Friends Newsletter, June 2014

Photo on the right: Allison Knight picks up books at the World Book Night Book Givers open house at Orange County Public Library on Wednesday, April 16. Knight and other volunteers distributed books to light- and non-readers on Wednesday, April 23, to encourage reading and the sharing of stories.

Spring Book Sale Report by Chris Holaday, FOCPL Book Sale Coordinator, Newsletter Copy Editor We’re happy to report that, once again, the Friends’ Book Sale has been a success. We’d like to thank everyone who donated or purchased books. The selection was good and the crowds were big, particularly on Sunday for $5 bag day. All total we raised over $1600 for our library.

We were particularly happy that so many children’s books found new homes. It Let Us Help You Discover by Erin Hils Shepherd, Communications Specialist Discovering your next great read is easier than ever at Orange County Public Library!

Many people enjoy the “If you liked this item, then consider this…” feature on retail sites like Amazon.com.

OCPL now offers a similar feature through the library’s online catalog at http:// library.orangecountync.gov.

When you search for a book title in the catalog, the book’s record now includes recommended authors, titles and series. These results can be found at the bottom of the page underneath the title details.

Explanations for why each title was recommended are included, and you can

was fun to see kids come in and get excited about reading and books (we even noticed one or two take books, find a corner, and start reading before they’d even left the room!).

Of course book sales like ours would never be a success without all of the wonderful volunteers. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Dennis Hermanson, Marjorie Hardy, Jane Gaede, Sue Newsome, Linda Schmitt, Jeff Schmitt, Jack Ramsey, Stacey Gamble, Tommy McNeill, Penny Rand, Janet Flowers, Nancy Walters, Lou Walters, Bill Barrows, Allison Knight, Marcia Cameron, Bartow Culp, Linda Di Gangi, Debbie Simmers, Laura Simmons, Ed Hailey, and Mark Smith (my apologies if I missed anyone!). And thanks to library staff, particularly Erin Shepherd, for their efforts in promoting the event.

Continued on Page 3…

Your Next Book provide immediate feedback on the suggestion by clicking on the bull’s-eye or the X on the cover image.

You can also quickly and easily request that a book be held for you in the online catalog. Just click the Request It button and follow the prompts.

If you’re looking for a more personalized reading recommendation, our staff is here to help you find a book you’re sure to enjoy with the new Your Next 5 program.

Fill out a paper Your Next questionnaire at the library, or complete the online form at www.orangecountync.gov/ library/next5form.asp. Based on the answers you provide, library staff will compile a list of five books—especially for you—within a week.

Library Administration Update by Lucinda Munger, Library Director As the library prepares for its busiest time of year, Summer Reading, a number of projects in administration are also underway.

Budget: We’re in the home stretch of finalizing the library’s proposed 2014-15 budget.

The new budget year begins July 1, 2014 and I will present the proposed $1.8 million budget to the Board of Orange County Commissioners (BOCC) in early June. The BOCC will advise on revisions to the budget at that point and then the budget will be passed in mid-late June.

Landscaping: Have you noticed the updated landscaping at the library entrance recently? After several years of drainage issues in that area, County staff installed a new retaining wall, rocks and plants to a very lovely effect.

During this project, the butterfly bench donated by Max Preston will be re-homed to the garden at the Visitor’s Center on East King Street. A butterfly bench in a garden seems most appropriate!

The Town of Hillsborough will provide the library with a new 6-foot bench to serve the bus stop and to provide ample seating for anyone wanting to enjoy some fresh air.

Art at the Library: Have you enjoyed the artwork in the Main Library lately as much as I have?

Mike’s Art Truck provided a slew of colorful folk art works this spring. Statler Gilfillen’s Moldavian Easter Egg collection graced the display case at Easter time. And from late April through mid-May, the library proudly hosted the Orange County Schools Art Show. (What talented and creative students there are in this community!)

The next art exhibit will run for the duration of the summer and we’re looking forward to unveiling it in early June.

Professional Development: Library staff had several training and professional development opportunities this spring, too.

Thanks to the generosity of you, the Friends, and the Friends of the Carrboro Branch Library, Assistant Director Andrea Tullos, and Erin Sapienza and Sam Thorne of the Carrboro Branch and Cybrary, attended the Public Library Association 2014 Conference in Indianapolis from March 11-15.

Attracting thousands of librarians from across the country, this is the premier public library conference in the U.S. The experience was one none of the ladies will forget and they are appreciative of the opportunity to attend.

Andrea said: “From the programs I attended, I learned that we are not alone in Continued on Page 3…

our quest for turning outward, creating change in our community, and making a huge push toward marketing what we do and how we impact residents’ lives. Overall, it was a wonderful event! The time spent with colleagues Samantha and Erin was also priceless. We were able to vision our new libraries, future directions, and areas that need attention.” Erin said: “The programs I attended focused on staff development, hiring great staff, partnering with community organizations, and innovative library programming. All of the sessions were well attended so I was encouraged to know that these are hot topics for all libraries. We are constantly reinventing ourselves and redefining our libraries with a ‘sense of place’ in the community. I also found the exhibits offered a great opportunity to see some of these products and systems in action and got a much better sense of how to implement them than with online demos and webinars.” Sam said: “I attended programs about community engagement, programming, nonfiction readers’ advisory, library safety, and displays and merchandising. I learned new things in all of them, and can put that knowledge to use, whether now or in the future.” All library staff participated in CPR and customer service trainings this month. Because we work so closely with the public, knowing such lifesaving skills are incredibly important in the case of emergency. And of course, continually working on our customer service skills is paramount to providing outstanding library services.

Nelson Santiago, the new County HR training manager, led the customer service training, which expanded on the County’s FISH training in which all new hires participate during orientation. The staff enjoyed the lively sessions and are ready to put their newlylearned skills to use!

Little Free Library Project: Finally, I’m excited to move forward with a project to place a Little Free Library in Gold Park this year.

Little Free Libraries are house-shaped book repositories set up in public or private spaces. They operate on the “take a book, leave a book” principle and anyone can borrow a book from a Little Free Library.

The Little Free Library movement originated in 2009 when a Wisconsin man wanted to memorialize his mother, a teacher who loved to read and who encouraged many children to read as well. He built a schoolhouse -shaped box, mounted it on a post in his front yard and stocked

ATS Summer Reading Program News by Anne Pusey, Head of Adult & Teen Services The Adult and Teen Services Department is getting ready for a fun summer full of great events, activities and reads.

full book review you complete, receive an entry to win a grand prize to be drawn at the end of the summer – one of two Kindle Fires, generously donated by the Friends of the Orange County Public Library. The more you read, the more chances you have to win!

T h e S u m m e r Reading Program will kick off on Saturday June 14 with a celebration of reading and fun in the library driveway. Join us for live music, carnival activities, and prize drawings. The kick-off is only one of many exciting events at the library this summer – join us for Friday movie matinees, teen game days, book clubs, and more.

Check out the library’s online events calendar to stay up to date on library happenings.

And, if you need some help finding a perfect summer read, consider our brand new reader’s service – Your Next 5. Simply c o m p l e t e a q u i c k questionnaire about your reading interests and we’ll send you a list of five personalized reading suggestions within a week.

Paper forms are available at the Information Desk or you can complete an online f o r m a t h t t p : / / orangecountync.gov/library/ next5form.asp.

Throughout the summer, adults and teens can enter weekly book giveaways by completing a brief book ticket for each book they read. For every resident interested in building a Little Free Library then contacted me in January 2014.

With cooperation from the Town of Hillsborough, a site in Gold Park has been approved.

The volunteer builder is now working on the Little Free Library plans.

LIBRARY ADMIN

UPDATE

Continued from Page 2 it with books. He hung a “Free Book Exchange” sign on the box and his neighbors loved it.

The idea took off in his community and ultimately became the Little Free Library movement (http://littlefreelibrary.org).

Now there are thousands of LFLs in the U.S. and around the world.

T h i s p r o j e c t supports the library’s strategic plan initiative of fostering community connections. There are no Little Free Libraries in Hillsborough and I’m proud that OCPL will be a part of putting the first one in town. If this project goes well, we’ll look to establish more Little Free Libraries in the county in the coming years.

In the fall of 2013, the library leadership team staff began discussing the possibility of undertaking a Little Free Library project here.

Serendipitously enough, an Orange County

Youth Services wants you to Read Aloud by Debbie Shreve, Head of Youth Services The library is gearing up for the 2014 Summer Reading Program, “Fizz.

Boom.

Read,” that runs June 1st through July 31st!

are also partnering with ReadAloud.org in support of its Read Aloud Minutes national campaign.

We are encouraging all participants to read–or be read to–for 15 minutes each day during our Summer Reading program.

We’ll hold a kick-off celebration event on Saturday, June 14th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the library driveway. Bring the whole family for games, crafts, music, magic, face painting, prize drawings and much more!

According to RealAloud.org, “Reading aloud is the single most important thing a parent or caregiver can do to improve a child’s readiness to read and learn.” How does the Summer Reading Program work? All children under 12 are eligible to register for the Youth Summer Reading program. Stop by the Youth Services desk to pick up a reading log, bag and bookmark and start tracking the time you read each day.

Bring your reading log to the library each week to receive a stamp and a weekly prize or book buck.

(A book buck is used to select a book to be donated to a child in need in the community.) At the end of the Summer Reading program, you will receive a certificate to acknowledge participation and completion.

If you’re already reading, research has shown that reading during the summer will help retain the material learned during the school year and reduce “summer slide.” (Follow this link to read an article from scholastic.com on Three Ways to Prevent Summer

Slide:

http://bit.ly/ OCPLPreventSummerSlide.)

Be sure to visit the events calendar (http:// bit.ly/OCPLEventsCalendar) on the library’s website to learn more about our regular weekly programs as well as our special summer events.

Happy Reading!

This summer, we like-new condition –and at a fraction of what they’d cost in a bookstore.

Friends’ board members Marcia Cameron and Laura Simmons carefully sort through donations and select the best popular fiction and non-fiction for these shelves.

Check them out!

SPRING BOOK SALE

REPORT

Continued from front page And since we’re talking book sales, don’t forget the Friends have an on-going sale. When you enter the library, turn right and go to the far shelf.

There you’ll find a great selection of donated books for sale, many of them in

This Summer at the Evening Book Club by Sara Levinson, Newsletter Chair The Orange County Public Library Book Club meets the second Tuesday of every month. The books that will be read and discussed are chosen every six months or so, and the whole membership both proposes the books and votes for them. Everyone is welcome. The meetings are held in the meeting room in the Orange County Public Library at 6:30 and generally last until 7:30 or 7:45.

southern Germany alone, over a thousand caches emerged, containing everything from church bells to insect collections.

The story is both engaging and inspiring. In the midst of a total war, armies systematically sought to mitigate cultural loss.” The July book will be Guests on Earth, by Lee Smith. Caroline See’s review in The Washington Post describes t h e

b o o k :

“Evalina Toussaint, the narrator of this elegant historical novel, introduces herself by saying, ‘For years I have intended to write my own impressions of Mrs.

Zelda Fitzgerald, from the time first I encountered her when I was but a child myself at Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, in 1937, and then a decade later during the several months leading up to the mysterious tragedy of 1948’… The story moves forward at Evalina’s quiet, almost stately pace. Life at Highland is pleasant, almost luxurious: The residents — men and women — hike, read, garden, stage theatricals. Most of the time they seem perfectly healthy, except for when they don’t.

Occasionally, Evalina will digress, to tell another woman’s story, which is when the reader realizes that Smith’s purpose is far more ambitious than it looks.

Once, Evalina ventures off campus to spend the night with a mountain girl who lives far up in a “holler.” In June, the Book Club will be reading Monuments

Men:

Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel w i t h B r e t Witter.

The review in Publishers Weekly said,

“WWII

was the most destructive war in history and caused the greatest dislocation of cultural artifacts.

Hundreds of thousands of items remain missing. The main burden fell to a few hundred men and women, curators and archivists, artists and art historians from 13 nations.

Their task was to save and preserve what they could of Europe’s great art, and they were called the Monuments Men.

Focusing on the organization’s role in northwest Europe, they describe the Monuments Men from their initial mission to limit combat damage to structures and artifacts to their changed focus of locating missing items. Most had been stolen by the Nazis.

Her family is poor beyond words, but they make heavenly music.

Another patient is genuine Southern Belle; like Zelda, she simply can’t stand the life. And there’s Jinx, a charming, murderous white-trash girl.

By the time she’s done, Smith has covered the entire spectrum of Southern women.” social identity forces us to face and overcome in a particular setting—affect our everyday behavior and perpetuate broader societal problems … Steele offers practices educators can use to help counteract these messages. For instance, self -affirmation exercises in the classroom, particularly for students of color, can be enough to counter negative messages that trigger stereotype threat.

Some other practices include emphasizing incremental views of intelligence (i.e., i n t e l l i g e n c e a s a n expandable as opposed to fixed characteristic) and facilitating faculty-tostudent or student-tostudent mentoring and cross-racial interactions …

He explains how our actions, conscious or not, contribute to persistent racial segregation as, understandably, each of us may retreat to the safety of a more homogeneous environment that does not trigger the risk of a stereotype threat.

But

Steele’s outlook is hopeful:

the factors that contribute to our living segregated lives also have the potential to help us bridge our differences.

We are all affected by identity threats, and awareness of this commonality should help us empathize with the experience of others.” Whistling

Vivaldi:

And Other Clues to How S t e r e o t y p e s Affect Us by C l a u d e

M .

Steele is the

u g u s t s e l e c t i o n .

A m a z o n ’ s website describes the book as

follows:

“Claude

Steele, who has been called ‘one of the few great social psychologists,’ offers a vivid first-person account of the research that supports his groundbreaking conclusions on stereotypes and identity.

He sheds new light on American social phenomena from racial and gender gaps in test scores to the belief in the superior athletic prowess of black men, and lays out a plan for mitigating these ‘stereotype threats’ and reshaping American identities.” Harvard Educational Review elaborates, “Steele’s book sets forth an argument for u n d e r s t a n d i n g h o w contextual factors—not individual characteristics or personal beliefs motivated by prejudice or malice— help explain so-termed ‘racial achievement gaps’ in education and ongoing societal racial and ethnic segregation …

identity c o n t i n g e n c i e s — t h e conditions that a given ** Book covers come from the Orange County Public Library’s Online Catalog.