Wow! What a summer!

It is so easy to forget about all the places we use to report what it is going on at the library.  This has been the busiest summer ever!  We closed the library the first of May to relocate to our new building.  The library staff, city maintenance and a handful of volunteers moved the library in exactly 4 weeks. AMAZING! We hit the ground running as soon as we opened the doors because, guess what? Summer Reading!  We didn't have time to recover from the move until we were diving head first into 6 weeks of summer reading.  We operated the first several weeks without telephones. While it was quiet it was hard to do business.  Our wifi took a while to get installed, but we finally are totally up and running. I don't believe we slowed down until....yesterday?  No we haven't slowed down at all.  With our new location we have new patrons and returning patrons.  There is always someone in the library and it is amazing.  If you have not visited please do. We would love to show off our new surrounding.

I mentioned the Summer Reading program.  This was the first year we offered a Teen program.  We had our k-5 programs on Wednesdays and our 6-12 program on Thursdays.  Both programs were a huge success.  We gave away 3 goodie bags to the k-5 group that included a $20 gift card to Books a million.  One teen won a Pocketbook IQ for their grand prize. We can't forget the adult readers. We had more participate than ever. 3 won a goodie bag of travel themed items and one won an Avon gift basket (thanks Geneva).

Hopefully it won't be as long before I update.  We are looking at a teen program on October 28 I am going to be excited to report on.  Also waiting on a grant that will bring in alot of new materials, I can't wait to report on that!

Until next time,
Happy Reading!

Spring is here!

I am looking out my office window with paper all over my desk and stacks of books to be processed and all I can think of is its Spring! Everything is greening and budding and blooming and calling me outside.  Then I look around my office and realize that summer is next.  With summer comes the Summer Reading Program.  Then I realize I need to quit looking out the window and start looking at my summer reading stuff.
This years theme for the kids it One World Many Stories.  I have all of the giveaways ready and half of the programs planned.  I know what I want to do its just a matter of juggling dollars and planning.

This year we are having our first ever Young Adult program.  This one is all planned out and I am just waiting on the financing.  I have applied for a grant from a trust that only funds young adult programming.  I hope to hear from them soon.  If we don't get the grant I have other funds that I can tap but it would be tight. 
The theme for the YA program is You Are Here.

I will post on the programming a little later.  This year we will start a little later.  Registration for the K-6 group will be on June 8 and the first program will be June 15.  All programs will be on Wednesdays at 2:00pm.  Registration for the 13 and up group will be on June 9.  All of these programs will be on Thursdays at 2:00pm.

This summer is going to be so busy!  We will be adjusting to a new building, by the way all programming will be help at the city hall.  We do not have programming space in our new building, 2 summer reading programs, actually 3 because the Tot Spot will be going strong, and summer family movies on Tuesday afternoons.

Adults we will still have our reading incentive for you, too.  It will run the same amount of time as the Summer reading program and you will be invited to attend one of the Teen programs if you are interested. 

While I am fighting Spring Fever I will still be hard at work on our programs.  I hope everyone is looking forward to this summer.  I know that I am.

Happy Reading
Dana

Library Update 02/02/2011

It's been awhile since I posted.  It has been so busy!  I know those of you that have been coming by has noticed the work on the new building.  They should be ready to paint on Thursday.  We are ordering furniture and shelving today.  It's hard to believe that after 10 years we will be in our own building.  We are looking to be closing sometime in March for our big move.  I know that will be an inconvenience but it will only be temporary. 

Keep watching the renovations and I will try to be more consistent and more informative in future blogs.

Happy Reading!
Dana

Library Update

They  have been working on the renovation of the Crane House for about 2 weeks.  When you come into the drive you will see that they have started framing for the additions.  Every day that we see progress just reinforces that we will be in our own building in a matter of weeks! 

For those of you that enjoy audiobooks we now have the downloadable audios back on the Shelby County Library website.  Go to http://www.shelbycounty-al.org/. There is a huge banner right in the middle of the page.  Click on that and follow the direction.  You will need your library card and your PIN (hint: try your month and day of birth, 4 digits).  You will also have to download the overdrive software to your desktop.  You can check out books for 2 weeks.  Also available are e-books and music.  Try it!

You no longer need a password to access the AVL as long as you are in the state of Alabama.  They have added a geolocater to the site to verify that you are in the state.  If you are in college out of state or are going to be gone and think that you will need access you will need a password.  Come by and we can give you one.

Need help with money for college?  There is a link on the same website that will help in your search for scholorships.  Take a look and see if it will help.

That's all for now,
Have a great week,
Dana

Summer Wrap up

Where has the time gone? The Summer Reading Program is over and now school has begun. Although our numbers for the programs were down we still had a tremendous registration. The programs were very good and everyone that came enjoyed themselves.

The Free Family Movies were very successful. We will definitely do this again. There was never a movie that didn't have someone there. The biggest movie was Diary of a Wimpy Kid. We celebrated the end of summer with popcorn and juice during the movie. I wonder what we can do next year? We will blend some classics with new releases next summer.

Next year look for a Teen summer reading program. I have an idea that I saw from another library and we may give it a try next summer. If anyone wants to help let me know.

Looking forward to seeing construction start on the Crane House so we can move the library into our own building. Lets hope it starts soon, this is the perfect weather for it.

Hopefully it won't be as long before I do another blog post. Have a great day!
Dana

IT BEGINS!!!!

This Wednesday is the first program of the Summer. Join us at 2 on June 2 for "Splish Splash....fun dances through the decades" with Deborah Mauldin.

Thursday June 3 at 10:00am Disneys The Princess and the Frog.

It is hard to believe the Summer reading program is upon us. Registration will begin next week with our kick-off at Westover park on Saturday May 29 from 10:00 am to 12:00pm. Check out our website at www. cityofchelsea.com/library and click on the newsletter for more information.