Selections

The newsletter of the Sarasota County Library System

~ April 2009 ~ Volume 4, Issue 1

Read Selections online each month or sign up here to have it delivered to you by email.
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In this Issue:

• National Library News
• Events
• Featured Internet Sites
• Local Library News
• Community Connection
• Staff Picks
• Featured Database
• Featured Stories
• Reference Questions of the Month
• Volunteer Spotlight
• Your Feedback

This month's issue is brought to you
by the entire staff of the
Sarasota County Library System
in honor of
SustainAbility Month
and
National Library Week.

Events:

April Happenings Participate in SustainAbility Month programs at all of the libraries during the month of April. View the event schedule by library at sclibs.net/sustainability/ sustainabilityevents.aspx. or download the SustainAbility Month flyer at sclibs.net/sustainability/ sustainability.aspx. Open Mike Poetry Nights are being held at three libraries: North Port Library, Wed., April 8, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (Sign-ups begin at 5:15.) Venice Library, Mon., April 13, 6 to 8 p.m. Jacaranda Library, Thurs., April 30, 6 to 7 p.m. Several libraries are offering programs to help in these hard economic times: Employment Success Class, Selby Library, Wed., April 15, 2 p.m. Coping with Job Loss, Selby Library, Thurs., April 23, 1 p.m. Career Forum and More! North Port Library, Thurs., April 30, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Managing in Hard Times and Stretching Your Food Dollar, various libraries, offered as part of SustainAbility Month. Please check the SustainAbility Month schedule for these programs.

Find even more upcoming events at all the Libraries on the online calendar or by contacting your library.

National Library News:

Worlds Connect @ Your Library: Celebrate National Library Week, April 12 to 18 National Library Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of libraries, librarians and library workers in schools, campuses and communities nationwide--and the perfect time to discover how worlds connect @ your library. Everyday, libraries in big cities and small towns, colleges and universities, in schools and in businesses help transform their communities. At our library, people of all backgrounds come together for community meetings, lectures and programs, to do research with the assistance of a trained professional, to get help finding a job or to find homework help, to find a book or movie to entertain and enrich their lives. First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. During National Library Week, schools, campuses and communities across the country celebrate and remind the public about the contribution libraries, librarians and library workers make to their communities everyday.  In today’s economy, libraries offer free resources to help people find jobs and learn new skills. Worlds connect @ your library, with people of all ages and backgrounds finding entertainment, self-help or their place in the community. With free resources like books, magazines, DVDs and computer and wifi access, do better in school, tackle projects and learn new ways to improve their health.  What makes the library unique is access to trained professionals (librarians!) to help people find and interpret the information they need to make a difference in their lives. Our libraries also help keep us connected, providing a space for people of all ages, classes and races to come together, while keeping us connected to events and people around the world. It’s where people can keep up with world events or research where to volunteer locally. What can you discover or discover anew at your library? National Library Week is the perfect time to find out. Worlds connect @ your library.

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Libraries to Showcase Bilingual Resources During El día de los niños/El día de los libros: U.S. Libraries Responding to Country’s Changing Populations As the nation’s population continues to become more diverse, hundreds of libraries will showcase their multicultural programs and services this April 30th during national El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day). This year marks the 13th anniversary of the observance also known as Día, and libraries across the country will host Día celebrations with family programs, including bilingual story hours, book giveaways and other literacy events. According to the 2000 Census, nearly 1 in 5 U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home. Of the 47 million residents who speak another language at home, 28% speak Spanish. Spanish is, by far, the most supported non-English language in public libraries. Seventy-eight percent of libraries reported Spanish as the priority #1 language to which they develop services and programs. Libraries are changing and dynamic places that provide endless educational opportunities. Historically libraries have served as our nation’s great equalizers of knowledge. In today’s increasingly diverse and complex information environment, their multilingual resources are needed more than ever. Many offer multilingual library collections, and programs for Hispanic and other multicultural youth and adults continues to increase every year. Through literacy events and programs like Día, libraries are working with parents and caregivers to raise avid readers. Current research on early literacy and brain development indicates that it is never too early to prepare children for success as readers; and that avid readers are led by the reading habits of their parents. “In a world where knowledge is power, libraries make everyone more powerful,” said Pat Scales, president, Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), the organization that serves as the national home for Día.  “Numerous studies reveal that access to books and other reading materials, and the amount of time children spend reading for pleasure are linked with gains in reading achievement. Libraries provide free access to books and information that celebrate all linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and we want parents to know that taking their children to the library is one of the most important things they can do for their child." Sponsored by the ALSC, a division of the ALA, Día celebrates the importance of advocating literacy for every child, regardless of linguistic and cultural background. It is a celebration of children, families, and reading and is held annually on April 30. Día promotes library collections and programs that reflect the country’s changing populations. For multicultural book lists, Día brochures and tips on how to encourage children to read please visit the Día Web site at www.ala.org/dia. back up to "In this Issue"

Featured Internet Sites:

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New Books and Movies, Recommendations and More! Did you notice that the SUNCAT library catalog (http://sarac.co.sarasota.fl.us) recently started offering something new? A link for “New books and movies, recommendations and more!” The catalog now offers librarian-created lists of new and recommended materials: SustainAbility Month Recommendations New Personal Finance Books Newly Added!--DVDs for Adults, March 2009 Don't Miss These!--Picture Books, May 2009 and more! Take a look!

The books we think we ought to read are poky, dull, and dry; The books that we would like to read we are ashamed to buy; The books that people talk about we never can recall; And the books that people give us, oh, they’re the worst of all.       --Carolyn Wells, "On Books"

Local Library News:

From Sad to Glad If you’ve been to the North Port library in the last month or so, you’ve noticed a nice addition to our exterior. What used to be empty planters bordering the walkway into the library are now alive with purple blooms. The landscaped entrance which was once tired-looking and bare is now lively with new plants and small pink flowers. It’s a charming entryway now, and it’s all due to Val Ollinger, one of the Master Gardeners with the Sarasota County Cooperative Extension Services. Each Tuesday, Val and other Master Gardeners convene in the Conference Room at the library and meet with residents who have questions about their lawns, their plants, their irrigation, etc. Val and her knowledgeable colleagues have helped many a Florida gardener over the years. Then one day, Val looked at our entryway and decided it needed some work. Granted, she wasn’t the first one who thought that, but she was the first one who decided she could do something about it. She applied for a grant from the Master Gardeners, met with the County’s horticulture staff and came up with a plan. She spent days planting Ilex Schilling, trailing lantana and variegated liriope.  When she was done, the transformation was amazing. Planters that once held nothing but cigarette butts were now alive with greenery. Not one person entering the library could miss the change. And so you’d think Val’s work was done: A great job! Beautiful! Everyone was appreciative! But no. Val’s job wasn’t done. For Val vowed to not only redo the landscaping but to maintain it as well. So, once a week, Val is out in front of the library, watering the plants, cleaning out unwanted growth and assuring all who enter the library are greeted by a beautiful exterior.

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Community Connection:

The Job Seekers' Program at the Selby Public Library Joel Larus could be your role model. He has degrees from Harvard and Columbia, was a professor of international relations at New York University, did well in the antiques business in Boston, then came to Sarasota to enjoy its tropical splendor. That’s not, of course, why the man could be your role model. Joel didn’t just head south and kick back. Heck, no.  First, he founded the Pierian Spring Academy, a robust continuing education program that’s been a boon to local retirees, though people of all ages are welcome to attend. Then, and here’s where our story gets really interesting, he took it upon himself to save the world.  In coming to the Selby Public Library, Joel noticed that some members of the homeless community spent a large part of their day at the library, reading, using the computers, and the like. With the support of the library manager, Joel began to keep regular hours at the library in an effort to meet with the community’s homeless-jobless to see what he could do to get them re-connected with employment and lodging. Joel found that a large number of the homeless-jobless were among those affected by the downturn in the economy, and throw out your stereotypes, folks, Ph.Ds and dental technicians have been among his visitors. Joel’s clients are more than willing to re-enter the workforce if someone could help point the way.  Joel has developed his own note card database that contains information on everything from employment agencies and job opportunities to medical and social services. Word is spreading, and his good deeds have been chronicled in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Style Magazine, and TV13 out of Tampa. In tandem, reference librarian Sue Mason has canvassed area agencies to gather an enormous amount of helpful information that can now be found on the first floor near the online catalogs and on the second floor to the right of the reference desk. Joel has set up shop at the old Media Desk and Media Preview Room on the first floor, just to the side of the DVD/movie section. He can be found there from 10 a.m. until noon on Tuesdays and 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursdays.  Whether you are a job seeker needing assistance or you have the power to assist Joel in this noble endeavor, please stop by to introduce yourself. The public library is experiencing a surge in use that appears to be tied directly to the shaky economy. With role models like Joel, who says we all can’t take a run at saving the world?

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The Environmental Collection at Selby Library The Environmental Collection at Selby Public Library provides access to information concerning all aspects of our environment. Civic Leader Ann Marbut is credited with starting the collection over 25 years ago. In 1998, the collection was moved from the Gulf Gate Library to Selby Library. The collection has grown to 100 journal titles, almost 2000 videos and DVDs and over 14,000 books on topics such as ecology, green buildings, endangered species, sustainability, solar energy, recycling, natural history, water use, waste management, gardening, bird watching, xeriscaping and ecosystem restoration. It is one of the largest environmental collections located in a public library in the United States. Almost everything in the collection can be borrowed and requested by patrons at other Sarasota County libraries, as well as neighboring counties through interlibrary loan. Materials range from scholarly books and journals for researchers to basic information and videos for students and families. The collection is located on the second floor of the library, and is open to the public during library hours. For more information, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000 or come to the library to learn more about this valuable community resource!

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Featured Database:

NetLibrary

Can't find the travel book you are looking for in the library? Or need that information at 11 p.m. and the library is closed? Try looking in NetLibrary in the online resources section of the library website. It's available 24/7. NetLibrary offers 3,400 eBooks (electronic books) and eJournals right on your home computer. You can access a wide range of research, reference and reading materials from any location. To access NetLibrary go to sclibs.net and click on Electronic Information Resources and under the General Resources listing click on NetLibrary. If you are acessing the resource from outside the library, you will be prompted for your library card number. You don't need to establish an account to access information from the library computer, but you will need to create an online account to access information from home. This is a quick process. You click on the "Create Account" button and fill out a short form. Searching for content is easy. You can conduct a Basic Search, searching by Keyword, Title, Author, Subject or Full Text. Advanced Searching adds some additional search options such as ISBN and using combination searching. Once you have search results you can view the eBook by selecting  the "View this eBook" link. Titles in the eBook collection available include "100 Top Internet Job Sites," "100 Championship Baseball Drills." "Florida Butterfly Gardening," "Edison in Florida: the Green Laboratory" and "Florida's Indians from Ancient Times to the Present."  Try this resource for any type of information that you might need!

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Featured Stories:

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Reference Questions of the Month:

Where can I find a list of the strangest reference questions ever asked? Although there are many Internet sites (presumably created by librarians) devoted to odd reference questions. One particularly worth checking out was created by a publishing company, Salem Press. View their list of oddest and funniest questions submitted by librarians from all over the country at salempress.com/store/pages/who.htm.

Your Feedback:

April is also National Poetry Month. What is your favorite poem? Send us the title and author of your favorite poem, and in next month's Selections, we'll publish the list of everyone's favorites. Submit your poems through the library website's "Suggestions and Comments" page: www.sclibs.net/comments.aspx or send email to  libraryinfo@scgov.net. Please be sure to write "My Favorite Poem" somewhere in your message. ** Important Notice Regarding privacy and e-mail.SB 80 effective July 1, 2006: Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead contact this office by phone or in writing.

Volunteer Spotlight:

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Lists of books we reread and books we can’t finish tell more about us than about the relative worth of the books themselves. ~Russell Banks