Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

So, what are you reading this summer that you can't put down?

It's the end of our 1st week of Summer Reading!! WOO HOO! 1 down, 5 to go! We've had a great turnout for this week's programs and have gotten great responses from people so far; lots of excited patrons, and fierce competitors!...maybe I should mention what we do for our Summer Reading: Our Summer Readers have 6 weeks to: Birth-5 yrs. (non-kindergarten bound): This group has to do 25 activities which encourage literacy and stimulate learning Prizes: 12 activities complete = beach bucket and 2 bottles of bubbles 25 activities complete/SR finished = Sticks Library tote bag with book inside Kindergarten-6th Graders: These kiddos have to read 10 hours Prizes: At 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 hours completed they get to pick something from the treasure chest and also receive a ticket to put into a prize box; at the end of Summer Reading we draw a winner(s) for each prize, however, only those who've completed SR qualify! The K-6th grade prizes are: NERF Big Bad Bow  Cake P...

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, June 14th is considered by some to be Curious George's Birthday--some say it was June 14, 1940 because that was the day creat ors H.A. & Margaret Rey fled war-torn Paris with the manuscript for what would become Curious George. Interesting facts about the lovable and curious monkey: *Curious George first appeared in Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys (1939); in this book George's name was Fifi *Curious George was published in 1941 * In the U.K. George was originally called "Zozo" to avoid using the name of the then King George VI *What is sometimes called the "Original Adventures", these 7 titles are by Margret & H.A. Rey. Curious George (1941) Curious George Takes a Job (1947) Curious George Rides a Bike (1952) Curious George Gets a Medal (1957) Curious George Flies a Kite (1958) Curious George Learns the Alphabet (1963) Curious George Goes to the Hospital (1966) I was f...

As of last night, our Summer Reading counts: 44     Babies 113   K-6 43     Teen 116   Adult This is Prairie Dawn's 1st Summer Reading Program ever, so I wondered how things would work, but I never should have given it a thought--she brings great energy, a willingness to be silly, and an infectious warmth and happiness to the programs. The kids love her. The parents love her. And even the teens love her--this is a rare gift indeed! I always tell people that our library is, "small but MIGHTY!" and I really believe that. I am a HUGE proponent of FREE programs, because getting people in can result in 1. new library cards/patrons 2. increased circulation and 3. most importantly, I think, is showing people that this is not their parents/grandparents library. Often when you get someone who hasn't been in a library in years you'll here, "I didn't know you had ______." "I didn't know I could ________!" And that is when you giv...

I am so tired, and yet, here I sit watching the storm that has finally swept into Sticks, instantly cooling the air and stirring up that smell --not the wormy, post-rain stink--the sigh smell . The sigh smell is what peppers the air all at once during a good downpour; everything suddenly letting out a sigh of relief: the grass, the shrubs, the trees, the dirt muddying in puddles too, even the people sleeping do it without knowing it. Here in Sticks it smells muddy and green and cool (yes, cool has a smell too!) and clean. Summer Reading is in its' first week and we're already beat. But I am loving it and finding myself constantly thinking, "I get paid to do this!" I am beat and it's late, so more details and pics soon, but I did want to share our stats for our Summer Reading 2013 program so far! At the end of Saturday's Kick-Off (only 4 hours long!) we'd already signed up: 32     Babies-Age 5 (non-kindgarten) 75     K-6th Grade 20   ...

Today marks the 1st official day of our 6 week Summer Reading program; we're kicking it off with an animal guy out of Columbus and I think Prairie Dawn and I are just as/more excited than the kids! So, as I get ready for work this morning I'm listening to peaceful music and NOT thinking about the next crazy busy 6 weeks ahead. A new band I discovered this weekend: Rosie and Me - Come Back

Caught up with a friend who is doing conservation work for the government in the U.P., Michigan; he shares stories and pictures of the beauty that is the U.P. at this time of year, and I can't help but be envious. I miss the abounding nature of the Farm; my solitary walks, reveling in this season: the loud early mornings I shared with the birds; the hopes of spotting a bear; the deer who ate abundant grasses in a nearby field, who looked on as I tended a garden of my own making; the river meandering along familiar paths...*sigh* Thinking back to this time last year, driving north with B1&B2, bound from the Farm in MA to Acadia National Park, Maine. I have such vivid pictures of that place in my mind and am recalling those a lot these days as I fantasize about sneaking away to somewhere where I can again get lost in a summer afternoon's walk.  Until then I will live vicariously through Uncle Walt: "...Just as you feel when you look on the river and sky, so I felt;...