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Hall County Library System Newsletter

 

July 2007

 

 

 

In This Month’s Edition

Library Closings

News and Programs for the Month

What’s Hanging in the Galleries

Computer News

This Month in Youth Services

This Month in Adult Services

Donations to the Library

From the Director

Accessing Your Account

Web Picks: Cool Stuff on the Web

 

 

The Hall County Library System will be closed Wednesday, July 4 in observation of Independence Day.

 

 

Tornado Film Digitized

Original footage of the damage done to Gainesville by the 1936 tornado has now been digitized and is available for viewing through the Digital Library of Georgia. The film may be viewed at http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/tornado/index.php.

 

 

Discount Books Available

Eight copies of “Wills and Deed of Hall County, Georgia” by Bob & Barbara McDonald were slightly damaged during the flood at the Gainesville branch.  These eight copies are being sold for $5.00 each, a savings of $45.00 per copy.  The books will be sold at the Gainesville Circulation Desk.

 

 

Give the Gift of Life

Life South will be at the Blackshear Place Branch library on July 22, 2007 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  to accept blood bank donations. For more information, contact the library at 770-532-3311 ext. 155.

 

 

 

Foundation Center Seminar

The Hall County Library System, a cooperating collection with the Foundation Center of New York, is pleased to announce a one day Foundation Seminar to be held on September 13, 2007.  The Atlanta Foundation Center and the North Georgia Community Foundation Center will each be conducting mini-workshops.   How the Foundation Center Resources at the Gainesville Public Library Can Help Your Nonprofit!” will be taught by Kayron Bearden of the Atlanta Foundation Center.  Angel Randolph of the North Georgia Community Foundation Center will conduct a workshop entitled Grant Writing Basics.   The one day seminar will be held at the downtown Gainesville branch of the Hall County Library System from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The seminar is free and a list of suggested local lunch locations will be provided.  Space is limited to 30 participants and registration is required.  For more information call 770-532-3311 ext. 114 or email ljames@hallcountylibrary.org.

 

 

 

What’s Hanging in the Galleries

River of Words is on display upstairs at the Gainesville Branch.  This exhibit is an international poetry and art project designed to nurture respect and understanding of the natural world.  Students discover their watershed and describe their observations through poetry and art.

 

At the Blackshear Place Library Branch, teen Zachary Vance has loaned his collection of rocks and minerals for display.  This collection is located near the circulation desk along with books on the same subject.

 

 

 

Computer News

The library system offers free computer classes including Introduction to Email, Introduction to the Internet, Advanced Email, Introduction to MS PowerPoint, Word Processing Basics and new for July, Introduction to MS Publisher Classes are taught by trained library staff and are free to the public. Classes will be held in the computer training labs at the Blackshear Place and Gainesville branches.  For class details and times, click here or contact the library at 770-532-3311.

 

The library system is also pleased to announce the start of a new program at the downtown Gainesville Branch.  The library will be offering Senior Online Sessions (S.O.S.) to any senior citizen who would like basic instruction in the use of a personal computer.  S.O.S. class size will be limited to ten students so that each student can receive a high level of personal attention.  Curriculum in the class will focus on logging onto a library computer, the parts of the PC and their functions, how to customize a computer’s display options to suit the needs of the user and more.  The S.O.S. class will also learn the basic use of an internet browser.  There will be ample opportunity and encouragement during class for asking questions. To register, contact the library’s computer services department at 770-532-3311 ext. 124.

 

 

This Month in Youth Services

                                                                                           

The next pajama storytime will be held at 6:30 pm at the Blackshear Place Branch on July 10. Everyone is welcome. Children may wear their jammies and bring their favorite bedtime buddy.  For more information, check the link above, go to the library website, or call 770-532-3311, ext.151.

 

There will be mini-sessions of preschool storytimes and Baby Steps infant lapsit storytimes in August. For more information, check the links above, go to the library website, call 770-532-3311, ext. 129, or pick up a flyer in any library branch.

 

Jump Start Reading Club for children who cannot read on their own and Reading Patch Club for children who can read on their own are on hiatus until the day after Labor Day in September. Children who did not finish reading for a patch during this school year may finish over the summer and receive their patch in the fall. For more information, check the links above, go to the library website, or call 770-532-3311, ext. 129.

 

There is still plenty of time to register for and participate in Vacation Reading Program 2007 in any Hall County Library System branch. VRP ends July 31. For more information, check the link above, go to the library website, or call 770-532-3311, ext. 129.

 

New titles for children and teens:

Roar of a Snore by Marsha Diane Arnold

Disturbed by a deafening snore, Jack wakes up the family and animals one by one in search of the noisy culprit. (EFC)

First Grade Stinks! by Mary Ann Rodman

First-grader Haley wishes she were back having fun in kindergarten with her old teacher, until she finds out that first-grade is special, too. (EFC)

Nobody’s Perfect by Marlee Matlin

Megan, a popular and outgoing fourth-grader, is sure that the "perfect" new girl dislikes her because she is deaf, but persistence and a joint science fair project help Megan see that the two girls have something in common after all and realize that nobody's perfect. (JFC)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling   !!Coming Soon!!

The last volume (Year 7) of the Harry Potter series will be released and available from the library on July 21. (JFC)

How to Be Popular by Meg Cabot

Sixteen-year-old Steph Landry finds an old book on how to be popular and decides to change her social status by following its advice, much to the bafflement of her two best friends. (YAF)

The Shadewell Shenanigans by David Lee Stone

The nearly useless Duke Modeset devises a plan to get rid of the bandits Groan Teethgrit and Gordo Goldeaxe. (YAF)

                                   

This Month in Adult Services

 

New titles in the adult area:

Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is back, bringing along her sidekick Lula, her complicated love life, and the best doughnuts to be had in Trenton, New Jersey. This time, Stephanie is under suspicion herself when her ex-husband Dickie Orr disappears under mysterious circumstances.

Double Take by Catherine Coulter

When Julia Ransom is attacked while taking a stroll on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, an FBI agent dining nearby saves her life and finds himself drawn into her complicated world. It turns out the young, beautiful Julia is a widow; her much older celebrity-psychic husband, August, was recently savagely murdered. Julia herself is considered a suspect in the case….”

The Good Guy by Dean Koontz

“Big Tim Carrier maintains the lowest possible profile, but that tactic crumbles after he is mistaken for a hit man, and when the hit man arrives, poses as the client and tries to cancel. But no one aborts this guy's missions.”

Acolytes by Nikki Giovanni

            Giovanni immediately became one of the most highly regarded and controversial poets of the modern age when her work first emerged during the Black Arts Movement.  Her popularity continues and as is evident in this book of song and verse.

Bad Bridesmaids, Bachelorette Brawls and Taffeta Tantrums: Tales from the Front Lines by Siri Agrell

            “Laugh-out-loud look at the most underrated supporting role in today’s maxed-out wedding world -- featuring bad bridesmaids who’ve had enough taffeta to last a lifetime.”           

Naomi’s Guide to Aging Gratefully: Facts, Myths and Good News for Boomers by Naomi Judd

Judd not only debunks society’s harmful myths about aging but also offers fresh ideas on how to free oneself from untrue and outdated ideas about personal potential.  She suggests the aging process is an opportunity for new experiences.

 

 

 

Donate a Book for a Loved One

Donating a book to the library in honor or memory of a loved one is a great way to show affection. Titles of suggested book donations are listed on the library’s Amazon.com Wish List.  For the price of a book, anyone can help the library keep the most current materials available.  To view the list, see the library website and follow the link to amazon.com.  Book donors may request that a commemorative plate be placed inside the front cover of the book in recognition of a loved one or to honor a special occasion.  The Hall County Library System is a non-profit government agency and a charitable 501(C) (3) organization; therefore, all donations are tax deductible.  The library is pleased to announce that it has now received 200 plus books through this program.

 

 

From the Director

Dear Patron,

 

Ever wonder what librarians do when they get together? I bet you think it would be one of the most boring meetings one could ever attend. A place where several people would sit in a circle, drink tea and chew on a few crumpets while discussing the latest revisions in LC Subject headings.  Sometimes that is correct; not the tea and pastries but the esoteric topics that leave you with a dull, hung over feeling when the meeting is over. But I have always found that when several librarians put their heads together they can manage to come up with enough discussion to stir intellectual curiosity, provided they can just get the person leading the meeting to shut up.

 

I just came back from the American Library Association’s annual convention. It was held in Washington, D.C. and this year 30,000 librarians gathered to talk about libraries and discover what is new in publishing and library equipment. Since we are building a new library in Hall County this was a real opportunity to look at tables, chairs and shelving. Things just seem to look a little different when only seen as samples or on pages in a catalog. Ever ordered something from home and wondered what got into you when UPS delivered it to your house?

 

Between attending workshops on providing services to young adults, improving the library’s organization and taking advantage of new electronic tools to enhance patron service, I managed to examine how different book trucks are welded, look at ways to store and display CDs and DVDs, and look at the latest in children’s furniture. I also talked to different vendors offering downloadable audio books and videos, played with several different library catalogs and talked to library book jobbers about their services.

 

There were lots of publishers at the convention center displaying material you seldom see reviewed. It was not just large publishing companies like Random House but specialty publishers like Gale or Severn House. There were a couple of dozen different authors discussing their latest books and then later signing at their publishers’ booths. In all there were almost 1000 different vendors displaying their products.

 

What I found the most rewarding was an opportunity to see new technology. Just one type of product I comparison shopped was an electronic computer reservation system and an electronic print management system. We already use such a product for our patrons to be able to access the Internet and print their documents. This is software that allows library staff to control access to the Internet and stops people from printing hundreds of documents that they later decide not to pay for. Printing is expensive. I wanted to see if there was a better product on the market.

 

I also explored vending solutions. The library plans to integrate debit and credit card payment for fines, fees and purchases and then follow up by allowing a payment option from home. Patrons can currently access their library accounts from home using their library card and pin number so it seems a natural progression to allow for web-based payment.

 

Did I feel the conference was worth it? You bet. Long ago I discovered the most valuable use of time at a library conference is in talking to other librarians and vendors and viewing the tools of the profession, books.

 

Hope to catch you in the stacks reading.

 

Sincerely,

Adrian Mixson

Library Director

 

If you would like to read a little more about the conference just follow this link http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2007/june2007/acwrap07.htm.

 

 

 

Your Account

To get more information on your library account, please call the library’s Circulation Manager at 770-532-3311 ext. 110 or visit the library website and enter your account through the library's catalog. You will need your library card and pin number, which may be obtained by visiting any library branch.  You may also email the Circulation Manager for additional information.

 

  

Web Picks: Cool Stuff on the Web

 

A Capitol Fourth The companion website for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) broadcast of this Fourth of July concert held in Washington, D.C. features Fourth of July history, celebrity reflections, and presidential remarks about patriotism. It also includes activities such as a quiz, create-your-own online fireworks, and tips on photographing fireworks. Concert highlights, performer interviews, and photos are featured.

Get Out The Gainesville Times guide to Fourth of July entertainment.

Access Atlanta  Find fun things to do in the greater Atlanta area on the Fourth of July.

 

 

 

Editors Leslie James and Lisa MacKinney

For more information please call (770) 532-3311 ext. 134 or visit our website at http://www.hallcountylibrary.org/

 

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