Town Hall Meeting Schedules

What are Town Hall meetings?

Town Hall meetings are scheduled periodically by the Library Director to give all staff members an opportunity to learn more about the Library, get to know senior staff and to ask questions. They also give the Director and her staff an opportunity to know about issues that are important to you!

How do I participate?

Let you manager know if you are interested in attending and he/she will accomodate as many people as possible. Even if you aren't able to attend, you'll be able to read notes from the meetings on the blog. And, you can submit your questions ahead of time by clicking on the "comment" button below. (Comments can be anonymous.)

Meeting Schedule

April:

1. 4/21/09 - Main, MP1, 2:30-4:00 and, remote to South Mandarin
2. 4/22/09 - Main, MP1, 2:30-4:00 and, remote to West
3. 4/23/09 - Pablo Creek, meeting room, 2:30-4:00

June:

1. 6/15/09 - Pablo Creek, meeting room, 2:30-4:00
2. 6/16/09 - Main, MP1, 2:30-4:00 and, remote to South Mandarin
3. 6/17/09 - Main, MP1, 2:30-4:00 and, remote to West
   

September:

1. 9/1/09 - Pablo Creek, meeting room, 2:30-4:00
2. 9/2/09 - Main, MP1, 2:30-4:00 and, remote to South Mandarin
3. 9/3/09 - Main, MP1, 2:30-4:00 and, remote to West

If you have questions or need more information, please contact your supervisor.

Readers Wanted: Be A Part of Something Exciting!

The International IMPAC Dublin Award is presented annually to a novel written in English, or translated into English. Unlike many literary awards, the IMPAC Dublin accepts nominations solely from libraries around the world. In 2008, 157 libraries, representing 117 cities in 41 countries, submitted nominations. This year, the Jacksonville Public Library would like to join that group.

The objective of this award is to promote excellence in world literature. Because of this, books are nominated based on "high literary merit", and not necessarily on popularity. Although literary fiction is hard to define, a brief explanation can be found on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_fiction), or can be gathered from past examples of award winners (http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/awardarchive.htm).

We are looking to nominate a title for the 2010 award, and we would like your help.

From now until March 18th, I will be collecting suggestions of titles from staff. ALL staff members are eligible to suggest a title. From these titles, we will form a short list of our own. One of these titles will become our official nomination. We are also looking for staff members to be judges. For judges, a commitment to read the five shortlisted titles over the course of a month will be required. If you would like to suggest a title, or would consider being a judge, please email me directly at kema@coj.net.

Happy Reading!

Kudos from Customers

Brentwood Branch: I adore my library and the best staff on the planet--Gloria Armstrong, Maude Scott, Tasha Toliver, and Margaret Miles.

Main Library - Reference Department: Greg Royce was so helpful to me and my husband. He went out of his way for us.

South Mandarin Branch: Love Anne Robert and David Foster. They treat the kids so good! They are very helpful to the kids and parents.

Southeast Branch - Jodi Nehrt and Dee Young provide excellent service in the Teen Department.

Westbrook Branch: Wonderful employees--Eve Harm, Janene Cortez, Beatrice Kungu, and Laura Minnich.

Notes from Collection Development

At Midwinter ALA in late January, the Caldecott and Newbery Awards were announced. Below are the winners and honor books. All of these titles are in the collection just waiting to be read and more copies are on the way!

Randolph Caldecott Medal - Honors the illustrator of the most distinguished picture book for children published in the U.S. during the preceding year.

Winner: The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes:

Booklist Review
*Starred Review* A young girl is given a golden key to a house. “In the house / burns a light. / In that light / rests a bed. On that bed / waits a book.” And so continues this simple text, which describes sometimes fantastical pleasures as a bird from the book spirits the child through the starry sky to a wise-faced moon. The cumulative tale is a familiar picture-book conceit; the difference in success comes from the artwork. Here, the art is spectacular. Executed in scratchboard decorated in droplets of gold, Krommes’ illustrations expand on Swanson’s reassuring story (inspired by a nursery rhyme that begins, “This is the key of the kingdom”) to create a world as cozy inside the house as it is majestic outside. The two-page spread depicting rolling meadows beyond the home, dotted with trees, houses, barns, and road meeting the inky sky, is mesmerizing. The use of gold is especially effective, coloring the stars and a knowing moon, all surrounded with black-and-white halos. A beautiful piece of bookmaking that will delight both parents and children. Copyright 2008 Booklist Reviews.

Honors:
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee
How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz
A River of Words by Jennifer Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

John Newbery Medal - Honors the year’s most distinguished contribution by a U.S. citizen or resident to American literature for children.

Winner:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean

Kirkus Reviews
Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy. Gaiman's riff on Kipling's Mowgli stories never falters, from the truly spine-tingling opening, in which a toddler accidentally escapes his family's murderer, to the melancholy, life-affirming ending. Bod (short for Nobody) finds solace and safety with the inhabitants of the local graveyard, who grant him some of the privileges and powers of the dead—he can Fade and Dreamwalk, for instance, but still needs to eat and breathe. Episodic chapters tell miniature gems of stories (one has been nominated for a Locus Award) tracing Bod's growth from a spoiled boy who runs away with the ghouls to a young man for whom the metaphor of setting out into the world becomes achingly real. Childhood fears take solid shape in the nursery-rhyme–inspired villains, while heroism is its own, often bitter, reward. Closer in tone to American Gods than to Coraline, but permeated with Bod's innocence, this needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child. (Illustrations not seen.) (Fantasy. 10 & up) Copyright Kirkus 2008 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved.

Honors:
The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle
Savvy by Ingrid Law
After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

"Start Here. Go Anywhere." Mural Dedication at Argyle Branch, January 31, 2009

Regions Bank and the Argyle Branch Library are community partners. Regions Bank--with its interest in public art--found a great project to sponsor when their representatives discovered Argyle Branch Library envisioned creating a mural in their children’s department. Regions Bank's Alicia Somers, Pam Hatt, and especially Sherri Johnson were instrumental in contracting a local artist, Pamela Miller, who is also a regular Argyle customer. She saw her finished mural--aptly named "Start Here. Go Anywhere."--dedicated, Saturday, January 31, when Regions Bank presented it as a gift to the Jacksonville Public Library during a Mural Dedication Party, attended by 200-300 people. Regions Bank provided refreshments and hired a talented face painter from Big Top Entertainment, who was popular with the children. Other activities included a storytime and a table where kids could get tattoos, coloring books and crayons. Library Director Barbara Gubbin made the opening remarks, complimented Ms. Miller on her mural and thanked Regions Bank and its represenatives for the mural. She presented Ms. Somers with a plaque acknowledging Regions Bank's gift to the library. The plaque will hang by the mural in the library. Everyone is invited to visit Argyle Branch and enjoy "Start Here. Go Anywhere." It is a dynamic, colorful work of art, that helps bring the community together. You can click below and see photos taken on the day the mural was dedicated:

http://picasaweb.google.com/AYLlibrary/MuralDedication

Ask a Librarian Day is February 20, 2009

You all can feel proud that Jacksonville Public Library has one of the largest live chat reference teams in Florida's Ask a Librarian network.

We now have 60 chat agents, librarians and library associates who work at every branch, as well as at Main Library.

In addition, each month we place fourth or fifth for the number of public library customers who login to Ask a Librarian through our website.

Ask a Librarian chat and email services are available to anyone on the Internet who logs in through one of the 100 participating Florida K-12, public and academic library systems (more information about the service and its history here).

Local Desk
Better still, JPL is now expanding its Local Desk service.

Whenever a JPL agent is logged into Local Desk, JPL customers are connected directly to us, instead of to someone in another library system. You can imagine how much more helpful this is.

We can

• search JAXCAT
  
• take local customers to JPL's e-Research databases, the Programs & Events calendar, etc.
  
• introduce them to all the resources of My Online Library
  
• do the same circ transactions we would do by phone (holds, renewals, reports of account information, etc.)
  
• draw upon our own staff, collections and services throughout the JPL system, as well as upon our knowledge of and access to other local resources.
  

Ask a Librarian Day
On Friday, February 20th, Florida celebrates Ask a Librarian Day (details on the Ask a Librarian Blog).

Here's a chance for all of us to make our local Ask a Librarian service visible to our customers.

JPL chat agents at each location will have bright Ask a Librarian tee-shirts to wear on the day, and there will be lapel stickers for the rest of you.

There will also be business cards to give customers, and we encourage branches to do displays.

Special note: You don't have to be a trained chat agent to demonstrate Ask a Librarian to your customers.

Just login, click the Chat button, and show your customer a sample chat with a Florida librarian or library associate.

You can also take customers to the live chat demo to show them what to expect during a chat.

Remember that we also offer two other services through the Ask a Librarian page.

Email reference can take questions 24/7, and our goal is to reply within 24 hours (except Sundays and holidays).

Book a Librarian allows customers to schedule a session with a librarian at Main Library, in order to get a personal introduction to resources available there.

Unsure what to say to customers? Here are a few key speaking points:

• If you need help when you’re not in our library, visit Ask a Librarian
  
• Your questions will be answered by library professionals
  
• The service is open until midnight, Sunday through Thursday, and 10am to 5pm on Friday and Saturday
  
• It's free
  
• If Ask a Librarian isn’t open for chat, you can always email your question to us, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

And, of course, if you want more information about Ask a Librarian, contact Mike Shell, Christa Snow, Brian Moses or Julie McNeil in Main Reference. We'll be glad to help.

Thanks, everyone.

Explore – Discover - Be inspired at Much Ado About Books 2009

Since 1990, JPL Foundation has held an annual premier book festival, Much Ado About Books (MAAB), and proceeds have supported and enhanced many library projects over these years. MAAB has hosted some of the best authors in America, and you don’t want to miss this year’s array of writers. You can meet and learn from another outstanding panel of authors, including David Baldacci, Steve Berry, Tracy Brown, Carla Neggers, Adriana Trigiani, and many more.

Much Ado About Books, February 27-28, 2009, will—for the first time—be hosted entirely at the Main Library.

Friday, February 27

Novel Discussions: Writer’s Workshop – FREE
8:30 a.m.: Registration; 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Workshop
Multipurpose Rooms, Conference Level, Main Library
Best-selling author, Steve Berry, will host two morning and two afternoon sessions.

Book Brunch and Young Writers Awards with David Baldacci, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Multipurpose Room, Conference Level, Main Library
*Tickets: $50 per person (signed book included)
Best-selling novelist, David Baldacci, will host a brunch to discuss his career and current novel, "Divine Justice", and he will present The Young Writers Awards.

Ex Libris Gala: Journey to Xi’an
7 p.m. – Midnight
Betsy Lovett Courtyard, 2nd Floor, Main Library
*Reservations start at $250 per couple, or $150 per couple, under age 35. Join Bank of America and national best-selling authors.

Saturday, Februay 28:

Much Ado About Books Festival – FREE
9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Main Library
Meet national best-selling authors. enjoy author and panel discussions, buy your favorite books and get them signed.

Children’s Chapter – FREE
9 a.m. – Noon – Children’s Library, 2nd Floor, Main Library
For children of all ages: Enjoy celebrity readings and hands-on activities. Visit the Nemours BrightStart! mobile classroom. The first 500 children to complete the journey will receive a copy of "We’re Going to the Library!" from the Mayor’s Book Club. Join Clifford, Curious George and other costumed characters on the journey through a world of books! And you can meet Diane deGroat, author and illustrator of the "Gilbert the Opossum" series.

A Very Valentine Luncheon with Adriana Trigiani
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Multipurpose Room, Conference Level, Main Library - *$50 per person (signed book included).
Best-selling novelist, award-winning playwright, TV writer and documentary film writer, Adriana Trigiani, will present a luncheon highlighting her new novel, "Very Valentine".

*Please call (904) 630-1995 for reservation information, visit muchadoaboutbooks.com, or send in your completed order form (found in all the Much Ado About Books 2009 brochures) to JPL Foundation, P. O. Box 40103, Jacksonville, FL 32203-0103.

MUCH ADO ABOUT BOOKS, FEBRUARY 27-28, 2009

Let's see what exciting things are planned at MAAB this year...

West Regional Branch Highlights

Our programs have really taken off out here on the fringe of civilization. Although with all the growth and road widening going on it's easy to see where this side of Duval County is the next great development area and we're gearing up to serve this side of the city with a wide variety of programs and events! We had a solid turnout for the African American Authors Book Club last night that Yuri Jewitt hosts on the first Wednesday evening of every month. This weekend our Children's Librarian has prepared a "Tree-mendous Trees" finger painting story time adventure to compliment Mayor Peyton's Outdoor Adventures tree planting ceremony at the Arboretum on Saturday.
Several weeks ago now we hosted a fishing seminar conducted by local charterboat captains. They demonstrated fishing techniques, showed video of their fishing adventures, and gave away a number of great doorprizes. Look for them again at West on March 14th and soon at a JPL branch near you.
Computer classes have also receive a great deal of attention and were featured on the TU's Jacksonville.com. We're looking forward to the "Call of the Wild" events in March & April and hope everyone is staying warm until then !

Your Opinion Counts!

The January Your Opinion Counts! marketing campaign was a huge success with 2327 survey responses received. Great work everybody!
The customer prize drawing was held today and here are the lucky winners:

• Heather Burnette, Main - gift card


• Waheeda Yakub, PCR - gift card


• Rhonda L. Price, SOM - gift card


• J.B. Roberts, Main - gift card


• M.R. Jordan, Southeast - FOL Membership


• Rosanne Virata, Beaches - Booktique Coupon

Winners will be notified in the next few days. Congratulations to all!

Staff Profile

Meet Ralph Henderson,
Library Associate Senior
at the Southeast
Branch Library.

Q: Where have you worked outside the Jacksonville Public Library, and do you view the library differently now that you work here?
A: My prior employment was with Probation and Parole Services, State of Florida. I view the library differently in that I had no idea the library provided so many electronic resources through the database system. I wish I had known about them when I was working on my masters degree.

Q: Who is your favorite author and why do you think he/she is most interesting?
A: I have always enjoyed Kurt Vonnegut Jr. I believe, as one person once said, he is the Mark Twain of the 20th century.

Q: What are your hobbies or favorite pastime?
A: Reading of course. I also dabble in trail hiking, collecting autographed celebrity pictures, and trap shooting.

Q: What is something most people may not know about you?
A: I soloed in a Cessna 150 at the St. Augustine Airport when I was sixteen years old.

Q: What do you think is the library’s most valuable contribution to the community?
A: The ability to provide resources to the community on a variety of topics and needs. A good example being the economic and employment problems we are having now. Customers can get information on investing during these difficult times, as well as employment information like how to complete resumes and interview for jobs. Customers also have access to computers for obtaining employment. There are very few places in our community where so many resources are provided under one roof.