Statistics, Statistics

Thinking Library!

Meredith Scherb

August 31, 2013

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

          Let Me Go (Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell) by Chelsea Cain

The Kill List by Frederick Forsyth

Rose Harbor in Bloom by Debbie Macomber

The Last Kiss Goodbye (Charlotte Stone) by Karen Robards

Compound Fractures (Dr. Alan Gregory) by Stephen White

The Third Kingdom by Terry Goodkind

Tamarack County by William Krueger

How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny

Night Film by Marisha Pessl

Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Café by Mary Simses

Upcoming Events @ the Library!    

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday - 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday - 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Sunday – Closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us
• Library email: atlanticpubliclibrary@gmail.com
• The Library Board regular meeting will be held on Monday, September 9, 2013, 5:30 p.m. meeting room upstairs.

• Cass County Genealogical Society meeting, September 26, 1:00.
• The Atlantic Public Library will be closed on Monday, September 2 in honor of Labor Day.
• Booked for Lunch, Tuesday, September 24, Noon-1:00, meeting room.
• Pre-School Story Time will be Mondays and Tuesdays this fall from 10:00-11:00 for 3-5 year olds.
• Sept. 16^th & 17^th – Alphabet Soup
• Sept. 30^th & Oct 1^st
• Oct. 14^th & 15^th
• Oct. 28^th & 29^th (Halloween party, wear costume)
• Nov. 4^th & 5^th
• Nov 18^th & 19^th
• Dec. 2^nd & 3^rd
• Dec 16^th & 17^th (Christmas Party)

Did You Know…

The number of audiobooks and eBooks downloaded from WILBOR by Atlantic Library patrons increased 37% from FY 2012 to FY 2013?  To access WILBOR, go to our homepage and click on the “Download audiobooks and eBooks” icon.

Behind My Desk…

I hope everyone is staying cool on these hot days!  I guess it was too much to hope we could escape August without temperatures in the nineties.  If you need a cool place to be I hope you’ll think of the library.  Our AC is working!

I’ve been busy pulling reports and adding up figures for the 2013 Iowa Public Library General Information Survey.  Libraries all across Iowa complete the survey and send it to the state.  Some interesting numbers I’ve discovered so far:

Over 100,000 patrons visited the library.

Over 88,000 items were circulated.

Over 2,500 children attended library programs.

Residents from 33 different communities in Iowa checked out material from our library through the Open Access program.

I think it’s safe to say it’s been another busy year at your library!

Fans of Fancy Nancy will have the opportunity to download Fancy Nancy: Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth by Jane O’Connor from September 16-30 through WILBOR as part of Overdrive’s Big Library Read.  This means any eligible patron will have simultaneous access to the book, no waiting lists.  Something to keep in mind, all you Fancy Nancy fans!

I’ll also give another plug to our new book club, “Booked for Lunch”, starting Tuesday, September 24, from noon to 1:00 and every fourth Tuesday after.  Bring your lunch and the titles of the books you’re currently reading and hopefully leave with some book suggestions!  I know I’m really looking forward to it (I can never get enough book recommendations) and I hope you’ll join us!

Stay cool, have a wonderful holiday weekend, and… Keep thinking libraries!

Summer Reading Program Prize Winners

Thinking Library!

Meredith Scherb

August 17, 2013

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

          A Tap on the Window by Linwood Barclay

A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life by James Bowen

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Under a Texas Sky by Dorothy Garlock

Hotshot by Julie Garwood

The Last Witness (Badge of Honor) by W.E.B. Griffin

The Beast: A Decker/Lazarus Novel by Faye Kellerman

Little Black Book of Murder: A Blackbird Sisters Mystery by Nancy Martin

Mistress by James Patterson & David Ellis

Justice for Sara by Erica Spindler

Upcoming Events @ the Library!    

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday - 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday - 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Sunday – Closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us
• Library email: atlanticpubliclibrary@gmail.com
• The Library Board regular meeting will be held on Monday, September 9, 2013, 5:30 p.m. meeting room upstairs.

• Cass County Genealogical Society meeting, August 22, 1:00.
• The Atlantic Public Library will be closed on Monday, September 2 in honor of Labor Day.
• All Cass County Reads with Duane Acker, Griswold Public Library, Wednesday, September 18, Noon-1:00.
• Pre-School Story Time will be Mondays and Tuesdays this fall from 10:00-11:00 for 3-5 year olds.
• Sept. 16^th & 17^th - Alphabet Soup
• Sept. 30^th & Oct 1^st
• Oct. 14^th & 15^th
• Oct. 28^th & 29^th (Halloween party, wear costume)
• Nov. 4^th & 5^th
• Nov 18^th & 19^th
• Dec. 2^nd & 3^rd
• Dec 16^th & 17^th (Christmas Party)

Did You Know…

Library patrons can access national and regional newspapers for free on Newsbank, including the Atlantic News Telegraph, Omaha World Herald, and USA Today?  Login in with your patron number right from our home page. Contact the library if you need yours!

Behind My Desk…

As promised, here are the prize winners for this year’s Summer Reading Program Challenge:

Grand Prize: Makayla Stuetelberg

Consolation prizes went to Heidi Williams, Koby Namanny, Christopher Krogh, Maura Kesterson, Emily Gonzalez, Korbin Johnson, Jackson McLaren, Kipp Namanny, Gracie Olsen, Austin Hillhouse, Kalvin Hayes, Allegra Rectenbaugh

Parents whose children completed the Reading Challenge were also entered into a drawing.  Those winners were:

Joy & Dave Sturm (parents of Ethan & Grant)

Holly & Jason Wailes (parents of Joaquin, Jake, & Leighton)

Emily & Zak Kennedy (parents of Clara & Cassidy)

Congratulations to all our winners!

I’m also pleased to announce that the Cass County Library Association has selected Duane Acker to be our next “All Cass County Reads” author.  Mr. Acker has just recently published a new book entitled, “From Troublesome Creek: a Farm Boy’s Encounters on the Way to a University Presidency”.  The first event will be held in Griswold on Wednesday, September 18, from Noon-1:00.  Check back here for dates and times of future “All Cass” programs.

And since I’m making announcements, I’m also excited to announce a new book club, Booked for Lunch, that will be held the fourth Tuesday of every month beginning September 23 from Noon-1:00.  Bring your lunch and come to the library meeting room ready to share what you’re currently reading!  Hopefully we’ll all leave with an even longer “to-read” list!

I hope everyone has survived the back to school rush and… Keep thinking libraries!

The History of Iowa Transportation @ the Library

Thinking Library!

Meredith Scherb

August 3, 2013

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

          Light of the World: A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke

Mary & Lou & Rhoda & Ted: And All the Brilliant Minds Who Made the Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong

The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian

The Box by C.J. Box

Brick City: Global Icons to Make from LEGO by Warren Elsmore

Ava Gardner: the Secret Conversations by Peter Evans & Ava Gardner

The Astronaut’s Wives Club: A True Story by Lily Koppel

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach

Upcoming Events @ the Library!    

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday - 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday - 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Sunday – Closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us
• Library email: atlanticpubliclibrary@gmail.com
• Tuesday, August 6, 2:30, A Journey in Transportation: The Iowa Department of Transportation Centennial and Iowa Transportation History Highlights, presented by Leighton Christensen, Iowa DOT Librarian.
• The Library Board regular meeting will be held on Monday, August 12, 2013, 5:30 p.m. meeting room upstairs.

• Cass County Genealogical Society, August 22, 1:00.
• The Atlantic Public Library will be closed on Monday, September 2 in honor of Labor Day.
• Pre-School Story Time will be Mondays and Tuesdays this fall from 10:00-11:00 for 3-5 year olds.
• Sept. 16^th & 17^th
• Sept. 30^th & Oct 1^st
• Oct. 14^th & 15^th
• Oct. 28^th & 29^th (Halloween party, wear costume)
• Nov. 4^th & 5^th
• Nov 18^th & 19^th
• Dec. 2^nd & 3^rd
• Dec 16^th & 17^th (Christmas Party)

Did You Know…

Patrons can choose either a 7-day or 14-day checkout period for WILBOR downloads? Login in to your account and go into settings to select the lending period for each format (audio & ebook).  Worth considering if you get through your downloadable materials quickly!

Behind My Desk…

Another Summer Reading Program has come to an end and I think it was a tremendous success!  We had wonderful attendance at all the programs and great participation in the reading program.  Many prizes were handed out.  I’ll have the names of the grand prize winners in my next column.  My thanks goes out to all the volunteers and staff who helped out and an especially big thanks goes to Julie for all the time and effort she puts in to pulling it all together! 

Fall Story Time will start up again on September 16th.  This year’s story time will be held on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10:00-11:00.  Check for dates above in the Upcoming Events section. 

Also, I will extend one final invitation to join us on Tuesday, August 6, at 2:30 as Iowa DOT librarian Leighton Christensen presents his program entitled: “A Journey in Transportation: The Iowa Department of Transportation Centennial and Iowa Transportation History Highlights.”  It’s sure to be an interesting program with a time for questions and answers afterward.  Please join us!

Happy August to everyone and … Keep thinking libraries!

Summer Reading Winding Down

Thinking Library!

Meredith Scherb

July 20, 2013

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

          Stranded (Maggie O’Dell) by Alex Kava

English Girl (Gabriel Allon) by Daniel Silva

First Sight by Danielle Steel

Storm Riders by Margaret Weis & Robert Krammes

Please Don’t Tell by Elizabeth Adler

Vow for Always (The Discover – A Lancaster County Saga) by Wanda Brunstetter

Hunting Eve (Eve Duncan) by Iris Johansen

The Eye of God (A Sigma Force Novel) by James Rollins

The Heist by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

Her Last Breath by Linda Castillo

Upcoming Events @ the Library!    

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday - 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday - 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Sunday – Closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us
• Library email: atlanticpubliclibrary@gmail.com
• Monday, July 22, 29, 12-1, Lunch Bunch, 4^th & up.
• ***Signup Required***
• Monday, July 22, 10-11, I Dig Getting Dirty, 3-5 year olds.
• Tuesday, July 23, 4-6, It’s Jawsome, 4^th & up.
• Wednesday, July 24, 10-11, Fontanelle Forest – Raptors, All ages.
• Thursday, July 25, 7-9, Movie Night (call library for title), 4^th-8^th.
• Tuesday, July 30, 10-12, Craft Day.
• Wednesday, July 31, Last Day of Summer Reading Program.
• Tuesday, August 6, 2:30, A Journey in Transportation
• The Library Board regular meeting will be held on Monday, August 12, 2013, 5:30 p.m. meeting room upstairs.

• Cass County Genealogical Society, No July meeting.

Did You Know…

For FY 2013 Atlantic Public Library patrons saved $1,170,996.08 by checking materials out from the library instead of purchasing them?

Behind My Desk…

On Tuesday, August 6 at 2:30, Iowa DOT Librarian Leighton Christiansen will be at the library presenting, “A Journey in Transportation: The Iowa DOT Centennial and Iowa Transportation History Highlights”.  Iowa is home to transportation by highway, water, air, public transit, rail, and trail, much of it built, maintained, or overseen by the Iowa Department of Transportation.  This year the DOT is celebrating 100 years of connecting the people of Iowa to each other and the world.  I know I’ve said it before but I have heard nothing but rave reviews from other librarians who have had Mr. Christiansen present at their libraries.  So if you have an interest in the history of transportation in Iowa and Cass County, you won’t want to miss this presentation! 

I hope you were able to join us for the return of the Dome Theater on July 17^th.  It was a lot of fun and we had more than 175 people attend!  I particularly enjoyed the Night of the Titanic and heard good things about the other programs as well.  Thanks again to the Friends of the Library for sponsoring this event. 

The summer reading program is winding down but there are still some fun events planned:  It’s Jawsome and Fontanelle Forest – Raptors Live to name two.  Be sure to check the schedule above for dates and times.  And just a reminder that all reading logs must be turned in by Wednesday, July 31 to be eligible for prizes.

I saw my first back-to-school commercial this week.  I always hated to see those when I was a student!  So be sure to enjoy these final days of summer and…Keep Thinking Libraries!