held at Theatre Cedar Rapids and will be a chance to hear the author read from his work, as well as a book signing. Don't miss your chance to hear this wonderful author and humorist in person!

The OutLoud! Author Series is back! Hooray! This year brings a wide variety of authors with an even wider array of genres! Our first author this year is Allan Gurganus. He will be reading from his novel-in-progress The Erotic History of a Southern Baptist Church which is a companion to his classic Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, which spent eight months atop the New York Times Bestseller List. Mr. Gurganus is also a graduate of the Iowa Writer's Workshop and is a visiting faculty member of the program for the 2010 spring semester. He will be presenting his work on Saturday, April 17th at 2pm at Theatre Cedar Rapids. This program is open to the public and there will be a book signing following his presentation. Again, don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to meet a fantastic author!

Did I Ever Mention?

How much I detest spring break week? Because I do. I really do.

Thankfully we're halfway through...

"Time keeps on slippin...

slippin...slippin...into the future..." And has it ever! Boy, have I been a neglectful little blogger/whiner these last few months! Well, for those of you who actually care enough to read my rants, have no fear, I'm baaack! Although normally I would have a whole list of excuses for why I haven't been around, I will spare you the details simply say this, life has been a bit of a challenge. Once again, have no fear my unfaithful followers, this whiner is back and better than ever!