If You Hate Waiting

 

9-27-2024

I heart Libby. I have hearted Libby since it was OverDrive, I had a Kindle with the OverDrive app that allowed easy downloading, and Emma had me waiting in her dance studio lobby multiple nights a week for rehearsals to finish. Now it is Libby, Amazon makes downloads to my Paperwhite annoying, and Emma is enjoying her freshman year of college four hours away. I still heart Libby.

A pandemic and worldwide shut later and a large number of my fellow library card holders also love Libby. Testified to by the wait times of popular titles.

The other day I was researching the likelihood of a patron checking out a copy of Kristin Hannah’s The Women in time for her private book club at the end of October. Knowing that a week earlier we’d checked the holds list for the print copy and that it was over 300 patrons strong, I turned to electronic copies. The hold lists on Libby’s 127 book copies and 119 audio book copies were both estimated to take over six months.

I don’t heart Hoopla. We provide access, but unlike Libby which allows us to pay for and maintain access to a book, Hoopla charges for every use. That’s why patrons are limited to the number of checkouts per month and the have a price cap on accessible items. However, in cases like this when other venues are not available, it’s my next suggestion. Not available there at all.

After we ended the call, I looked into physical audiobook copies and realized we already owned The Women on Playaway. To top it all off, it was on our shelves.

The moral of the story is twofold.

First, physical copies are a viable alternative to the long waits. A group of directors from Prairie Lakes Library System are currently meeting to explore the best way to reduce these waits, but the simple truth is libraries don’t have the budget to purchase enough copies to do so. Being open to physical copies can reduce the wait for some titles.

Second, Playaways are often overlooked. For those who don’t know, they are small devices that contain the MP3 copy of a book and can be played on its own unlike CDs. The downside as compared to Libby and using a tablet or smart phone is that a Playaway has neither speakers nor Bluetooth capabilities. They have a 3.5 mm port for headphones. Yes, the kind with a wire. However, the port also allows for an FM transmitter for use with a radio or a cable that plugs into a car or speaker’s auxiliary port.

I would be happy to demonstrate any of those technologies for the next person to ask for The Women or any other Playaway.

Reading Now: A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (PBS Great America Reads title)

Listening to Now: American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin

A Word From Our Director

9-20-2024

The lights have been on late at the ETLPL this month. That’s because it is rehearsal time for our Friend’s annual play fundraiser. This delightful tradition made it’s post-Covid comeback last year, which helped fund the new furniture in our programming space as well as the Experience Pass Which Must Not Be Named. Stop in and I’ll explain what that means.

This is the Friends largest fundraiser and will help support next summer’s reading program as well as the renewal of the Not Named pass. Below is a description from our director, Mary Hubbard Nugent. All I’d like to add is that the hospitality hour will offer a cheese plate for two for sale created by me and Claudia Felske. I can’t wait for the taste testing.

The Friends of the East Troy Lions Public Library in collaboration with Off the Square Players are pleased to present Wine, Cheese and Murder by Michael Druce.  This play is a perfect pairing of comedy and fund raising for the Friends.

                To publicize her new wine, vineyard owner Chardonnay Boudreaux invites wine expert Beau Jolie to host a wine tasting. The tasting immediately turns sour when Beau discovers the wine is contaminated with gasoline. Before anyone can cry sour grapes, Beau drops dead. Police Chief Moscato Paul launches an investigation only to be faced with another murder. Are the two murders and the ruined wine the work of one person or more? Could it be Chardonnay’s sister Brie or their estranged stepbrother Marlowe? Perhaps French cheese master Henri Chablis or longtime manager Madeira Lambrusco had a hand in the crimes. Ripe with suspects and motives, this mystery is looking like a vintage murder.

                The cast includes Judy Atkinson, Don Barshinger, Ruth Tozer, Mark Gontscharow, Joan Hay, Kathy Anderson, Emma Wegner, Jack Weiber, Steve Hay, Jody Pogorzelski, Paul Sleeman, Kelly Romel and Liz Atkinson.  Mary Hubbard Nugent is directing the production; Chuck Dimick is the producer.  Audiences will be familiar with some of the cast members who were featured in the 2023 Friends Fundraiser production of Murder at the Pie Auction, also written by Michael Druce.

                The murder mystery will be performed at the Honey Creek Collective in East Troy on October 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20.  Friday and Saturday performances will be at 7:30 pm and while Sunday’s will be at 2 pm.  Audiences will be able to participate in a live auction during the show featuring wine, cheese, and cheesecake as well as a hospitality hour previous to the performance. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the East Troy Lions Public Library. 

Reading Now: A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (PBS Great America Reads title)

Listening to Now: American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin

Fall Programming Kicks Off

 

9-13-2024

Fall program changes kicked in at the library this week. Monday saw our first Pokémon Open Card Battle. On hand were Bryan, owner of 2To16 Games, and his fiancée Harlie who helps out at the shop. The two patrons who came after school already knew how to play so it was all about battles this week; however, Bryan and Harlie were fully prepared to teach and feed participants. They brought starter decks and cookie cake to share.

2To16 Games is in Mukwonago near Fork in the Road and in the same strip mall as Judd’s Designs. Along with their Corgi, Annie Mae, Bryan and Harlie provide a space for game play of Magic the Gathering as well as Pokémon. Contrary to their name, most patrons are actually in their 20s. Younger players do come in with their families. Board games are also available for free play. Play space is free; however, they do sell trading cards and supplies such as card sleeves, dice, and new player decks.

Our next Pokémon night is after school on Monday, September 23^rd. This program runs the same days as our Yarn & Stitch group: 2^nd and 4^th Mondays each month. This coming Monday, September 16^th is our first Serial Sampler Book Club. This month is The Wild Robot by Peter Brown to coincide with the movie release.

The October book is Magyk by Angie Sage. This was on my recommendation. The Septimus Heap series is one of my favorites. Emma and I listened to it before she was old enough for Harry Potter. I had to trick her into listening to it as the title gave her the impression it was a boy book. Our previous listen finished while we were on the way to Devil’s Lake. Lo and behold, Magik was the only other audiobook with us. The first chapter introduces a lost princess, which immediately made the book and its six sequels acceptable.

The series have some similarities in that they both involve young men raised without parents and whose life changes when they discover their magical abilities. Septimus Heap is not nearly as dark for all that he too has a nemesis from birth. Print and audio copies are available at the library.

For adults and older teens who like to write, our new Writer’s Workshop starts Tuesday, September 17^th at 3:00-4:30. This program is intended to create a safe space for writers to share their works in progress and provide feedback and support for each other.

Reading Now: 

Listening to Now: American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin 

New on BadgerLink

 

9-6-2024

It seems fitting to write an article about BadgerLink resources the week school starts up again. The databases offered are very helpful for student research in most of my classes, which in previous years resulted in a number of how-to demonstrations in classrooms. However, with over 70 resources to offer on a variety of topic they serve all ages. In July a handful of those changed. Direct links to three of the new databases are now available on the ETLPL website. All three have a do-it-yourself component in common.

The first is a replacement for Auto Repair Source. As the name implies, this database provided repair manuals for auto repair. And the definition of uncomplicated it not complicated. ChiltonLibrary may not be as obvious a name, but it is a well known and respected one for do-it-yourself mechanics. Chilton’s have been so coveted in the past, that our print collection is literally stored under lock and key and not allowed to circulate. Instead, patrons were asked to make copies of the relevant pages. With this database, that is no longer an issue. The materials can be accessed immediately as the need arises rather than at the mercy of library hours. Plus, they advertise a video library as part of the collection.

Related, but not new, is the Small Engine Repair Source. Another obvious title for the mechanically inclined.

The second addition to our website, also for the mechanically inclined and obviously named, is Home Improvement Source. This draws from magazines and reference books on home improvement and repair projects. According to the BadgerLink website that includes electrical, flooring, gardening, design, plumbing, woodworking, and more.

The final hands-on database linked to our website is Hobbies and Crafts Source. Magazines are also the source for this database. They cover crafts, cooking/baking, gardening, indoor/outdoor recreation, and more.

The majority of the remaining BadgerLink resources are for research purposes. Not just papers but also health related information, genealogy, historical newspapers, and even book recommendations. All of resources are paid for by the state of Wisconsin and made available to all residents through their public and school libraries for free. As an experiment, I accessed Popular Science through the Popular Magazines database without logging in. That may be because the software recognizes the library’s IP address. That is the case for students at school. The first time use at home may require logging in with a library card. Give it a try.

Reading Now: The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner (September Adult Book Club Selection)

Listening to Now: One More to Die by Joy Ellis (Audible Original unrelated to her series)