It's the place to be....

April and I are here daily and we see busy. Today? Not quite sure what it was but we both were commenting that it was an extraordinary day in the library. People were just kind of all over....at one point there were 18 people that I counted, but what was so amazing about it, is that just about everything that could be used, was being used.

Computers were full, the tables had people on laptops and having meetings, negotiating contracts. The plush chairs had people reading the newspapers. Kids were browsing the children's department. My absolute favorite? This picture....a teen settled in on the floor (barefoot!) and browsing books while listening to her music through headphones.

All the while, April and I are checking out books and faxing, working on orders, covering books. It's an awesome place to work and apparently "the" happening place.

Scholastic Warehouse sale today....

In a little bit here I'm heading off to the Scholastic Warehouse sale. I've not been before but I'm hoping that there are things other than paperbacks. I want to grab some wonderful books that will hold up in the library and enhance the collection a bit more and this may be an awesome opportunity to do so!

When I get back, I'll post a picture of what I bring home to live in the LH Library......
......to be continued

Library Funding

First....let me tell you that this is pretty much a repost of an old blog from a few years ago. It's pertinent information and I thought it merited another airing.

It is through donations that the library was established. It is through donations that the library will continue to flourish. As many in Liberty Hill are aware, the funding for the Library is entirely through sales tax revenue (NOT property taxes) that is generated by the businesses within our district boundaries (which follow the ISD boundaries). this means that of the 8.25% sales tax you pay when shopping in Liberty Hill, that .25% comes back to fund your public library. We are not a city, county or state library, so our funding is not through those sources, only through the sales tax revenue generated in Liberty Hill and various grants or donations received.

My reason for telling you this? To promote Liberty Hill! Each time you shop locally, rather than running to Georgetown, Leander or Cedar Park, you are supporting your library. As you can guess, sales are down due to this lovely economy and our income at the library has suffered. The library needs your help. Keeping sales within Liberty Hill will help. Donations of current book titles that we do not have will help. Cash donations always help us add to our collection. You can make a donation on our website through PayPal. Keeping your library open and offering the recent materials you want is our focus.

If you haven't been to the library, pull into Lions Foundation park and head for the building in the back. We'd love to meet you and introduce you to our vast collection of DVD's, books and audiobooks on CD, as well as our current releases....all just waiting to go home with you.

You'd be surprised how much your little local library has to offer. The lastest books form the best seller lists, free WiFi, high speed computers, advanced technology for accessing the library from your home, and personal service with a smile. Come on in, we're here to serve you!

Hanging out at the library

4 pm at the LH Public Library. Do you picture the library as a spot the teens hang out? If not, stop by and check it out! It is very typical on any given afternoon, to see a group of teens gathered around the computers, groups wandering the aisles chatting about books, the back corner full of seated teens discussing a book. Laptops galore, weather permitting the picnic tables are full. Indoor tables full.....doing homework or again, on laptops. Teen sitting on the floor, back against the book case, earphones running from iPod to ears.....texting on their phone.

Yes....its happening @your library!

On vacation.....

Been a long time since a blog post, but amazingly, I've been on vacation. Miss April is at the library, holding down the fort and giving me such a luxury. Please say a big thank you to her when you are in, I am looking forward to coming back refreshed and excited on Monday.

Kind of bittersweet to leave time off.....I'm getting spoiled by not working and doing only what I want to when I want to. BUT.....I absolutely love and adore what I do, so I'm excited to come back and see what awaits me, to delve back into library life in our sweet town.

I've been missing you all.....come see me!

Computer classes coming to the library!

The Liberty Hill Public Library has been selected to participate in the Digital Literacy Corps program in 2011 due to a grant from the Central Texas Library System. What this means for our community is that in 2011, we will be offering some basic computer skill classes for FREE to our members. Enrollment will be limited due to computer availability, so keep your eyes open for the date announcement.

Classes will include computer basics, internet basics, and email basics.

Follow us to STORYTIME!!!!

Miss April has jumped into the storytime role quickly and is doing a fantastic job with all our fun little friends. Following the brother/sister storytime, they were handed frames so they could draw pictures of themselves with their own sibling/s. Come sing, dance and play with us! Wednesdays at 10:30 am!!!

My Storytime Kids

So, how can you NOT love your job when you have little ones like these screaming your name out, running to you and jumping into your arms with a big ole hug? This phenomenal brother and sister, along with their mom, come to storytime religiously. They are so appreciative of what we do and offer, constantly bringing cards, flowers, and most of all....love.

I've watched them blossom...from very quiet and shy, barely able to look at me....to these joyous children, singing, dancing, laughing, chattering, hugging.

Truly....I LOVE LOVE LOVE what I do.

NEW KIDS BOOKS!!!

NEW ARRIVALS FOR KIDS!!! Available Friday afternoon, October 29 are these new releases, NOT TO BE MISSED!!!

ART & MAX by David Weisner is a new release whose artwork is not to be missed. Click on the link above to get more info and see samples from inside the book. While you are at it, check out Wiesner's other books.

CHICKEN LITTLE by Rebecca Emberley, illustrated by Ed Emberley This brightly colored book retells the wonderful traditional tale of Chicken Little and the "sky is falling!" So many kids today don't know this story and I've made it a personal mission to introduce them to the traditional, classic and folktales that have been handed down over the years.

ZERO by Kathryn Otoshi is a follow up to her enormously popular ONE. Emphasizing numbers and counting, ZERO also helps children to accept who they are in all ways. While you are at it, check out what ONE is all about.

Freedom - Oprah pick available as of Friday 10/15

FREEDOM by Jonathan Franzen is the latest pick of Oprah's Book Club. It will be available for check out Friday afternoon. See what the buzz is about!

Walk on over

So, the Liberty Hill Public Library is in Lions Foundation Park. There is a path around the park that is oh.....I don't know 0.7 or 0.8 miles for one loop. Each morning as I come to work I see people walking; friends meeting up, someone taking their baby for a stroll, a man and his dog. And what about me? Yes, just back from taking a lunch break, on the walking path. Two times around.

So, library+ walking path = ????? Walk on over to the library and check out our books on walking. We have a few and even a walking/running guide as well as a guide for the beginning runner. All are rather new additions to our collection, spurred, yes you know it...by that walking path that I watch daily from my window and have started frequenting.

Banned Book Week coming.....

From the ALA banned book site: "Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States."

Stop by the library, all our displays have what have been deemed "banned" or "challenged" books. Yes, those culprits of mind corruption such as Black Beauty, Lord of the Flies, Brave New World, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Gone With the Wind.......just to touch the very tippy top of the iceberg. Check out the link above, stop in the library, educate yourself.

WHY have these books been challenged and removed from some shelves? Who has the right to tell you what you can and can't read? (can't resist but my answer is absolutely NO ONE). If the book offends you, move on. How would you like someone going through the library picking out books they personally deemed unsuitable to find they were picking out your favorite books and removing them from the shelves?

I have personally found that often, those challenging a book have not even read it. When one brave soul decided to read what the mysterious "they" were touting as being an absolutely terrible book that should be banned, I challenged her and told her to come talk to me after she'd read it. Was I proud of her for coming back and telling me she'd actually read the book. THAT was half the battle. What her opinion was, that wasn't my interest, just that she'd read the book and made her own decision. Turns out she said the book fulfilled nothing the naysayers were proclaiming and she suspected the majority had not read the book either and were judging on a misquote.

Regardless of your opinion on the subject matter of the book, reading it gives you the knowledge of what is inside and how others think. It does not mean you agree, it means you have educated yourself. That is my personal goal during "Banned Book Week" - to encourage people to educate themselves by reading and to realize that our library will hold all sides of the topic.

DRACULA

The Candlewick Press edition has been enormously popular and it is a very beautiful edition. Our latest copy of DRACULA is a pared down version, approximately one-tenth the length for a younger audience. This has been released by Templar Books, an imprint of Candlewick....so it sports phenomenal style. You have to come by, see the book, touch it, fall in love with it. The images all by themselves are worth checking it out for. Nicky Raven did a phenomenal job of reworking the story and taking liberties to suit it toward a younger audience. This is one of those books that make me want to open the doors and yell in a bullhorn to get people to come look at. See for yourself.

Have you been in the library lately?

Just a few of the books in our new book section. Did you know that we stay up to date with the NYT and LATimes best seller lists?

Additions to the Vampire craze series list....

The Blue Bloods Series by Melissa de la Cruz
Book 6, Bloody Valentine, is due out in December 2010. Within New York City’s most elite families, there lurks a secret society of celebrated Americans whose ancestors sailed on the Mayflower. They are the powerful and the wealthy—and in fact, they are not human. They are the Blue Bloods, an ancient group of vampires.



Tantalize Series by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Book three, Blessed, due out in February 2011. Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her hybrid-werewolf first love threatens to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. And just as she and her uncle are about to debut Austin’s red hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef.

Can Quincie transform the new hire into a culinary dark lord before opening night? Will Henry Johnson be able to wow the crowd in fake fangs, a cheap cape, and red contact lenses? Or is there more to this earnest fresh face than meets the eye?

As human and preternatural forces clash, a deadly love triangle forms and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how long can Quincie play along before she loses everything?

For those of you into vampires, fae, wolves.......

First it was an interest in Twilight. Soon that branched out as about 10 of us started looking for other series to read. As time went on, we all seemed to find a different series and in talking with people, I'd start recommending what someone else had told me about and reading them myself. SOON.....we have a group of 10 of us reading through a bunch of fantastic series that are out there. I'd like to share them with you and add to this list as I discover more....


House of Night Series by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
So far the series is seven books ... book number 8, Awakened, due out in January 2011. The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do.

The Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead
Book six, Last Sacrifice, is due out December 2010. Two races of vampires walk our world. One, the Moroi, are alive and wield elemental magical. The other, the Strigoi, are undead and evil--feeding on the innocent to survive. Rose Hathaway--a half-vampire with poor impulse control--is training to be a bodyguard for a Moroi princess. Learning to decapitate and stake is hard enough, but Rose's real danger may lie in an illicit romance with one of her instructors...

The Immortals Series by Alyson Noel.
Book five, Night Star, is expected in November 2010. Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, Ever can see auras, hear people's thoughts, and know a person's entire life story by touch. But everything changes when she meets Damen...



Fallen Series by Lauren Kate.
Two books in this new series, I have no further information on future installments. An intensely addictive story about fallen angels and forbidden love.





Wolves of Mercy Falls Series by Maggie Stiefvater.
Two books in this new series, again I have no information at this time about future books. For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

The MacKayla Lane Series by Karen Marie Moning.
DEFINITELY more adult than the previous books and dealing with adult issues is Karen Marie Monings "fever series" as I call them. Book five, Shadowfever, is due out January 2011. You might also want to drop by the sidhe seers website.....official website of the books. "My philosphy is pretty simple-any day nobody’s
trying to kill me is a good day in my book. I haven’t had many good days lately." - MacKayla Lane's Diary

Summer Reading Underway

The 2010 summer reading program is well underway. Last night Joe McDermott visited the LHPL and did his usual awesome show that had kids dancing and parents singing along. Wednesday mornings bring us our 10:30 am story time/summer reading program open to all ages. Joe's show was sponsored by the Texas Commission on the Arts and IDM Builders.

Be sure to keep a log of your reading and bring it back throughout the summer, you don't have to wait til the end! We have lots of goodies waiting for you, dinners, ice cream, books and sooooo much more! Our sponsors for summer reading this year are:

Texas State Library and Archives Commission
PEC
Dahlia Cafe
Chick-fil-A
Domino's Pizza
Shane T. White Team
Dollar General
Smokey Mo's
Jardin Corona
Tina's Cottage
Texas Commission on the Arts
Blue Moon Video
Austin Steam Train Association
Donut Palace
IDM Builders
Sonic
Margarita's

Summer AP books available

We have created our annual SUMMER AP READING display. Partnering with LHHS, we have all the AP Summer Reading books available for check out. These books are in HIGH demand so some special terms are associated with them.....

AP Books:
Only one AP item can be checked out at a time.
Check out period is one week.
One renewal allowed if no one is waiting for the book
Late fees are expesive at $1.00 per day....be on time!

**due to the number of people trying to access these books, these rules are enforced**

2010/2011 BLUEBONNET BOOKS are here!

Kids can get a jump start on reading the Bluebonnet Books over the summer. We have all the books from the upcoming list and they are all labeled. Once school is out, we will create a special display featuring the Bluebonnets.....so that YOU can get a jump on your reading!

MORE DVD's!!!!

Oh my gosh, that wonderful, wonderful family that has donated HUNDREDS of DVD's, many unopened, as well as HUNDREDS of brand new books. They've struck again, bringing in 101 DVD's. Give us a few days, that's a lot of processing and computer input but hopefully before Easter all will be on the shelves.

The Chickens are coming!!!

JOIN US FOR CHICKEN STORY TIME!!!

Wednesdsay, April 7 * 10:30 am
Join the Miss Sandy and Kristopher's chickens for story time!
We'll be meeting outside in front of the library with our fine feathered friends
for a fun morning of chicken stories and playing.
Be prepared to pet the peeps!!!

The library has ..... CHANGED!!!

If you've been in the library lately, you've noticed lots of books stacked around, being moved, reorganized, and reworked. I'm sure we'll confuse you all for a bit with our changes, but honestly, the library will be a bit more user friendly. We've rearranged the childrens department so that all picture books are within arms reach for the little ones. The young adult section has been expanded to allow some much needed space and room for growth. I personally think that the non-fiction section of young adult is a lot more accessible. Here's hoping more find the wonderful books in non-fiction that have been in hiding.

I think we've touched every single book in the adult non-fiction section lately. We've laid the books that are too large to stand on their backs, spines exposed so that people can see them and possibly use them once they can see the titles. We've expanded this section to be the perimeter of the room, so books are spread out a bit more and exposed, hopefully easier to find as well.

The entire fiction collection for adults has been reworked, again exposing those hidden gems we have and adding lots of goodies that you've been looking for.

And as for MOVIES??? We have had some absolutely incredibly generous donations which have made me cry! The generosity of people has been overwhelming. One family donated over 100 DVDs, over half of which have never been opened. They also have brought in hundreds of brand new books, best sellers. Others are sharing their books on CD collection with us, increasing our collection greatly. As a result, these two sections have LOADS of new titles just waiting for you to find them. The easiest way to see what is new? In our catalog at the top is an a button that says WHATS HOT. Click this and you can choose what new items you'd like to look at and how recently they were added. Since many of the items that are new are circulating, if you see a title you want and it's out (indicated by red highlighting), we can reserve it for you and call when it is returned.

Constant changes, exciting updates. Check us out!

ResumeMaker available to patrons at NO COST

Newest addition to the LHPL? RESUMEMAKER!!! Provided free of charge to our members, the Texas Library and Archives Commission, Central Texas Library System and the Alamo Area Library System have partnered to bring ResumeMaker to our library and patrons. Click the logo below to register and get started for FREE!!!

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Technology in your library

The future of libraries is changing; technology is having a big impact on what we thought of as “that quiet book place.” The Liberty Hill Public Library is fortunate to have recently been awarded a grant for a Texas Workforce Commission workstation. Sometime during February or March, we will be receiving a fully outfitted computer from the TWC that will be dedicated to job seekers. This spring, libraries across the state will be joining together for classes on revamping computer use policies, giving job seekers and those taking online classes priority to computer use.

Our local Central Texas Library System has partnered with two other systems to bring ResumeMaker to the Liberty Hill Public Library and our patrons. Links are being added to our website and to all access point so that this software can be accessed from within the library or from your home.

Our local library system has also listened to requests the LHPL and other libraries have submitted regarding a need for beginning computer classes. In approximately 7 months, we will be seeing classes such as “Computers for Beginners” being unveiled within the Liberty Hill community. Our four computers will be utilized and our regional system will be bringing in laptops and instructors so that we may maximize exposure to the class. Dates are not yet set, but be assured that the classes will be FREE to all participants. Once local staff has been trained to teach, these will become ongoing classes.

Currently, our staff is participating in a learning program called “23 Things”. It is a program dealing with web 2.0 technologies that are in use today and enveloping us in the use of them. Web 2.0 includes such things as blogging, avatars, flickr, virtual worlds, twitter and many of the mashups in existence. The internet is now a two way street, not just for information reading, but for users to build and be a part of. Ask us for help, you might be surprised how up-to-date we are on technology knowledge!

The Liberty Hill Public Library is involved in social networking and other technologies, believe it or not! Follow us on:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Liberty-Hill-TX/Liberty-Hill-Public-Library/61011038795?ref=nf
Twitter http://twitter.com/LHPL
delicious http://delicious.com/lhpl for reference help
Sandy has a blog located at http://lhpl.blogspot.com/
Susan’s blog is at http://theheartofthehill.blogspot.com/
LHPL website at www.lhpl.org has links to all on the front page.
Oh, by the way, we also have a chat window you can contact us through for immediate answers, again located on our website.

One very simple piece of technology you need to know if you have a computer.....you can access your library account online. Again, head to our website and midway down the page you will see in red, “YOUR ACCOUNT.” Click this link and follow directions to log into your account. You now have the ability to browse our catalog, review books, read reviews, renew and reserve books, among other things. We will soon be adding the option to pre-reserve books by the most popular authors.

Keep your eyes open. Technology changes fast and we are staying at the forefront. As we’ve been reading in the library journals, we as library staff must embrace and use this technology or be left behind. We look forward to helping you in any way we can. Remember, we are YOUR free community library. Come check us out!