Thursday, August 21, 2014

What We Do



What Books Do
Books are such a simple thing-a cover, pages with text, and maybe a few illustrations, yet they have the power to transform us, to inspire us, to enlighten us, and to entertain us.

What Libraries Do
A library is such a simple thing-a few walls, a roof, and lots (and lots) of shelves, yet it houses a collection of our most treasured thoughts and ideas, hopes and dreams, and memories and cultures.

As a child, books satisfied my curiosity and helped me to discover answers to the never- ending question of: “Why?” As I grew older and realized that there’s a whole world out there to explore, books helped me to navigate strange new lands and speak in strange new tongues. As an adult, books, especially my favorites, have become like old friends: comforting and familiar.

What I Hope to Do
As a Library Director, I’m fortunate to go to work every day where I’m surrounded by the very things that have nourished me and helped me grow. I’m also fortunate to be surrounded by great board members and staff that work hard to make the Atlantic Public Library a focal point of the community. And with the help of these wonderful people, I hope to promote: information and digital literacy, a variety of informational, educational, and recreational activities, and life-long learning. Basically, be the best darn advocate for the library that I can be.

I’ll sign off with a few quotes about the value of libraries from a few famous people:
“Without libraries what do we have? We have no past and no future.” Ray Bradbury
“I always felt if I can get to a library, I’ll be ok” Maya Angelou
“In my world there would be as many public libraries as there are Starbucks.” Henry Rollins

Keep Reading,
Michelle

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Friends of the Library Donation



Thinking Library!

Meredith Scherb
December 21, 2013

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

Innocence by Dean Koontz
Hunted by Karen Robards
Innocent Blood: The Order of the Sanguines Series by James Rollins & Rebecca Cantrell
When Will the Heaven Begin?: This is Ben Breedlove’s Story by Ally Breedlove & Ken Abraham
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Standing in Another Man’s Grave (Detective Inspector Rebus) by Ian Rankin
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz
Cinders & Sapphires (At Somerton) by Leila Rasheed
Black Helicopters by Blythe Woolston
Ray of Light (Days of Redemption) by Shelley Shepard Gray

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, January 13, 2014, 5:30 p.m. meeting room upstairs.
  • Cass County Genealogical Society meeting, January 23, 2014
  • Booked for Lunch, Tuesday, January 28, 12:30-1:30, meeting room.
  • Pre-School Story Time will be Mondays and Tuesdays this fall from 10:00-11:00 for 3-5 year olds.
  • Merry Movie Mondays, December 23rd & 30th, 3:30-5:30.
  • ICN Program, Stories & More: Winter, Thursday, January 16, 9:30-10:15.
  • The Library will be closed Tuesday, December 24 and Wednesday, December 25 for Christmas.
  • The Library will be closed Wednesday, January 1 for New Year’s Day.


Did You Know…

From January 1, 2013 to December 19, 2013, Atlantic Public Library patrons checked out 2,237 audiobooks and eBooks from WILBOR, up from 1,872 over the same period last year?

Behind My Desk…

Library patrons and staff were treated to the Christmas classic “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as sung by the preschool storytime kids on December 16th and 17th.  They were wonderful and I thank them for bringing lots of holiday cheer to the library this week! 

I forgot to mention in my last column that the library has been hosting Merry Movie Mondays for kids each Monday from 3:30 to 5:30 in December.  There are still two dates left, the 23rd & 30th, so be sure to come to the library for a holiday movie and popcorn!

Thirty-two Kindergarten through 3rd grade students also came to the library for a Christmas party on Wednesday, December 18.  They read some books, made a Christmas tree and reindeer crafts, played a memory game and had some relay races.  Sounds like a lot of fun to me! 

Last week the Friends of the Library had their annual meeting.  With the success of the semi-annual book sales this past year, they were able to donate $3000 to the library!  This money will go to several projects including a database, people counter, and children’s programming.        

I hope the weather cooperates for everyone’s upcoming travel plans.  Have a very Merry Christmas, a wonderful New Year and… Keep thinking libraries!

It's Looking Festive @ the Library!



Thinking Library!

Meredith Scherb
December 7, 2013

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

Command Authority (A Jack Ryan novel) by Tom Clancy & Mark Greaney
The Gods of Guilt (Mickey Haller) by Michael Connelly
Hostage (A Bishop/SCU novel) by Kay Hooper
Forget Me Not by Fern Michaels
Cross My Heart(Alex Cross) by James Patterson
The Spook Lights Affair (A Carpenter & Quincannon Mystery) by Marica Muller & Bill Pronzini
Threads of Grace (A Patch of Heaven Novel) by Kelly Long
A Plain Scandal (An Appleseed Creek Mystery) by Amanda Flower
The Lesson (Stoney Ridge Seasons) by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Cut to the Quick by Dianne Emley

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, December 9, 2013, 5:30 p.m. meeting room upstairs.
  • Friends of the Atlantic Public Library annual meeting – Wednesday, December 11, 6:00 p.m., downstairs meeting room.
  • ICN Program, Stories & More: Counting and Number Concepts, Thursday, December 12, 9:30-10:15.
  • Cass County Genealogical Society meeting, no meeting in December
  • Booked for Lunch, Tuesday, December 17, 12:30-1:30, meeting room.
  • Pre-School Story Time will be Mondays and Tuesdays this fall from 10:00-11:00 for 3-5 year olds.
    • Dec 16th & 17th – Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
  • The Library will be closed Tuesday, December 24 and Wednesday, December 25 for Christmas.
  • The Library will be closed Wednesday, January 1 for New Year’s Day.

Did You Know…

In FY 2012, Iowans checked out over 29 million items from their public libraries?

Behind My Desk…

I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday with friends and family.  I know I overate, but isn’t that kind of the point?  And now Christmas is less than three weeks away and I have yet to put up a single decoration at home!  I really need to get on that. 

That is certainly not the case here at the library where everything is looking very festive indeed!  I especially love Penny the Penguin who greets everyone as they come in the door. The Christmas theme also continues with Story time on the 16th and 17th where the preschoolers will be “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.”  And while not Christmas related there is an ICN program on December 12th from 9:30-10:15 on Counting and Numbers. 

If you tried to access our website either Tuesday or Wednesday, the 3rd or 4th, you quickly realized it wasn’t working.  Our website, along with several others in Southwest Iowa, was moved to another server, and things didn’t go entirely smoothly.  It appears to be working now, and I apologize for the inconvenience. 

The Friends of the Atlantic Public Library asked me to remind all members of the upcoming annual meeting.  It will be held at the library on Wednesday, December 11 at 6:00. 

Also, I have one final note about Booked for Lunch.  We normally meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month, but in December that falls on Christmas Eve, so it will be held on Tuesday, the 17th at 12:30 instead.  Please join us!

Enjoy this holiday season and… Keep thinking libraries!

Happy Thanksgiving!



Thinking Library!

Meredith Scherb
November 23, 2013

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

Dust (A Scarpetta Novel) by Patricia Cornwell
Remote: Office Not Required by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
Stella Bain by Anita Shreve
The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom
King and Maxwell by David Baldacci
Takedown Twenty: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich
A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas
Sins of the Flesh: A Carmine Delmonico Novel by Colleen McCullough
A Christmas Hope by Anne Perry
Ghost Medicine (Ella Clah) by Aimee Thurlo

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, December 9, 2013, 5:30 p.m. meeting room upstairs.
  • Cass County Genealogical Society meeting, no meeting in December
  • Booked for Lunch, Tuesday, December 17, 12:30-1:30, meeting room.
  • Pre-School Story Time will be Mondays and Tuesdays this fall from 10:00-11:00 for 3-5 year olds.
    • Nov 25th & 26th – Let’s Give Thanks
    • Dec 16th & 17th – Christmas Party
  • The Library will be closing at 6:00 on Wednesday, November 27 and closed Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, November 28-30 for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Did You Know…

According to the American Library Association, there are more public libraries than McDonald’s in the U.S. – a total of 16,766 libraries including branches vs. 14,098 of the Golden Arches. (Quotable Facts about America’s Libraries 2012 Reference Book)

Behind My Desk…

Since it sounds like the weather will be turning cold and we might see some of the white stuff, I thought it was a good time to remind everyone of the Library’s policy for bad weather and programs.  Hopefully, we won’t have any significant snowfall for a while (or at all) but I think it’s best to be informed ahead of any event.

If the local Atlantic schools cancel school for the day, the library will cancel any programs they have on that day.

If the local Atlantic schools have a late start for school, the library will have their programs as scheduled.

Check the local radio stations for cancellations or call the library @ 243-5466, ext. 1.

If you’ve been downstairs in the children’s library, I hope you’ve noticed our new bookshelf.  Steve Livengood made the curvy, slightly topsy-turvy bookshelf for our Dr. Seuss corner.  It looks great!  If you haven’t seen it, I would encourage you to do so!

There was a wonderful turnout for the Turkey Day party on Wednesday, with 30 Kindergarten-3rd graders participating.  The kids made a craft (a turkey with “thankful for” feathers attached), read “Sometimes It’s Turkeys, Sometimes It’s Feathers” by Lorna Balian, decorated a turkey cookie, played Cornucopia and Bean/Corn Toss and watched “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”.  Whew!  A good time was had by all! 

And speaking of Thanksgiving, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday with all the trimmings and be sure to … Keep thinking libraries!