Happy Audiobooks Month!

When I was a little girl, how I loved it when my mother read to me! Her voice was so soothing, and she always put just the right amount of inflection in her voice. When I was a little older, my Science teacher, Mrs. Jan Burrows, would read to us and boy was she good! (She was the one who introduced Edgar Allen Poe to me). 

To this day, I still love people reading to me, so I check out audiobooks.  

But Mrs. Frances that is cheating! No, it is not. Everyone has different learning styles: Visual (spatial) Learner, Aural (auditory) Learner, Verbal (linguistic) Learner, Physical (kinesthetic) Learner, Logical (mathematical) Learner, Social (interpersonal) Learner, and Solitary (intrapersonal) Learner. *

I happen to be part visual and aural. 

So if you like being read to, try an audiobook.  I would suggest anything read by Jim Dale. He has narrated all of the Harry Potter books and he narrated Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I listened to Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper through our Axis 360 app. Not something I was wanted to read, but Dale kept me captivated. 

Tim Curry narrated the Lemony Snickett series entitled, The Series of Unfortunate Events. He brought the evil out in Count Olaf. 

Need a good laugh? Try David Sedaris. He is always too funny! Me Talk Pretty One Day, Naked, and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim are my favorites.

I like to listen to George Guidall. I enjoyed him reading, The Cat Who series by Lillian Jackson Braum (I can't help it, I loooove cozy mysteries!) but he also does Vince Flynn's series, Mitch Rapp. 

So give it a try. Instead of having the TV on while you are cleaning the house, listen to an audiobook! In the car? Put in an audiobook. I talked to one lady and she listens to audiobooks while she crochets!

*Source:  https://www.time4learning.com/learning-styles/#linguistic

The Heart of a Story

The July adult book club at the Forest Public Library focuses on the second exercise of A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders, entitled The Heart of a Story. According to Saunders, great writers use elements of structure and form to carry the reader to a pivotal point where they can't go any further without being fully engaged, wholly committed, and forever changed. He describes this place as the heart of the story, and he uses the example of a literal cart to reach that destination.

In the exercise, Saunders loads the cart with TICHN (Things I Couldn't Help Noticing). He explains that if readers pay special attention, they "enter into a transactional relationship with the writer." The reader begins to fill his TICHN cart with observations. These observations take the reader beyond the summary inside the front cover of the book.

In the beginning, the heart of the story is very much like a human heart. The reader knows that it is beating with a pulse, "What next...what next...what next," but it remains hidden from view. Sometimes it is buried within a file or dossier of information that the writer deems important to respect the reader; however, carrying the weight of too much information can cause the reading energy to drop.

At this point, the writer must shed the excess to protect the heart. How much of the back story is necessary? When is digression allowed? How much repetition is acceptable? What about causation - investigating the role, impact, or association of specific occurrences within the story? Is it important to present pages and pages of detailed descriptions about certain characters to fully introduce them to the reader? Does the reader need to know the tiniest details of each interaction or decision in order to be informed? How does this process apply to the more modern reader who prefers minimal descriptions - showing versus telling - the Ruthless Efficiency Principle or the Hollywood Version?  According to Saunders, "The writer revises, the painter touches up, the director edits, the musician overdubs."

And the heart of the story continues to beat...pounding, fluttering, racing. Over and over, the reader reviews his cart of TICHN. The writer and reader are moving closer towards the life force of the story. A bond is strengthened; all parties are engaged. No matter what happens at this point, the writer-reader agreement is solid - the heart of the story is opening. Even as the cavity is revealed, every layer is removed, and every consideration is critical, the reader trusts the writer to bring closure.

Finally, the reader reaches the final page. The contents of his TICHN cart have brought him to this place - the stopping place. If the writer has been successful, the book has become a thing of movement, of fear, of change, of love, of life. And that life is claimed by the heart of the story.

Be sure to register for either one of the July adult book clubs scheduled for Tuesday, July 13, at 2:00 p.m. and Tuesday, July 27, at 6:00 p.m. Both meetings are held in the Forest Public Library conference room and prepackaged snacks are provided. 

The Job Process

Here in library world we have job positions that come open and must be filled, so we can effectively serve the needs of the public. It is often a slow and tedious process, but we want to get the right applicant for the job position being applied for.

Over the course of my career(s) I have been called in a number of times to do an interview for a position that I had applied for. It did not always go well. Sometimes it went too well. At the end of the day I may have not gotten the job, but I did get to practice my interview skills. I would do better next time.

Interviews have certain requirements such as dressing and behaving in a professional manner. A candidate must feel comfortable answering and asking questions over the course of the interview. It's important not to be nervous. How do you approach such a problem? Learn to relax.

The job application is an essential part of the job hiring process. It is also helpful to have a cover letter and a resume. From this we can determine the literacy level of the job candidate. Can they read and write? 

From the amount of effort that is put into the job application we can often assess how much effort a candidate will be willing to put into the job.

The candidate must be qualified for the position for which he or she is applying and the job application will help determine this.

Working at a library can be a challenging and rewarding experience.

 
We owe it to the community to hire the right candidate for the positions we have open.

Consider an Author's Debut

When CMRLS staff order new materials for our libraries, you may think it is a simple activity; however, you would be mistaken. Speaking from almost 20 years of personal experience, it is an often stressful yet always fun activity. Some months it is easy to spend your budget, even exceed your budget, so you must cull through the selections and trim the order. Other months it takes a lot of research to complete the acquisition process. When preparing an order, there are many things to consider. Using myself as an example, many of the patrons that utilize my branch read thrillers, psychological, mystery, and romance fiction; however, it is my responsibility to have a diverse collection so I must also order fantasy, science fiction, western, etc., genres. It is easy to add best sellers and well-known authors to the list, but when I look at debut authors or authors unknown to me, it is necessary to research, read the reviews, and look at other information available.

Recently, I ordered a debut author’s title, The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry. I read the reviews, looked at the cover and decided to give it a try. The final decision for pushing the order button, however, was the fact that the word muscadine was in the title. The branch where I work has hosted a Muscadine Jubilee for years, so I suppose my decision was based somewhat on non-professional reasons. The book arrived and went into the area for new fiction. It was checked out several times and two different patrons mentioned to me that I needed to read this book. (As an aside, despite popular misconceptions, librarians do not sit around and read all day.) Given the recommendations, I checked out the book and started reading.

Sometimes I read debut titles and they are wonderful; other times, let’s face it, there are some duds out there. Or maybe I should say, not every book is for every reader. The Sweet Taste of Muscadines was an awesome read. Lila and her brother, Henry, return to their southern home when their elderly mother dies unexpectedly. In the book, Lila reflects on funerals, thinking they are “a time not only of great emotion, which is at least expected, but also of enormous tension and even, occasionally, uncomfortable revelation. Secrets are spilled at southern funerals.” And then she proceeds to share some of those revelations she is aware of. “Peter Wood asked his wife for a divorce at his father’s funeral, and right before they lowered Sonny Culpepper’s mother into the ground, his Aunt Lois told him she was not really his aunt but was in fact his sister.” When Lila and Henry arrive home to plan their mother’s funeral with their sister, Abigail, nothing goes as expected and a secret is revealed that changes their entire family history. A secret that sends Lila and Henry on a journey pursuing the truth. I highly recommend this book. It will make you laugh; it will make you cry; it will leave you impacted by its story. I already have a note in my file to keep a watch out for her second book which the back cover informs she is currently writing.

Let me encourage you to seek out first books. Look in the stacks for them. Just because a book is not on a best seller list or by a best-selling author does not mean it is not worth reading. You might discover an author’s once-in-a-lifetime treasure or start a journey with an author that will produce many more delightful stories. Remember Delia Owens whose debut novel Where the Crawdads Sing was on the New York Times best seller list for a total of 124 weeks? Or John Grisham whose debut novel A Time to Kill did not become well known until his second novel The Firm became a best seller? As for The Sweet Taste of Muscadines, you may request your copy by clicking the link below. Let us know if you discover some treasures.

Request a copy.

                                                                   

The Theatre of the Imagination

Before television there was radio, an entertainment medium that employed the Theatre of the Mind. This format involved utilizing the imagination, not the visual stimulus used today.

Radio shows were common during this time period and my favorite show was The Shadow. He was an invisible crimefighter who "knew what evil lurked in the hearts of men." He was compelled to fight evil with all the resources at his disposal.

The Shadow was written by Walter Gibson and initially portrayed by Orson Welles. One of my favorite episodes, The Silent Avenger, aired back in March of 1938. I remember it well sitting by the fireplace. It was the highlight of my evening.

I miss the radio shows of yesteryear. But eventually my radio nostalgia had to come to an end with the advent of television. 

At the Flowood Library we have an impressive collection of audiobooks to listen to. So while we do not have radio shows, we can check out an audiobook and pretend for a while. 

The Theatre of the Mind, the theatre of the imagination lives on.

A Page at a Time

American author and epic fantasy writer Terry Goodkind said, "A book is read one page at a time. A shelf is read one book at a time. A library is read one shelf at a time." 

The most amazing journey of a reader begins a page at a time. Even as a small child, the act of turning the page is one of deliberate movement. Teachers witness the phenomenon all the time. As a child learns to read, he/she develops decision-making skills with each positive or negative reaction to a single page. A child cannot always identify where a story is headed, but they know almost immediately if they want to find out. If they are not interested by page one, they might not even make it to page two.

Adults are the same, even though our power of deductive reasoning has been strengthened over time with practice and repetition. In the book, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, George Saunders gives an example of how this process is so critical to the response of the reader: "In the first pulse of the story, the writer is like a juggler, throwing pins into the air. The rest of the story is the catching of those pins. At any point in the story, certain pins are up there and we can feel them. We'd better feel them. If not, the story has nothing out of which to make its meaning."

Each page presents the possibility of a pivotal moment for the writer and reader. The writer decides what will happen next, and the reader decides if he wants to know. Children understand this concept with their first bedtime stories. One page can introduce a warning, and they anticipate a pin drop. One page can create specific curiosity about a setting like a beautiful castle, or a dark wood, or a candy-coated cottage. One page can initiate a conflict that even the youngest listener recognizes as trouble. Saunders calls this "a linear temporal phenomenon."

In classic logic, formulas are fixed. Monday comes before Tuesday. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Everything is absolute - true or false. The simplest definition of linear temporal logic is that a condition is true until another fact becomes true or an expected condition will eventually be true if the path continues. However...if a subsequent path appears in time, one questions if the expected condition will remain true forever or never be true at all. Isn't that the very definition of reading?

That scientific formula is supported by the bowling pins example. We know they are up there - in the air - and we feel that we understand their trajectory. But, once again, what might happen, what needs to happen, or what will happen remains in the air until we turn the page.

If you are not able to attend the Forest Public Library book club in person, please enjoy the exercise presented in the book: Read one page and answer the following questions: Without looking at the page, 1) What do you know so far? 2) What are you curious about? 3) Where do you think the story is headed?

Consider this final quote from the book as we complete the first exercise. "It's kind of exciting to pause here and admit that, as things stand, it's not yet a story. Not yet. And I'm going to claim, right now, that by the end, it's going to be a great story. So, there's something essential to learn here about the form itself: whatever converts not yet a story into great story is going to happen any minute now, over this next (last) page."

Tucked Inside a Fire Station is a Library!

 Summer is the best time of year to visit the Reservoir Library. Yes, it's warm outside and the library is cool, but there are so many other things to do here besides visit the library. Did you know that this time of year is gator season? The firefighters pointed one out to us last Friday morning in the waterway behind the library/fire station. It was seven feet of awesomeness! So, while you while away a hot summer day reading in our easy chair, you can glance outside and gator-watch.

This area has other forms of wildlife that always keep the view interesting. There are beautiful cranes that fish the waterway. We also have two families of geese. What's cuter than a teenage gosling? Bird and gator watching not your cup of tea? Why not go fishing? If you're lucky, one of the firemen may join you. I love a good fish fry, hint-hint.

The botanical garden is also located here. The mile-long walk is dog-friendly and shaded. It's very peaceful, and if you call the Rankin County Board of Supervisors, you can reserve a pavilion and have a picnic. 

Lastly, the best part of being located in the fire station, is that we get to visit with our brave firefighters and see them in action. They make us feel safe in our little corner of the world.

The Relevancy of Public Libraries

Do you think public libraries are a white elephant, an institution that is no longer relevant? I thought for a moment. Actually I was surprised to hear such a question. Wasn't it obvious that public libraries are still an important and vital asset to the community? Yet this highly intelligent person did not understand the need for the public library.

Each librarian employed within the Flowood Library is a problem solver, capable of providing basic library services to patrons in need, but also able to go beyond the call of duty to solve problems that a patron would never be able to solve without help.

Here are a few examples:

A young woman walks in and needs assistance typing up a vehicle title. This would require the use of a typewriter. What's a typewriter? Do they even have those anymore? I sat down with her and she handed me the document to type. She also handed me some carbon paper. I hadn't seen carbon paper since the 80s, but I still remembered how to use it. It was precision typing. Making a mistake was not an option. I completed the task and handed her the documents.

I had a patron who needed air put in her tires. I was certified in the use of a tire gauge and a bicycle pump, but I reached for my portable air compressor and we went outside. Putting air in a tire seems to be a challenge for some patrons. I solved her problem. She went happily on her way.

A librarian is the Jack or Jill of all trades, but a master of none. If we don't have the answer to the patron's question, then we know someone who knows someone who has the answer. A librarian is like a human search engine.

The public library is here to stay for as long as people need information assistance, as long as there is one unique problem to solve. All you need is a library card. Most of what we offer is available free of charge. Our purpose here is to improve literacy, but also to help build a better community.

I sit back in my office chair and look at the time. It's later in the afternoon. I hope it will be a peaceful evening. One of my department managers is standing at my office door. She tells me that there is a problem in the Children's Department. Two teenagers, a boy and girl are sitting too close together. Young love, I remember it well. I glance over at my squirt gun.

"I'll take care of it," I said.

The Richland Library In June

 Starting Monday, June 7, 2021, Preschool Story Time is back.  Each week we will have books, songs, and a craft designed for children ages birth to preschool age.  At this time participants must register via the online calendar or inside the library. We are limiting each program to 30 minutes and 12 participants. The meeting room will be sanitized before and after each program.  

Monday, June 7th at 11:00 a.m. we will be reading books about watermelons and we will be making watermelons out of paper plates.  Click here to sign up for this program.

Monday, June 14th at 11:00 a.m. we will be reading books about balloons and we will be making animals out of balloons. Click here to sign up for this program. Registration begins on May 31, 2021.

Monday, June 21st at 11:00 a.m. we will be reading books about birds and we will be making a bird out of tissue paper and paper plates.  Click here to sign up for this program.  Registration begins on June 7, 2021. 

Monday, June 28th at 11:00 a.m. we will be reading books about frogs and we will be making a lily pad name craft.  Click here to sign up for this program. Registration begins on June 14, 2021. 

The Richland Library Book Club will meet on Tuesday, June 22nd at 11:00 a.m.  We will be discussing "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens.  Click here to sign up for this program.  Registration begins on June 8, 2021.  At this time we will not be serving refreshments, but you may bring a snack for yourself.  Click here to request a copy of "Where the Crawdads Sing" or stop by the Richland Library and pick up a copy of the Book Club Display.  

Sebastopol June Happenings

 

Our Summer Library Program is almost here! 

June 7 - July 16, 2021

Sign up today in your local library or online with Beanstack.
Beanstack has added a “Friends” tab to the Beanstack page. Those registered in Beanstack will be able to share their “Friend Code” with family, friends, classmates, etc. This means if you are Beanstack Friends with someone they will be able to see your badges, what challenges you are in, and your reading log. If you don’t want anyone to see these things, you don’t share your “Friend Code”. Friends can see a leaderboard where all your friends are listed and can compete against each other.

Once you are signed up for Beanstack you are able to complete reading goals to be entered into a Grand Prize drawing at your library. Depending on your age group you will have different challenges and a different prize drawing, as listed below: 

Preschool - 5 books - a Prize Basket

Kids (K - 4th grade) - 5 books- a $25 gift card

Tween (5th - 8th grade) - 5 books- a $25 gift card

Teen ( 9th - 12th grade) - 3 books - a $25 gift card

Adult - 3 books - a $25 gift card

If you need any assistance using Beanstack or logging your books, your neighborhood librarians are always happy to help.

In-House Program

Family Story Time

Wednesday, June 09, 2021, at 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Join us for Story Time!  We will have stories, music, and a craft. This week's theme is Farm Animal Tales! Registration is required by phone, in the library, or online HERE.

Virtual Programs

Family

• Freedom Ranch: June 11 @ 9:00 a.m.

• Police K-9 Department: June 18 @ 9:00 a.m.

• Museum of Science: June 25 @ 9:00 a.m.

Adult

• Craft With Rhoda Benton: June 10

• Author Visit with Suzanne Woods Fisher: June 17

Tween/Teen

• Pokemon Trivia: June 10

• Pokeball Terrarium (Take Home Craft): June 10

Click HERE for more Summer Library Programs around our other libraries.