August 2008

Storytime will resume on Thursday morning September fourth at ten o’clock. Some children will be off to kindergarten or first grade and there will be some new faces. The yardstick will be out to see how everyone measures up and so we’ll know how much you grow through the year. Storytime is open to all preschoolers and maybe a bit beyond. Programs last about 45 minutes and consist of stories and finger plays or other activities, a craft and, frequently, a snack. Parents are encouraged to stay and it’s all pretty relaxed with time for play, socializing, and book selection afterwards. Miss Vicky needs glue sticks and paper lunch sacks if you find bargains while school supply shopping.

Max Bergman the Bug Man performed for eighty some children and adults. He brought an amazing collection of “bugs” including several BIG spiders and a giant millipede. He was a great speaker and very responsive to all the questions.

Summer Reading Summaries are still in the works with tallies not completed and prizes still to be collected. But the programs are done for the year. The ant farm has been retired, the bugs are ready to be packed away, and the school bus will soon replace the picnic basket. It’s been hectic; it’s been fun; and it’s time to regroup, give Miss Vicky a vacation, and move on to the next phase.

Teen Night hosted 20 participants who bowled watermelons, jumped through hoops, designed cocoons, and ate sautéed apples and meal worms.

Adult readers, those who filled out reviews, numbered twenty-three and read 103 books. Cindy Shamp topped the list with 28. Reviewers were all women and romances and inspirational fiction were the most popular books.

Fundamentals, the teacher supply / children’s bookstore on Winter Street in Delaware, is celebrating its twentieth year. Owner Tami Furlong has a week of author activities ranging from a late night party for the release of Stephanie Meyer’s book Breaking Dawn to a visit from the Waldo based Bender & Bender crew who created Ribbit!, the flip and see froggy book, plus a visit from the Turtle Lady, Denise Fleming - and more. Pick up a schedule of events at the library.

Summer Reading accumulated 1155 hours with 131 children signed up and 51 completing 10 hours of reading - as of July 28.

Parents reading to children is not an active part of our summer reading program though there are good arguments for emphasizing that activity. Reading to a child is right there on the top of the list of factors that contribute to a child’s interest in and success with reading. Reading to children fits in well with Ohio’s Ready to Read program, not to mention preschool and kindergarten proficiencies. Learning that letters represent sound and that lines go from left to right seems obvious - to those who know - but can be bewildering without familiarity. Besides we’d like to increase our children’s books circulation. It’s interesting that that number has dropped significantly in recent years. Television and even computer games are competitors but that’s very different from a parent and child curled up together in a chair with the bedtime story.

The new Poet Laureate of the United States is Kay Ryan, a sixty year old woman from a small California town once rejected by a poetry club, her sparse lines are now acclaimed and worth a look.

The Young Adult category was the topic of a recent essay by an author, worried that adults wouldn’t read the book - or take it seriously. Thank goodness librarians get to read and enjoy all book categories. There are some real treasures in the juvenile room including our most popular audios.

Buckeye Valley School starts Aug. 27. Supply lists are available on the Internet and the library has a print copy. Morrow County schools have a longer break thanks to the fair (August 25 - Sept. 1). There should be a list of 101 things to do before school starts. Remember how long that vacation sounded in June. Suggestion No. 1 follows.

Summer Letterbox Adventure, a joint project of Preservation Parks of Delaware County and Delaware County District Library is available to Wornstaff Library patrons. Sign a waiver and get a packet that explores six Delaware County parks and introduces you to letterboxing. We’ll give you bonus points for checking out Wornstaff’s own letterbox. A stamp and a notebook are all you need to add some variety to trips or provide a destination for an evening drive. http://www.letterboxing.org/ gives a good overview and lists letter box sites. This can be a diversion while waiting for that long postponed list of Delaware County mystery picture locations.

Skateboard Park sign-up at the library or the village office is a step toward actually getting a skateboard area in Ashley. Not only would that provide a needed place where it would be okay for kids to skateboard (and maybe some ramps) but it seems as if it would alleviate some of the street skating and could be a benefit for everyone. Council member Elaine McFarland is looking at grant possibilities and would appreciate some helpful support. A meeting will be announced.

Homeschoolers should be interested in filling out the survey about the review of Ohio laws regulating home schooling. http://www.ode.state.oh.us/ is the survey site with a link to current law.

Special thanks to all the individuals, families, and business who helped with our summer reading program, providing prizes, assisting with programs, and generally making it all come together. That includes thanks to our staff, especially Vicky Collins, Susan Bussard, and Megan Burns.

July 2008

Summer Reading Program - Library Antics
Mondays 11:00
Don’t Bug Me - I’m Drawing July 7
with cartoonist Dan Collins
Flutter, Buzz, and Zoom July 14
Closing Program July 21
Mark Bergman the Bugman
and his “Live Bug”
Observation Station

Get an up close look at real live bugs, with “on hands” activities. Entertaining for all ages.
Summer Reading participants of all ages are invited to the closing program which will be held inside the library at 11:00 on July 21. The prize drawing will be held then. Winners do not have to be present but those who are get first choice. The final tally will be delayed to accommodate those who can’t attend. Free books for reading ten hours, and other coupons, etc. can still be collected after July 21, but there will not be additional prizes.

It’s not too late to sign up for the summer reading program - and to enjoy some of the activities. First through sixth graders keep track of hours read to receive stickers, coupons, and other prizes. Read ten hours to earn a ticket to be entered in the final drawing. Check the display case for a sampling of prizes. There are Barbie dolls galore.

Teens can Metamorphosis@theLibrary. Gummy bug treats and a mood pencil are your reward for signing up. A ticket for every book read is entered in a weekly drawing. Teen Night is Wed. July 23, 6:30 - 8:00. There will be games, fun, and food including a bug sampling for those who dare.

Adults fill out a review slip which is entered in a final drawing.

Bees and butterflies and bugs and a PICNIC BASKET ! Part of summer reading decorating entails creating a big box crawl through item. Join the giant ants in the picnic basket. It has been a hit - and recognizable. Kudos to Vicky, Susan and Megan with a little help from Dan Collins.
The ant farm has also been enjoyed by staff and patrons. A few caterpillars have survived and are getting almost big enough to notice. Matthew Smith discovered a Cecropia moth on the picnic basket Saturday morning - hatched from the assumed dead pupa mounted above the caterpillars! A patron brought in several bagworm cocoons which might hatch. Did we mention the edible bugs??

Storytime supplies are supplemented by donations. Some needed items, such as glue sticks, school glue, and paper lunch sacks, are often discounted when school supplies are promoted. Consider buying some extra items to donate to the library while shopping for school supplies.

Library Board member wanted - one concerned and interested individual able to meet once a month. Any Ashley resident interested in serving on the library board should contact Liz Barker (747-2085). The board meets on Monday evening July 14, 7:30.

The Car Show and Bean Dinner sponsored by the Wesleyan Church has been rescheduled for July 12, 11:00 - 3:00.

Interlibrary loans keep getting easier. Unchristian mentioned above is one example. We ordered the most recent Jen Lancaster memoir when a patron requested all three. City Under the Back Steps about two children who spend time in an ant hill was a long ago favorite prompted by the bug theme. Videos and DVDs are also available. Don’t be shy. Tell us what you want.

New westerns were discovered - eight paperbacks and one hardback by popular Elmer Kelton. Well, actually two were originally published around 1980 and two others are franchised Ralph Compton (now deceased) novels written by different authors.

Publishing mania. A patron recently mentioned hearing that publishers were really pushing big name authors to produce more works ala Danielle Steel. James Patterson is obviously hard at work complying. The latest Janet Evanovich (5 reserves) is thin, with wide margins and spacing - and cost $28. Do we need a Readers Movement against marketing and easy profits that gyp book lovers out of good reading?

New DVDs enjoyed by the staff include the mini-series John Adams, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Bucket List, Central Station, and Persepolis.

The library’s been a busy place - fifty some children here on Monday mornings and then a bonanza attendance of 33 at story time, plus a floating crowd of teens. We even survived one Monday when we were on the sewer checking list. Add vacations, illness, and the usual complications for some creative staff scheduling. The busyness and high traffic sometimes create conflicts. Two summer rules that may reduce conflicts are No Skateboarding in the library parking lot during open hours and No Food or Drink in the library. We enjoy being busy and really want to provide a place for all age groups. We certainly appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation.

It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy. July starts off with a big boom. Other events in the area include the musical 42nd Street at the Marion Palace, the beginning of the county fair season, The Science of Big Machines at COSI, a torch light canoe trip, numerous nature activities at the parks, not to mention all the ice-cream socials, and farmer‘s markets. The Morrow County Independent featured local (low mileage) activities. Morrow County Link

June 2008

Summer Reading Program - Library Antics

Mondays 11:00am

Library Antics June 9
(sign-up and activities)
Bookworm Race June 16
Bring your own worm
Reading is a Picnic June 23
Insectigations June 30
with Preservation Parks
Don’t Bug Me - I’m Drawing July 7
with cartoonist Dan Collins
Flutter, Buzz, and Zoom July 14
Closing Program July 21
with Mark Berman the Bugman
and his “Live Bug” Observation Station

Programs last approximately one hour and include reading incentives and related activities including our renown annual worm race - especially pertinent this year. June 9 is the official starting sign-up date. After that sign-up is available anytime at the library, or at subsequent programs. Program activities are designed to be enjoyed but children don’t have to attend in order to read and receive coupons and other prizes. Reading will again be counted by time spent rather than the number of books read.

Catch the Reading Bug at summer story time s Thursday mornings at 10:00. June 12 - July 17. Join us for stories, crafts, and creepy, crawly fun. Registering helps Miss Vicky plan for supplies. Storytime is open to preschoolers and kindergartners. The program themes will be related to those for summer reading.

Metamorphosis @ Your Library invites teen readers to transform themselves this summer. Sign up starting June 9 - and get a prize. Read books, magazines, graphic novels and fill out reviews to win weekly prizes.

Adults can catch the reading bug, too. Rate the books you read for tickets for a drawing. Weekly family drawing, prizes include Franklin Park Observatory, The Wilds, The National Inventors Hall of Fame, Columbus Art Museum, The Butterfly House, and Cameron Mitchell Restaurants.

The Oxford Garden Club gets extra special thanks this year for filling the planters with flowers. They announced that this would be the last year as they were all getting too old for the job and have helped beautify the library for many, many years. Volunteer replacements can apply within.

Kay Conklin announced her retirement from the library board at the May meeting. She knows how long she has been a board member - thirty years! Descriptions of the position usually emphasize a one hour meeting once a month. During those thirty years there were two additions to the library and two law suits involving the distribution of library funds, the compilation of an employee handbook, and the hiring of two library directors. The board is looking for a replacement and interested persons can leave a brief description of their interest and qualifications at the library.

The Tick Tock Opera Company put on a marvelous show for the school and the community and well deserved the front page coverage given them by the Delaware Gazette. Many thanks to those hard working and creative second graders, teachers Candy Staley and Kiana Brown and everyone else who helped. It’s a great achievement, worthy of recognition. Take a look at coverage of previous performances on display at the library before the bugs take over for the summer.

Easy livin’ summertime. June is fishing time and we’re trying to do our part to promote angling and other outdoor activities. The pool opens June 7 with library users Megan & Mike Wion managing. As usual the bulletin board will feature local people and coming events. Bicentennial Delaware photo locations should be posted June 15. Check the newspapers for all those ice cream socials and farmers’ markets.

Summer Reading miscellanea: Prizes for summer reading are on display. We’re waiting for the live ants who will inhabit the ant farm and are proud to announce that one Cecropia moth is busy laying eggs for our caterpillar farm.

Community Action Organization, which provides assistance with air conditioning and electric bills, has a new representative, Diana Coffman, who will be here at the Wornstaff Library on Friday, June 13 from 1:00 - 3:00. Call 369-3184 for appointments.

National Treasure 2, Golden Compass, and Great Debaters, plus a new Magic School Bus, Hermie, and Hannah Montana - and John Adams, Nova’s Human Body - and more.

Bean Dinner and Car Show at the Wesleyan Church is an annual event, on tap for June 13, 5 - 9.

The library has rainy day reading, help for all sorts of summer projects, and local touring guides.

MAY 2008

Storytime
Pets May 1
Mother’s Day May 8
This Is My Garden May 15
Fun in the Sun May 21
No Storytime May 29
No Storytime June 5

Evening Storytime will be held Wednesday May 14 at 6:30.

This Is My Garden is the theme.

Storytime will take a short break (May 29 & June 5) while Miss Vicky and Susan get ready for the summer reading program.

The library will be closed Memorial Day, May 26.

DelawaReads concludes Saturday May 10 with a West Egg party at the Delaware County District Library. It starts at 7:00. One dress was made at our flapper dress program, a new knitter was helped on her way, and a good time had by a few. The Children’s Art Program had 19 participants, including members of Robin Clay’s BVE art club. Debra Conner talked about Picasso and Dali and had everyone try their hand at cubism and surrealism. You CAN do this at home. Cubism starts with a picture, criss-cross with lines, and color each enclosed area a different color. It’s amazing. Surrealism portraits were created by using objects associated with a person for facial elements: vegetation for a gardener’s hair or books for a reader’s eyes. Self portraits could be a good introductory ice-breaker activity. The dance class received rave reviews. Susan taught basic Charleston steps and introduced the fox trot and the waltz. Everyone had a swinging time. Those who missed the book discussion have some Delaware options plus the CD.

Ghosthunter James Willis was a very entertaining and informative speaker. Mr. Willis mentioned the Bloody Mary urban legend and said he wished you could make ghosts appear by calling their name three times. We just wish more people had been able to attend. If only there were some magic way to match up programs, interest, and availability.

Ghosthunter report, April 29 6:43, re: the Lincoln Funeral Train. The sun is up and it’s a busy intersection at that time -not a very ghostly atmosphere. The cold chill along the tracks may have been due to the light snowfall and didn‘t deter the blackbird walking the rails.

Catch the Reading Bug is the summer reading theme. Monday morning programs begin at 11:00 and will be held for six weeks starting June 9th and ending July 21st with Mark Berman, The Bugman and his “Live Bug” Observation Station. Programs are open to first through sixth graders.
Metamorphosis @ Your Library is the teen program. Signup begins June 9 and there’s a teen party finale on July 23.

Preschoolers and adults will also Catch the Reading Bug June 12 - July 21.
Second Grade Opera (which is really first class) is tentatively scheduled for May 28 (2:30) and May 29 (10:00 and evening performance).

Children’s Book Week is May 11-17 - appropriately following Mother’s Day

Local history can be seen in Friday Night in the Downtown : memories of downtown Delaware from 1925 to 1975 produced by Brent Carson and Alum Creek Memories produced by Paul Clay.

The Delaware photo identification deadline has been extended until June 15, in contrast with our earlier report. There is still time to enter and b & w copies of the photos are available. Those who are awaiting the answers need to be patient.

Book signing : Connie Curry, Delaware resident and author of Give Me Back My Glory, will be signing this book about her experience with breast cancer at the Wornstaff Library on Saturday morning, May 3. She has donated a copy of her book to the library.

Children’s author Louise Borden will be at Buckeye Valley East Elementary on May 8. Her books are true stories on topics ranging from skating in Holland to Curious George. Boys (who often prefer real things to stories) should take note.

Tax rebate deadline for those who don’t normally file and for those who filed for an automatic extension is October 15 according to FAQ on the IRS site.

Science fiction fans might want to check the book sale as we’ve done some serious weeding in that area. Recommendations for additions are welcome.

History fans can visit a Civil War Enactment on Sunbury Square May 9-11 and a French and Indian War History Encampment at Infirmary Park south of Granville May 17 & 18.

Five Nights on Campus at OSU Marion has two May events. Howling at the Moon on May 8 features eight over age 60 women artists. Take a Bow on May 22 is a performing arts contest with scholarships for the winners.

Fishing as a recreational activity is on the decline especially among youth. Wildlife conservationists are concerned about fewer outdoor nature activities. Ashley village is doing its part with the stocked reservoir and tournament. The library is helping with more books for younger anglers.

Memorial Day will be recognized with a parade in Ashley, forming at Whipples at 9:00 and proceeding down High Street to the cemetery on May 26. The parade is organized by the Legion.

April 2008

Story time :

Nursery Rhymes / Fairy Tales April 3
Rainy Day & Ducks April 10
Library Week April 17
Trains April 24
Pets May 1

Evening Storytime will be held April 23 at 6:30.
The topic for the evening will be Trains.

Home School Book Talk on Tuesday morning April 8 at 10:30 will center on kites and the weather. Programs are designed for first through sixth graders. All home schoolers are welcome.

Library Week is April 13 - 19. The library is celebrating with a very busy month. We encourage everyone to visit a library. Libraries are a wonderful bargain providing books, magazines, and movies free to all. That should be something worth appreciating as many other prices are rising.

Flint Ridge specimens are on display courtesy of Jim Johnston and have revealed some low awareness. Flint Ridge, a 520 acre state memorial, provided prehistoric Indians with widely traded materials for tools for hundreds of years. It’s less than 60 miles away with a museum, lots of trails, and historical and geological interest - a great summer visit. Explore Ohio this summer.

The Ghosts of Ohio, a program presented by James A. Willis, is set for April 17 at 6:30 p.m. and helps celebrate Library Week. Local ghost hunters might be interested in a vigil at the railroad tracks on April 29 at 6:43 am. (Daylight savings time) That’s when the Lincoln Funeral passed through Ashley (5:43 am time before daylight savings) and folklore says its ghost repeats the trip yearly. You can see a hand carved replica of the funeral train at the Warther Museum in Dover, Ohio.


Delaware County’s Big Read 2008 is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and begins with a kick-off event Sunday April 13 at the Delaware County District Library.

The Great Gatsby will be the topic of a book discussion at the Wornstaff Library April 29 at 7:00.

The Great Gatsby, with reader’s guide and a background CD is available at the Wornstaff Library (25 copies) - plus two movie versions .

Flapper dresses and cloches you can make will be the subject of a program at the Wornstaff Library, Saturday April 19 from 2:00 to 4:00. Patterns, sewing machines, and stitchers will be available. Bring your own material (1 ½ yds. of 54” material or 2 2/3 yds. of 35”material). You can add personal finishing touches before the party finale at the Delaware County District Library, Saturday May 10.

Charleston dance lessons will be provided at the Wornstaff Library on Saturday afternoon April 26 from 2:00 to 4:00.

A children’s art program will be presented Tuesday afternoon April 22 from 3:30 to 5:00 at the Wornstaff Library by Debra Conner, Chautauqua scholar and Zelda Fitzgerald impersonator. She will bring Zelda Fitzgerald to life in programs presented at the Sunbury Community Library and the Delaware County District Library and will discuss F. Scott Fitzgerald at the Delaware Library.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

New Home Learning Media have been added to the collection: a trundle wheel for measuring distance, pan balance for measuring weight, a cash register, and a digital stop watch. There’s much more. The collection is geared for home schoolers but materials can be checked out by any adult for home use. Don’t forget the Discovery Packs for younger children. The library is more than books.

The State Librarian Jo Budler and program coordinator Missy Lodge recently visited the Wornstaff Library. It’s nice to know they are interested in really seeing what goes on in libraries around the state. Ms. Budler will be at the Mt. Gilead Library’s 100th anniversary in case anyone’s interested in knowing what goes on downtown.

Free computer classes in the State Library’s Mobile Training Lab will be held April 19 - 24 at the Cardington Library. Register at 419-864-8181.

Pictures Past-Pictures Present contest entries closed Mar. 20 but packets of black & white copies remain. Try a “Sunday drive” around Delaware County to see how many you can identify, or what interesting sites you can discover. Having the answers available could be a plus - and provide a second tour. Travel locally could also be a slogan.

April is National Poetry Month. It’s a time to read, a time to listen, a time to write. A little more poetry might be a good thing for the world.

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 this year. Earth Day was established in 1970. The discussion about global warming has heated up since then and our energy use continues to increase.

Ashley events: Legion BBQ Chicken April 5 and the Kids’ Fishing Tournament April 26.

March 2008

Storytime:
Hats off to Books Mar. 6
Green Day Mar. 13
Easter Mar. 20
It’s Spring Mar. 27
Nursery Rhymes & Fairy Tales Apr. 3

Evening Storytime will be held March 19 at 6:30. The theme is Easter.

Family Craft Night is scheduled for Thursday March 13 at 6:30. Bring the whole family for a variety of crafts and a social evening. Projects will include a woven paper basket, paper flowers, and decorated eggs. It helps us if you sign up.

Game Day during spring break is set for Thursday afternoon March 27 from 2:00 - 4:00. Bring a favorite game to share. Snacks will be provided.

Saturday games on March 1, 15, and 29 will be expanded to include board games along with chess.
No refreshments are provided.

Homeschool Book Talk will be held in April. February attendees voted 2% milk the tastiest, enjoyed oatmeal pancakes, and made and played Chinese jump rope. You can do this at home.
Summer Reading is on its way with a buzzy buggy theme. Vicky and Susan are busy with preparations - planning programs and printing materials. It takes a lot of work.
Don’t forget to VOTE. A folder full of information on candidates and issues is available.

Delaware County’s Big Read 2008 features The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This is a county wide program with funding from the National Endowment for Arts in conjunction with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. There will be a kickoff event on Sunday, April 13, at the Delaware County District Library and a grand finale West Egg party on Saturday, May 10, also at the Delaware County District Library.

The Great Gatsby is available at the Wornstaff Library (25 copies) along with a vast supply of background CDs and reader’s guides. There will be various book discussion groups, including one at the Wornstaff Library. Sign up now. Two movie versions of The Great Gatsby are available.

Debra Conner, Chautauqua scholar, will bring Zelda Fitzgerald to life and discuss F. Scott Fitzgerald’s role in the Twenties. Debra Conner will present an after school children’s art program at the Wornstaff Library on Tuesday, April 22.

Flapper dresses and cloches you can make will be the subject of a program at the Wornstaff Library, still to be arranged.

Tax help provided by VITA filed 18 returns during their day in Ashley. Comments were very positive. Vita has hours in Delaware at 200 North Washington Street. Call 211 for an appointment.

The Buckeye Dulcimer Festival is here again with sessions starting on March 5. Friday and Saturday night concerts are at 7:00 and are open to the public. A fee is charged but it’s a chance to hear some top performers from all over the country - and to support Recreation Unlimited. The festival is organized by Ashley’s Louise Ziegler.

G & K General Store is advertising its grand opening March 15. Some hardware would be a welcome addition to downtown Ashley especially with higher gasoline prices. Check them out and be supportive. Flor Plan has moved in on the other side of Mobile Cycle Works. There’s a new craft shop in the old White Lily Ceramic shop. And we’re still looking forward to that restaurant.

Audio books aren’t a hot item and providing selections is a real problem for a small library. The most popular items have been juvenile materials that can be appreciated by a wide age range. Richard Peck’s books are a good example. Harry Potter is, too, though quite unique. We are adding CDs of the Potter stories, plus the Spiderwick Chronicles and Mary Poppins. Suggestions are appreciated.

Please excuse our snow. Has there been more than usual? Snow filled gutters dripping on walks seems to have been more of a problem, prompting several comments about architects and engineers though it’s still early to critique Buckeye Chuck or Philadelphia Phil. The Farmer’s Almanac predicted less rain and the usual amount of snow with intermittent periods of warm weather.

Pictures present - pictures past. Identify places around Delaware County in a bicentennial contest. Or just look at the display in the library and enjoy the possibilities. We all knew the R.B. Powers sign. The architectural features should encourage people to take an appreciative look at the older buildings. There’s more to see than the pink house. The library has photocopies of the pictures with an entry blank The deadline is March 20.

February 2008

StoryTime

Chinese New Year Feb. 7
Valentine’s Day Feb. 14
Brush Your Teeth Feb. 21
Leap Day Feb. 28

Evening Storytime

will be Wednesday, February 20 at 6:30. Brush Your Teeth will be the theme.

HomeSchool Book Talk is scheduled for Tuesday, February 12 at 10:30. The topic is Rise and Shine centered around getting a healthy start for the day with good food and exercise.

Craft Night is set for Thursday March 13.

Ghosthunter, James Willis, will present a program on April 17 during National Library Week, in time to psyche everyone up for an early morning Lincoln Funeral train watch later in the month.

Tax help provided by VITA for low income persons will be available from 10:00 to 5:00 on Saturday February 9 at the Wornstaff Memorial Public Library. Call 211 for an appointment and/or more information. Walk-ins will be accepted. Be sure to bring all the needed paperwork. VITA has hours in Delaware at 200 South Washington Street every Wednesday (6:00pm-8:00pm) and Saturday (9:00am-12:00noon) through April.

Persons over sixty can take advantage of AARP sponsored assistance available at the Delaware Library and the Community Library in Sunbury.

Ohio Benefit Bank a public-private initiative supported by the state of Ohio offers free online self-service income tax assistance. Persons can also check eligibility for various benefits available from the state.

A new globe graces the reading area. Times and country boundaries have changed and all that spinning was pretty hard on the previous occupant. Please enjoy and handle with care.

Jon Scieszka and Loren Long are touring the country promoting the new Trucktown series designed to encourage little guys to read. Delaware County was one of three stops they made in Ohio and it included a visit to Buckeye Valley East. Our Miss Vicky spent the day helping Fundamentals Bookstore owner Tami Furlong host the visit. BVE did a great job of welcoming these big guys with trucks to climb on and banners and blowups of their drawings. Students’ comments indicate that Jon Scieszka is a real ambassador for young people’s literature - plus being an official one.

Ohio’s primary will be March 4 and the registration deadline is Monday Feb. 4. This is your chance to vote for the presidential candidate along with a large slate of local ones - and Buckeye Valley is back on the ballot. Make your voice a vote.

Ashley Council update : Cheryl Friend and Jerry Hayes were appointed to fill John Davis’ and Aaron Scheeler’s respective terms. Next meeting is Tuesday Feb. 5 at 7:00.

Thanks to the McNews whose generous donation to the children’s department helped purchase the new Discovery Kits.

Free magazines. We’re starting the new year fresh and discarding the old. Recipes can be yours. Articles can be leisurely read and passed on. There’s raw material for reports, for decoupage and collage projects. Use your imagination. Recycle. Tell us how to improve the selection. Our magazine renewal list should be sent in soon. We try to provide a useful and interesting variety for you.

The Palace Theater in Marion has a busy February. First is the local production of The Sound of Music, then Blast!, an explosion of music and theatre, and ending with the Irish music of The Chieftains. Savor the pleasure of a live performance.

Interlibrary loan for January . We’ve sent 41 of our books to other libraries and have made 24 requests (16 already received). Totals for 2007 were 252 books sent to other libraries and 145 items received for our patrons. Those items included video recordings and books on tape. Don’t hesitate to ask if we don’t have what you want.

The Year of the Rat begins on Feb. 7 Chinese New Year. Take a look at the eclectic display of books celebrating the event. As for those gloomy days still before us, maybe the games in the display case will inspire some family fun. Maybe February 2 will be a gloomy day and Buckeye Chuck will not be secluded in his pseudo-hobbit habitat playing solitaire but fearlessly proclaiming an early spring.

Library patrons increase every year partly because we don’t automatically delete cards at some point. That makes some sense in relation to local residents but obviously pads our list with long since moved persons. We’re trying to make our list more current and pertinent. Please help us by updating your phone and address if necessary.

Intrigue, a Harlequin paperback subscription series, will start in February, replacing the Harlequin Presents series, and adding to Love Inspired, Historical, and American Romance subscriptions.

Magazine Discard

Free.
Our magazines are being discarded for the year. Use for collages, crafts, or just catching up. Ask at the desk.

Recycle your Christmas cards

Do you still have your old Christmas cards? I am looking for just the fronts of your cards. If you would like to get rid of them please bring them into the library, and leave them for Susan.

January 2008

Storytime

Unbirthday Party Jan. 10

Warm & Cozy Foods Jan. 17

Let it Snow ! Jan. 24

Groundhogs & Shadows Jan. 31

Chinese New Year Feb. 7
(Year of the Rat)

Evening Storytime will be

Wednesday evening

January 23 at 6:30.

Let it Snow !

Will be the theme.

Coming events:

Homeschool Booktalk Feb. 12. 10:30 a.m.

The topic will be Rise and Shine.

Taxes: We have begun to receive tax forms which will be on the rack inside the front door. These forms are provided by the IRS and are free. Additional forms can be downloaded from the irs.gov website. We have a list of forms affected by the recent changes in the Alternative Minimum Tax. The library charges ten cents a page for downloaded forms and any other copies. 1099s and W2s for employers are available at the desk.

VITA assists persons with low income in filing their forms electronically. The Delaware County Bank will provide a savings account (if necessary) to enable electronic transfer of funds. This is the fastest way to get your refund and will ensure that all who are qualified will get earned income credit. VITA preparers will be at the Wornstaff Library on Saturday Feb. 9 from 10:00 to 5:00. This is a free service. Registration is helpful. Call 2-1-1. Please bring all your information with you.

A Delaware VITA site will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays. AARP help for seniors is available at the Delaware County District Library and The Sunbury Community Library.
Comments can be made on - and about - our web site. The December newsletter thanked Lauren Shirk for posting announcements of village meetings. We were reminded by a council member that the village news letter posts notices of all meetings and lists them in the regularly published newsletter. Liz writes the library newsletter. Susan set up the website, and maintains and posts items to it.

Statistics for the year won’t be available until next month but monthly comparisons indicate some general trends. One - all the surveys are correct - people read less than they did last year, ten years or twenty years ago. Our video/DVD circulation has decreased for the first time in years. Not even the demise of Ashley’s video store has changed that. People coming in and out of the library has remained pretty constant but a higher percentage is juvenile traffic - and Internet use has essentially doubled. I sense a relationship. Watch for more specific figure. Do your own analysis.

Magazines are discarded in January. Most of the previous year’s issues are not kept. The use is limited; we don’t have space; and specific articles are usually available online. These magazines are given away free. If you are interested in back issues of a particular magazine please ask.

Discovery Packs provide books and activities for preschoolers. Three new additions are Fire Engines, Getting Ready to Read and Fractions.

Thank yous are also appropriate at the end of the year. It’s possible to list all the staff and the library board members, and volunteers but more problematic in relation to patrons. It takes them all to make a library - especially people using the library. Just having the resources sitting on the shelf isn’t helpful. The whole purpose of the library is to be an active part of the community. Thanks for all the goodies and cards and donations and special thanks for all the daily interactions. We need you. We appreciate you.

Interlibrary loan is one anticipated statistic . It’s always been possible to get books from other libraries and we’ve tried to make people aware of that. Thanks should also go to all those libraries from whom we’ve borrowed books. Starting in July we have been able to return that favor by loaning to other libraries. And even though our patrons can’t request books from other libraries by themselves they seem more willing to ask. MORE isn’t always better but this may be one case where it is and we’re looking forward to even more MORE next year.

Happy New Year to all. The library has lots of aids for those New Year’s resolutions : dieting, not smoking, breaking bad habits, learning how to play the guitar, keeping up on the news and the political candidates, watching the 100 best movies. We’d also accept suggestions for our improvement.

Chinese New Year February 7. The Year of the Rat.

The Best of 2007 is a popular end of the year topic, well represented in collections of poetry, science writing, political writing and cartoons, an the list keeps growing. The library has the ones specifically listed. Individual selections are relatively short, and the authors vary as do their styles and opinions.

Free Tax Preparation
February 9, 2007
at the Wornstaff Memorial Public Library
Call 2-1-1 for information
Government funded program
Fliers at the Library

December 2007

Holiday Treats Dec. 6
Reindeer & Friends Dec. 13
Christmas Dec. 20
No Storytime Dec. 27-Jan. 3

Unbirthday Party Jan. 10

Evening story time will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 6:30. Come for Reindeer & Friends.

Homeschool Book Talk Holiday Workshop is scheduled for Tuesday morning, December 4, at 10:30. Crafts and recipes celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah will be featured.

Holiday Craft Night is a family affair with a selection of activities - folded paper ornament, cards, and a snowman decoration. The time is Thursday evening, Dec. 6 from 6:30 - 8:00. Come for crafts, come for the socializing. Call if you can.

Games and Crafts for Kids and Teens will be available Thursday afternoon, December 27, from 1:00 to 4:00. Enjoy a break during the long vacation.
Pop and munchies will be provided. Games to share are welcome. Stock up on books, magazines, and movies while you’re at the library.

Holidays at the library start with some decorations, magazines filled with crafts and recipes, Christmas stories and movies to keep everyone in the mood, and goodies to share. It’s been traditional for story timers to get reindeer food - and to reciprocate with supplements to our craft supplies such as paper paper plates, gluesticks, crayons and markers. There will be staff on vacation. The library will be closed Dec. 24 & 25 & Jan. 1. Dec. 31 10:00 - 5:00.

New DVDs : Popular titles include Christmas Blessing, Deck the Halls, Santa Clause 3, Disturbia, Fracture, Hairspray, Invisible, Mr. Brooks, High School Musical 2, Evan Almighty, Fantastic Four Silver Surfer, Spider Man 3, and Prestige. Children’s titles include Meet the Robinsons, Disney’s Princesses Enchanted Tales, Monster Squad, TMNT, Shrek 3, Unaccompanied Minors, I Love Big Trains, Magic School Bus Human Body, All About Construction, Nick Jr., Ratatouille, and Transformers. There’s a selection of foreign films such as Forecast for Tomorrow, God Grew Tired of Us, Raining Stones, and La Vie en Rose. You can learn how to tango, play the drums or guitar. Then there’s Okie Noodling, Ants, and the monastery visit Into Great Silence. Plus more.

Our rack is filled. So….children’s DVDs have been moved around the corner with the children’s videos. Keep in mind that this category includes many popular family films such as Shrek and Ratatouille.

Christmas books have taken their customary place on display with a mix of seasonal stories, crafts, and recipes. If you’re making presents these supplement the regular shelves which provide patterns and projects for woodworking, knitting, quilts, jewelry, and more - plus a basement hoard of craft magazines. Videos sport a Christmas label. Children’s materials have whole holiday sections for easier browsing and selection.

Reference updates include a 2008 edition of The World Book Encyclopedia (which updates our circulating copies to 2006 and 2004 editions). A fifteen volume Library of Natural Disasters ranging from Tsunamis to Ice Storms, and 15 volumes of the America the Beautiful state books. The latter are not only factually current but have a significantly revised very appealing format. It will be a couple of years before all fifty states are completed.

Santa Claus in the display case is quite in tune with the holiday season and available courtesy of a local Santa.

Where the Action Is is a monthly feature of Country Living, the rural electric co-op magazine. Marion is a hot spot this month. The Moscow Ballet presents The Nutcracker on Dec. 7 at the Palace and OSU Marion hosts the Central Ohio Symphony Strings holiday concert on Dec. 13. You’ve probably missed the peanut push (???) and the Train and Toy show on Dec. 1. There’s still the Buckeye Model Train and Railroad Show at the Lausche Center in Columbus on Dec. 13 and Marion’s Popcorn Ball Drop on New Year’s Eve.

Ashley’s holiday banners are mounted on street lights. The purple building has sold and the current hopeful rumor is that it’s going to be a restaurant. Oh frabjous joy! Can we wait? Until next summer? Should we award Air Express a medal? Let’s hope for replacements for the video store and the home medical equipment facility. What’s your big wish?

Congratulations to Ashley’s new mayor John Davis and new council members Aaron Scheeler and Elaine McFarland. Thanks to Loren Shirk who keeps Ashley residents informed of meetings. If someone would take minutes of meetings the library would be glad to post them. Or to promote a 2008 resolution about being informed and involved. It’s our town isn’t it?

The library’s holiday letter would list regrading the east lawn area, the new ramp and extra parking to the west, and additional bookshelves in the juvenile room. We’ve completed the migration to InfoCentre and joined the statewide resource sharing program MORE. Susan was one of a few from Ohio selected to attend a Gates funded program in Washington, DC. Summer reading was good. We have conscientious library board members and wonderful patrons. It’s been a great year. That’s quite enough to brag about.

November 2007

Storytime

Bread & Butter Nov. 1
I See the Moon Nov. 8
Thanksgiving Nov. 15
No Storytime Nov. 22
Bears Nov. 29
Holiday Treats Dec. 6
Evening Storytime will be Wednesday, November 14 at 6:30 and the topic will be Thanksgiving.

November events :
Election Day on Tuesday, November 6. The library is a polling place for one of the Ashley precincts. Please be considerate of parking for all - and please VOTE. Ashley will elect a mayor and two council members. This is your opportunity to be heard.

The Buckeye Book Fair in Wooster is Saturday, November 3, featuring 100 authors and illustrators who are either from Ohio or have Ohio topics. Admission is $2.00, books are discounted, author contact is free. If you’re in luck it will be a lovely fall day and you’ll enjoy other area attractions as long as you are there. Check the library after that day for books we’ve purchased there.

Children’s Book Week is Nov. 11-17. Some special recognition is well deserved but children should be read to and reading every week of the year. Use it as a license to indulge a thorough perusal of current and classic children’s books - good background for Christmas shopping perhaps.

Thanksgiving Day will find the library closed but we’ll be open regular hours the other days of that week. The library has Thanksgiving 101 and a book drop, but no turkey preparation hotline.

Mr. Etch-a-Sketch alias Tim George provided an entertaining and quite well attended (56!) program. Numerous completed drawings were on display and he demonstrated and explained his techniques. He was featured in The Washington Post the day before his appearance - a famous person you could see right here in Ashley. Tim George is originally from Mt. Gilead and was just a nice person to have here. Get his book through Fundamentals in Delaware.

Thanks to the Bussard crew for some serious cleaning and organizing in the basement room. It’s so much more pleasant and presentable. If we just hadn’t had water in the basement hallway during the last rain we might be tempted to do even more.

Holiday crafts will be featured in two December programs. Homeschool book talk is scheduled for Dec. 4 and a family craft night will be on Dec. 6.

The genealogy collection has expanded its area (literally to Marion and Knox County) thanks to a very generous donation from Gary Buechel. We’re still sorting and processing.

Tutoring can help bring up grades and get students through those mandatory standard tests. Help is available for high school students at Delaware Area Career Center south campus every Monday until 7:00. No Child Left Behind also provides free tutoring for qualifying students of all grades. Information is available at the library on our website Homework & Resource Site.

Extra ! Extra ! The library subscribes to 100 or so magazines and newspapers. Then there are extras. Some are donations from individuals. (It’s a great way to recycle magazines.) Others are samples, newsletters, and catalogs. Antique Week has been arriving regularly and includes listings for auctions and shows and numerous articles.

Displays highlight various areas of the collection and scientific studies have shown that those materials have higher circulation. It’s self serving for the library and for you as we try to feature seasonal books and topics - making them easier to find and more enticing to checkout.

A Literary Lane letterbox has been placed at the Wornstaff Library. Letterboxing is a fun family activity searching for “hidden” caches that include a book and a distinctive rubber stamp. Searchers have a personal stamp and their own book. Their book provides a record of sites they have found and our book a record of who has been here. http://www.letterboxing.org/ provides a description of letterboxing and a list of sites across the country. There are numerous local opportunities and it’s a great diversion on trips - or an excuse for one.

Most sites provide a GPS, more prominently featured in Geo-caching, a similar activity. GPS Made Easy by Lawrence Letham is a good introduction and The Complete Orienteering Manual is a look at some related activities.

Holiday shopping and sights are on the way.
Castle Arts Affair in Delaware is juried and affordable - Nov. 8 - 11.
Holiday Fantasy of Lights at Alum Creek State Park, Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo, and Christmas by Candlelight at the Marion Fairgrounds all begin in mid-November and continue through the end of the year.
And that’s a small sampling.
Columbus International Film & Video Festival showcases some of the best independent, studio and corporate films - at CCAD Nov. 7 - 11. Search our catalog to compile your own film festival. There’s now a possibility of borrowing films from other libraries.

Comments : We’d like to hear from you. If you use our website there’s an easy, anonymous way to comment on a book you’ve liked - or didn’t. You can let us know about activities in the area or make general suggestions about the library or the website.

Slate paintings by Cindy Fairbrother will be displayed during November. They could be an artistic inspiration for you - or art to just enjoy.

October 2007

Home School Book Talk is scheduled for Tuesday morning, Oct. 16 at 10:30. In recognition of United Nations Day (Oct. 24) this program will feature international books, crafts, games, and food. Programs are geared for first through sixth graders and all home schoolers are welcome.

Chess starts Saturday September 29 at 2:00 and will continue on an every other weekly basis. (Oct. 15 and 27) All ages and abilities are welcome.

Family Craft Night had twenty attendees. The sewing project was a hit and a good way to introduce this revived skill to a younger age group.

Hooked on Phonics (4 sets) and Hooked on Math (3 sets) are popular learning aids that help younger children understand basic reading and arithmetic concepts. Help your children at home. Check the library for the tools you need. There are Home Learning Media manipulatives and other books on math and reading.

Ashley area resident, Ronald Ray, led an exciting life as a Fort Lauderdale special police officer, revealed in Badge 149 “Shots Fired” by Gary P. Jones. A signed copy was donated to the library. Check out the book - and your neighbor.

Mr. Etch A Sketch will star in a library program on Thursday, October 25 at 6:30. All ages are welcome. Autographed books are available for $10. This man is amazing and the library is delighted to have him here for an evening. You won’t believe the pictures he can create even as you watch him at work. There’ll be prizes.

Fall is official. Days will be getting shorter creating more time for reading. The county fair has come and gone. Leaf identification, bird feeding, and craft projects should be popular. Check the new fiction list for a different author to try. Hope for cooler weather and some needed rain. Nominate a Delaware County Hero (forms available). Attend a Perkins Observatory astronomy program, listen to the Central Ohio Symphony opening concert. See Giraudoux’s Madwoman of Chaillot at OWU or walk through the Haunted Palace in Marion.

The School Halloween Parade will be Wednesday October 31, 2:30 or thereabouts. The library has front row seating and parking for spectators. It’s your small town working hard to entertain you. You can dress up, too. We do.

HEAP forms are available at the library or can be downloaded from the Internet. This is a federally funded program designed to assist eligible lo-income Ohioans with their winter heating bills. Information on other programs is included.

MORE report. Since going live with this interlibrary loan system our patrons have received 31 items they requested from other libraries and we have supplied 102 requests. During September our patrons received 24 items from other libraries. This is in contrast to an average of 100 interlibrary loans a year. And we have always tried to really promote the possibility of getting books from other libraries. Originally we were most excited about other libraries being able to request material from us as we’ve been on the receiving end only for years and years. How wonderful that our patrons are also benefiting. Audio books and videos are available. Just be polite. We’ve received a number of requests for very popular new titles, some before we’ve had time to process the item. That doesn’t seem right.

Sharing the library isn’t always easy. Sometimes a group - such as story timers on Thursday mornings - seems to take over the library. Sometimes teens don’t realize and aren’t concerned with how overwhelming their presence can be. Sometimes the staff gets frustrated trying to maintain fairness and order. The library is for everyone, especially in a small town where there aren’t very many places to be. Sometimes politeness and tolerance help.

Reader’s Advisory “New Book” displays provide an easy to browse mixed selection. That’s the place to look for that book you heard mentioned on TV. Other display areas can highlight second tier authors, make it easier to sort through a hot topic, or present a random grouping. (Books less than seven inches tall, or ones that are purple.) Ask the staff for suggestions. We’ll gladly supply a slip for your recommendations or encourage you to post something on the web site. You’re the readers. We just try to keep you supplied - and provide basic information. Maybe occasionally we’ll try to nudge you in a new direction.

Look for dinosaurs in the display case courtesy of the Layman family.

Banned Book Week & Teen Read Week are October events.

September 2007

Storytime:

Grandparents’ Day Sept. 6
Big & Little Sept. 13
Elephants Sept. 20
Falling Leaves Sept. 27
Apples & Pumpkins Oct. 4

Evening Storytime on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 will be Falling Leaves.

Welcome (back) to the 2007-2008 preschool story time. Sessions are held Thursday mornings and start at 10:00. The first fall month includes measuring each child’s height. Finger plays, stories, a simple craft, and (frequently) treats are a typical forty-five minute schedule. There’s time for more play, socializing (both parents and children), and book and movie selection afterwards. Storytimes are held in the basement meeting room which can be accessed by the outside ramp on the east side of the building. Parents are encouraged to attend. “Giving story time a try” and partial sessions are quite acceptable. All preschoolers are welcome.

Homeschool Book Talk is scheduled for Tuesday, October 16 at 10:30 . Programs are geared for first through sixth grade and October’s will feature international books and crafts, games and food. Around the World is the theme in recognition of United Nations Day (Oct. 24).

Craft Night is planned for Thursday evening, September 27 from 6:30 to 8:00. These are usually family affairs, suitable for both individual adults, and older children and parents. Copper foam pumpkins, felt coasters, and leaf motif cards are craft options.

School at Buckeye Valley started late in August and always brings changes in the library’s daily rhythm. Our days are much quieter until the bus arrives at 3:00. Looking at the intensive teen Internet use this summer, we are leery about what the evenings will be like. We may limit use to once a day and homework will have some priorities.

School assignment MORE alert. Borrowing from other libraries is now easier - and the more we borrow the less it costs per book. A student who needs an assigned fiction book or materials for a research paper should ask. A little planning and foresight are the only requirements. Bring your assignment sheet with you to the library for best results. Reading lists are very helpful for keeping our library collection up to date. Books still contain a lot of information and can be more helpful than the Internet. Ask about accessing magazine articles through “Reference” at www.oplin.org. It works at the library and at home.

The Delaware County Fair starts Saturday Sept. 15 and ends Saturday Sept. 22. Best of luck to all participants young and old. Check the library for recipes, how to raise chickens and grow vegetables, and lots of armchair country living. Our display case features some Ashley Fair memorabilia and a bow to Ashley’s ribbon factory. Ashley held the first junior fair in the nation. R. B. Powers Company makes ribbons that are awarded all over the United States and beyond.

Library board meetings are held at the library, at 7:30, the second Monday of each month. These meetings are open to all the public. Anyone with concerns or suggestions or wanting to know more about how the library operates should attend. Michael Wion, a teacher at Big Walnut, and the father of three (almost four) young boys is our newest board member. Shirley Thurston is the president. George Patterson, Kay Conklin, and Lisa Kimble are the remaining members. The number of members and the service to Ashley and the surrounding community were specified in the Wornstaff will which established the library. The area is now defined as the village of Ashley and Oxford Township though many users are Morrow County residents.

Ashley village will elect a mayor, councilpersons, and a member of the Board of Public Affairs this November. A list of candidates for all Delaware County offices is available at the library and on the Delaware County Board of Elections website. The village newsletter has additional information about council meetings and other events. Registration deadline for the November election is October 9.

Chess club will be back on alternate Saturdays starting Sept. 29 - after back to school adjustments and the Delaware County Fair. Chess club is open to all ages and levels. There are books and websites for learning basic moves and developing strategy. The video “Searching for Bobby Fisher” provides an interesting view of the competitive rounds.

Happy 80th Birthday to Lewis (Junior) Kimble. He was the library custodian from 1995 through 1999 - a small part of many years of keeping various aspects of Ashley cleaned up and in good shape.

Fall begins on the autumnal equinox September 23.

The Week has arrived. Billed as “all you need to know about everything that matters” it’s a quick, 40 page review of news, arts, business, and leisure.

Local Politics : a Practical Guide for Governing at the Crossroads is available for political candidates.

Delaware This Week will also be available on a regular basis thanks to the Delaware County District Library and the US Cargo route.

The book sale recently received a large donation of children’s books and videos - still ten cents each or one dollar a bag. There’s usually a variety.

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.