Library Happenings - February 2021
Hello!
Spoiler alert: Having become no more motivated than I admitted to you last month, it’s almost the end of January and our Christmas tree is still up at home. Eh, I’m OK with it. I’m thinking of it now as a big, permanent light fixture in the family room! Maybe I’ll soon throw on a few hearts and shamrocks. Ha!
On the flip side, Santa brought me a green screen and a camera for conducting library programming from my home, and last night (January 11) we hosted New York Times bestselling author Ruta Sepetys…from my own kitchen table! And, we had more participants than we ever had when people had to attend a program in person! We’re finding the exact same results with our technology training programs. Even children’s programming has morphed into something completely different. What I’m trying to say is that different isn’t always bad! I think we’ll always have some form of Curbside Pickup, and we’re in the process of hiring an additional Outreach staff member to help deliver materials to people at home. As you might expect, we’re seeing a boom with folks who prefer not to go out just yet.
I was just telling a friend about one of my favorite movies, What About Bob? Neurotic Bob (Bill Murray at his most annoying, yet endearing) is a therapy patient of psychotherapist Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfus at his most stuffy, yet justifiably rattled.) Bob is SO dependent on Dr. Marvin, the author of the successful self-help book Baby Steps, that Bob tracks down Dr. Marvin on his family vacation! (And yes, you can check the DVD out at the Library.) The point of all of this is that we are baby-stepping back to normalcy at MPL, and hopefully that’s the same for you.
I’ll soon be attending a virtual meeting of library directors from around the state, and a lot of our focus will be on planning for the future. All of us directors, probably like you, are newly convinced of that old adage -- “Man Plans, God Laughs.” But it’s so important to constantly rethink what we do and why. I just saw some advice about how this is time for us all to “reset, refocus, and re-center.” That seems like great advice as this dreary winter drags on. I hope that you are able to squeeze in a little time for reflection and refocus.
What am I reading? For philosophical uplift, The Book of Delights by Ross Gay, which I ordered in from SearchOhio. Gay is a poet, but this true delight is 100+ short lyric essays about things we take for granted, from crows to nicknames, that make up this life we all share. For impressive research that explains a lot in our society, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. If you suspect that there is a hidden hierarchy that ranks us, beyond race or class, and influences our lives and behaviors, I encourage this deep dive into how we can move beyond artificial and destructive separations. That’s a good message for any uncertain times!
Happy reading,
Hello, Neighbor! How can kids be good neighbors during these difficult times? Inspired by Mr. Rogers and his neighborhood, our Children’s Programmers will present an online program via Zoom that will show kids how to create “Helper Neighbor” door hangers, “You’ve Been Loved!” surprise bags to distribute in their neighborhoods, and tie-dye masks to protect their neighbors! We’ll also take a quick video tour of the library’s interesting downtown neighbors and hear a fun story!
A Buyer's Guide to Computers Looking for a new computer, but overwhelmed by all the technical jargon? Join us via Zoom as we explore the essentials of computer hardware, operating systems, and more! Registration required. For more information about this program, contact the Technology Department at 330-832-9831, x344.
Fancy Nancy Tea Party Join us online via Zoom for tea, a special treat, activities, and a reading from the book Bonjour Butterfly! This program is free and open to children and their families in Grades Pre-K through 6. Registration is required and will begin at 8:00 a.m. on February 1.
Anime Afternoon Teens in Grades 7 through 12 are invited to join other teens to watch a new anime online on the third Saturday of each month at 2:00 p.m. via Zoom. The anime selection for February is Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear. Contact Susan Baker at 330-832-9831, x312 to register for this program and receive the Zoom link.
Home Network Basics What’s the difference between a router and a modem? How fast is your internet? Find out the answers to these questions and more as the library’s Technology Trainer introduces you to home Internet networks. Registration required. For more information about this program, contact the Technology Department at 330-832-9831, x344.
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