Proposals To Present At 2014 PLA Are Due THIS March 2013

Circulation Services Manager Ron Block advises that the submission date for proposals to present a PLA 2014 Conference session is 3/29/13, so if anyone is thinking about presenting at a national level, visit www.pla.org for details. Ron said he is happy to assist if needed.

Great Input From Ron Block on Recent ALA In Seatle

Ron Block, Circulation Services Manager, has this to share about his experience at the January 25-29 ALA Midwinter Conference in Seatle, Washington:

"I was able to attend a series of talks led by Rich Harwood of the Harwood Institute about a partnership he is forming with ALA to highlight the need for libraries to become more civically engaged in transforming communities. The sessions were inspirational and created a lot of buzz! Some of the best phrases I heard were “move libraries from nice to necessary”, “people are looking toward trusted organizations, like libraries”, and “re-learn how to fail, to celebrate, and to re-forge meaningful relationships”. We’ll be hearing a lot more about this in the upcoming year!

"I also was thrilled to listen to Caroline Kennedy speak about how reading and libraries have played a huge role in her life, how it was interwoven into her family both at home and through their philanthropic work. It was so exciting to hear her talk of her family’s love of poetry! You can see her talk at http://www.eventscribe.com/2013/ALA-Midwinter/assets/videoPlayer/player.asp?PresentationID=34408"

Scroll down to see Sharon Kirkes' insight on this conference.

NW Friends' Black History Program Popular

The Bradham Brooks NW Branch Friends of the Library held a “Celebration of Love, An African-American Experience,” on February 20, 2013, in the community room. The room was decorated with hearts, lighted candles atop red and pink tablecloths. The program involved poetry readings by various Friends members and Branch Manager Elaine Randolph (pictured below), dances by the “Sassy Seniors & Steppers”, all dressed out in black and red, and storytelling by former JPL employee Elaine Kitchens and Friends member Mary Webster. One of Bradham Brooks NW Branch partners, Well Care, set up a table exhibiting information for seniors on Medicare. Approximately 45 attended and enjoyed the refreshments and prizes were awarded to happy faces.

Thanks to NW's Library Associate Senior, Gloria Buenavista, for this article.

Sharon Kirkes' Recap on ALA's Midwinter Meerting

Sharon Kirkes, Webb Wesconnett Regional Branch Manager, had this to share about her recent trip to ALA's midwinter meeting in Seattle, January 25-29:  "The conference had fewer presentations than committee meetings, but two of the sessions I attended were really informative—the one on the PLA Digital Learning project, and the session on Common Core, which I knew very little about.

"I visited Seattle Public’s Central Library—interesting architecture (very Bauhaus), but not as beautiful as ours.  There were some service differences, like their coin-operated printing service, limited guest pass policy, and teen desk hours.

"Seattle appears to be a thriving, very active city, but the weather is depressing. I was so glad to get back to Florida."

I asked Mrs. Kirkes to explain a little about what she learned about "Common Core" and this is her input:  "It is a new set of education requirements that is being implemented in schools.  Florida seems to be moving right along with this approach.  It includes style and emphasis changes--students reading from a variety of sources and being able to evaluate a case based on evidence.  Common Core involves a different approach to teaching/learning and content.  Reading lists will not include so much fiction; they will include more nonfiction; I don't know the ratio. 

"As I undersand it, FCAT will evaluate students' performance in a particular course, so it will be broken down more--science, reading skills, etc. and will involve independent, critical thinking, and evaluating materials--a change in approach and content."

Kudos from Customers

Highlands Branch: "Corey Scott notifies me when my ILL's are at the branch."

Mandarin Branch & Main-ILL: "I would like to commend the following people who work at the Mandarin Library. They are all excellent professionals and give patrons like me superb service. This includes: Lynne Baldwin, Steve Egbert, Jackie Spiritas, Hongying Song, David Foster, Frances Wickes, Mildred Roton, Eric Cusaac, Diane Lewis, Sara Peretzman, Shuktibanerjee, Tammy Hilbert, Lisa Veal, Katie Currier, Brittany Gonzales, and Jessica Jones. Also, with regard to Interlibrary Loan, Carolyn Hampton gives me excellent service."

San Marco Branch: "I had the pleasure of working with your employee, Donna Peretzman, at the San Marco Library. She helped me with my E-reader. She was so very helpful, professional, and kind. Kudos for hiring and lending such a wonderful teacher. This is a great program!"

Southeast Branch: "Dear Anita (Haller) and Carisia (Rooney), Thank you so very much for all that you did to help make "Greenfield Day at the Library" such a resounding success! The students and their families all enjoyed learning more about the public library, as well as enjoyed the story time featuring "Two of Everything" and "The Three Billy Goats Gruff." Greenfield Day at the Library is an event we'd like to participate in every year, especially as a way to top off Celebrate Literacy Week. Thank you again for all your hard work, and please know how much it means to us and our school to have such a great relationship with the public library and their amazing librarians!"

Big Read Lookin' Good At Mandarin

Mandarin Branch Manager Lynne Baldwin sent in this photo of Library Assistant Midge Roton, who helped KR celebrate Big Read activities by creating a large display and organizing, as well as facilitating, the book club discussion of A Lesson Before Dying.

What A Success Story!

Children's staffs at the Beaches Branch have high praise from one of their regular customers.  She is an 89 year old lady who reads to a Duval County first grade class and visits Beaches Branch to check out books that correspond to the teacher's lesson plans.  Dianne Byrd reports that JB employees have all helped this eldery lady find appropriate books on a monthly basis and the lady claims she would not be able to do such a good job with her reading, if were not for JB's staffs regularly giving "over the top good customer service".

Eric Cusaac Celebrates Ten Years Of Service

Library Clerk extraordinaire Eric Cusaac was honored with a party at the Mandarin Branch Library, February 15.  Eric actually celebrated ten years of service with the City/JPL last September but service pens for last quarter were just recently sent out.  It looks like everyone wanted Eric to know they appreciate him.  Note those FOUR heart baloons! 

Check out the other employees in JPL who have contributed many years of service in January and February 2013; look to the right for "Years of Service".

You've Gotta Have Heart!

Maxville Branch Library enjoyed a Valentine’s Day Extravaganza, February 14, including Valentine munchies in the auditorium (finger sandwiches, homemade cupcakes, heart-shaped red velvet brownies with cream cheese icing and punch (red-of course!)

Four tables were set up for children’s Valentine crafts, as well as a teen craft table for all-day fun, and the highlight of the day was a drawing for a four-pack of family tickets to MOSH!

Who's that behind those "Foster Grants"?  Two West Regional Branch employees:  Melodie Brunson (left), WST Library Clerk, who sent in this blurb and picture, and Chris Cavan, WST Librarian Senior.

WBK Celebrates Black History Month

Westbrook Branch makes the most of their one display. Last month, their display specialist, Library Assistant Antoinette Walker, built a display for the BIG READ. WBK had just one copy of Ernest J. Gaines book, A Lesson before Dying, so this was quite an accomplishment.

For February, Antoinette designed a Black History Month display. She not only used books from WBK's collection, but also borrowed books from other libraries that can be checked out.  Pictured are Antoinette and her display for Black History Month.

High Flyers Visit Westbrook

The U.S. Air Force has special names for its serving officers. The pilots are referred to as “zoomies”, as in to “zoom through the sky.” The non- flying officers are referred to as “kiwis,” after the flightless birds that inhabit New Zealand.

On January 30, 2013, Westbrook Branch had nine budding paper airplane pilots to brave the windy flight line of the library’s community room. Peggy Crawford, Children’s Librarian for the Urban Core and hangar chief, visited Westbrook and provided an hour of paper plane making craft fun. The intrepid paper pilots endured the confined airspace of the library while attempting to defeat the earth’s gravitational pull. Pictured are Peggy, and two of the crafters of the day.

Should paper airplane makers and flyers be called “zoomies” or “kiwis?” We really don’t know, but they did have a great time just the same.

What's She Doing Now?

Carol Smith retired from JPL as a Librarian Senior and finished her career in Fine Arts & Recreation in the old Main Library in September 2001.  This picture of Carol with her two granddaughters was made at Bella's (right) birthday party, February 2.  If you knew Carol, the one Q you might ask is, "What's there not to like?"

"What I missed most when I retired was the camaraderie of friends and coworkers. But I have joined a few groups and organizations and have made several new friends. What I have never missed is the alarm clock. I don't set one. I sleep until I'm ready to get up.

"It has been said that growing old 'ain't' for wimps! What I did not expect was to have some of the health issues that have developed. I've had five major surgeries and numerous procedures; the most recent has been a series of eye surgeries. But I now see 20/20 and only need reading glasses. And like many people my age, I've had to deal with aging parents and all their "stuff" after they're gone.

 "'I thought I was too old to fall in love again; then I became a Grandma.' The absolute joy of my life is my granddaughters. My son, Brandon, and his wife, Lou Gena, have two girls.  Bella just turned three and Abby turned one in October. On days when there are scheduling conflicts, I run a toddler chauffeur service. As an only child who raised two boys, I just spoil them rotten with little girly things. My son, Corey, is still single (but maybe not for long.)

"My husband and I have not travelled as much as we had hoped (and I must admit to being slightly jealous of retirees who have), but we have spent a lot of time renovating our old Riverside house. We did a complete new kitchen about three years ago and recently finished the bathrooms.

"We always thought that we might live in the country (our house in High Springs) when I retired, but I've found I like it in Jacksonville where all my friends and family are."

His First Job Was At Regency Square Branch

CR&M's Assistant Director Kathy Lussier has a sharp eye for jawdropping articles, especially when they're about JPL.  She wanted to share this article written by a former employee at the Regency Square Branch where he obviously enjoyed the many life/work lessons learned in his first real job.  His name?  Richard Hadden.  And what makes his comments notable?  Mr. Hadden is a leadership speaker, author, business consultant and co-author of the Contented Cows leadership book series, etc.  He attended Regency Square Branch's 40th anniversary celebration, January 30.  Here is the link to his article and you won't be disappointed in his recollections:

http://contentedcows.com/2013/01/employee-engagement-fundamentals-havent-changed/

It's nice to know that some successful people remember JPL and that its leadership formed a good foundation for their life's work.

Storytime Is A Big Draw At DU

On February 6, Highlands Branch's storytime featured Corduroy the Bear. Afterwards, Felecia Battle had each child make their own Corduroy Bear out of construction paper. Julie Pactor, DU's manger, said storytime attendance there is steadily growing – their largest audience so far has been 50 parents and children.

Black History Month Calendar Unveiling

Honorees at the unveiling of the 2013 Black History Month Calendar, January 17, are seated center, front row above. Second from left is Lloyd Pearson; to the right of him is Rodney L. Hurst, Sr., and Sollie Mitchell.  JPL's Board Chair, Brenda R. Simmons-Hutchins, Ph.D., stands far left, back row, and all the youth pictured wrote winning essays that are printed in the calendar.

The Jacksonville Black History Month 2013 calendar is dedicated to the memory of Ms. Clovia Russell, who, along with Dr. Simmons-Hutchins, originated the calendar.
                                        
JPL's ULC Library Supervisor, Pat Morrison, is Co-Chair of the Jacksonville Black History Calendar Committe and contributed this coverage of the special event:

"The Jacksonville Public Library hosted the unveiling ceremony for the 2013 Jacksonville Black History Calendar on Thursday, January 17th.  The theme for this year’s calendar is “At the Crossroads of Freedom & Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington”.  The event was held in the Main Library Hicks Auditorium and included a host of special guests, honorees, and 255 people attended.  First Coast News meteorologist Steve Smith was the master of ceremony and the Edward Waters College choir ensemble led the audience in a stirring rendition of the Negro National Anthem, Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.

"The multigenerational concept for the 2013 edition of the calendar was explained by the Chairman of the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees, Dr. Brenda Simmons-Hutchins.  Program participants included Deputy Director Carolyn Shehee Williams and Mayor Alvin Brown.  Other attendees included Senator Audrey Gibson,
members of the mayor’s cabinet, former State Senator Tony Hill, and representatives from the calendar partners – FSCJ, First Coast News, ASALH and the title sponsors, local Burger King Restaurant franchisees.

"This event, as in the past, was a multi-departmental affair with support from the excellent resources in the African American Collection at Main Library, and sweat, equity, and research from dedicated JPL staffers Cranston Burney and Arthur Finley, who are also on the Black History Calendar Committee.

"The promotional and marketing support from Olga Bayer, Kris Snider, and Kathy Lussier in CR&M was greatly appreciated. Farryn James from Circulation, Denise Thomas from ULC, Margaret Miles from NS, Roderick Newton from EB and Cathy Currier from Special Collections provided support at the event by acting as host and hostesses. They greeted guests, distributed calendars, monitored the refreshment tables and so much more. Conference Center Manager Mitesh Sangani and his staffs, Nathan Fuller, Sheldon Wright, and Robert Giles played a key role in staging the event, and Will Daniels helped with planning.  Refreshments were provided through the generosity of the Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library.

"Nearly 7,000 calendars have been shipped to branch libraries for distribution throughout the month of February."

This is the first year the Mayor has attended the Black History Month Calendar unveiling.  Mayor Alvin Brown (left of the calendar above) and WTLV's  Steve Smith did the official unveiling and they are flanked by (L/R) Acting President of FSCJ, Dr. Judith Bilsky, Deputy Director Carolyn Wiliams and a Burger King franchise representative.

Lots Of Talent At Highlands Branch

Julie Pactor, Highlands' new Branch Manager, brags on her staffs' displays and sent in photos to prove her point. Pictured above left is  Library Assistant Felecia Battle proudly flanking the Black History Month display she designed with Corey Scott's (pictured right) help in setting it up. 

Below you see DU part-timer Bunny Fritz with her Valentine’s Day display.

Julie said previous displays in January included a display designed by Pauline Berkeley, “Resolve to Read”, that featured a three-foot tall snowman.  Stacey Van Hoy created a “Downton Abbey” display and all the books displayed included an informational sheet about Highclere Castle.

DU staff can add good photography to their list of talents.

From Lego Mania to Hunger Games; It's a Circus at SOM

South Mandarin Library offered two fun & educational programs for school-aged children in January.

In conjunction with the “Reading with Ringling” promotion, SOM’s January 9th “Circus Fun” event included a circus storytime, circus craft, a “tightrope walk”, calliope music, a circus/animal book display, a mini-reading tent, and an animal cracker snack. The “Lego Block Mania: Outer Space” program on January 23, featured an outer space storytime and building a Lego display based on the theme.

SOM’s teen program on January 26th was a “Hunger Games” afternoon. It consisted of a Cornucopia Competition/Relay and various challenges (stations) such as Wii Archery, Peeta’s bakery, & “design a costume for your tributes”. Teens also enjoyed playing “Hunger Games” bingo.

Four Staff Profiles

Four Region Managers were recently appointed permanently, and all four agreed to share some of their insight here (only Mrs. Berry sent in a current photo):

Michael Sulivan, Southest Region Manager (KR, SS, SOM & SE):

What is entailed in managing a group of libraries? I see one of my key roles as region manager is being aware of the needs of each location. By working with the managers and coordinating with the administration, I ensure that those needs are filled so staff may focus on filling the needs of customers.

You’ve been with JPL for many years. How does your experience in this library system—or elsewhere—help you as a region manager? Over my 19 years of employment with JPL, I have had the pleasure of serving as administrative supervisor in addition to branch manager at five locations: Brentwood, Eastside, University Park, Argyle and Mandarin. These experiences have given me knowledge of the opportunities and challenges faced by managers at branches of all sizes. These experiences have helped me to develop good judgment and problem solving skills in handling customers, personnel and building concerns, all of which are critical as a region manager. In my new position, I look forward to being able to respond to both customer and staff concerns to ensure the continued effective delivery of library services to the citizens of Jacksonville.

What are a couple of the biggest challenges you face as a region manager? On a daily basis, ensuring that there is an adequate balance of staff at all the locations within the region is by far one of the major challenges. With current staff stretched so thin, even one or two staff members calling in sick can wreak havoc on branch schedules necessitating the movement of staff from one branch to another in the region. Thankfully, all the branch managers within a region work together in a mutually supportive manner to ensure that staff challenges have minimal impact to the customers.

On a personal level, it is exciting to work at different locations within the region every day. I enjoy the opportunity to work with so many different customer oriented staff members every week.

What is your funniest experience with a customer? Early on in my career I was working at reference in FAR (for newer staff that is the acronym for Fine Arts & Recreation) in the old Main Library. One afternoon an older customer kept hitting on me. Initially, I couldn’t decide if I should be shocked or horrified; finally after deciding everything was harmless, I settled on amused. Fortunately Tricia Egbert, FAR’s supervisor at the time, rescued me after about an hour.

Who is the person you respect most—in history, professionally, or personally—and why? Wow, what a hard question; there are so many people worthy of respect. However, given all that I see in politicians today I am going to say George Washington is a person I respect highly. He recognized that the role of a politician is not the acquisition of power, but rather it is service to the people. At a time when he could have easily assumed an almost permanent tenure as President, he stepped down after two terms, a tradition followed by all other Presidents until Franklin Roosevelt.

Marshelle Berry, Webb Wesconnett Region Manager (NW, MH, CW, WB):

What is entailed in managing a group of libraries? Managing a group of libraries entails incorporating all leadership principles taught in the Destination Leadership class: Inspire a Shared Vision, Model the Way, Enable Others to Act, Encourage the Heart, and Challenge the Process. I have found that they are all equally important.

You’ve been with JPL for many years. How does your experience in this library system—or elsewhere—help you as a region manager? I’ve had the awesome opportunity to work in numerous capacities and at 16 JPL locations. The positions I’ve held include Library Clerk, Library Assistant, Reference Librarian, Youth Services Librarian, Librarian Senior and Library Supervisor.

Having served in these roles, I am readily able to relate to people at various levels within the organization. Whether I’m speaking to the clerical team about customer service issues, the youth services folks about preschool story time, or the adult reference staff about collection development issues, I am still within my comfort zone. I often pull from my own knowledge to provide leadership and direction to the region.

What are a couple of the biggest challenges you face as a region manager? My greatest challenges include reading, reviewing and frequently responding to the over 200+ emails I receive on a weekly basis. My goal has always been to reply to emails within a timely manner. However, perusing 40 -50 emails each day can be quite challenging.

But there is a bright side. Even though I am inundated with emails, I work out of the branch office, just a few feet away from customers and staff. At times I simply walk away from the computer and go interact with staff and customers. These face-to-face interactions quickly remind me of why I love the library and why I do the things I do for so many people. These breaks give me the boost I need to get back to my inbox and to keep moving forward.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer? During the recent economic downturn, I had a brief encounter with a library customer at the Pharos printer. He had sent a document to the printer but wasn’t quite sure how to release his print job. While I was in the process of showing him how to get this done, he began to share his story. In a low but friendly tone, he said, “You know, I’m 46 years old. I have never gone hungry and have never been homeless. I have always kept a job. But four months ago, I lost my job driving trucks and for the last two nights I have been sleeping on the ground. ”

I felt a lump in my throat and tried to hide my sorrow as he shook his head and added, “I would have never in my whole entire life thought I would be homeless”. As he spoke, I noticed that the document he had just printed was a job resume. Being a bit unsettled, I said an internal prayer for him and asked him if he had a job interview coming up. He said, “Yes, can you pray that I get the job?” I grinned and said,” I’ve already done that.” He smiled, looked optimistic, and left.

I never saw this customer again and don’t know how the next chapter in his story unfolded. But with every customer that comes into the library I remember this particular guy. I remember his quiet spirit and hopeful desperation. I remember how sincere he spoke as his life was nowhere near where he thought it should be. I remember how much he needed his printed document. But most of all I remember how extremely fortunate I felt to be in a position and a place that offers real help for real people—the library.

Who is the person you respect most—in history, professionally, or personally—and why? There are quite a few people for whom I have a great deal of respect. One of those individuals is my cousin, the late Mrs. Eddie Mae Steward. Eddie Mae Steward was a Jacksonville native and a leader of the civil rights movement. Many of her efforts led to the court-ordered desegregation of the schools in Duval County. She dedicated her life to the achievement of civil rights for all Americans. She served as the Florida State president of the NAACP and also as the Secretary of the Duval County Democratic Executive Committee. I often recall visiting her, sitting and talking with her in her living room. She shared personal stories and wisdom from her heart. I remember most clearly the abundance of trophies and awards that filled the entire room and hallway. She would walk with me over to some of those accolades and explained the significance of each one. She was a strong woman who was never afraid to move beyond the norm. I learned so much from her and I miss her greatly. A Main Street post office and a section of Main Street here in Jacksonville is now dedicated to her memory. She was truly an inspiration to me as well as to so many others.

Bob Silkett, Pablo Creek Region Manager (JB, AR, UPK, PCR):

What is entailed in managing a group of Libraries? Organizational Skills - My region (Pablo Creek) is fairly compact but I’m required to work at each of my four libraries at least one day a week. There’s much travel between branches and to Main for meetings, so the ability to stay organized and focused on key tasks will be important to success.

People Skills - A very good leader once told me that a definition of management is getting things done through people. I try to practice that every day. We are all dependent on each other for success and I think a good leader needs good people skills to help his team succeed – it’s a daily challenge, but one that must be met.

Patience - JPL finds itself in a difficult situation with many people, including myself, trying to learn a new job, adjusting to a new location or both. If you believe in your people—and I do—you need patience to allow them to adapt to the situation, as well as encouraging them to try new things and build up their comfort level as they do.

Positive Attitude - I like to think of myself as a problem solver, so I think it is important to listen well to others to better understand problem issues or challenges and then do my best to work collaboratively to try and come up with the solutions. I find that’s one of the best ways to build a team, especially if they feel like someone is listening to them and that they’re making a contribution by being part of the solution.

How does your experience in this library system help you as a region manager? I have had a great, well rounded experience here at JPL, having worked at Main (Special Collections) as well as in both large (SE) and small (NW) branches. I have also done a fair bit of committee work and special assignments as well, which brought me into contact with other departments (Facilities, CR&M, Finance, and Training). I know a lot of people and like the people I know, and I think that’s important when you need help or you need to help them.

What are a couple of the biggest challenges you face as a region manager? I think the biggest challenge is to adapt to the re-organization and the situation the Library was forced into with the recent budget cuts. Right now we are all struggling to adapt, learn new jobs, and work with new people in new locations. Many of us, including me, are uncomfortable but one of the true strengths of this organization, I believe, is that we generally like the people with whom we work and I think that will help us get through this. (At Staff Development Day, I always enjoy watching staff greeting their former workmates – it’s always positive.)

Another challenge is, given our situation, how do we define success and what should we be doing to make that happen? Even though many of us feel out of place, this gives us an excellent opportunity to try something new, offer our ideas or thoughts, or look at a situation a little bit differently. What do we have to lose?

What is your funniest experience with a customer? Sorry, can’t think of a situation off the top of my head.

Who is the person you respect most in history, professionally or personally? I have two that come to mind: Robert E. Lee, not because of the cause or the government that he served, but because of his skills as a leader. He fought well and creatively with the resources that he had, besting opponents twice his size. His men revered him because he was humble in victory and took responsibility for setbacks. He often sketched out what he wanted his commanders to do, but gave them much independence on how that was to be accomplished. At Appomattox, his ragged defeated army was saluted by his foes--the ultimate sign of respect.

The other person is tennis player Arthur Ashe. I grew up playing tennis every summer in Connecticut and had a chance to watch Ashe play at the U.S. Open. He amazed all of us by overruling an umpire’s call that had gone in his favor insisting on giving his opponent the point (he did this several times). That was the sort of tennis player that I wanted to be, one that played hard, but won well and lost well, content that I had done my best.

Jane Harris, West Region Manager (AYL, DU, WST, MAX):

What is entailed in managing a group of libraries? Good communication is very important. Also, I am working on being better organized. I am keeping lists upon lists.

You’ve been with JPL for many years. How does your experience in this library system—or elsewhere—help you as a region manager? My experiences have been a big help in answering questions from new managers. Most of the questions deal with issues that I have previously encountered.

What are a couple of the biggest challenges you face as a region manager?  Making sure the branches in the region are adequately staffed and making sure they are consistent in library procedures.

What is your funniest experience with a customer? I have had funny ones, but I don’t tend to remember them as much. I have had some memorable moments when customers thanked me. One of the most memorable moments was with a young elementary school student. It had been a busy day and I spent a lot of time helping her with a school assignment. A week or so after the encounter, she came back into the library to show me her paper. She had gotten an A+. She thanked me for my help. Her mother said she asked to come to the library so she could thank me. It was definitely one of those moments that make you glad you became a librarian.

Who is the person you respect most—in history, professionally, or personally—and why?  I would have to say my Mother. She always made the best of any situation. She had a high moral standard and did her best to instill that standard into her children. She quietly went through life helping others when she could. I once heard a relative say they never heard my mother raise her voice and after thinking about it, I had to agree.

More On AR's 40th Anniversary

Mia Brack, AR's Children’s Librarian, gave this glimpse of the library's 40th anniversary celebration:  "On January 30, Regency Square Branch celebrated 40 years with a fantastic birthday party. Council Members Clay Yarborough and John Crescimbeni presented the library with an official resolution recognizing our 40th anniversary.  We heard memories from former staff members such as Mabel Carnahan, who managed the branch for 25 years, and Deputy Director Carolyn Williams, who also once managed AR.  Deputy Director Mark Merritt served cake and Assistant Director for Branch Services Julie McNeil ladled punch. After cake and punch, Pixie the Clown entertained the children and taught them how to make balloon animals. Overall, it was a lovely event and a perfect opportunity for customers and staff to celebrate 40 great years of community together."

SE Honors Greenfield Elementary Students

On January 26, 2013, SE Regional Library Children’s Department hosted an open house for Greenfield Elementary School students and parents. Activities included library card registrations, a tour of the library collection, catalog instruction sessions, and staff presented a special story time. A particular goal of the afternoon event was to recognize the art students of Greenfield Elementary who did a special art project last spring. They studied the art of Georgia O’keeffe and painted pictures inspired by her style. The students each donated an art work and all were exhibited and sold at a special art show at the school. The money they raised was donated to Southeast to purchase new art books for their children’s collection.  Some of the books were on display.

Thirty five parents and students attended. Rhanda Hardee, Greenfield Elementary's Library Media Specialist, worked with SE's Librarian Senior Anita Haller and other staffs all afternoon to register parents, facilitate their visit, and take pictures.  Carisia Rooney, Children’s Librarian, and Karen Hardin, YA Librarian, presented the storytime and catalog instruction sessions.

Trustee King Sees Value in EB Program

Marshelle Berry, CW Region Manager, shares this news:  "On Wednesday, January 30^th, Library Trustee Ronnie King (left above), visited the Brown Eastside Branch Library.  Library Associate Tony Williams provided a tour and some background information about the Job Lab.   During the visit, a young lady who was using the Job Lab explained how much she personally benefits from this resource.  She stated that Juan Thomas and Tony Williams are always so willing to answer her many questions.  She also shared words of appreciation for Joshua Wise who took the time to practice a mock interview with her.  Because of the Job Lab, this library customer feels confident that she will ace her next interview and get the job for which she applied."