RCPL :: Extension Services

Do Fire Hydrants Wear Hats?

2011-11-21T05:46:00.000-08:00

This month we are talking about hats in our preschool story times. I am playing "Guess whose Hat?" with the children. I show them several pictures of different kinds of hats. The first one is a hard hat. I have gotten many different answers as to what it is. One little boy told me Bob the Builder wore that hat. Yes, he does. But recently I got an answer I never expected. A little girl told me that fire hydrants wore that kind of hat. Of course, the teachers and I laughed because that was a cute answer. However, on the way back to the library I looked at a fire hydrant and guess what? It wears a hard hat!!!

Children observe, wonder, and make sense of their world in ways we adults can only imagine. The next time a child tells you something and you say that's not right - stop and check it out. It may make more sense than you realize!

image retrieved from http://www.google.com/images

Need A Cure for What Ails You? Read a Book!

2011-08-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

To acquire
the habit of reading
is to construct
for yourself a refuge
from almost all the
miseries of life.
---W. Somerset Maugham

Have you seen any aliens lately?

2011-08-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

During story time today we were discussing transportation and ways to travel. I took our spaceship puppet with the alien driver. We talked about aliens and how men can go to the moon in a spaceship, but I told the children aliens are not real; they live in our imagination. One little boy, seriously taking all the information in, looked at me and said, "Aliens are real, I saw one phone home!" WOW, a blast from the past! I remember taking my daughter to see that movie 20+ years ago. I remember ET did find his way home, but evidently there is a new generation of children fascinated by ET's plight. You certainly won't convince them ET is not real!!

Memories....

2011-07-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

Recently Susan from the Children's Room and I collaborated on a program for my adult day care group. With the help of co-workers and friends, Susan was able to gather up a large quantity of hats of all styles and colors.

We had so much fun talking with the older adults about different kinds of hats. Some of them could recall having a new "Easter bonnet" every year. This was also a big part of my Easter as a child. Each year mama bought us a new hat, gloves, dress, black patent shoes, lacy socks, and of course that little purse we loved to carry to church. It is sad to realize many of the customs we observed as children are no longer important. I enjoyed watching the adults faces as each new hat was presented. These hats (especially the decorated ones) took them back to a time when life was simple and carefree. Every now and then we all need to be reminded of the past. My adult day care group loves to tell stories of things they remember and I never tire of hearing them share. It is a treat and a walk down memory lane for all.

This past Wednesday my adult day care group and I shared memories of aprons. The teacher intern who was working with us at the library went with me to this program. She modeled aprons and shared memories of her grandmother's aprons. Some of the memories made us laugh; others made us think. One of the ladies on the video we watched said she made aprons for her children or grandchildren to find when she was gone. They would have a tangible piece of the past; something their grandmother or great-grandmother had made with her own hands. I remember the joy I felt when my aunt gave me two aprons mama had made for her. It was special to look at the stitching and know at one time mama had held that very piece of fabric in her hands. It also brought back memories of all the meals she cooked and shared with anyone who was at our house when it was time to eat. I wonder what we are going to leave behind for our children and grandchildren to find when we are gone. What will they remember? Just something to think about....

Never been told that before.......

2011-05-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

As I finished up the last group in story time today a little boy came up to me and said, "That was almost the best story I've ever heard!"

Guess I need to try harder.

Our First Stop

2011-05-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

Since the Summer Reading theme is One World Many Stories, our first stop was the Greensboro Historical Museum. The museum was hosting a wonderful exhibit detailing the life of the Jewish people in North Carolina. This exhibit covered every aspect of Jewish culture; from the spiritual to the physical. There were displays of the outlay of a typical Jewish synagogue, examples of the Torah, Jewish prayer shawls, and much information about well-known Jewish residents of our great state as well as the city of Greensboro. This tour was conducted by a docent who was of the Jewish race. She could tell us first hand many details of the Jewish beliefs, ways of life, and what certain rituals and symbols represented. The tour was enjoyed by all. We walked away knowing much more than we knew when we walked in.

Summer Reading 2011 - Another Adventure

2011-05-04T07:16:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful April day, the librarians from around the county who work with children set off on their annual Summer Reading Program adventure. This year the theme is "One World, Many Stories." Spirits were high as everyone played the familiar guessing game, "Where are we going this year?" Since we knew our theme was about stories from around the world was it too much to hope that we might be going on a cruise, a plane trip, or a train ride to a faraway land?

I will let you play the guessing game for a day or two. I will soon post information on our first stop.

By the way, The Cat is pouting so I decided to handle these posts myself!

The Cat is Back and He is Not Happy!!

2011-04-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

The Cat says:

I have been on an extended vacation (doing a little mice hunting), and I returned to find my library friends went on their Summer Reading Adventure without me. I do not know how they could have forgotten me, but nevertheless they did. I will get the scoop and post details and pictures soon.

This summer's theme is "One World, Many Stories." I might have stories of my own to tell. Stay tuned......

image from www.google.com/images

Happy 100th Mrs. Marsh!

2011-02-10T11:59:00.000-08:00

Happy 100th Birthday to one of Randolph County's authors. Mrs. Ruby Marsh celebrated with family and friends on Sunday afternoon at Woodland Hills Nursing Home where she is now a resident. She was blessed to have her two sisters in attendance, as well as her son, daughter, son-in-law, cousins, and friends. Mrs. Marsh is a wonderful lady and an inspiration to all who know her. I am honored and blessed to be her "library lady!"

Merry Christmas from The Cat

2010-12-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

Have You Ever Wondered?

2010-11-10T11:24:00.000-08:00

Library Lady: "What is a monkey's favorite food?"

Molly: "bananas and monkey juice."

Library Lady: "Bananas and monkey juice!!! Where does a monkey get monkey juice?"

Molly, eyes twinkling: "Wal Mart!!!"

Now you know!!

Wisdom from an Older American

2010-10-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I presented a program to residents at a local nursing home. We talked about barber shops and watched a segment on a barber shop museum. We learned a lot about what kinds of services the barbers offered in years past. Barbers pulled teeth, performed surgery, as well as offering other services. We also learned why the barber pole started out with a red and white stripe.

When the DVD had ended I talked with the residents awhile. I asked one woman if she had anything she would like to talk about. She looked at me with a little smile and said, "I like to keep things to myself, I don't talk much."

Makes you think doesn't it? Wisdom - it comes from the young and the old. Maybe those of us in the middle should take time to listen.

Gotta Question? - Ask a Preschooler

2010-10-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

Story time this month is all about animals: farm animals, jungle animals, and zoo animals. We have a wonderful new book called Life-Size Zoo which has some great pictures in it. Supposedly the animals pictured are really life-size.

I have been showing the pictures to my young patrons and letting them tell me what each animal is. We then discuss some facts about the animal. One of the pictures is of an anteater. I love it when I ask, "What does an anteater eat?" Many times the children will say "ants," but last week a little boy said "corn" and today one of my preschoolers said, very seriously, "chicken soup."

If you want to know something, ask a preschooler. They are not afraid to impart their wisdom. If nothing else they will give you a smile!!!

*image retrieved from www.google.com/images

All in a Day's Work

2010-09-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

I had a strange encounter at a patron's house yesterday. While we were talking, we noticed one of her dogs running with something white in it's mouth. Upon closer inspection we noticed it was a baby squirrel (or a teen-age squirrel) we couldn't really tell it's age. The white we had spotted was the belly of the squirrel.

The squirrel has been taken to the squirrel hospital where he will receive treatment for a puncture wound and a broken toe. When he is better he will be released back into the wild.

My patron was relieved to know the squirrel will be okay. Such a simple act to save a creature that most people don't think twice about, but the smile and thanks I received was well worth the effort.

I sure am glad I didn't let The Cat ride with me yesterday!!!

Summer Reading 2010

2010-09-03T05:42:00.000-07:00

5929 - that's the number of hours our preschoolers and school age children read this summer. Jean and I presented 90 programs to an audience of 847 Randolph County children. We enjoyed"making a splash" as we read books about various water animals, activities, and water play. One of the centers I visited became very excited. We were reading about water which reminded them it would be a good day for water play, which reminded them their bathing suits were in their cubbies, which reminded them to tell their teacher they needed to go outside and get wet. Sort of sounds like, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, doesn't it. I told the teacher I was there to see that the children had a good time. I later learned they did indeed get to have water play. My job was done!

*image retrieved from www.google.com/images

Remember?

2010-08-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

MY BOOK!

I did it!
I did it!
Come and look
At what I’ve done!
I read a book!
When someone wrote it
Long ago
For me to read,
How did he know
That this was the book
I’d take from the shelf
And lie on the floor
And read by myself?
I really read it!
Just like that!
Word by word,
From first to last!
I’m sleeping with
This book in bed,
This first FIRST book
I’ve ever read!
~ David L. Harrison ~
(from Somebody Catch My Homework)

http://www.richmond.k12.va.us/readamillion/readingquotes.htm

Satisfy your Curiosity

2010-07-07T11:19:00.000-07:00

“Be a little careful about your library. Do you foresee what you will do with it? Very little to be sure. But the real question is, What it will do with you? You will come here and get books that will open your eyes, and your ears, and your curiosity, and turn you inside out or outside in.”
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Libraries are great for satisfying even the most curious among us. Come in, make a splash, and satisfy your curiosity about anything you have always wondered about. You can find the answer in a book!"

Thoughts from the Cat

2010-06-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Cat says:

"I have been hearing the phrase "Make a Splash....READ!" for a few weeks now. I did not go with the children's librarians on their outing this year, but I found one of their hats and as soon as I can find a fishing pole, I am going to make a splash! First I am going to read Curious George goes Fishing. If a monkey can catch fish I know it will be a breeze for me!"

"I wonder.....has there ever been a fish fry at the public library?"

"Have you missed me?"

2010-03-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

The Cat speaks:

"It has been a long, cold winter. I have been housesitting for my good friends, the three bears. They did not think it was safe to hibernate as long as that little blond haired girl Goldilocks was running around. Baby Bear really misses his little rocking chair. I did not have any trouble with Goldilocks though. I always invited her in, and she gave me treats and a nice bowl of milk. I left before the bears woke up because they are going to have to go grocery shopping now. Perhaps Goldilocks and I partied a little too much."

"On my way back to the library I ran into my good frined Susan from the Children's Room. She was on her way to do a Story Time for the Extension Department at one of the area child care centers. I asked her if I could ride along. As always, she was more than happy to have me along. She even let me read a story to the children."

"As you can see from the picture I chose to read about bugs. Children love bugs, and I do too. I really enjoy playing with bugs when I see them, but they always run from me if they see me first. I don't know why!"

"That is the end of my tale for today. I am back home, and you will be hearing a lot more from me in the weeks to come."

"Summer Reading will be here soon. I will be sharing information about that. I am glad to be back. Housesitting was fun, and Goldilocks was nice, but next winter I think I will just take a nap!"

Things I Learned about St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T16:57:00.000-07:00

I have been educated by some of the fine preschoolers and K-3 students of Randolph County. We have been discussing St. Patrick's Day this month and I found out some new facts.

1. Today was really the day to wear yellow. Why? It's SpongeBob day!
2. Leprechauns leave gold in your shoes. I am still waiting for my gold!
3. If you don't wear green you get tickled. I thought you got pinched.
4. There are no snakes in Ireland. When can I go? By the way, that one is true.

and finally, I was showing a picture of a leprechaun to a group of Older Americans as we were discussing symbols of St. Patrick's Day. I asked each lady if they had ever seen a leprechaun. The first lady said yes, she had, The next three ladies shook their heads no, but the next dear lady said, "That looks like my daughter!"

So thanks to all ages for giving me some great information on this day of the wearing of the green!

And now:

An Old Irish Blessing

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

Retrieved from: http://islandireland.com/Pages/folk/sets/bless.html

The Cat has Competition!

2009-12-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

This is Anna B. She is owned by one of my patrons. Every month when I make my visit she wants to sit in my bag. Should The Cat worry?

The Cat meets Hamilton the Alpaca

2009-12-02T10:55:00.001-08:00

Community Helper Day at the Library

2009-11-19T10:33:00.000-08:00

The Alpacas, Peanut and Hamilton, were a big hit with the preschoolers and adults!

Children always enjoy the big red firetruck, no matter how many times they see it!

The children learned the policeman is here to protect them. They all left with their very own sheriff's badge.

The grocer brought oranges and starfruit for the children to taste. He also gave them some tips about other healthy foods to enjoy.

Jonna Libbert, one of the children's librarians at the Asheboro Public Library created a wonderful welcome sign for our Community Helpers Day at the Library!

November 5th was a great day to entertain our guests. The children's room librarians and the extensions department librarians partnered together for our very first Community Helpers Day. Actually, the children's room librarians did all the work. I just enjoyed the day with everyone else.

There were five community helpers represented on this day. The fire department, the grocery store, the police department, and the alpaca farm, along with a photo specialist were on hand to tell the preschoolers about their jobs. The photo specialist took the pictures for us. She was behind the camera, instead of in front of it, so there is no picture of her.

Each child was given a goody bag to take back with them.

We want to say a great big thank you to everyone who made this day possible. The community helpers for giving of their time, the preschool teachers for bringing their classes, and the alpacas for being so patient with the children. It was truly a memorable experience for all.

Happy Autumn!!!

2009-10-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.
Horowitz, Stanley

Fun at NCLA!!!

2009-10-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

Susan and I took The Cat and headed to Greenville for this year's North Carolina Library Association (NCLA) Conference. We had a great time meeting new friends, learning new things, and listening to authors share their writing secrets.

We met Kerry Madden, a wonderful young adult author, and attended a luncheon where Jill McCorkle, an adult fiction author, read from her latest book of short stories. Both authors were very interesting.

Kerry Madden has just published a biography on the life of Harper Lee. She told of the various roadblocks she faced trying to get the book in print. She is also the author of a series for teens set in Maggie Valley, NC.

Jill McCorkle's new book, Going Away Shoes, promises to be a great read. She shared how she had always wondered about the lone shoes you see lying on the sides of roads, or even in the middle of roads. Where do they come from? I have often wondered that myself, but she did not have an answer. The story she read entitled "Big Foot," was hilarious. Susan and I enjoyed both authors.

We also attended workshops. The Cat was very excited to attend one about library mascots. He was introduced to the group and had his picture taken with Susan and Rocky. Rocky, the rabbit, is the mascot for Braswell Memorial Library. Normally rabbits and cats do not get along, but both were on their best behavior that day.

The Cat enjoyed his visit with the Pirate, Nemo, and Franklin. He had to stay in the hotel room, however, while Susan and I enjoyed the bar-b-que supper and concert by the Embers which was held at the Sheppard Memorial Library on Thursday night.

We had a busy three days. The Cat wonders where his travels will take him next!!!!

The Cat says, "I have a tale to tell!"

2009-10-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

The Cat speaks:

"I must say I had a very interesting visit to the Ramseur Public Library. I returned to my home last Friday, but I had to spend a few days resting before I could relate the details of my visit to you, my faithful readers."

"The visit started out great. Miss Kitty and I were having a marvelous time getting to know each other, but before I knew what had happened, we were put into a bag. I think it was the Story Time bag. You all know I do not like to be in bags, and I was thinking to myself, "What is it with me and bags?" This time was not as bad as the trip to Minnesota, however, because I was sharing space with Miss Kitty!"

"Miss Kitty and I finally made it to Story Time. Miss Sandy let me help her show the books. I took my job responsibilities very seriously, because Miss Kitty was watching. One little boy who was attending Story Time, really loved me. He proved it by biting my ear! That is why I have a band-aid, my very first boo-boo!"

"I helped Miss Sandra and Miss Sandy a lot while I was in Ramseur. I checked out books for patrons. I helped fix a computer problem. I also helped Miss Sandra decide what new books to purchase. I told her the Warriors cat series by Erin Hunter was a must have!"

"Thank you, Miss Sandra and Miss Sandy for making my visit to your library so much fun, but I must say my favorite part was meeting Miss Kitty!"

"I hope I get to visit again very soon. Hint, hint!"

The Cat- Off on Another Adventure!

2009-09-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

The Cat is visiting Miss Kitty at the Ranseur Public Library. He is going to join her for storytime next Thursday.

He emailed me to let me know he had arrived safely. It looks like he and Miss Kitty are getting along just fine.

Check back for a full report on his latest adventure.

Where did the Summer Go?

2009-09-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe today is the first day of September.

Summer Reading is already a distant memory. We had a very successful summer. We painted, glued, colored, and had a wonderful time with the children in our programs.

Charlotte and I registered 611 children for our programs. We presented 87 programs in June, July, and August. The total number of books read by the childcare centers was 29,691.

In addition, we signed up four of our adult patrons to participate in the Adult Summer Reading Club. I did not keep a record of the books read, but I am sure there were over 60 books read by those four people.

Summer is always a busy time, and this year was no exception. I think we agree with The Cat. In an earlier post he said he was going to take a nap. Sounds like a plan to me!

News from The Cat!

2009-08-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

My picture book of the Minnesota trip is now in the children's room at the Asheboro Public Library. Stop by, and ask to see it. Happy Reading!!!

The Cat Receives a Sign

2009-08-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Cat received a gift from Patty, one of his co-travelers to Minnesota. He doesn't even have to talk now, he can just point to his sign!

The Cat Concludes His Tale

2009-08-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

"I am a tired kitty, and I am so excited to be back home! The library is the quietest place I have ever been, especially in the Extension Department where I live."

"I have been invited to take a trip to the beach on Labor Day, and the other day I got an invitation from Miss Kitty, a story time helper, at the Ramseur Public Library. She has invited me to come and visit them for a story time in September. I think I will accept her offer, (she's kinda cute!)."

"That is the end of the tale, as far as my adventure to the state of Minnesota is concerned, but I will be having many more stories to share, I'm sure. I am going to leave a book of pictures in the Children's Room here at the Asheboro Public Library."

"I will let you know when it is available to look at."

"Now, I am going to take a nap. Traveling is hard work!"

2009-07-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

More tales from The Cat:

"I spent many hours on the train looking out the window. I saw the sunset, and then there was total darkness. I was so excited when we reached Minnesota, until I realized Leslie was going to tote me around in a shopping bag! That was embarrassing!"

"When we got to our hotel, I had to hang onto the railing, because Patty thought it would be a good idea to take a picture to show how high up we were. I wonder how she would have liked hanging onto the rail."

"Finally, they took me to the park. I escaped from the dreadful shopping bag, ran as fast as I could, and climbed a tree. I hoped no one could reach me, but as you know by now, they got me down. I did not know how the trip was going to go after that, but we reached an understanding. I would be good, if they would not put me in the bag anymore."

"I kept my word, they kept theirs, and we had a great time!"

A Complaint from The Cat

2009-07-27T05:50:00.000-07:00

I received a comment from The Cat. It seems he is not happy that I have not posted his picture with the woman at the tollbooth. He has threatened to find a way to get back to Indiana.

I thought I had better post the picture before he does something drastic!! After all, Patty and Leslie held up traffic, so The Cat could have this picture made.

July in the Extension Department

2009-07-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

July has been a fun filled month for our young patrons in the child care centers around the county.

My school age groups learned about Henri Matisse, and the art of creating collages. One of his famous pieces, The Snail, was created by arranging different colors and shapes into a design. The story of Matisse's life and works is very interesting reading. If you do not know about him or his art, check out a book at the library. You will be astonished by the things he did with shapes.

I thought creating collages would be a fun project. I took shapes, glue, and a piece of paper to each center. I gave each child a shape. They took turns gluing their shape onto the paper. When they were finished they surveyed the picture, and decided what shape they found in their finished work. Shown above are the artistic endeavors of a couple of the groups. The first picture was assembled by the children at Victory Baptist Child Development Center in Seagrove. They decided they saw a fish in their creation. The second picture was created by the children at Teddy Bear Child Care Center. They were able to find a house in their finished picture. What do you see?

My preschool groups learned about colors and artists this month. Charlotte's groups discussed music. As a prize, we handed out magic pads. These were the kind of magic pads we knew and loved when we were children. Out of the seven hundred children we see each month, only a couple said they had seen a magic pad before. We demonstrated how they worked, and the children were amazed. Sometimes, I am saddened by all the things the children of today are missing out on.

The Summer Reading Program has been a great success this year. We have one more month before we wrap up summer reading in our department

Next month, my groups will discover ways to be creative with boxes.

Charlotte's groups will read about painting.

Being creative has never been such fun!!!

Pictures from a Fun Summer Activity

2009-07-23T12:25:00.001-07:00

Be sure to read the previous post to understand what is happening in these pictures.

The Cat had a great time!

Thanks, Jonna and Susan. You always make summer fun!

The Cat Enjoys a Creative Activity

2009-07-23T11:57:00.000-07:00

The Cat was very fortunate to be invited to one of the creative summer activities hosted by the Children's Room of the Asheboro Public Library. Jonna, who planned the program, always has such neat ideas. Susan was playing the part of helper today. They allowed the children to decorate painter's caps. Cathy Carter, who works in circulation, donated some of the materials used. As you can see by looking at the pictures, The Cat was right in the middle of things.

The Cat Visits the Mall of America!

2009-07-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

The Cat continues, "You should never visit Minnesota without visiting the Mall of America. I was overwhelmed at everything I saw. The pictures above are just a few of the many things I did why we were there. I should add that we stayed there for ten hours."

"I met a shark that tried to eat me. I was a little concerned. Patty just stood beside it, and smiled. Thank goodness the shark changed it's mind, and let me go. I made friends with a frog. I sat on the memorial to a citizen soldier who was aboard Flight 93 (notice I had a new friend with me. It was a monkey Patty was bringing home to her niece). I had my picture taken with Leslie with our heads on top of weird bodies. Can you guess which one is me?"

"One of the most exciting things was the "Hall of Mirrors." You could get lost in there very quickly. Patty had to wear rubber gloves while we were in there. That was to prevent smudges on the mirrors. I suppose they were afraid if anyone had to clean the mirrors, they might get lost and never come out!"

More details to follow......

The Cat Eats!

2009-07-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

The Cat says, "Above are three pictures, two of the food I was offered by the nurses I was traveling with. The third picture is me looking longingly at the food I really wanted. Can you guess which is which?"

The Cat's New Friends

2009-07-20T09:43:00.001-07:00

The Cat's story continues:

"I met lots of new friends on my journey to Minnesota. I met a toll booth operator, a train conductor, a gigantic frog, and a shark. The most special friend I met was a little girl named Peyton. She was in the train station in Chicago. She was so nice. She had been to Disney World and was on her way home. She gave me lots of hugs and cuddles. I will never forget her. I told her I would put her on the blog, so, Peyton, here you are. Thank you for being so nice to me. I will never forget you!"

The Cat Came Back!

2009-07-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

The Cat shares the following, "I had a great time on my recent trip to Minnesota. I wanted to start off by showing you what I went through just to get started. The lady I was traveling with did not have a lot of sympathy for me, and she tried to put me in her suitcase. The suitcase was pretty full as you can see. I hollered for help, and finally Mijo her cat came to my rescue."

"He convinced her that I needed to be treated with respect, so I was able to sit in the backseat of her car when we left her house. She did make me buckle up though. She reminded me I had to "Click it or ticket." "Since I do not have a job and no money, she did not want to have to pay for a ticket if she was stopped, and I was not belted in."

"As you can see, it was a hassle getting this far, but things got better. I will post more later."

A Quick Note About The Cat

2009-06-24T08:31:00.001-07:00

The cat has gone on a vacation. He left yesterday morning traveling to Indiana, where he was going to board a train bound for Chicago, Illinois. From there he is going to board another train bound for Minnesota.

He is traveling with a couple of nurses who are on their way to a medical convention. He will not be back until next Monday. Keep checking back, because I know he is going to have lots of stories to tell, and some pictures to share.

I hope he does not come back thinking he is qualified to answer medical inquiries. If he does, he is not going to hang his shingle out down here!

What Can You Create With a Dot?

2009-06-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

My school age groups listened to music performed on the didgeridoo, an instrument native to Australia, while they created dot paintings this month. I asked the children at one center if the song titled, Dragonfly, reminded them of a dragonfly flying around. One boy said, "No, it sounds like a cow dying to me!" There is nothing like honesty!

I was hoping the music would inspire creativity in the children as we practiced a new form of painting.

Aborigines used dot painting to tell a story or pass on ritual practices. They would draw the picture, then camouflage it with dots. Often the stories depicted were secret, and only privileged members of the tribes could know the message of the paintings, especially the ones depicting ritual practices.

The most famous dot painting is the Aboriginal creation story - Dreamtime.

More information on this form of art can be found at the following web sites.

http://www.didgeswedoo.com.au/aboriginals.html#aboriginals
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/indigenousart/

Every summer presents a new challenge. This summer's theme is "Be Creative @ Your Library. The children created unique paintings and a mess. I am not sure which one they enjoyed more.

As one teacher said, "They are just being children, and the mess will clean up." I love her attitude.

I have posted some of the works of art above. As you can see, The Cat had to get in on the fun. Can you read the message he is sending?

Charlotte will be creating dot paintings with her school group next month, while my groups work with collages. I cannot wait to see what the children create next.

Summer Reading + Creativity = Fun Times

2009-06-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

Summer reading is in full swing in the Extension Department. This month we are discussing music and movement. We are reading stories about music, watching filmstrips about music, and letting the children do "The Jungle Boogie" with the book and CD.

The children love moving around. I have warned the teachers this summer is going to different. We are going to get the children excited and busy, while we learn to "Be Creative at Our Library!" After all, children love noise and movement. We are going to have lots of both.

I'm tired already!

The Cat Says.....

2009-05-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

The Cat is getting ready for summer. He's doing his part to get the word out!

Book Signing

2009-05-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Ruby Marsh will be signing copies of her book, Strawberry Road: A Story of a Man and Woman Who Never Gave Up!, this Saturday, May 16 at the Randolph Public Library. The signing is from 2:00-4:00.

Mrs. Marsh, at 98 years of age, has many wonderful family stories to tell.

Please come and join us for a wonderful afternoon.

Truck Day 2009

2009-05-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

Charlotte and I attended the annual truck day on May 4. We took the library van and set up in Rand Plaza.

Truck Day is a day for the 3rd graders in the city school system to meet people who drive vehicles on the job. There were several vehicles at the event. These included a fire truck, a police car, the news 2 van, the fox8 van, as well as others.

We were asked to tell the children about our job, and how things we learned in school help us in our job. The children are always very attentive.

In addition to talking about our job, we also did a summary of The Library Dragon along with the library dragon puppet.

This year, we took The Cat to introduce him to the students. I explained some of the things he has gotten into during the last couple of years. I told them they could read about his adventures on the extension services blog. The children loved petting him. The Cat loved all the attention.

We handed out 381 bags to the children and about 40 pens to the teachers. It was a very successful day. The Cat is looking forward to doing it again next year.

Our Final Destination 0f the Day!

2009-05-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

After lunch, we headed south on 220. We were on our way to Seagrove, one of the most well known pottery areas around.

We stopped at Cady Clay Works where we were welcomed by Beth Gore, one of the owners. She showed us around the gift shop, and then we proceeded to the workroom, where John Mellage creates some beautiful pieces of pottery.

I really enjoy watching potters mold a piece of clay into a usable or decorative item. Mr. Mellage explained how the clay was processed into a long roll. He then cut off the correct amount for the item he was going to turn. The first one he turned for us was a bowl. I have included several pictures of him at work.

It was amazing to watch. It seemed to take alot of strength to manipulate the clay into what he wanted it to be, but, at the same time, he made it look almost effortless. He constantly added water from a sponge to keep it pliable.

Beth shared several facts about clay with us while John worked. She told us that clay has a memory. If there is a defect while turning, and it is fixed, after the item is fired it will come out of the kiln in the original shape. The defect will be noticable. Clay has to be sent back through the processor, made into a roll, and the piece has to be reformed from scratch.

After he turned a bowl, a candlestick, and a platter for us, he took us out back to the kiln. It was set into the slope of a hill and he explained the process of firing. It takes several days for a piece to be fired and the kiln to cool down. He has friends that come in to help watch the kiln during this process. Visit the website at www.cadyclayworks.com to find out more about the unusual kiln and the process of firing.

Afterwards, we were allowed to shop for a bit in the gift shop. There were many beautiful pieces of pottery, as well as jewelry, and other items for sale.

I was the lucky winner of the prize of the day with which I was able to purchase a couple of pieces of pottery for myself.

We were sad to see the day end. The Cat, who made the trip with us was also sad to leave his new friend. (see picture)

As I said before, this summer's theme is "Be Creative @ Your Library." Several of us commented that it would be a difficult theme to get ideas for. Susan and Jonna got us excited, thinking about what we could create this summer with the children of Randolph County. We're fortunate that they know such interesting and creative people who were willing to share their knowledge with us.

Summer Reading is going to be a blast!

Thanks to everyone who made this day possible. Carolina Theatre and Cady Clay Works are two places that I highly recommend you visit.

Yeah, Lunchtime!

2009-05-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

After our exciting morning, we all returned to Asheboro for lunch. Ann was kind enough to pick up The Cat so he could join us for the rest of the day.

We had pizza, salad, cherry fluff, and cake with strawberries and cool whip. We all throughly enjoyed the food and the time we had together to discuss Summer Reading Program ideas.

Susan and Jonna always do a fantastic job with the meals they plan for us. If you will notice, The Cat enjoyed the pizza.

After lunch, we headed 220 South. Where were we going this time?

Check back to find out.

By the way, I wanted to post the picture of The Cat helping Susan drive. He was determined not to be left out of this part of the day.

Where Did 220 North Take Us?

2009-05-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

As I shared in my last post, we were headed 220 North with lots of questions being asked about where we might end up? We were excited and surprised when we realized we were going to the Carolina Theatre.

Keith Holliday who is the President and CEO of the Theatre was there to greet us. He welcomed us, then apologized, saying he was on his way to Raleigh to talk to the governor. He told us he was leaving us in very capable hands, introducing J. P. Swisher, whom he assured us knew more about the theatre than almost anybody.

Mr. Swisher began by pointing out things of interest in the lobby. He said the walls which very much resembled granite were in actuality wallpaper, giving it a faux stone appearance. The billboards that showcased movie announcements were surrounded by beautiful gold filigree concrete pieces. (see picture) He explained these pieces were rescued from the trash bins where they had been thrown, after some reconstruction had been done on the theatre.

We visited the projection room where he showed us the tiny moniter which plays the DVD's that show movies on the big screen. The moniter resembled a 13 inch TV set you might have in your home. It was hard to imagine that such little equipment could project such a large picture on the big screen.

We visited the auditorium, going onto the stage, where he explained how people were made to look like they were flying, and then he led us upstairs to the dressing rooms.

One of the dressing rooms had been remodeled, but he did not have a key for it. We were shown the old one where actual movie stars like Ben Vereen had used. It was so barren with nothing but counters, mirrors, and light bulbs. There was no air conditioning in this room. There was a tiny bathroom in the corner. When I think of actors, I always imagine they have such luxury, but there was nothing luxurious about this dressing room. The stark appearance of the room did not prevent Susan and Charlotte from pretending to be movie stars as they checked themselves out in the mirrors. (see picture)

We learned about the fire, that almost destroyed the building. There was a lot of history behind that occurrence, and alot of reconstruction had to be done afterwards.

We toured the upstairs, the room where films on reels were projected (see picture), and then proceeded to the catwalk. He told us we could walk on it if we wanted to. Some of us dared to try it. The view was unreal. I asked how high up we were and he said, "Oh, about 70 feet." I'd never been that high before, and even though it was exciting, I was glad to come down to a lower level.

We visited the fire escape which cost $500,000 dollars to build and where they had brought in Hillary Clinton when she visited the area.

We probably spent about two hours touring and listening to the rich history of the building. It was time well spent. Mr. Swisher really is an authority on all aspects of the theatre. Most of the places we toured will never be seen by someone just attending a movie or show.

However, tours are available for anyone who would like to visit the theatre. I would definitely recommend taking one. I learned so much and it was so amazing to stand in the lobby of a theatre that first opened it's doors on October 31, 1927. Tickets were 75 cents for adults and 50 cents for children back then. Things have changed, but the original purpose behind the theatre has not.

The following statement appeared in the opening night program on Halloween in 1927 and is applicable today:

“The Carolina Theatre represents, to you and to us, far more than a structure
of brick and stone, far more than a prideful addition to the city’s importance.
It represents a magnificent edifice which we hereby entrust to your care and
which we have sincerely dedicated to the pleasant task of rending life more
cheerful. If we succeed in spreading happiness to you and yours in the
months and years to come, we shall deem our reward sufficient and our
vision, our labor and our accomplishment as having been worth the effort.”

For more than 80 years the theatre has adhered to this goal. We all learned alot and had a wonderful time doing so. I would dare say it made us happy. For more information on the Carolina Theatre, visit their website at www.carolinatheatre.com.

After our tour, we learned that Susan is a personal friend of Mr. Holliday's. She and Jonna did a wonderful job keeping the secret and making the morning so enjoyable. The day was just starting, we were on our way to our next stop. The Cat, whom I am sad to say, we forgot to take with us to the theatre, was able to join us for the rest of the day.

Stay tuned......

Summer Fun Begins

2009-05-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

April 21 was a beautiful spring day. The librarians working with the children of Randolph County met at the Asheboro Public Library. We had all received an invitation to join in for a trip to destinations unknown.

The theme for this summer's program is "Be Creative @ Your Library." I must say we have lots of creative people working in the county libraries, but Susan and Jonna from Asheboro were the ones who had planned this day for us. No one knew where we were going or what they had planned for us, but we all knew it would be an exciting adventure.

We were treated to muffins and juice or coffee before we left. We were all handed a mug and supplied with stickers to "be creative" in decorating it. Lots of laughter was heard as we all racked our brains for creative ideas. Each mug had a number on the bottom which we were told would be used in a drawing later on in the day. After eating, we all gathered in the parking lot ready for some fun.

"Where are we going?" "Does anybody know?" The questions were asked, but they weren't answered. We were told to wait and see. All we knew was we were heading north on 220.

Where did we end up? I'm sure some of you have heard by now, but if you haven't, check our blog because I will be posting details of our first stop in a day or so.

Potting Plants

2009-04-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

The days of an extension librarian are never dull. We do so much more than deliver books and present storytimes. I've told about some of the things we have done, but recently my husband and I were fortunate to help Mrs. Parks, my 100 year old patron, repot some plants.

When she was able, Mrs. Parks liked nothing better than working in her yard and garden. She is the one who told me to plant when the signs were right.

Last month, while at her house, she commented that she really wanted to repot some of her plants, but was unable to do heavy lifting anymore. I told her my husband and I would be glad to help her. She and I consulted the Blum's Almanac and picked a day when the signs were favorable for growth.

April 2-4 were the next good days for planting. We decided on April 3 for our project. It was a very windy day, but Mrs. Parks wanted to come outside and sit on the step so we wouldn't have a mess in the house. She said she had not been able to get out for several months. She is afraid she might fall while she is alone.

We carried the pots, plants, and dirt to her, as she worked to get her plants potted just the way she wanted. We watered, and put the plants where she directed. She said it was so good to be able to be outside, even for a little while.

We had a very good time with her, and in the process learned things about potting plants that we didn't know. We also came home with several new plants to add to our growing collection.

We become close to our patrons and help them do many things they can no longer do for themselves. Sometimes they comment that having a visit each month and someone to talk to is worth more than they can say.

Mrs. Parks enjoyed being outside and she was very grateful for our help. We, however, received the greatest blessing. After all, how often do we get to learn from someone who has lived a century?

And, in case you're wondering, I was at her house this past Monday and the plants are doing well. So is Mrs. Parks. She told me again how much she had enjoyed getting to go outside. Sometimes the things we take for granted mean the world to another person. I'm glad we were able to help Mrs. Parks do something that meant so much to her.

It's Time for Easter!

2009-04-09T05:30:00.001-07:00

"Here Comes Peter Cottontail".....No, it's just The Cat getting ready for some Easter Fun!

Happy Easter, everyone!!

Do You Hear What I Hear?

2009-03-31T09:49:00.000-07:00

This month I am doing a storytime about birds. We are reading books about birds and watching a filmstrip about a cat and canary that are friends.

Today, I asked the children who had been outside playing, if they could guess what we were going to be reading about. I explained that they probably heard and saw what we were going to read about while they were outside. No one could guess, so I told them I heard birds singing when I got out of the van. One little boy in the back of the room, very seriously said, "That wasn't birds, that was my whistle." He held up the whistle in his hand to show me what he was talking about.

Children have such a unique way of seeing the world. They are in awe of the woodpecker puppet that I have with me. There is a button in the puppet that when pushed makes the sound of a woodpecker. The children ask to hear it again and again. At one child care center, the children were sitting so quietly, waiting for the sound of the birds to play again. I asked the teachers how long they wanted me to wait to push the button. I'll bet the children were not that still, or quiet the rest of the day.

Pictured above is the woodpecker puppet that I am using this month. Many teachers have asked where our puppets come from. They are ordered from Folkmanis. The children always ask, "What puppet did you bring today?" The puppets are a very important part of our visit.

After all, we know how famous The Cat has become.

2009-03-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

I now have proof that the animals who are puppets or toys during the day really do come out and play at night.

One morning, not too long ago, I walked into the department to find The Cat hugging a cat I had never seen before. There was a note from The Cat explaining that Callie and he had a great time the night before. I believe things happened like it did with Cinderella. The Cat's fairy godmother made it possible for a new friend to come and visit. They obviously did not pay attention to the time, because they were having too much fun, and at the stroke of midnight the spell was broken. Therefore, they were caught.

I know some people don't believe The Cat can do half the things he does. I have pictures to prove my stories, and if you ask any of the children in my storytimes they will back me up.

After all, The Velveteen Rabbit became real because he was loved. The Cat is evidently loved also because he has so many friends who help him get into alot of the situations he finds himself in. I very seldom make the cat do anything, I just carry the camera, so I can share with you.

Summer Reading! Let the Fun Begin!

2009-03-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

On March 10th, Charlotte and I, along with several other children's librarians, travelled to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in Salisbury for the SRP (Summer Reading Program) Workshop.

As we drove onto the campus, we spotted an angel waving us in. That is an unusual sight at any time, but, what? you may ask does an angel have to do with summer reading. The theme for the summer reading program this year is "Be Creative @ Your Library." And, yes, Susan Coltrane is the one at the Asheboro Library who does not mind dressing up as various characters. She chose to be an angel to show people the way to the workshop, because after all, angels do act as guides.

She and Jonna Libbert, who work in the Children's Room at the Asheboro Library presented a session entitled, "Makin' Music." They had many great ideas of ways to incorporate music into the SRP even if you cannot carry a tune in a bucket. We had lots of fun with their ideas. Several of the other county librarians presented ideas also. The pictures I've posted show several of the people from our county participating in various skits. Thanks, Susan and Jonna, for providing us with fun ideas to use with the children this summer.

We had many other opportunities to attend sessions that day presenting great ideas on books to use, programs to present, and in keeping with the economy, one was entitled, "Programs on a Shoestring."

The Rowan County Public Library provided us with doughnuts and coffee for our morning snack and the State Library provided box lunches from the Honey-Baked Store. Both were delicious!

We will be attending another workshop presented by the Children's Room on April 21. We always have lots of fun and get great ideas from that. I will tell you all about it.

We are getting excited about Summer Reading, and look forward to sharing the things we have learned with the children of Randolph County.

Nothing Stops The Cat

2009-03-03T06:43:00.000-08:00

Snow, ice, and 12 degree weather could not stop The Cat from returning his library book!!

I'm glad he at least had a scarf to wear!

I also have it on good authority that he got a little help from Marsha who works in The Randolph Room. It's true-We all get by with a little help from our friends!! --even if, or should I say, especially if, you're The Cat!!!

The question is: Where had he been with his book?

Caught Reading!!!!

2009-02-26T05:39:00.000-08:00

I think a month at school was very beneficial for The Cat. I caught him reading a book the other day. It was about dinosaurs cleaning their rooms. I hope that means one day we will come in and find our office cleaned up. The Cat has lots of friends in the department, it shouldn't be too hard.

Never underestimate the power of education!!

More Signs of Spring

2009-02-26T05:30:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken in a patron's yard in Staley. It may feel like winter outside, but I'm convinced Spring is on it's way!

The Cat Came Back

2009-02-19T10:51:00.000-08:00

The cat is home where he belongs.

I think he had a wonderful time with the K-3 students at Neighbors Grove Academy. He was with the first grade on the hundredth day of school. He is modeling the crown and glasses they made him in the picture above. He was with the third grade on Valentine's Day and attended their party. I learned that he ate a lot of chocolate. They also reported that he bit several fingers. One little boy said he was bitten on the nose and now he wished he could get an nose ring in the hole The Cat left. I am not the only one with a great imagination!

I was also told The Cat taught Kindergarten how to spell. Now the whole class can write the word cat. Later, third grade said he took the spelling test with them, but he made an F. He only spelled two words right. The Cat is a mischievous animal. You can never tell what he's going to do or how he's going to act.

I received wonderful pictures and stories of The Cat's adventures while he was at Neighbors Grove. He even spent one weekend with the Kindergarten teacher and met her cat. He has a new buddy now named Blackie.

The books made by the children are in the children's room at the Asheboro Public Library. I hope you will come by and look at them. You will need to tell the librarians that you want to see the books about The Cat.

Even though the students loved talking about The Cat's misdeeds, they were sad to see him go. I am glad to have him back. I can assure you he will not be getting any chocolate while he's with me!

This project was a lot of fun for me and I appreciate the teachers and students at Neighbors Grove Christian Academy working hard and helping me with it.

Flowers of Hope

2009-02-17T12:14:00.000-08:00

As I parked at Mrs. Park's house on Monday, I noticed the daffodils were beginning to bloom in her yard. I don't know why the first sight of these flowers make me feel that winter is almost over and spring is just around the corner. This in turn leads me to think about planting a garden.

During our visit Mrs. Parks gave me a lesson on how to read and plant according to the "signs." She assures me since she is 100 years old, she has had many years to learn what does and doesn't work. I know my parents always planted according to the Ramon's calendar. I should have paid more attention to what they were doing.

There are many books in the library on planting flowers and vegetables. I, however, plan to listen to Mrs. Parks this year. She has shared enough of her produce with me to convince me she does indeed know what she's talking about.

Update on The Cat

2009-02-12T04:49:00.000-08:00

The cat has been visiting with the students in grades K-3 at Neighbors Grove Academy for the last few weeks. I left him there with instructions for each class to keep him a week. They will write stories or draw pictures of his time with them.

They were very excited when I told them I would compile all their work in a book and place it in the children's room at the Asheboro Public Library.

I received a phone call from The Cat a couple of weeks ago. He was very upset, stating that he did not like school and he wanted me to come and get him. I, however, feel like this is a good learning experience for him so I ignored the call. I know he is in good hands.

Yesterday I learned that a little girl came in asking for books by The Cat. Sadly to say as of this posting The Cat has not written any books, at least none that I am aware of. We do have many great books about cats on our shelves.

I wanted to update everyone on The Cat's whereabouts. I have had several people inquire as to where he is. I will be visiting Neighbors Grove on the 19th. Shortly thereafter the book about The Cat should be available to look at in the children's room.

I hope a lot of you will come by and read about The Cat's adventure. Who knows what he'll think of to do next.

George Bernard Shaw
You see things; and you say, "Why?" But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"

2009-02-10T05:35:00.001-08:00

Mrs. Ruby Marsh celebrated her 98th birthday on February 4. Due to her having pneumonia and the snow that fell on the 4th, her family was unable to celebrate with her until Monday, the 9th. I was invited to attend her party.

I enjoyed meeting her family. She has two sisters who were in attendance. They are just as full of life as Mrs. Marsh is. I told one of them I had asked Mrs. Marsh what the secret to long life was. The sister replied, "When anyone asks me, I just tell them it's simple, keep breathing!" I thought that just about summed it up.

I talked with Mrs. Marsh last Friday and asked her what advice she would give concerning living life to the fullest. She replied, "Get all the education you can." She has told me many times her daddy was a big believer in bettering oneself by learning as much as you can. Mrs. Marsh took computer classes while in her 80's. I asked her what her plans were concerning her writing. She replied, "I have one more novel and three children's books I want to get finished." I have no doubt she can accomplish this.

She is walking with a walker now. Her sisters were amazed at how quickly she was walking down the hall. The doctors had told her after she broke her ankle when she fell down 15 steps at her home, it would be six months before she was well. They did not know Mrs. Marsh. When she determines to do something, nothing stops her.

I am honored to know Mrs. Marsh. She inspires me to keep going by her great example.

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Marsh! I hope you have wonderful days ahead and you get to see more of your dreams and plans become reality.

Happy 100th!

2009-01-23T11:16:00.000-08:00

Happy 100th Birthday to Mrs. Helen Parks on January 25th.

She has been receiving our services since 1976. I met her in 2001 when I began working in the Extension Department. We have shared many fascinating conversations since then. She always gives me something to think about.

She has seen a lot of changes in her 100 years. Some of them she says she never could have imagined. She never thought she would outlive her brothers and sisters and often wonders why she did. After listening to her talk about her life, I'm convinced hard work had something to do with it.

She loved raising a garden until she became unable to walk without a walker. Many times she would hand me a bag as I was leaving and tell me to go to the garden and fill it up. I've picked green beans, salad greens and turnips. I asked her what her favorite vegetable was and she said, "I don't like any of them. I just like to watch them grow and then give them away." Even though she no longer gardens she gives me advice on when to plant mine. She doesn't mind telling me when I've planted too early or too late either.

She also has a very inquisitive mind. She asks me lots of questions. Some of then I am still trying to figure out the answer to.

She always thanks me for bringing her books to her. Since the Extension Department started keeping records in 1997 she has checked out over 1700 books. That's a lot of books. She says she doesn't know what she would do if she couldn't read. Her eyesight is not what it used to be, but she doesn't have to wear glasses. She is thankful that we have lots of large print books. I tell her she's almost read all that we have.

The following quote is a terrific picture of how Mrs. Parks feels about books:

A fondness for reading changes the inevitable dull hours of our life into exquisite hours of delight. Charles de Montesquieu

I am blessed to be the one to bring a little joy to her days. I look forward to many more visits with her.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

2009-01-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

This month we are talking about snow in our story time. We have had lots of fun reading books about snow, talking about animals in the snow, and watching The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats on filmstrip. We have all been excited and looking for snow. I think the teachers were more excited than anyone.

Last week we made fake snow in the Extension Department. It was cold to the touch, but it didn't melt. It didn't feel like real snow either. We had almost given up looking for the real thing.

However, yesterday we got our wish. We had real snow. I hope the children enjoyed their day. I expect to hear lots of stories about snowballs and snowmen when I see them again.

Above is a picture of Susan with a fake snowball on her head and one of the cat playing in the real thing. Guess which one had more fun!

Party On!

2009-01-13T13:14:00.000-08:00

I returned from Christmas vacation to find the cat and his friends surrounded by evidence of a party. There was even a note expressing regret that I had missed it.

I cleaned up the mess without any help from my furry friends. They were all back to behaving as if they weren't real.

You have probably heard the legend of how the animals talk at midnight on Christmas Eve. I always wanted to go to the barn when I was younger and witness this for myself. I never stayed awake long enough to do that.

I wonder if I came to the library on New Year's Eve at midnight I could catch the Cat up to his tricks.

I really don't mind if the Cat wants to party, and I really doubt that I will lose sleep trying to catch him. I just hope he cleans up his mess the next time!

Happy New Year!!!!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

"Better watch out. Santa is coming!"

It's Never Too Late to See a Dream Come True

2008-12-15T08:47:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Ruby Marsh, at 97 years of age, is living her dream. Just not quite the way she envisioned.

She became interested in writing at a very early age. In an earlier post, I wrote a brief summary of her life. She has self published a few books on her own, but had never had a company publish one until this year. Publish America accepted her manuscript and after many months of rewriting, revising, and waiting she is able to hold her book in her hands.

On Sunday afternoon, December 14, she held a signing of her book at Sunbridge Care and Rehabilitation. She is a resident there now while undergoing therapy. She took a bad fall at her home in November, breaking her ankle and collar bone.

She was supposed to do a signing at the library, but is unable to travel right now. She, however, is staying strong and planning on having her signing here at a later date.

I was fortunate to be able to attend her signing at Sunbridge. Mrs. Marsh's children were in attendance as well as her helper, who worked tirelessly with her to help her get her book ready for publication.

I've said this many times before, but it bears repeating. Mrs. Marsh is an inspiration. She does not let the ups and downs of life deter her from doing the things she wants to do.

Yes, she has seen a dream come true, but it has been a long, hard road. She worked on her book for forty years. She spent countless hours getting together pictures of her family to be included. She researched different areas to be sure to get the facts straight. Along with all of this, she has struggled with macular degeneration for the past few years. Her book, Strawberry Road: a Story of a Man and Woman Who Never Gave Up!, is indicative of her life's motto. She never gives up. She is a wonderful role model for us all. I aspire to be like her.

Her book can be purchased at Amazon and Target. It will also soon be available for checkout at several of the county libraries.

Tales of the Cat

2008-12-09T08:34:00.000-08:00

"Now that I've escaped, what should I do first?"

"Hope no one catches me reading. I'm not supposed to know how."

"Should I jump in? I wonder how wet fur would feel?"

"What an awesome pillow. I wish I had one of these to sleep on everyday."

"What a fancy restuarant! Where's the Meow Mix?"

"I've hit the big time! I may never go back to the library!"

Recently I was out of work for a few days. When I returned I was asked if I was aware the cat had been away. I wasn't. I really didn't think too much about it. I was busy trying to make up missed visits and story times.

A few days later, a guilt-ridden Susan in the Children's Department confessed. It seems that she "kidnapped" the cat and took him on an adventure with her. I received a book of pictures and a very nice letter the cat had Susan to write for him.

It seems they went several places. Church, the airport, Chuck E Cheese, and Olive Garden were just a few of the stops they made. They spent two nights at the Grandover in Greensboro. From what I've heard, the cat received a lot of attention. He also got lots of hugs and cuddles.

One of Susan's friends from Pennsylvania came to visit during this time. She and the cat became great buddies. They spent lots of time together while Susan was off doing other things. They had donuts and coffee at Dunkin Donuts, visited the pool, and took a walk in the autumn sunshine. I suspect the cat will be wanting to take a plane ride soon. He has connections because one of the pictures in his book showed him at the airport with an airline representative.

It's amazing how much attention the cat gets now. He has become somewhat of a celebrity in the Extension Department. He is always getting pats on the head and back rubs. I have even heard a few people talking to him. I wonder if he has read The Velveteen Rabbit. Perhaps he is trying to become real.

The other day I took a picture to show Susan that I had taken of the cat. She looked at it and said, "That's really good. How did you get him to sit....?" She realized what she was saying and said, "Oh, he's not real is he?"

All I will say is I catch him in all sorts of places. Do I actually see him move? No, but Susan spent a week with him. I think she knows more than she's saying. She almost let the "cat out of the bag" with her question.

Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

An Update on Mrs. Ruby Marsh

2008-12-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Ruby Marsh, who had planned on being at the library during the month of December to sign copies of her book, Strawberry Road : A Story of a Man and Woman Who Never Gave Up, suffered a fall at her home recently. She has a broken ankle and collarbone. She will be unable to travel for a while.

She is still planning to do a program at the library. However, it will not be until after the first of the year. I will keep you informed of the details.

On a personal note, I have such admiration for Mrs. Marsh. She is determined to get well and back on her feet. Anyone who reads her book will learn she comes from a family who faced many hardships and trials. They did not let the situations they faced deter them from their goals and dreams. She has a wonderful legacy. At 97 years of age she is teaching me invaluable lessons about life. She lives it to the fullest.

Her book can be ordered from Amazon and Target.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2008-10-31T08:34:00.000-07:00

The cat is ready, are you?

Stay safe and have fun!!

Let Me Tell You a Secret

2008-10-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

On October 15th, forty some children's librarians from around North Carolina were in Asheboro for a Trade Secrets Workshop. Susan Coltrane and Jonna Libbert, who work in the children's room at the Randolph Public Library, put together a day of sharing, laughter, good food, and fun for everyone who attended. As Susan stated at the workshop, their supervisor, Myra Long, is very supportive of their ideas.

I had never been to a Trade Secrets Workshop. It far exceeded my expectations. The librarians that attended all work with children, and they all brought their ideas, or "secrets" to share with everybody else. Some told stories, some played games, others shared craft ideas, and one even had us up and moving to the beat of a couple of new songs. When we left that day we all carried a bag filled with new ideas for working with children. I have already used some of the ideas I was shown that day.

Lori Special, Youth Services Consultant with the State Library of North Carolina, was in attendance with some great ideas of her own to share. Suzanne Tate, our library director, was also on hand to welcome everyone to Asheboro.

We had a great breakfast provided by the Friends of the Library. Lunch was provided by the State Library and delivered to us by AVS Catering. Both meals were delicious. After lunch, everyone was given the option to either visit the NC Zoo or make the trip to Seagrove to see firsthand how pottery is made and do a little shopping.

We were entertained by one of the Dixie Hicks, who is one of our own county librarians. She did a wonderful job of making us laugh. They say laughter is good medicine, and we all got a good dose.

Another exciting part of the day was our team of greeters. I'm sure most people did a double take when they noticed the "pumpkin" and "turkey" standing and waving everyone in. (see above picture) These characters were two more of our very own county librarians. These ladies are always willing to go the extra mile to bring a smile to our faces.

Charlotte and I would like to thank everyone responsible for making this day a huge success. We will take what we learned to the children we visit and we'll all have a grand time!!!

Yeah, It's Here!

2008-10-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Ruby Marsh's book, Strawberry Road:The Story of a Man and Woman Who Never Gave Up is finally published. I am so excited for her, and she is very pleased to finally see her book in print.

She is planning on being at the library in December to talk about the book and sign copies for anyone who would like her to do so.

I will post further information in the near future.

Congratulations, Mrs. Marsh!!!!

More Tales of the Cat

2008-10-03T07:46:00.001-07:00

Charlotte and I received very nice thank you notes from the seventh graders at Archdale-Trinity Middle School last week. A lot of the kids wrote they never knew the library did things besides check out books. A few said they were reading more now since our presentation, but a lot of them asked what the cat had been up to. He was a favorite part of our presentation.

I told them when we were there about coming in one morning and finding a baby kitten with him. I think it is probably a member of his family because they look so much alike. I also have to wonder if the cat is really a he. The cat is still not talking, so I may never know.

One day when I returned from my route the cat was sitting on my book cart looking out the window. It was his way of letting me know that he was ready to go on a trip. I did not take the hint and he had to stay at the library.

I missed the cat the other day and I asked Charlotte if she had seen him. She said, "Yes, he's in my bag. The kitten is also in there." It seems that they have been traveling with her this month. I think the cat took this opportunity to introduce the kitten to the wonderful children of Randolph County. He was also showing me that he has ways of getting out without my help.

Their traveling days are almost over, though I did try to persuade one of my co-workers to take him to France with her. She said she didn't have enough room in her suitcase for him. He will have to be content to stay where he is for now. I'm sure at night he looks at the wonderful picture books in the library and dreams about traveling to faraway places.

Dr. Seuss, the wonderful children's author said this about books:

"The more that you read,
the more things you will know.
The more that you learn
the more places you'll go."

In that sense the cat will go all over the world, because he has a world of books to get lost in at night. I think I'll join him. We invite you to come along. "Oh, the places we'll go!"

Thank you!!

2008-09-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

Charlotte and I would like to thank Mrs. Morgan Cranford, seventh grade language arts teacher at Archdale-Trinity Middle School for inviting us to come and talk with her seventh graders about our job. Mrs. Cranford interned with us this summer. We had a great time with her then, and we had a great time with her, her co-workers, and her students last Friday morning.

We were not only able to talk about what we do in Extension Services, but thanks to the hard work of Ian Fletcher, our computer programmer at the library, we were also able to present a slide show. We explained the history behind the bookmobile and the transition to Extension Services. We also took a map of Randolph County with all of the stops we make represented by a push pin.

The children were very receptive to us and listened intently. I took along some of our puppets. The children were really excited to see them, and yes, the cat went along. We had slides of some of his adventures. Once again he was the star of the show.

We had an audience of approximately 110 seventh graders and their teachers. We were asked after the presentation how to volunteer at the library by one of the students. It was rewarding to see interest in library work.

We love to talk about our job and most people don't really know all that we do. Our job is much more than just delivering books to the children and home bound adults in Randolph County. It was a pleasure to get to share it with the future adults of our county. Who knows we might have been talking to one of the next extension librarians!

The Cat's New Adventure

2008-09-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

I recently returned from a patron visit, and there was a note on my desk from the cat. It seems he has taken up writing now. I guess he figured out if he lives in a building surrounded by books and computers, he should put them to good use. I don't think he has found the dictionary yet, because he had some trouble with spelling. I wish I could catch him practicing his writing skills.

The note, pictured above, stated that he was bored and was going upstairs to story time. I went to look for him. Not only did he go to story time, he was sitting in the storyteller's chair. I was so shocked I didn't stay to see what else he planned on doing.

The next day he was back with a treat in his mouth. This time he used a computer to type a note. What I feared would happen did. He wants to go back upstairs because it is more fun up there. I think he thinks he was the star of story time.

If you have never been to a story time at the Randolph Public Library, now is a good time to start. The librarians always have exciting stories and surprises to share. You might even get to meet the cat. Who knows where he will turn up next!

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2008-09-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

We're off and running with a new school year. This means we have new children and new groups in our story times.

This month we are talking about zoos. All children love zoo animals. One of the books we are looking at, My Camera at the Zoo, shows partial pictures of animals a child is taking. At one center when we got to the page with a foot covered in black spots, one little boy hollered out,"there's Cheeto!" What do you suppose his favorite snack is?

Another day we were singing a song about zoo animals. When we got to the lion's roar, the children roared loudly. One of the little boys covered his ears and said, "You're scaring my ears, that's why I have my hands over them." That's the first time I've ever been accused of scaring ears!

As we looked at pictures in the book, Color Zoo, which combines shapes and colors to make pictures of zoo animals, we got to the page with an ox on it. When I asked what the animal was, one little boy hollered, "A bulldozer!" I took a second, third, and fourth look. I haven't seen a bulldozer yet.

My favorite statement, so far, however, came from a sweet little blonde haired girl. As I was getting ready for Story Time at her center, the children were talking, trying to show me their boo-boos, and telling me different things. Of course they were all talking at once. I said, "Wow, you are in a talking mood today." This little girl, without missing a beat said, "We're just so glad to see you!"

That is why I love my job!

Summer Reading 2008

2008-08-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

We are finishing up the Summer Reading Program for 2008. The libraries finished the last of July, but we continue through the month of August.

Statistics have already been recorded and turned in. We had a very successful summer. We presented 99 story times to children in the county. 695 children received certificates. This includes preschool and school age children. There was a total of 1,184,640 minutes turned in. There were more minutes read, but these were the number of minutes we recorded for the report. These numbers reflect what was done in the extension services department only.

We also had a bug making contest for our school age groups. There were 14 bugs made and prizes were given out to all participating. We have some very creative young people in the county.

Catch the Reading Bug is almost over, but we know the children will continue to read and enjoy books for many years to come. Thank you to all the teachers who helped make this summer program a success with their willingness to read to the children and encourage the older ones to keep track of their minutes.

Adult Summer Reading

2008-08-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

The adult summer reading program is now over. The program, overseen by Asheboro children's librarian, Jonna Libbert, is always a popular summer activity for some of my patrons.

This year I had seven of my adult patrons participate. My oldest participating reader, as I have stated in a previous post is 92 years old. He read a total of 32 books. That was only in the month of June. Our schedule does not permit us to count July's totals because of the timing of our visits. He read 30 more books during July for a grand total of 62 books! He told me that reading any kind of book was better than watching TV or sitting staring at the walls.

All of my patrons who participated were over the age of 70 and three of them reside in a local nursing home. There was a total of 139 books read by them during the month of June. I am proud of all of them and am honored to be the one who delivers their reading material to them every month. They were rewarded with some great prizes.

Reading is a wonderful thing, whether it is done for research or pleasure. If you missed out on participating in the adult reading program this summer, why not keep it in mind for next summer?

The following quote by an anonymous person sums up what can be gained from reading a book;

I've traveled the world twice over,
Met the famous; saints and sinners,
Poets and artists, kings and queens,
Old stars and hopeful beginners,
I've been where no-one's been before,
Learned secrets from writers and cooks
All with one library ticket
To the wonderful world of books.
~ Anonymous

Catch the reading bug, go on an adventure, read a book. The best thing is it won't cost you a dime!

Random Thoughts

2008-07-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted an entry. We have been very busy in the extension department.

We are now into our second month of Summer Reading. The children are enjoying our bug theme and I have learned some very interesting things along the way. Yesterday I was asking the children what bug we talked about last month. They all knew it was the butterfly. We reviewed how the caterpillar changes into a butterfly. One little boy, who was listening intently, said to me, "A ladybug turns into a spider, and a spider turns into a fly." He was very serious about this information. You can learn alot from a child. Sometimes I wish I still had an imagination like theirs.

We also have some of our adult patrons participating in the Adult Summer Reading Club. I have a patron who is 92 years old. He loves to read because he says it's too hot to be outside. He read 31 books last month. I told him he would soon have all the books in the library read at that rate.

Summer is a great time to make our visits to our adult patrons. Sometimes I get to sit in the yard with them as we visit. I have made many animal friends this way. One day as I was sitting in the swing with one of my patrons, her dogs took off to the lower part of the yard. As we watched, they wrestled with a black snake. One of the dogs tried to bring it to her to show her the prize he had captured, but thankfully he dropped it before he got to us. The snake was able to wriggle away. Some days are full of adventure. I was trying to figure out how I was going to politely tell her I needed to go before the dog with the snake reached us. I am not a friend of snakes.

On a totally unrelated note, I wanted to post the above picture. One day recently when I returned to the office, I caught the cat and the tiger having a conversation. The lion was sitting on top of my computer watching them. Now, I didn't actually hear any of the things they were discussing because they always clam up when I come around. However, I stand by my convictions that the puppets do come out to play when no one is around. Whether or not they have help, I can't say.

Maybe I do have a little bit of a child's imagination in me.

Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer?

2008-06-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

It's not really summer yet, but to those of us who are outside during the day it sure has felt like it. We are nowhere close to being as hot as those who work out in the heat all day though. It's always a welcome relief to get back to the library after we have finished our routes. It makes you wonder how we ever survived our childhood without air conditioning.

The summer reading program is going great so far. We are in our second week and the children have been very excited about our bug theme. It has been amazing to see how much these little ones already know about bugs. They think bugs are cool. I agree with them. During my research for story time aides I have learned a lot of fascinating things I did not know. We were discussing caterpillars at a child care center yesterday and I asked the children if they liked to play with these tiny worms. They all hollered, "YES!" Then I asked if they had seen any colors of caterpillars besides brown on the playground. Some had seen green ones, some had seen red ones, and even one little girl said she had seen an orange one. It must be a good year to find worms in all colors of the rainbow. I will be looking more carefully to see if I can spot one of these colorful creatures.

Charlotte had a challenging conversation with one of her groups. She was explaining that bugs are things that crawl around and there are many different kinds. One little boy said, "Snakes crawl around". She then had to explain that snakes are not bugs.

Children listen more than we think and if they hear something that doesn't sound right they will question it. Do you think there's a lesson in that for adults?

We have also been taking out butterfly bracelets for our children.(see above photos) These bracelets were made by us and several helpers since we had to get almost 1000 ready for our children this month. The children have been so excited over this little handmade gift. Sometimes I think how great and simple life would be if we could all see things through the eyes of a child.

On the Road Again

2008-06-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

Monday was the first day of summer reading for the extension department. As I have posted before, this summer is all about bugs. I am doing stories about caterpillars and butterflies this month. I was very surprised at how much the children already know about these insects. Even the two year olds have been able to answer a lot of my questions. Today, one of the 4 year olds made the comment that when a butterfly got old he became a moth. The teacher said that made sense because moths are mostly grey and white. I guess a moth does look like a senior adult version of the butterfly. When the group was leaving I overheard one little girl say to a little boy, "Are you going to change into a butterfly?" He replied, "No, when I grow up I'm just going to change into a grown up." He didn't sound very enthused about the prospect. We have some very intelligent children in Randolph County.

Charlotte will be talking about a variety of bugs this month during her story times. She has some great books, puppets, and surprises for the centers she will be visiting.

I will be posting more about our exciting adventures as the months progress.

On a different subject, our cat puppet that I posted about awhile back recently disappeared from our office. I received a telephone call saying that he had ran away. I told the caller I would come and get him, but I was told I couldn't have him. I wasn't worried because I knew he would turn up sooner or later.

Sure enough, last week when I went to get into my van to go pick up some books at a child care center, he was sitting in the front seat waiting for me. I think he was smiling. He probably knew that summer fun was about to begin and he wanted to get in on the good times. I've got news for him though, he might get to go with me one month in the near future, but no way am I letting him drive!

Raising A Reader raising enthusiasm about reading

2008-06-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

The Courier-Tribune, Sunday, June 1, page A3
© The Courier-Tribune
Reprinted with permission

From staff reports

ASHEBORO — As children received their own blue bags to keep, from Blue of Blue’s Clues and the Library Lady, their eyes lit up.

Books are why these children are excited, and nurturing that excitement is what the Raising A Reader program is all about.

A total of 154 children, ages 3-5, from five child care centers in Randolph County have been participating in the pilot Raising A Reader program, funded by the Randolph County Partnership for Children.

Participating centers are Teddy Bear Child Care Center, Precious Memories Preschool and We Care Child Development Center, all in Asheboro, and Child Care Network No. 149and No. 146 in Archdale.

The Duke Energy Foundation committed to fund two years of the Raising A Reader program through N.C. Partnership for Children Inc., the organization that administers Smart Start across the state. Randolph is one of five counties selected for this pilot grant.

Raising A Reader is a national early literacy program that fosters parent-child bonding and brain development to prepare children for success in school.

The program promotes “book cuddling” which encourages parents with children from birth to 5 years to read together every day. Another goal is to get children in the habit of using the library and to be involved with the library as they grow.

The program began in Randolph County earlier this year and is administered by the Randolph County Public Library. Current centers that are participating will cycle out of the program in the summer, with new centers coming on board for a full year.
Charlotte Routh with the Randolph County Public Library said the program has been very successful in teaching the children the responsibility of taking care of the books and returning them and has had other impacts.

“The children we see on our regular visits are very excited when we come, saying, ‘It’s the library lady’ — well, really it’s ‘the liberry lady,’ ” Routh said.
“They love the books, and I feel the Raising A Reader program is carrying the service of the program at the centers another step with the children actually being able to take the books home. This is probably the first time for a lot of the children at having ‘library’ books to share with their family. Hopefully, this will lead to them becoming library users.”

Routh added that the program really involves the parents, encouraging them to take their children to the library and spending time at home with their children reading to them.

As part of the Month of the Young Child in Randolph County, Routh said special blue bag events were held at each of the five centers during the week of April 28.
The blue bags complement the red book bags that were introduced at the beginning of the program. Routh said the red bags, with a unique selection of four books, go home with the kids and rotate between families every two weeks.

The blue bag included a book from the Partnership for Children, information about the library system and its summer reading program and other materials. It was meant to celebrate the halfway point of the program.

A special guest, the Blue’s Clues dog, was on hand to help distribute the blue bags and to visit with the children.

Melina Simpson, who serves as the Raising A Reader program coordinator, said the reading experience has become important to the children who are participating.
“One parent spent a week being nagged by her 3-year-old because the parent forgot to bring in his red bag to exchange for a new one,” said Simpson. “I have a single father at We Care who gets his older children to read to the younger child, and they all love it.”

Dawn Greene, director of Precious Memories Preschool in Asheboro, said she is thrilled with the program and the children’s progress.

“For us, the excitement the kids show when they see Miss Melina come through the door and when they get their new books is wonderful,” said Greene.

“The children always want to know what they are going to get to read next, and their self-esteem has really been boosted by the program and how they are treated when they get the new books. I also think it is so important that the program incorporates the parent in reading to their kids and it makes it so accessible as the books are right there in the bag each week.”

Misty Ward lives in the Tabernacle area with her family, which includes 4-year-old daughter Maelynn, and said she appreciates the program.

“The Raising A Reader gives me a variety of books to read every week besides what we have at home and we have almost a mini-library at home,” Ward said.

“Maelynn reminds me not to forget the red bag each week when she is going to get a new one and the fresh books coming into the house give her something different to look at, since she has many of the books we already have at home almost memorized!”
Rhodes believes the red bag and the books inside it are important to the participating children.

“It is teaching them responsibility for that bag, and all of them are developing skills through this program in different ways that they will use through their whole life, and it’s all starting with a red bag.”

A Mystery

2008-05-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, I thought my stuffed animals and dolls came to life at night and played while I slept. I always wished that I could wake up and catch them in the act. I also loved reading the stories about stuffed animals that became real. One of my favorites was "The Velveteen Rabbit."

Now that I am an adult I know better, but for the past few weeks our cat puppet has been mysteriously moving from book cart to my chair. It always happens when I leave the room. The cat is sitting calmly on the cart when I leave, but when I return he is sitting nicely in my chair. One day he even had his nose turned to the back of the chair. I guess he was upset that day.

We have several boxes of puppets that we use in our story times. It makes me wonder. Do they also come out to play when no one is around and quickly jump back into their box when a person is coming? Is the cat too slow to get back to his spot? It's a mystery to me. I don't have the answer, and the cat's not talking! At least not while I'm around.

The Merry, Merry Month of May

2008-05-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

"What in the world do the extension department librarians do during the month of May?" "You mean you don't make any visits?" "What will I do if I run out of books to read?" "You mean I won't see you again until June?" "It must be nice to not have to work for a whole month!"

These are just a few of the comments Charlotte and I hear during April when we tell our patrons we will not see them until June. No, we do not have a month long vacation and yes, we do work during the month. We just aren't doing routes. We take extra books when we make our April visits so our patrons will have plenty of reading material.

We take the month of May to catch up and get ready for the summer reading program. We are planning story times, making sure books have all been turned in, and doing all the little things that don't get done during the months we are on the road. We stay pretty busy when we are doing our routes and we need a little time to regroup and plan for future story times and visits.

Most of the child care centers are getting ready for their four year olds to graduate and they are planning special end of the year events. It works out best for all of us to not have to plan around each other's schedules.

So, we are in the library during the month of May, but come June 2 we will be on the road again and on the go until December when we will once again have a month "off" to catch up.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

2008-05-02T06:28:00.000-07:00

Charlotte and Arlene enjoy a taste of honey at Mr. Byrum's house

And Now We Say Thanks

2008-05-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

I have shared the activities of April 22 with you in the previous three posts. Now it's time to explain what the day was all about and who we have to thank for the great time we had.

Every year the Children's Room librarians at the Asheboro Public Library do a special program to share their ideas, books, etc. for the Summer Reading program. Myra Long, Jonna Libbert, and Susan Coltrane have always done a great job with this. Last year they decided to try something new. They organized a visit to all of the county libraries. At each stop we learned what that particular library had planned for the summer reading program. We then had lunch together and shared more ideas. They won an award from the North Carolina Public Library Director's Association for their hard work.

This year they organized a "field" trip for us. We had a wonderful time as you can tell by reading the previous posts. There are many innovative, talented, creative librarians in the county. The children benefit from all the wonderful programs offered. I remember taking my own kids to Ramseur Library for summer reading when they were small. Many times as I visit child care centers to do story time, the teacher will say, "I loved story time when I was a child. I still remember watching filmstrips." It's great when your job makes a difference.

There are many people to thank for our wonderful time. The Friends of the Library are always supportive of library programs and they helped make this day possible. Myra Long, Jonna Libbert, and Susan Coltrane provided the ideas and food, and they made sure the day's activities moved along without a hitch. Jonna invited us to her house so that we could all share lunch together. Mae Auman made delicious yeast rolls. Ian Fletcher helped with the Power Point presentation and the making of the edible caterpillar. Ann McGlohon assisted by driving one of the vans. And of course, without the librarians who gathered to attend and learn new things to make summer reading a great success for the children of Randolph County this day would not have been possible. Most of all thanks to Suzanne Tate, Library Director for allowing us to take the time to get together and share our ideas with each other.

A special thank you to the All-A-Flutter Butterfly Farm and Mr. George Byrum for sharing their insect knowldge with us. They were both interesting to listen to and very patient in answering our many questions.

We are looking forward to seeing lots of children this summer. We have fun things planned and there's nothing better than reading a good book. We have story times for toddlers, preschool, and school age. Also, there will be an adult reading club at the Asheboro Public Library. Let's all "Catch the Reading Bug!"

FUN - Librarian Style - pt. 3

2008-04-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

After a morning of travel and learning new things, it was time to slow down. We made our way to the home of Jonna Libbert, one of the children's librarians at the Asheboro Public Library. She had lunch waiting for us. She's a great cook and the meal was wonderful. It was complimented with yeast rolls made by Mae Auman, receptionist at the Asheboro library. Susan Coltrane, another children's librarian from Asheboro had created some edible bugs out of fruit. We spent some time relaxing, eating, and discussing the events of the morning.

Ian Fletcher, computer programmer at the library was on hand to set up a power point presentation of some of the ideas for summer reading that Susan and I saw while we were in Wilmington. Susan asked him to help her create dessert. They made a caterpillar out of ice cream, cookies, and candy. It was supposed to have two antennas on it's head made from twizzlers, but as you can see from the above picture, it really had some lovely neon hair. It was enjoyed for dessert and was rather tasty. At least we weren't asked to try to eat real bugs!

After the delicious meal, each town librarian shared some of their ideas for the summer with the group. We played some games, watched a dvd of an available entertainer for summer reading, looked at some books about bugs, and tried our hand at creating some crafts suitable for the children. For a while we all felt like children and everyone had a great time trying on the spider hats they made. That's another thing that makes our jobs special, we not only work with children, we get to act like children, and we have a great excuse for doing so.

All too soon the fun was over and it was time to return to our respective libraries. We all had several ideas to take with us. Charlotte and I will take the Summer Reading Program to children in various child care centers around the county, while the librarians of the county have some great programs planned for your children this summer at their libraries. Call your local library for details and help us help your child "Catch the Reading Bug!"

FUN - Librarian Style, pt. 2

2008-04-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

We were in high spirits as we headed toward our appointment with the honeybees. Some of us were a little unsure of what we would encounter, but we were looking forward to learning something new to share with the children during summer reading.

We were happy to finally see some sunshine, even though it was still a windy day. We arrived at the home of George Byrum, where we were met with a smile and a welcome. Mr. Byrum led us to a beautiful, peaceful area behind his house where several beehives dotted the landscape.

He spent several minutes explaining the importance of bees to farmers and the food chain. The bees get nectar from the flowers for their food and in turn they pollinate certain plants. Pollination enables these plants to produce fruits and vegetables. Without this exchange these plants would be barren. He stated that there are not a lot of bee growers around here any more and several farmers around will ask to borrow bees to pollinate their plants. He said he did not like to loan out his bees because he could not take good care of them when they weren't at his home.

Then he went to a beehive and took out a rack of bees. He brought it over to our group and told us we did not need to get too close. None of us disobeyed. We were happy to stand back. He explained that the honeycomb on the rack which was covered with busy bees was not for eating, instead it was a place for the bees to lay their eggs. He called our attention to several larvae in the different cells of the comb. He would have to add additions to the beehives to collect excess honey which could be eaten. As we watched the bees at work it was easy to see where the expression "busy as a bee" came from. I'm sure after watching the bees work, I've never been that busy.

We learned many interesting facts, including the fact that some people believe bee stings can help joint pain. He says while at a conference on bees, he met a man who had written a book on honeybees. This man was a firm believer in alleviating pain through bee stings.

He then allowed us to have a taste of honey out of his beehives. We all enjoyed the taste and the honey was delicious. He reminded us he will be visiting a couple of the town libraries this summer to talk to the children about honeybees. Call your local library for more information about where he will be.

It was now time for phase 3 of our journey. To be continued....

FUN - Librarian Style

2008-04-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

April 22 started out as a cloudy, windy, dismal day. The weather, however, did not deter several Randolph County librarians from our mission. We had places to go and things to learn to make summer reading an exciting adventure for the children of Randolph County.

We met together at the Asheboro Public Library at 8:15 a.m. The first order of business was to pick up our bagged breakfast. We need fuel for the journey.

As we made our way to the county vans much laughter was heard. Laughter is a very important part of working with children. We were on our way to the All-A-Flutter Butterfly Farm.

We were greeted by a large plane flying low overhead ready to make a landing at a nearby airport.

A spokesperson from the farm was waiting to take us into the world of the exciting monarch butterfly. She had props and gave an informative program on the habits of the monarch. We learned things we didn't know such as a monarch butterfly will only lay it's eggs on a milkweed plant and it is the only plant they will eat. Each species of butterfly has their own plant that they eat. The monarch has a lifespan of two weeks, and if a caterpillar becomes stressed it will stop itself from eating and turning into a butterfly.

After the demonstration, the group entered the netted area. The ones who wanted to catch a butterfly were given sugar pads. They stood perfectly still and butterflies landed in their hands and began to eat.

There were choruses of oohs and ahhs as for a brief peiod of time we became entranced by the brilliance of the monarch butterfly.

We left the farm with a new perspective on butterflies and the wonders of nature. We couldn't wait to share new facts with the children this summer.

People from the farm will be visiting a couple of the county libraries this summer to do programs for the children. Call your local library to see if they are one of the libraries hosting this group.

The journey was not over. We were back on the road and off to visit a beekeeper.

Check back for a recap of the 2nd phase of the journey.

Mrs. Ruby K. Marsh - Seeing a Dream Come True

2008-04-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Ruby K. Marsh, at 97 years of age is finally seeing a dream come true. She has always loved history, and wanted to write a novel while in high school. She graduated at age 16 from Teachey High School, one of the sixteen first high schools in NC. Teachey High School also housed the first accredited library in NC. She was salutatorian of her class.

She took a job folding men's socks at a hosiery mill in High Point. With earnings from this job she purchased a Webster's Dictionary, because she says she was not very good at spelling.

She was asked to join the Burlington Writer's Club and won several awards and honorable mentions for her short stories and poems.

She married James Vaughn Marsh on December 29, 1932. They soon became the proud parents of three children: Patricia, Joan (pronounced Jo Anne), and Jack.

She attended business college during the great depression, but could not get a job in that field after graduating. She took a job at another hosiery mill instead. Her husband was an insurance agent and in 1950 they moved their family to Asheboro.

During the years Mrs. Marsh pursued many activities. She painted, embroidered, played the piano and organ, ran her own printing press and craft shop, taught crafts, and gardened. Her home is filled with wonderful crafts she has made. There is even a mural on one wall that she painted and a rug on the living room floor that she made depicting symbols of North Carolina. Her yard blooms with many flowers that she still loves to work in. The one constant in her life through these years was the service she rendered to her God and her church by teaching children and adults. She says she loved to teach because she loves all people.

Even with all these activities, she never stopped writing. She self published "LORE", a book of family poems, "Old Jolly Zen, the Showman", an operetta which she also wrote the music for, and "Keepers of Memories" (biographical sketches of Confederate Widows). These three books can be found at the Randolph Public Library. "LORE" and "Keepers of Memories" are shelved in the Randolph Room and the operetta can be found in the stacks upstairs.

Mrs. Marsh says every writing instructor she has ever sat under spelling-error" said, "Write what you know," and that is what she has been doing for 45 years as she compiled a novel of family history. She grew up hearing stories of her great grandmother, Julia Anne Bordeaux Pridgen, who lived to be 106 years old. At age 103, Mrs. Pridgen was decorated by the DAR who came to her home to bestow upon her a gold bar for her work in the Civil War. Mrs. Marsh says her great grandmother lived in her mind and dreams. Her story inspired her to write.

The journey to see her novel, "Strawberry Road." published has been a long one. Her husband became sick when Mrs. Marsh was 86 and during the time she waited on him, she began to learn how to work with a computer. He passed away soon after.

She wrestles with bad eyesight due to macular degeneration. That does not stop her, however, it only slows her down. She purchased a machine that she puts her books and papers under and the words are greatly enlarged. She has spent countless hours looking for old family photos, some of which will be included in her book. Many people have helped her along this journey.

Her book is now in the hands of Publish America, and they have told her it should be ready for sale in a couple of months.

I asked Mrs. Marsh how she could work for so long on one book and she replied, "the upheavals and downs in our life make a wonderful story, and I do not give up when I start a project." She also stresses the importance of preserving family history to keep it alive for future generations.

I am inspired by Mrs. Marsh every month as I visit to deliver her books. I have enjoyed listening to her tell stories of her life. She is a great example of perserverance. We can all learn a lot from her.

Truck Day

2008-04-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Charlotte and I had a great time on Tuesday, April 8, when we participated in the annual Truck Day for the 3rd graders in the Asheboro City Schools. This year there was also a group of 4 year olds attending from nearby Neighbors Grove Child Development Center.

Truck Day is a day when different kinds of vehicles used in various jobs around the county converge on Rand Plaza, north of town. Third graders visit each vehicle and listen to the driver of the vehicle tell them a little bit about their job. There were many different jobs represented this year.

There was a fire truck, a police car, an ambulance, the rescue squad, Victory Junction Gang, JOY FM van, and of course our own library van along with several others. There was also a cow in attendance along with a farm truck from the dairy.

Charlotte and I were able to take a couple of puppets and share a short story with the children. We also explained our jobs and stressed the importance of learning to read, do math, and get the most out of their education.

The children were very attentive. We passed out 393 bags to the children with some special surprises in them.

We enjoyed sharing with the children. Even though it was quite chilly that day, we look forward to returning again next year.

Resource Books Now Available

2008-04-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

The Randolph County Community Resource Book is now available at The Salt Box and the Asheboro Public Library reference desk.

This booklet was compiled by the Community Resource Committee comprised of Michelle Harrell, Helen Milleson, Susan Behr, and Warren Coble. It contains a lot of useful information vital to senior adults. There are sections on Assisted Living Facilities, Community Resources, Home Health Agencies, etc. along with contact information for each. There is even a glossary of terms relative to concerns of seniors.

These books are available free of charge. Pick up a copy today.

"Trees"

2008-03-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about our job is that we get to travel a lot of country roads. We observe the changing seasons. Spring and fall are the most enjoyable to me. In the fall we see lots of vibrant hues as the leaves change colors while the trees are preparing for winter. However, spring has to be the prettiest. The trees begin to blossom with shades of pink, purple, and white blooms.

As I travel, I am reminded of Andy Brown, a wonderful man who was a well known local radio personality. He loved literature and could recite lots of poems by heart, as he was fond of doing whenever we were together. He also had a great sense of humor. One day he asked me a question with a twinkle in his eye. I still have not figured out the answer to it. It was simply, "I, Why?". The poem I loved the most, however, was entitled. "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer. I have printed it here. The next time you see a beautiful tree I hope this poem comes to mind. Enjoy!

Trees

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast.

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
--Joyce Kilmer

It's Time to "Catch the Reading Bug"

2008-03-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

It's almost time for the summer reading program at your local library. Each library in the county participates in this program. They all plan special programs with stories, crafts, filmstrips, and special performances from some great children's performers. There are also some prizes and surprises along the way. The theme this year is "Catch the Reading Bug".

It's going to be an exciting summer because there's nothing children like better than bugs and sometimes we adults would rather not deal with them. We librarians have our work cut out for us.

Susan Coltrane, one of the children's librarians at the Asheboro Public Library, and I recently traveled to New Hanover Public Library in Wilmington for a Summer Reading Workshop. It was interesting to see ideas our fellow librarians in the eastern region of the state were going to use.

It seems early to be thinking about summer reading, but we received our Summer Reading manuals before Christmas. Ideas have been floating around since the end of the Summer Reading program last year. It's always a challenge to keep the children excited about reading during their summer break.

We brought back lots of great ideas from the workshop in Wilmington, and enjoyed some great children's performers while we were there.

It was a great day to act like a kid which is not hard for Susan and me. We made spider headbands in one of the craft workshops and wore them all day!

Charlotte and I take the Summer Reading Program to the child care centers we visit. We also add several school age groups to our routes in the summer. I will be telling you more about the Summer Reading program and things we are doing as time goes on.

All of the librarians who work with the children of Randolph County are excited to help them "Catch the Reading Bug" at their local library this summer.

A Typical Day in Extension?

2008-02-19T08:42:00.000-08:00

We do not have typical days in Extension. They all start out the same. We arrive at 8:00 a.m., load our vans, check routes for the day, work on the next day's route, and get ready to leave between 9:00 and 9:15. Most of our Storytimes begin at 9:30. We try to get to the day care center about 5 minutes early to set up and talk with the children. They all have something they need to tell us or a new "boo-boo" to show us. At this point anything can happen.

Some days are quiet and uneventful, while other days are full of excitement. At some stops we have animal friends to bond with. At one stop I was told, "Oh, by the way I found a lizard in my potted plant today. He might be in the house now."

Sometimes we are asked to do research, pick vegetables from the garden (which are shared with us), look for a missing library book, or help with a chore that needs to get done.

No, we do not have typical days, but they are never boring. That's why we love our patrons and our jobs.

Where in the World are the Extension Librarians?

2008-02-14T12:03:00.000-08:00

You are riding down a narrow dirt road. You can barely see the sunlight shining through the canopy of trees above you. As you travel around the curve you see in front of you a tiny, rickety one lane bridge. It doesn't look wide enough to take a vehicle over. You take a deep breath, force yourself to keep your eyes open, and slowly move across it.

You make it safely to the other side, shout a silent hallelujah, and wonder what could possibly be waiting for you around the bend. Imagine your surprise when the dirt road becomes a paved road and you see a sprawling green golf course, a large swimming pool, and a beautiful club house up ahead.

You have just travelled from spooky to WOW in less than 3 minutes. Are you in the twilight zone, are your eyes playing tricks on you, or is it time for a vacation? No, you are just on a route with one of the extension librarians in the versatile county of Randolph.

In the near future we hope to be able to share pictures of some of the amazing scenery we see each month around the county. Some things you have to see to believe.

Community Involvement

2008-02-12T12:14:00.000-08:00

In addition to our jobs in the extension department, Charlotte and I serve on various committees that oversee the use of resources and services for the children and senior adults in our county.

I serve on the Randolph Aging Services Planning Committe (RCASPC), while Charlotte serves on the Caregiver Subcommittee of the RCASPC and the Professional Development Committee of the Randolph County Partnership for Children.

The RCASPC is authorized by the Randolph County Board of Commissioners and is responsible to them. This committee advises the Randolph County Board of Commissioners concerning needs, funding for services, priorities, resources, long-range planning and other issues which affect services to the elderly.

The Professional Development Committee of the Randolph County Partnership for Children is now in the process of planning for The Night of the Stars, which honors the achievements of the child care professionals in Randolph County. They will also plan and oversee the Child Care Conference in the fall.

These committees help keep us aware of events and services that may be helpful to the patrons we serve. As a result we are better equipped to direct them to the person or agency that can help them with any questions or concerns they may have.

Welcome to Extension Services!

2008-02-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

Charlotte Routh and Betty Bunting - Extension Librarians

Who are we and what do we do?

Contrary to a popular belief we are not the department you call when you need to extend or renew your library book check out time.

We are the ones who bring the library to you.

We visit child care centers, senior adult care facilities, and patrons who can no longer make the trip to the library. We travel the roads of Randolph County 4 out of 5 days a week taking books, videos, dvds, etc. to those who enjoy these materials but would not be able to get them otherwise.

A typical day consists of storytimes in the mornings at one or more of the 28 child care sites we visit. We present 52 storytimes to an audience of 1052 children at these sites each month. We also visit 27 patrons in 14 senior adult facilities, and 37 patrons in their homes each month.

There are only two of us in this department so we stay very busy.

We get to interact with some of the wonderful children and delightful adults
living in Randolph County. We look forward to sharing more about our activities with you.

Come back for more glimpses into the exciting world of Extension Services.