Giles County Public Library August Newsletter Leading Giles County into the Future September 2011 drew another large enthusiastic audience when Sherry, Director‘s Report Grant Vosburgh, and the ―Tale Tellers of Giles County‖ and I performed at the Soda Pop Junction in Lynnville. Last, but not least, was the grand finale ―Summer Reading Carnival‖ A good library is essential to a good county. held at Southside School where the children could ―cash-in‖ Giles County Public Library is dedicated to all the tickets, won from reading hundreds of books this acting as the literary, cultural, and artistic summer, on games and prizes. Thank you to First National focal point for Giles County by providing its Bank for your continued sponsorship of this popular pro- citizens with the best of library services, gram which reaches so many children and adults each sum- programming and 21st century technology. Each year we ex- mer. We also appreciate the generous donations made by pand our collection and services by adding new branch li- Brenda and Dan Speer, Joyce and Stephen Wood, and Pu- braries, increasing our book and DVD collections, providing laski Electric used to provide funds to buy multiple copies of more computers and technology for our patrons, and adding teen fiction for our book clubs. Many thanks go to Ms. Kim new and innovative programs for all ages. With your help, Harrison, Mr. Troy Hood, the staff of the Martin College we can help lead Giles County on the road to success in the food service, and Mr. Jerry McMurtry for equipment, cof- 21st century. fees, and assistance with our teen and adult programming. We so appreciate Paulette Bledsoe sharing her wonderful ―As Summer into Autumn slips talents in so many ways this summer. We greatly appreciate And yet we sooner say Mr. Matt Prince and Tennessee Southern Railroad who ‗The Summer‘ than ‗the Autumn‘ lest helped sponsor our teen coffeehouse. Cardin Distributing We turn the sun away.‖ Emily Dickinson, As Summer into and especially Karen Spivey acted as co-sponsors of our Autumn Slips Farewell to Harry Potter overnight and dance and our Sum- mer Reading Carnival. Last, but not least, I want to thank What a grand summer we have had at the Giles County Pub- all my staff who worked so hard to make this summer the lic Library! Our summer reading program, sponsored by First best ever at the Giles County Public Library. National Bank, was the best ever, drawing record breaking crowds of children, teens, and adults into the Giles County ―It was a splendid summer morning and it seemed as if Public Library in Pulaski and its branches in Lynnville and nothing could go wrong‖ –John Cheever Elkton. This year, we had something for everyone and more! Fabulous library literary themed teas brought over 120 peo- Summer is also a time when I write grants, raise money, and ple into the library each month. The ―Down the Rabbit plan the new fiscal year programs. In June and July, the City Hole‖ and ―Beyond Twilight‖ book clubs and teen writing and then the County approved our budget for the next fiscal workshops involved groups of teens from the Boys and Girls year. Although we did not get an increase in this difficult Club and around the county. The advent of the library‘s eve- economic climate, we are very lucky that we did not get ning ―Coffeehouse,‖ complete with delicious flavored coffees cut. We greatly appreciate the recognition given to us by and a poetry slam, and the ―Farewell to Harry Potter‖ over- the City of Pulaski and Giles County for our contribution to night and ―Yule Ball‖ dance were huge successes and gave the community. More and more I see the need for a strong teens a great place to while away the hot summer nights. Re- public library that offers both in-library and outreach ser- cord crowds of children came to my ―Traveling Tales Puppet vices and acts as the focal point for the artistic and cultural Theatre‖ shows, to Jessica Barber‘s ―Around the World Story life of the county. The other day, I was going over all the Hours,‖ and to Paulette Bledsoe‘s ―Painting a World of Sto- programs and changes I have put into place as Director ries Mural Painting.‖ Our dear friends from Ivy Crest As- since coming to the library five years ago. These programs sisted Living thrilled children with a special art workshop at reach thousands of our citizens each year and have tripled the library. Each month, Sherry Paige and I took the library our library usage. We have improved and expanded our col- to our seniors in retirement residences and nursing homes lection of current popular adult fiction and non-fiction ti- with our performances of ―A Time It Was‖ narrative musical theatre. Our final summer production of ―Books on Stage‖ Director‘s Report Continued on Page 2 Director‘s Report Continued from Page 1 and the new after school teen book clubs in the library in tles, and increased our teen collection, including adding one Pulaski and at our branch libraries. Chris has a degree in of the best and largest graphic novel collections courtesy of English and Russian and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate. He our friend, Boston animator and educator, Tim Finn. We of- received the Andrew Nelson Lytle Award for Academic fer a large DVD collection of classic and first run movies, Achievement in English and the Tennessee Williams Award BBC programming, and television series for patrons. Daily, for Creative Writing. In July of 2010, he received a student our patrons take full advantage of our computers with free scholarship to attend the famed Sewanee Writers‘ Confer- internet access located at all our branches. Our circulation ence. Chris will join our staff as librarian in charge of adult desk staff is friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable. To assist programming and will assist me in planning more literary our patrons, we have added an information and reference events and author evenings for the library, as well as helping desk in the library manned by one of our librarians. Our with our adult writers‘ workshops and book clubs. Jessica extensive magazine and newspaper subscriptions bring more and Chris want to plan a 20 something book club and a series and more people into the library where they now find com- of fun library evenings for the 20-35 year old set. They are fortable and charmingly arranged furniture for sitting and also planning a monthly teen coffeehouse, more literary working. We have the Barbers to thank for the lovely wicker themed dances and events, and an expansion of our teen sofa and easy chair that seem to be very popular with our book clubs and writers‘ workshops. visitors. We also have them to thank for our newest staff member, Jessica Barber, who joined the staff full-time in De- While Jessica and Chris work with teens and adults, I will cember as librarian in charge of young adult services. Jessica continue my work with the children of Giles County. This is an ―Order of the Gownsmen‖ graduate of the University of will include puppet shows and dance-a-story, in-library, and the South in Sewanee. She is currently working on her Mas- in the Head Starts and Public Schools through my monthly ters in Library Science from the University of Tennessee. outreach reading readiness program ―Who Knows the Way Jessica‘s education, knowledge, and interests have allowed us to Share-A-Lot.‖ I will continue special interactive literary to add many new programs for teens that have been instru- programs, like ―The Artist As Storyteller‖ that include the mental in bringing new visitors to the library. talents of my musical partner, Sherry Paige, and ―A Time It Was‖ monthly narrative theatre series highlighting works of Andy Trebing, a valued and popular staff member who literature and periods of history of a particular interest to a worked with Jessica in teen and adult programming, wrote senior citizen audience. Sherry, Grant Vosburgh from Martin wonderful book reviews for our newsletter, and helped Beth Methodist College, and I are also working on an all new Armstrong make all our library guests feel welcome and well ―Books on Stage‖ production with many of the ―Tale Tellers served, has moved to Chicago to pursue his career. We shall of Giles County‖ . This series was sponsored by a grant from truly miss him and know that he will be a success in all his the Tennessee Arts Commission and matching donations new endeavors. from Brindley Construction, Johnson Controls, and First Na- tional Bank. The grant ended in June, so I am applying for a Luckily, Jessica has brought the library other talented Se- new one for 2012. Until then, I am hoping to get another wanee graduates to add to our staff. This summer we were corporate sponsor to fund a production the library is plan- lucky enough to have on our staff Simon Gooch, a fellow ning for this fall at Sands Restaurant in Pulaski. Performed University of the South ―Order of the Gownsmen‖ graduate free of charge in public venues throughout Giles County, and second year Vanderbilt graduate student. Jessica and ―Books on Stage‖ brings classic and current fiction to life Simon planned and presented the teen programs, and Simon through music, dance, and dramatic and comic monologues. was a delightful companion puppeteer and dance-a-story Aside from Sherry, Grant, and me, our talented cast includes performer with me. Sadly for us, Simon has returned to Van- P.J.