Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Talking Books

I came by my second career naturally. I'm a reader; I came from a house full of readers; and I live in a house full of readers. It's a good life.

By the way, the word for today is "swivet." It's a noun meaning a state of extreme agitation. I've got to find a way to fit this one into conversation. Actually, I can use a couple of my new words in the same paragraph: I'm in a swivet trying to determine what I need to access to successfully navigate my online course. Maybe I will be gruntled by the support of my classmates.

Yes, "gruntle" is another of the new words introduced to me by my Page a Day Calendar. We've all been using disgruntled forever. I suppose "gruntle" was just a matter of time.

Anyway, one of the things I really enjoy is talking books. I email friends and family with book recommendations, and here at the Library I stop people in the halls and stacks to share a favorite title. A friend recently recommended Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish, and now I am recommending it to you. What a marvelous book about women and their friendships! Occasionally the language is a little blue, but it's real. It combines vignettes of real life with a real life fantasy of many women -- just getting away for awhile.

So pour yourself a cup of your favorite beverage, curl up on a comfy sofa or chair, spread a blanket across your lap, and open Kris Radish's book. And when you're done, call a friend!

Monday, January 14, 2008

The library as a community center

I plan and promote library programs for a living. Well, there are some other requirements in my job description, but there's a lot of planning and promoting. To date I have scheduled 30 events for 2008, separate from the regularly scheduled youth, young adult and adult programming. A public library should certainly be a center of community life. The more that is happening at the library, the more it will be perceived as that center. We're trying to make the library relevant in the life of everyone in our community. We want them to find themselves on the shelves, to be entertained and educated by our programming, and to feel that the availability of the public library is essential to a quality life. Too grandiose? I don't think so. It's a process, and it won't be quick, but what a pleasure to try!

We at Manitowoc Public Library are especially pleased to offer the 2008 Great Decisions Discussion Series. We're co-sponsoring the series with these fine organizations:
  • The League of Women Voters of Manitowoc County
  • The Manitowoc Public Library Foundation
  • The Friends of Manitowoc Public Library
  • Manitowoc Noon Rotary
  • Manitowoc Sunrise Rotary
  • University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc
  • Silver Lake College
  • Lakeshore Peacemakers
  • Manitowoc County Diversity Circles
How's that for a roster. Almost as impressive as our topics and speakers:
  • Talking to Our Enemies with John E. Katzka, retired diplomat, Senior Foreign Service Officer
  • European Union at 50 with Wolfgang Schmidt, UW-Milwaukee, Institute of World Affairs
  • Iraq End-Game with Richard Flannery, UW-Manitowoc/Sheboygan, Political Science
  • Russia with Clarence Davis, retired professor, Marion College, History
  • U.S. Defense & Security Policy with Michael Tobin, Executive Director Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission
  • Latin America: Shift to the Left? with Sr. Carmen Marie Diaz, Silver Lake College, History & Social Sciences
  • U.S.-China Trade Policy with Prof. Martin Farrell, Ripon College, Political Science & Global Studies
  • Private Philanthropy with Mary Beth Growney Selene, past governor, District 6250, Rotary International
This exciting series begins Monday, February 11, 2008, at 6 p.m., and continues for the following 7 Mondays. More info? Log on to www.manitowoc.lib.wi.us.

So yes, I like living in Libraryland. Let me know what you think.