State Librarian Visits
Views of April
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April 17
Perry Cook Memorial Public Library
Shauk/Johnsville, OH
Jan Haines and I were greeted at the Perry Cook Memorial Public Library by Assistant Director Kathy Jordan and board member Doris Morr. Doris is also a K-6 librarian and helped make the connection from the elementary school to the public library with the accelerated reader program. It was great fun to visit the children when they were doing their storytime activity (making a flower pot complete with flowers). Doris told me that it is easy to tell which children have attended programs like this. Those who are most “ready for kindergarten” are those who have experienced storytimes – been read to and become familiar with books (and the words and letters in the books!).
The library staff goes to kindergarten registration. For those children who may not have taken advantage of storytimes, the library offers a 6 week intensive program to help these children to be better prepared to enter school.
In addition, the library staff offers a one-on-one program during the summer. Kids from kindergarten through 6th grade take advantage of this “Summer Literacy” program. The library staff is also interested, as are members of the community, in offering adult literacy programs and will be rolling this out in the near future.
This library is in a new building (November 07 was the move-in date) and includes a bright community meeting room and a children’s area where there is a theatre area for kids’ play. The library is wireless and Kathy told us that many people take advantage of this after library hours by parking outside.
Thanks, Kathy, for inviting us to visit your library and your staff.
Mt. Gilead Public Library
It is always fun to be invited to a birthday celebration but it is not every day that one is invited to celebrate a 100th birthday. The Mount Gilead Public Library began its 100th year on January 27th. It has had a wonderful history of support starting with the purchase of the home of Dr. Talmage Beebe by Mrs. Mary S. Eccles. This home is now the site of the Morrow County Genealogical Society and is across the street from the current site of the Public Library.
The library and the community of Mt. Gilead have shown great flexibility in providing library service over the years. If one follows the history (found at http://mt-gilead.lib.oh.us/history.htm) of the library, one finds that the community has always been financially supportive of the library. When additions were needed, the community appeared to be more than willing to relocate services (the children’s room has moved a number of times with no break in service to the children – much to the library staff and community’s credit). The latest expansion was done in August 2004 when the third floor was remodeled and fiction and large print was moved to that area. This allowed for other shifting to take place; AV moved to the second floor and the first floor was dedicated to Children’s services.
Thanks go to Director Mike Kirk for orchestrating a wonderful 100th birthday party and for including the State Library in his celebrations.
April 13
Celebration of the Big Read: DelawaREADS
Although the day may have been gray and rainy, Delaware County District Library Director Mary Jane Santos welcomed the members of her community and guests by declaring it a “glorious day” and indeed it was. The Olentangy Liberty High School Theater Guild presents several songs from “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and the Delaware Hayes High School Jazz Band performed some jazz greats to get the crowd into the mood to read “The Great Gatsby.”
This One Book, One Community read includes communities across the county as was evidenced by the presence of the directors of Wornstaff Memorial Library (Liz Barker) and Sunbury Community Library (Chauncey Montgomery). Both spoke of the activities that will take place in each of their communities.
After a ribbon cutting (of a ribbon-embraced copy of Great Gatsby), four community members read aloud passages of the book. I think that all members of the audience left the celebration with their appetites whetted for the Big Read!
The Delaware County Library is a warm, bright and welcoming place. All during the ceremony people streamed past on their way to find library material. It was clear that no matter what the weather, this library is a destination for members of its community.
