Teens Rock & Roll With CM Joyce Morgan

                        Teens were pleased to be photographed with CM Morgan.

Council Member Joyce Morgan enthusiastically joined UPK's Rock of the Ages-The 1960's event, June 19, 2018, and Branch Manager Tamera Branam wrote a prompt thank-you to her for her participation.  CM Morgan talked about what she does on the Council and asked if any of the teens would be interested in politics. She invited them to attend City Council meetings and to volunteer to be a page at City Council meetings and/or Town Hall meetings. Several signed up.                   

 Above right are (L/R) Tamera, CM Morgan, and Teen Library Associate Mina Figuerrez, who conducted the porgram.  In the pic centered above you can see the teens really enjoyed the program.  (Thanks to Tamera for the article and pics.)

Willowbranch Reopens For A Happy Crowd, 11/14/15

After being closed for over a year for much needed, many faceted renovation, Willowbranch Library reopened Saturday, November 14, 2015, to exuberant customers waiting to revisit a favorite hub. Boys and girls quickly found their points of interest, whether it was a book, face painting, or hobnobbing with  Board Trustee Sybil Ansbacher (first pic below).   

Region Manager Marshelle Berry welcomed everyone and introduced local author and historian, Wayne Wood. He told how the land where WB is was formerly a plantation and City Council overruled a mayor to purchase the property.  Much later, the oldest still-open branch in the system, the Mediterranean Revival-style library, opened November 17, 1930.

Council Member Jim Love read a Resolution from City Council; Director Barbara Gubbin spoke and told the crowd of about 300 that the father of a former Library Board member, Meridith Tousey, had done the building's stonework.  Board Trustee Sybil Ansbacher and Freinds of WB President Roxanne Henkle also welcomed everyone.

To view the opening ceremony, you can view three separate videos of the event on JPL's You Tube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYlvFMy-PMs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqLhjKmJ83A&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bECWmxPt70s&feature=youtu.be

Thanks to the senior administrative team and other employees who helped make this a memorable time for all the customers.

JPL appreciates Roxanne Henkle and the Friends of Willowbranch for planning this very successful event.

And The Winners Are

Main YS Librarian III Laura Minor reports, "The winners of JPL's 2015 Teen Summer Short Story Contest were honored at a reception at the Main Library on October 7. Each year, the Library hosts a summer short story contest for teens, ages 12-18. In addition to submitting a short story based on an assigned theme, teens volunteered a minimum of 10 hours at their local library. This year, 92 teens participated in the program. A panel of judges selected four winners.

"(L/R above): Abel Thomas, Edmund Ahiahonu, Councilman Tommy Hazouri, Camila Sanchez, Vivianne Wagner

"12-14 year old

·        1st prize ($100): Vivianne Wagner, Stanton College Preparatory School

·        2nd prize ($50): Abel Thomas, James Weldon Johnson College Preparatory Middle School

"15-18 year old

·        1st prize ($100): Camila Sanchez, Paxon School for Advanced Studies

·        2nd prize ($50): Edmund Ahiahonu, Stanton College Preparatory School"

CM Jim Love Visits Argyle & Lauds Staff & Programs

 Argyle Branch Manager Janet Ducat and her employees enjoyed a visit from Council Member Jim Love, August 1.  Janet gives a review of his visit, "CM Love observed our Story Time this morning and was very impressed.  He said Melanie Terrell was a fabulous teacher.   We then took a tour of the Library and I introduced him to the staff with an explanation of what tasks they completed.  CM Love complemented Becky Bellottie when she admitted to being the tightwad of supply clerks. He talked to Kim Kirkland about teens and volunteers and was very interested in the Short Story Contest and the volunteer requirements to participate.   As luck would have it Yuri Jewitt was working and meeting one-on-one with an older gentlemen.  I introduced CM Love to Yuri who introduced her student.  The gentleman went on and on about how much he was learning and how his children and grandchildren had told him he had to learn how to use a computer.  It could not have been better if we had staged the whole thing.  CM Love was unaware of the e-specialist services.  During the tour of the public area he introduced himself to customers  and one woman told him she was looking for a job on the computer.  How great was that!  During the tour of the workroom CM Love commented that he had no idea all the different tasks it took to keep the library running.  I commented that it was fabulous teamwork that kept services available with a much reduced staff." 

    (Kim Kirkland with Council Member Love below.)
 

"I see CM Love every month at the Argyle Civic Association Meeting and know him to be a great friend of JPL.  Through Argyle Civic I was able to offer our Community Room for public hearings on a proposed use of a piece of property on Collins Road.  The public outcry over a Family Dollar Store going in there caused the owner of the property to change his plans.  As I walked CM Love to his car, he said he had no idea of all the things that were going on in the library.  Jane Harris was here and we agreed that it was a very successful visit.  He said he had learned a lot and thanked me.  I, of course, thanked him for his interest and time and invited him to return to Argyle."

San Marco Branch Hosts CM Lori Boyer

The San Marco Branch Library was pleased to welcome Council Member Lori Boyer (standing in picture below) and Library Board Trustee Marc Hardesty to the Stories for Young Children program, May 28. Council Member Boyer read The Birthday Box to the children.  On the right, is pictured (L/R) Library Associate Sigrid Wellhausen, Council Member Boyer and Trustee Hardesty after the program.  Thanks to Librarian Kristi Dorney, who sent in the pictures and blurb.

What About Bow Ties?

Terry Welch said, "City Council President Bill Gulliford couldn't make it to Comic Con, but we caught up with him at the latest meeting of Beaches Watch, which is held at the Beaches Branch Library. Here he is posing with a Doctor Who inspired sign created by talented part-time Library Associate Julie Rekow.  Mr. Gulliford is a big supporter of the library and bow ties." 

Whole Lot Going On At SOM

                                                                  
CM Matt Schellenberg again visited South Mandarin Branch Library, April 11, and spoke about the importance of libraries and reading to the community. Branch Manager Keli Likins reported approximately 70 attended the ceremony, including some of the Friends of SOM (L/R): Jeanne, Jud, George and Sue. To their left are Keli and CM Schellenberg. 

Keli said, "In addition to thanking the Friends and unveiling the new items they purchased for us, we celebrated our volunteers since it was National Volunteer Appreciation Week." Pictured below are a couple of kids sitting on a rug SOM Friends purchased and enjoying the new activity cube they also bought for the children's department.

 

UPK Hosts CM Crescimbeni

Council Member John Crescimbeni is pictured with Michelle Myers, Community Education Specialist at the Jacksonville Zoo & Community Gardens, and Mary Calcagni, Children’s Librarian at UPK.  CM and Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library Vice-President Crescimbeni was rewarded for his tireless and effective efforts on behalf of JPL by an invitation to Zoo Story Time at University Park Branch Library, March 13. The program was conducted by Ms. Myers and CM Crescimbeni was amazed that 83 children and parents turned out to visit with a rainbow boa snake, a rabbit, a baby alligator, a bearded dragon lizard and a baby possum. After the event, Branch Manager Theresa Rooney gave CM Crescimbeni a tour of the branch and building, including the Computer Classroom, which fortuitously had a computer class being conducted by e-Specialist Randy Mapanoo, the BOB area and SST offices where he met some of the staff who work behind the scenes.

 

Pictured right in her pink jacket is Ms. Rooney's granddaughter, Rivers Matchett, who was fascinated by the array of wild life at Zoo Story Time; to her right is her mother, Emily Matchett.

Southeast's Bookie Monster

SE Senior Children's Librarian Anita Haller gives us this coverage of their fun Saturday, April 20, event:

"JPL's Director Barbara Gubbin announced the winner of the “Name the Auto Return” contest that was recently held at the Southeast Regional Library. The winning name was “Bookie Monster” and was submitted by the mother/son team, Rachel and Jay Bennett. The Bennett family won a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble Bookstore. The contest, run by the Children’s Department, had 60 names entered. The auto return machine checks in the books of library patrons, automatically sorts them into bins, and then issues a receipt.*

"The contest winner was announced during the weekly Saturday morning Stories for Young Children program. City Council Member Bill Gulliford was present to read to 73 children and parents. This program is run every Saturday morning at SE at 11 am and is very popular with families."

  As you see, CM Gulliford and Anita also led some audience participation activity.  
_________________________
*Do you know where we can get a similar machine for home that would open our mail, sort it, then open our checkbooks and pay our bills???

SOM Hosts CM Schellenberg

SOM's Senior Children’s Librarian Anita Haller welcomed Councilman Matt Schellenberg to the library, April 5.  The councilman read two stories, Wide Mouth Frog and What Am I?  As you see, CM Schellenberg's story telling transformed fidgety kids into rapt listeners and he held the attention of parents, caregivers, and staff.  The summary remark about his visit:  "What a treat!"

Have you scheduled a City Council member or other legislator at your branch this year?  IT'S FUN and it keeps their attention on JPL and our value to our community.