This is sort of not related to bookmobile but still library relevant. (Although bookmobile patrons would be interested too.) I have people ask me a lot if I know of a book club in their area. And I work on staff picks for my library's website. And I was thinking what if you could combine, book clubs, staff picks and patrons into a public library reading forum. Everyone could sign up (international too), everyone could participate. You could even get authors to do something, start a forum about their upcoming novel.
This is what I found while searching the internet:
http://forum.bentonharborlibrary.com/index.php?sid=a4c8ee3a851b84145a9035eeb7cf4e05
http://www.wals.lib.wi.us/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
http://glen-ellyn.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/7696055172
http://www.tppl.org/Forums/library/
http://www.wals.lib.wi.us/forum/
The first one is used for reading and that looks promising although it doesn't have many posts. Some of the others are used more for library events/news.
Has anyone else come across anything like this?
Monday, September 24, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Poison, Conspiracy Theory, and Roadkill
About twice a year a woman comes out to complain to us and one of our stops. She comes out, doesn't say hi, and yells at us from our door. She tells us the same thing that we are polluting the air and poisoning the old folks with our generator and that if we don't do anything about it she will call the environmental protection agency or something like that. I have asked if she wanted my supervisor's phone number and she declines. But this time she said she already had it and stomped away. (I doubt if she has ever called.) I have to admit that I am skeptical that we are hurting anyone. I don't think that we would be able to drive around and use the generator if it was evil. Also we were asked to come to this retirement community by the manager's office. I don't think they would have asked us if were going to harm their tenants. Sometimes our generator is a little stinky but it usually goes away or blends into the air and is hardly discernable. At this particular stop we park in a small parking lot with the buildings in the front of our vehicle and the generator to the rear. It seems that there is enough space that any smell could just go away and not affect the tenants. No one else has ever complained and the manager's office has never said anything to us. If we are harming people I would invite someone to do tests. I really don't want to be driving an evil bookmobile that kills people. That just goes against the image we are working for. Part of me wonders if she just likes to complain.
Then later in the day one of my favorite patrons came on. We both share an interest in dolls. She likes to go thrift store shopping with her sister and take home little orphans and fix them up. I have my big-eyed Blythe doll that I make clothes for. She has even brought me patterns for clothing for my doll. On this particular day she was telling me how her son gave her a book on space and planets. She said that wasn't her thing, she prefers romance novels like me. Then she told me that there might not have been a man on the moon. She has been to plenty of places in the United States that are barren and look like the moon. They could have just put a man in a fat suit and taken his photo. And she also said "that they make such a big deal about finding a rock on Mars, Big deal! I found a snail shell in my front yard!"
And then yesterday, I ran over some fresh roadkill big enough to make the Bookmobile bounce. It was rather gross.
Then later in the day one of my favorite patrons came on. We both share an interest in dolls. She likes to go thrift store shopping with her sister and take home little orphans and fix them up. I have my big-eyed Blythe doll that I make clothes for. She has even brought me patterns for clothing for my doll. On this particular day she was telling me how her son gave her a book on space and planets. She said that wasn't her thing, she prefers romance novels like me. Then she told me that there might not have been a man on the moon. She has been to plenty of places in the United States that are barren and look like the moon. They could have just put a man in a fat suit and taken his photo. And she also said "that they make such a big deal about finding a rock on Mars, Big deal! I found a snail shell in my front yard!"
And then yesterday, I ran over some fresh roadkill big enough to make the Bookmobile bounce. It was rather gross.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Gideon the hero
On wednesday we started going back to this school that we usually go to. During the summer we do not go, because school is out. It is a school associated with a religion. Usually everything goes fine, kids come on, kids get rowdy, kids get stuff and go, mostly garfield. However, on wednesday the after school program person, said that everyone should make sure they get "Christian materials." Then she started nosing in this boy's stuff to see what he checked out. This boy is about 10. He reads manga, mostly Inu-Yasha, Dragon Ball Z, Naruto. He had checked out some manga and the latest Shonen Jump. She pulls his things out and makes a big deal about how they aren't "Christian" and they are like that Pokemon stuff. Then she tried to tell him he couldn't have them and them not being "Christian." She tried to get support from another adult on board, who was a teacher or something and he just didn't respond to her. He pretty much ignored her. Then she sent a student to the office with the boy to ask if these materials were ok for him. And she went off about how there aren't any books with heroes in them and that Gideon was a hero. (Heh, Heh, I should give her the romance novel entitled "Gideon" by Jacquelyn Frank. Then she'll learn what a real hero is/can do.) The boy was allowed to keep his materials on the condition he can't read them at school. I disagree with their religious perspective on the materials, but that is not where I have the biggest problem. She embarassed the boy in front of all his peers. And if these are the materials he likes, then she shouldn't discourage him from reading. But he got to keep his materials in the end, and that is the most important part.
Yesterday was interesting, we started going to a senior facility assisted living that also has a care unit for memory loss. It was interesting signing them up the patrons for cards. Some of them could remember things and others couldn't, but they were trying. They were really happy that we were coming to them. A caretaker came on with them, and I hope she helps them remember about due dates and keeping track of their books. Sometimes doing outreach makes me sad. We see a lot of seniors. A lot of them have problems and some of them pass away. Some of them don't have anyone to take care of them.
Later on, a senior said I reminded her of her niece, but I think she thought I was her niece and she wanted a hug.
I also signed up a patron who was really pregnant and she was under 18. It seems a little strange to sign up a card and give them the status of "child" when they are pregnant.
Yesterday was interesting, we started going to a senior facility assisted living that also has a care unit for memory loss. It was interesting signing them up the patrons for cards. Some of them could remember things and others couldn't, but they were trying. They were really happy that we were coming to them. A caretaker came on with them, and I hope she helps them remember about due dates and keeping track of their books. Sometimes doing outreach makes me sad. We see a lot of seniors. A lot of them have problems and some of them pass away. Some of them don't have anyone to take care of them.
Later on, a senior said I reminded her of her niece, but I think she thought I was her niece and she wanted a hug.
I also signed up a patron who was really pregnant and she was under 18. It seems a little strange to sign up a card and give them the status of "child" when they are pregnant.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Bookmobile went to an event today!
Bookmobile went to an event this weekend. Two full days of sitting, greeting and handing out materials. We counted a total of 863 people who stopped by our booth. I handed out lots of recommended reading for kids, newsletters, and homework help fliers. We were giving away pencils and stickers. We had a quiz, if you got one right you got to pick a prize which was a toy. (We kept giving out questions until they got it right.) If they answered 3 correctly they got to pick out a pop up book. Overall it was fun, and it gets the word out about our libraries and bookmobile.
But there are a few who just want to complain to you. They want to tell you how much they don't like certain libraries in the area. It was interesting because most of them weren't ours. Go us! But this one guy came up and told us that bookmobile was a waste of taxpayers' money, to my face. He said it was 2007 everyone can get to a library. I just sort of smiled/grimaced and didn't say anything while on the inside I was Lindsay Lohan from Mean Girls where she jumps across the table and starts mauling that other girl. I was so good, I didn't yell, cuss, yell some more etc. It wasn't even worth talking to him, then he went on to complain about the overly large people at the health fair, then left. There are sooooo many people who can't get to libraries, like people with mental or physical disabilites. the elderly who are in wheelchairs or have had their license revoked, children who's parents can't or won't take them to the library, people who live in the boonies. It's great that we are able to bring them the materials that they need.
But there are a few who just want to complain to you. They want to tell you how much they don't like certain libraries in the area. It was interesting because most of them weren't ours. Go us! But this one guy came up and told us that bookmobile was a waste of taxpayers' money, to my face. He said it was 2007 everyone can get to a library. I just sort of smiled/grimaced and didn't say anything while on the inside I was Lindsay Lohan from Mean Girls where she jumps across the table and starts mauling that other girl. I was so good, I didn't yell, cuss, yell some more etc. It wasn't even worth talking to him, then he went on to complain about the overly large people at the health fair, then left. There are sooooo many people who can't get to libraries, like people with mental or physical disabilites. the elderly who are in wheelchairs or have had their license revoked, children who's parents can't or won't take them to the library, people who live in the boonies. It's great that we are able to bring them the materials that they need.
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