Monday, December 24, 2007

Primary Election registration

February 5 is the primary election date in Illinois. If you are not yet registered, you must do so by January 9. You can register at any public library, including the Homer Library. In Homer, the registration must be done by 2 p.m. in order to get your registration to county clerk by the deadline.

A Christmas Special from Suzanne Beecher

"'Twas The Night Before Christmas at the Book Clubs"

'Twas the night before Christmas and in every house
all good book club readers were clicking their mouse.

They'd hung all their stockings, decorated their trees
And now it was time to sit down and see
What their email had brought them on this Christmas Eve.

A five-minute break to read a good book
Was just what they needed, but oh my--look...

When they opened their email, no read could be found.
"Oh no, we're afraid Suzanne went out of town.
Could she have forgotten to send us our read?
How could she do this in our time of need?"

The readers all panicked, they shivered in fright,
They pined for their emails and settled in for the night.

"Could we have misplaced them? Did we hit the wrong key?
Did it go in our deleted files?" Oh such misery.
And then in a flash, with a stroke of a key,
One by one, they discovered their Christmas Eve reads.

Their eyes how they twinkled, they laughed and they smiled
And they settled into their chairs to read for awhile.

Their hearts were delighted, they felt just like kids,
But it's still such a mystery where that email had hid.
Was it there all the time and they just didn't see?
Or did Santa step in and do a good deed?

Good boys and girls are on Santa's list
And good book club readers he vows never to miss.

It's been a long night, time to climb into bed,
So they shut down their computers and laid down their
heads.

But in the quiet of night, before things came to an end,
They heard, "Thanks for reading with me,
It's so good to read with friends."

I wish you peace and joy,

Suzanne is the brains behind the online chapter-a-day book club. To subscribe or for more information, go to www.ltls.org and click on the box at the upper left. Then choose Book Clubs.

Friday, December 21, 2007

December Library News

HOMER LIBRARY NEWS

What’s new in the Homer Library today? We received our first shipment of music CDs. These are titles and artists that people have requested. Come in and see what we got! There’s some country, some classic rock, some instrumentals, some vocalists. What’s your preference?

The library will be hosting an After Christmas Party on December 27 at 1 p.m. Children ages 5 through 10 are invited to a fun hour of games, crafts, food and fun. Don’t miss it!

Do you need last-minute ideas for Christmas? We got cookbooks, craft books, books that combine the two. We’ve got Christmas CDs and DVDs. Our magazines are full of Christmas ideas.

Our new adult fiction includes The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz, T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton, Whole New Light by Sandra Brown, Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury, and Double Cross by James Patterson.

Others include Hanni and Beth, Safe and Sound by Beth Finke (a book about a seeing eye dog and its master), and Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld, the wife of Jerry Seinfeld. She tells how to hide veggies in food in a way that will appeal to fussy eaters. It sounds like something I could have used when my kids were little. We also have three very nice, new knitting books.

Since May of this year, we have added almost 300 books, videos and audio books to the collection. Many, if not most of those items were donated. We appreciate your donations. If the library is closed when you bring in donated items, please bring them to the back of the hall. That is where they will be stored until we can process them.

We wish you all a very merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year of reading!

Friday, November 23, 2007

November's News

Homer Library News

What’s new in the Homer Library this week? Plenty. Two Mac computers and a color printer, for starters. But there’s more now, and more coming in the future.

Our new adult fiction includes Stone Cold by David Baldacci, Now & Then by Robert B. Parker, The Heir by Barbara Taylor Bradford, Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon, Critical by Robin Cook, Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright, Summer by Karen Kingsbury, Just Beyond the Clouds by Karen Kingsbury, Blink of an Eye by Ted Dekker, and Creation in Death by J. D. Robb.

Our new DVDs are Evan Almighty, four original Nancy Drew DVDs, Montana Sky, Ratatouille, Shrek the Third, and five Sugar Movies.

We have 2 music CDs of Patch the Pirate stories, for a total of five stories. These are fun CDs, with upbeat music and stories that teach good character in a way that kids will respond to.

Add to that a large number of paperback novels, many of them in the romance genre. And some for our young adult readers.

Coming up next month is our annual after Christmas party for children ages 5 to 10, or thereabouts. That is scheduled for December 27 at 1 p.m.

You can help veterans in the local VA hospital. Just drop off donated items at the library. Don’t know what they need? See our list of needs.

We want to thank all of you who have helped make this wonderful new facility a reality. It was just one year ago this week that we began preparing for the first move. You helped us move, and move again. You donated some really good materials that we are slowly getting processed and put on the shelves. And you support us by using the library. Thank you.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

If you want to help...

Would you like to help the veterans in the VA hospital in Danville, Illinois? Here's how. The Homer Library has a list of their needs, inexpensive items as well as some that are more costly. So you can contribute according to your ability.

We are also acting as a collection point. Drop your donations by any time the library is open, and we will see that they get to the veterans. Thanks in advance for your help. For more information, call the library at 217-896-2121.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

We're still settling in

Since last month, we have added 7 easy chairs. Two of them are recliners. Two G-5 Macs are available, with wireless internet access. Look for a pair of PCs to arrive soon, too. A selection of music CDs is coming. We are asking for recommendations from our patrons as to more music CD titles to buy.

If you ordered a birthday calendar, it should be delivered soon. KC Jones has spent many hours preparing it, with help from other library board members. Our thanks to them, and all who ordered calendars. They really help to stretch our budget.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Our One Month Anniversary

Just one month ago today, we moved into our new facility. Board members, employees, family members and community members pitched in together to move from our two classrooms (where we had been housed since January 13, 2007) into our permanent space. There was still some work to do the next day, but the bulk of it got done Saturday.

We're still settling in, to some degree. We've got a new wireless printer. Furniture is on order. New computers will be coming - 2 Macs, and 2 PCs, so you can have your choice.

For those of you who are home during the day, we are open on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you like a quiet library, that's a good time to come in.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Ribbon cutting tomorrow

The scissors are here and ready for the big day. We hope you will stop by and see our new facility. The festivities begin at 2 p.m. with the high school band and chorus, and end with refreshments.

We've come a long way since we began getting ready for the move back in November. We've expended a lot of energy and a lot of money. But we had the funds to do what we needed to do, without debt. Much of that is due to those who have helped us out with big gifts and little. They are all appreciated.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Celebration in the Homer Library - open to all

Come help us celebrate! Saturday, September 22 at 2 p.m. is the Open House/Dedication for our new facility. If you have ever been in the old library on Main Street, and you haven’t seen the new library, you will be amazed.

The Heritage High School band and chorus will be here, as will some local dignitaries. Following the activities in the library itself, refreshments will be served in the dining room, highlighted with cakes by Barb Rumer, including one very special book cake.

Because of the Open House, the library will only be open from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., so that we can set up for the festivities.

In the meantime, be sure to enjoy other Krazee Daze activities.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

EVENTS AND CHANGES

The Homer Library will be represented at the Homer Business Expo on Saturday, September 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We will be showing pictures from the past nine months - preparing for the first move, the actual move, our new temporary space, the work in progress in the sanctuary, the final move.

Also, you can order pies from Bakers Square, to be picked up when you want them. You can also get certificates for Bergners. They sell for $5 each, and are worth $10. Find out more about them at the Expo.

Your purchase of pies or coupons will help us fund the Reading is Fundamental program for local grade school children.

Saturday, September 22, is the ribbon cutting for our new facility. The library will be open that day from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. only. At noon, we close to set up for the ribbon cutting. The high school band and chorus will provide music, and there will be refreshments in the dining room. That will include cakes by Barb Rumer.

We have a new schedule for Wednesdays only. We open at 9 a.m. and close at 2 p.m. If you like a nice quiet facility, this would be a good time to come in.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Is there nothing new in the Homer Library??

HOMER LIBRARY NEWS
Is there no news in the Homer Library? Yes, there is. But we have just been so busy that we’ve not had time to share it.

First, we’d like to congratulate Katie Ely. She won the contest for Hedwig, the Harry Potter owl.

We are settling into our new digs. The new library is not finished yet. You will see additions coming over the next few weeks or months.

Our new adult fiction includes Bones to Ashes by Kathy Riechs, A Wrongful Death by Kate Wilhelm, Beyond Reach by Karin Slaughter, Forever by Karen Kingsbury, a Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, Sweet Revenge by Diane Mott Davidson, Someone to Love by Jude Deveraux, Justice Denied by J. A. Jance, and Presumed Guilty by James Scott Bell.

Our newest non-fiction is Quiet Strength by Superbowl winning coach, Tony Dungy, and co-written by Nathan Whitaker. Our newest DVDs include Are We Done Yet?, The Astronaut Farmer, and TMNT.

We are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 2 to7 p.m., Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our phone number is 896-2121.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

CHANGES AND MORE CHANGES

We’re in! We moved over the weekend, and now we are located in the former sanctuary. A dedicated group of people gave up their weekend to get us settled. The result is a beautiful new library. We’re anxious to show it to you.

The other change is a change in hours for one day only each week. On Wednesdays, we will open at 9 a.m. and close at 2 p.m. Please plan accordingly, as the library will be closed, and the building will be locked at 2 p.m.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Home Schooling?

Would you like to make contact with another homeschooling family in the area? This mom has some exciting materials that involves a classic book and learning how to write first person narratives. Call the library for the contact information if you are interested.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

MOVING DAY

The day is set! The library will be closed Saturday, August 25, so that we can move. We plan to reopen on Monday,August 27. If you are conversant with the Dewey decimal system, come on out and give us a hand. If you have muscles, we could use your help in moving furniture. An annoucement about the starting time will come later.

If the job is not finished by Saturday evening, we'll continue on Sunday. In fact, we expect to be here on Sunday, too.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Moving? Need boxes??

Do you need boxes for anything? We've got some in really good condition that we need to get rid of. They are good for books, linens, clothing, small items.

Yes, we are going to be moving soon - our final move. We don't have a date yet, but should be in the next week or two.

If you are a teen entering 7th grade through 12th, we are holding a contest for you. All you have to do is read. Each time you finish a book, fill out an entry form from the library. On September 1, we will draw one name. That person will take Hedwig the Owl home. Could you be that person??

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Hedwig the Owl

Hey, Teens!

The Homer Library is sponsoring a contest just for you!

Anyone entering grades 7 through 12 may enter

Each time you finish a book, fill out one of the entry forms available at the Homer Library

The more books you read, the better your chances of winning

Oh, yeah, and what will you win?

How about Hedwig. The owl in the Harry Potter books

He’s cute. He’s stuffed

And he could be yours.

Give it a try


Disclaimer. Contest begins August 1 and ends August 31. A Whole Month.
Forms must be turned in by August 31 at 7 p.m.

Harry Potter's Hedwig Owl Contest for Teens


The Homer Library is sponsoring a contest for teens, with Hedwig the stuffed owl as the prize. Each time you finish reading a book, fill out an entry form, available at the library. At the end of August, we will be drawing one of those forms to find out who the winner is.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

It's almost time, times 2

It is almost time to make our final move. That may happen before the end of the month. Things are coming together quickly.

And there will be another change, involving time. For Wednesday only, our hours will change. We will open at 9 a.m. and close at 2 p.m. We hope this will be a convenience for some who may not want to go out at night.

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

The Homer Library's upcoming move

The Homer Library has very special board members. Unlike village board
members, library board members serve without pay. It is strictly a volunteer
position. And yet, these people give of their time and talents, and not just
to attend meetings. They have been very involved in the work that is going
on as we prepare for the final move. Some have spent entire days out there
painting.

We are also blessed to have board members who have the knowledge and
experience to oversee this whole project. There is so much more involved
than what meets the eye. A library facility has special requirements that
other buildings don't have.

Board members are also involved in the Reading is Fundamental program, a
time consuming program, but one of great value to the school children.

We hope that people will visit the new library once we get move, and see
what we have to offer. It will be so much more than ever before.

Monday, July 02, 2007

Progress in the new Library

The Homer Library has very special board members. Unlike village board
members, library board members serve without pay. It is strictly a volunteer
position. And yet, these people give willingly of their time and talents, and not just to attend meetings. They have been very involved in the work that is going
on as we prepare for the final move. Some have spent entire days out there
painting. I think they must dream of painting, ladders, and paint smells, if they dream at all.

We are also blessed to have board members who have the knowledge and
experience to oversee this whole project. There is so much more involved
than what meets the eye. A library facility has special requirements that
other buildings don't have.

Board members are also involved in the Reading is Fundamental program, a
time consuming program, but one of great value to the school children.

We hope that people will visit the new library once we get moved, and see
what we have to offer. It will be so much more than ever before.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Is there any Homer Library news today???

It seems there is no news in the Homer Library lately. Wrong! There is so much going on that I’ve not had time to get the news out.

First – the building. Board members have been hard at work painting our new facility. Kevin Sanderson is putting in the lighting at the same time. The rest of the carpet has been laid, and the older carpet will soon be cleaned by Kevin Wright. Presently, the room is filled with ladders and scaffolding, cans of paint and pans of paint.

Meanwhile, the Summer Reading Program is in full swing. We take a week off for the Fourth of July, followed by three more sessions on the remaining Wednesdays in July. Attendance has been great, and we and the children have had a good time. This past week we were astronauts who had to fix problems on the outside of the space ship or space station. We also learned how long it takes to blow up a balloon with a bicycle pump.

Meanwhile, more audiobooks have come in, along with our usual purchases of new materials. The current shelving is filling up fast. Good thing we’re moving soon!

Our new books include two business guides for the purchase of low-volume copiers and multi-function machines and color laser and ink jet printers. These are quite detailed. New adult fiction includes The Overlook by Michael Connelly, Skin by Ted Dekker, and Never Call Retreat by William R. Forstchen and Newt Gingrich.

We are open 2-7 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. However, that may change slightly. We’re considering closing early one weeknight, and opening one morning for two hours instead. Please let us know if you have any opinion in the matter. You can call us at 896-2121, come in to the library to discuss it, or take the survey on our blog. The URL for the survey is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=NA0S2Li9pYuvEaXw0bCEsg_3d_3d

You might find it easier to go to the blog to access the survey. Our blog is at http://homerillinois.blogspot.com/

A NEW SURVEY

The Homer Library is going to make a change in our schedule. And we need your input. We are considering closing earlier one evening each week in order to be open two hours one morning per week.

We need to know if you are interested in having the library open one morning per week, and if so what morning. We also need to know which evening you are lest likely to visit the library, out of the five weeknights that we are open. You can reply by email (homercommunitylibrary@hotmail.com), by phone (896-2121) or give us your opinion when you visit the library.

Or you may take the survey online. It's only one page: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=NA0S2Li9pYuvEaXw0bCEsg_3d_3d

We very much appreciate your input.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Clerical help wanted

Would you like to work in our new facility? We will be moving in next month! We need someone to work about 12 hours a week, checking materials in and out, assisting patrons, answering phones, etc. We need someone who is computer savvy and knows Excel, and who enjoys working with people of all ages. If you are that person call 896-2121, or come in to the library anytime that we are open.

Friday, June 08, 2007

Want to learn more about saving money?

Visit the following website for more ideas: http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/05/09/more-than-books-the-many-ways-your-library-can-save-you-money/

Friday, June 01, 2007

We wish you well, Marnie!

Marnie has been hired at the Urbana Free Library. Saturday, June 2, is her last day. If you see her, wish her well. Marnie has a great deal of technical knowledge that she may be able to make better use of in Urbana. However, we hope Marnie will stop in from time to time.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

There's Something Here for Everyone!

Here’s what’s new:
ADULT FICTION
Fresh Disasters by Stuart Wood
The River Knows by Amada Quick
The 6th Target by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
The Good Guy by Dean Koontz
Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury
The Alibi Man by Tami Hoag
Deep Storm by Lincoln Child
Whisker of Evil by Rita Mae Brown
Hard Truth by Nevada Barr
Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
Body Surfing by Anita Shreve
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith

ADULT NON-FICTION
Stealing Your Life by Frank W. Abagnale

YOUNG ADULT
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville

EASY READERS
Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor
Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy by Jane O’Connor
Bad Dog, Marley by John Grogan
An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston
A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Aston

AUDIO BOOKS
Night by Elie Wiesel
Wisdom of Our Fathers by Tim Russert
Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
American Gospel by Jon Meacham
Patriotic Fire by Winston Groom
War on the Middle Class by Lou Dobbs
The Cold War by John Lewis Gaddis
10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America
The Innocent Man by John Grisham
Marley and Me by John Grogan
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley

DVDs
Adventures of Milo and Otis
Night at the Museum

Whew! That is quite a list. My fingers are tired, and there must be something there for everyone.

Friday, May 25, 2007

More new stuff for Homer Library

HOMER LIBRARY NEWS

Have you been to the new Homer Village Hall lately? If not, you haven’t seen the progress. The new book drop is in place. Once the brickwork is done, the audio-video drop will go up. The dry wall has been applied in the auditorium/future library. Soon we will be painting.

New books on CD have arrived, and more are on the way.

The Summer Reading Program starts June 6 at 1 p.m. It will continue each Wednesday in June and July, except for the Fourth, at the same time, and last for one hour. Our theme this year is Mission Read: To the Library and Beyond. Each week there will be crafts, games, sometimes treats, and a reading promotion. Children who read during the summer will have an easier time when school starts again in the fall.

The final distribution for this school year of books from the Reading is Fundamental Program took place on May 15. Each child in grades K through 4 received a free book of his or her choice. This is the last federally funded distribution for Homer. From now on, we will have to fund it ourselves. Previously, the federal program provided 75% of the cost.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

A BOOK YOU MUST READ

Stealing Your Life by Frank W. Agagnale is shocking. The author deals with identity theft, and details all the many ways your identity can be stolen. Even the identity of companies and the dead have been stolen. Your deceased loved ones can be victims, but it is the decendents who will pay the price. He gives ways that you can protect your identity.

Borrow it from your local library, or buy a copy. But whatever you do, read this book.

Back soon with cheerier news!!

Friday, May 18, 2007

Book drop, summer program, audiobooks

The new book drop is up! Please make it easy for us! Use it rather than the one at the old building. The new one is a drive-by type. We've made it easy for you!

The summer reading program begins June 6 at 1 p.m. and continues every Wednesday in June and July except for the Fourth. The theme this year is: Mission Read: To the Library and Beyond. Games, crafts, food and a reading promotion are all part of what we do at the programs.

More audiobooks are filling the shelves. Take one with you on a long road trip. It sure can help the miles go by! If you like to read in the car, as I do, while hubby (or wife) drives, we're got plenty of new books to take along.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Book Drop

The new book drop is in place at our new location. Please don't use the one at 101 North Main Street anymore.

The book drop is only for print material. Please do not put DVDs, CDs, etc. in it. An AV drop will be going up soon.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Lots going on here

Lots going on here!

The Summer Reading Program begins June 6 at 1 p.m. and will run through July 25. This year’s theme is Mission Read: To the Library and Beyond. Children ages 5 to 10 are invited to participate. We will be having games, crafts, a reading promotion and prizes, especially on the last day. Because the Fourth of July falls on a Wednesday, we will not meet that day.

Work on the new library continues. The book drop will soon be in place. In a month or so, the painting will begin in the sanctuary. We can use help with that project. Contact a librarian or board member if you would like to help.

The work on the sidewalk on East Second Street out to the new village hall is ongoing.

The new printer/scanner/copier has arrived and is available for use.

Our new books this week are Whisker of Evil by Rita Mae Brown, Hard Truth by Nevada Barr, Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury, Deep Storm by Lincoln Child, The Alibi Man by Tami Hoag, Body Surfing by Anita Shreve, Invisible Prey by John Sandford, Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy, and How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman.

We are open from 2 to 7 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Our phone number is 896-2121.

Friday, April 20, 2007

New stuff in April

What’s new in the Homer Library this week?

The first shipment of audio books has arrived and is on the shelf. Most of the books are on CD. A few are cassettes. The library won a grant to purchase them, and that money can only be spent for audio books. That’s how grants work.

Our new adult fiction includes Daddy’s Girl by Lisa Scottline, Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman, The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian, No Legal Grounds by James Scott Bell, I Heard That Song Before, Hide by Lisa Gardner, The Woods by Harlan Coben, Deception by Randy Alcorn and Past Perfect by Susan Isaacs.

The Champaign County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee has donated a book, Barns of Champaign County 2006.

Our new DVDs are Sweet Home Alabama, Blue Collar Comedy, Bewitched, Along Came Polly, The Stepford Wives, and The Valley of Light, a Hallmark production.

Our new children’s books are My Tooth is About to Fall Out by Grace Maccarone and Piper by Emma Chichester Clark.

Book Sale Soon!

As part of the village wide garage sales, there will be a book sale in the old village hall on May 5. In addition to books, there will be a variety of other items, including some furniture. Be sure to stop in.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

No fines this week!

In honor of National Library week, now through Saturday, April 21, we are not charging any fines. Bring back an item due last week, or last year. Either way, there are no fines due. What a deal!

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

What's new? How can you help?

WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH IN THE HOMER LIBRARY??

Would you like to help make a difference in Homer? Do you see unmet needs here? Do you have ideas to improve our community? Then you should join the Homer Community Improvement Association. They meet each first and third Thursday at the Homer Bank at 7 p.m.

We are in the process of replacing our old VHS tapes with DVDs. You can help, either by donating cash to help with the purchases, or by purchasing them yourself. If you choose the latter, be sure to check with us first to see what titles are needed.

New DVDs include Happy Feet, The Nativity Story, Eragon, Christy – the Complete Series, Rocky Balboa, and The Pursuit of Happyness.

Our new adult titles include Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman, Hide by Lisa Gardner, Past Perfect by Susan Isaacs, Daddy’s Girl by Lisa Scottoline, I Heard that Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark, The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian, Lethal Justice by Fern Michaels, and No Legal Grounds by James Scott Bell.

April 15 to 21 is National Library Week. Once again, we will be holding a fine free week. If you have books overdue a day or a year, you can return them during that week without having to pay fines. What a deal!

Friday, March 23, 2007

New DVDs

Do you need something to watch while you wait for the weather to warm up and dry out? We've got some new DVDs. Try Eragon, based on the book by the same name. Or Rocky Balboa with Stallone. Or Christy, the complete series of the television show of the same name. Lastly, we have The Nativity Story. All are ready to be checked out.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Book Drop

The new book drop arrived yesterday. It will be several weeks before it is installed. It will offer great convenience to library users and staff. On order is an AV (audio/video) drop, which will sit next to the book drop. We look for it to arrive next month.

Bids were opened last week. Work on the lighting should begin around the middle of next month. Progress is being made!!

Saturday, March 17, 2007

What's New in Homer Community Library??

Each year a special calendar is published, giving important dates of Homer individuals and their loved ones. Birthdays and anniversaries of residents, their children, and grandchildren can all be listed on the calendar. You can buy a calendar for $3.00 plus $1.00 for each listing. Extra calendars are $6.00 each, unless you add a second family to the list and want a calendar for those listings.

Contact the librarian at 896-2121 or a library board member for more information or to reserve a calendar.

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins was honored recently with this year's 2007 Rebecca Caudill program award. This book is available in the Homer Library.

Progress report on the building project: Sara Essig, KC Jones and others have diligently worked on the demolition. Bids were opened this week for the electrical and dry wall work. That work should begin soon. The book drop and AV drop are ordered. We look for them to arrive in a few weeks.

Our newest books are Shadow Dance by Julie Garwood, Web of Evil by J.A. Jance, Bad Blood by Linda Fairstein, Sisters by Danielle Steel, and The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun.

Marnie Hess graciously filled in for Chris, who was in Oregon following the birth of a grandson. She recommends that the day before the spring time change is not a good time to fly east, crossing two time zones coming home, for a total loss of three hours.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Is the library open??

Sometimes, you may not see any vehicles in the parking lot during hours when the library is open. That does not mean that no one is here. Sometimes, the car may be in the shop, we got a ride, or Chris walked here. If you drive up to the door, you can easily check to see if the door is unlocked. Or, if the weather is bad, like recent snowstorms, call first to see if anyone is here. Our phone is 896-2121.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Fire fund

On February 13, the day of the blizzard, a local family lost their home. In part, it was because the fire trucks couldn’t get through the drifts in time. The home, which was only about five years old, was a total loss. The McKees have two children, a son and a daughter. Susan McKee is a Scout leader and both children have participated in library programs for several years. Susan was one of the Scout moms who served the meal to all those who helped us move last month.

A fund has been set up for the family at the Sidell Bank. People are asked to mail contributions to the Fire Relief Fund, Sidell Bank, P.O.Box 50, Sidell, Ill 61876. Contributions may also be dropped off at the Homer Bank, a branch of the Sidell bank.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

What's new in Homer this week??

HOMER LIBRARY NEWS

What’s new in the Homer Library? We’ve got new books coming in all the time. Already here are Step on a Crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, High Profile by Robert B. Parker, Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky, About Alice by Calvin Trillin, and Ever After by Karen Kingsbury. Our new DVDs are Remembering Marshall, Facing the Giants, Flicka, Flyboys and One Night with the King. A new picture book, (donated by a local resident,) The Deaf Musicians, tells how a newly deaf piano man learned how to be a musician again and formed a band of deaf people. The book won the Schneider Family Book Award.

New books arriving this week include Shadow Dance by Julie Garwood, The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun, Bad Blood by Linda Fairstein, The Ravenscar Dynasty by Barbara Taylor Bradford, and Web of Evil by J. A. Jance.

For the young people, the following books will be arriving: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, the Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron, A Drowned Maiden’s Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz, The Secret Order of the Gunn Street Girls by Elise Primavera, and Fairest by Gail Carson Levine.

If you are a Homer resident and have a library card, you need to come to the library and get your card renewed if you haven’t already. All Homer resident cards expired in January. Any outstanding fines must be paid at that time, also.

What are you reading? I am reading Yukon Quest by Tracie Peterson, a series of three books in one. As our temperatures drop outside, I am reading of a trek up into the Yukon during the Alaskan gold rush, through an area that is winter most of the year. Brr. Makes me cold all over again, but thankful for a warm home and all its comforts.

Below, you can see pictures from the move, January 13, 2007. The first picture shows us moving out. The second shows the work involved in moving in, as books are being put on the shelves in the new location.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

The Move January 13, 2007

HOW ONE SMALL CASH POOR LIBRARY PREPARED FOR THE MOVE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, MOVED IN ONE WEEKEND WITHOUT SPENDING ANY LIBRARY MONEY, OPENED ON TIME THE FOLLOWING MONDAY AND LIVED TO TELL THE STORY

We sure didn’t have much money, and we couldn’t afford our own building. But when we heard that the former church, built in 1997, was for sale, we thought of the potential that was there. Our present location left a lot to be desired. It was a historic building, to be sure, built in 1902, with an intact opera house in the second floor. However, our library occupied too small a space for the population we serve, the heating and air conditioning needed to be upgraded, and it was not accessible. We had worked with a library building consultant and an architect to draw up a building plan for renovation of the building, which would include enlargement of the library. But we never could come up with enough money to do the work.

So, the former church sure looked like the answer. Our former location was actually a community center, and the village officials bought the church with the idea that it would be the new community center, including the library. And we have enough money set aside that we can afford to do what we need to do in the new location.

Once the plan was approved, we had serious work to do. To move a library, you need to plan and organize. You need people, time, boxes, tape, markers, scissors, muscles, and cameras to record the progress. Our board president and our director began about nine weeks ahead of the move, planning and organizing. Others pitched in as they were able. We were assisted for several days by a relative from Kentucky. Three heads are better than two, especially when two are sisters. We weeded out one fourth of the collection and set those books aside for a sale. We went through every object in the library, and almost every paper in every file cabinet, threw out magazines and catalogs, put older books in storage, putting unwanted items for that upcoming garage sale.

Each shelf, file cabinet, piece of furniture and unboxed item was labeled with color coded sticky labels as to where it was to go in the new location. Boxes were appropriately labeled as to room number, number of shelf or spinner and starting and ending authors or titles in the box.

The night before the move, we closed the library two hours early. The board members, directors and others spend five hours packing up the remaining collection and other items.

The volunteer fire department volunteered, or was volunteered, to move us the half mile to the new location. The husband of one board member was able to secure a furniture van. Boxes came from everywhere – the local grocery store, a moving business, and several board members who were present or former business owners. Local businesses provided food, which was served by the Girl Scouts.

Moving day, January 13, 2007, was damp, with a forecast of an ice storm. Thankfully, it was nothing worse than light rain. The movers started by 9 a.m. and had everything out to the new location by 11:30. We had as many community members helping us reshelve as we had space for them to work. By 4:30, everything was shelved and ready for a Monday opening.

Much remains to be done, and we will be moving again, once our permanent location in the building is ready for us. But then, we will only have to move down the hall.

This move brought out the best in some of the residents of Homer. Not everyone who helped us uses the library on a regular basis, but they recognize the value of the library to the community as a whole.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Our Upcoming Move

Weather permitting, the Homer Library will close January 12 at 5 p.m. to pack up. The move will take place Saturday, January 13. We plan to reopen Monday, January 15 at the normal time of 2 p.m. To make this happen, we are asking those who are familiar with the Dewey Decimal System and are good at alphabetizing to help us reshelve materials on Saturday evening.

Because some confusion will result, we are suspending fines for one week, from Saturday, January 13 to Saturday January 20. That will be a good time to return those overdue books and other materials, no matter when you checked them out. Fines will again begin to accrue on January 22.