Adult Non Fiction about Librarians and Libraries

July 27, 2015July 15, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

I was inspired by the new series of posts about the work that goes on behind the scenes in our library to gather some of the best books about working in a library and the history of libraries to share. If you want to know a little more about life behind the desk, and some history of our little corner of the world and beyond, you might want to take a look at these titles.

I Work at a Public Library: a Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks by Gina Sheridan
Collects strange-but-true anecdotes, heartwarming stories, and humorous interactions with patrons from a public librarian.

Quiet, Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian by Scott Douglas
An autobiography set in a Southern California public library offers a quirky description of life as a caretaker of modern literature and furnishes an account of the history of libraries from the Gilded Age to the present day.

The World’s Strongest Librarian: a Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne
Traces the public librarian author’s inspiring story as a Mormon youth with Tourette’s Syndrome who after a sequence of radical and ineffective treatments overcame nightmarish tics through education, military service and strength training.

This Book is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All by Marilyn Johnson
In a celebration of libraries and the dedicated people who staff them, the author argues that librarians are more important than ever, and discusses a new breed of visionary professionals who use the Web to link people and information.

Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference by Joanne Oppenheim
Provides the story of life in a Japanese internment camp during World War II through the correspondence of the children in the camp to their librarian, Miss Clara Breed, who worked on their behalf to show the injustice of their imprisonment.

Library: an Unquiet History by Matthew Battles
Provides an intriguing historical study of libraries and books, their preservation, and destruction, from the U.S. to Europe and Asia, from medieval monasteries and Vatican collections to the ever-changing information highway of today.

For further reading about the history of libraries and what it can be like on the other side of the counter check out: Running the Books: the Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian by Avi Steinberg, Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks, and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert, Dewey: the Small-town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter, The Library: an Illustrated History by Stuart A.P. Murray, Library: the Drama Within photographs by Diane Asséo Griliches ; essay by Daniel J. Boorstin, The Librarian’s Book of Quotes compiled by Tatyana Eckstrand, and Revolting Librarians Redux: Radical Librarians Speak Out edited by Katia Roberto and Jessamyn West.

Behind the Scenes at CPL- Children’s Cataloging

July 3, 2015June 25, 2015 / Sharon Tyler / 1 Comment

CPL staffer Louise shared in a recent blog post some of the effort that our staff puts into choosing materials for our collection. some of the effort that our staff puts into choosing materials for our collection. It is an important and challenging task, using our limited funding in the most efficient and useful manner to serve our patrons. However, once those materials are ordered our work has only just begun. It is after the books are ordered that the next round of tasks begin. My focus will be on the cataloging of children’s and young adult print materials, because that is how I (and one other staff member) spend any hours not at a public service desk.

You might think that the tasks for cataloging would only start once the physical books arrive, however we have some preparations to make first. We need to print out all orders and get the catalog records in the computer so that holds can be placed on the material.

When the books do come in we need to check the packing slips and orders against the titles and details of the books in all the boxes. Sometimes Baker & Taylor or other suppliers do make mistakes or materials are damaged or flawed in some way. It is important to catch any of these problems long before labeling and cataloging actually begin.

After we have the books unpacked, checked, and in hand the real fun begins. In the children’s department there are several different categories of books, each of which need different labeling. There are board books, picturebooks, easy readers, easy non fiction, non fiction, graphic novels, juvenile fiction, and young adult materials. Each of these types have several sub categories and a variety of necessary labels, just to keep things interesting.

We sort all the books by type, and decide on the call number, genre, and more will be for each book. Every book will need a spine label with the call number, a barcode, and a RFID tag. They also need to be stamped with the Cheshire Children’s room address stamp and have the call number and barcode written on the interior of the book. Each type of book gets a different set of stickers. Some will need colored stickers over the call number to indicate subject matter, a sticker designating its reading level, awards won or nominated for, or its genre. Rather than giving you a long list of all the stickers, I will just give you a look at a few of the ones I use daily.

Yes, there are many more. This is about half of the regularly used stickers and labels. After all the stickering fun is done there is still more to do. Paperbacks will need to be taped or covered to extend its life in circulation. Some hardcovers will need a cover on its dust jacket as well. Now we need to check the RFID tags in each book and either program them or make sure the correct barcode number is programed onto it.

Now it is time to enter the material into the computer. This can be the quickest part of the job, but also the most important. Small mistakes at this point could make materials nearly impossible to find on the shelf. We need to make sure the call number, barcode, location, and other vital information is all correct in the catalog. If a book is newly published, this is also when it gets a New sticker added to the previous collection of stickers. Then we check in the item and make it available for the first hold, or put it on the shelf for you to check out.

aterials in the children’s and young adult collection keep the new designation for six months. After that they are collected and pass through staff hands again so that the sticker can be removed and the information updated in the computer. You might see me doing this while working at the Children’s Desk. When material are damaged or are sadly in need of removal from the collection we then need to discard the book from our collection. This means more stamping and computer work. If you visit the third floor of the library, you can browse the discarded children’s and young adult materials that are still in good condition. You are welcome to take these home and keep. We hate having to let go of books, even though we have to in order to make room for more, and knowing that someone will use and enjoy them makes it a little easier.

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in July

July 1, 2015July 22, 2015 / cheshirelib / Leave a comment

A Summer of Learning, that’s what’s happening! Most of our summertime programs are geared towards kids, promoting reading and learning over the summer. There’s still time to sign up for our Summer Reading club, and we’ve got plenty of activities to keep you busy during the summer months. Here’s just a taste:

Puppet Making with Artsplace

Tuesdays Jul 7 & 14 2015, 10:00 AM

Learn to make puppets using unique and everyday items. Robin McCahill, local artist at Artsplace, will be our artist in residence leading this workshop on puppet making. For grades K-2, Register online starting June 15.

Teen Read to Tots

Wednesdays (Jul 8 – Aug 12), 9:30 AM

Teens entering grades 7 and up will be paired with preschoolers (ages 3-5) for stories and a craft. All participants must attend at least 5 sessions. Register online beginning June 1st.

Going for the Stars

Thursday Jul 9, 2015, 6:00 PM

Lift-off to learning with this hands-on multimedia presentation. Meet Robo the friendly robot who talks, moves and interacts with the audience. Learn about orbits, microgravity, rockets, living in space and much more. Volunteers from the audience, dressed in astronaut flight suits, perform live demonstrations and experiments. Along with the use of computer aided technology and numerous props, this presentation creates a fun learning experience.Grades K-8, NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

Summer Fab Film : The Spongebob Movie – Sponge Out of Water

Wednesday Jul 15, 2015, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

When a diabolical pirate above the sea steals the secret Krabby Patty formula, SpongeBob and his nemesis Plankton must team up in order to get it back! Running Time 1 hour, 32 minutes. Rated PG. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Feel free to bring your own snacks!

Wild Around the World

Thursday Jul 16, 2015, 4:00 PM

The Stamford Museum and Nature Center will be bringing animals from all over the world to visit at the Library. This program will be both educational and fun! For ages 4 and up.Register online starting July 1.

‘Who Was’ Book Club: GEORGE LUCAS

Thursday Jul 23, 2015, 4:00 – 5:00 PM

If you love reading books from the ‘Who Was’ series, than this is the book club for you! July 2015 book: Who Is George Lucas? In honor of the upcoming new Star Wars flick, we’ll talk about the original Star Wars creator himself and have a little surprise fun with some of the library’s new technology. Copies of the book are available in the Children’s Room. NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED, all ages are welcome!

Creating Musical Readers: Manuelo the Playing Mantis

Tuesday Jul 28, 2015, 10:00 & 10:45 AM

Literacy and music combine in Creating Musical Readers, designed for kids ages 4-7. A cellist from the New Haven Symphony Orchestra will bring his cello and read Manuelo, the Playing Mantis by Don Freeman. Come see the story come to life through music, a great way to learn about the instruments of the orchestra! This program is best for ages 4-7. Children must be accompanied by a caregiver. Space is limited, please register online beginning July 1.

Storytime at Cheshire Park

Wednesday Jul 29, 2015, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Meet us at the Cheshire Park this summer for a special program in the park! Bring your lunch and we will read stories and have fun with our parachute. Look for our Cheshire Public Library banner. If it’s raining, we will see you on the next sunny Wednesday! All ages welcomed, but stories will be best for kids ages 3 and up. Drop-in, NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

Nature Nick’s Animal Adventures

Thursday Jul 30, 2015, 4:00 PM

Let Nature Nick introduce you to the true heroes of the animal kingdom. Learn about falcons used in World War II and even a kangaroo that saved a boy in Australia! For ages 4 and up. Register online starting July 1.

All NEW! Teen Games

Friday Jul 31, 2015, 2:30 – 4:30 PM

We just got a Nintendo WiiU with Super Mario 3D World, NintendoLand, Mario Kart 8, Super Smashbrothers, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, and The Wonderful 101! We’ve got all-new card and board games too- like Channel A, Killer Bunnies, SuperFight! and Munchkin- so come play games and nibble snacks, FTW! For grades 6—12, NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

Behind the Scenes at CPL – Selecting New Books

June 19, 2015May 26, 2015 / Louise / 2 Comments

With more than 100,000 items on our shelves, Cheshire Library is a busy place! If you’ve ever wondered how many people it takes to keep our collection humming, you can find out in a new series of posts about what goes on behind the scenes at CPL. Today’s subject is Collection Development – or Buying New Stuff.We have several librarians who are in charge of maintaining the different collections here at CPL. Designated staff members are tasked with ordering Adult print materials, Children’s print materials, Teen print materials, Adult audiovisual materials, Children’s audiovisual materials, and Periodicals. For the purposes of this article, let’s focus on the selecting and ordering of Adult print materials.

Deborah Rutter is the Deputy Director of Cheshire Library, and a large part of her job revolves around the development of our Adult print collection. With a dizzying number of books being published each month, Deb must carefully read professional publications like “Library Journal” and “Baker & Taylor Forecast” for reviews and publishing news, in order to select upcoming titles that would be popular with our patrons. Deb says books about gardening, home decor, history, travel, and self-help are always in demand here at CPL, so she always makes sure to order the latest titles in those subjects!

Fiction buying can be a little trickier. In addition to reading professional publications, Deb can often be seen perusing the “New York Times Book Review”, “Book List”, Amazon.com and lots of other book-related websites to stay of top of what’s got “buzz” in the publishing world. Of course, purchasing the latest books by popular authors is a given. Deb also checks to see what the print runs of upcoming books are, and whether they are being released simultaneously as audiobooks in addition to print. Both of these factors can be helpful in figuring out the predicted popularity of a new book.

Once there’s a list of books to buy, it’s time to decide how many copies we should purchase. A lot of this has to do with our current book budget, but a book with an outstanding review, or lot of patron requests, will also help determine how many copies we should buy.

Patron suggestions are always welcome. We buy many of the books that people request, so if there’s a book you’d like to see in our collection, let us know! There’s a handy form on our website for exactly that purpose. Book orders are made about twice a month, as a rule, so suggestions for purchase can often be accommodated quickly.

Selectors have a tough job. Our collection at Cheshire Library is curated with a lot of care and thought, and it shows. In the next behind-the-scenes post, we’ll find out what happens AFTER the books arrive!

The Story Behind Draw a Bird Day

April 20, 2015April 17, 2015 / Mary / 4 Comments

In 1943, Dorie Cooper was a 7 year old living in England. Her mother took her to a hospital to visit her uncle who was wounded in the war. While they were there, Dorie’s uncle was very distraught, having lost his right leg to a land mine. In an attempt to cheer him up, she asked him “Draw a bird for me, please.” Even though he was unwell, he decided to do as Dorie asked. He looked out his window and drew a picture of a robin.

On April 7, 2015 the director of the Cheshire Library put a piece of paper into everyone’s mailbox. The page was blank except for one sentence across the top: Wednesday, April 8^th is “Draw a Picture of a Bird Day” followed by the line: Here is my picture of a bird.

What fun, I thought and took my paper home to plan a drawing for the next day. On April 8^th when I arrived at work, several staff had created bird drawings. There were all types from simple line drawings to colorful sketches. Owls, doves, robins, swans, and hummingbirds found their way onto the wall of our staff room.

After seeing her uncle’s bird picture, Dorie laughed out loud and proclaimed that he was not a very good artist, but that she would hang the picture in her room nonetheless. Her uncle’s spirits were lifted by his niece’s complete honesty and acceptance. Several other wounded soldiers also had their day brightened by the event and every time Dorie came to visit thereafter, they held drawing contests to see who could produce the best bird pictures. Within several months, the entire ward’s walls were decorated by bird drawings.

The next evening, as I was standing there looking at the pictures, I became curious about the source of Draw a Bird Day. So, I did some research and discovered the Draw a Bird Day website. I read with interest about Dorie and her uncle. And then came the third paragraph.

3 years later, Dorie was killed after being struck by a car. At her funeral, her coffin was filled with bird images that had been made by soldiers, nurses and doctors from the ward where her uncle had been. Ever since then, those men and women remembered the little girl who brought hope to the ward by drawing birds on her birthday, April 8th.

I was stunned. Dorie, the girl who had loved bird drawings, died at age ten? That was not the way I was expecting the tale to end. And then I read a little further.

Draw a Bird Day was never declared an official holiday, but it grew through those soldiers and medical personnel and their families. Today, it is celebrated world wide as a way to express joy in the very simplest of things in life.

I went back into the staff room and looked at the bird drawings again. I had enjoyed making my drawing and viewing the drawings of my coworkers. It had lifted my spirits to make that picture and to see the creativity of the people I worked with. It had, in fact, the same effect that it had in that hospital ward all those years ago.

Seventy-two years after a little girl asked her uncle to draw her a bird, people all over the world are still drawing birds on her birthday. Still celebrating hope and happiness. Still celebrating joy in the simple. Still sharing the fun.