Please Don't Shelve the Books

It may come as a surprise, but sometimes I actually do get away from the perch and flutter around other parts of the library.  Lately, I've been fluttering around the teen section doing some shelf reading.  In plain English, shelf reading is checking to make sure that all the books are in the correct order.  With the passage of time, books tend to wander with the help of patrons who look at books and then return them to the wrong places.

We here at the library truly appreciate our well-meaning patrons who want to be helpful and not trouble us with re-shelving materials that they decide not to get.  Although we are grateful for the gesture, it actually makes more work for us.  First, we don't know that the materials have been misplaced, and second, since we don't know they're misplaced, we can't return them to their proper spots.

There are places in the library where patrons can leave items that need to be re-shelved, and the library staff is more than happy to put those items in their rightful spots.  Librarians may be sticklers about organization but with good reason.  When patrons come to us looking for a book and the catalog tells us the book is on the shelf, it's disappointing to patrons and frustrating to us when the book isn't where it should be.  We don't like not being able to provide something for our patrons, especially when we should have that item available.

So the next time you're in the library and you decide not to check out some materials, please give them to me or any of my colleagues at the perch.  We really won't slap you on the wrist or put a black mark on your library account.  All we want is to put the materials back in their home spots so they can be found when needed.

With thanks for your understanding and cooperation from the perch.

Me Likey (or Not)

It looks like I'm on an etiquette kick this month because lo and behold, I have another etiquette thing to talk about.  Maybe with the holidays around the corner, it's a good thing to pay attention to the little annoying things we may do unknowingly in order to promote peace on earth and goodwill to all men (and women).

E-mailing and especially texting have greatly impacted our writing skills and even our speaking abilities, and I can't say for the better.  Sure, it's convenient and time-saving to abbreviate messages like, "r u ok?" or "btw im @ ur bro's pl."  I admit that I've also adopted the new shorthand of today.  However, when I write formal letters (believe it or not, I actually do sometimes), I use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  And when I speak to someone in person or over the phone, I actually use complete sentences.

You'd be surprised to know how many people come up to the perch and say (or more often grunt) "computer" rather than "Could I have a computer pass, please?"  My co-workers and I are somewhat grateful that we comprehend that "computer" means that the patron wants to use one of our computers.  Who knows, though?  Maybe one day we'll get a shock and discover that "computer" means something else entirely.

Unless you happen to experience a sudden shortness of breath, it's actually nice to hear people communicate to us in correct English.  Perhaps working with books and words all day have turned me and my co-workers into fuddy duddy keepers of the language, but it would be encouraging to know that technology hasn't caused us to become lazy with our words.

Guarding grammar at the perch.

Phones and Library Etiquette

Needless to say, the cell phone is now a way of life.  Most people (including myself) have them and use them everywhere: the store, the restaurant, the park, and the library.  Yes, even the library, that temple of quiet and shushness has been impacted by the ringtones of Linkin Park and Taylor Swift, not to mention the conversations that follow.  Although I can understand the need to be reachable, what I can't understand is the rudeness that sometimes comes with cell phone use.

Rudeness Feature #1:  People talking loudly.

Alright.  You're waiting for an important phone call while you're in the library.  You finally get that call and take it, but what do you do?  You talk so loudly in the computer lab that you are disturbing others who are trying to work; you're oblivious to the people around you as well as the signs that ask you to turn off your cell phone.  Sometimes, I can clearly hear on the perch every word of a phone conversation taking place clear across the library.

Etiquette Fix--Please talk quietly or even better, take your phone call in an empty study room or outside the library so you do not disturb fellow patrons.

Rudeness Feature #2:  Talking on the phone when you're checking items in or out.

The other day, a patron comes in with a stack of DVDs to the perch.  She's talking on the phone.  She places the DVDs in front of me and waits (she's still talking on the phone).  I wait for her to pause her conversation and tell me what she wants me to do.  Finally, she tells me that she's returning the DVDs.  As I check the items back in, she continues her conversation while looking for more DVDs, and returns to the perch with a new stack.  Again, she puts the cases in front of me and doesn't miss a beat with her conversation.  I assume she wants me to check out the DVDs to her, and so I do just that.  She then takes the DVDs and leaves the library.  I can only wonder that if the roles were reversed and I was the one talking continuously over the phone while trying to help the patron, she would most likely be offended that I did not give her the courtesy of my undivided attention.

Etiquette Fix--When you're coming to me or anyone else at the perch for service, please refrain from talking on your phone.  We find it incredibly impolite and frustrating to work with distracted patrons.  Please give us the same courtesy you expect from us.  We do appreciate it.

Although cell phones are useful tools for functioning in today's world, please don't use them as an excuse for disrespect.  Let's all honor each other and keep the library a welcoming, quiet sanctuary for people to accomplish different things.

Just my 2 cents from the perch.

Libraries and Halloween: A Perfect Pair

There's a lot of buzz around the perch today since we're all getting ready for our Not-So-Scary Halloween Party tonight.  We're always excited about this event not only because it's our busiest night of the year, but also because it's loads of fun.  We enjoy getting ready for it, putting up the decorations, buying the treats, setting up the crafts, and organizing the games.  And we enjoy actually doing it, seeing the kids (and sometimes their parents!) in their cute costumes going all over the library and having a good time.

Libraries have always had various Halloween materials, such as books, movies, and music, but nowadays libraries are doing more traditional things like actual trick-or-treating.  With candy collecting door-to-door becoming less safe, Halloween programs at libraries are popular with parents and kids who can celebrate the holiday inside the safety and warmth of a building.

So if you're looking for a safe place to strut your stuff in your Halloween costume, get some candy and snacks, and party until the ghosts go home, check out your library for fun programs and activities.  You'll have a ghoulish good time!

Happy Halloween from the perch.

You Like Us! You Really Like Us!

Sadly, as a library on a U.S. Air Force Base, we were affected by the recent American government shutdown.  I and my colleagues were disheartened that the library was closed for about a week knowing that a number of our patrons who needed computers to apply for jobs or books for their classes wouldn't have access to our materials on which they rely.  It just didn't feel right being at home when I should have been working on the perch, assisting all my fans who stop by for help or simply to say hello.

On a more positive note, all of us on the library staff were happy to return to work, and it  encouraged us to hear that we were missed by many of you who told the Powers-That-Be that you valued the library and needed it to stay open.  You were glad to have us back, and we were glad to be back.

Of course, we know the worth of libraries and what they do in helping people enhance the quality of their lives.  If we didn't, we wouldn't be doing what we're doing.  But we're human, and sometimes it's nice to actually hear in words that we're appreciated and that we're making a difference to people.

So what I guess I'm trying to say in this post is thank you all for supporting our library, in good times and in bad.  Your support means a lot to us, and we want to support you and yours, whether it's toward school and career goals or just in finding something fun to do.  Take care and please be sure to stop in the library.  We're always happy to see you!

With warm wishes and gratitude from the perch.

Ban the Banned

This week is Banned Books Week, and like many other libraries across the United States, our library has a display of books that have been challenged by schools and individuals for various reasons.  Sometimes these books trigger raw reactions in patrons, as it did in one of our patrons who is also the mother of a 9-year old.

This mother took offense that these books were on display in the teen section where her daughter was able to see them.  I could empathize with her and understand her concern.  Every parent has the right to protect his or her child and monitor the materials the child is reading.   

And speaking of rights, just as everyone has the right not to read something, everyone has the right to read something.  That is the whole purpose of Banned Books Week--to emphasize everyone's freedom to information and to read items of his or her choosing.  Unlike other nations, such as North Korea and China, that censor materials their citizens can read, we live in a country in which we can freely access all kinds of information.

Naturally, everyone is different and has different levels of sensitivity to various subjects.  Every library will most likely have materials that may be unsettling to some individuals.  However, it is not the duty of a library to act as a censoring board.  An American library's first and foremost responsibility is to provide information to everyone who seeks it regardless of who is doing the seeking or the library staff member's personal feelings about the information.  An American library is obligated to follow the Library Bill of Rights as developed by the American Library Association.

So when you visit your library this week and see those displays of challenged books, please don't take offense.  Be reminded that we live in a nation in which we're fortunate to read whatever we want without anyone stopping us from doing so.  And remember--you have the freedom not to read whatever you want as well.

Just my take from the perch.

Bookless Libraries

Very recently, a "bookless" library opened in San Antonio.  In its 4,000 square-foot area there are no print books, magazines, or newspapers.  Instead, it has e-books, e-readers, computers, laptops, and iPads.  It's completely paperless, the wave of the future.

I had a chat with one of my co-workers the other day about the idea of a library without print books and materials.  The electronic age is undoubtedly here whether or not we like it.  We're becoming more dependent on the Internet and electronic devices for information, job searching, and communication.  Over two years ago in another post, I stated that I wasn't completely sold on e-readers and e-books, and I have to say that I'm still of the same opinion today.  I haven't been fully swayed to the electronic side.  Yet.

Call me old school, but I enjoy the visceral experience of a print book.  I like the weight of a book in my hand, the feel of the pages, the smell of the paper and the ink.  I like flipping the pages between my fingers.  When I go to a library or bookstore, I'm like a kid in the candy store looking at the colorful book cover designs, perusing the arrangement of the displays, and picking up those smooth rectangular gems of knowledge and storytelling.  Somehow, scrolling through a list of titles with small accompanying icons on a computer screen just doesn't do the same thing for me as walking through the stacks.

I imagine the growing emergence of e-books is akin to the debut of print books.  I wonder whether people (the few who were literate way back when) had a difficult time adapting to print books after scrolls were used for so long.  Did print books and scrolls exist side by side until print books became less expensive and more practical for use?  I wonder whether print books and e-books will exist side by side now for a time until e-readers become more universally compatible?

What do you think?  Do you want to have a choice between reading a print book or an e-book?  Or do you want to move forward and read e-books exclusively?

Very yours truly, having one hand on a book and another on the computer at the perch.

Library Programs--Come One Come All (I Hope!)

I've been spending a bit of time on the perch lately thinking about library programs, especially since we're getting ready for our new fiscal year that starts in October.  Pondering the programs we've had and whether they've been successful.  Wondering what new programs would be of interest to all my fans, I mean, patrons out there.  Researching the programs other libraries offer and how those programs are received.

This is what I've concluded--although our library may be small, we offer a lot of the same programs that the bigger libraries offer, yet for some reason that's beyond me, our attendance is sadly small. 

Now being the chipper perch librarian that I am, I'd like to see the glass as being half full.  We have great computer classes for both beginning and more advanced computer users.  We have interesting workshops that teach nifty things like genealogy, origami, and local travel sites.  And we have entertaining and ongoing programs like the Spin-a-Yarn (during which you can learn or work on a knitting or crochet project) as well as a book club that discusses various books that have been recently published.

Don't forget that the library is more than just books and even other items that can be borrowed.  It's also more than just storytime and school programs for kids.  The library is a place where you can take classes, learn fun things, and get to know the people in your community.  Be sure to make full use of your library and attend a program or two.  You won't regret it.

Hoping to spy some future library program participants from the perch.

Happy New School Year!

Parents may be looking forward to it and kids may be less than enthusiastic about it--the start of another school year.  It's almost time to say goodbye to those long, warm, carefree days of summer and say hello to going to class, doing homework, and taking part in after-school sports and activities.

So, what can you do to help your children get ready for school?  Whether or not your family has taken part in the summer reading program, there's nothing like reading to get everyone back in that school frame of mind.  Read whatever is interesting, from fiction novels to non-fiction books. 

If you have smaller kids who are apprehensive about starting school for the first time or returning to school, the library has plenty of books for children that can help relieve their school anxieties.  We also have books for parents that provide suggestions on how to make the first days of school easier for children (and parents).

Once the homework starts rolling in, the library has print and electronic resources to help your students in K through 12 as well as those in college.  In addition to books and print reference items, we have a number of electronic databases that can be useful in doing class projects and research papers.

For kids who aren't old enough to start school, we have library programs to introduce them to the practice of reading.  Our Storytime program at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays is directed toward preschool-aged children to get them in the habit of reading, and our Baby Steps program on Thursdays at 10:30 is geared to get children up to 24 months comfortable in the library setting with songs and activities.

No matter your age and where you're at in your education, the library has the resources, programs, and staff to help you on your way to school success!  Stop, call, or e-mail to find out what we can do for you!

With wishes for a good school year from the perch.

Your Library and Local Locations

While some people use their summer vacation to take long trips to an exotic locale, others are taking short trips to places that are more local.  Whether you're staying at home by choice or you're just a little short on cash, there's no reason not to enjoy the attractions (which are often free or for a minimal fee) in your backyard.

A good place to start your local adventures is (big surprise) at your local library.  Many libraries, including my own, have a local history or travel section, and if they don't have an area set aside especially for local books, they're likely to have those books integrated into their regular non-fiction section.  There are a number of print materials specific to different regions and metropolitan areas in the U.S.  Some are for places on the beaten path, while others are for places off it.  Some books even focus on particular features or activities, such as waterfalls or hiking nature trails.  I've learned a lot of things about my local area that even people who have lived here for years don't know about.

Another great resource for finding out about your local area is the Internet.  Nowadays, almost everything has a website, and most cities and states have their own websites with information on local attractions such as parks, museums, cheap eats, festivals, and other events.  I'm often busy going to state parks, walking around the booths at art festivals, biking local trails, or dipping into a lake on a warm summer day.  And with the exception of the state parks, all these things are free.  If something doesn't have a website, chances are good that someone's mentioned it somewhere on social media, be it Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Panoramio, or whatever else.

So just because you're not going to Europe or the Caribbean this summer doesn't mean you can't have a great time exploring your local area and doing some fun things.  Sometimes we take nearby things for granted and don't give them a fair chance.  Who knows?  You may just discover things about your home area you didn't know about before.

With good exploration wishes from the perch.

Mind Your Children, Please

I know I'm biased when I say that the library is a great place for everyone, from the very young to the very old.  It's a place where people of all ages can find a pleasant atmosphere to read, do homework, relax, and quietly get together with others.  What the library is not, however, is a daycare center for small children.

I and my co-workers are always amazed and frustrated when parents drop off children (a number of whom are under the age of 10) at the library so they can go shopping, have dinner, take a break, or do whatever else.  Sometimes, parents are in another part of the library working on computers or looking at books, and they pay no attention to their children who are doing somersaults off bookcases and onto bean bags, risking life and limb.  Parents assume that 1) the library is a safe place and 2) a place where library professionals will watch your children free of charge.

Although the library is generally a safe place to be, it is by no means a sanctuary from the ills of society.  You wouldn't let your 4-year old wander around the mall by herself in the midst of strangers, so why would you let her do the same in the library?  By a similar token, you keep an eye on your 7-year old to make sure he's not destroying public property or hurting himself, but you don't watch him in the library and allow him free reign?

We enjoy helping and doing various programs for kids in the library; those are some of things we like about our jobs.  However, we are not babysitters and have other work we need to do in order to run the library.  There are patrons who need our attention, and even though we do try to keep an eye on our smallest patrons, we're not able to watch them continuously. 

Please, parents, watch over your children in the library the same way you would watch over them in a mall, at the playground, in a museum, or anywhere outside the home.  After all, the library is a public place and not immune to things that happen elsewhere.  We at the library do our best to keep a safe environment, but we need your help to do it.

With happy and safe wishes from the perch.

Summer Picks

Since we're in the middle of summer reading, I thought I'd share with you a few good reads.  Some are new, while others are not so new but interesting nonetheless.

For the adults, I recommend Blaine Harden's Escape From Camp 14, the true story of a man who escaped from one of North Korea's notorious prison camps in which he was born.  The brutality of life in these camps, which can easily be compared to Hitler's concentration camps, is eye-opening and distressing.  If you're looking for a lighter, fictional read, go for Dan Brown's Inferno, set in Florence, Italy.  It follows the same formula as his previous Robert Langdon novels, but it's still entertaining and fun.  And don't forget local Northwestern authors like Sherman Alexie.  His Blasphemy is a collection of stories about Native Americans based loosely on his own experiences as a Spokane Indian who grew up in Wellpinit, Washington.

There's a plethora of supernatural reads for teens, so I'm going to suggest a few books that are a little off the beaten path.  I debated whether I should include this book with the adult picks, and ultimately I decided that Ruta Sepetys' Between Shades of Gray is a book that should be read by teens and adults alike.  Not many books address Stalin's program of forcibly relocating Lithuanians and other non-Russians to labor camps in Siberia during the 1930s and 1940s, and it's even more striking that Sepetys' novel is directly influenced by interviews she conducted with survivors.  Cynthia Kadohata's Newbery Award-winning Kira-Kira has been around for some time, but the story of a Japanese-American family and the discrimination they faced in Georgia during the 1960s doesn't lose any of its powerful impact.  I actually cried while reading this book, and mind you, books don't often make me cry.  A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck is another award-winning not so oldie but goodie.  A lot of parallels can be drawn between yesterday's Great Depression, in which the book is set, and today's Great Recession, showing through the main character that fun and good memories can be made even in rough times.

Last but not least, there are a lot of noteworthy books for kids.  Now I'm going to come right out and say that I absolutely love the Scaredy Squirrel, Pigeon, and Penguin characters, and each one happily has a new book.  Let's start with Melanie Watt's Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping, which shows our favorite neurotic rodent taking all measures to ensure a successful camping trip.  Of course, you can expect some crazy adventure to happen when things don't pan out the way Scaredy plans.  Our ever-jealous pigeon full of attitude displays his envy when The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?, which is sure to become a new Mo Willems classic.  And our cute, sweet penguin makes a new friend and has some fun in Salina Yoon's season appropriate Penguin On Vacation.

Besides the books mentioned, there are plenty of interesting reads in the library.  Don't forget to stop by and pick some up.  And have fun summer reading!

With good reading wishes from the perch.

 

Summer Reading--It's Back!

In case you couldn't tell from the weather, it's time for summer reading again.  Time to get yourself, your teens, and your wee ones back into the library, sign up for the summer reading program, and get some good books to read.

Maybe I was a weird perch librarian in the making, but I always loved summer reading when I was a kid (and yes, I did participate in my local library's summer reading program every year).  Three months of no school and no teachers telling me what I needed to read meant that I could dive into any book my little heart desired.  And with both of my parents busy working, books not only entertained me and kept me out of trouble, they also improved my reading skills, though I didn't know it at the time.

As an adult, I read books of my choosing throughout the year, but summer reading just has its own special feel to it.  I think of reading a good, engaging book sitting in the shade of my back patio with a light breeze blowing, or under a tree by the lake with the water gently lapping, or by the oceanside with the scent of salty air filling my nostrils.  Summer is just a great time to slow down and relax with something good to read.

And if you're looking for some new good reads this summer, allow me to offer the following suggestions:

• Adults--Inferno (Dan Brown), A Step of Faith (Richard Paul Evans) And the Mountains Echoed (Khaled Hosseini), Life Below Stairs (Alison Maloney), The End of Your Life Book Club (Will Schwalbe)
• Teens--The Diviners (Libba Bray), Mila 2.0 (Debra Driza), The Fault In Our Stars (John Green), Out of The Easy (Ruta Sepetys), The Program (Suzanne Young)
• Kids--The Book Boat's In (Cynthia Cotten), Little Cub (Olivier Dunrea), There Was a Tree (Rachel Isadora), Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping (Melanie Watt), Penguin On Vacation (Salina Yoon)

Happy reading from the perch!

Library Mascots

Today I read an interesting article on cats in libraries.  Although my library does not have a cat, it seems there are a number of libraries around the U.S. and the world that have a resident feline or even a dog.  Sometimes the presence of a 4-legged library mascot raises complaints and different issues, as evidenced by the story of a man who put up a bid to evict a cat from a library in Massachusetts.  I'm teetering on the fence about animals in the library, but I have to admit I'm leaning against having library mascots. 

Now before you think I'm some humbug who has a thing about our furry friends, I feel the idea of having a live library mascot sounds cute but just isn't practical.  It's nice to think of a library having a resident cat or dog.  Cats are quiet, keep to themselves mostly, and bring smiles to a lot of people.  Trained dogs are also quiet, bring anxiety levels down, and often used nowadays to help children improve their skills reading aloud.  After all, reading to a friendly golden retriever is less stressful to many kids than reading to their peers or adults.

On the down side, what about those patrons who are allergic or have a fear of cats and dogs?  My mother is an avid reader, but she also has an intense fear of cats (blame her uncle for throwing a cat on her when she was a kid lying on the sofa).  A library cat would keep her away from a place she loves visiting regularly and would have a negative impact on the quality of her life.  People with allergies would be affected similarly, forced to stay out of the library because of the consequences.

It's one thing to have service animals accompany people into public places, but another to have resident mascots roaming about.  Cats and dogs in the stacks can potentially keep people away from libraries.  If libraries cannot part with their mascots, they need to find a solution for those patrons with allergies or phobias.  Perhaps patrons can call ahead and ask to keep the cat or dog behind the desk while they are visiting.  Or maybe designate a "mascot zone" that would restrict the cat or dog to just one area but keep other areas free.  We need to remember that libraries need to be accessible to everyone.

Just my take from the perch.

Picks From the Perch!

Hello to all my wonderful and loyal fans out there!  I know so many of you were waiting for the latest news from the perch, and boy have I got some good news for you today!  With summer reading right around the corner, I thought I'd take a moment to toot my own horn (just a little) and tell you about a new library service that began yesterday--Picks From the Perch!

From time to time, we all get stuck in a book rut and don't know what to read next.  Sometimes, we like a book so much that we wonder if we can find other books that give us those same warm and fuzzy feelings inside.  Then, of course, we have our favorite authors and hope we can find other authors who can do the job just as well.  For these kinds of situations, Picks From the Perch is there to come to your rescue!

Right next to the perch, there is a short form to fill out that asks for your favorite book genres, books, or authors.  Within one business day, yours truly will e-mail you a list of suggested book titles you may enjoy.  This list won't be any one-size-fits-all list taken off the Internet.  Oh, no.  It will be a list tailored specifically to you and your interests, because after all, a real person--me--will be making your list rather than a computer or website based somewhere in Tuvalu.

So, while making those plans to go the lake or ocean, be sure to also plan to stop by the perch and get a list of good reads.  We got plenty of good books and other items at the library to help you have fun and relax during the warm months.

Wishing you a summer full of good reading from the perch!

Celebrate National Library Week!

In case you didn't know it, this week is National Library Week, which brings attention to libraries and all the helpful services they provide.  NLW has been going on for over 50 years, since the first one in 1958.  At that time, the American Library Association, taking note that people seemed to be spending more time with their "radios, televisions, and musical instruments," made an effort to bring people back into libraries.  The ALA created a campaign emphasizing that libraries offer items for leisure, finance, health, and enriching family life in general.  The first NLW was so successful that it became an annual event at libraries across the country.

It's interesting that various popular distractions were keeping people away from libraries in the 1950s just as they're doing today.  Not only do we have radios, televisions, and (maybe) musical instruments, we have computers and cell phones with all the Internet offerings like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, Flickr, and whatever else.  Many are even questioning whether libraries continue to be relevant with all the information accessible through electronic media.

Speaking for my library (and I'm sure many others as well), there are things that happen here that just don't happen in Cyberspace.  Like kids and parents getting together for storytime, learning social skills and making crafts.  Or adults and teens gathering to knit, admiring each others' works in progress and picking up a new stitch or two.  And what about a real person showing you how to find information on the library's subscription databases, something trustworthy and reliable that you can't get for free on the Internet.

We perch librarians and our colleagues have different and exciting programs scheduled for the observation of NLW.  For instance, at my library we have a meeting of the knitting group, a book club discussion, an open-mike poetry night, storytime, and a baby lapsit.  So invite yourself to unplug from your day-to-day distractions and visit the library.  It will be a good investment of your time.  Trust me.

Humbly and honestly yours from the perch.