QUILT SHOW TIME!!!!

THE QUILTS  for this year's annual show are going up today and will be on display in the library throughout the month of October!  We are proudly showing off the work of many talented local quiltmakers!

After enjoying the quilt exhibit, be sure to check out our NONFICTION books about quilting (Dewey Number 746.46) or go upstairs to the FICTION section to find some of the Elm Creek Quilts series of novels by Jennifer Chaiverini.

I have sewn a few quilts over the years, but have yet to finish one to display in the library's show. For instance, the star block here is from a baby quilt  I was designing for my grandson Desmond; I started it before he was born, and he is 3 years old now, and the quilt is still in pieces!   The photo to the left is a project I have been working on the past few months, and no it isn't done yet either!


I do have an antique (circa 1890's) velvet crazy quilt top in the library display cases (along with other vintage quilts).  I purchased the quilt from an antique shop in the late 1990's-- with the intention to embroider the top and finish the quilt, which is yet another unfinished project!  I took the quilt top to be appraised at Antiques Roadshow last year in Knoxville, TN; they verified the date but my pretty quilt isn't worth much more than the 100$ I paid for it. Still, as I said,  it is a pretty thing.


 Despite all my own procrastination and lack of productivity, I do  love having the quilt show in the library. I am always so impressed and inspired by the creativity of our local artists! It makes the library all that more inviting and colorful and cozy.

And, all these quilts do make me quite nostalgic-- for NAPTIME!

My Favorite Banned Book in Alabama

MY favorite "banned book" is the children's picture book THE RABBITS' WEDDING, written and illustrated by Garth Williams. (He also, notably, illustrated  two other of my childhood favorites, STUART LITTLE and CHARLOTTE"S WEB.) 

Illustration from The Rabbits'Wedding by Garth Williams

In our library collection at E WILLIAMS

WHY was this book BANNED?

Montgomery Home News, Feb 1959

TIME June 1, 1959

This book about civil rights can be found in out Alabama Room Collection at ALA 027.4761 GRA.

It contains a chapter on  "Librarians and the Civil Right Movement, 1955-1965" with a significant portion devoted to Emily Wheelock Reed and the Rabbits' Wedding Controversy.

Link to Los Angeles Times Obituary for Emily Wheelock Reed: 

http://articles.latimes.com/print/2000/jun/05/local/me-37597

There is even a stage play, called ALABAMA STORY, about the controversy over the book.

Synopsis: Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, Alabama Story tells the story of state librarian Emily Wheelock Reed, who orders a seemingly innocuous children's book called The Rabbits Wedding and ignites a state senator's segregationist ire in 1959 Montgomery, Alabama. A finalist for the 2014 National Playwrights' Conference, Alabama Story is a gentle fact-based drama that unfolds at a pivotal time in American history.

https://sites.google.com/a/theoneill.org/2014-national-playwrights-conference-finalists/alabama-story-by-kenneth-jones

includes a 25 pg except of the playscript.

READ AN EBOOK

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

FIRST INTERNATIONAL READ AN EBOOK DAY

This will be a day to celebrate and raise awareness for reading on digital devices. Readers around the world are encouraged to take part in the largest digital reading event by choosing from millions of free eBooks from their local library or purchasing an eBook from a retailer online.

Throughout the day on September 18, OverDrive will be celebrating the holiday by giving away tablets and devices every hour on www.readanebookday.com and through social media to readers who tell their story of what eBooks mean to them. Readers can use the hashtag #eBookDay on Facebook or Twitter to tell their story, or comment directly at http://readanebookday.com/

HEAR THAT? YOU CAN WIN AN E-READER!!!!

If you are new to eBooks, be sure check out http://help.overdrive.com/ and learn about borrowing, downloading and syncing eBooks. You can also access information via the EBOOKS tab and links on our library homepage.

To make your digital reading even more convenient, OverDrive will be releasing a NEW APP for Android, iOS, and Windows  (to be released Sept. 15, 2014)! The new version will make setting up your device even easier and no longer require authorization from Adobe. Another feature of the new app will allow Epub formatted books to be returned early before their due date.

This is all good news for tech savvy patrons who want to get the most from all the digital resources DPL has to offer.

 Now, for your amusement...CONFESSIONS OF A LOW-TECH LUDDITE:
I'm an old school kind of gal when it comes to reading; I like hard copy, “real” books.  I had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the eBook revolution, and mostly because my job in the library required me to become familiar with the evolving technology. It's thanks to our patrons, I've been introduced to the wild world of of eBook downloads and apps for Kindle, Nook, and Android.

I finally gave in and purchased a NOOK e-reader for myself about a year ago. I've read maybe a dozen eBooks since then. Of that number, I checked out most of them via our digital collection in CameliiaNet, and bought a couple others online from Barnes & Noble. (Just so,you know where my loyalties still lie, In comparison, I've read over 100 print books during the same time frame.)

However, giving credit where it is due, there are some positive things I have to say about my limited eBook experience:

--The first eBook I purchased to read was a 1500 page biography, and I readily admit it was so much easier to handle my Nook and not have to tote a physical book of that size around with me.
--During my lunch break from the library, I often like to go walk at Delano Park. I have on occasion used my Nook to multi-task and read while I walk. The e-reader is less cumbersome than holding and flipping pages in a print book would be during exercise. (and since Delano offers a mile path to circle around on, I'm not too much of a danger to myself or others while reading on the move.)
--There are some books available in our library catalog which we have available ONLY in eBook format; so this is the only way to read them and not miss out.
--I do like the GloLight feature on my Nook; it makes reading in the dark or dim light possible.
--I’ve worn glasses since a very early age, and my eyes aren’t getting any better as I get older. I've noticed that sometimes font size or style in print will give me issues with readability. My e-reader has the capability to easily enlarge the print, and without the added bulk of a hard copy Large Print volume.

Even an old print diehard like me can see that there are positive aspects and advantages to digital!

So, celebrate  International Read An eBook Day on Sept. 18th!!! I'll even fire up my Nook and join you.  But please come to the library any day and check out what’s in the stacks as well.  :)

OUTSIDE THE LINES

 

I'm thinking the above should be my new profile pic, at least for September to promote....

OUTSIDE THE LINES is a weeklong celebration 

Sept. 14-20, 2014 

 to reconnect you with the creativity, technology, discovery, 

and all the fun and unexpected experiences 

happening in libraries today.

Btw, yours truly is facilitating the craft sessions for Ribbonwork Flowers and Origami Cranes! I'll provide more information about these workshops soon. :)

COMMENTS PLEASE & WELCOME

Although I write here about library topics which interest me and often from a somewhat personal point of view, this is not simply “MY” blog.

Neither is it totally accurate to say "it's the Decatur Public Library's blog".  (Actually, the library staff produce two blogs; this one and one from the Children's Department.) This is a blog by and about the library, and is part of of our social media outreach, but...

 It really belongs to YOU.  Together, we are all “River City Readers”.

I read recently that a successful blog should be updated at least 2-3 times per week, and that it doesn't reach "critical mass" until about 50 entries have been posted. At that point, the blogger is in the groove of writing, and  there is enough steady content to make a discernible online presence to potential readers.

I'm going to make that commitment, to do my part, to step it up and post enough to reach that positive tipping point.

One of the characteristic aims of a blog is to create an online community around content (in this case the library and all the cool stuff we offer), and comments help make that happen by providing the opportunity to turn an exchange of information into a conversation.

So, let's start talking! I need your help. What would River City Readers like to see and read here? What information do you need or want? What interests you?

Here are some ideas for what this blog's offerings could include:

Lists of  recent additions to library collection.

Notices of upcoming library events.

Book reviews.

Read-A-Like lists.

Online book club.

Showcase DPL’s services and  update resources.

Online Suggestion Box and Feedback.

Educational pieces about library related topics.

Slice of library life essays.

Web Links.

Photographs and images.


So, what can I do for you? And, remember, COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!