So Long 2012

We have come to the end of another year.  As we get older, they seem to go pretty fast.  My grandson is growing up, much to his mother's and my chagrin.  But he is so fun.  He is learning to read and loves musical instruments.  We think he is destined for a life on the stage.  My father passed away.  He was 91 and lived a very good life.  My youngest daughter finished her residency and is now a full-time hospice chaplain at Iowa Health in Waterloo.  She loves her work.  The rest of the family is well and so overall we had an good year.

2012 was a good year for Dubuque County Library.  In January we opened our Farley Branch in Drexler Middle School.  Programming across the system is increasing and attendance is up.  We have checked out at least 8% more items so far this year over last year.  Our materials budget was increased and so we are getting more new books and DVDs out for your selection.  The Library also received two grants.  One from IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) to provide science kits for students and teachers.  We had a series of great programs to debut the materials.  They are now in the collection and available for checkout.  The other grant from the Alliant Energy Foundation provided for new DVDs and books on health and wellness.  We added items on exercise, nutrition, bullying, depression, and a host of other diseases.  My favorite anectdote about the project is when my youngest daughter came to visit and stopped by the library.  She looked at the processing shelves and saw a children's book titled, "It's Called Dyslexia."  She said, "Mom, it would have been great to have this book when I was little and struggling with my learning disorder."  That's what it's all about sometimes.

Our staff grew with the addition of Sam Sporer and Alyssa Davidshofer to help us cover the additional hours at Drexler and begin twice-weekly deliveries to get your materials out to you faster.  Elisha Blakeman, our Children's Programmer, finished her teaching degree!  Congrats!  Jenny Parker's hours were increased to full-time.  Jenny does teen and adult programming as well as publicity for the library.

We have lots to look forward to in 2013.  Our Holy Cross branch will be moving to new space on Main Street this winter.  You will love the new furniture and the big windows.  The City of Asbury continues to plan for a community campus building which will house city hall offices, police and the library.  It will nearly double our space.  We are in the fundraising stage and busy with grants and constructing a capital campaign.  The new building will be just on the other side of Asbury Park which is a beautiful setting with lots of parking and programming space.

As the new year begins, there is much to do.  There are e-reader workshops the first and second week of January.  If there was a Kindle or Nook under your Christmas tree, this is your opportunity to learn how to download ebooks for free from the Library.

GAB, our Library book discussion group, is reading "The Persian Pickle Club," for our January meeting.  In February, we will be discussing the 2013 All Iowa Reads selection, "The Year We Left Home."  The novel centers on the trials and tribulations of an Iowa family.  Stop by and pick up a copy of both books so you can join us.

Don't forget to read "The Great Gatsby" which is the next book/movie program in our Page to Screen series funded by Humanities Iowa.  This is a joint project with the community college library at NICC in Peosta. 

Check the website for times and locations for all of our fabulous programs. 

The staff and Board of the Dubuque County Library wish you a very happy new year.  We look forward to serving you in 2013.

Holiday Time

Well, we got some snow.  My grandson and his aunt made a terrific snowman last Sunday.  It had long twigs for arms, two slices of salami for eyes, and a big, green jalepeno pepper for a nose.  (That's what was in my fridge!)  "Frosty" has been slowly melting all week.  On Sunday, the house smelled of sugar cookies and we put up our Christmas tree including the very fire hazardous bubble lights that my husband loves.  So, if I did some shopping we would be ready for Christmas.  Oh well, I still have a week left.  I hope a lot more snow holds off until the end of family travel time in the next couple of weeks. 

This week the library has holiday programs and movies to entertain all ages.  Check out the calendar for times and locations.  Terrie has been preparing a terrific Hannukah program for Epworth next Tuesday at 6:30.  There will be stories and crafts.

This past month has been budget time for the library.  We are preparing our "wish list" for next year.  Our primary focus for next year will be on new materials.  We have listened to our customers and what they have told us is that they want the new, popular titles in both book format and ebooks.  The increase in ebook checkouts is up over 150% over last year.  That's a lot of ereaders for birthdays and Christmas!  We anticipate that number will grow even more after this holiday season. 

To help you with this new technology, we are presenting two ereader programs after the first of the year.  Check our ad in 365Ink next week for times and locations. 

And if you want to relax on some of that holiday time off, there are two upcoming programs you will want to read ahead for.  On January 17th, our library book club will be discussing "The Persian Pickle Club" by Sandra Dallas.  Here's what Amazon says about this very popular novel.  "It is the 1930s, and hard times have hit Harveyville, Kansas, where the crops are burning up, and there's not a job to be found. For Queenie Bean, a young farm wife, a highlight of each week is the gathering of the Persian Pickle Club, a group of local ladies dedicated to improving their minds, exchanging gossip, and putting their quilting skills to good use. When a new member of the club stirs up a dark secret, the women must band together to support and protect one another."  Copies of the book are available for loan at all our library locations.  The book group meets at our Peosta branch. 

Or if you prefer the classics, join us for the next in our "Page to Screen" series of movie/book discussions.  On January 24th, we will be talking about Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" which has been done on film several times.  A new version is coming out next year.  But, we will be watching the Robert Redford one co-starring Mia Farrow. Stop by and check out a copy of the book that you were required to read in high school, but now you can read it for fun.  It is a truly interesting portrayal of the decadence of the 1920s.

From all of the staff and board of Dubuque County Library, Merry Christmas!

Dawn

It's Beginning . . .

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  The Hillcrest light show is on and the decorations are up at Roshek's.  It's Christmas except for no snow.  I personally don't mind that it is still bare.  Most of us would rather shop and not have to fight bitter cold or slippery streets.  A tradition at our house is to play Christmas music on Christmas eve.  My oldest daughter loves pan pipe music from South America.  My youngest daughter prefers contemporary stuff.  I love  "A Very Special Christmas 3."  This 1997 CD has new and traditional Christmas songs by popular artists; Sting, No Doubt, Smashing Pumpkins, and Mary J. Blige.  A Very Special Christmas 3" is the third in a series of Christmas music-themed compilation albums produced to benefit Special Olympics. My favorite song on this CD is "Christmas" written by John Popper and performed by Blues Traveler.  I listen to it over and over.  The song is a heartfelt, yet irreverant, view of the holiday season.  Here's a sample:

"If it's Chanukah or Kwanza
Solstice, harvest or December twenty-fifth
Peace on earth to everyone
And abundance to everyone you're with"

That's my season's wish.  Give it a listen.

At the library we are celebrating the season with a series of craft programs.  Check out the calendar on our website for times and locations.  And check out our Facebook page for a photo of one finished snowman project.

Also stop by your nearest branch and pick up some wonderful holiday books to enrich the season. Settle in with a little one in your life and read, "The Night Before Christmas," "The Littlest Angel," or "The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree."  My daughters remember Daddy reading to them,"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson.  The story will have you roaring with laughter and then it brings on the tears.  If you haven't read it, no matter how old you are, this is a Christmas must!

As for movies, the library has a wide selection.  Whether you want to revisit Rudolph or Frosty or Will Ferrell's "Elf," the library has it for you.  I have two favorites; "It's A Wonderful Life" and "We're No Angels."  Most of you are familiar with the Jimmy Stewart's 1947 Bedford Falls and the evil Mr. Potter, but "We're No Angels" debuted in 1955.  The action takes place on Devil's Island, the tropical backwater where the notorious French prison was located. Three convicts, played by Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray, and Peter Ustinov, have escaped, and wait only for a ship to leave the next day. In the meantime, they become involved in the financial woes of an island shopkeeper (Leo G. Carroll) and his wife (Joan Bennett) and daughter, whose business is in danger from a rich, nasty relative (Basil Rathbone).  It is a broad comedy but with a lot of Yuletide heart. 

Relax with a good movie or good book and enjoy preparing for the holiday season.

Dawn