Be Thankful for Your Library!

Thinking Library!

Carole Stanger

November 20, 2010

New Books Upstairs @ the library!

Cross Fire by James Patterson

Hell’s Corner by David Baldacci

Crescent Dawn by Clive Cussler

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

Life by Keith Richards

Bake and Decorate: Charming Cakes, Cupcakes, & Cookies,,, by Fiona Cairns

The Last Good War: the Faces and Voices of World War II

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

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

• Library Board Regular Meeting Monday, Dec. 13 5:30 p.m. upstairs

• Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds! No registration necessary! Free!
• Wed./Thurs. Dec. 1/2 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
• Wed./Thurs. Dec. 15/16 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
• The Library will close early at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24 and will be closed through Sunday, Nov. 28 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Did You Know… that our Library Aide Jean Miller has kindly donated her Coca Cola Collection to the Library and it will be available for permanent viewing in our large display case in the main Entry Hall? Come have a look! We decided this would be a great addition for the library and the “Coca Cola Capital of Iowa!”

Behind My Desk… Well, we’ve started! The board at a special meeting last week decided to establish the Atlantic Public Library Endowment Fund Youwith a portion of the bequest from the Jim Hunt estate. Some of the funds will stay in our Library Trust & Agency account, so we can make some repairs and other needed projects.

As you well know, money is tight for everyone, and we want to have a long and bright future for the library. This bequest was a special way to make that future brighter for everyone. I want to encourage each of you to consider your futures and your family’s future by taking the time to make out a will. And when doing this, please consider adding the Atlantic Public Library to your list of beneficiaries. It’s a wonderful way to extend your caring beyond your life.

The library endowment fund is a way for you to be sure your gifts will be used for the library. Now, I know that all gift monies are used for the library. They do not go into the general operating fund for the City. I know that. The board knows that, and so does the City of Atlantic. But a lot of people are very distrustful of government these days and are very concerned about where their money is going. This endowment fund is a good way to feel secure about your gift, and you can receive a 25% tax credit for each donation, in addition to any federal tax benefits you may qualify for.

Also, I should point out that gifts can be made with property, bonds and securities, as well as with monetary means. The state legislature many years ago gave special authority to library boards that are not given to other city boards. People want their libraries to be free of political influence and to be able to serve all people. It’s what this country is truly about.

Have a nice Thanksgiving Holiday and …Keep Thinking Libraries!

November Days @ Your Library!

Thinking Library!
Carole Stanger
November 6, 2010

New Books Upstairs @ the library!
American Assassin by Vince Flynn
Wedding Cake by Lynne Hinton
Up From the Blue by Susan Henderson
Ghost in Trouble by Carolyn Hart
The Lampshade: A Holocaust Detective Story from Buchenwald to New Orleans by Mark Jacobson
With Love and Laughter, John Ritter by Amy Yasbeck
Fallout by Ellen Hopkins
Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

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
• Daylight Savings Time goes away on Sunday, November 7…”Fall Back”
• The Atlantic Public Library will be closed on Thursday, November 11 in honor of Veterans’ Day.
• Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds! No registration necessary! Free!
• Wed./Thurs. Nov. 17/18 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
• Monday, Nov. 8, 6-8 p.m. The library will be co-hosting a public informational meeting with the Department of Natural Resources in the library lower level meeting area.
• Friends of the Atlantic Public Library Semi Annual Used Book Sale! Friday & Saturday Nov. 19 & 20! Wait to bring your books to the library until after November 2.
• The Library will be closed Thursday, Nov. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 28 for the Thanksgiving holiday.


Did You Know… that now is the time to join the Friends of the Atlantic Public Library? It’s just $10 per person per year! In fact, the Friends are going to have the first opportunity to buy at the Book Sale on Friday, November 19 from 9:30 to 11 a.m.! The Friends are able to help the library out by volunteering as well as with money contributions. Help the Library and join the Friends group!

Behind My Desk… I hope that some of you are able to use our online library catalog from your home. You now have the capability to download audio books from the catalog! This is so cool! For those of you who use WILBOR, you can go to our library catalog and check to see if a particular title is available to download from WILBOR. You can login with your library card number and download directly without leaving the catalog!

We now offer access to LibriVox for public domain downloadable audio books, too! Most books that are in the public domain are the “classics.” If you enjoy listening to Jane Austen or Charles Dickens or the any other number of authors from days gone by, check it out…it’s free!

Last week I was given the opportunity to add a mobile website for the Atlantic Public Library. Got cell phone that connects to the Internet? You should be able to go directly to our new “mobi” site. My phone isn’t that smart, but please let me know if it works for you! Also, what other info would you like to see?

Slowly, but surely, our landscaping around the library building is coming along. It’s taken a while, but I truly want to thank our volunteer gardeners for all their work this year. With all the digging and trimming and hacking and pulling by these people we are improving the appearance of the library and our community.

Get ready for the Friends of the Library Used Book Sale and …Keep Thinking Libraries!

Audio Book News!

Thinking Library!
Carole Stanger
October 23, 2010

New Books Upstairs @ the library!
Worth Dying For by Lee Child
Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen
Cross Roads by Fern Michaels
Her Daughters Dream by Francine Rivers
Playing the Game by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Black Madonna by T. Davis Bunn
In the Company of Others by Jan Karon
Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

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 will be closed Thursday, November 11 in honor of Veterans' Day.

Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds! No registration necessary! Free!
Wed./Thurs. Nov. 3/4 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
Wed./Thurs. Nov. 17/18 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.

Election Tuesday, Nov. 2, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Grove Twshp and Atlantic Ward 2 vote at the Atlantic Public Library. For other Atlantic Wards check http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us/city_ward_map.htm

Monday, Nov. 8, 7-9 p.m. The library will be co-hosting a public informational meeting with the Department of Natural Resources in the library lower level meeting area.
Friends of the Atlantic Public Library Semi Annual Used Book Sale! Friday & Saturday Nov. 19 & 20! Wait to bring your books to the library until after November 2.

Did You Know… that in the last three months Atlantic Public Library patrons have saved over $400,000 by using the library? Times are tough, and people are using the library more and more. The savings from two years ago increased about $80,000. The public library is a very good value for your tax dollars.

Behind My Desk… Last week I attended the Iowa Library Association’s annual conference in Coralville. I’ve been attending these since 1978 when I was a new library Director in Creston fresh out of graduate school. I look back at those days and realize how much I have continued to grow and learn with my profession. Libraries have had to change as times have changed.

This next legislative session will again bring a great deal of change to the state network of libraries, but I am hoping it will be for the better. It’s going to take a new kind of leadership and a new kind of thinking.

It’s time for me to start thinking about the library budget for next year. I know…we are just into this new fiscal year, but I need to be looking at what we need to be doing a year from now. We have so many needs and expenses for library operations continue to increase. The library is just one department of the City of Atlantic, too.

You may have noticed that we have discontinued our books on cassettes collection. Checkouts have declined this past year and our books on CD’s were needing more space on the shelves. We will be including the cassettes in the Friends of the Library used book Sale in November. Also, we switched the paperback romance collection with the books on CD’s to give a little more room for expansion. Along this same line of thought, who do you especially enjoy listening to for readers of audio books? I would love to hear your ideas.

Have a Spooky Halloween and …Keep Thinking Libraries!

Preschool Story Times Have Begun!

Thinking Library!
Carole Stanger
October 9, 2010

New Books Upstairs @ the library!
Tough Customer by Sandra Brown
Bad Blood by John Sanford
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
Don’t Blink by James Patterson
My Lost Daughter by Nancy Rosenberg
Gingerbread Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Confession of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim
Don’t Cry by Beverly Barton

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
Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds! No registration necessary! Free!
Wed./Thurs. Oct. 20/21 Preschool Story Time 10 – 10:45 a.m.
Wed./Thurs. Nov. 3/4 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
Wed./Thurs. Nov. 17/18 Preschool Story Time 10-10:45 a.m.
Election Tuesday, Nov. 2, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Grove Twshp and Atlantic Ward 2 vote at the Atlantic Public Library. For other Atlantic Wards check http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us/city_ward_map.htm
Friends of the Atlantic Public Library Semi Annual Used Book Sale! Friday & Saturday Nov. 19 & 20! Wait to bring your books to the library until after November 2.


Did You Know… if you have Internet access at home, you can check your library account to see if you have any reserves ready to pick up, place you name for a reserve on a particular book, find out when your books are due and even find out if the library has a certain book? If you don’t have Internet access, that doesn’t mean you can’t ask at the library checkout desk for a book to be reserved or any of the other tasks as well!

Behind My Desk… As I’ve grown older I truly do appreciate automatic door openers into buildings. I also now see a different side when it comes to maintenance of these doors. I cringe now when I see someone force an automatic door to open quicker or wider. Oh, folks, what that does to the mechanics of the door is not pretty. I used to be very impatient with those things, too. I am a whole lot kinder and gentler to those doors now. It’s not a good thing to leave a door propped open when the machinery wants to close it. It’s also not a toy for children to play with, either.


I plan to try an experiment with people who have “smart phones.” My cell phone is not smart. (We’re not talking about the operator here—that’s a given with some of this new stuff!) I think if you can access the Internet with your cell phone, it’s smart. Anyway, I plan to post some barcodes at the library that you can scan with your smart phone for reader’s advisory lists. It’s another way for people to use their phones. (It’s not just for communication anymore!). Just when I think I have almost reached my saturation point with new gizmos, I learn about something that might even tempt me! Those Ipads and Kindles are really cool!

The Atlantic Public Library board and staff wish to acknowledge the wonderful bequest given by the estate of James Hunt. Thank you so much.

…Keep Thinking Libraries!

Thinking Library!
Carole Stanger
September 25, 2010

New Books Upstairs @ the library!
Immanuel’s Veins by Ted Tekker
Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich
No Mercy by Sherril Kenyon
Vermilion Drift by William Krueger
Thorn by Beverly Lewis
Portobello by Ruth Rendell
Violin of Auschwitz by Maria Anglada
Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie

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
Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds will start on Wednesday/Thursday Oct. 6/7 from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. No registration necessary! Free!
Wed./Thurs. Oct. 20/21 Preschool Story Time 10 – 10:45 a.m.


Did You Know… you just have a few more months to use the Career Online Database? It’s a great source for students thinking about careers and people looking to change careers. The link is right on the library home page.

Behind My Desk… To the Atlantic Class of 1955: I am so glad you could stop by the public library and see our facility. We think it is pretty special. To other Atlantic Classes who have reunions planned, I would be happy to give you a tour of the Atlantic Public Library! It’s a perfect time to show former classmates how things have changed in Atlantic. It’s amazing how our perceptions change over the years!

After having realized that we need more space for our audio books on cd for adults, we have decided to (alas) discontinue our audio books on cassettes. Anyone who is interested in purchasing these weeded items, should come to the Friends of the Library Book Sale in November! They will be there for sale.

Congratulations to my library board of Trustees for being one of the winners of the Southwest Iowa Library Service Area’s 2010 Vision Awards. It takes a team effort to make the library a success for the community. Each year the SWILSA board of trustees offers the opportunity for a library board chairperson or director to nominate a library board for the Vision Award. There are certain criteria that are judged:

Committed to serving Iowans
Passionate about their jobs
Confident in their knowledge and abilities: Continuing educations
Confident in their knowledge and abilities: Team and individual skills
Leaders in their local communities and in the library community
Creative Thinkers and innovators
Change agents, and active participants in positive movement toward the future
Plus the completeness of the application.

I submitted the application this year for several reasons. First of all, the library board does look to the future and does allow for new ideas. Second, I have watched this board evolve and become a great team for the library. Third, because this would be the last year of these awards, I wanted them to get the recognition they deserved. The award plaque can be seen upstairs at the checkout desk. The other winners were Council Bluffs Public Library and Malvern Public Library.

There are nine members on the library board of Trustees:
Sid Winchell, chair
Janice Dickerson, vice chair
Carolyn Hanson, secretary
Lynn Barnes
Dee Bebensee
Linn Headlee
Brad Osborne
Marcia Schildberg
Betty Trewet

The next time you see one of these people let them know your appreciation of the volunteer work they do. …Keep Thinking Libraries!

September Library News!

Thinking Library!
Carole Stanger
September 4, 2010

New Books Upstairs @ the Library!
Called to Coach by Bobby Bowden
Coming Back Stronger by Drew Brees
Spy by Clive Cussler
This is Where We Live by Janelle Brown
Zoo Story by Thomas French
Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
Iowa Road Guide to Haunted Locations by Chad Lewis

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.
The Atlantic Public Library will be closed Monday, September 6 for the Labor Day holiday.
Check out our website http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us
Story Time Programs for 3, 4, & 5 year olds will start on Wednesday/Thursday Oct. 6/7 from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. No registration necessary! Free!


Did You Know… that on the Atlantic Public Library website there is a link to local area websites? We have the City of Atlantic website and the Cass County website…not to mention the Atlantic News Telegraph, KSOM and KJAN radio stations, and the Atlantic Chamber!

Behind My Desk… Within the last couple weeks we have enhanced our catalog. Some of you are aware of our downloadable book service called WILBOR. Those titles are now part of our catalog! I am extremely pleased that our automation system provider was able to do that for us. If you are not aware of this service and would like to download some books on to your mp3 player, Ipod, or even your computer, you need to go to our webpage and click on the WILBOR icon. This is a free service to our patrons. You will need to know your library card number, so stop by our checkout desk and request that for online use.

Now when you check our library catalog to see if we have a certain title, it will include WILBOR titles from the Internet!

Earlier this summer I mentioned about changes coming for the State Library and our Library Service Areas. At that time the process of the change was just beginning and I wasn’t sure what would be happening. I have a better idea now. A committee of eleven was selected to create a new state library
/library service area administration model. They have looked at various options and decided on a tentative plan.

It is now being discussed throughout the state for input from local librarians. There are lots of different libraries in the state: college and universities, community colleges, publics, schools, and specials. They all have a vested interest in how this new model will work for each of them. The legislature (behind the scenes) will be given the final proposal in October, so that when the legislature convenes in January a great deal of the paperwork will be ready.

I hope you noticed that Julie will be starting her Preschool Story Times in October. They will be for boys and girls ages 3,4, or 5 at the library from 10 to 10:45 a.m. the first and third Wednesdays and Thursdays of each month. The theme for this year is “Lions & Tigers & Bears, OH, MY!”

We’ll be announcing more information shortly. …Keep Thinking Libraries!

Time for School!

Thinking Library!
Carole Stanger
August 21, 2010

New Books Upstairs @ the library!
Tough Customer by Sandra Brown
Cobra by Frederick Forsyth
Crossfire by Dick Francis
Veil of Night by Linda Howard
Postcard Killers by James Patterson
Last Lie by Stephen White
Burn by Nevada Barr
Cure by Robin Cook

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.
Thursday, August 26 at 1 p.m. Cass County Genealogical Society meeting.
The Atlantic Public Library will be closed Monday, September 6 for the Labor Day holiday.


Did You Know… that on the homepage of Atlantic Public Library website www.atlantic.lib.ia.us , we have a link to a “Newcomer’s Map to Atlantic?” A new person or family to the community can find out where the schools are located as well as other important locations in our fair city.

Behind My Desk… School has started for another year. The summer was a very busy one here at the library, and now we will change over to a new kind of “busy.” It will take a little while for people to get into their fall/winter routine, but it won’t take too long. The library will have some new faces pretty soon behind the checkout desks, too.

This month marked my 12th anniversary at the Atlantic Public Library. I can hardly believe it has been that long! Lots of things have changed, and I have learned a great deal. I’m a firm believer in lifetime learning. As I’ve grown older, I’ve found that my ideas about managing a library have changed, as well. That’s a good thing. If you are not willing to learn and grow and change to fit the times, you will be left behind. For some people that may work just fine, but a library needs to stay vital to the community. This is the information age…and what better place to stay current than at the library!

I managed to finish the annual library report for the State last week. It takes a while to round up all the information, but I really like to get that little “project” done as soon as I can.

Remember that spring project with my desk and office? Well, change that to a fall project and we’ll see how that goes. (You and I both know it will never be done; but I can set goals!)

Have you taken a look at the upstairs bulletin board? Earlier this summer Janie and I put together a list of steps it takes for a suggestion of a book for the library collection to make it to the shelves. It certainly cannot happen overnight and is a longer process than most people realize. Take a moment to stop and look at what happens behind the scenes.

Time for me to wrap this up. Remember to …Keep Thinking Libraries!