Reading as a solace in time of need

Reading is such an enjoyable way to live. I have found reading to be entertaining, fun, and informative.
Also I have experienced reading that has been a solace in times of stress and depression. For years I took care of my elderly mother. At the beginning of this painful journey, I had to go with my then young sons back to my home town. My 88 year old mother had fallen in her apartment and been taken to the hospital. I knew this was going to be a difficult trip. I told my husband that was not going to be taking a book to read. He gave me the best advice. Linda, take a book. I did and when I wasn't seeing my mother at the hospital, or talking to a social worker I would read my book. It was Witness by Sandra Brown. It was an exciting fast-paced read that gave me that solace to face the hard challenges that I had.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to one and all. Great readings to all!! Last year had its challenges. Here is to a brand new year.
I may be a retired librarian, but I sure visit the public libraries in my area. I have more time to read and watch DVDs. So, I go to our branch library to search for books or to pick up books that I have reserved.
Please know your public library website address.
Then, you can search for books and other materials from your home computer. Even if you do not have a lot of time insert some reading time for yourself. I have been there also.
Also I visit another nearby town library that has wonderful collection of English DVDs. I also belong to a book discussion group at that library.
Please get into the public library habit. My husband and I have been going to our local branch library for thirty-two years. Of course, our sons when they were younger went with us. So whether you are old or young, the public library has something for you. Check it out!!!

Christmas Cards

I love Christmas cards. Since I was a little girl I have loved these special cards. Now, I especially love it because many of my family and friends live in different parts of the United States. This is my husband and I's way to catch up and reconnect with family and friends. This year I wrote notes in a lot of my cards. For about six years I wrote a newsletter. This year since I am retired I decided to see if I could write notes included in my Christmas cards. I succeeded and had my cards out by December 10th.
This year I decided to decorate with Christmas cards we received. I strung up red ribbon, tartan ribbon and green yarn in the hallway and the living room. In my china closet I found green and red smaller spring clothespins and I hung up the beautiful Christmas cards we received. They look so beautiful.
Christmas is a special season. A Merry Christmas season to all from Linda's Library Corner.

In December our local reading council has a Winterfest. It is a fundraiser for the reading council. This year I made and donated 4 baskets. One of the baskets was a Teacher’s Toolkit. I came up with this idea when I was remembering that a library volunteer called me a MacGyver librarian. That day I had wore a skirt that I ripped the lace ruffle at the skirt‘s hem. I did not have a needle and thread to sew it and I was going to a dinner after school. In my desk I found my fishing line, a needle and scotch tape. I was able to sew the ruffle back on my skirt and go to the ball Oops! Wrong story. I went to the dinner. Then, the volunteer called me a MacGyver librarian? Who or what is MacGyver? MacGyver was a TV series in the eighties and early nineties. MacGyver, the title character, was a resourceful secret agent. He solved his countless problems with his trusty Swiss Army knife and duct tape. The following is a teacher’s toolkit for those situations when a teacher or librarian had to come up with solutions very quickly. This toolkit would make a great gift for a new teacher or a holiday present for a teacher.

Teacher’s Toolkit

4 Glue Sticks
Masking Tape
Duct Tape
Fishing Line for displaying students’ work and decorating
White thread
Sewing needles to use with fishing line
Various sizes of Suction Cups
Super Sticky Apple shaped post it notes
Various post it notes
3 rolls of Magic Scotch Tape
1 Plastic Ruler
Wooden clip clothespins
Rubber Bands
Wedge erasers
Thumb Tacks
Push pins
Hole Punch
Scissors
Yarn in red, blue, green and white skeins
Green plastic (Toolkit/ Treasure Chest)

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. It is wonderful to give thanks for the wonderful things in this
world. We have all been facing tough times throughout the world. It is great to thank for the things we have to keep it so we can keep it in perspective.
In our family our youngest son found a job in his field. You can not imagine how thankful we are were. Yesterday we also had a wonderful fun Thanksgiving. These are the times and memories to cherish.
During these times please help and volunteer for people that need help. This fall I became a member of our town's Women's Club part of the General Federation Women's Clubs. Last month I volunteered for Make a Difference Day. With our local President, another new member and myself volunteered with a huge children's book donations project. We went to a large elementary school in a nearby city. I helped by sorting books by age and reading levels. I loved it. It was up my librarian alley. There were some many women from our part of the state helping with the project plus state officers. It went quickly because there were so many of us.Remember to give thanks!

Halloween

As I walk in the morning, I can feel that Fall is here. In less than two weeks it will be Halloween. This year is our first annual Halloween decorating contest on our street. My husband and I have been collecting Halloween decorations from all kinds of places.
I love reading Halloween books. I read Georgie and the Robbers by Robert Bright to first graders. Georgie is a gentle little ghost that lives with the Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker. He lives in the attic with all the fine antiques. He does not know what he will do if robbers come and steal the antiques. The robbers do come to steal the antiques. Gentle Georgie is one resourceful little ghost. This story is an oldie but goody. I have been reading it for about 36 years. Now, I changed many of the stories that I have read over the many years that I was a working librarian. I have stayed with this book because it is so charming. It is out of print so go to your public library or its website and reserve it.
To second graders I read The Witches’ Supermarket by Susan Meddaugh. In this fantastic book, Helen and her dog Martha are trick or treating. Helen is dressed as a witch and Martha is dressed as a cat. (“ Witches have cats, everyone knows that.”) The twosome find their way into a witches supermarket. Though, they do not know it. This book is available in paperback and your public library. This book is the same Martha and Helen from the Martha Speaks books and PBS show. The following is that website for the Martha Speaks website pbskids.org/martha/
Without giving too much away there some unique brooms in this story. So, I brought some witches’ brooms at a craft store. One is a big sparkly purple one that my husband could hardly wait for me to get it outside. The purple sparkles were on our foyer floor. The brooms are outside our door. I have made a sign.
Witches Parking Only
My husband and I have done most of our Halloween decorations up. We are not doing it for a prize. We just want to have fun doing it.
Now, I had better get cracking on making that ghost garland. I have a ghost template, stiff felt and black ribbon.
Happy Halloween to all!!!

Stars Reading to Their Children

In PEOPLE October 5, 2009 issue there is a wonderful pictorial article in the BOOKS section entitled Raising Them on the Classics
Stars and celebrities add their voice to certain causes. For example, Michael J. Fox has Parkinson Disease. The late Christopher Reeve suffered a head injury and the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver started Special Olympics. It definitely helps to promote wonderful causes
In the above mentioned article
Jessica Alba reads Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown to her 15 month old daughter.
Ana Ortiz and her Ugly Betty costar America Ferrrera are both readers. America gave Ana one of her favorite baby gifts, 30 to 40 books for her three month old daughter. America said “We have to make her a reader like we are.” One of the books that Ana Ortiz reads is Corduroy by Don Freeman.
Nia Long’s eight year old son is into baseball. So they read a lot of baseball
books. He also likes the Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne.
Cindy Crawford's daughters both like Tales of the Fourth Nothing by Judy Blume.
All of these book titles are wonderful. This article helps parents see what the
stars and celebrities read to their children. It is another way to validate the reading cause.
Kudos to PEOPLE!