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June 29, 2006

Empty Nest

newbeginnings.jpg I am definitely suffering from the empty nest syndrome. Both of my girls have flown the coop -- onto the brighter pastures of sleepaway camp. And, the birds in the nest just outside our back door have left also! So, what do I do when the girls leave? Well, I'm reading a book called The Notebook Girls, written by four teen girls -- okay, probably not the best idea... I'll probably spend more time with my husband, enjoy the beautiful weather, catch up with friends old and new, cry a little -- okay, maybe you should ask me tomorrow! On the bright side, I will be working more! I don't want to give away too much, but look for a new text-only version of our website and lots of changes to the blog.

Posted by Michele at 10:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 26, 2006

Congratulations and Happy Days!

family.jpg Congratulations to my three graduates -- what a week -- three graduations (one preschool, one elementary school, and one middle school), several parties, lots of family, hugs and love...

and, drum roll, please...
the appointment of our new Assistant Director, Joan Casson Sauer!!

Eleanor Roosevelt put it best: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

Congratulations and love to all!

Posted by Michele at 11:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 19, 2006

Who Do Libraries Serve?

An educated, bright, successful, well travelled, well read man shared his opinion of libraries at a dinner party this weekend. His take on library users is that they come to the library simply because they aren't financially successful enough to buy their own books or own their own computers. As bright as he is, not only did he insult a large segment of our population, but he has missed the research component of libraries entirely.

How did I respond to his ignorant comment? I didn't -- I let it go. This is my response. I want to thank him for providing me with fodder for an important blog post.

Posted by Michele at 10:33 AM | Comments (0)

June 16, 2006

Change-ing Hunger

Yesterday, marked the culmination of a year long effort on the part of Lauren Pulver - nursery school teacher, synagogue educator, parent of two, concerned citizen and dear friend. Together with a concerned and motivated bunch of teenagers, they have been collecting 40,000 quarters -- each quarter represented one person from Long Island who goes to bed hungry every night. The quarters will go to the Interfaith Nutrition Network (The INN). The teens, from Roslyn, Great Neck, and Port Washington, have participated in several social action projects this year, a few of which have been with the INN, including making hundreds of sandwiches one day, and also helping out in the soup kitchen on another occasion. They are thrilled to see their project come to fruition!
It was a very exciting program, which included handing a $10,000 check to the director of the INN. The press was there -- it will be in Saturday's Newsday, on News12 and a few of the Anton papers. It was astounding to look at the array of quarters and realize that this is only 1/8 of the total number of hungry people on Long Island. So sad and so wonderful that we were able to help a portion of them through this program. Lauren had prepared buttons for us all to wear which had the quote from Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." This quote says it all.

(Cute post title was borrowed from last Sunday's Daily News article about the Quarter Project.)

Posted by Michele at 2:41 PM | Comments (0)

June 14, 2006

Flag Day

Today, June 14th is Flag Day. It is the perfect time to reflect on freedom, democracy and the great potential of the United States and the American people. My daughter's school does an amazing job of celebrating this national holiday. I saw it last year for the first time, and it struck me again as one of the most valuable events of the year. First of all, as the flag has changed so much over time, the story of the flag is the history of the United States -- and a fascinating history it is! It is common knowledge that there is a proper way to fold a flag. But, did you know that each fold has a meaning behind it? These twelve folds represent: life, eternal life, veterans, our weaker nature, our country, the Armed Forces, our hearts, people who have died, motherhood, fatherhood, Jews, and Christians. After the flag is folded, the stars remain on the top, representing our national motto -- In God We Trust.

Sometimes is does seem that this country is divided among political parties, racial, ethnic, or economic differences, etc., but after celebrating Flag Day, I think that it's the flag and what it symbolizes that unites us. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who came before us for "preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today."

As librarians, we are sometimes called upon to think about things in an ethical and law abiding way. For instance, yesterday a woman came in to use the computer, but she also wanted to know if I could tell her if her husband had been on the computer the day before. She wanted to make sure he was telling the truth. First of all, he could have used the computers expressly for email, which you don't need to sign up for. We are "record keepers," but we are also advocates of privacy and upholding the rights of the people. Librarians are arguably the biggest patriots around!


Posted by Michele at 12:46 PM | Comments (0)

June 12, 2006

Books I've Read Recently

I don't know if everyone is like this, but I tend to read in phases. There are weeks that I don't read at all -- of course, I always read the newspaper, professional journals, blogs, etc., but not the reading for pleasure, mostly fiction, can't-put-it-down kind of reading. That's the phase I'm in right now. I thought I'd share what I've read in the past couple of weeks:

Intuition by Allegra Goodman. This was my book club book and none of us loved it. I did enjoy another of her books, Kaaterskill Falls very much, but this title fell short.
My Latest Grievance by Eleanor Lipman. I enjoyed this title and I think it would be enjoyed by teens as well as adults.
The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld. This novel follows the very popular title, Prep. Both of these titles are written for adults, but widely ready by teens as well. I would categorize it as fairly enjoyable, but not memorable.
Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck. A young adult novel that is humorous, historical, a little adventure and involves a library -- I couldn't pass it up and it didn't disappoint!
One Small Boat by Kathy Harrison. I saved the best for last -- I loved this book! It's non-fiction, written by a woman who is a biological, adoptive and foster mother of many children. She writes beautifully about the difficulties and beauty of parenting these sometimes difficult and very needy children. The foster care situation in this country is so sad and Kathy Harrison tells it like it is -- it is a sad reality, but it is made brighter by mothers like herself. One Small Boat reads like a heartbreaking novel. It reminded me of Love in the Driest Season by Neely Tucker, which I also loved.

It's in these voracious reading phases that I can't be without a book -- I'll let you know what I pick up next!

Posted by Michele at 12:08 PM | Comments (0)

June 10, 2006

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

As I was staffing the Reference Desk on Friday afternoon, various people came up to us to let us know that there were two young ducklings alone in the park. Because of our location in the middle of the park and duck pond, we often get concerned comments about the ducks and geese. Suzi went out to investigate and saw that the ducklings had found the pothole on Paper Mill Rd., which had filled with water and were happily splashing in it. Realizing that they couldn't be left in the street, she ushered them out of the puddle and hurried inside to call for help. We have someone on staff who is very interested and active in animal rescue, and she knew just who to call. At around 5:00, Suzi and I left the building to find the ducklings and make sure they stayed safe until they could be rescued.
At this point, the ducklings were in the road just in front of the library. A mom with her children explained that the ducks had followed them all the way up from the playground! A crowd began to gather, as you couldn't pass up these adorable, yellow fluffy beings without stopping. The ducklings were so comfortable with people, our assumption was that they were an Easter gift and someone thought they'd be better off in the "wild." The unfortunate truth is that they wouldn't have survived. These ducks were too young, can't fly and couldn't protect themselves. So, we waited for help.
As we waited, an older woman emerged from the library. She decided that the ducks belonged in the pond and we were somehow endangering their lives. She insisted that the children were disturbing the ducklings, despite the fact that at this point, they were so comfortable that they had settled down to go to sleep. To all of our surprise, she scooped up one of the ducks and went running to the pond, shouting back that one of us should grab the other duck. We yelled back and repeated what we had been telling her all along -- that we were waiting for the "duck rescue man" to come and keeping the ducks safe until then. We asked her to bring the duckling back. She didn't listen. However, the duckling, when it realized that it had been separated from its sibling, came waddling back up the hill as fast as his little body could carry him. Reluctantly, the woman followed and continued to berate us for not doing right by these little ducks. You can't make this stuff up.
The parents surrendered to the fact that they were going to be hanging around until the rescue took place, and decided to unload their books into their car. One of the girls told the ducks not to do anything cute while she was gone -- this was an impossible task. Every little move was adorable -- as were their small human friends!
Soon, Patti (our graphic artist and animal advocate) arrived with a cardboard box and a towel, closely followed by the "duck rescue man." He couldn't have been nicer -- bringing duck food and allowing the children to feed them before he left. He assured us that the ducklings would be safe and happy-- it was a fairy tale ending!
My only regret is that when one of the children commented on how warm and cozy they looked when they were sleeping, I told them that's because they were covered with down -- like the down in their winter jackets and quilts. She came back quickly with, "I didn't realize they killed ducks to make those!" We immediately changed the subject back to cute ducky comments -- I'm just afraid that I traumatized the poor child!

Posted by Michele at 9:46 AM | Comments (0)

June 9, 2006

A Worthy Cause

My 10 year old daughter has been growing her hair all year long in order to donate it to Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that uses real hair, mostly donated by children, to create wigs for financially disadvantaged children (under 18) with cancer or alopecia. These hairpieces cost about $3000-5000 to make! You need to donate at least 10 inches of hair at a time -- they use two inches to make the hairpiece. My daughter was able to donate 12 inches! When I heard about Locks of Love months ago, I took a look at their website and found out that participating salons will cut the hair for free, package it properly and sent it in for you. I took note of the salon and I'm glad that I did -- the salon page is no longer on the Locks of Love site! They suggest that you print out the hair donations requirements and bring them to your local salon.
Donating your hair to children who need it is such a worthy cause and I am very proud of my daughter for persevering -- through all the tangles, hat weather and other hair issues. Whoever gets her hair will be a lucky child. I wanted to grow my hair at the same time, but she told me very bluntly that no one would want my thin, straight hair. I can't say that she's wrong, though the web site says that it accepts all types of hair!

Posted by Michele at 3:17 PM | Comments (0)

June 8, 2006

About

Hi! My name is Michele Lipson, and I'm a Reference Librarian at the Bryant Library. I have been here "anonymously" since 1994, but have been blogging publicly since 2004. I am pleased to be a part of the Bryant Library team, and excited about all the new technology and information we have access to now -- and more importantly, to share it with all of you!

Posted by Michele at 3:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 6, 2006

Saving the Bryant Room

Last Saturday, with all the rain, our astute custodian, Joey, heard an odd noise. He went to investigate and couldn't believe what he found -- there was water pouring from the overhead lights in the Bryant Room -- our local history materials were at risk! Within minutes, Leo, our head custodian and his son, Hector, and librarians from the Reference Desk were upstairs helping. Myrna Sloam, the Bryant Room archivist and Cathy Mealing, our director, were quickly on their way from home. It is said that Hector moved the grandfather clock that belonged to William Cullen Bryant all by himself -- the water was pouring in right above it! Myrna and Cathy got everything out of soaked boxes as quickly as they could and left them to dry. There are valuable, irreplaceable materials in that room like original letters from William Cullen Bryant, documents, photographs, maps as well as newspaper clipping files. We do all we can to protect these precious materials, including staffing the room and locking it when it when it's not staffed -- I guess we have to start from the top down -- in other words, from the roof!
Thanks to everyone's quick thinking and hard work, nothing was destroyed. Obviously, we value the entire building and it's contents, but the Bryant Room holds a special place in our hearts -- from the beautiful woodwork, clock, windows and balcony to the history of our community - we are grateful that it wasn't ruined.
Due to the flood, the Bryant Room is temporarily closed. If you need local history information, please check our website or call (621-2240) or email (localhistory@bryantlibrary.org) Myrna Sloam.

Posted by Michele at 10:26 AM | Comments (0)

June 5, 2006

AIDS 25 Years

Today is the anniversary of the day that AIDS was first reported in this country. It is staggering to realize that AIDS has been around for 25 years, and scary to think that people around the world are still dying from this preventable disease. Consider these words from AmFar, an organization dediated to AIDS research:

"AIDS has surpassed even the direst of epidemiological predictions. Today, no region on earth remains untouched by the virus, which continues to stay one step ahead of the best minds in biomedical research. * Worldwide, approximately 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. * Women today comprise half of all infections worldwide. For a variety of biological and socioeconomic reasons, women especially young women are at increased risk of infection. * An estimated 15 million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS. * With half of all new infections occurring in people under 25, a whole new generation of young people is now in the crosshairs of the pandemic. * Sub-Saharan Africa has been decimated by AIDS. Without adequate treatment and prevention efforts, Eastern Europe and Asia will be the next epicenters of the epidemic. * Most people with HIV/AIDS live in the developing world, where a majority do not have access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment.

The story of AIDS is still being written. Today powerful drugs make it possible to live with HIV for many years, but there is still no cure and no vaccine, and though we know exactly how to prevent new infections, 40,000 are recorded each year in the U.S. alone. Until we find a cure or a preventive vaccine, we must do everything possible to improve HIV treatment and to support the research that will ultimately bring an end to the scourge of AIDS."

We lost a close family friend to AIDS in 1991. I was pregnant the last time I saw him and he wouldn't let me kiss him hello because even though they thought they understood how it was spread, he didn't want to take a chance. Advances have been made in the medical field and people diagnosed with the HIV virus are living longer and longer in the United States, but the disease continues to spread. The answer is two words that are the "cure" for many of our social ills, are especially true in this case -- research and education.

Posted by Michele at 10:31 AM | Comments (0)

June 2, 2006

Bee Smart

I caught the last hour of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on ABC last night. I thought it was the best "reality tv" I've seen in a long time! The winner was Katherine Close, from New Jersey. She was the first female champion since 1999.

One of the things I enjoyed about last night's program was the before and after interviews with the contestants. They are intelligent, interesting and well-rounded people. What do these remarkable young men and women have in common? They have all learned how to stay calm under pressure. all are involved in a number of activities -- not just spelling. And, I guess they have to learn how to handle failure. Some of them learned it better than others. Some of them seemed absolutely wrecked. I found it interesting to see how their parents reacted and how they greeted their children as they came off the stage. I was surprised to see one couple shake hands with their child, while some just gave comforting pats on the back or knee -- it was only a few that gave hearty hugs. I told my daughter that if she ever fails a spelling bee, I'll be sure to give her a great big hug!

One of the things I happen to be good at is spelling -- and that was even before spellcheck! For me, spelling is almost instinctive -- I just know when a word is misspelled. What I learned last night, though is that it is truly a science. When the contestants asked for the definition, etymology, language of origin or part of speech, they were gleaning information about the word that I didn't think possible. For example, if the language of origin was Hawaiian, it is known to be a phonetic spelling. If it's a French word that ends in the sound "et," it is known that it would be spelled, "ette."

It's not just common sense, or knowledge of the language of origin, however, a lot of just plain hard work went into preparing for the bee. Katherine and the first runner-up, Fenola Hackett (who, incidentally, is Canadian -- how did a Canadian get into a "national" spelling bee?") studied between 98 and 100% of the dictionary! Imagine how well they would do on that portion of the SATs!! It was said that the dictionary of choice is the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. I use it online all the time. Because of the spelling bee, m-w has lots of interesting articles: The Story of Phat (or how a word gets into the dictionary), winning words from previous years, and more.

Enjoy your weekend -- that's W-E-E-K-E-N-D, weekend!

Posted by Michele at 3:11 PM | Comments (0)