Speaking Volumes

Between celebrating Thanksgiving and reading Su's most recent  blog post, I've been reminded to reflect on the things I have been most thankful for this year. There are truly many, many things for me to be thankful for, including all of the things that Su listed in her top 50 list! But one of the most recent things for me to be thankful for is my new dog, Frank. 

I decided to adopt a dog last spring and started looking right away. I knew I wanted a big dog and I knew I wanted to go through a shelter or rescue organization. After about 4 months of looking I was sure that it would be easier to adopt a child then a puppy.  But, then I found Frank. He was big. He was at the Norwich pound. And he only had a few days left before they were going to....

Now, when I say 'found' I mean found pictures of him online. I was on vacation in California, and I didn't actually meet him. But, like I said, he only had a few days left, so we (my boyfriend and I) ended up adopting him long distance over the telephone while my boyfriend's mom went and picked him up for us.

I was nervous. He was going to be my first dog. I had never met him. I really wasn't on the market for a puppy (I wanted a dog at least a few years old) - and Frank was only 6 months old. Plus, he was big, really big, an Akita, Shepherd, St. Bernard mix. Of course, once I saw him I was in love - he's been a wonderful, super, fantastic pet! Because of Frank, I've been to more Connecticut state parks this fall then I have ever been to in my life, and now I always feel safe when I am home alone. My family and friends have all fallen for Frank -  he's been a little bit of pet therapy for everyone I know. My grandfather passed away this September, but during his last few weeks I would visit him with Frank. He loved dogs too, and Frank got him up and talking like I had never seen before. 

So this year, among lots of other things, I am thankful for Frank. And I like to think he's thankful for us too. 

 For those fellow dog lovers out there we have a TON of great books on our canine friends. Including these new ones:

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival, by Kirby Larson

Brand new, this is one of the most touching children's books I have ever read. Plus, I think the dog looks EXACTLY like Frank.

Before You Were Mine, by Maribeth Boelts

Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech

And some old favorites:

Because of Winn Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo

Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls

Shiloh, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Have a favorite dog (or animal) book or a great pet story of your own? Share it with us by commenting on this post!

1. Free books.
2. Many books are best sellers.
3. Over 40,000 items to choose from.
4. Materials can be found for all ages, styles and interests.
5. Over 75 free magazines.
6. Thousands of free movies.
7. Free audio books on cassette and cds.
8. Lots of free music.
9. Free internet access.
10. Wifi available.
11. Free help with finding what you’re looking for.
12. Free, clean, public restrooms.
13.  A wonderful crew that keeps things clean.
14. If we don’t have something, we usually can get it at no cost to you.
15. Comfortable chairs where you can read.
16. Quiet tables where you can work.
17. Cool toys kids like to play with.
18. People who want to know what you’re reading, doing, thinking, watching.
19. Friendly faces.
20. When you do pay a fee, it goes to a great  cause.
21.  Heat in the winter, a/c in the summer.
22.  Fines cap at $3.00 per item.
23.  Information about practically any subject you can imagine.
24.  Staff to help with finding a book you would like to read, specializing in required books for school book reports.
25.  A computerized index / catalog so you don’t have to hunt for what you want.
26.  Museum passes that offer discounts or free admission to local attractions.
27.  A computer that not only tells you where something is, but if it is already checked out.
28. The availability of a printer, fax, and copy machine.
29.  Story times twice a week.
30.  Creative kid’s programs, like Candy Sushi.
31.  We hatched butterflies and let them free.
32.  Authors come to talk to you.
33.  Joining the Friend’s gives you discounts on books.
34. Book drops allow you to leave things when the Library is closed.
35. Voter registration cards are available.
36.  We can receive faxes and hold them for you.
37.  We can put a book on reserve and call you when it comes in.
38.  You get to see your neighbors and chat at the Library.
39.  Three active book groups.
40.  We take book donations for our book sale.
41.  You can check your Library account from home, any time, in your pjs.
42.  New parking spaces.
43.  Book displays that point out materials you might not otherwise see.
44.  A Library blog, that is hopefully i

 What's your favorite funny film of all-time? Yes, we'd like to know and we're conducting a survey to find out. If you just want to vote, and skip the rest of the post, just scroll down the page and click on the link to take the survey. Tow questions; it's fast, it's easy, it's free and it's fun!

There are lots of best lists out there ranking films by genre. The National Film Preservation Foundation is just one place you can find a list of films considered to be tops. The NFPF is a non-profit organization started by Congress to preserve unparalleled American Films. Each year the foundation selects 25 films that are at least 10 years old to be preserved at the Library of Congress. The preserved films are listed in  The National Film Registry. I wondered what comedy films, produced from from 1950 to the present, were included in this registry. An easy way to sort the list was to do a search at International Movie Database (IMDB), my absolute favorite place for all things to do with movies. I've mentioned this database before but it never hurts to repeat it.

I did a power search for the best comedy film included in the National Film Registry from 1960 to the present and came up with this list.

American Graffiti (1973)
Annie Hall (1977)
Apartment, The (1960)
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
   ...aka Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Graduate, The
Harold and Maude
Hospital, The (1971)
MASH (1970)
Producers, The (1968)
Tootsie (1982)

I was surprised to find that the library only owns Harold and Maude, The Graduate and Annie Hall on DVD.

So here's my proposal...
Take the survey (2 questions) and the library will buy at least two new dvd's; the top voted movie from The National Film Registry List and the favorite laugh out loud funny film (not owned)  that receives the most votes by responders.

Click here to take survey

The voting closes at 9PM, Sunday, November 30^th and results will be reported Monday, December 1^st. One vote per person. Tell  all your friends!

It's almost Thanksgiving. That means that in many schools and libraries out come the Pilgrim and Indian books, the costumes, and sometimes the Pilgrim and Indian plays or re-enactments. STILL. Still in 2008 parents and teachers are telling the Pilgrim and Indian story, with picture books that portray Native people in stereotypical, inaccurate ways, often as 'savages' or worse.

Last November I attended a conference held by Cornucopia of Rhode Island who's mission is to serve the library community of color. The topic was American Indians in children's literature. It is important to me that the books we put on display during Thanksgiving are not filled with stereotypes and mis-information. I learned a lot that day, and came back to the Saxton B. to evaluate what Thanksgiving books we had, what needed to go, and how we could build a better collection. I came home from the Cornucopia conference with titles by Native writers that I was excited to order, as well as a recommendation to buy the book, A Broken Flute; The Native Experience in books for Children,  which has served as a valuable resource for me when evaluating and purchasing books, but is also available for check out.

This year our Thanksgiving books are out on display for our patrons. I displayed silly books about turkey, books about food, and books on saying 'thank you.' The books we have that address the Thanksgiving story and Native people include books such as :

1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving, Bruchac, Margaret M. (Abenaki)

Clambake: A Wampanoag Tradition, Peters, Russell M. (Wampanoag)

Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message, Swamp, Jake (Mohawk)

Check out this blog entry by Debbie Resse for one perspective on what makes a 'good' Thanksgiving book for children. She currently teaches in UIUC's American Indian Studies program, and is tribally enrolled at Nambe Pueblo in northern New Mexico

http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2007/11/good-books-about-thanksgiving.html

Here are some additional books recommended by Broken Flute, Oyate (Oyate is a Native organization that works to provide critical evaluation of books and curricula with Indian themes - see link at the bottom of this post), AND written by Native writers, that we have on display for American Indian Heritage Month:

(Side Note: Sherman Alexie is one of my favorite authors EVER- read his books!)

I encourage you to use our resource book A Broken Flute; The Native Experience in books for Children, and to check out the links below to help you choose books to read and share with your children.

http://imagesofindiansinchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/

http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2006_09_21_archive.htm
 

http://www.oyate.org/aboutus.html

No matter how mechanically inept you consider yourself, would you try to pound in a nail with a saw? Undo a screw with a hammer? Cut wood with a butter knife?  I think not. 

A few weeks back I was complaining about the leaves falling off the trees. However, one direct advantage of bare trees is that you can more readily spot our beautiful birds and their nests. Last Friday, driving on Route 6 towards Andover, my eagle eyes spotted, well, a bald eagle. He/she was sitting high in a barren tree on the corner of the road that leads to Asto Wamah. I made my husband turn around and back we went for a second look. After a few moments this majestic bird flew off in all its glory. A truly beautiful sight to behold. I've only seen an eagle in Columbia one other time so feel quite fortunate to have spotted this one. According the DEP's fact sheet the eagle was placed on our first official Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species List in 1992. This was also the first year year that the state documented its first successful nesting of bald eagles since the 1950s, when a pair raised two young in Litchfield County.

You can find the the DEP Fact Sheet about Eagles at:

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?q=325972

A call to the Franklin DEP garnered this information. In the January 2008 Midwinter Bald Eagle survey, no eagles were spotted in Columbia. Of course, that is just a one day snapshot and doesn't mean there aren't any eagles in Columbia. The Dep has received information of sighting of a single eagle flying between Andover and Columbia lakes for the past several years. The 2009 Midwinter Eagle Survey resulted in sightings of 32 Immature and 49 Adult Eagles for a total of 81 in the state. This seems a healthy number but the bald eagle remains on Connecticut's Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species List.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service reports “On August 9, 2007, the bald eagle was removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species. After nearly disappearing from most of the United States decades ago, the bald eagle is now flourishing across the nation and no longer needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act.”

If you'd like to read more about eagles try these books located @Saxton B.

Return of the eagle : how America saved its national symbol Greg Breining 598.942 BREINING PBK

Conversations with an eagle : the story of a remarkable relationship Brenda Cox. 598.943 COX PBK

The great seal of the United States Norman Pearl J 929.9 PEARL

The bald eagle Patricia Ryon Quiri. J 598.943 QUIRI

 If you've seen an eagle in Columbia, let us know!

One of my very favorite musicians is playing at the Webster Theater in Hartford this Monday the 24^th – Ani Difranco. Maybe you've heard of her...she is pretty popular, or maybe not...you're not going to find her on MTV, she started her own label, Righteous Babe Records, in the early 90's to release her music on her own terms. She's a self described 'little folksinger,' but she's really more than that, she's a poet, an activist, a business woman, a feminist icon, an artist. I've seen her at least ten times now, but I can't help myself, I'll probably go on Monday night and make it eleven. We don't have much Ani here at the library, but we have a TON of great music for all tastes, from classical, to soundtracks, to country, to rock. Some of my other favorite women singers that we do own include:

Gotta love Joni!

Cat Power - one of our new YA CD's!

Regina Spektor - another one of our new CD's in our YA section. 

And last, but not least, here is a new book we own on some ladies that rock - I'd love to read it, but I can't get my hands on it! It has been very popular, every time it comes back it gets checked right out! 

Girls like us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon - and the journey of a generation, by Sheila Weller

Everyone knows we have books, DVD's, computers, newspapers, but I think sometimes people forget all the great music we have here at the library. Next time you're in browse our CD collection - you wont be disappointed!

Most of the time, I think my weekends are pretty dull. However, this past weekend I was delighted to have the unique experience of seeing one of my favorite actors in person: Bruce Campbell.

     Bubba Ho Tep 

  Army of Darkness

  Man with the Screaming Brain

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If you read yesterday's blog entry you're here today for the revealing of the great book I found hidden on our shelves. While “shelf reading”, I came across the most delightful book, The Goose from Scarsdale by Clive Howard, published 1974. It's only 96 pages, can be read in one quick sitting, and is truly a gem of a read. It's the strange, but true story of George Reichart, Vice President of Advertising for the General Cigar Company. He was the guy responsible for television commercials for cigars, particularly Tiparillos, White Owls, Tijuana Smalls; quite the job in its day. To take this promotion, George moved his family; wife, Jane, daughter, Jan, and bassett hound, Ichabod from Oakland, California to Scarsdale, New York. Scarsdale was just twenty-five miles from the heart of “the city”, but was like living in another world. George's backyard sloped uphill to a border of woods. “It was like living in a forest. His initial awe and wonder at seeing four pheasants in his yard soon leads to the feeding and nurturing of a whole gaggle of birds and other visiting creatures. This care and feeding stirs controversy in the neighborhood and begins “The Battle of the Backyard” as not everyone is happy with George's sanctuary. Neighbors soon resort to owning cats as a means to keep the growing population of pigeons, skunks, squirrels and other critters at bay. George is beside himself as his fine feathered friends are picked off by these four footed furry felines. He retaliates by bringing in a goose who patrols the premises and sends the cats screeching home. The story that follows is captivating. Told with humor, warmth and a sprinkling of drawings by George and Jane, The Goose from Scarsdale was a chance discovery. It could have easily been weeded as it hasn't circulated much these past few years. So do yourself a favor, read the book, save the goose.

636.598 HOWARD ~ you'll find it right where it belongs on our shelves!

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Most people think working in a library is a cushy job. After all, all we do is sit around and read all day. Nothing could farther from the truth, the reading all day part, at least. There's lots to do that the public never sees. One necessary, but mundane task, is keeping the shelves in order. The Dewey Decimal System was introduced by Melville Dewey in 1876 as a method for placing books on library shelves in a specific and repeatable order that makes it easier to find any specific book or to return it to its proper place. Who knows how books get out of place, but they do. Nothing will drive we librarians more crazy than books that are not where they belong. In a push to bring the wayward books back to their proper place, each staff member agreed to spend an hour each day “shelf reading”.Reading shelves is not reading in the true sense and is nothing like reading a book. Frankly, it can be downright boring, eye straining, back breaking and mind boggling. Mr. Dewey, which comes first, 311.0942 or 311.07 or 311.09142? Yet, there's a certain sense of satisfaction in knowing that all the books are where they belong, neatly lined up, in proper shelf order.

This mundane task can also yield its own rewards. Hidden gems can be uncovered. Lucky me; the 630's yielded one such unexpected find.

Tune in tomorrow to hear about my discovery!

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As I previously mentioned, Halloween is one of my more favorite holidays. I particularly enjoy seeing the pre-school set dressed up and being very serious about it. So I was very happy that this year that Halloween fell on a Friday when we do Story Time. 

 Around 1:30 pm, the Library was transformed to a magical land of fairy princesses, a white furry animal, a few warriors and a ghost buster! It was a special Story Time, with story, craft and snack.

 

However, it was also a special day in the Library. Behind the desk we had a witch, a doctor and two Librarian princess/goddesses….

 

I know not everyone shares my personal desire to ‘dress up’. So I would like to take this public opportunity to say –

 

THANK YOU to the wonderful staff here at the Saxton B. Little Free Library who indulged me in dressing up, did so with flair and humor and not one grumble. 

 

Thank you to Carol, Megan and Sue !!!

 

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I'm a three season kind of woman; spring, summer, fall. I bask in the sun and warm weather and shiver in  the cold. I could never bond with Princess Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall of Howdy Doody fame. The winter months are not for me! I try not to think about the cold season coming but start complaining about it around late August. You have to drag me kicking and screaming from October into November. I'm even tempted to tear the pages for December, January and February from my calendars. For now, things aren't too bad but they're getting there. I refuse to don my winter coat and gloves, even though the temperatures have been dipping into the 30's this past week. I hate to give into the cold even though I'm already freezing. For the past month I've enjoyed the view of Tuttle's fields when I leave work. The leaves on his trees have been brilliantly red and orange but now are brown and on the ground. They haven't lost all their leaves but when they do I'll look not. I won't be able to see them anyway as the dark and dreary is creeping up on me like a thief, stealing the light of day. I get up in the dark and go home in the dark. I even had to put my headlights on at 4:15 today. The clocks are changed; fall back they say. Gain an hour, lose more daylight! The story goes "You can't fool Mother Nature" and in this case, they're right. Winter will win.

So what's a warm weather Molly like me going to do. Keep the wood stove burning, get out the heavy blankets, put on the fuzzy slippers, brew a cup of hot tea or a hot toddy and snuggle into my chair with a good book and wait for spring. Just don't offer me any of these to read....Brrr!

Snow In August by Pete Hamill
Snow Falling on the Cedars by David Guterson
Icebound by Dean Koontz
Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg
Alaska James Michener
Winter Prey by John Sandford
Silent Snow by Steve Thayer
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Blizzard by George Stone
Winter Study by Nevada Barr
Iced by Carol Higgins Clark
Dana Stabenow mysteries

or any of the myriad of other books that feature cold, cruel, winter weather!
Have a favorite winter tale. Feel free to share.

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