MAY 2008

Storytime
Pets May 1
Mother’s Day May 8
This Is My Garden May 15
Fun in the Sun May 21
No Storytime May 29
No Storytime June 5

Evening Storytime will be held Wednesday May 14 at 6:30.

This Is My Garden is the theme.

Storytime will take a short break (May 29 & June 5) while Miss Vicky and Susan get ready for the summer reading program.

The library will be closed Memorial Day, May 26.

DelawaReads concludes Saturday May 10 with a West Egg party at the Delaware County District Library. It starts at 7:00. One dress was made at our flapper dress program, a new knitter was helped on her way, and a good time had by a few. The Children’s Art Program had 19 participants, including members of Robin Clay’s BVE art club. Debra Conner talked about Picasso and Dali and had everyone try their hand at cubism and surrealism. You CAN do this at home. Cubism starts with a picture, criss-cross with lines, and color each enclosed area a different color. It’s amazing. Surrealism portraits were created by using objects associated with a person for facial elements: vegetation for a gardener’s hair or books for a reader’s eyes. Self portraits could be a good introductory ice-breaker activity. The dance class received rave reviews. Susan taught basic Charleston steps and introduced the fox trot and the waltz. Everyone had a swinging time. Those who missed the book discussion have some Delaware options plus the CD.

Ghosthunter James Willis was a very entertaining and informative speaker. Mr. Willis mentioned the Bloody Mary urban legend and said he wished you could make ghosts appear by calling their name three times. We just wish more people had been able to attend. If only there were some magic way to match up programs, interest, and availability.

Ghosthunter report, April 29 6:43, re: the Lincoln Funeral Train. The sun is up and it’s a busy intersection at that time -not a very ghostly atmosphere. The cold chill along the tracks may have been due to the light snowfall and didn‘t deter the blackbird walking the rails.

Catch the Reading Bug is the summer reading theme. Monday morning programs begin at 11:00 and will be held for six weeks starting June 9th and ending July 21st with Mark Berman, The Bugman and his “Live Bug” Observation Station. Programs are open to first through sixth graders.
Metamorphosis @ Your Library is the teen program. Signup begins June 9 and there’s a teen party finale on July 23.

Preschoolers and adults will also Catch the Reading Bug June 12 - July 21.
Second Grade Opera (which is really first class) is tentatively scheduled for May 28 (2:30) and May 29 (10:00 and evening performance).

Children’s Book Week is May 11-17 - appropriately following Mother’s Day

Local history can be seen in Friday Night in the Downtown : memories of downtown Delaware from 1925 to 1975 produced by Brent Carson and Alum Creek Memories produced by Paul Clay.

The Delaware photo identification deadline has been extended until June 15, in contrast with our earlier report. There is still time to enter and b & w copies of the photos are available. Those who are awaiting the answers need to be patient.

Book signing : Connie Curry, Delaware resident and author of Give Me Back My Glory, will be signing this book about her experience with breast cancer at the Wornstaff Library on Saturday morning, May 3. She has donated a copy of her book to the library.

Children’s author Louise Borden will be at Buckeye Valley East Elementary on May 8. Her books are true stories on topics ranging from skating in Holland to Curious George. Boys (who often prefer real things to stories) should take note.

Tax rebate deadline for those who don’t normally file and for those who filed for an automatic extension is October 15 according to FAQ on the IRS site.

Science fiction fans might want to check the book sale as we’ve done some serious weeding in that area. Recommendations for additions are welcome.

History fans can visit a Civil War Enactment on Sunbury Square May 9-11 and a French and Indian War History Encampment at Infirmary Park south of Granville May 17 & 18.

Five Nights on Campus at OSU Marion has two May events. Howling at the Moon on May 8 features eight over age 60 women artists. Take a Bow on May 22 is a performing arts contest with scholarships for the winners.

Fishing as a recreational activity is on the decline especially among youth. Wildlife conservationists are concerned about fewer outdoor nature activities. Ashley village is doing its part with the stocked reservoir and tournament. The library is helping with more books for younger anglers.

Memorial Day will be recognized with a parade in Ashley, forming at Whipples at 9:00 and proceeding down High Street to the cemetery on May 26. The parade is organized by the Legion.

April 2008

Story time :

Nursery Rhymes / Fairy Tales April 3
Rainy Day & Ducks April 10
Library Week April 17
Trains April 24
Pets May 1

Evening Storytime will be held April 23 at 6:30.
The topic for the evening will be Trains.

Home School Book Talk on Tuesday morning April 8 at 10:30 will center on kites and the weather. Programs are designed for first through sixth graders. All home schoolers are welcome.

Library Week is April 13 - 19. The library is celebrating with a very busy month. We encourage everyone to visit a library. Libraries are a wonderful bargain providing books, magazines, and movies free to all. That should be something worth appreciating as many other prices are rising.

Flint Ridge specimens are on display courtesy of Jim Johnston and have revealed some low awareness. Flint Ridge, a 520 acre state memorial, provided prehistoric Indians with widely traded materials for tools for hundreds of years. It’s less than 60 miles away with a museum, lots of trails, and historical and geological interest - a great summer visit. Explore Ohio this summer.

The Ghosts of Ohio, a program presented by James A. Willis, is set for April 17 at 6:30 p.m. and helps celebrate Library Week. Local ghost hunters might be interested in a vigil at the railroad tracks on April 29 at 6:43 am. (Daylight savings time) That’s when the Lincoln Funeral passed through Ashley (5:43 am time before daylight savings) and folklore says its ghost repeats the trip yearly. You can see a hand carved replica of the funeral train at the Warther Museum in Dover, Ohio.


Delaware County’s Big Read 2008 is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and begins with a kick-off event Sunday April 13 at the Delaware County District Library.

The Great Gatsby will be the topic of a book discussion at the Wornstaff Library April 29 at 7:00.

The Great Gatsby, with reader’s guide and a background CD is available at the Wornstaff Library (25 copies) - plus two movie versions .

Flapper dresses and cloches you can make will be the subject of a program at the Wornstaff Library, Saturday April 19 from 2:00 to 4:00. Patterns, sewing machines, and stitchers will be available. Bring your own material (1 ½ yds. of 54” material or 2 2/3 yds. of 35”material). You can add personal finishing touches before the party finale at the Delaware County District Library, Saturday May 10.

Charleston dance lessons will be provided at the Wornstaff Library on Saturday afternoon April 26 from 2:00 to 4:00.

A children’s art program will be presented Tuesday afternoon April 22 from 3:30 to 5:00 at the Wornstaff Library by Debra Conner, Chautauqua scholar and Zelda Fitzgerald impersonator. She will bring Zelda Fitzgerald to life in programs presented at the Sunbury Community Library and the Delaware County District Library and will discuss F. Scott Fitzgerald at the Delaware Library.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

New Home Learning Media have been added to the collection: a trundle wheel for measuring distance, pan balance for measuring weight, a cash register, and a digital stop watch. There’s much more. The collection is geared for home schoolers but materials can be checked out by any adult for home use. Don’t forget the Discovery Packs for younger children. The library is more than books.

The State Librarian Jo Budler and program coordinator Missy Lodge recently visited the Wornstaff Library. It’s nice to know they are interested in really seeing what goes on in libraries around the state. Ms. Budler will be at the Mt. Gilead Library’s 100th anniversary in case anyone’s interested in knowing what goes on downtown.

Free computer classes in the State Library’s Mobile Training Lab will be held April 19 - 24 at the Cardington Library. Register at 419-864-8181.

Pictures Past-Pictures Present contest entries closed Mar. 20 but packets of black & white copies remain. Try a “Sunday drive” around Delaware County to see how many you can identify, or what interesting sites you can discover. Having the answers available could be a plus - and provide a second tour. Travel locally could also be a slogan.

April is National Poetry Month. It’s a time to read, a time to listen, a time to write. A little more poetry might be a good thing for the world.

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 this year. Earth Day was established in 1970. The discussion about global warming has heated up since then and our energy use continues to increase.

Ashley events: Legion BBQ Chicken April 5 and the Kids’ Fishing Tournament April 26.

March 2008

Storytime:
Hats off to Books Mar. 6
Green Day Mar. 13
Easter Mar. 20
It’s Spring Mar. 27
Nursery Rhymes & Fairy Tales Apr. 3

Evening Storytime will be held March 19 at 6:30. The theme is Easter.

Family Craft Night is scheduled for Thursday March 13 at 6:30. Bring the whole family for a variety of crafts and a social evening. Projects will include a woven paper basket, paper flowers, and decorated eggs. It helps us if you sign up.

Game Day during spring break is set for Thursday afternoon March 27 from 2:00 - 4:00. Bring a favorite game to share. Snacks will be provided.

Saturday games on March 1, 15, and 29 will be expanded to include board games along with chess.
No refreshments are provided.

Homeschool Book Talk will be held in April. February attendees voted 2% milk the tastiest, enjoyed oatmeal pancakes, and made and played Chinese jump rope. You can do this at home.
Summer Reading is on its way with a buzzy buggy theme. Vicky and Susan are busy with preparations - planning programs and printing materials. It takes a lot of work.
Don’t forget to VOTE. A folder full of information on candidates and issues is available.

Delaware County’s Big Read 2008 features The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This is a county wide program with funding from the National Endowment for Arts in conjunction with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. There will be a kickoff event on Sunday, April 13, at the Delaware County District Library and a grand finale West Egg party on Saturday, May 10, also at the Delaware County District Library.

The Great Gatsby is available at the Wornstaff Library (25 copies) along with a vast supply of background CDs and reader’s guides. There will be various book discussion groups, including one at the Wornstaff Library. Sign up now. Two movie versions of The Great Gatsby are available.

Debra Conner, Chautauqua scholar, will bring Zelda Fitzgerald to life and discuss F. Scott Fitzgerald’s role in the Twenties. Debra Conner will present an after school children’s art program at the Wornstaff Library on Tuesday, April 22.

Flapper dresses and cloches you can make will be the subject of a program at the Wornstaff Library, still to be arranged.

Tax help provided by VITA filed 18 returns during their day in Ashley. Comments were very positive. Vita has hours in Delaware at 200 North Washington Street. Call 211 for an appointment.

The Buckeye Dulcimer Festival is here again with sessions starting on March 5. Friday and Saturday night concerts are at 7:00 and are open to the public. A fee is charged but it’s a chance to hear some top performers from all over the country - and to support Recreation Unlimited. The festival is organized by Ashley’s Louise Ziegler.

G & K General Store is advertising its grand opening March 15. Some hardware would be a welcome addition to downtown Ashley especially with higher gasoline prices. Check them out and be supportive. Flor Plan has moved in on the other side of Mobile Cycle Works. There’s a new craft shop in the old White Lily Ceramic shop. And we’re still looking forward to that restaurant.

Audio books aren’t a hot item and providing selections is a real problem for a small library. The most popular items have been juvenile materials that can be appreciated by a wide age range. Richard Peck’s books are a good example. Harry Potter is, too, though quite unique. We are adding CDs of the Potter stories, plus the Spiderwick Chronicles and Mary Poppins. Suggestions are appreciated.

Please excuse our snow. Has there been more than usual? Snow filled gutters dripping on walks seems to have been more of a problem, prompting several comments about architects and engineers though it’s still early to critique Buckeye Chuck or Philadelphia Phil. The Farmer’s Almanac predicted less rain and the usual amount of snow with intermittent periods of warm weather.

Pictures present - pictures past. Identify places around Delaware County in a bicentennial contest. Or just look at the display in the library and enjoy the possibilities. We all knew the R.B. Powers sign. The architectural features should encourage people to take an appreciative look at the older buildings. There’s more to see than the pink house. The library has photocopies of the pictures with an entry blank The deadline is March 20.

February 2008

StoryTime

Chinese New Year Feb. 7
Valentine’s Day Feb. 14
Brush Your Teeth Feb. 21
Leap Day Feb. 28

Evening Storytime

will be Wednesday, February 20 at 6:30. Brush Your Teeth will be the theme.

HomeSchool Book Talk is scheduled for Tuesday, February 12 at 10:30. The topic is Rise and Shine centered around getting a healthy start for the day with good food and exercise.

Craft Night is set for Thursday March 13.

Ghosthunter, James Willis, will present a program on April 17 during National Library Week, in time to psyche everyone up for an early morning Lincoln Funeral train watch later in the month.

Tax help provided by VITA for low income persons will be available from 10:00 to 5:00 on Saturday February 9 at the Wornstaff Memorial Public Library. Call 211 for an appointment and/or more information. Walk-ins will be accepted. Be sure to bring all the needed paperwork. VITA has hours in Delaware at 200 South Washington Street every Wednesday (6:00pm-8:00pm) and Saturday (9:00am-12:00noon) through April.

Persons over sixty can take advantage of AARP sponsored assistance available at the Delaware Library and the Community Library in Sunbury.

Ohio Benefit Bank a public-private initiative supported by the state of Ohio offers free online self-service income tax assistance. Persons can also check eligibility for various benefits available from the state.

A new globe graces the reading area. Times and country boundaries have changed and all that spinning was pretty hard on the previous occupant. Please enjoy and handle with care.

Jon Scieszka and Loren Long are touring the country promoting the new Trucktown series designed to encourage little guys to read. Delaware County was one of three stops they made in Ohio and it included a visit to Buckeye Valley East. Our Miss Vicky spent the day helping Fundamentals Bookstore owner Tami Furlong host the visit. BVE did a great job of welcoming these big guys with trucks to climb on and banners and blowups of their drawings. Students’ comments indicate that Jon Scieszka is a real ambassador for young people’s literature - plus being an official one.

Ohio’s primary will be March 4 and the registration deadline is Monday Feb. 4. This is your chance to vote for the presidential candidate along with a large slate of local ones - and Buckeye Valley is back on the ballot. Make your voice a vote.

Ashley Council update : Cheryl Friend and Jerry Hayes were appointed to fill John Davis’ and Aaron Scheeler’s respective terms. Next meeting is Tuesday Feb. 5 at 7:00.

Thanks to the McNews whose generous donation to the children’s department helped purchase the new Discovery Kits.

Free magazines. We’re starting the new year fresh and discarding the old. Recipes can be yours. Articles can be leisurely read and passed on. There’s raw material for reports, for decoupage and collage projects. Use your imagination. Recycle. Tell us how to improve the selection. Our magazine renewal list should be sent in soon. We try to provide a useful and interesting variety for you.

The Palace Theater in Marion has a busy February. First is the local production of The Sound of Music, then Blast!, an explosion of music and theatre, and ending with the Irish music of The Chieftains. Savor the pleasure of a live performance.

Interlibrary loan for January . We’ve sent 41 of our books to other libraries and have made 24 requests (16 already received). Totals for 2007 were 252 books sent to other libraries and 145 items received for our patrons. Those items included video recordings and books on tape. Don’t hesitate to ask if we don’t have what you want.

The Year of the Rat begins on Feb. 7 Chinese New Year. Take a look at the eclectic display of books celebrating the event. As for those gloomy days still before us, maybe the games in the display case will inspire some family fun. Maybe February 2 will be a gloomy day and Buckeye Chuck will not be secluded in his pseudo-hobbit habitat playing solitaire but fearlessly proclaiming an early spring.

Library patrons increase every year partly because we don’t automatically delete cards at some point. That makes some sense in relation to local residents but obviously pads our list with long since moved persons. We’re trying to make our list more current and pertinent. Please help us by updating your phone and address if necessary.

Intrigue, a Harlequin paperback subscription series, will start in February, replacing the Harlequin Presents series, and adding to Love Inspired, Historical, and American Romance subscriptions.

Magazine Discard

Free.
Our magazines are being discarded for the year. Use for collages, crafts, or just catching up. Ask at the desk.

Recycle your Christmas cards

Do you still have your old Christmas cards? I am looking for just the fronts of your cards. If you would like to get rid of them please bring them into the library, and leave them for Susan.

January 2008

Storytime

Unbirthday Party Jan. 10

Warm & Cozy Foods Jan. 17

Let it Snow ! Jan. 24

Groundhogs & Shadows Jan. 31

Chinese New Year Feb. 7
(Year of the Rat)

Evening Storytime will be

Wednesday evening

January 23 at 6:30.

Let it Snow !

Will be the theme.

Coming events:

Homeschool Booktalk Feb. 12. 10:30 a.m.

The topic will be Rise and Shine.

Taxes: We have begun to receive tax forms which will be on the rack inside the front door. These forms are provided by the IRS and are free. Additional forms can be downloaded from the irs.gov website. We have a list of forms affected by the recent changes in the Alternative Minimum Tax. The library charges ten cents a page for downloaded forms and any other copies. 1099s and W2s for employers are available at the desk.

VITA assists persons with low income in filing their forms electronically. The Delaware County Bank will provide a savings account (if necessary) to enable electronic transfer of funds. This is the fastest way to get your refund and will ensure that all who are qualified will get earned income credit. VITA preparers will be at the Wornstaff Library on Saturday Feb. 9 from 10:00 to 5:00. This is a free service. Registration is helpful. Call 2-1-1. Please bring all your information with you.

A Delaware VITA site will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays. AARP help for seniors is available at the Delaware County District Library and The Sunbury Community Library.
Comments can be made on - and about - our web site. The December newsletter thanked Lauren Shirk for posting announcements of village meetings. We were reminded by a council member that the village news letter posts notices of all meetings and lists them in the regularly published newsletter. Liz writes the library newsletter. Susan set up the website, and maintains and posts items to it.

Statistics for the year won’t be available until next month but monthly comparisons indicate some general trends. One - all the surveys are correct - people read less than they did last year, ten years or twenty years ago. Our video/DVD circulation has decreased for the first time in years. Not even the demise of Ashley’s video store has changed that. People coming in and out of the library has remained pretty constant but a higher percentage is juvenile traffic - and Internet use has essentially doubled. I sense a relationship. Watch for more specific figure. Do your own analysis.

Magazines are discarded in January. Most of the previous year’s issues are not kept. The use is limited; we don’t have space; and specific articles are usually available online. These magazines are given away free. If you are interested in back issues of a particular magazine please ask.

Discovery Packs provide books and activities for preschoolers. Three new additions are Fire Engines, Getting Ready to Read and Fractions.

Thank yous are also appropriate at the end of the year. It’s possible to list all the staff and the library board members, and volunteers but more problematic in relation to patrons. It takes them all to make a library - especially people using the library. Just having the resources sitting on the shelf isn’t helpful. The whole purpose of the library is to be an active part of the community. Thanks for all the goodies and cards and donations and special thanks for all the daily interactions. We need you. We appreciate you.

Interlibrary loan is one anticipated statistic . It’s always been possible to get books from other libraries and we’ve tried to make people aware of that. Thanks should also go to all those libraries from whom we’ve borrowed books. Starting in July we have been able to return that favor by loaning to other libraries. And even though our patrons can’t request books from other libraries by themselves they seem more willing to ask. MORE isn’t always better but this may be one case where it is and we’re looking forward to even more MORE next year.

Happy New Year to all. The library has lots of aids for those New Year’s resolutions : dieting, not smoking, breaking bad habits, learning how to play the guitar, keeping up on the news and the political candidates, watching the 100 best movies. We’d also accept suggestions for our improvement.

Chinese New Year February 7. The Year of the Rat.

The Best of 2007 is a popular end of the year topic, well represented in collections of poetry, science writing, political writing and cartoons, an the list keeps growing. The library has the ones specifically listed. Individual selections are relatively short, and the authors vary as do their styles and opinions.