Storytime resumes Thursday, September 6. August is vacation time for us as well as ball players and many families, not to mention all the getting ready for school activity. Our preschool programs and staff take a break during this often overscheduled time. We’ll be looking forward to seeing older and new, younger children. The program starts at 10:00 and last about 45 minutes. Stories, finger plays, and activity, and treats are standard fare with time for playing, socializing, and exploring books.

Footprints have marched over the library walls, keeping track of all the hours read. Plus lots of teens and adults passed on their reviews and won prizes. Grades 1 - 6 had 147 registered and read 1150 hours. 43 completed 10 hours of reading. Average story time attendance was 22. Thirty-nine teens registered. 18 read 102 items. Adults read and rated books and won prizes in addition to the weekly Where in Ohio Will You Go ? drawings.

But their attention was elsewhere. This year we had 16 participants who read 84 books. Last year there were 37 participants who read 263 books. Checkouts for June & July 2007 were 1396 ANF plus 1426 AF ; for 2006 - 1511 ANF plus 1745 AF, a 13% drop in circulation. Juvenile circulation was down 21% during that same period. Picture books were about the same. Get a Clue registration was a little higher than last year; completion was a little lower though the change from books read to hours read makes comparison a problem.

Mostly it’s interesting. We were really surprised at the reduced circulation as the library has been a busy, active place this summer especially on Monday mornings and the programs have been enjoyed.

Summer Reading ended with a magical flourish on July 23. Stephen Knight’s program combined books and tricks and entranced close to 100 parents, children, and staff. Special thanks to those all too willing (perhaps excepting Miss Vicky) participants who got wet or embarrassed for the added entertainment to mere spectators. One innocent passer-by stopped to watch the show and added it to the “only in Ashley could this happen” list.

“The Crack in the Wall”, a mystery to be solved, was deemed our best ever teen program by at least one participant. Teams busily examined and compared various clues to determine who had killed the body discovered in the wall of the library.

Thanks to local business Dan’s Deli, Whipple’s, Scrib’s Pub and Grub, and Longbranch for providing coupons. Dan Collins, the Burns family, and Kathleen Layman donated expertise, time, and prizes. Extra special thanks to children’s librarian Vicky Collins and Susan Bussard for many hours of work organizing the summer programs.

Wheels to Work provides vehicle repair to individuals receiving funds from “Prevention, Retention, Contingency” a statewide program for one-time, short term assistance to low income families. Repair is limited to Morrow County residents and $500 per year per individual. Call Morrow County Job and Family services for more information. Check your local library for other services such as Homestead Exemption applications.

MORE is here. We’ve been an interlibrary loan borrower for years and are delighted that we are now able to be a lender, too. We’ve had eight requests from other libraries during the first week. This program for borrowing books from other libraries now has all the pieces together except for one. That one missing piece is YOU the borrower.

Request any material you want. That includes videos and audio books. We should be able to get it for you. It’s unfortunate that our catalog system doesn’t enable patrons to go directly to the MORE catalog and place requests. You still have to know what you want and you still have to ask. Please ask, often. Libraries work because everyone in the community is sharing resources. That community is now state wide and shares all circulating items . We’re getting proficient at sending off books to other libraries but need practice getting materials for out patrons. Bring us your requests. It would be ironic if our joining MORE turned out to be only a benefit to other libraries and not one for our patrons.

The library also has wireless access to the Internet - just provide your own laptop.

Audio books are good traveling companions both for the whole family to share and for individual listening on vacation trips or daily commutes. We have all the Harry Potter books. Most audio books have been moved to the back room of the library.

Delaware County Fair entries deadline is August 24. Booklets with entry forms are at the library.

Buckeye Valley starts August 29. Supply lists are on the website and at the library.

Senior Citizens, Disabled Persons, and Surviving Spouses
Homestead Exemption Application Form available at the desk.

Morrow County Job & Family Services
Under the Wheels to Work program one person can receive multiple repairs within a $500 limit, per year, per individual. Located on County Road 9 in Cardington.

Summer Bereavement Program for Kids
Mourning Lite & Silly Sites
"Journey" Day Camp
July 19-21, 2007
9:30 am - 2:00 pm
Children 6-12
Free of charge
Hospice of Morrow County
419-946-9822

July 2007

Get @ Clue at Your Library
Get the Scoop July 2
Fingerprint Cartoons July 9
with Dan Collins
Mammal Mysteries July 16
with Preservation Parks
Case Closed July 23

The Magic of Stephen Knight will provide the closing program for this year’s summer reading. It’s scheduled for Monday July 23 at 11:00 and all summer reading program participants, story timers, and parents are especially invited. Join us for an outdoor (we certainly hope) fun-filled finale.

Storytime will continue through July 19, on Thursday mornings at 10:00 and the program themes will be related to those for summer reading. There will be no Storytime through the latter part of July and August. Storytime will resume on Thursday morning, September 6, at 10:00.

YNK (you never know) @ Your Library continues through July 23. Teens can still sign up, and read and review books to qualify for a weekly drawing. Teen Mystery Night, on July 18 from 6:30-8:00, will provide, a little food, a little fun, and a lot of mystery. All teens are welcome.

Adults are encouraged to read and rank books to be eligible for a July 23 prize drawing. Some of the older mystery collection from the basement is on display along with current popular mysteries and some videos. It’s guaranteed “summer reading”.

Prizes for all ages are featured in the display case and include Barbie dolls, Mrs. Larue’s favorite dog Ike, book bags, T-shirts and, of course, books.

Read to date - 279 hours. Watch the footprints climb the walls. More or less fifty first through sixth graders have been filling the library on Monday mornings for a variety of activities, including the annual worm race. There’s more to come. More students throughout the day keep the computers busy. We’re glad the pool provides some alternative activity.

Carl McCurdy made the front page of the Delaware Gazette in one of their local profiles. He’s quoted as saying he has his fingers in all the pies and the article is a good reminder of all he has done and continues to contribute to the community. And just to set the record straight his book My Army Life is also available at the Wornstaff Library.

Delaware County Fair booklets with detailed descriptions of all junior fair and open class entries and entry forms are available at the desk. Thanks to Don and Sandee Long for personally picking up and delivering the booklets to the library.

Susan Bussard recently attended the American Library Association annual conference in Washington, DC as a representative of the Gates sponsored Web Junction program. She was one of a selected few from Ohio. We are quite proud of her and really appreciate her perseverance in making arrangements and coping with the trip - and are looking forward to the exhibition goodies she shipped back.

http://www.wornstafflibrary.blogspot.com/ now includes links to genealogy resources plus a complete listing of the Wornstaff Library holdings. Available in the library is a Genealogy / Historical Inventory for Morrow County Genealogical Society Cardington-Lincoln Public Library and Wornstaff Library, Ashley, Ohio. This resource was compiled for a recent library workshop attended by Barbara Nibert.

Check the list of Family Tree’s 101 best web sites (bottom of page).

A Children’s Activity Center is planned for 201 South Street, Ashley. This home on three acres seems well suited for a variety of indoor and outside activities for younger children and their parents, such as simple science experiments, baking cookies, gardening, and just running about. The initial development and programming could be provided through a parents’ cooperative and local contributions of time, skills, and materials. Please contact Liz Barker at the library (747-2085) to comment on or indicate an interest in this venture.

MORE will be coming soon. This statewide resource sharing program will make interlibrary loans easier and will include the ability to borrow AV materials. Requests for both interlibrary loans and reserves still have to be made through a staff member. Other libraries will also have access to Wornstaff Library materials which means that after years of borrowing we will be able to reciprocate as a lender. One of the requirements is being on a U.S. Cargo route which should increase cooperation and sharing in general among local libraries. As an example, the Delaware County District Library could share copies of Delaware This Week.

Harry Potter countdown. This is the big month. The concluding book of the series comes out on July 21, preceded by the fifth movie, The Order of the Phoenix. Fundamentals in Delaware (among others) will have midnight sales. We’re taking reserves on the book and audio tape. It’s been a phenomenon that’s changed children’s reading forever.

Magazine updates. U.S. News and World Reports is being donated by a patron and the past month’s issues are available for another view of current events. Our new subscription to The Week (soon to arrive) will provide a short overview. Also coming soon as recycled donation is The New Yorker. The Adopt-a Library program has entered a one year subscription to Smithsonian for our library from C. Clarke, of Cleveland, Ohio. Ellery Queen magazine is filled with mystery stories.

June 2007

Get a Clue @ Your Library

Solve the Mystery @ the Library June 11
sign-up activities

Spy Camp June 18

Who Will Win the Worm Race? June 25

Get the Scoop July 2

Fingerprint Cartoons July 9
with Dan Collins

Mammal Mysteries July 16
with Preservation Parks

Case Closed July 23
with the Magic of Stephen Knight

Clue into Reading with the library’s summer reading program starting Monday, June 11 @ 11:00 for all children grades 1 - 6. These hour long programs will include reading incentives and related activity programs, including our renown annual worm race. June 11 is the official starting sign-up day. After that, sign-up is available at the library or at any subsequent program. Program activities are designed to be enjoyed but children don’t have to attend in order to read and receive coupons and other prizes. This year reading will be counted by time spent rather than the number of books read.

Storytime resumes Thursday June 14 at 10:00 and the program themes will be related to those for summer reading. Please register to help Miss Vicky plan for supplies.

YNK (you never know) @ Your Library. That’s the teen program. 1. Sign-up and receive a prize. 2. Investigate good books, graphic novels, magazines, etc. 3. Fill out review forms for weekly prize drawings. 4. Teen Mystery Night on July 18.

Adults can read and review and receive rewards. Rank the books you read and be eligible for prizes.


The Magic of Stephen Knight will provide the closing program for this year’s summer reading. It’s scheduled for Monday July 23 at 11:00 and all summer reading program participants, story timers, and parents are especially invited. Join us for an outdoor (we certainly hope) fun-filled finale.

Mystery is the general theme. We’ve ordered some new books to provide contemporary options. Themes also lead to highlighting older books in the collection. It’s a good time to dust off some of those classics in the basement such as Agatha Christie and Earle Stanley Gardener. Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Nate the Great all have reprints or “modern” versions, including some graphic novel formats. There’s even a Mystery video category.

Where in Ohio Could You Go ??? A weekly drawing could win your family discounts for Franklin Park Conservatory, CAPA summer movie series, Columbus Museum of Art, National Inventors Hall of Fame or The Wilds. Adults may enter each time they come to the library and get their choice of available coupons.

The Oxford Garden Club came planting and the blooms in front of the library should enhance the view all summer long. Thank you, thank you.

Gnomes, and more gnomes, nicely nestled in the display case along with a leprechaun, a dwarf or two, and an elf are on loan from Jeannene Shemeth.

New videos will catch us up with some of the hot items released since our last order : Charlotte’s Web, Dreamgirls, Night at the Museum, Planet Earth, The Queen, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Last King of Scotland, and Freedom Writers, plus others.

Thanks to Carolyn Heine for taking care of the tree trimming on our joint property line. Her late husband was a diligent, long time library board member and we should be inspired to the library’s care. Additional thanks to the Bussard family who removed the fencing in that area and provided some more area clean-up. Rachel helped pack bags and made worm race boxes for summer reading.

School will be out soon and the summer reading program will create some high activity times at the library. Monday and Thursday mornings will be pretty kid oriented. We frequently remark that in our small space it’s important that the staff all be able to work together. Actually that applies to our patrons, too. Teens, and little ones, and parents, and Norwegian bachelor farmers all have to be respectful of each other - and tolerant. And respectful of the environment. There’s a bicycle rack. Parking takes precedence over skateboarding. Trash belongs in wastebaskets not the bushes. Also it is now actually illegal to smoke around the entrances of buildings because this exposes people entering and leaving the building to the smoke. We thank everyone for their cooperation and are looking forward to a busy, enjoyable summer for all.

Donations of materials are regularly accepted by the library. Some patrons even donate their current magazines. Vacation time might highlight another donation area. We have some special “discover Ohio” pamphlets and could certainly add ones someone’s picked up here or there.

Check the calendar on our website for library programs and events in the area. There’s plenty to do, and plenty to enjoy without having to drive plenty of miles. Enjoy without having to drive.

Audio books can be real sanity savers on those vacation trips - or make some tedious chores more pleasant. The Borrowers or Sign of the Beaver are examples of stories that might be enjoyed by the whole family. Then there are all the unabridged Harry Potters providing maybe 80 listening hours.

May 2007

Summer Reading starts Monday June 11 at 11:00 and signup will begin that day. The theme is Get a Clue @ Your Library. It’s all a mystery.

Storytime will resume that Thursday, June 14.

May days to celebrate along with the

dancing round the Maypole

and

leaving flower baskets

on people’s door knobs on the first.
Cinco de Mayo May 5
Teacher Appreciation Day May 8
Mother’s Day May 13
Memorial Day May 28
Star Wars Day - May the fourth be with you.

Clifford’s Phonics Fun Reading Program, six packs of 12 book your child can read, is available thanks to a donation.

The American Midwest is another recent acquisition. This interpretive encyclopedia is a rather unwieldy reference work weighing close to ten pounds - not exactly bedtime reading. But it is wonderful browsing material and should be a valuable library resource. It’s on the table in the reading room now, readily available for browsing. The Columbus Dispatch gave it a good review.

The Shepherd’s Nook (316 McMahan, Marion) will host three popular Christian fiction authors in May: Karen Kingsbury on May 2, Wanda Brunstetter on May 23, and Elaine Sturtz on May 26. Karen Kingsbury speaks at River Valley High School on May 2 at 7:00pm. Admission is $7.00.

Primary elections are on May 8. Buckeye Valley has a 2.3 mill bond issue, the Eastern Delaware County Joint Recreational district has a 1.2 mill bond issue, Ashley village has a 1 mill renewal for maintenance and cemetery operations. The only candidates for Delaware County Municipal Court Clerk and the second judge are Republicans on the primary ballot, so this vote determines the winner.

Letters to the Editor, Delaware Gazette April 1

In celebration of National Library Week (April 15-21) the board of the Wornstaff Memorial Library would like to thank all of the staff and volunteers for their hard work and dedication to the library patrons and the community.

Our library is so much more than a place to check out the latest best-seller or the hottest new movie. It is a place for the community to gather and share information. It is a place for a preschooler to share a story at Story time n Thursday mornings, a place to go for homework help after school, a place to attend a meeting or craft night, and a place to make a copy or receive a fax.

The library has something to offer everyone. Please take time this week to stop into your local library, see what’s new and say thanks to the librarians for all their help. Lisa Kimble

Lisa Kimble is a board member. We appreciate her comments and the work all the board does throughout the year.

Robert Olmstead, a professor at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, has a book about the Civil War, Coal Black Horse, in which a mother sends her only son off to battle to bring his father home when she has a premonition. He’s a local author.

New magazines coming soon are The Week, Mailbox (Preschool), and Smart Computing. PC Magazine and Homeschooling Today have not been renewed. Check the end rack for donated and sample copies.

Library staff, Vicky, Susan, Karen, and Barbara attended the Ohio Library Council central conference workshop. This is an opportunity for some continuing education and a bit of hobnobbing with other librarians. Barbara and Susan will participate in the Morrow County Libraries spring workshop on genealogy in mid-May. Susan (we are pleased to announce) has been selected to attend the Rural Sustainability for Libraries national conference, in Washington DC, at the American Libraries annual conference in June.

Reading Tutoring was a regular library summer feature for many years discontinued because the school offered both SACC and tutoring programs and the need for additional help was much less. The school does not have funding for a summer tutoring program this year which reopens the question. The previous program consisted of daily sessions for two weeks in early August. This was after our summer reading program and also provided a refresher before school started. Certified teachers were hired by the library and there was no charge. A math program had also been considered. Your comments would be very helpful.

The BVEE Opera, New Kid Blues, is set for three performances Tuesday May 15 at 2:30pm, Wednesday May 16 at 10:30am and 7:00pm. This year’s opera is about stereotypes. The Look Twice Opera Company wants you to think twice about stereotypes, to look at a person’s character and insides to see how they really are. These second graders under Mrs. Staley’s guidance do a fantastic job of identifying a theme and creating an opera which is a marvel to see - FREE, though donations are appreciated. Don’t miss this local opportunity.

April 2007

Homeschool Book Talk on Tuesday April 17, 11:00 will focus on Earth Day related topics and activities. The emphasis is on grades one through six but it’s a good socializing opportunity for older students. All homeschoolers are welcome.

Craft Night on Thursday, April 12, 6:30 - 8:00 will follow the Earth Day / recycling theme. Craft nights are usually a family affair and everyone is invited. There will be opportunities to recycle clothing including some projects suitable for Mothers’ Day presents plus materials for cards. Bring your old T-shirts, jeans, and sweatshirts and transform them into fashionable clothing. There’s even a plan for old shoes.

National Library Week is April 15 - 21. It’s a reminder to take time to think about what libraries mean to you personally and to the community. Along with materials to check out, libraries make copies, send faxes, provide Internet access, host meetings, subscribe to numerous magazines and newspapers, and maintain community information.

Patron Recognition Week should be a corollary. We’re a team. There’s a very valid argument for preservation but the real function of a library involves the people of the community.

Location changes to note. The bookcases are in place in the juvenile room and we’ve shifted here and there providing a little extra room for juvenile fiction and non-fiction. We’ve lost the small table
but opened up the big table for more use. It’s a bit easier to move around in the juvenile area and feels less cluttered. Please ask if you can’t find specific materials. A new library map will be available.
* Located on the new bookshelf under the west
window in the juvenile room are : Dinosaur Books, Graphic Novels and Comic Strips (such as Garfield), and Collective Biographies.
* New Juvenile Non-fiction is on the bookshelf across from the drinking fountain.
* Audio Books are in the east back room adjacent to the Large Print books.
* The “younger” juvenile paperback rack has been moved in front of the southern west window.

My Library Info is a segment of our online catalog that tells you what books you have out. You can even print out a list at home. All you need to know is your library card number and your last name!! Before you make a trip to the library you can check to see what books and movies are available to check out AND what books and movies you need to return.
www.wornstafflibrary.blogspot.com

Youth Trout Fishing Tournament at the Newman Park Reservoir in Ashley is free to all youth up to age 16. That’s Saturday April 14 11:00 - 3:00 with registration starting at 10:00. You can borrow a pole but need your own adult supervision.

Lincoln Library of Sports Champions has a new edition which should provide helpful sports biography information for reports. The 2007 Sports Biography Today annual is also available.

New juvenile non-fiction is displayed opposite the water fountain. It is more accessible than the boxes (we think) and we hope that will encourage use. There is more to reading than just stories.

Sets for Sale. The Lincoln Library of Sports Champions is a 20 volume set (c1981) featuring 4-8 page biographies of sports figures, illustrated with photographs. The New Book of Knowledge is a 21 volume encyclopedia (1990). Both sets are complete and can be seen at the library. Bids will be taken until the end of April.

Flyers on local activities and a variety of issues are usually available on a rack inside the front entrance. Tax forms have been taking their place since the first of the year but will be replaced in mid April. Take time to see if there is something of interest.

Spring weather for spring break. It was a busy time for the library with a fairly steady stream of students in and out (and in and out) throughout the day. Internet use was substantially and some took advantage of the board games that were available. It’s been good skateboarding weather and the parking lot has served double duty which can work as long as skateboarders are considerate of patrons and the primacy of its parking use. Kids are kids as we once were and one of these days they will be us.

National Poetry Month is April. So is Keep America Beautiful Month , Arbor Day and Library Week. Everyone should go to the library and read “I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree”. Billy Collins remains one of our favorite poets and for the younger set there is Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky. The Katz/Catrow Take Me Out of the Bathtub books would work well during Karaoke week. Reread your own favorites, write a limerick, try an anthology. Keep poetry alive.

4-H clubs are getting started and participants can find plenty of information about horses, calves, small livestock, gardening, sewing, and carpentry projects at the library. The American Standard of Perfection for chickens and for rabbits and cavies is available plus a video on starting chicks. You don’t have to be a club member- or a student - to enjoy a summer project.

March 2007

More room. We have new bookshelves in the juvenile area thanks to B & W Carpentry. We’ll still be doing some shifting and rearranging but hope this will provide some more work and display space. If you can’t find what you want where you expect it to be, please ask. Audios will be moved - AGAIN.

Missing call numbers have recently become apparent. Apparently we’ve been preoccupied with getting used to the InfoCentre system and did not notice that many (way too many) books show up in the catalog with no call number. If you can’t figure out where to look for something it’s not your fault. You can double click the title and then click on copy information - or ask. Something was lost in the move and we’re hoping there may be a more universal fix than correcting each record.

Homeschoolers enjoyed a wintery talk making artificial snow and building sculptures with ice cubes. (Miss Vicky’s timing for the January’s snow story time was better than the Farmer’s Almanac.)

Summer Reading supply orders are placed before the previous year is over and work on programs begins about the same time. This year has a mystery theme. Miss Vicky and Susan have two workshops this month and are soliciting for prizes.

Dr. Seuss, aka Theodor Geisel, was born March 2, 2004. Most people are familiar with his children’s book which are full of delightful nonsense and wonderfully illustrated imaginary creatures, plus a moderate amount of social commentary. This will be the 50th anniversary for one of his most popular creations, The Cat in the Hat. Take time to read a Dr. Seuss book to a child - or enjoy one yourself.

New DVDs are on the way including some of the recent Academy Award winners and the usual variety. We’ll have a list as processing is completed and will take reserves. Videos and DVDs made up 34% of last year’s circulation, and increased 23% from 2005. In fact our total 2006 circulation increased 8%, almost entirely due to the increased DVD and video circulation. Someone thought it might be because DVDs were much better. DVDs cost more and seem to be more easily damaged - and apparently continue to be more tempting to steal.

Overdues notices are not being sent because we can’t figure out how to print them on the new system. We’ll call if there is a reserve and hope we’ll find a solution. In the meantime, we’re asking everyone to keep in mind that libraries work because patrons check materials out, they take reasonable care of them, and they bring materials back by the due date . Then someone else, including that same patron can check them out. Over and over again. Our main recourse is to refuse service until materials are returned. We lose far more from unreturned materials than we do from theft.

Thanks to a patron for donating the above book. Much thanks to two teens who did the main work of moving the paperback bookshelf through the library. Also thanks to our custodian Don, Associated Trenching, and those generous guys enjoying their snow blowers for keeping an open pathway to the library.

Magazine renewals have been sent in though they don’t take effect until June. We’re trying Smart Computing and canceling PC Magazine. Mailbox (Preschool) with children’s activities is mainly for library programs but can be checked out. Otherwise the list remains pretty much the same. If you subscribe to a magazine and read it and discard it you might consider donating it to the library when you are finished. Re-using is good.

Seed catalogs are tucking in amongst the shelf of catalogs and newsletters. If you don’t have any coming to your mailbox you can check one out here and learn about the newest and the currently popular heirloom vegetables.

Tax time is next month though our big rush is over, even though we haven’t received the full reproducible forms book. The IRS was much more prompt in keeping up with the demand for 1099s and 1096s.The irs.gov site is very helpful but can’t supply those forms. Be sure to file for the refund of federal telephone excise tax. There’s a space for a standard deduction on returns and we have plenty of forms if you skipped that. $30 is $30.

Circling above us, their wing-tips fanned like fingers, it is as if they were smoothing one of those tissue-paper sewing patterns over the pale blue fabric of the air. Turkey Vultures by Ted Kooser.

Learning & Volunteering at the Library

Home Learning Media are in the display case. These materials were purchased several years ago at the request of homeschoolers. They are available for anyone to check out and can be used to help any child with homework, to provide some enrichment, or as a family project. The home school section has a variety of helpful print material including texts and worksheets. The library also has Discovery Packs that parents may check out for young children. These packs contain books, videos, and materials on many subjects such as insects, careers, and cooking.

Volunteering provides opportunities for getting out and about, increasing one’s awareness of the community, and generally doing good. High school student Averie Kenney has been putting in some volunteer hours as part of a project. She’s read shelves, sorted discarded magazines, and helped with inventory - and has done good for the library.

Valentines to all of you. Roses are red, violets are blue, we love our patrons all the year through. A piece on job satisfaction which cited policemen and firemen as being at the top reminded us of how much we like being librarians. Much of that is thanks to all those people who use the library.

Teens in libraries have been in the news -and some of it has not been good. The internet is a big attraction here and the parking lot is good for skateboarding, though the urge to congregate can be a problem in our small space. There aren’t many places to go in Ashley and teens, too, are our patrons. Generally they’ve been good and cooperative. It could be a worthwhile exercise in intergenerational awareness and tolerance for us all.

More room, more room ! The juvenile non-fiction section gets more crowded all the time and we keep looking for ways to ease the crunch. Some additional bookshelves in the area should help and we’re planning to have them made. Should we hire a professional organizer to go with them??

the New & the Old

The new year is already 1/12 over. We’re adjusting to Barbara's shorter hours. The January rains came and the basement stayed dry - one of the hoped for benefits of the west side ramp and parking area renovations. End of the year reports are still in the works though the clerk treasurer is all done. The magazine list is here and ready for your recommendations. The Flying Circus of Physics was on the shelf when Jearl Walker talked at OWU but the Wanda Brunstetter books have not yet arrived. (soon) And we are all older.

A new pet, a large soft and cuddly jaguar with claws even, has a home in the children’s room. Thanks to thrifty shopper Karen.

The tractor calendar is back. The Delaware NAPA store has again provided our patrons with pictures to enjoy through the year.

The Caldecott and Newbery award winners were announced Jan. 22. The Caldecott best illustrated book winner is Flotsam by David Wiesner and it is available. Wiesner is a third time winner. The Newbery outstanding children’s literature is The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron. That needs to be ordered and there will undoubtedly be a wait. There were three Newbery honor awards and two Caldecott honors. The library does not have any of the honor books. Apparently we would have picked other winners. It would be interesting to read more on the judging and why the awards were made. And always interesting that adults decide.

February 2007 Books & Computers

Computer updates are progressing and by the end of January we should be able to check books in and out with our new system InfoCentre. It will take us some time to become familiar with all the variant ins and outs but the big difference for patrons will be the ability to access the Wornstaff catalog online - that’s at home or wherever an Internet connected computer is available. In the meantime Chad Neeper of Level 9 Networks has been setting up a faster, more secure Internet connection for public users - and making our maintenance easier.

Book donations are generally accepted. Some additions or better condition replacements for the library collection are often provided along with adding to the book sale. There are some books such as older encyclopedias and textbooks that we’d just as soon not have and we’re not equipped to handle large quantities of books. It may make more sense to ask the donator to take that trip to Goodwill. On the other hand one recent donation was cheerfully accepted by a patron- a why I love the library story.

Language aids are being explored. Way Cool Phrase Books and Learn and Play in both Spanish and French are available. Fun with Signing is a different sort of language but also designed to encourage use and to make the learning more interesting and less dependent upon rote.

Foreign language movies can provide a conversational and pronunciation guide - and a look at the local culture. Hear the words, read the subtitle translations. The library has an assortment of such films. It might be interesting to try the English version with Spanish subtitles.

Tax forms are ready for the shelves. Are you ready for them?? Along with government bulletins we’ll have the 2007 Ernst and Young book to answer your questions. We can help you look but can’t give tax advice. Forms are on the Internet, too. http://www.irs.gov

Magazines are being discarded. All discarded magazines are free. If you’re looking for recipes, decorating ideas, pictures for school or decoupage projects this is a great opportunity. Help us recycle.

New Year’s resolutions : Return all library materials on time and treat them carefully. Check out The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Breaking Bad Habits. Make a “to read” list or keep a journal of books read. Learn something new. Provide better library service to the community. Do something to make Ashley a nicer place for everyone.

Local events in January: A virtual recreation of the Ancient Ohio Valley will be on display at the Ohio Historical Society through Jan. 7. Next is The Armory Wall a tribute to 9/11. Also at OHS on Jan 25 is a Memory Scrap-in. Family Fun Saturday at Franklin Park Conservatory January 13, plus lampworking demonstrations. The Frog Prince at the Palace in Marion. Check Ohio Wesleyan’s calendar for free music performances in February. Check the library bulletin board for other options.


I have often thought that nothing would do more extensive good at small expense than the establishment of a small circulating library ..of a few well chosen books…to be lent …under such regulations as would secure their safe return in due time. Thomas Jefferson

January 2007

Hickory Knoll School will be at the library on February 13. Now that the ramp is finished the students are able to come upstairs and enjoy a real library experience along with their own story time.

Game Day provided activities and refreshment for a mixed group of vacationing students - from kindergarten through sixteen. As usual skittles and Apples to Apples were popular games. Thanks to the parents who lent a hand, and to Miss Vicky and Susan who got things together.

www.oplin.org will connect students to many library resources. Click on Electronic Resources, select Wornstaff Library, and enter your library card number. MasterFileEBSCOhost is a particularly helpful resource, providing full text magazine articles, often a required information source.

Construction work is now completed. The improved ramp and additional parking places are welcome features. People have been complimentary about the general appearance and we’re looking forward to the east yard in summer.

Computer changes are next in line. Chad Neeper of Level 9 Networks will be moving our library system onto a new program InfoCentre with a web accessible catalog. This means that people will be able to check our holdings at home and we’ll be one step closer to quick and easy interlibrary loans which will help people get any book they want.

Inventory continues. We’ve made a list and we’re checking it twice - and more, making sure our catalog reflects materials that are actually available. Long overdue and lost materials will be deleted and we’ll find out what else is missing. Angel Howard has been a wonderful help on this project.

Long overdues will also be checked again. TIf you receive an overdue notice, the replacement cost of the materials is listed and that cost is deleted when the material is returned. Book drop returns are welcomed. If the materials are lost or damaged you are responsible for that replacement cost. Many people using the same materials over and over is what makes a library work for a whole community.

New audio books were ordered at the end of the year. We concentrated on books that have more family appeal though selections range from Junie B. Jones to The Da Vinci Code. Also on order are three courses from The Teaching Company : History of the United States, Science Wars, and The Story of the Bible. We hope these purchases will be useful. All these materials are on Cds.

December 2006

Story time :
Rudolph & Friends Dec. 7
Christmas Dec. 14
No Storytime Dec. 21 & Dec. 28
Unbirthday Party Jan. 4

Evening Storytime will be held Wednesday, December 13 at 6:30. Storytime will take a break over the holidays. There will not be a Storytime on December 21 and 28. The new year will begin with the traditional Unbirthday Party on January 4.

Home School Holiday Workshop will be held Tuesday December 12 at 10:30. The book talk and crafts are geared for 1st through 6th grades.

Game Day for all ages is scheduled for Dec. 28, 2:00 - 4:00. The library will probide snacks and some games. Bring a friend and maybe your favorite board or card game.

Share the Spirit of the Holiday ! Cards and ornaments are holiday workshop craft options. Families are welcome and pre-registration is helpful. Join us and make a craft, Thursday evening, December 7 from 6:30 - 8:00.

An autogyro, piloted by an OSU bear, is on desplay in the juvenile room. A drawing and basic operation information are posted nearby.

Pooh Bear in a multiplicity of manifestations is now occupying the display case. The collection is on loan from our page, Megan.

The library will be closed December 25 and 26 and January 1, 2007.
Happy Holidays to all.

Construction update. The ramp is complete except for some final brickwork touches. New angle parking on the side plus handicapped parking and well defined space in back with curb stops are in place. The library and Hickory Knoll are looking forward to their visit upstairs in the children’s room in December. Stegal Construction also reset the railing on the basement ramp in time for voting.

“No room! No room !” they cried..and the Hatter interrupted, “Let’s all move one place.” That’s what shifting in the library feels like. Current “moving one place” includes moving the rest of the Western collection to the basement. These books are still available for circulation and we encourage anyone interested in older westerns and mysteries to avail themselves of that availability. This made more room on adjacent shelves for Inspirational Fiction, Biographies, and Large Print.

Together at Last. Western fans should also note that space was made for a Louis L’Amour section. L’Amour books which were previously located in the regular fiction, the Western collection, the paperback westerns, AND the Large Print are all in one place adjacent to the paperback westerns.

“No Room” stage 2. Juvenile audio books have been moved to the audio shelves opposite the water fountain. Older adult audio tapes have been relocated to the end of the enlarged Large Print section. This provides more room for the high school fiction area.

Staff Picks :
Barbara recommends Christmas Letters, a fun holiday story by Debbie Macomber. Katherine O’Conner loves Christmas so much that she has turned her ability to write charming Christmas letters into a second job.

Warrior Heir by Cinda Chima is Vicky's pick. Jack lives an unremarkable life in Trinity, Ohio until he discovers he is one of the last warriors of the Weirland, an underground society of magical people. This is a great read for teens and adults. Look for the sequel in May 2007.

Karen's recommends a picture book by Mike Reiss with David Catrow illustrations, Merry Un-Christmas. What is Christmas was everyday?? Going to school could be exciting.

Truck : a Love Story by Michael Perry is Liz's choice. Take one 1950 International Harvester truck, add a literate guy to tell the story of its restoration and his ongoing life, and there’s one enjoyable read. Plus, there are two previous collections Michael Perry’s observations on life.

Manspace : a Primal Guide to Marking Your Territory by Sam Martin struck the right note with at least one man. It’s gorgeous pictures of clubhouses for the older boys with the bigger toys.

Beside our Springs and Streams: stories of the Native Americans and early settlers of Delaware County, a DVD conceived by Delaware historian Brent Carson is available. A group of young people tour locations of various historical events and listen to stories of earlier times in this local production.

Popular video/DVD additions for the year will end with the arrival of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and The Devil Wears Prada. Several documentaries are also on their way: Eminem, Model Trains, Cemeteries, and Country Boys.

New audio books are being selected as we get close to the end of our fiscal year and still have funds in the materials budget. We’re looking primarily at family interest read-alouds to insure use over a period of time and a wider range of patrons. Your suggestions are always welcome.

Magazine subscriptions don’t roll over until July but our renewal list should arrive any day. Plans are to not renew Teachers’ Helper (but those back issues and all the old Copycats will always be here). Mailbox will probably be added. One computer magazine should be sufficient and there may be another look home school materials. Your recommendations are appreciated. Don’t forget that you can recycle and share current issues of your magazines here at the library.

Inside upgrades: We’re working toward a web accessible catalog, participation in the statewide interlibrary loan program, MORE, and some better Internet access for the public. InfoCentre, an enhanced library program similar to the current one, has been purchased and will be installed by Level 9 Networks. Patrons and other libraries will then be able to check our holdings over the internet. It’s a first step toward sharing our collection with other libraries and sharing more local library information (such as this newsletter) electronically.

Inventory is in process in the meantime. We don’t want to frustrate people (including ourselves) by listing materials that are long overdue or otherwise unavailable. Volunteer Jane has printed out a bulky list of all our materials. Angel is hard at work on the preliminary shelf checking. Both are revealing database errors that need to be corrected. We’ll all be better off in the end.

Happy Holidays Christmas stories and movies, reindeer food, craft workshops, game days, cookies to and from patrons are all part of the holidays, and an especially enjoyable part of the library year.

November 2006

Story time :

Nursery Rhymes & folktales Nov. 2
Owls & Raccoons Nov. 9
Thanksgiving Nov. 16
Farm Harvest Nov. 30

Evening Storytime will be Wednesday, November 15 at 6:30 and Thanksgiving will be the topic.

There will be no story time on Thanksgiving Day Nov. 23, nor on Dec. 21 and Dec. 28. Miss Vicky will be on vacation Nov. 30 and Liz Barker will present the program that day.

A Homeschool Holiday Workshop is scheduled for Tuesday Dec. 12 at 10:30.

Barbara will return to work on Nov. 1. We’re looking forward to having her back at the desk again, as are many patrons.

The library will be closed on Thanksgiving Day but will be open all other regular November hours .

Construction update. Some delay has occurred because the brick did not arrive in a timely manner and the weather has not been as cooperative as might have been desired. The wall is looking pretty nice and we’re hoping that the ramp will be available again soon - preferably by the designated final date Oct. 31. We regretfully observe that water seepage in the basement has not been alleviated. In the meantime, on the east side of the building, the concrete supporting the railing has cracked, creating a somewhat dangerous situation which we hope will be remedied before Election Day. Congregating teens and skateboarders may have contributed to this damage and we may need to be more vigorous in restricting some activities.


The Wornstaff Library will be a polling place for Ashley Precinct A. Polls will be open from 6:30 - 7:30. We join other civic organizations in urging everyone to vote. There is a folder containing information on candidates and issues plus back issues of the Delaware Gazette, Columbus Dispatch and Morrow County Independent with additional information.

The Buckeye Book Fair will return to the Fisher Auditorium in Wooster, Saturday November 4, 9:30 - 4:00. Meet and talk with authors and illustrators. Purchase autographed books at a discount. Enjoy a scenic drive and visit additional area attractions.

New DVDs have arrived and are available for circulation. Some of the movies ordered have not yet been released, so keep checking. The library tries to provide a variety of materials as opposed to concentrating on top run movies.

Habitat for Humanity dedicated the Frank and Rebecca Martin handicap accessible home Oct. 29. Almost 300 volunteers were involved in this project.

The Sesqui-centennial Quilt now hangs above the computers. We hope it continues to be noticed and appreciated in its new location. The move has freed the bulletin board for other notices.

The witch in the tree line also deserves notice and appreciation. It’s outlaw art in Ashley, Act II.

Staff Picks :

Cookies : Bite-sized Life Lessons by Amy Rosenthal and illustrated by Jane Dyer is a wonderfully simple guide to good behavior through animals and cookies instead of lectures. Vicky recommends it for children and it’s not a bad book for adults, either. (Think Who Moved My Cheese?) She also praises the movie, Akeelah and the Bee, which is more than just another spelling bee story.

Karen has two picks. On Agate Hilll by Lee Smith is the life of a southern woman from post Civil War days to the 1920s. The Broke Diaries by Angela Nissel is the completely true and hilarious misadventures of a good girl gone broke. He DVD choice is The Lake House, the ultimate of romantic chick flick watching.

Jane liked Aunt Dimity’s Death by Nancy Atherton, the first in the series considered one of the best 100 mysteries, and a very sweet cozy mystery.

Fast Web’s College Gold Step-by-step Guide to Paying for College by Mark Kantrowitz is informative preparation for any parent of a college bound student and Susan‘s pick. She also recommends Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani, the third in this series.

Liz is still reading oldies and recommends John O’Hara’s 10 North Frederick Street about a small town prominent citizen and his political aspirations. A new book, Richard Ford’s Lay of the Land, continues the saga of Frank Bascombe - think Updike’s Rabbit books. Hurrah for the long awaited DVD of Warren Beatty’s Reds about John Reed.

Illustrator Betsy Lewin will be at Fundamentals bookstore in Delaware, Thursday Nov. 9, 5:30-7:30. She is best known today for books in which she and Doreen Cronin have teamed together. Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type is a delight for any age.

Children’s Book Week is Nov. 12-18. The best way to celebrate is to read to your child and/or make a family visit to the library. Second best could be attending the Betsy Lewin book signing.

Sample magazines include The Week, Practical Homeschooling, and National Geographic Little Kids. We’re always looking for suggestions.

Lincoln Library of Sports Champions is being revised and republished. This edition should provide a welcome addition to our sports information. Donations from Ruth McNew to the children’s department, and in memory of Josephine Bartlett and Pegge Stein helped fund this purchase.

Backyard mechanics should appreciate new Chilton manuals. Currently one volume covers one manufacturer, consuming more space and costing more than the old domestic, imported, and truck sets. GM, Chrysler, and Ford volumes 2002-2006 will be added. These volumes cover both cars and trucks and will bring those vehicles up to date.

Preservation Parks provided an interesting program on trees to a small audience. Staff do programs not only for libraries, but groups such as 4-H and Scouts. Their butterfly program sounds good for spring. Fliers on the numerous activities at parks around the county are available at the library.

Holiday Craft evening is in the works. Typically these programs have provided a mix of crafts plus a strong social component and are suitable for mother-daughter or family attendance. Watch for a date.

In like a lion, out like a lamb. It works for March. Could November be a switch with Indian summer making up for chilly October? Halloween squeaked by with moderate temperatures and light drizzles and the school parade was able to march. Thanks to our page, Megan “Picnic Lunch” Burns who helped pass out suckers and bookmarks.

September 2006

Storytime:
Grandparents’ Day Sept. 7
At the Fair Sept. 14
Let’s Make Music Sept. 21
Falling Leaves & Apples Sept. 28
Dinosaur Month Oct. 5

Evening Storytimes will be held once a month on Wednesday at 6:30 : Sept. 27, Oct. 25, Nov. 15, and Dec. 13. Topics will be the same as Thursday’s.
Storytime will resume its usual schedule, starting Thursday morning at 10:00 on Sept. 7. Storytime is open to all preschoolers and parents are encouraged to attend. Stories and finger plays last about twenty minutes and are followed by a similar time period for a craft - and frequently a treat. No registration is required. Trial visits, partial participation, and older children are acceptable.

Home School Book Talks are scheduled for October 17 (Fall & Forests) and December 12 (Holiday Workshop). All home schoolers are invited to attend. These hour long programs are both fun and informative plus providing interaction with other home schooling families in the area.

Thanks to Moms’ Club Lewis Center: North Chapter, the Olentangy Teachers’ Association, and the Literacy Coalition of Delaware County who collected thousands of books and donated a portion of them to the Wornstaff Library. Some have been added to the collection and some will be passed on to area families.

Pardon our dust. A new ramp, angle parking, a more easily maintained area, designated handicapped space, and improved drainage to help keep the basement dry are anticipated benefits.

School starts - on Aug. 23 for Delaware Hayes, on Aug. 29 for Buckeye Valley, on Sept. 5 for Morrow County. What happened to that idea of area consistency? Whenever it occurs, it’s the unofficial end of summer, and a big change libraries. Today library work is often supplemented by home Internet access but students can still find many helpful resources available at the library - including the Internet. We appreciate information on assignments and remind all students that the earlier they start on projects the more help the library can provide.

OPLIN research databases and Know it Now provide magazine articles and interactive librarian help for homework and other research to library users- at home, at any hour. www.oplin.org

Library Card Sign-up Month is in Spetember. (Could this be related to the fact that school starts about that time?). Children can get their own card with the family card number, even though we use a household card rather than individual memberships.

Staff Picks :

Lovers‘ Knot by Emilie Richards. After a near fatal attack by a mugger, a woman journalist leaves Washington DC, for a family cabin in rural Virginia where she investigates the story behind an heirloom quilt.

A young adult novel, Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock. D.J. Schwenk’s fifteenth summer in Wisconsin is filled with milking the cows, training a rival team’s quarterback and deciding to try out for her home team herself. Along the way her dysfunctional family and friends move forward in their lives. Vicky's pick.

Gracious Christianity : Living the Love We Profess by Douglas Jacobsen and Shia Revival : How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future by Seyyed Vali Reza Nasr are more serious non-fiction. Susan's pick.

Reduced Shakespeare : the Attention -impaired Reader’s Guide to the World’s Best Playwright (Abridged) by Reed Martin and Austen Tichenor. Watch the Video - Read the Book! And, if that’s not to your liking try Enslaved by Ducks by Bob Tarte. Karen's pick.

It’s an animal thing left over from the summer reading theme because Liz was entranced by The Good, Good Pig by Sy Montgomery.

Patron recommendations include The Novelist by Angela Hunt (cited as a really good introduction to this popular Christian author) and Uncommon Carriers by John McPhee, a series of fascinating essays on various modes of transporting goods providing “experiences I will never have in person”. Please share your recommendations.

Home Schooling Today magazine has arrived. This Christian based educational aid may be of interest to those who home school for religious reasons.
Back to school books ranging from how to “let go” of your departing college student to helping your younger child with math are on display. This is just a sample of what the library has available. The Home School section includes work sheets and other supplemental materials plus kits for studying areas such as magnetism and anatomy.

It’s fair time. You can catch the end of the Morrow County Fair and then the whole Delaware County Fair, - Horse Parade, Brown Jug, and all - starting Sept. 16. The two boxes of fair booklets disappeared when we shared them with the post office which may indicate how many Ashley products will be on display and competing for those R.B. Powers Ribbon Factory awards. In between times there’s the Popcorn Festival in Marion.

Connections (363-5000) was scheduled for a display in August but we apparently were un-co-ordinated. This organization coordinates volunteer opportunities, matching up interested individuals with places which need help. You can still put some time in on the Frankie Martin Habitat for Humanity house - right here in Ashley. The Scioto River Sweep is set for Sept. 9, 8:30 - 12:00. Call for more suggestions to suit your time and taste.

In memory of Mary Staley. Uncommon Heroes, a four volume set by popular Christian author Dee Henderson has recently been reissued and purchased by the library with memorial donations. This series combines public service, action, and romance. Long time library director Staley developed the library’s inspirational fiction collection.

Health coalition organization in Ashley created some interest but just didn’t materialize. Now the Sentinel reports that enthusiastic members of the Morrow County Health Coalition are planning a Morrow in Motion 2007 program to encourage walking for better health. There will be monthly activities and free blood pressure checks.

August 2006

Storytime will resume Sept. 7 at 10:00

August is vacation month and after Summer Reading recuperation for the library staff. Storytime takes a break and will resume September 7 at 10:00. There are many other things to catch up with including book ordering. Summer still has almost two months to go until its official astronomical ending at the autumnal equinox in late September. We all know, however that summer really ends when school starts which seems to get earlier every year though it is August 29 this year. We know it’s not far from everyone’s minds because we get many questions about supply lists - which are apparently not available, yet. There will be a new principal at Buckeye Valley East Elementary and probably other changes.

Mark Wood’s Fun Show provided a much enjoyed closing program with just over one hundred parents and children in the parking lot. It was a really beautiful day, not too hot and with no threat of rain. Every child received a balloon animal. There was a drawing for prizes with a few yet to be claimed. Vacationers can still turn in their lists.

Statistics for the Summer Reading are looking good. We were impressed by the quality of the reading which means that many children read longer chapter books - current total = 1120. Perhaps next year we should count pages read instead of books. We’re looking for suggestions. Forty-one teens signed up, more than ever before. Twenty of them attended the Teen Night - along with three companion dogs. Adult participation remained about the same but more books were read (235).

The Ashley Corn Show starts August off with appropriate celebration. Get in line for that chicken bar-b-que. Dates are August 3, 4, and 5.


New DVDs are available. We’re making a list and it will be available when most of the movies have been received and processed. High School Musical is one. Check the July 30 Time magazine for a big article on its overall success. Remember the Titans has been replaced again and Patton is now in DVD form. We try to get a variety and hope there will be something new for everyone to enjoy. A nice donation of a dozen “old” movies on DVD supplemented our recent purchases.

Refurbishing phase 2 should begin shortly. The board approved Stegal Construction’s bid July 24. The west side of the building will be the main focus with the ramp replaced, fronted by a wall, providing several angle parking spaces on the side. New basement doors arrived in time for the last story time and are much appreciated. Remember Eeyore’s birthday when he received an empty honey pot and a collapsed balloon and exclaimed that he could put the balloon in the pot and take it out…? Well, we can open the door and close the door and open it and…!! It’s at least as exciting as Eeyore‘s present..

Delaware County Fair booklets are here with full schedules of categories - and entry forms. Exhibiting is not just for 4-H members. Most entry deadlines are August 25 with fees of $5 or less. Weeklong fair passes are available for $25. http://www.delawarecountyfair.com/

The Ohio Wesleyan Art Museum http://admission.owu.edu/weekly.html will exhibit Currier & Ives trotting prints Aug. 24 - Sept. 29. Live action will be at the fairgrounds Sept. 21.

A generous donation of scrapbooking and stamping magazines should provide a wealth of ideas for those hobbyists. They’ll be available for check out. Duplicates can be yours - free.

Summertime is veggie time, especially with local markets and backyard gardens. There are plenty of cookbooks with recipes for using all that healthy, fresh produce. But where is the one we need -100 Things to do with a Ten Pound Zucchini Squash?

Check your local library. It’s a good place for all kinds of information. We post babysitting, handyman, and yard work flyers for a month and then they go into a folder for later inquiries. Along with fair booklets we have recently received Ohio’s Guide for New Citizens, Host a Foreign Student flyers, Keep Delaware County Beautiful newsletters and Scioto River Sweep posters, and Red Cross Course and Activities Guides. We get newsletters from Stratford Ecological Center, the Ashley UMC Church, Ashley Villa, Park Ave. Senior Citizens copies of Delaware News - and more.

Thank you's this month go to all those who donated prizes and otherwise contributed to the summer reading program. We had several “guest” pets along with the Companion and Psychiatric service dogs. Our official library pet, Rystal the beta fish, has gone back home and will be missed, especially by some of the staff.

SACC groups are continuing their visits, even walking up when it is drizzling. They each get to pick out a book and usually have a story read. The library has also hosted a couple of the reading groups and is pleased to be able to contribute.

The meeting room is gradually shedding summer reading posters and decorations. Upstairs, the hamster tunnel will go back home and Clifford’s dog house will be replaced with the school bus and then the train will come back again. The Pet Shop is closing its doors. But every time a door is closed another one opens…right?

August events: Perseid meteor showers peak about Aug. 10 - 12. The weather’s definitely better than in December. The volcanic island Krakatoa erupted on Aug. 26, 1883. You can read all about it in a fascinating account by Simon Winchester. This is National Inventors Month. You could be inspired by More Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius - or enjoy reading Marvelous Mattie by Emily McCully and watching Young Tom Edison..

Making model clay animals.

We have an average of 45 children per week.

New dvd's will be out in the next couple of weeks.

We hope to have a survey at the desk soon concerning technology needs of this area, keep your eyes open.

July 2006

Summer Reading continues through July 24.

Feathers & Fur July 3
PetToons July 10
with Dan Collins
Wet, Wild, & Weird July 17
Mark Wood’s Fun Show July 24
Storytime weekly themes are similar.
Feathers and Fur July 6
Wet Pets July 13
Wild & Weird July 20

Mark Wood’s Fun Show will be the closing program and EVERYONE is invited. This family entertainment features comedy and magic. There will be a balloon animal for each youngster. Come and share some old fashioned fun. Program time is 11:00 on Monday, July 24. We’re hoping for a nice day and an outside performance.

Teens will have their night on July 19, 6:30 - 8:00. There will be food (of course) and games. Featured guests will be a Canine Companion with Gary Buechel and a Psychiatric Service dog with Scott Leonard from Annie’s Outreach. Thirty-two teens have signed up and received a wristband and a tattoo. There’s still time to participate in weekly prize drawings by signing up and reading. Books, magazines, and graphic novels all count.

Summer Reading program attendance has been close to fifty and over 100 students have signed up. There won’t be a tally until the end but the forecasts are good. Just check stickers on the prize ribbons lining the front windows Storytime has averaged slightly over twenty. SACC has also visited the library on several occasions. It’s a busy time.

Special thanks this month should go to staff, especially children’s librarian, Vicky and Susan who have spent much time preparing for programs and building a dog house for the children’s area. The hamster tunnel is on loan from Seamus and Miles. Megan and Katie, and Kayla and Nicole are volunteering with the summer reading program - counting stickers, passing out prizes, and helping with crafts and activities. The Bell family has loaned their Beta fighting fish as the “Library Pet”. Christine did The Pet Shop window art. Stephanie Reed helped set up the boxes for our annual worm race. Many parents served as worm race monitors. Gary Buechel and his Canine Companion dog visited the opening program. June Carter from the Humane Society brought two enticing residents. Then there was the snake…

Adults have turned in almost 100 reviews qualifying them for prizes. In the meantime those rankings and comments provide suggestions for other patrons - and for additional library purchases.

Prizes in the weekly bonus drawing include two Clippers tickets, a $25 coupon for Cameron Mitchell restaurants, and several tickets for the CAPA classic movie series. It’s winner’s choice. No reading is required but you do have to be an adult and be interested in the prizes. Our first winner selected tickets to The Butterfly House. We appreciate being able to offer these tickets.

Staff Picks :

Kristin Hannah’s Magic Hour is Barbara's choice. The Olympic National Forest is vast acres of impenetrable darkness and great beauty. From the heart of this old forest a 6 year old girl appears, speechless and alone, with no clue to her identity.

Karen has two picks. Still Life with Chickens by Catherine Goldhammer is the tale of a mother and daughter who start a new life by moving to a small house by the sea and raising chickens. Sex with the Queen by Eleanor Herman (who also wrote Sex with Kings) recounts 900 years of vile kings, virile lovers, and passionate politics.

Vicky's “Creature Feature” reading has focused on mermaids and she has five young adult and two adult titles to recommend. Dive in! The Fish in Room 11 by Heather Dyer, Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman, Teenage Mermaid by Ellen Schreiber, Tale of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler and Mermaid Summer by Mollie Hunter. (YA)
Alice at Heart and Diary of a Radical Mermaid by Deborah Smith (adult).

Cheaper by the Dozen 2 was rated as a really funny, family movie by our page Megan.

Apropos of the summer reading theme, Liz strongly recommends two classics, Farley Mowat’s Never Cry Wolf (both book and video) and the Yorkshire veterinarian, James Herriott’s books.

The Humane Society will benefit from the library’s collection box. Their wish list includes clear packing tape, bleach and paper towels, 55 gallon trash bags, laundry detergent, dog leashes and collars, dog and cat toys, AA batteries, gently used towels and blankets, and #10 envelopes. Everyone is encouraged to visit at 4920 State Route 37 East. Foster homes for kittens and permanent homes for animals in their care are also needed. It may be more difficult to say “no” after visiting.

The east side lawn project is basically complete and the newly seeded grass is beginning to sprout. The best news is that we’ve not had any water coming under those basement doors so far. The new doors should arrive for installation sometime this month. Bids for work on the west side, however, were much higher than estimated and both work and estimate need to be revised and the project rebid. Michael Foor did a great job of making that west side landscaping look more presentable for its extended life.

Book sales have been booming thanks to a huge donation, which included several boxes of children’s books. Many books were added to the library collection. More are available for sale.

The Garden Craft program was attended by a small but enthusiastic group of varying ages. For those who missed the program but are interested in the projects, Creative Concrete Ornaments for the Garden has some excellent ideas and plans.

The auditors are here. The library is a public institution and is audited by the state every other year. Two auditors from the state will spend a couple of weeks going through the library’s books to be sure everything is done legally. They’ll need their earplugs on Monday mornings.

Books, books and more books. We added quite a few from that large donation. We ordered thirty new large print books. We received a call from a Mom’s Club who collected thousands (literally) of books for Literacy Coalition and is looking for good uses for those books. Liz is in the office cataloging - hiding, and not eager to order new DVDs. Not for a couple of days at least.

Check the July calendar for special events: the Ottawa-Bota Wheat Harvest Festival near Radnor, The Music Man at the Marion Palace, Kids’ College at Marion OSU, Summer Camp at Stratford Ecological Center - and more.

June 2006 Newsletter

Summer Reading starts June 12. Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales is the theme. Weekly programs and reading incentives are open to first through sixth graders. Come to the opening program Monday, June 12 at 11:00 to register and enjoy a variety of activities. Those who miss that date can register anytime at the library and do not have to attend the programs to receive coupons and prizes for reading - but they will be missing some fun. June 19 will feature the library’s annual worm race. June Carter from the Humane Society will be here June 26 for Love My Pet. Cartoonist Dan Collins will be the draw(er) for PetToons on July 10 and Mark Wood’s Fun Show will provide a closing program on July 24. There will be something to do every Monday at 11:00. Get a reminder schedule. Storytime will resume on June 15 with programs on Thursday morning at 10:00 and Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales will provide the theme. Everyone is invited to Mark Wood’s Fun Show on Monday, July 24 at 11:00. He’ll be making balloon animals for all children attending the program.

Adults and teens are encouraged to read. We’ll even provide some prizes as incentives and some reading lists relating to the theme. Everyone likes reading suggestions and we hope you’ll share yours. Teens will receive a wristband and a tattoo when they sign up. There’s a teen program in the works for Wednesday evening July 19 from 6:30 - 8:00. There will be a Canine Companion in training plus food and posters. We need your help. Photos of pets would be appreciated for a display. Our children’s librarian, is also looking for “guest pets” for the programs and would like to have a reptile and a bird. Call 747-2085 to apply.

Garden Craft Workshop Learn how to make hypertufa containers, paint a stone leaf, and use recycled materials for plant tags. It’s all available one evening at the library, Wednesday, June 7 at 6:30. This should be a good opportunity to exchange gardening ideas and to browse library materials. Signing up helps us plan for the event.

The Ohio Chataqua in Delaware, June 14-18 is a series of weeklong cultural events presented by he Ohio Humanities Council in partnership with the Delaware County District Library. Both children and adults can enjoy free living history performances, music, and educational workshops. The theme is War and Peace and the focus will be on several persons Clara Barton, Chief Cornstalk, Francisco Pizarro, Ernie Pyle, and Theodore Roosevelt plus Johnny Appleseed. A program of the event is available at the Wornstaff Library.

New book kits for young listeners are available thanks to donated materials. A book and an audio tape are paired for the beginning reader - or a little relief from reading for mom and dad.

What’s your format ? We can’t buy videos from our primary source. Some people don’t have video tape players anymore or cassette tape players (Some people don’t have DVD players.) And there will be more changes. What’s a library to do? We’ll keep stumbling along until that day when everything (borrowed or bought) is downloaded. That should happen about the same time books are printable on demand and won’t ever go out of print. Or when libraries aren’t needed. Along that line in relation to Internet searching, there’s a site which compares results from Google, Yahoo, and MSN, http://www.jux2.com/. Ask a librarian for book results.

It’s summertime and the vegetables are getting ripe. If you are over 60 you may qualify for the Senior Farmers’ Market Voucher Program. Sign up at a local farmers’ market or a the council for Older Adults office on Bowtown Rd., Delaware. We have two Community Supported Agriculture businesses in the area.