A 7.8 On The Ricthter At EB

A recent school-age program "blew the roof off" at EB. Children were excited to learn how volcanoes form and why they erupt. Brown Eastside's Michelle Dubois, assisted by Karen Lewis, were surprised to see kids so eager to make their own volcanoes and learn how a volcano builds up to an eruption. Michelle concluded the program with a live example of a volcanic eruption.  Click on pics for larger view. (Thanks to Sharon Whitt for sharing the news.)

Thoughts

Leo Calvin Rosten (1908-1997) was an American author and humorist in the fields of script writing, story writing, journalism and Yiddish lexicography.  He  had a rare talent of saying a book full in a few words, which many call truisms, such as: "In some way, however small and secret, each of us is a little mad...everyone is lonely at the bottom and cries to be understood.  But we can never entirely understand some else, and each of us remains part stranger even to those who love us...it is the weak who are cruel; gentleness is to be expected only from the strong...you can understand people better if you look at them--no matter how old or impressive they may be--as if they are children.  For most of us never mature; we simply grow taller...the purpose in life is to matter--to count, to have it make some difference that we lived at all."

New E-Classroom At DU Gets 'Try Out'

Highlands Branch used their new E-classroom computers, April 16, when teens used Makey Makey kits to build banana pianos and carrot pianos; Hongying Song, YS Librarian II, conducted the hands on program. Teens read the instructions, connected the kits to computers, found a virtual piano program and connected the bananas/carrots with the kits. Hongying says, "The three boys and two girls had lots of fun."

Hongying plans another teen program in the new E-classroom in May when she will introduce Gale's Testing and Education Reference Center database.  

DU's new smart board has not yet been employed; however, future programs will include it. 

MRS. BALDWIN CELEBRATES 99 YEARS!

Mandarin Library employees Frances Wickes and Diane Lewis surprised retired librarian and longtime JPL supporter Eleanor Baldwin with a beautiful arrangement of hydrangeas just in time for Mrs. Baldwin’s 99^th birthday on April 24.  Mrs. Baldwin is the mother of Mandarin Branch Manager Lynne Baldwin.   

ALL OF US AT JPL WISH MRS. ELEANOR BALDWIN A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY!

SST's Owly Award To Raisa Grigoryeva

Assistant Director for Support Services Gretchen Mitchell proudly announces,  "Congratulations to Raisa Grigoryeva as our latest recipient of the SST Owly award.  Raisa was given the award by Trisha Larrabee.  Trisha noted that Raisa enabled her to act by helping Trisha while she was learning to process new materials."

All of us add our cheers for you, Raisa.

Volunteers Honored At KR

In honor of National Volunteer Month, Mandarin Volunteer Coordinator Stacey Van Hoy surprised her volunteer staff with colorful gift bags filled with special treats.  Each volunteer also received a large plastic drink bottle made especially for volunteers.  Volunteer Holly Cleveland is shown with her gift bag.  Holly volunteers each Tuesday afternoon in the children’s department. 

Thanks to KR Manager Lynne Baldwin for the article and picture.

Kudos From Customers

Main - Popular: Both Kathy Tekin and Ryan Fix were very courteous, understanding, and helpful to me in getting some information via computer today because I am not a computer user nor do I know how to use the various screens, categories, etc. to achieve whatever I need to do on a computer to the end results. Ryan actually took his personal time to assist me with some very important data I need now. Great job...

 

Mandarin Branch: Thank you very much for Mr. David Foster and Ms. Alison Pulley in the Children's section. …They are kind and patient in speaking with my son…and are always ready to provide suggestions with the books and also with the CD and audio materials online. Thank you very much for employing such wonderful people in this area.

South Mandarin Branch: Overall, South Mandarin Branch and staff are A+.

Southeast Branch: Kate Holmes provided outstanding customer service.

West Regional Branch: For many years, as a student, I have been a member of the library. …I volunteered and worked over 80 hours of volunteer service at this library. The staff, especially Mr. G (Greg Pierce, former volunteer coordinator at WST, promoted and now at PCR) was always great to me and my family…

Displays Liven Up Southeast Branch

SE's Deborah Wainwright said, "For Women’s History Month, I did a display that included a multiple choice test and I made a gift bag for the winner (right). We had eight customers who took the test and we had a drawing for the winner of the JPL gift bag, which was filled with: a Lap desk, magnifying book mark, book light, stationary, a journal, Anne Geddes magnetic shopping list, serenity bookmark, 3-D sea turtle bookmark, and dragonfly page mark clip."

CLICK ON PICS TO SEE LARGER VERSIONS.

Thanks to these employees who did other displays:

Sally Doherty  - Humor Month

Brenda Javiar - Poetry Month

Deborah Wainwright - Frog Month, Great Decisions, National Library Week and Aquarian

Tiara Nelson - Women’s History 

Still Flowing Strong: River May/St. Johns River & Its People

Lyn Corley worked eleven years towards getting the painting of French Captain Jean Ribault's landing at La Caroline at the mouth of the River May on May 1, 1562, moved to Main's Special Collections.  La Caroline, now Ft. Caroline, is part of Jacksonville, and River May as Ribault named it, is the St. Johns.  By chance, Lyn discovered the painting in a local middle school. The original painting by Lee Adams was 38 1/2 feet; now it was 31x8 feet and in poor condition. (It originally hung in the Ribault Room dining room in Sears' then downtown store and chunks of it were lost when it was removed.)  Lyn recognized its important historical value and wanted the mural restored and placed in a public place for all to see.  Much convincing and fund raising was done to get the painting restored but that was completed in 2000. Then Lyn pursued approval from the City/JPL to move the painting to Main's Special Collections. Once that was accomplished, the logistics of safely transporting the painting through downtown had to be resolved and, again, funds had to be raised to move the painting to its destination. (Here's some interesting information: 
http://jaxpubliclibrary.org/ribault/)

On May 1, 2012, a lovely reception was held on the 4th floor of the Main Library to celebrate the "Ribault's Landing" mural placement in Special Collections and was part of Jacksonville's Sesquiquardricentennial (1562 - 2012) celebration.  On May 3, JPL received a preservation award from the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission in the Hicks Auditorium.

Lyn still pursues preserving local history and has donated a copy of her detailed records, Conversations from Mayport, to Main's Special Collections and a copy is in the Florida Historical Society archives.  She will soon be formally awarded for her work by the Florida Historical Society, May 22, 2015, in St. Augustine.  Additionally, The City of Jacksonville Historical Preservation Award will be presented to her on May 7 at 6:00 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium.

Thank you, Lyn Corley, for all your endeavors, which are much more than mentioned here, to preserve our history and better our community.

Please Note: The Florida-Times Union's Shorelines featured Lyn Corley in an article, April 11, and we thank the FTU for sharing the accompanying picture with us.

Main Children's Own One Spark

Main Library Children’s Department offered their own One Spark Children’s program, Super Creators in Training,  in which they kicked off with a Superhero Storytime.  Afterwards, staff offered stations in which kids could have super fun.  Children got to become their own “Who was that masked kid?” with Mask Making.  They could also try out their web crawling with our Spiderman Obstacle Course/Maze.

Building a tall building to leap over in a single bound was
also offered in the form of Legos and blocks. Lastly, children could show outwardly their own inner hero with super reading themed props with our Super cityscape.   One Spark creator, Hero Me, joined us as well.  (Pam Branon gears up with coffee for super strength every Superwoman needs.)

Thanks to Eve Harm for the pics and article.

KR Hosts New Citizens

Attached are photos of the Naturalization Ceremony on Thursday, April 16 at the Mandarin Branch Library. 

Mandarin Branch Manager Lynne Baldwin, is pleased to say, "The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service hosted a Naturalization Ceremony at Mandarin Branch Library on Tuesday, April 16, as a part of National Library Week.  It was standing room only as 30 immigrants from 24 different countries were sworn in as United States citizens.  The honored speakers were Library Board Trustee Ronnie King, Assistant Director for
Public Service Julie McNeil and City Councilman Matt Schellenberg.  Among the honored guests were Betzy Santiago from the Mayor’s Office and Library Foundation Director Janet Wesley. 

"The library staff decorated the branch with red, white and blue balloons and served a huge cake decorated with small United States flags.  Congratulations to all of the new United States citizens!

Staff counted over 100 people attending the ceremony.  Everyone was so happy!  

"Please note at the same time, we presented two story times with 40 kids at the 10:15 program and 45 kids at the 11:00  story time.  It was quite a morning."

Oh, Yes! Those Friends' Sundaes Are Good!

Lynne Baldwin, Mandarin Branch Manager, sent this pic of Robert Moseley, Sara Peretzman and Eric Cusaac enjoying their goodies donated by the Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library this week.  

Brentwood also sent the Friends a thank-you.

Have you emailed Gail Hunyar, President of the Friends of JPL, or Margaret Smith, who diligently delivered the sundae makings, a thank you?  They would appreciate that. 
     Gail Hunyar: aghunyar@aol.com
     Margaret Smith:  margaretnsmith@comcast.net

Bunny Time At SE

Deborah Wainwright sent these in these pics with this comment, "Southeast celebrated Easter by decorating the Circulation Areas. Customers--large and small--really enjoyed the Bunny Feet."

          Don't you know kids were very hoppy they didn't miss all this!

Hearts & Flowers--And Others--At NW

Shamar Moore came to the library with his Dad and brother to see his collage displayed as part of the DCPS art show. Shamar is a 3rd grader at St. Clair Evans Academy.

Don't know what Shamar would call this exuberant collage, but here it is aptly dubbed Hearts and Flowers--gorgeous! (Click once on the collage to see larger version of it.)

Thanks to Gloria Buenavista at NW for sending this for our enjoyment.

Students, Teachers & JPL Proud To Show Student Art

Hallie Spell, a fifth grader at Hendricks Elementary School proudly poses next to her art work being displayed at the Mandarin Branch Library.  The art work is part of the Duval County Public School Art Program on display at libraries throughout the county.

Duval County Public School Art Teachers from the Mandarin area are proud to display the art work of their students at the Mandarin Branch Library.

A HUGE THANKS TO THE FRIENDS OF JPL

Hope you have had a chance to get one of those wonderful sundaes provided by the Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library:  nuts, whip cream, cherries, bananas, ice cream, bowls and spoons--all of it just for you.  WHAT A DELICIOUS SURPRISE from the Friends; we appreciate their thinking of all of us!  

If you would like to thank two of the Friends who carried out this feat (Gail Hunyar, President, and Margaret Smith, who delivered the goodies), here are their email addresses:

Gail Hunyar: aghunyar@aol.com

Margaret Smith:  margaretnsmith@comcast.net


It would be nice to overwhelm them with thanks as they have overwhelmed us with goodies and thoughtfulness.

Bee Happy

Partime Library Clerks, Jessica Preston and Dorrael Johnson, made this refreshing spring display at Bradham - Brooks Northwest Branch Library. 

A Bit Of Civil War At SOM

Keli Likins, SOM's Branch Branch Manager, reports, "Approximately 70 people attended the Civil War Living History program Saturday, April 11, at South Mandarin.  The customers really enjoyed it!  A special thanks to Mark Merritt and his fellow reenactors.

"Bob Nay from the Mandarin Museum brought Maple Leaf artifacts to view in the library after the program."

KR Knows How To Throw A Party

On Wednesday, April 8, the Mandarin Branch Library Children’s Department hosted a Mad Hatter Party to celebrate National Humor Month. Kids played Pin the Grin on the Cheshire Cat, made silly top hats, and had tea and cake. Seventy-six children and parents attended the party, and everyone was on their best behavior for tea party etiquette with Miss Frances. In addition to celebrating humor month, 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.  (Thanks to Lynne Baldwin, Mandarin Branch Manager for the article and pics.)  

Hope Bissell Recognized By Library Board

Hope Bissell was recognized by the Library Board of Trustees at its April 9, 2015 meeting for her 34 years of service to the Jacksonville Public Library.  Hope retired January 23, 2015; she was a Library Assistant in Collections.  Hope is holding flowers presented to her by the Library Board.  Director Barbara Gubbin is on the left and Library Board Chair Erin Skinner stands on the right.  Drum roll for you, Hope! THANK YOU!