THE LIBRARY
AND ITS FRIENDS
The Newsletter of the Friends of the Library, Gainesville, FL, serving the Alachua County Library District
[email protected]
Volume No. 66
FLA
www.folacld.org
Issue No. 2
April 2017
Library Legislative Day
On March 9 th , the Florida Library
A ssociation’s 2017 L ibrar y Day, a
delegation representing the Alachua
C ou nt y L ibr a r y D i st r ic t ( AC L D)
traveled to Tallahassee and met with
local legislators to discuss funding
needs and possible legislation. The
lo ca l delegation i ncluded Sha ney
Livingston, ACLD Library Director;
Chris Culp, ACLD Public Services
Division Director; Diane Johnson,
ACLD Cone Park Branch Manager;
Pushpa Kalra (chair) and Hunt Davis
from the Library Foundation; ACLD
Trustees Susan Sonsini (chair) and
Sharlynn Sweeney; and John Ritter,
president of the Friends of the Library.
Save the Date
April 22-26 – Spring Book Sale
October 21-25 – Fall Book Sale
John Ritter, Diane Johnson, Pushpa Kalra,
Hunt Davis, Susan Sonsini, Shaney Livingston
T he AC L D d e l e g at i o n m e t w it h
F lor ida leg islat ors S enat or Keith
Perry, Representative Elizabeth Porter,
Representative Chuck Clemons, and
an assistant to Representative Clovis
Watson, Jr., who was unavailable. They
all spoke highly of the Alachua County
Library system and its programs and
were receptive to the needs of libraries
– a welcome sign.
Library Card Adds up to Big Savings
from Nickie Kortus, ACLD
Using library services helps families stretch their budgets. Families can save
hundreds of dollars a week by checking out picture books for young children,
[Continued on page 6]
[Click titles or page numbers to see articles]
Letter from the Director ......
Foundation Page ..................
From the President ..............
Spread the Word...................
Snuggle Up 2017 ..................
FOL Spotlights ...................
Katherine’s Tree ...................
Spring Sale
...................
New Volunteers ...................
Getting Photos Home ...........
Added Pictures ...................
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From the Director
Spring into Action
Our libraries are bursting with opportunities
to engage with new technology, get creative,
develop new skills, or improve financial
literacy. We’ve jumped into
the world of makerspaces with
LEGOspace, TIN K ERspace,
M A KERspace Sewing,
V I DE OM A K E R space a nd
F OODI E space prog rams at
various branch libraries.
Through February, Tower Road Branch
had host ed 27 F O ODI E space a nd 31
M A K E R space prog rams. T hei r sta f f
combined technology, STEAM principles,
and food preparation to create FOODIEspace
programs. To support this, we purchased a
PancakeBot, child-friendly cooking utensils,
and ingredients. Costing just $299, the
PancakeBot is one of the most cost-effective
3D pancake printers. Children draw their
own designs using the software, learn
math skills while measuring ingredients,
then delight to see their pancakes printing.
FOODIEspace programs involve cookbooks,
local chefs, and community partners to teach
technology and healthy food choices. During
a Skype interview with Miguel Valenzuela
in Norway, the inventor of PancakeBot
answered questions and encouraged kids to
delve into food and engineering.
T he He adq u a r t er s s t a f f de s i g ne d a
CREATEspace program for adults to tinker,
develop, test, and share ideas and skills.
The sessions will be Saturdays, April 22nd
and 29 th and May 6th and 20 th. Participants
can use a 3D printer, 3D modeling and
coding prog rams, basic circuitry, and
robotics to create and print their own
model. Other branches will design their
own CREATEspace programs.
The Fandomonium ComicCon event will be
at the Headquarters Library on Saturday,
April 8th. Fans of comics, anime, and scifi pop culture can meet graphic novelist
and illustrator Andre Frattino and young
adult author Kami Garcia, enjoy a costume
contest, an artist showcase, games, fandom
crafts and activities, and vendors and food
trucks. Friends of the Library will be there
promoting the Spring Book Sale.
We will celebrate National Library Week,
April 9 – 15, highlighting this year’s
national theme, “Libraries Transform.”
Please help us celebrate the role libraries
play in our communities.
Money Smart Week®, April 9-15, is a national
initiative led by the American Library
Association and the Federal Reserve Bank
in Chicago to improve financial literacy. In
April, ACLD is participating by partnering
with local financial institutions, businesses,
and professionals on more than twenty
programs offering guidance on eliminating
debt, buying and selling a home, saving and
investing for retirement or college, avoiding
scams and identity theft, saving on utility
bills, and more.
During this year’s FOL-sponsored Author
S er ies, you ca n meet awa rd-w i n n i ng
authors, ask questions, and have books
signed. Ted Geltner, author of Blood, Bone
and Marrow, is coming Sunday, April 23rd.
On Saturday, May 6th, meet Pulitzer Prize
nominee Ace Atkins, whose Little White
Lies comes out in May. Bronwen Dickey
will talk about Pit Bull: The Battle over an
American Icon, on Sunday, May 21st, and on
Sunday, June 4th, Nathan Hill will discuss
his debut novel The Nix. All programs are
at Headquarters at 2:30 pm.
We have expanded our programs to help
individuals with criminal backgrounds
o bt a i n , m a i nt a i n , or i mpr o ve t hei r
employment or start a small business.
The Library District and Partnership for
Strong Families is working with additional
community partners to present the ReEntry Conference at Library Partnership
April 10-13, and the Re-Entry Job and
Resource Fair at Headquarters Library
on Monday, April 24th . These events are
designed for anyone who needs assistance
re-entering the workplace.
At the Tower Road Branch, we are renovating
to add 8,500 sq. ft. (for a total of 23,500),
with larger meeting room (featuring a
kitchen for FOODIEspace programs), more
parking, a quiet reading room, study rooms,
a dedicated teen space, an innovative
children’s space with an outdoor discover
area, and more. We expect completion
in early 2018. During construction, a
temporary building will open MondayT hursday, 10 a m to 7 p m , F r iday and
Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday, 1 to
5 pm.
[To Table of Contents]
The Foundation
The Alachua County Library District Foundation
providing long-term support to the Alachua County Library District
through major gifts and bequests since 1989
The ACLD Foundation recognized the most recent Guy
Hudspeth Award recipient and eight others in their
annual Katherine’s Tree award ceremony.
O n S u nd ay, M a r c h 13 t h , t he
Foundation held its fourth annual
ceremony to recognize the previous
ye a r ’s K at her i ne ’s T r e e le a f
recipients. Melanie Langsdale
Aultman, Senior Library Specialist
at the Waldo Branch Library, was
the 2016 recipient of the annual
Guy Hudspeth Award. She joins
past Hudspeth Award recipients
Guy Hudspeth (2007), for whom
the awa rd is named, Memree
Stuart (2008), Martha Roberts (2009), Phillis Filer
(2010), Ike Welch (2011), Darba Owens-Simmons (2012),
Bruce Stewart (2013), Anita
Jenkins-McCarter (2014),
and Kathi Harris (2015) with
having a leaf placed on the
Tree in her honor.
Two other leaves honored
the exceptional volunteer
work of Sandy Mann and
Sue Roland for the Friends
of the Library. [ed. note:
They are pictured elsewhere
in this issue.] Among other
responsibilities, Sandy has
served as Publicity Chair and prepared computer graphic signs.
Sue, known for her friendliness and upbeat nature, has spent
many years opening and closing the Bookhouse.
Also honored with leaves placed on
the Tree were Foundation Board
Vice Chair William Burger and his
wife Celia, Board member Donald
Caton (given by his wife Cecilia)
in honor of his 80 th birthday), and
Foundation associates Brian and
Linda Gendreau. Eileen McCarty
Smith gave a leaf in honor of
her grandson Connor Brendan
McCarthy, as she has done for
her other grandchildren; and Ida Little gave a leaf in honor
of Sagan and Tycho Williams, “two little boys we have come
to love.” Joy and Michael Avery gave a leaf in honor of Joy’s
mother, Lydia Vanoli Aggio, “for all she has done for us and for
future generations.” In all, nine new leaves have been placed
on Katherine’s Tree this past year.
“Katherine’s Tree is a wonderful and fitting way to recognize
the generosity of so many individuals, the Kosman Foundation
and the Quinn Family Charitable Foundation, and the Friends
of the Library in support of our mission,” said Foundation Board
Chair Pushpa Kalra. “Libraries have played a meaningful
role in the lives of the individuals these gifts have honored or
memorialized with leaves on the Tree.”
Each leaf on the tree represents a gift of $2,000 to the Alachua
County Library District Foundation to help advance its support
of the Library.
[To Table of Contents]
Message
from the
President
I don’t think we brag enough
about what the Friends of the
Library (FOL) organization does
for our library system. From its
organizational meeting at J. J.
Finley School in September, 1954,
and its initial book sale in October,
1954, FOL has been supporting the
library system in Gainesville and
Alachua County.
Since the first event brought in
$80, the Friends of the Library
book sales have raised more than
$4 million over the years. With
that money, we have obtained land
for branch expansions, provided
many and varied library programs,
and expanded library collections.
We have provided scholarships to
library employees pursuing degrees
in library science and other areas.
We take pride in providing books to
Head Start students and funding
Q ui et R ea ding R ooms in our
remodeled branches. We also help
fund the well-attended “Meet the
Author” events at the library, which
feature local authors such as Ted
Geltner and nationally renowned
authors like Michael Connelly.
We all encourage reading, which
some think is becoming a lost art in
this age of television and hand-held
entertainment. Our Book Sales
prove that the public still enjoys
opening a new book and renewing
their pleasure in literature and
education. Thanks to you, our
members, we have become a major
player in our great library system.
Help Spread the Word
Snuggle Up & Read 2017
B ook Sale f lyers and
pr omotiona l bo ok ma rks
announcing the 2017 Spring
Sale are in the FOL office.
Please take some to share
w it h o r g a n i z at io n s a nd
businesses that you visit. Ask
to have them put on bulletin
boards, front windows, and
other prominent sites to
announce the dates of
FOL’s April Sale.
Each year, for our partnership Snuggle Up & Read program, Library
staff and Friends volunteers select one picture book from the thousands
published to give to each child enrolled in Alachua County’s Head Start
program. For this “gift of reading,” we try to select a story that will
engage the imagination of three- and four-year olds, promote a love
of books, encourage early reading, and contribute to the development
of each child’s home library.
Our first Snuggle Up & Read book (in 2000) was the children’s classic,
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle. In recent years, we have
featured current titles, including two very popular “Pete the Cat”
stories and last year’s beautifully illustrated If You Plant a Seed by
Kadir Nelson.
[Continued with pictures on page 6.]
[To Table of Contents]
Spotlight on Library Staff
Getting to Know You
Lynda McKenzie
Karen Malloy
Position: Sorter
Background: Lynda is a “southern girl” who grew
up in North Palm Beach, Florida, after her family
moved south from Connecticut Yankee country.
After attending Auburn and Purdue universities,
and receiving college degrees from the University
of Florida, this life-long “Gator” was a UF faculty
member in the College of Medicine (seven years) and
the College of Pharmacy (20 years).
Position: Teen Librarian
Millhopper Branch Library
Background: After teaching for six years, I decided
to go back to school for my MLIS degree and my
journey toward librarianship began. In July of
2012, I was offered a position as a Library Page
at the Millhopper Branch Library, and my studies
at the University of South Florida began shortly
thereafter. I was fortunate enough to be able
to take advantage of the Friends of the Library
Scholarship.
I loved working at Millhopper and found it difficult
to leave, but in January, 2015, I was promoted to
a Library Assistant at the Tower Road Branch
Library. Less than a year later, I was promoted
to Library Specialist at the Newberry Branch
Library, where I could use my teaching experience
and develop strong programming skills while I
was in charge of children’s programming. Weekly
Storytime and Music and Movement programs
were followed by many other programs geared
toward engaging children and teens with the
library. I was lucky enough to inherit the Baby
Goat Storytime, which led to the publication of an
article in the journal Florida Libraries. I initiated
a STEM-based homeschool program for local
homeschooling families and groups. As a member
of the Makerspace Committee, I was interested in
creating and implementing a program at Newberry,
and, shortly before leaving, I got the TINKERspace
program up and running. Both programs, I am
happy to see, continued after my departure in
August, 2016, when I became the Teen Librarian
at the Millhopper Branch Library.
Outside of work, I like the quiet solitude of my home
shared with a cat, Callie (named after Cal Ripkin,
Jr) and two Labradors (Bear and Molly). I also love
sewing, crafting, reading, and glitter.
Spotlight on FOL Volunteer
Karen Malloy
The love of her life, her husband Michael, was a
faculty member in the College of Pharmacy for 44
years, 32 as Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
Together they have two millennials – Amanda, an
Emmy-nominated broadcast journalist in Orlando,
Florida, and Mark, a student in the Doctor of
Pharmacy program at the UF College of Pharmacy.
Lynda loves to travel. Some of her latest adventures
have taken her on cruises on the Mediterranean and
Baltic seas. Her favorite travels were to London,
Mu n ich , R ome, Ven ic e, Athen s , A mst erd a m ,
Copenhagen, and especially St. Petersburg.
Lynda has a strong spirit of volunteerism and has
volunteered her time at many venues, including
Ronald McDonald House, Interface Youth Shelter,
the Pediatric Unit at Shands Hospital, and, most
importantly, the Friends of the Library. She also was
a weekly story-teller to elementary school children.
Lynda’s love of books and the library stems from her
father taking her to the public library when she was
young. He helped her select her first book there, a
biography about Jacqueline Kennedy. That time and
that book had a profound effect on who she would
become.
Lynda McKenzie
Lynda looks forward to volunteering every Tuesday at
Friends of the Library. She says “My fellow volunteers
share my passion about books. My interactions with
them and those that bring donations make my day!”
[To Table of Contents]
[S nuggle U p, from page 4.]
[L ibrary Card, from page 1]
T his year, we decided it was time to
introduce the current crop of Head Start
students to another beloved classic. Some
books just never go out of style. This is
certainly true of the 2017 selection, Caps
for Sale, written and illustrated by Esphyr
Slobodkina. Since its
publication in 1940,
this interactive story
about some si l ly
mon key business
has enter tained
generations of
children.
audiobooks for road trips, eBooks, DVDs
for mov ie night, music CDs, and free
downloadable music to keep. Borrowing
from the local library can add up quickly
to big savings.
F OL funded the
pu r ch a se of b o ok s
and, during February and March, our
volunteers, along with Library staff, visited
about thirty Head Start classes to share
the story and give books to almost 700
children. Our volunteers enjoyed these
visits very much and were gratified by the
enthusiastic response. The broad smiles on
the children’s faces as they received their
very own books made us all proud to be a
part of this program.
Last year, Alachua County Library District
circulated more than 1.6 million print books
plus almost 700,000 eBooks. On a recent
library visit, one library user saved $719.83
while checking out fifteen items. Another
library user saved $160.68 while borrowing
eight DVDs and another $132.88 while
borrowing six books. At an average cost of
$20 per item, big savings add up and saved
this community more than $85 million last
year.
The Library District continues to expand
its digital collection, which now includes
approximately 100 popular magazine titles
and more than nine million songs from
Freegal Music. With a library card, music
lovers can download and keep five songs per
week, saving up to $10 a week. Users can
download and keep magazines that contain
links and interactive features.
[Another Snuggle picture is on page 8.]
Library users can save additional money by
employing educational online resources such
as Safari Tech and Business Books Online,
Ancestry Library Edition, Transparent
Languages, and many more. These tools of
research and learning are available at www.
aclib.us/research. The most recent addition,
Lynda.com, offers a variety of online classes
that teach skills in multiple disciplines.
Andrew Carnegie said, “A library outranks
any other one thing a community can do to
benefit its people. It is a never failing spring
in the desert.” His words come to life when
you visit your nearby library or go online to
find a good read, learn a language, check
out a book club kit, or discover the latest
superhero adventure – reap the benefits and
add up your savings.
Katherine’s Tree Recognition
On Sunday, March 12, 2017, the Alachua
C ou nt y L ibra r y D i st r ic t Fou nd at ion
recognized individuals who were honored
by family, friends, or organizations with
a donation to the Foundation. Friends of
the Library honored Sandy Mann and Sue
Roland for their dedication, hard work, and
many years of service to FOL.
Sandy Mann
Sue Roland
[To Table of Contents]
2017 Spring Book Sale
Join FOL for the Spring Book Sale held from Saturday, April 22, through Wednesday,
April 26, 2017. Come to the Book House, 430 North Main Street in Gainesville, to select
from thousands of books, records, art works, CDs, and DVDs in categories ranging from
architecture to zoology. Special items in the Collector’s Corner include vintage vinyl,
History of Alachua County 1824-1969 by Jess G. Davis, British Education: or the Source
of the Disorders of Great Britain 1756, and first editions of Shakespeare in Harlem by
Langston Hughes, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson, and Seraph
on the Suwanee by Zora Neale Hurston.
Don’t miss the opportunity to choose from this extensive collection while supporting Friends
of the Library and the Alachua County Library District.
New Volunteers
[More sale pictures are on page 8.]
After their training session with volunteer coordinator Sue
Harms, our new Bookhouse volunteers have been working
to prepare the Bookhouse for April’s sale. Home for these
book lovers extends from Gainesville to Bolivia. They
are either new to the Bookhouse or have attended many
previous book sales, are retired or still in school, have
interests ranging from chemistry to nutritional science,
to library science, and more.
Miss Gattis’ Class
We are delighted to welcome these new volunteers to our
Bookhouse family.
Mateus Fernandez, John Cain,
Peter Malanchuk,
Luis Mejia, Isabel Costas
Kyle Ventura, Sue Harms,
Debbie Phelps
Pickwick Dam, 1938
[Another of the photos is on page 8.]
Nancy Curlin
Emily Brenner
With true detective skills and an
exchange of emails, volunteers
i n F OL’s C ol le c t or ’s C or ner
fol lowed clues f r om don at ed
photographs to reunite pictures
of Tennessee school classes with
representatives of the Hardin
County Histor ical S ociety in
Savannah, TN. Of special interest
was a 1938 class of elementary
students with each name listed on
the back of the print. Historical
Society representative Ronney
Brewington wrote “ Thank you
for sending these to us. We will
archive [them] in our photograph
l ibra r y (we have about 4 0 0 0
photos of local places and people)
which are digitized and in a data
base.” About these photographs,
FOL volunteer Holly Prugh said
“We’re delighted they’re making
their way back home where they
belong in Tennessee.”
[To Table of Contents]
Snuggle Up and Read
Spring Sale Preparations
Tennessee Photos Returned
1950s - 60s School Class
[To Table of Contents]
Remember - the benefits
of your membership include:
• 4 newsletters per year,
• invitations to the annual meeting and special seminars,
• volunteer opportunities with the twice-yearly book sales.
• But the biggest benefit of all is that wonderful feeling you get from
doing something great for your family, neighbors, and community.
Invite your friends to join FRIENDS!
New
❏
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Renewal
❏ - FOL member since _______
Name: _______________________________________
(as you wish your membership name to appear)
Address: _____________________________________
City : ________________ State: ___ Zip: ___________
THE LIBRARY AND ITS FRIENDS
Friends of the Library
430-B North Main Street
Gainesville, FL 32601
Telephone: Home ____________ Work _____________
Membership Categories
❏ $100 Corporate
❏ $50 Patron
❏ $25 Family
❏ $15 Individual
❏ $10 Student/Senior (65+)
❏$ ___ Other
Volunteer Opportunities
❏Book Sales
Other talents,
❏please
call me
Make checks payable to FOL
❏ Book Sorting (year round)
can’t volunteer, but am
❏ Ihappy
to support FOL
with my membership
Mail to:Friends of the Library
Attn: Membership Chair
430-B N Main Street
Gainesville, FL 32601
F O L N e w s l e t t e r - A p r 2 0 17