Carnegie's Legacy

Did you know that the Morgan County Public Library is part of the legacy of Andrew Carnegie?  After making a fortune in the steel industry, Carnegie donated some his fortunes in helping towns all across America start up public libraries.  In fact, Indiana has the most Carnegie start up libraries in the country!  In  1906, Carnegie gave $12,500 to Martinsville to build the library that is now the main branch of the Morgan County Public Library.

When you visit the library you are also visiting a part of local history.  When you visit the main branch in Martinsville, see if you can locate the portrait of Andrew Carnegie.  Look at the architectural details that have been preserved in this old building and marvel with us our place and importance in the community!  

Autumn is in the air.

     Last week we had a few warm days followed by a nice cool down. I believe fall has arrived as each morning it has been pretty cool outside. Its time to plant those fall bulbs and clean up the flower beds. The library has several books on bulbs and how to thin your existing plants.
     The cool weather makes me want to make soup and homemade bread. There are several books about making soups and homemade bread (either by hand or machine). Cook books are one of my favorites. You might find a new favorite recipe! A fresh loaf of bread makes a great gift for a friend or your family, at least I have never had anyone turn it down.
    It is also not to early to start collection ideas for crafts for the upcoming holidays. From Halloween to Christmas we have added several new craft, cooking, or Holiday books to the collection.
Enjoy
Laura B.

A Potpourri of Reflections

I've been looking over past blog entries, and they have stirred up a number of reflections about the topics discussed by other bloggers.
The open enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act will begin on October 1. As Lorie noted in her post, one excellent resource for information needed to navigate the options involved is at: https://www.healthcare.gov/   That site has numerous links to information, including links to specific Indiana resources, and also has links to tell you what you will need to begin the registration process.

Another site with links to medical information from a wide variety of sources may be found at Indiana's Inspire website, located at:    http://www.inspire.in.gov  (There's also a link in the library website's electronic resources and databases section.)  You may already be familiar with that website and the wealth of information it offers. The database for health and medicine includes the ability to search in the Medline & MedlinePlus databases, with a large number of independent articles with links, reviews, evaluations, etc. You just need to select a database and use "affordable care act" as your search term. You can also experiment with various other terms and set limits for search results to get articles that best meet your needs.

You may, of course use the library's computers or wireless connections to do these searches.

The posting on genealogy reminded me that PBS has a new show premiering September 23 at 9 P.M., following Antiques Roadshow.  It is called Genealogy Roadshow and will travel to various cities inviting  people to bring in their family stories about their heritage. Experts will then guide them through the process of investigating the reality those stories. You may read more about the program at: http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2013/genealogy-roadshow-natl/

To end these long and rambling reflections, the last item to capture my thoughts was Jennifer's post about the book reviews entered during the adult summer reading program. I had been looking through the entries we had posted at Waverly, and was struck by the variety of the books patrons had rated as "Groundbreaking Reads", the highest rating:

Green Angel by Alice Hoffman. "Such a heartbreakingly beautiful book."
Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. ''It is an enchanting tale of myth and magic, and a little boy who is caught between worlds."
Toilets, Toasters and Telephones by Susan Goldman Rubin. "All kinds of great information on the how, where, and why of our modern inventions."
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. "Flynn did a great job piecing together a story told from two very different viewpoints, all leading to an ending that is totally unexpected."
Jane by Robin Maxwell. "Jane is the story of Tarzan as told by Jane. Finally, a strong heroine who does not need to use violence to prove her strength!"
Bean Blossom Dreams by Sally Ann Murphy. "I loved this book! I felt like I was on the farm in Brown County with them. Great recipes even included. Following them through their life on the farm was fun!"
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. "So good and nerve wracking all the way to the end. I am utterly speechless!"
True Believer by Nicholas Sparks. "This book shows how love can change a person's view of everything."
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. "Coping with cancer, several teens become friends and deal with life and death."
Seven for a Secret by Victoria Holt. "I loved this book! It was a mystery-romance, with a few twists to keep you wanting more."
Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan. "A comedic look on life, family, and fatherhood."

I love the variety of interests exhibited by our patrons, as evidenced by these titles.

Thanks for bearing with me though these thoughts,

Chuck

New Things Coming Our Way-- Thanks to LSTA!

Recently, the library received an LSTA grant that will allow us to purchase a new computer reservation system that will streamline the way you check out a computer.  This new system (named CASSIE) will allow patrons interested in using the library's computers to stop in at any of our 6 locations and log in to the public computers using their library card number and a PIN.  We have had a similar system in place at our Main and Monrovia branches for quite awhile-- but we are looking forward to making the patron experience the same, no matter what branch you frequent. 

The project is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Indiana State Library.  The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.  Its mission is to grow and sustain a "Nation of Learners" because life-long learning is essential to a democratic society and individual success.  Through its grant making, convenings, research and publications, the Institute empowers museums and libraries nationwide to provide leadership and services to enhance learning in families and communities, sustain cultural heritage, build twenty-first-century skills, and increase civic participation.  To learn more about the Institute, please visit their website.

We are grateful to be the recipients of this grant, and look forward to telling you more about it!  This project will be put into place during the next few months, so bear with us as we make this transition.


Happy reading (and computing),

Jennifer