275 Turn Out For Turn It Up At PCR

PCR hosted Turn it Up Thursday, April 19, 2018, featuring performan-ces by Jax Youth Poetry Slam performers in celebration of National Poetry Month (pic above).  The event also provided space for a good mix of visibility tables, including Donate Life, Educational Homestay, Danielskids, and Jax Can - Fight the Blight (COJ).  Florida Blue hosted Bingo games in the conference room and the JPL Foundation had a table in the lobby with Dr. Jamie Self offering popcorn and information about Friends memberships and High 5 Reading.

PCR Manager Jackie Spiritis said, "We were pleased to have 275 customers move through the activities in the building during the two-hour time span and there was an audible appreciation for the lively, family friendly event. The Donate Life representatives (left) even read an impromptu poem about organ donorship which was not part of the original show! Donate Life and the Jax Youth Poetry Slam group made plans to work together for future events as a result of the connection made at Pablo Creek that day. 

"The Educational Homestay rep signed up to become an Organ Donor and two customers signed up to host international students. Mustard seed plants grown by the Fight the Blight crew went home with some 'budding' gardeners. In this way, the library continues to bring people and organizations together in unexpected ways.

"As always, our vital staff involvement included their setting up a putt putt course in the Community room to give people of all ages an opportunity to play mini-golf. JPL’s E-specialist set up a Spheros Robot course in the Teen Room (above right) to the delight of all ages."

                         Employees made a putt putt golf course.

SS Hosts DCPS Art Reception

San Marco Branch held an art reception honoring DCPS young artists, April 19, 2018. There was an award ceremony in the Balis Center where the students received certificates of appreciation for their hard work and artistic abilities. There were two guest speakers, Library Director Tim Rogers, and the Director of Art for DCPS, Jeffrey Smith. Over 70 people attended the award ceremony and reception that followed and guests were treated with music and refreshments. The event was coordinated by San Marco Branch Manager Lilia Simonton and Robin West Rogers. Photos were taken by Anthony Baltiero.

WBK Hosts Special Needs School Student Art

Twenty teachers, parents, and library customers celebrated a partnership between Westbrook Branch Library and Palm Avenue Exceptional Student Center at an art opening, April 17, 2018. Palm Avenue is a neighborhood special needs school. Art Teacher Beverly Castro displayed her students’ work throughout the library, including photographs, mixed media, paintings, and fabric work.  

HAVE A TREAT: VISIT WESTBROOK BRANCH.  The artwork will be displayed through the end of April. 

Pictured above with a student's free standing piece of art are WBK Manager Scott Adams with Frankie Schroer, PAESC Teacher, and Beverly Castro, PAESC Art Teacher. 

Kudos From Customers - April 2018

Highlands Branch:  (Staff's name not given): The staff was very patient and polite. I obtained cards and bags for my three school age daughters. The staff member advised the girls of all the policies with me.  It made them feel a sense of responsibility and ownership. It was a great experience for my family. Thank You, Jacksonville Library system.

Main Library & Collection Development:  (Erica Brown, Main; Charlene Adkins & Jill Hale, Collection Development): I just wanted to thank those who order the books. I had suggested a purchase of a book I could not afford to purchase for my son anytime soon. I received an email back promptly and then within a week it was on the website to place on hold showing they were ordering it. It really means a lot that ya'll are willing to help me keep my 12 year old reading! Thanks again! 

San Marco Branch:  (Lilia Simonton, Sandy Ostroski, Davi Harmon, Anthony Baltiero, Robin Rogers, Selena Mann, Anthony Villareal, Juanita Searles, Marilyn Maron, Selena Mann, & Montae Latham): I needed special care on multiple visits. I didn't ask but each librarian insisted on taking care of me personally and assuring me I understood the process. Very well done.

Southeast Branch: (Carisia Rooney, Mia Clark, Sally Doherty, Alfreda Whitfield, Crystal Khadkahodie, Kim Smith, Kate Zakharov, Debra Wainwright, Hunter Alley, Gina Scott, Erika Knapp, Raquel Soto, Carol Bunker, Mia Brack, Shaina Ford, Anna Brown, Ysabella Banta, Pat Klingler, Andrea Markle, Linda Bryan, Abby McGeathy, Mary Smith, Debbie Gossman, Shirley Lui, & John Manahan): I would also like to let you know what a joy it was to find that your library is just what a patron loves. Quiet, knowledgeable staff, a large number of all types of reading materials and up to date technology. A really bright spot in Jacksonville! We’ve only moved South three months ago. 

DU Anime Afternoon

Highlands Regional Library held its second Anime Afternoon, April 14, 2018.  Beginning with a game of rock, paper, and scissors youth discussed the difference between U.S. typical school lunchtimes and how Japanese lunches are conducted.  (Did you know very few people take their lunch to school in Japan and they aren’t allowed to eat sweets and junk food with their lunch? Imagine that!)  Teens also took a food quiz to see how much they knew about various Japanese dishes.  Then Danielle Christensen, one of our P/T Associates, did a chibi art tutorial for the teens.  This was followed with making candy sushi while watching Dragon Ball Super.  Beverly Mason said, "We had a total of 15 for this program."

DU Holds 2nd Prep For College & Career Fair

The Highlands Regional Library held two workshops preparing teens for the 2018 College and Career Fair coming up at Main, April 28.  Beverly Mason said, "The second program 'Prepare Yourself for Job Success' was facilitated by Children Enriched with Opportunities, April 14.  The organization enlisted help from volunteers in the community.  Teens went to different stations discussing how to research their future, how to give a proper handshake and introduction, and how to dress for success.  At the close, they also had a chance to experience a mock interview.  Five teens attended this event with a total of 13 people involved. 

SOM's Customer Appreciation Day

SOM celebrated Customer Appreciation Day, April 18, 2018, with an evening full of fun for the whole family.  P/T Associate   Jim Olczak said, "Miss Victoria Locklin, an excellent local student violinist, dazzled us with several classical renditions.  

"P/T Shelver Sarah Miller (below) doubles as a glitter tattoo artist and shared her gift with all who desired to get 'glittered.'  

"The marquee performer was magician James Donaldson from 'A Sleight Touch of Magic' and he captivated the audience with several tricks.  

"P/T Associate Carissa Charest (below) brought her crocheting talents to the act with a 'Crocheting 101' session for beginners.

"There was plenty of chocolate and popcorn--a small show of appreciation to our customers who attended and those who participated."  

DU Shows Appreciation For Wonderful Volunteers

DU's Beverly Mason brags on their volunteers, "Highlands staff showed our appreciation with a party for our five teen volunteers, April 18, 2018.  Two of them were available to attend.  All of the volunteers are receiving a certificate of appreciation.  Three of the five volunteers have completed over 100 hours!  Two of those three are pictured, L/R: Naarah Black-Smith and Nico Delgado; Joshua Long is the third.  For those three we also put together a goody bag of chips, a cup of candy, cookies, pens, flash drives, and, of course, books.  After discussing the accomplishments of our volunteers, we enjoyed chicken, nachos, pepperoni, crackers, fruit, and donuts.

"Kennedi Ray and Taina Garcia are the other volunteers and we are grateful for all of their efforts to help us make Highlands Branch Library the best it can be."

DCPS Art Reception At Main Library

All DCPS elementary schools are represented in the 110 pieces of art currently displayed at the Main Library. To celebrate these young artists, families, teachers, and friends attended the DCPS Art Show reception, April 14, 2018.  Beautiful warm weather allowed everyone to enjoy the atrium on Main's 2nd floor.  Student art on display on the 2^nd and 3^rd floors represented the Best in Show winners from each elementary school. Children’s staff made exhibiting artist lanyards for each award winning artist to wear.  Kelli Heath, Joyce Truett, and Joanna Nigrelli hosted the refreshment table and passed out goodies to 127 attendees. Several of the artists also took home ComiCon flyers and comic book page contest entry forms. Teen volunteers Austin and Phong helped set up and take down at the event.  

Come see what the future holds in the art world; some paintings show great promise and all are worth the trip.  The exhibit is up through April 24, 2018.

FSCJ Student Reads At Main

Main Children’s had a special guest reader, Ms. Vickie Witherspoon, April 11, 2018.  She and her classmates worked on publishing a picture book for their Capstone Project in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in Converged Communication at Florida State College at Jacksonville. They took on the task of writing, marketing and publishing a children’s book.  As part of the marketing venture, their story needed to be read to a group of children. Ms. Witherspoon represented her classmates reading her story, Oxi Finds His Purpose, a "why"- pourquoi tale - to 23 attendees following Main Children’s weekly Art Creation class.

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY, APRIL 12, 2018

On PBS, April 11, 2018, a program aired honoring the Holocaust of WWII, its Jewish survivors and the 6 million others killed by the Nazis.  Of course, thousands of emaciated bodies left in open graves were found by American and other Allied soldiers as they advanced across Europe.  (The Germans had contests to see which death camp could kill the most Jews in the last days before they were invaded and knew their time of dominance was short.)  Those open graves didn't include the Jews who were killed in the bestial ovens--all because one man thought he was better than another race and taught and led a nation to hate.

After the Battle of the Bulge, fought from December 6, 1944-January 25, 1945  (VE Day was May 8, 1945), a rabbi held a Jewish service in which he honored all the war dead.  Other services were held for the Catholic and one for the protestant dead.  (Some 610,000 Americans fought in the battle that racked up 89,000 casualties, including 19,000 killed--the largest and most deadly battle of  WWII.  The rabbi admonished everyone to remember why the war was fought and that all the men in those graves had the same red blood; no race was better than another and that we all have a lot in common.  Elsewhere, another rabbi said, as he and other soldiers peered into the open graves at a death camp, that some might not know what we fought the war for, but that sight certainly represented what we fought against.  Those dead Jews, naked, skin and bones, stacked on top of one another, literally thrown in mammoth graves as a piece of trash should bring to remembrance what the ultimate state of man is when he is deceived and greedy to take another's right to exist as a human being because he thinks he is superior to another human being.

The Germans took captive 300 American Jews among the thousands of service men at the Battle of the Bulge.  Jews were separated from other races and taken to the Nazi death camps; only 63 survived until the Allied Forces set them free.  One company of Allied Forces captured by the Nazis included some Jews and their commander, who was not a Jew, was ordered to point out which of them were Jews and the commander said they were all Jews whereupon the Nazi Col. put a Luger in his face and demanded to know.  The answer was, "You can kill me but you only have a few days and the Allies will be here and you will be charged with war crimes."  The Nazi strode off and left them alone.  Oh, to love a fellow human like that and not hate.

Alex Bishop: Job Well Done!

Alex Bishop received the Job Well Done Award, April 12, 2018, as nominator Stefa Witt credited her as an "excellent representation of a staff member who supports core values of JPL. She has a great attitude and is willing to tackle any challenge thrown her way.  Alex  brings creative programming ideas to Main's Teen Department  with her Teen Podcast Series which she collaborated on with a fellow coworker.  This program allows teens to try something new using teamwork, technology, and experimentation with sound and self-expression.

"Alex has also been instrumental in the recent partnership formed between MOCA and the Teen Department. Her initiative to reach out to the community and encourage collaboration between local organizations and the library has made her a major asset to our team.

"I appreciate Alex’s hard work and forward-thinking efforts to provide teens with a positive and exciting library experience. She is a pleasure to work with and I am glad to have her on my team."                       

KR HAS SPIRIT

The Mandarin Library has SPIRIT!  The branch employees celebrated the third day of National Library Week, April 11, 2018, by wearing their Scrabble letters spelling it out. Circulation clerk Caitlin Ruvolo, who sent in this collage and blurb, got the idea of Scrabble from the weekly gathering of players that meet at the branch.

Pictured first above, L/R, are Mark Hohnadel, David Foster, Kelsey Groth, Diane Lewis, Margo Crafton, Robert Mosley, Caitlin Ruvolo, and Donna Peretzman. Second row: Margo, David, and Jessica Bayne.  Third pic down: Jessica, Patty Henderson, Shukti Banerjee, Robert, Caitlin, and Tammy Hilbert. 

It's Antsy At SE

Carol Bunker, SE's YS Librarian II, said, "The 'ant'-icipation is over at Southeast Library because our ant farms have arrived for the Observation Station! Children and parents can observe the ants creating their home throughout the blue gel. As a bonus, the ant farm has grass seed in the top so the children can observe root and plant growth. These guys will stay in our Observation Station for the next month and a half before our next animal guest comes swimming into Southeast.

"As you see, in the lower half of the display is an invitation, 'Lift the cover and see what you discover.'  A few of these doors open to: A 

little joke: Q: Why was the baby ant confused? A: Because all of his uncles were ants! Q: How much can an ant lift? A: An ant can lift approximately 20 times its own body weight. This means if a second grader was as strong as an ant, he/she would be able to pick up a car! Q: How many species of ants are there in the world? A: More than 12,000. To find out more interesting facts about ants, come to Southeast and interact with our Observation Station.

"A BIG thank you to Kimberly Smith for helping create our beautiful backdrop for our ant farm."

Singers By The Sea At JB

"As part of JPL50 pro-gramming, the Beaches Branch Library welcomed Singers by the Sea, a senior volunteer choir from Ponte Vedra, April 6, 2018, in JB's Community Room.  The audience enjoyed a variety of musical selections as director Becky Schumann led her group of singers, accompanied by musicians on piano, guitar, cello, harmonica and even bongo drums.  The audience was invited to join in on the Beatles’ hit 'When I’m Sixty-Four' and the program finale 'This Land Is Your Land.' We plan to invite the group back for future concerts," Gail Blumberg said.

CW: Going "Go365"

In the spirit of Go365, Webb Regional Library staff meet 10 minutes before starting work and walk through the stacks.   Janice Adams brags, "We get in about 1000 steps; then we're energized and ready to start the day." (Thanks to Janice for input and Sandra Fahy for the photo.)

(Staring w/the ballet shoes at lower right, going clockwise, employees are: Jessica Serrano, Sandra Fahy, Bobbi Knight, Janice Adams, Kimberly Kirkland, Brenda Johnson and Noah Thomas.)

How about you--are you Going 365?

Abby McGeathy : Job Well Done & CONGRATS ON YOUR MLIS

SE's Abby McGeathy (pictured left) received a Job Well Done Award from Sally Doherty, April 4, 2018, and she was doubly honored with a book bundle gift from ALA for completing her MLIS program at F.S.U. in December 2017.

Sally Doherty, who nominated Abby for the JWD Award, credits her with team work excellence: "I was scheduled to work a health fair and discovered that CR&M did not have any fliers promoting JPL’s health and medicine online databases.  I copied and pasted the databases that were under the category 'Health and Medicine' from our website and put them on a Word document and asked Abby if she could come up with a flier.  We were in a time crunch because the health fair was the next day.  Abby created a wonderful flier, had it approved by CR&M, and WOLA! We were ready for the health fair."

203 Celebrate DCPS Art At PCR

Pablo Creek Library saw 203 proud parents, young artists, and art teachers at their art reception, April 4, 2018.  The purpose was to celebrate Duval County Public School's Spring Art Show held there annually.  This year seven neighborhood elementary schools exhibited student art: Abess Park, Alimacani, Chets Creek, Hogan Spring Glen, Kernan Trail, Sabal Palm and Waterleaf. 

Here the Kernan Trail Elementary School principal takes pictures of the art work by her school students.  Staff enjoyed hearing such comments as: “Did you see the fish on the top? That's my daughter’s work.” “Look at that rabbit. My daughter drew that. It has a little taste of Vincent van Gogh.” “That is my work. I am …”

The library had two crafts, games and snacks for the party.  Pictured above is Chets Creek art teacher showing students how to make paper bag roses.  The event is an excellent example of the benefits of the library partnership with the school system.

Parents didn't let the kids have all the fun; they joined in helping them make the paper bag roses.

Eggs-travaganza At Argyle

Argyle Branch’s Easter Egg Hunt, March 31, 2018, welcomed 99 kids, tweens, teens, and caregivers.  Tonja Ferrell reports, "Initiated and hosted by AYL's Teen Advisory Board, the event supported the City's goals and JPL’s Goal #2 of its Strategic Plan: Youth Educational Success.  It provided an opportunity for AYL teens to develop leadership and life skills in that they planned the craft, hid the eggs, then oversaw the egg hunt for school aged children.  The activity also supported JPL's Goal #3 of the Strategic Plan by creating more opportunities for people to gather by maximizing functional library spaces. The basket making craft was completed in the children’s area. The egg hunt was managed by dividing

children 5 and below and  children 6 and up into two groups that searched for eggs in either the teen area or in the adult stacks. We found that many participants had not attended any of our previous programs and all gave positive feedback as they left. 

"The egg hunt was supported and implemented with donations and assistance from our branch employees and our Regional Manager Lynne Baldwin. We emphasized a team spirit, which contributed to a successful event that everyone enjoyed."

Unique Way To Invite Customers

"Staff at the Beaches Branch spied the Easter Bunny in our parking lot gearing up for a motorcycle escort to 'Easter in the Park' at Jarboe Park (located a few blocks from JB), Saturday before Easter. While this was a photo op, not an outreach, before opening this morning, I did invite the Easter Bunny back for a visit later today, as well as all of her escorts, " said Theresa Rooney, JB Branch Manager.  WAY TO GO, THERESA!