Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: September 21, 2007
Books, books, and more books. It is logical that as librarians we are surrounded by books, but sometimes, it can be too much! Not that I am complaining but after awhile, the number and sheer volume can be a challenge. Sedona Public Library receives hundreds and hundreds of books per week. New ones, old ones, purchased and donated – it wouldn’t be excessive to tell you that we can easily receive one or two pickup trucks of books each week.
The ones that are the most interesting, in my view, are the donated books. Whether someone has simply cleared off their shelves to make room for more they intend to purchase, or it’s an estate being dissolved and the Library receives all those that cannot be sold, almost invariably one can find a treasure or three in each odd lot. The challenge is to know the good from the bad – especially whether the good ones are REALLY good and worth some money.
The Friends of the Sedona Library have managed the book sales for years. All proceeds from those sales allow the Friends to support the Library directly. So, even if a book you donate doesn’t end up in the collection, its sale does directly benefit our work here. During the past year, we have changed how we handle some of those donated books. Often, people bring us a book from out of the book sales and state that “This book is worth at least $500. Why are you selling it for $3?” we have decided to delve more deeply into the “real” worth of many of the donated books. Real is a matter of perspective as one person’s treasure is another many trash.
Sometimes, a really obvious example of a rare book comes along and we have been able to sell it for its true worth. But, much of an esoteric book’s value is in the eye of the purchaser. Not all would agree it has real worth. Some collectors specialize in books of certain genre, style, period, author and so many more criteria. Knowing that there is a market for a particular book requires years of experience, or – the Internet!
Nowadays, there are many websites that post the value of collectibles – books or otherwise – from which a reasonable understanding of an item’s worth can be obtained. And that is just what we do. Sites such as alibris, abebooks, biblio, bookfinder, usedbookcentral and allbookstores all provide excellent information on the value of many old, rare, collectible or unusual books. A search gives you the value of the item you hold and then you simply list the title, a description and the price on other sites like eBay. We have found purchasers of many books and actually brought in “real money” to the tune of hundreds of dollars for a book. This has been a good avenue for the Sedona Public Library because we don’t often find those who wish to pay high dollars for a rarity coming into our book sales.
Our big challenge is to find enough people who are interested in learning the searching work and to donate their time to list the many titles that are starting to back up on our shelves. If you are interested in working with computers, searching the Internet, have an interest in old books and want to help the Library in a very direct way, please consider becoming a book searcher.
Each week, books we have listed have gone out the front door and returned to us a goodly sum of money. Please help the Library and the Friends of the Library by donating a few hours each week to this fascinating work. We will show you the ropes and establish a regular schedule with you. Your time spent here will be among interesting and friendly folks, doing work that truly helps us. And I’ll bet you learn something, too!
Please contact Karen Greenwood, our Volunteer Coordinator, to express your interest and schedule. Help the Library, have fun and raise money quickly for us without much effort at all!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: September 14, 2007
Every once in awhile, I receive a newspaper clipping announcing the end of the book. In the New York Times of September 6th, there was an article entitled “Are Books Passé?” It discussed the advent of two new electronic reader devices that both Google and Amazon were poised to release. Is this the death knell of the printed word? Is the Library on its last legs? Will our grandchildren never enjoy the pleasure of reading a good book while curled up next to a fireplace or in bed? And my answer is always – yes and no.
First, just to ad a bit of context, it is important to remember that reading is really only a couple of hundred years old, as far as a widely held skill, and that may be pushing it. For most of human history, information has been passed along via stories told around the campfire, via cave painting, pictures pecked into rock or some other visual format. Reading books by the majority of the population is a very recent state of affairs.
My view, heretical is it may sound, is that I am more interested in getting information to people and the format is less important to me. Now, I know that will elicit gasps from some of you, but information can come in many forms – not just books. Try viewing a great painting, listening to a beautiful piece of music, or just having a meaningful conversation. Yes, books are wonderful, but they are only one way to get the data across to the “reader.”
The Sedona Public Library is about to release a new form of electronic book called the Playaway. This is a single book on a match box sized device that is essentially an MP3 player. The fun part of this format is that the previous need to listen to your audiobooks sitting in front of your stereo at home or in your car is no longer the restriction. Instead, you can be fully mobile to work in your yard, go for a hike, or any other activity and still listen to the book of your choice. Kids have their iPods or other mobile players. Now, those who have wondered about these things can try a Playaway book and find out how simple and enjoyable being mobile with a book can be.
For a number of years, we have had books on tape, then books on CD. We have had VHS and DVD movies and shows from Discovery, PBS and others. That the item is electronic is already a fact – and the fact is that audio visual items are a hugely popular format.
Yet, books still hold a fascination for me and for millions of others. In spite of the fact that books in electronic formats are beginning to show themselves as more and more viable, I have no doubt that the book as a physical item will remain for many years to come. There certainly are advantages to books delivered electronically. Take for example the many pounds of books that our children lug around in their backpacks? Why not have the texts they use in a single electronic reader? Wouldn’t a slim electronic reader for these be just as good?
Just as there are a range within every form of things we buy, there can just as easily be a number of formats for books and movies. If you decide that one format is better for you at a particular time, you buy that. If another format is better at a different time, you buy that. No problem. Those who wring their hands to bemoan the end of the book simply have forgotten the laws of supply and demand – as long as people want them and we can make them, books as we know them will survive.
Edgar Guest wrote a wonderful homage to books in his “A Book.” “Now,” said a good book unto me, “Open my pages and you shall see, Jewels of wisdom and treasures fine, Gold and silver in every line. And you may claim them if you but will. Open my pages and take your fill.”
“I am just a book on your mantle shelf. But I can be a part of your living self; If only you’ll travel my pages thru, Then, I will travel with world with you. Open my pages and run them o’er. Take what you choose from my golden store.”
“I’ll make you fitter to talk with men. I’ll touch with silver the lines you pen. I’ll lead you nearer the truth you seek. I’ll strengthen you when your faith grows weak. Come, take me, know me, love me well. Let me come into your mind to dwell.”
Whether it is printed, hand written, electronic or aurally delivered, a book will still perform the same magic in your mind and in your heart. Try reading, hearing or viewing one today!
Red Rock News
Date: September 14, 2007
Every once in awhile, I receive a newspaper clipping announcing the end of the book. In the New York Times of September 6th, there was an article entitled “Are Books Passé?” It discussed the advent of two new electronic reader devices that both Google and Amazon were poised to release. Is this the death knell of the printed word? Is the Library on its last legs? Will our grandchildren never enjoy the pleasure of reading a good book while curled up next to a fireplace or in bed? And my answer is always – yes and no.
First, just to ad a bit of context, it is important to remember that reading is really only a couple of hundred years old, as far as a widely held skill, and that may be pushing it. For most of human history, information has been passed along via stories told around the campfire, via cave painting, pictures pecked into rock or some other visual format. Reading books by the majority of the population is a very recent state of affairs.
My view, heretical is it may sound, is that I am more interested in getting information to people and the format is less important to me. Now, I know that will elicit gasps from some of you, but information can come in many forms – not just books. Try viewing a great painting, listening to a beautiful piece of music, or just having a meaningful conversation. Yes, books are wonderful, but they are only one way to get the data across to the “reader.”
The Sedona Public Library is about to release a new form of electronic book called the Playaway. This is a single book on a match box sized device that is essentially an MP3 player. The fun part of this format is that the previous need to listen to your audiobooks sitting in front of your stereo at home or in your car is no longer the restriction. Instead, you can be fully mobile to work in your yard, go for a hike, or any other activity and still listen to the book of your choice. Kids have their iPods or other mobile players. Now, those who have wondered about these things can try a Playaway book and find out how simple and enjoyable being mobile with a book can be.
For a number of years, we have had books on tape, then books on CD. We have had VHS and DVD movies and shows from Discovery, PBS and others. That the item is electronic is already a fact – and the fact is that audio visual items are a hugely popular format.
Yet, books still hold a fascination for me and for millions of others. In spite of the fact that books in electronic formats are beginning to show themselves as more and more viable, I have no doubt that the book as a physical item will remain for many years to come. There certainly are advantages to books delivered electronically. Take for example the many pounds of books that our children lug around in their backpacks? Why not have the texts they use in a single electronic reader? Wouldn’t a slim electronic reader for these be just as good?
Just as there are a range within every form of things we buy, there can just as easily be a number of formats for books and movies. If you decide that one format is better for you at a particular time, you buy that. If another format is better at a different time, you buy that. No problem. Those who wring their hands to bemoan the end of the book simply have forgotten the laws of supply and demand – as long as people want them and we can make them, books as we know them will survive.
Edgar Guest wrote a wonderful homage to books in his “A Book.” “Now,” said a good book unto me, “Open my pages and you shall see, Jewels of wisdom and treasures fine, Gold and silver in every line. And you may claim them if you but will. Open my pages and take your fill.”
“I am just a book on your mantle shelf. But I can be a part of your living self; If only you’ll travel my pages thru, Then, I will travel with world with you. Open my pages and run them o’er. Take what you choose from my golden store.”
“I’ll make you fitter to talk with men. I’ll touch with silver the lines you pen. I’ll lead you nearer the truth you seek. I’ll strengthen you when your faith grows weak. Come, take me, know me, love me well. Let me come into your mind to dwell.”
Whether it is printed, hand written, electronic or aurally delivered, a book will still perform the same magic in your mind and in your heart. Try reading, hearing or viewing one today!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Keeber's Column
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: September 7, 2007
Sedona Public Library is a very busy place. Last fiscal year, more than 183,000 visits registered on our door counter. That averages out to more than 500 per day that we are open. With so many people coming in and out of the Library each day, it should be expected that the usual array of things that happen when you “entertain” large numbers of folks. In fact, there have been many instances when people have had problems of a medical nature. When that occurs, the staff at the Library is ready.
Call me a bit fanatical, but I now require all staff to have regular CPR training so they can be prepared to meet the problems when they arise. Right now, all staff is being recertified by the excellent professionals at the Sedona Fire Department. Every two years, those who have been certified on this life saving skill must take the classes again to ensure their up to date knowledge. It is a six hour course that we march all paid staff through to not “lose our edge.”
In addition, the Library has further partnered with the Fire Department to station an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) in an easily accessible place within the building to be used in case of emergency. During our classes, we learned that previous to the invention and wide-spread use of AEDs, CPR interventions saved lives about 12% of the time. But, with this wonderful machine, the percentage of lives saved elevated to about 65%! With odds like that, we felt it was important to work with the Fire Department to provide such a machine.
As with any powerful tool, use of the AED is not for the initiated. It actually is powerful enough to kill in the hands of an untrained individual. All staff have been trained in the use of these devises, so we are confident that should the need arise, we are fully prepared.
Occasionally, programs happen here at times when the Library is closed and staff is not available. The AED device is readily accessible near the public restrooms, but again, its use does require some training. I strongly recommend that people take this training so they can be adequately prepared, too.
So, rest assured that when you come to the Sedona Public Library, the staff is capable of handling emergencies. As one of the largest public facilities in the community, we feel it is our responsibility to be prepared.
Right now and until the end of September, there is a wonderful display presented by the Verde Valley Weavers and Spinners in the lobby of the Library. You will find lots of examples of the fabric arts with demonstrations on many days of various techniques used in weaving and spinning. From the simple but effective Navajo looms used to make the colorful rungs, to table and floor models of the more traditional looms that produce material for sewing , you will find lots of interesting things to look at and learn from. Remember, all of our clothing used to come from such equipment and it is very edifying to learn how it has been done for centuries. Take the time to drop by and peruse the work of the many talented folks on the Weavers and Spinners guild.
Finally, I want to put in a word for oversized books. When we get into habits in our reading, we often stick to one genre to the exclusion of all others. Regardless of the genres, though, most people stick to one size book – the novel or paperback. Often overlooked are the truly wonderful books that have been called coffee table books, those items that are filled with glorious pictures and are as big as a coffee table. You will find these on the bottom shelves of almost any row of books and they seldom get taken out. That’s a shame as there are some truly wonderful things to see in these big books. One recent acquisition is Earth from Above, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand that offers stunning pictures of landforms that will take your breath away. Or try Islamic Art and Culture, by Nasser D. Khalili. Revel in the great works of this culture who produced much of our mathematics, the scientific method, and stunning art and architecture. Truly amazing! Don’t overlook the oversized book!
This column is also presented on: Gateway to Sedona and Sedona Biz
Red Rock News
Date: September 7, 2007
Sedona Public Library is a very busy place. Last fiscal year, more than 183,000 visits registered on our door counter. That averages out to more than 500 per day that we are open. With so many people coming in and out of the Library each day, it should be expected that the usual array of things that happen when you “entertain” large numbers of folks. In fact, there have been many instances when people have had problems of a medical nature. When that occurs, the staff at the Library is ready.
Call me a bit fanatical, but I now require all staff to have regular CPR training so they can be prepared to meet the problems when they arise. Right now, all staff is being recertified by the excellent professionals at the Sedona Fire Department. Every two years, those who have been certified on this life saving skill must take the classes again to ensure their up to date knowledge. It is a six hour course that we march all paid staff through to not “lose our edge.”
In addition, the Library has further partnered with the Fire Department to station an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) in an easily accessible place within the building to be used in case of emergency. During our classes, we learned that previous to the invention and wide-spread use of AEDs, CPR interventions saved lives about 12% of the time. But, with this wonderful machine, the percentage of lives saved elevated to about 65%! With odds like that, we felt it was important to work with the Fire Department to provide such a machine.
As with any powerful tool, use of the AED is not for the initiated. It actually is powerful enough to kill in the hands of an untrained individual. All staff have been trained in the use of these devises, so we are confident that should the need arise, we are fully prepared.
Occasionally, programs happen here at times when the Library is closed and staff is not available. The AED device is readily accessible near the public restrooms, but again, its use does require some training. I strongly recommend that people take this training so they can be adequately prepared, too.
So, rest assured that when you come to the Sedona Public Library, the staff is capable of handling emergencies. As one of the largest public facilities in the community, we feel it is our responsibility to be prepared.
Right now and until the end of September, there is a wonderful display presented by the Verde Valley Weavers and Spinners in the lobby of the Library. You will find lots of examples of the fabric arts with demonstrations on many days of various techniques used in weaving and spinning. From the simple but effective Navajo looms used to make the colorful rungs, to table and floor models of the more traditional looms that produce material for sewing , you will find lots of interesting things to look at and learn from. Remember, all of our clothing used to come from such equipment and it is very edifying to learn how it has been done for centuries. Take the time to drop by and peruse the work of the many talented folks on the Weavers and Spinners guild.
Finally, I want to put in a word for oversized books. When we get into habits in our reading, we often stick to one genre to the exclusion of all others. Regardless of the genres, though, most people stick to one size book – the novel or paperback. Often overlooked are the truly wonderful books that have been called coffee table books, those items that are filled with glorious pictures and are as big as a coffee table. You will find these on the bottom shelves of almost any row of books and they seldom get taken out. That’s a shame as there are some truly wonderful things to see in these big books. One recent acquisition is Earth from Above, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand that offers stunning pictures of landforms that will take your breath away. Or try Islamic Art and Culture, by Nasser D. Khalili. Revel in the great works of this culture who produced much of our mathematics, the scientific method, and stunning art and architecture. Truly amazing! Don’t overlook the oversized book!
This column is also presented on: Gateway to Sedona and Sedona Biz
Friday, August 31, 2007
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: August 31, 2007
There is a song by the rock group Fleetwood Mac whose refrain is “World’s changing…” and from the news reports of late, it sure seems to be the case. Global climate change is the big topic, and not just at the national level. People everywhere are trying to understand the extent of the changes coming and what they can do to be prepared, and even to maybe exert a change for the better.
Sedona Public Library is in partnership with Sustainable Arizona and the Greater Sedona Community Foundation to present information to the public on this topic. In addition to a constantly rotating display of display panels throughout the Library, we have worked in partnership with Sustainable Arizona to present a series of programs, and even an exposition this past May on the topic of sustainability.
While all the high profile work is proceeding, we are also adding to our collection numerous items that can give the “newbie” to the topic a good grounding in the language and issues surrounding sustainability. New to the Library’s collection are many books you will find interesting and informative. Here are four new books and one old one, profiled for you.
While the titles may well put you off, the “For Dummies” series are solid, informative and easily read books on a range of topics. Michael Grosvenor has written Sustainable Living for Dummies, a well organized and absorbable primer on the topic. The introduction starts with the admonition that “this book is designed to help you adopt a lifestyle that helps heal the planet instead of harming it.” From there is goes on to the overall environment, home practices, recycling, sustainable shopping, sustainability at work, important information the main subject and travel, a chapter on references for further reading. I am sure you have heard conversations on the topics covered in the chapters, but getting them all in one place in an easily understood form makes this book a real solid beginning point in your education on the subject.
Hermann Scheer has written The Solar Economy: Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Global Future. With much in the news about this supposedly endless form of energy, it may sound like the best deal around. The challenge is the front end costs are high and that can well put it beyond the reach of many folks. Scheer’s book examines the problems and long-term costs of the petroleum model and then compares it to the solar model, suggesting that in the long run, solar is the least expensive technology. That being said, those pesky front end costs are still there and the author works to address this question very well.
Other aspects of the sustainability debate is that the conversion costs will be prohibitive to business and forced adherence to these new technologies will damage the economy. David. B. Goldstein, in his book Saving Energy, Growing Jobs: How Environmental Protection Promotes Economic Growth, Profitability, Innovation and Competition, shows that the move to sustainability is actually a money making endeavor. The book profiles the unexpected success of early energy regulations, shows how markets actually work and how they fail, provides a model for well-designed environmental policies, and offers guidelines for transforming the current political debate. You will find this book interesting for sure!
Another title to profile is World Changing: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century, edited by Alex Steffen. It is a “compendium of solutions, some little known but well proven, some innovative and new, some bold but as yet untried” that taken together, “present a picture of a future that is not dark or claustrophobic, but one that if full of hope and within our grasp.” This is a mammoth book with loads of interesting ideas from around the world, both real and only yet on the drawing board. The broad topics written about within cover “stuff,” shelter, cities, community, business, politics and the planet.
Finally, one book that I have been recommending for years is A Pattern Language, by Christopher Alexander, et. al. Whether you are building a home or trying to understand what makes a place, whether city-wide or just a house seem a better place to live, this is the book. The authors have codified a range of “patterns of existence” and written about them in short, easy-to-read and entertaining chapters. They range from city-wide macro level patterns (open market, public transportation, sleeping in public), to small, micro level patterns (couple’s bedroom, children’s play area, breezeway, shaded patio). When you read this book, the overarching sense one gets is that of humane spaces that take into account the real lives of the residents. Not just pretty, sterile buildings, but places you would want to call home.
Pick up any of these books and your interest will be sustained!
Red Rock News
Date: August 31, 2007
There is a song by the rock group Fleetwood Mac whose refrain is “World’s changing…” and from the news reports of late, it sure seems to be the case. Global climate change is the big topic, and not just at the national level. People everywhere are trying to understand the extent of the changes coming and what they can do to be prepared, and even to maybe exert a change for the better.
Sedona Public Library is in partnership with Sustainable Arizona and the Greater Sedona Community Foundation to present information to the public on this topic. In addition to a constantly rotating display of display panels throughout the Library, we have worked in partnership with Sustainable Arizona to present a series of programs, and even an exposition this past May on the topic of sustainability.
While all the high profile work is proceeding, we are also adding to our collection numerous items that can give the “newbie” to the topic a good grounding in the language and issues surrounding sustainability. New to the Library’s collection are many books you will find interesting and informative. Here are four new books and one old one, profiled for you.
While the titles may well put you off, the “For Dummies” series are solid, informative and easily read books on a range of topics. Michael Grosvenor has written Sustainable Living for Dummies, a well organized and absorbable primer on the topic. The introduction starts with the admonition that “this book is designed to help you adopt a lifestyle that helps heal the planet instead of harming it.” From there is goes on to the overall environment, home practices, recycling, sustainable shopping, sustainability at work, important information the main subject and travel, a chapter on references for further reading. I am sure you have heard conversations on the topics covered in the chapters, but getting them all in one place in an easily understood form makes this book a real solid beginning point in your education on the subject.
Hermann Scheer has written The Solar Economy: Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Global Future. With much in the news about this supposedly endless form of energy, it may sound like the best deal around. The challenge is the front end costs are high and that can well put it beyond the reach of many folks. Scheer’s book examines the problems and long-term costs of the petroleum model and then compares it to the solar model, suggesting that in the long run, solar is the least expensive technology. That being said, those pesky front end costs are still there and the author works to address this question very well.
Other aspects of the sustainability debate is that the conversion costs will be prohibitive to business and forced adherence to these new technologies will damage the economy. David. B. Goldstein, in his book Saving Energy, Growing Jobs: How Environmental Protection Promotes Economic Growth, Profitability, Innovation and Competition, shows that the move to sustainability is actually a money making endeavor. The book profiles the unexpected success of early energy regulations, shows how markets actually work and how they fail, provides a model for well-designed environmental policies, and offers guidelines for transforming the current political debate. You will find this book interesting for sure!
Another title to profile is World Changing: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century, edited by Alex Steffen. It is a “compendium of solutions, some little known but well proven, some innovative and new, some bold but as yet untried” that taken together, “present a picture of a future that is not dark or claustrophobic, but one that if full of hope and within our grasp.” This is a mammoth book with loads of interesting ideas from around the world, both real and only yet on the drawing board. The broad topics written about within cover “stuff,” shelter, cities, community, business, politics and the planet.
Finally, one book that I have been recommending for years is A Pattern Language, by Christopher Alexander, et. al. Whether you are building a home or trying to understand what makes a place, whether city-wide or just a house seem a better place to live, this is the book. The authors have codified a range of “patterns of existence” and written about them in short, easy-to-read and entertaining chapters. They range from city-wide macro level patterns (open market, public transportation, sleeping in public), to small, micro level patterns (couple’s bedroom, children’s play area, breezeway, shaded patio). When you read this book, the overarching sense one gets is that of humane spaces that take into account the real lives of the residents. Not just pretty, sterile buildings, but places you would want to call home.
Pick up any of these books and your interest will be sustained!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by Pamela Comello, Youth Services Librarian
Red Rock News
Date: AUGUST 24, 2007
It is hard to believe the month of August is more than half over, and school has started for most children in the area. Another Summer Reading Program has ended, and as I review the accomplishments of the summer, I am again amazed at the difference books and libraries can make in children's lives. Some 40 programs were offered this summer in which pre-school students, school-age children, and teens could learn new information and develop skills using common shapes and objects to create cartoon figures, composing and playing music and cooking to name a few. Programs held at the Library this summer gave children the opportunity to not only be enriched and inspired by professionals but to be exposed to new ideas and information through the performers and artists conducting these program as well as the books displayed during the various programs.
I can feel good that we have once again reached more children than previous years. The increase in number of participants may be due to the fact that more children with families now live in the area. As the Red Rock News reported in their August 17 front page article entitled Students head back to school, more than 1,500 kids enrolled in the Sedona-Oak Creek School District and some schools are still enrolling. The final numbers may show a 10-14 percent increase in student population from last year.
The number of participants registered for the 2007 Summer Reading program was 270 compared to 200 participants last year! This is a 35% increase in participants! The participants included 22 pre-school students, 26 home-schooled youth, eight students from Desert Star School, 33 students from Sedona Charter School, 70 students from West Sedona School, 75 students from Big Park School, and 10 students from Red Rock High. There were even 26 participants who live part-time in Sedona, in town for the summer months or visiting from out of state. Participants included children who registered to read to their siblings and parents who planned to read to and with their children. Registered participants chose a reader or a pre-reader log book to keep track of reading they did or a parent/caregiver did with them. Readers had some 50 activities in their reading log to choose to do. Readers were actively reading and doing reading-related activities like creating riddles, writing descriptive paragraphs or composing poetry or stories. “Read-to-me” readers enjoyed listening to books on tape or having stories in magazines or books read to them by a parent or older sibling. Prizes were earned upon completion of activities or minutes read and reported to staff at the Library. Participants also entered their names to win a new Powerlite mountain bike generously donated by Library Resource Managements Systems, Inc. of Sedona. Sedona Public Library very much appreciates their donation. The proud winner of the bike is Xavier Turnbull; a third grader at Sedona Charter School.
Over the years, some have questioned the need for children's programming, asking “Why is it so important for a library to offer a summer reading program and events for kids in the summer?” They have employed the thought that children should automatically visit the library, check out books and read during the summer for enjoyment. Are we wasting our time and money and efforts to attempt to"spoon feed" kids into doing an activity that they should naturally want to do? And is it the Library's job to provide activities for children, much like what they would receive at summer camp or pay to see for entertainment?
A survey in English and Spanish developed by a representative group of Children’s librarians across the State of Arizona was given to a percentage of six to twelve-year-old participants at our Library this year to determine if children enjoy reading and have a good time at libraries. From those surveyed, participation in the Summer Reading Program changed 34% of surveyed participants’ feelings about reading from thinking “reading is OK” to “I love reading”! This survey supports why we offer this type of program each year and shows how reading can change feelings and behavior and can contribute to lifelong learning.
I loved seeing the enthusiasm kids showed when they came to the Library to report their reading progress. It was so much fun to hear the creative poems and riddles and see the wonderful bookmarks and book covers children created. It was thrilling to hear kids express their feelings about what excited them about reading. Some comments they shared told how reading cured boredom and made them feel better and happier, helped them with spelling, made them feel good, helped them read faster, and helped them get smarter.
Many people were involved in the execution of the summer program this year. Thanks to all the staff and volunteers who took phone calls, registered kids, and helped patrons find what they were looking for. Thanks to all the parents and grandparents who assisted children participate in the program. A special thank you to my assistant, Missy Wilkinson, who not only helped make the program go more smoothly but made it possible for me to accomplish so much more in the Youth department than I’ve ever before been able to achieve during a summer.
Red Rock News
Date: AUGUST 24, 2007
It is hard to believe the month of August is more than half over, and school has started for most children in the area. Another Summer Reading Program has ended, and as I review the accomplishments of the summer, I am again amazed at the difference books and libraries can make in children's lives. Some 40 programs were offered this summer in which pre-school students, school-age children, and teens could learn new information and develop skills using common shapes and objects to create cartoon figures, composing and playing music and cooking to name a few. Programs held at the Library this summer gave children the opportunity to not only be enriched and inspired by professionals but to be exposed to new ideas and information through the performers and artists conducting these program as well as the books displayed during the various programs.
I can feel good that we have once again reached more children than previous years. The increase in number of participants may be due to the fact that more children with families now live in the area. As the Red Rock News reported in their August 17 front page article entitled Students head back to school, more than 1,500 kids enrolled in the Sedona-Oak Creek School District and some schools are still enrolling. The final numbers may show a 10-14 percent increase in student population from last year.
The number of participants registered for the 2007 Summer Reading program was 270 compared to 200 participants last year! This is a 35% increase in participants! The participants included 22 pre-school students, 26 home-schooled youth, eight students from Desert Star School, 33 students from Sedona Charter School, 70 students from West Sedona School, 75 students from Big Park School, and 10 students from Red Rock High. There were even 26 participants who live part-time in Sedona, in town for the summer months or visiting from out of state. Participants included children who registered to read to their siblings and parents who planned to read to and with their children. Registered participants chose a reader or a pre-reader log book to keep track of reading they did or a parent/caregiver did with them. Readers had some 50 activities in their reading log to choose to do. Readers were actively reading and doing reading-related activities like creating riddles, writing descriptive paragraphs or composing poetry or stories. “Read-to-me” readers enjoyed listening to books on tape or having stories in magazines or books read to them by a parent or older sibling. Prizes were earned upon completion of activities or minutes read and reported to staff at the Library. Participants also entered their names to win a new Powerlite mountain bike generously donated by Library Resource Managements Systems, Inc. of Sedona. Sedona Public Library very much appreciates their donation. The proud winner of the bike is Xavier Turnbull; a third grader at Sedona Charter School.
Over the years, some have questioned the need for children's programming, asking “Why is it so important for a library to offer a summer reading program and events for kids in the summer?” They have employed the thought that children should automatically visit the library, check out books and read during the summer for enjoyment. Are we wasting our time and money and efforts to attempt to"spoon feed" kids into doing an activity that they should naturally want to do? And is it the Library's job to provide activities for children, much like what they would receive at summer camp or pay to see for entertainment?
A survey in English and Spanish developed by a representative group of Children’s librarians across the State of Arizona was given to a percentage of six to twelve-year-old participants at our Library this year to determine if children enjoy reading and have a good time at libraries. From those surveyed, participation in the Summer Reading Program changed 34% of surveyed participants’ feelings about reading from thinking “reading is OK” to “I love reading”! This survey supports why we offer this type of program each year and shows how reading can change feelings and behavior and can contribute to lifelong learning.
I loved seeing the enthusiasm kids showed when they came to the Library to report their reading progress. It was so much fun to hear the creative poems and riddles and see the wonderful bookmarks and book covers children created. It was thrilling to hear kids express their feelings about what excited them about reading. Some comments they shared told how reading cured boredom and made them feel better and happier, helped them with spelling, made them feel good, helped them read faster, and helped them get smarter.
Many people were involved in the execution of the summer program this year. Thanks to all the staff and volunteers who took phone calls, registered kids, and helped patrons find what they were looking for. Thanks to all the parents and grandparents who assisted children participate in the program. A special thank you to my assistant, Missy Wilkinson, who not only helped make the program go more smoothly but made it possible for me to accomplish so much more in the Youth department than I’ve ever before been able to achieve during a summer.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: August 17, 2007
When we look at our Library users here at Sedona Public Library, we see at least two types. One type is the person who reads one genre of book and never diverges from that genre. The other type is the person who reads across no end of genres and could never be classified as one type of reader or another. The fact of the matter is that the first type, the single genre reader, is more the rule than the second type. That’s a shame because there are always gems to be found throughout the shelves.
One of our volunteer jobs is that of a shelver – a person who returns the books to their proper place on the shelves after they are returned to the Library. We have carts of fiction and carts of nonfiction books, but each of these carries books from that entire part of our collection. The single most consistent comment I hear from these invaluable folks is that they always seem to find something to read on the carts that they would never have considered reading in the past.
Are you looking for something to read that goes beyond your usual fare? Have you gotten somewhat bored with you have been reading? If you are willing to expand your horizons, one of the best ways to do so is to simply move to a different section of the collection than you normally frequent and browse the shelves. Maybe some news item or tidbit from a recent conversation caught your interest. Why not simply ask where the section is that contains books on that topic and spend some time reading titles and the fly leaf of those books?
If time is of the essence, you might consider doing a miniature version of this exercise by cruising the New Books shelves. It starts with fiction titles, but quickly encompasses all the newest items in every part of the Library. One row to read down and you have a pretty good idea of everything there is in the Library, in survey form!
As librarians, our charge is to ensure not only that we have a broad cross section of materials of interest to our readers, but that we present both sides of any controversial topic. Maybe your interests focus on one side of an issue or the other. You might well find something interesting to read by picking up a title that comes from someone on the other side of the topic. Pick up something you might never otherwise consider reading and you may well be surprised at what you learn and at how your understanding of the topic expands.
Libraries offer so much good material that it can be hard to figure out what you want to read. In such a case, you should ask a librarian! Not only do we have a rather complete knowledge of the collection, but we can also guide you to any number of books that are lists of important and entertaining titles and their descriptions. Nancy Pearl comes to mind with her titles, Book Lust and More Book Lust. Not stories in their own right, these list books by genre, topic and more with descriptions that will pique your interest. Pearl’s books are not the only such ways to find something to read as there are lots of other authors who have compiled such lists of books. There are even similar resources for teens and children!
You could just ask a librarian for a recommendation, just as you might ask a friend. The fact that we are exposed to thousands of books every day does stand us in reasonably good stead to offer a recommendation. Use the knowledge and skills that are so close at hand! You can even do this via telephone if you want to order a book online that you pick up at your next visit to the Library.
Other great tools to learn about what to read next are the newsletters and preview tools that are part of our new website. Use the link on the bottom of our Home page that says, “Online Book Clubs and Newsletters” and you will find a number of great resources. One delivers to your email-box a portion of a chapter of a new book every day that you can read and even order online. There are also newsletters that are broken down into genres you can select that send you a monthly notice of what’s new. Try subscribing to a genre you wouldn’t otherwise read and you may well be surprised at the great titles to which you are suddenly exposed.
Never find yourself in a position of saying, “I have nothing to read!” Just use the great tools this Library offers, or ask a staff member what they would recommend. Expand your horizons at Sedona Public Library, today!
Red Rock News
Date: August 17, 2007
When we look at our Library users here at Sedona Public Library, we see at least two types. One type is the person who reads one genre of book and never diverges from that genre. The other type is the person who reads across no end of genres and could never be classified as one type of reader or another. The fact of the matter is that the first type, the single genre reader, is more the rule than the second type. That’s a shame because there are always gems to be found throughout the shelves.
One of our volunteer jobs is that of a shelver – a person who returns the books to their proper place on the shelves after they are returned to the Library. We have carts of fiction and carts of nonfiction books, but each of these carries books from that entire part of our collection. The single most consistent comment I hear from these invaluable folks is that they always seem to find something to read on the carts that they would never have considered reading in the past.
Are you looking for something to read that goes beyond your usual fare? Have you gotten somewhat bored with you have been reading? If you are willing to expand your horizons, one of the best ways to do so is to simply move to a different section of the collection than you normally frequent and browse the shelves. Maybe some news item or tidbit from a recent conversation caught your interest. Why not simply ask where the section is that contains books on that topic and spend some time reading titles and the fly leaf of those books?
If time is of the essence, you might consider doing a miniature version of this exercise by cruising the New Books shelves. It starts with fiction titles, but quickly encompasses all the newest items in every part of the Library. One row to read down and you have a pretty good idea of everything there is in the Library, in survey form!
As librarians, our charge is to ensure not only that we have a broad cross section of materials of interest to our readers, but that we present both sides of any controversial topic. Maybe your interests focus on one side of an issue or the other. You might well find something interesting to read by picking up a title that comes from someone on the other side of the topic. Pick up something you might never otherwise consider reading and you may well be surprised at what you learn and at how your understanding of the topic expands.
Libraries offer so much good material that it can be hard to figure out what you want to read. In such a case, you should ask a librarian! Not only do we have a rather complete knowledge of the collection, but we can also guide you to any number of books that are lists of important and entertaining titles and their descriptions. Nancy Pearl comes to mind with her titles, Book Lust and More Book Lust. Not stories in their own right, these list books by genre, topic and more with descriptions that will pique your interest. Pearl’s books are not the only such ways to find something to read as there are lots of other authors who have compiled such lists of books. There are even similar resources for teens and children!
You could just ask a librarian for a recommendation, just as you might ask a friend. The fact that we are exposed to thousands of books every day does stand us in reasonably good stead to offer a recommendation. Use the knowledge and skills that are so close at hand! You can even do this via telephone if you want to order a book online that you pick up at your next visit to the Library.
Other great tools to learn about what to read next are the newsletters and preview tools that are part of our new website. Use the link on the bottom of our Home page that says, “Online Book Clubs and Newsletters” and you will find a number of great resources. One delivers to your email-box a portion of a chapter of a new book every day that you can read and even order online. There are also newsletters that are broken down into genres you can select that send you a monthly notice of what’s new. Try subscribing to a genre you wouldn’t otherwise read and you may well be surprised at the great titles to which you are suddenly exposed.
Never find yourself in a position of saying, “I have nothing to read!” Just use the great tools this Library offers, or ask a staff member what they would recommend. Expand your horizons at Sedona Public Library, today!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: August 10, 2007
Well, it was a challenging week, but we not only got through it, we moved this ship of state forward. Last Tuesday, July 31st, we rolled out the Sedona Public Library’s new website after working on it for the better part of a year. Then, the very next day, the Yavapai Library Network went offline for three days, leaving access to many of the site’s pages inaccessible. Things are back up and running on both fronts and so you can see and use the new website and its many features.
In spite of the fact that the Library has had a website for six or seven years already, we have not invested the time and capital in keeping it up to date. All that is different now and the new site should provide you with good, timely information. Visit the site at http://www.sedonalibrary.org/ to see for yourself.
The very first thing you will notice is the new look. Whether it is the great images of our gorgeous environment, or the change in the layout of the pages, the information we provide is much easier to find, to say nothing of better looking!. Having gone through the entire web, we have updated the information on the pages, as well as plan on keeping the data current and fresh.
On the left hand side, you will see a series of “quick links” that take you to entire sections, such as Kids and Teen pages (the Teen pages are still under construction), pages “En Espanol,” and more. Click on these to explore.
At the top left corner of the page, you can quickly search the Yavapai Library Network catalog just as you would from within the Library. As always, you can place a hold on a title, or even use the quick links section to “Suggest a Title” that you would like us to get. The “Find Books and More” tab at the top will take you to the Interlibrary Loan section for those really esoteric titles you just have to have.
Speaking of the tabs at the top of the page, look through these to explore the breadth and depth of the site. You’ll find information on accessing the catalog, finding articles via the databases we provide, lots of stuff on the Library such as our hours and holidays, the policies behind our services, the history of the Library, information on the Village Service Center, and even this column provided weekly.
Considering holding a meeting here at the Library or interested in attending one? You can click on the link to Meeting Rooms below the Services tab or access the events calendar by clicking the quick link to Library Events. There is even an entire tab, Events, that takes you to that same calendar.
The tab titled Community delivers to you links for various services and organizations throughout the community. We would be interested in seeing more organizations listed there, so use the Contact Us links, found in the quick links, the About the Library tab or at the bottom of almost any page on the website.
The Kids pages offer loads of good stuff for school aged children, including access to the calendar for children’s programs, cool sites for kid fun, homework help sites and even sites for pre-schoolers. Our Teen section is still under construction, but coming soon. It promises to offer lots of interesting homework links, access to features most of us won’t use but are good safe sites, and, as we continue to grow the site, maybe even interactive locations for teens to spend time online with one another.
One of the most interesting features is the links to online book clubs and newsletters. By subscribing to these, you can receive in your daily email a five minute read per day form the first chapter of a new title. If you find the story of interest, you can click on the link and order the title easily. There are newsletters, too, that can keep you informed of the newest titles we are offering in a number of genres. These too offer a quick click to place a hold. Subscribe to more than one, if you want!
Lastly, and most importantly, there is a link on the home page among the rotating images to provide your feedback about the site. Good, bad or indifferent, we want to hear from you to know if we have gotten it right or how we can improve the site to meet your needs. Please take a moment to fill in the form on the Contact Us page. We look forward to hearing from you.
We have spent many months doing careful research into users and in designing the site to be colorful, interesting and more importantly, useful. Most of all, we have committed ourselves to making the Sedona Public Library website interactive and dynamic, That means up to date information that serves the user’s needs. We look forward to your comments!
Red Rock News
Date: August 10, 2007
Well, it was a challenging week, but we not only got through it, we moved this ship of state forward. Last Tuesday, July 31st, we rolled out the Sedona Public Library’s new website after working on it for the better part of a year. Then, the very next day, the Yavapai Library Network went offline for three days, leaving access to many of the site’s pages inaccessible. Things are back up and running on both fronts and so you can see and use the new website and its many features.
In spite of the fact that the Library has had a website for six or seven years already, we have not invested the time and capital in keeping it up to date. All that is different now and the new site should provide you with good, timely information. Visit the site at http://www.sedonalibrary.org/ to see for yourself.
The very first thing you will notice is the new look. Whether it is the great images of our gorgeous environment, or the change in the layout of the pages, the information we provide is much easier to find, to say nothing of better looking!. Having gone through the entire web, we have updated the information on the pages, as well as plan on keeping the data current and fresh.
On the left hand side, you will see a series of “quick links” that take you to entire sections, such as Kids and Teen pages (the Teen pages are still under construction), pages “En Espanol,” and more. Click on these to explore.
At the top left corner of the page, you can quickly search the Yavapai Library Network catalog just as you would from within the Library. As always, you can place a hold on a title, or even use the quick links section to “Suggest a Title” that you would like us to get. The “Find Books and More” tab at the top will take you to the Interlibrary Loan section for those really esoteric titles you just have to have.
Speaking of the tabs at the top of the page, look through these to explore the breadth and depth of the site. You’ll find information on accessing the catalog, finding articles via the databases we provide, lots of stuff on the Library such as our hours and holidays, the policies behind our services, the history of the Library, information on the Village Service Center, and even this column provided weekly.
Considering holding a meeting here at the Library or interested in attending one? You can click on the link to Meeting Rooms below the Services tab or access the events calendar by clicking the quick link to Library Events. There is even an entire tab, Events, that takes you to that same calendar.
The tab titled Community delivers to you links for various services and organizations throughout the community. We would be interested in seeing more organizations listed there, so use the Contact Us links, found in the quick links, the About the Library tab or at the bottom of almost any page on the website.
The Kids pages offer loads of good stuff for school aged children, including access to the calendar for children’s programs, cool sites for kid fun, homework help sites and even sites for pre-schoolers. Our Teen section is still under construction, but coming soon. It promises to offer lots of interesting homework links, access to features most of us won’t use but are good safe sites, and, as we continue to grow the site, maybe even interactive locations for teens to spend time online with one another.
One of the most interesting features is the links to online book clubs and newsletters. By subscribing to these, you can receive in your daily email a five minute read per day form the first chapter of a new title. If you find the story of interest, you can click on the link and order the title easily. There are newsletters, too, that can keep you informed of the newest titles we are offering in a number of genres. These too offer a quick click to place a hold. Subscribe to more than one, if you want!
Lastly, and most importantly, there is a link on the home page among the rotating images to provide your feedback about the site. Good, bad or indifferent, we want to hear from you to know if we have gotten it right or how we can improve the site to meet your needs. Please take a moment to fill in the form on the Contact Us page. We look forward to hearing from you.
We have spent many months doing careful research into users and in designing the site to be colorful, interesting and more importantly, useful. Most of all, we have committed ourselves to making the Sedona Public Library website interactive and dynamic, That means up to date information that serves the user’s needs. We look forward to your comments!
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