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.