Keeping It Alive (No Green Thumb Here) & Pizza Party

 

7-19-2024

It’s Monday. Lisa has been on vacation for the past ten days. She comes back to work tomorrow and I’m afraid she’ll walk in the door take one look at our primula and leave. Brandy tells me it’s a German primrose. She knows this from researching how to bring it back to life. Yes, I may have killed it.

“Why is this such a big deal?” you may ask. That’s an excellent question since many of you may be like me and kill just about any plant that enters the house. In a word, Nancy. The plant was gifted to the library by a patron to show her gratitude and appreciation for the library. Nancy was our green thumb and in charge of caring for it. Since she passed, I’ve been the point person on that. Lisa has mentioned the importance of keeping it alive and the guilt she/we will feel in the event of its demise. Send me all your positive energy/thoughts/prayers. I have no memory of the last time I watered it, which accounts for the sever dropping we’ve seen all day.

On the bright side, I have kept the pot of geraniums outside alive and thriving. Of course, the rains probably helped and our Board Trustee who waters when I can’t. Apparently, it takes a Village (and an ecosystem) to raise a plant as well as a child. The geraniums are important as they were planted in Nancy’s honor. Every summer she used to line her porch pots containing over 80 plants.

My next large feat is the Summer Reading Pizza Party. I’ve already fumbled the ball on collecting RSVPs. Anyone who participated in the SRP is invited to have Genoa’s cheese pizza and watch the prize drawing on Monday, July 29^th.  All reading grids must be returned to the library no later than Saturday, July 27^th at 1:00 pm. Included in that deadline is placing tickets for the drawings in the appropriate boxes. In order to prepare for the party, all the prizes and drawing boxes will be taken down to Nancy’s Nook. The boxes won’t be accessible for additional entries.

This year we’ve been handing out coupons from Kwik Trip’s  Kwik Books program to children who return their reading grids. The coupon is good for one free item – either a garden salad or pizza slice. Sorry adults, all our coupon sponsors, Kwik Trip, Springs Water Park, Wisconsin State Fair, and Tanis Construction’s Walworth County Fair tickets, are geared toward children reading. We have to do it primarily for the love. However, the prizes sponsored by our Friends have no age limit.

Reading Now: There, There by Tommy Orange, Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Listening to Now: The Dying Light by Joy Ellis ( DCI Matt Ballard Bk 3)

Strategic Plan - Goal 1

 

7-12-2024

This week marks the end of the Strategic Plan writing process. Thank you to Molly McCormack Moody and Lloyd Sineni for joining Lisa Gitz and I for many, many meetings beginning in November. As a committee we focused on responses to the Community Survey from February and created three goals. Today I’ll focus on the first one.

Goal 1 reads, “Expand communication with area residents and organizations in order to strengthen relationships and promote library service.” Essentially that translates into finding effective ways to communicate what is happening at the library. In April I wrote an article that detailed the survey responses regarding how people learn about library programs. There was a decided split between social media for nonusers and library signage and the newspaper for user.

Many of the real actions laid out for this goal are ways to diversify delivery with a minimum of effort. Meaning, add an Instagram account which can be managed from the same interface used for our Facebook posts. Same amount of work as long as images are created to fit Instagram. Continue to make newspaper articles available through the library’s website only do so through a blog that can be shared on Facebook. The advantage of that is the ability for readers to easily go back to earlier articles they may have missed or wish to reference for some reason. I actually did just that to identify when a previous article referenced social media and the Community Survey. For accountability purposes, it is easy to see the number of views for each article through the blog and watch them go up from week to week.

There are two other delivery platforms identified in the goal: the website and a community calendar.

Shortly after we launched our redesigned website, the Department of Justice/Office of Civil Rights released a ruling regarding accessibility requirements pertaining to government related websites. Our switch to a focus on graphics means we are in trouble on that score. The images contain the necessary information about our programming. However, they can’t be read by screen readers. Reaching compliance won’t require another redesign, but it will mean learning our way around alt text and finding a balance between that and less reliance on graphics.

The community calendar idea was born from meetings Molly McCormack Moody has attended in the past and scheduling conflicts the library has had with other community organizations. We would love for East Troy community to have a one-stop place to go to find dates and times of community events. The Chamber sends out regular emails in the summer, but the content is limited to events sponsored by the Chamber or its members. The Family Resource Center has a website. The ETLPL has a website. The East Troy Intergenerational Community Center has a website. I would love for the Lions to have a website.

The library would like to create a simple Google calendar with events for all of these organizations along with others I haven’t named. We can all make it available on our websites. That sounds like a summer programming is over project to me. If you or someone you know works with a community organization and is interested in learning more, reach out to me at the library. Those are the people we’ll start with in the fall.

Reading Now: There, There by Tommy Orange, Twilight Territory by Andrew X Pham ( Big Library Read on Libby)

Listening to Now: Hidden on the Fens by Joy Ellis (Back to DI Nikki Galena Bk 11)

Children's July 4th Parade on the 1st

 

7-5-2024

Our first Children’s Parade was a resounding success. The weather was lovely with the sun shining but the temperatures in the low 70s, we had about 65 participants. Everyone gathered outside the library at 1:30 to decorate bikes, scooters, wagons, or strollers. We had red, white, and blue streamers and garland staff had pre-cut, pin wheels we assembled, and tattoos for the adventurous. I was deemed brave for applying one to my face. With the parade before the actual holiday, it just allowed me to continue the celebration.

Police Chief Jeremy Swendrowski led the parade on his scooter. He even carried a pin wheel. The fire department made an early appearance, they thought the parade was at 1:00. Unfortunately, they never made it back for the real parade time. Our thoughts are with whoever needed them more. Thank you to both departments for being part of the day, Trustee Santa Consiglio and her guests from Albuquerque who wanted to see a small-town July 4^th and ended up handing out water and fruit snacks at parade’s end, and Miss Maria for the idea.

The Lower Level’s facelift was completed the same day with the addition of a blue and yellow, southwestern rug for the adult programming side of the space. I took a chance in running to Home Depot to pick it up along with the really long hose that will make watering both flower beds easier. There is always a lot of extra set up after holiday weekends (four trips to empty the book drop) and some cleanup from the festivities (left over wrappers and other garbage from the parade and fireworks). This year was a breeze as Ryan Holle’s FFA students were picking up trash when I arrived. They did a great job.

The hose is all set up and ready to make lift easier. Every year following their plant sale, Holle’s landscaping classes plant the flower beds at the corner of West and Graydon for the library and Playmore Park. This year the addition of our new landscaping in Nancy’s honor has added quite a bit more watering until those plants are established. That area has added such beauty to our space, that we are being very vigilant in maintaining it.

We need to thank Paul from Benchmark again for his work and that of his crew. I wrote in an earlier article that he donated the paving stones and labor. Now that the time has come to settle up, he waved off the cost of materials as well and donated his company’s work on the entire project. Paul tells me they do a couple projects for the community each year and this was a fun one and while he didn’t know Miss Nancy, he could see that the community cared for her.

Now I can find another project on which to spend those funds. Stay tuned.

Reading Now: People You Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, There, There by Tommy Orange

Listening to Now: Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (Book Club meets next week)

 

Fire at the Library

 

6-28-2024

Monday was an exciting day at the library. For a moment I thought it may be too exciting, but all I really needed was a little faith in Prairie Lakes Library System and Mad Science.

The Mad Science program on Monday was all about air and included combustion. I didn’t think anything of the lit candles until a flammable powder was blown through it, but that wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the ethanol in what basically amounted to the type of jug found at a water cooler. That woosh made me happy to know the fire department was scheduled to visit the library anyway that day and hoping their visit would be pushed ahead and hour. This was the first time we hosted Mad Science. It looks like a winner.

After the 1:30 performance, Miss Maria runs a Choose Your Own Adventure book club for 9–13-year-olds. The program is actually sponsored by the publisher who will send participants a free book and swag bag. This week’s theme was fire; hence the scheduled visit. We were honored to have Captain Brian Pluess and volunteer firefighter Jon Gulig from East Troy Fire & Rescue here with their gear including the new fire engine. The book club members were a bit hesitant about climbing inside, but we did draw a few families from the park. Among the more enthusiast was a young man who was happy to meet one of the firefighters who helped put out the fire at his house last year.

We have another scheduled visit from Fire & Rescue next week for the Children’s Parade. A police officer will also be present. I wonder who will be more popular. There’s a challenge.

The library is closed Friday, June 28^th and Saturday, June 29^th for the Lion’s July 4^th celebrations at Rossmiller Park. We will also be closed on Thursday, July 4^th. That means no Preschool Play Group or Teens & Tweens this week. The library will be open again on Friday, July 5^th for Storytime.

The closures do make it tricky to hand in the June reading grid for participants of the Summer Reading Program. Those are due on Monday, July 1^st. I fear patrons will be so focused on the parade, they’ll forget to come into the library to hand them in, but having them due on Thursday, June 27^th seemed a bit early. Adult and teen grids aren’t due until the end of July as their drawing tickets are earned by reading entire books rather than counting minutes.

Reading Now: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Listening to Now: Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (July Adult Book Club selection)

Goldilocks at the Library

6-21-2024

Guess what I did last weekend. Last week’s article provides a clue to one of my activities: the library was a stop in the 2024 Scavenger Games. It looked like a lot of fun. For any reader who was worried, Miss Anna made short work of putting my hair in a bun. However, that isn’t what I meant.

Last week Wednesday eight boxes were delivered to the library. Four small easily handled ones, two medium sized heavy ones, and two large impossible to move alone even for the DPW men. That sounds like an alternative version of Goldilocks. In a way it works as inside the boxes were items on which to sit. Unfortunately, the small boxes were arms for the chairs and sofas in the medium and large boxes ruining the story.

At this point, anyone who knows me would realize putting together furniture is the correct guess. The two chairs were in place for the Snake Discovery on Monday at 1:30. Only the chairs though as the sofas are so heavy that even I realize they will require two people to assemble. Don’t worry, I have a plan.

That means I have also spent a bit of time this week on Home Depot’s website looking at area rugs. We held off on purchasing one until seeing the actual color of the furniture. Websites just do not show true colors. The rug won’t bother me as much. Its life expectancy is shorter to begin with as we’re just going to walk on it anyway. After that, maybe some folding side tables?

Looking ahead at the calendar threw me for a loop. We are closed next weekend for the Lion’s Clubs 4^th of July celebration. Time really is flying. The closure is for Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29. We’ll reopen on Monday, July 1^st when that fun is over. However, the library will continue the festivities. Our Monday program that day is a Children’s Parade. Children are invited to bring their bicycles, scooters, strollers, and wagons at 1:30 for decorating or bring them pre-decorated.

The parade will begin at 2:00. The route will begin in the library parking lot, cross over to the sidewalk in front of the high school, cross Graydon to the sidewalk in front of the middle school at the point where the high school bus lanes feed into the middle school’s lot, ending at Playmore Park. Spectators can set their lawn chairs up and watch from the grass side. We will have representation from both the police and fire departments.

This coming week look for Yarn & Stitch and Mad Science on Monday, June 24^th as well as our weekly programs.

Reading Now: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Listening to Now: Five Bloody Hearts by Joy Ellis (DCI Matt Ballard #2)

 

2024 Scavenger Games

 

6-14-2024

Each year public libraries submit an Annual Report to the state detailing our finances, both income and expenditures, staffing, and programming. The state uses that data for various reasons most importantly related to funding and accountability.

This week’s summer programming kicked off and giving us plenty to report come January. Monday alone, we saw 301 patrons at signing up for the SRP and attending the three programs for that day. I was so drained that I picked up a pizza on the way home, thank you Genoa, and ate it while watching Netflix. To put that in perspective, I watch focus on one show at a time. While I have slipped in two seasons each of The Witcher and Bridgerton, The Crown has been that show for at least four years. I simply do not watch television.

It was a wonderful day.

This summer the East Troy Chamber of Commerce is organizing the 2024 Scavenger Games and the ETLPL is taking part. More complete details are available on the Chamber’s website, but in a nutshell teams will be completing a series of challenges at various locations around the Village. The winning team receives $1,000. The games will run on three different dates: June 15^th, August 17^th , and October 19^th. If you prioritize the Puzzle Practice at the library this Saturday, there will be other opportunities.

Miss Maria is working on our task. It will involve logic puzzles and basic knowledge of library organization. My focus is on my costume: total old school librarian which means I have to finally master the bun and can’t cut my hair until the last game is over. Perhaps it’s good that I actually need reading glasses so that’s already covered. I have my cardigan picked out as well.

Last week’s article listed all of the programs for what was the upcoming week. Doing so took up the half my minimum word count. This week, I will omit specifics for those that repeat every week (Choose Your Own Book Club, Bedtime Storytime, Lego Club, Preschool Play Group, Teens & Tweens, Friday Storytime) and highlight the two that change.

Saturday, June 15^th beginning at 10:00 – Puzzle Practice: This is technically related to the puzzle competition later this summer, but also just an opportunity for groups of puzzle lovers to put one together without taking up their own table space.

Monday, June 17^th at 1:30 – Snake Discovery

Reading Now: One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by BJ Novak

Listening to Now: Beware the Past by Joy Ellis ( DCI Matt Ballard #1)

SRP Sign Up and New Programing Begins

 

6-7-2024

The first day of Summer Reading Program families were so excited to sign up and beat next week’s rush, they braved the rain and came pouring in. Actually, we had more adults sign up than children 18 to 14, but that will change. Remember this was only the first week, sign up continues well into the summer.

We have 30 prizes this year thanks to the annual monetary donation from the Friends of the East Troy Lions Public Library and prize donations from three library families. Little Prairie Primary students have had a lot to say about them during their end of the year visits. Walkie Talkies and the kayaking Barbie are definitely favorites. Personally, I’d go for the Twister that attaches to a hose or the wagon that folds up for easy storage in a car.

Thank you to everyone who baked for, set up, ran, or stopped by the Friends’ Books & Bites sale on May 25^th. They nearly doubled last year’s sales and raised just shy of $700. While all was going on outside, I gave the storage room used for book donations a major re-organizing and purging. The room looks positively spacious. While we seek out book donations in the months leading up to the sale, there is now a full shelf dedication to incoming donations. Feel free to drop them off at anytime.

This will be Miss Maria’s first summer with us. Thankfully she has many years of experience through the Alice Baker Memorial Library and is fully prepared to sleep in September. Many of the programs below were added due to her willingness to give her all to summer at the library.

Coming up this week at the library.

Saturday, June 8^th at 10:00 – IT with Lori and (Sometimes) Wade

Saturday, June 8^th at 10:30 – Preschool Storytime

Saturday, June 8^th at 11:00 – Nancy O’Connell Memorial Dedication

Monday, June 10^th at 10:00 – Yarn & Stitch

Monday, June 10^th at 1:30 – Zack Percell of TNZ Magic

Monday, June 10^th at 3:00 – Choose Your Own Adventure Book Club for Ages 9-13

Tuesday, June 11^th at 1:00 – Adult Book Club: Lessons in Chemistry

Tuesday, June 11^th at 3:15 – Library Board Meeting

Tuesday, June 11^th at 6:30 – Bedtime Storytime

Wednesday, June 12^th at 3:00 – Lego Club

Thursday, June 13^th at 10:00 – Preschool Play Group

Thursday, June 13^th at 3:00 – Teens & Tweens: Create a Painted Glass Votive Candle Holder

Friday, June 14^th at 11:00 – Preschool Storytime with Craft

Friday, June 14^th at 12:30 – Books, Crafts & a Dog: Sydney the therapy dog is back

Friday, June 14^th at 1:30 – Adult Book Club: Lessons in Chemistry

 Reading Now: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (for book club), Minx by Julia Quinn (Splendid Trilogy Book 3 - her first series)

Listening to Now: Darkness on the Fens by Joy Ellis (DI Nikki Galena book 10)