Mysteries Move and Merge!

Thinking Library!

Carole Stanger

April 23, 2011

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

Journey by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Friendship Bread by Darien Gee

Two Kisses for Maddy by Matthew Logelin

All My Life by Susan Lucci

Snowdrops by Andrew Miller

Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray

Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Soo Shin

Coming Events @ the Library!

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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

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

Sundays—closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us

• The Library Board Regular Meeting Monday, May 9 5:30 p.m. upstairs

• Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds has ended for this school year. They will start back up in the Fall.
• Thurs. May 5 Magic Show for Washington Elementary students sponsored by the Atlantic Public Library.
• Friday, May 20 Washington 1^st Graders touring the Atlantic Public Library.
• Tues. & Wed. May 24 & 25 6-8 p.m. at Washington Elementary for One-Stop Pre Registration (including summer library programs!)
• Monday, May 30 the Library will be closed in honor of Memorial Day
• Tues., May 31 At Home Summer Reading Begins!

Did You Know… the Atlantic Public Library subscribes to the Newsbank database? This online database includes Atlantic News Telegraph from January 3, 2006 through current issues! Just click on the Newsbank icon on the library’s website.

Behind My Desk… We are “gearing” up for Summer Library Programs. It’s just around the corner. The One-Stop Registration for summer activities is listed above.

The merging of the Mysteries and the “regular” fiction books upstairs is slowly, but surely making progress. I know right now it’s confusing, but I think the change will be a good thing in the long run.

Earlier this month I did a small presentation about Kindles and other ereaders at the Heritage House. I was so pleased that there were some staff members there to help support this concept. It makes such a difference when you can touch and see what the Kindle is like. I have to admit, that I wasn’t a real fan of the electronic book, but I’m converted! They are very convenient for traveling, but the thing I love about them is I can make the print larger. I LOVE that! How much easier it is to read something with larger print AND not have the weight of a regular large print book to hold! As someone mentioned, if you are having trouble with the ereader, just ask a five year old. That is so true! They are growing up with this technology and are not afraid of it.

Next month and in June I’ve made arrangements to speak at Allen House about the Library (history & now) and then about one of my favorite authors and his travel adventures, Michael Palin.

Enjoy our Iowa “spring” and… Keep Thinking Libraries!

Friends Used Book Sale April 15 & 16!

Thinking Library!

Carole Stanger

April 9, 2011

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

Started Early Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson

Bags, Pillows and Pincushions

Breaking the Rules by Suzanne Brockman

Secrets in the Cellar by John Glatt

Room by Emma Donoghue

Tigers Wife by Tea Obreht

Inconceivable by Carolyn Savage

Bringing Adam Home by Les Standiford

Coming Events @ the Library!

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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

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

Sundays—closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us

• The Library Board Regular Meeting Monday, Apr. 11 5:30 p.m. upstairs

• Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds! No registration! Free!
• Wed./Thurs. Apr. 20/21 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m. This will be the final set of Story Times for this school year. They will start back up in the Fall.
• Friends Spring Used Book Sale Friday & Saturday April 15 & 16.

Did You Know… the Atlantic Public Library has a Genealogy/Local History Room? Volunteers from the Cass County Genealogical Society have taken time from their lives to have someone there almost every day to assist people with inquiries about local history. Their meetings are every fourth Thursday of the month. They would welcome new members who would like to help out with their projects!

Behind My Desk… In the new terminology…My Bad. I don’t like that particular phrase. “I’m sorry” seems to have disappeared and I think that’s a real shame. Ok. Back to why I’m bad. I misunderstood what was happening with the Friends of the Atlantic Public Library. There will be no reception to celebrate libraries on Wednesday. The Friends plan to set up all day on Wednesday and Thursday for the Spring Used Book Sale. There will be an “Early Bird” Sale for new and current Friends members on Friday from 9:30 – 11 a.m. Then the sale will be open to the public at 11 until 5:30 p.m. The sale will continue on Saturday from 9:30 until 12 noon.

The upstairs Fiction collection is going to be changing a bit. We’ve decided to mix the Mysteries into the regular fiction area. We will continue to have some sort of a sticker on the book spine to signify that the book is a mystery, but the “call number” will change to “F AUTH.” The F stands for Fiction and the letters are the first four letters of the author’s last name.

There are a couple good reasons for this change…the first being that we need the shelving space without having to use the very top or very bottom shelves. Those are hard for everyone to use; but if we REALLY need the space, we have that option. We are not to that point, yet. The second reason is that there are some mysteries already in the regular Fiction area. It’s very hard to distinguish between adventure, espionage, detective, and mystery genres. Your favorite authors will still be there…just in a new space on the shelves. You might actually find other titles by your favorite author!

I’m not sure if I have mentioned this before, but we have some reader’s advisory QR (Quick Response) codes posted for our patrons! If you have a “smart phone” you can scan these codes for special information. If you have wondered what series Jan Karon has and what order they are in, we have a QR code for that! Maybe you need medical information. We have a QR code for Medline Plus. It’s a another cool idea that can work in a library setting.

Enjoy the book sale… Keep Thinking Libraries!

Security Cams in the Library!

Thinking Library!

Carole Stanger

March 26, 2011

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy

Keep a Little Secret by Dorothy Garlock

Dawn Country by Kathleen Gear

Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Leaving by Karen Kingsbury

Twilight’s Serenade by Traci Peterson

Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Mireya Alexander McCall Smith

Allison Hewitt is Trapped by Madeleine Roux

Coming Events @ the Library!

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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

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

Sundays—closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us

• The Library Board Regular Meeting Monday, Apr. 11 5:30 p.m. upstairs

• Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds! No registration! Free!
• Wed./Thurs. Apr. 6/7 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
• Wed./Thurs. Apr. 20/21 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.

Did You Know… that you can add your name to our Reserve Express service through our online catalog. Simply go to our webpage and click on the “Search Library Catalog/Account Login link on the upper left hand side of the page. On the next page on the upper right hand side you need to login to your account by entering your library patron number and phone number. Then click the “My Account” box. Scroll down the page until you see “Have some favorite authors” and click on “receive new books.” You should have a list of popular authors that you would like to reserve for yourself when they are newly accessioned into the library. Give it a try!

Behind My Desk… In my last column I mentioned about the vandalism that has been taking place in the library. After a lengthy discussion with the library board at the March meeting, it was decided to order more security cameras for the library, both for the interior and the exterior of the building. You may see a little more police presence at the library, too. Because of the security cameras already in place, we have been able to catch a few culprits. We do press charges against anyone defacing or stealing public property. We have a lovely library here in Atlantic, and most people are truly proud of this, but unfortunately, there are people who do not respect this and do not care.

I, also, printed off copies of the Behavior Policy the Board has adopted. They will be posted both upstairs and down. That way, people have been warned.

On a happier note, I finished that “bearcat” federal form and sent it on its way. Yippee! I sure hope I did it right!

National Library Week is coming up from April 10-16. The Friends of the Atlantic Public Library are planning a “reception” on Wednesday, April 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. to help celebrate Libraries! You are invited!

Then the Friends will be having their annual Spring Book Sale on April 15 and 16. Stop by the library and find a few bargains!

The library has purchased ten new DVDs about genealogy. You can check them out for a week just like other videos and DVDs. They are mainly “how to’s” with subjects: Civil War Records, Exploring an Old Graveyard, German Genealogy and Computer Genealogy. They are located upstairs in the regular DVD section. I love research…well up to a point…and I think that is what attracted me to my profession.

It’s time to start thinking gardens…and Keep Thinking Libraries!

Hospice program Mar. 21

Thinking Library!

Carole Stanger

March 12, 2011

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

Caribou Island by David Vann

Untied by Meredith Baxter

Bless the Bride by Rhys Bowen

Dancing Lessons by Cheryl Burke

Night Season by Chelsea Cain

Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress

Pink Boots and a Machete by Mireya Mayor

Known and Unknown by Donald Rumsfeld

Coming Events @ the Library!

• Library Hours!

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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

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

Sundays—closed

• Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us

• The Library Board Regular Meeting Monday, Mar. 14 5:30 p.m. upstairs

• Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds! No registration! Free!
• Wed./Thurs. Mar.23/24 (note not 26^th as in Story Time Flyer!) Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
• Wed./Thurs. Apr. 6/7 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
• Wed./Thurs. Apr. 20/21 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
• Mon. Mar. 21 “When Dinosaurs Die by Iowa Hospice” for all ages. Preschoolers must be accompanied by older sibling or adult. 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Did You Know… that this column can be found on our library webpage? Just go to the link on the left side of the page and click on “Thinking Library. “ Have a look! Become a “follower!”

Behind My Desk… This is the first year that I have waited so long to mention anything about tax forms. We just don’t have the variety of forms that we used to keep on hand. We do have “masters” to make copies for many of the federal forms. Iowa tax forms, for the most part, can be found online. We keep the forms in the entry way close to the stairs.

The library has been having more problems with vandalism and stealing. I don’t like to “promote” those actions, but I figure the ones that do that sort of mischief don’t read my column anyway. If you see someone doing inappropriate things in or around the outside of the library don’t turn a blind eye and walk away. Let a library staff member know, so we can call the authorities. I think one of the solutions may be to put locks on the public restroom doors. The library will be adding more security cameras, but it takes time, money and labor to put that together. Parents, for goodness sakes, do not assume the library is a “safe” place to leave your child unattended! Once upon a time that may have been true, but not anymore.

I’ve been working on organizing information I will need next week to submit a certain federal form to apply for a telecommunications discount for next year. This form is a little “bearcat.” I have to be precise with my information. If I do it correctly, the library receives a 70% discount on its local telephone bill. Of course we all pay for this on our personal phone bills by paying the $1 charge for Universal Service Fund. If I can save the library a little money by doing the forms and tearing my hair out, I guess it’s worth it.

Once again I made the trip to Des Moines to help lobby for library legislation (and try to keep funding cuts to a minimum!) I wish more SW librarians were able to go and participate. Some of us “veterans” are getting close to retiring, and it’s going to be interesting to see who is willing to take this on when we leave.

Don’t forget to “spring ahead” this weekend for Daylight Savings Time and…Keep Thinking Libraries!