Moving on, moving up

We here at Kelley were all sorry to hear that Andy, our new Assistant Director, had accepted a position elsewhere. Sorry, but not entirely surprised as we all knew that he was meant for a real leadership position. I took a moment of Andy's time to talk to him about his reasons for leaving, his tenure here and a look into the future.

Alison: Why are you leaving Kelley?
Andy: It is exclusively due to an offer for a position long seen as a prime match to personal and professional goals. The timing was entirely due to the unexpected opening at the Rye Public Library, creating a shorter than planned tenure at Kelley.

Alison: What accomplishments are you most proud of here at Kelley?
Andy: Having the programming here take new directions with the success demonstrated by the new ideas paying off. I hope to have the programs mapped out through 2010 before I leave. I also am proud of my role in creating a sense of team here at Kelley. I find it very rewarding seeing the results.

Alison: What are your professional goals?
Andy: To grow in the regional library community. Kelley provided a valuable perspective in terms of scale and demographics. I came from a small library and community and was pleased to be introduced to the breadth of service that can be offered. I will be moving into a community between these two in scale. I am also planning to continue my education. I will have to see how to fit it in between work and family, but I have done it before and enjoyed it.

While I was talking to Andy about his plans, I thought I would take advantage of it to kick off a regular feature of this blog - 5 Questions with the Kelley Staff. I will be asking different members of our great staff the same 5 questions to let you know a little more about the people you see when you visit here.

1. Complete this sentence: When I am not at work, you can find me: with my family doing family activities, particularly outdoor activities.
2. Describe your perfect day: Autumn weather for the cool and the sunshine. Setting out early on some adventure, ideally leaving the car behind. Finishing with good food and friends.
3. If you had to live somewhere else than NH, where would it be?: The Pacific Northwest, or possibly in Alaska.
4. What 3 things can you always find in your fridge?: Cheese, salsa and pickles.
5. You would be surprised to find out that I: was a magician as a youth.

Join all of us here at Kelley in thanking Andy for all he has done for us and the library, and the best of luck in his future. He will be missed.

Music cd: The Very Best of Peter, Paul and Mary.
Book: Finding the Hat that Fits

Times do change

We were discussing the annual Holiday Tea and the idea of using card tables this year. Thinking of card tables took me back to when I was a kid, watching my mother get ready for a bridge party. The tables were out and set up with decks of cards, pencils and scorepads. My dad would be busy setting up the bar, making sure there was plenty of ice. My mother had spent some time preparing a variety of good things to eat, of course using the cookie cutters shaped like the various suits.












She would be wearing a dress, heels and pearls - shades of Mrs. Cleaver - and a hostess apron. In case you are too young to remember hostess aprons, these were lovely and frivolous. They were often made of organdy and were really just decorative. But most women had a few, some themed for holidays. It was a standard gift for women, like a tie for a man.












But what struck me was how this form of entertainment, the bridge party, something so central to married life for many years disappeared so completely. While I play cards, I never played bridge, never thought of having a card party. It is remarkable that something so central to our daily life can vanish and not really be missed. The bridge party, the card suit themed kitchen gadgets, the hostess apron, the wacky recipes have all faded away with the Greatest Generation.

I can think of some examples in libraries. Card catalogs, card sorters, typewriters. Just last week we saw another standard library tool get retired - our due date stamper or charger as it is known in the library world. It was invented in 1930 and it was the revolutionary invention for libraries at the time. Automation had begun, and it served us well for many, many years. But, we no longer could get them repaired and we knew we were on borrowed time. So, we gave them a well deserved retirement, and started using receipt printers. We, the staff, are thrilled with the printers, and so are the majority of you. Sad to say, something so central to our lives wasn't missed a bit. Thus the march of time, the voyage onward into the future, kicking the past to the curb.

But if you haven't seen the printers work yet, be sure to check something out - they are really cool!

Book: The Apron book, by EllynAnne Geisel
Book: Antique Trader Kitchen Collectibles
Book: Bridge for anyone, by Shelly De Satnick