We're in this together

Saturday, we are welcoming the Salem Animal Rescue League for the first in a series we are calling "We're in this Together". With this series, local non-profits will be showcasing the great work they do here in Salem. These organizations do a great deal for our community and our community members - and often do all this without much of an opportunity to toot their horns. We decided we would provide that opportunity.

With this series, a different non-profit will be highlighted on a quarterly basis. The lobby and the meeting room will be set aside for activities, displays and informational presentations - whatever the individual non-profit needs to tell their story.

Why is the library offering this? Well, the name for the series says it all - we're in this together. The library, like the various service non-profits in Salem, are here to serve yo and the community, reaching out a helping hand, supporting community members in good times and bad, ready to help out when you need us.

So if you know of a non-profit that would be interested in being part of this series - let me know. I will be delighted to help out.

Book: Jobs that matter: find a stable, fulfilling career in public service, by Heather Krasna.

Ebooks

Some people wonder why libraries - like Kelley - are embracing the ebook since so many pundits are busy predicting the end of the print book - and by extension - threatening the usefulness of libraries. Well, we librarians have long been in the business to bring information to our users in whatever format possible, and have changed with the times. For instance, LPs changed into cassettes that changed into CD to which we have added Playaway, MP3 and downloadables. Ebooks have been embraced by libraries way before Amazon made a splash with the Kindle, kicking off the current fascination with reading books electronically. I remember when I was working at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, our Assistant Director demonstration the new ebook readers that had been purchased for circulation - and that was at least 10 years ago.

So when the opportunity arose to participate in the Ebook program through the State's Downloadable Audiobook plan, we jumped on it. If you have a non-Kindle e-reader (like the Sony ones or the Nook), you can now 'check out' an electronic book here. Try it out - there is a small but interesting choice of titles.

We aren't forgetting the Kindle either. We have a Kindle just about ready to circulate - we are planning a June 1 launch. We are in the process of loading books on it, and have decided to fill it with titles from the NY Times Best Sellers list.

Clearly, ebooks in some format are here to stay (for a while) and we want to ensure our users that are interested in reading electronically can find what they are looking for at the library. After all, that is what a library is all about - making informational, educational, cultural and recreational resources available in a useful format.

Book: The Book is Dead, by Jeff Gomez
Book: Promised land, thirteen books that changed America, by Jay Parini

Legos!

We are planning to start a Lego Club for kids this fall, and are currently asking for donations of Legos from anyone willing to part with their stash. You might have seen a bit about it in our newsletter. It has been interesting overhearing the conversations resulting from people reading about it. Everyone seems delighted to hear we are planning to do it, but no one is able to give away their blocks. They say they have to keep it for the grandchildren, or they know their grown kids would be appalled that the Legos had been given away. I even heard a father talking about the Club in very enthusiastic terms, but his own Legos had been used by his kids, and although they were now older, neither the kids or the father wanted to let their Legos go.

It is fascinating what remains important to us throughout our lives. I know I kept all my Barbie dolls and clothes on the off chance I would have a daughter (and I did) so that she could play with them (and she did). I don't think she is ready to give them away even though she is out of college now. My son has a huge collection of Legos, and a bigger one of trucks. They are all safely stored somewhere since he couldn't bear to part. My husband moved frequently throughout his life and most of his treasures got lost over the years. So we haunt flea markets and antique shops on the lookout for treasured memories that he can buy back and keep close. I still have shelves of books I loved as a child that I purchased to have to share with my daughter, but this time, she wasn't interested. So I save them, dip back into them on occasion to revisit these familiar stories, and keep them - I say for my grandchildren, but it really is for me.

These tokens from our past lives bring back the happy times spent using the toy, the child's belief that we can be just like the character in the story. It keeps our personal history safe at hand, ready for whenever we need to take a moment to go there or to share with friends and family.

So, if you can pry them willingly from someone's hands, we welcome any Lego donations. We will have a club regardless of the Legos we get, don't worry. And if that inner child is interested, we could have a Lego club for adults too. Oh, and if you haven't seen it yet - go to Toys are Us here in Salem. There is an amazing life-size Lego Storm Trooper on display - well worth stopping in to see it.

Book - The Lego Book, by Daniel Lipkowitz

Book - Schroeder's collectible toys

Book - Toys and Games, by Philip Steele

Art in the Library

The Kelley Library has long offered local artists space to showcase their artwork in a variety of ways. The Greater Salem Artists Association, which meets regularly at the library, hangs artwork of its members in the Beshara Room. This provides an ever-changing backdrop to activities in the room, an opportunity for us all to enjoy some great original art, and gives the membership of GSAA a venue to display. We also provide space for the GSAA annual event and exhibit in December. In late May/early June, the Beshara Room and lobby area is transformed into a gallery for the artwork of the students of the Salem school district. Larry Welch, a local artist, has a constant, and constantly changing, selection of his artwork on display up in the New Book area.

I had talked previously about the new nook off the Reference Department providing display space for local artists and finally someone has taken the opportunity. Kyle Massie, a 17 year old from Windham has a variety of his artwork on display this month. He is a bit of a prodigy in art and produces his works in no more than a couple of hours. This is the second time his artwork has been displayed, and it is well worth a moment to take a look.


March was Youth Art Month, and in honor of that, we asked children to bring in their artwork for display. We got some wonderful pieces, and you should make the Children's Room the next stop on your art tour of the library. Do it soon as these pieces of art will be reclaimed all too soon.





And we are all excited about the new art show coming up in May in honor of Older Americans Month. There is an art class over at the Senior Center taught by Angie Sparta and we are delighted at the opportunity to display some of the artwork of the students. It is sure to be a feast for your eyes, so stop by and enjoy.

There is still plenty of display space, so if you are artistic or know an artist and want to display at the library, just let me know. We would be delighted.

Oh, and save this date: Saturday, June 26th at 1PM. Marcia Harris will be giving a demonstration of watercoloring. Remember, you can display what you learned at the Library.

Have you met Elizabeth?

Recently I did a posting about Betty, who has been with the library for years and years. Today, I thought I would talk about one of our newest members of the staff - Elizabeth. Actually, we are closing in on her first year anniversary, but at Kelley, any tenure under 10 years is a newby.

Elizabeth joined us in the reference department and has been a lively addition to the staff. She has a ready laugh, but is serious when dealing with the various questions and requests for help with the computer that she fields each day. I am sure is was an adjustment joining us here at Kelley, a new job, a new state, and most of the staff being years older. But it speaks to her friendly, outgoing nature that she has fitted smoothly into the team.

In addition to her responsibilities at the reference desk and as part of the Teen Department, you might find her leading one of our computer classes. She also maintains our Facebook page and is in the process of developing our Teen page. Obviously, she has quickly become invaluable.

I of course asked her the 5 Questions:

1. Complete the sentence: When I am not at the library, you can find me: at a concert.
2. Describe your perfect day: Time with family and/or friends, a nice meal, live music, and time spent in nature.
3. If you had to live somewhere else than MA, where would it be? Elsewhere in New England.
4. What three things can you always find in your fridge? Yogurt, carrots, and some sort of bean or grain-based dish.
5. You would be surprised to find out that: as a child, my grandfather shook the hand of a woman who had shaken the hand of Abraham Lincoln.

Easy way to read

I never thought I would like audiobooks because I really hate having anything read to me, but after getting a job some 10 years ago that involved an hour's commute I knew I had to at least try one. Well, in a few short months I found myself frequently sitting at my destination getting in a few more pages. Being stuck in traffic was now a welcome occasion rather than a stressful one. I found it hard to actually read a book now that I was used to listening. Even now when my commute is 5 minutes, I listen my way through many a book.

And just like every audiobook fan, I found that I had favorite readers who made even the most mundane book fascinating. I also found readers that I couldn't stand listening to, some being the stars of the audiobook world. Just today I settled in to enjoy the most recent Elizabeth Berg audio and discovered too late that it had those dreaded words: read by the author. There are probably good readers that are authors, but I have yet to find one (feel free to recommend one). In the case of this book, I am going to have to actually pull out the paper version of the book since I could only tolerate about 2 minutes of it in audio.

Why did I title this post Easy Way To Read? I used to work on a bookmobile, and that kind of tight quarters made overhearing people talking unavoidable. On this particular evening, a regular patron came on with his wife. He was a delightful retired school teacher/principal who was losing his vision. She was, well, kind of mean to him. He was looking at the audiobooks, a format I had recommended since he was beginning to find large print tough to see. She stood there fuming, and said the most stunning thing: "Well, if you want to be lazy about it" . . .

Is listening lazy? I don't know. I find it a way to read when otherwise it would be impossible: commuting, while doing the dishes, while exercising, while vacuuming or other chores, while knitting or other crafts. Audio is invaluable for people with low vision, with limited ability to use their hands, for people who are ill or recovering from surgery. It is really a way to extend the reach of a book.

Speaking of extending the reach, being part of the state's downloadable audio program, we now provide access to downloadable e-books for anyone with a PC, a Sony or Barnes and Noble e-reader device. Be sure to check out this new service here.

Let me know who your favorites (or least favorite) audiobook readers are. I have to say the best I have heard was PD James' The Lighthouse read by Charles Keating. Great voices. But then I like John Rubenstein, Joe Mantegna, and Dennis Boutsikaris - I tend to like actors as readers. I even like Scott Brick. I will be interested to hear what you like.

A selection of audio by Dennis Boutsikaris
A selection of audio by Charles Keating
A selection of audio by Scott Brick

New Website

If you are reading this, you have no doubt noticed that we made some changes to our website. We have been working on this new website for quite a while now - sometimes I thought it would never be ready! But I think it is a great site, reserving the best of our old site while creating a clean, easy to use site featuring some new additions.

Everything you were familiar with and relied on is still on the site. It might be arranged a bit differently, but it is there and organized with similar topics. The new website also reflects some of the change in focus at the library. Information and books are still our primary mission, but we are expanding our programming - as you can see right away on the website. We are also recognizing service to adults with the creation of the Adult Department that deals with the specific needs and interests of our adult users.

The website also has many of our policies, forms, and handouts for ready access from anywhere. All part of our aim to make everything we offer easy to access, readily found and available when you want it. Keep an eye on the site and watch for some further developments and features. We are sure you will like it. Let me know what you think.