Daily News column for Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017 by Kristie Kirkpatrick
While many are busy, watching the flow of tweets coming from President Trump, it was a different Twitterstorm that caught my eye. Click here for the read the "Angriest Librarian is Full of Hope" article.
The storm began with a tweet from Andre Walker, a columnist for the New York Observer who said, “Nobody goes to libraries anymore. Close the public ones and put the books in schools.”
After giving the comments some thought, a student librarian from Portland, Alex Halpern sent the following response. “Hang tight folks, because I am about to drop some necessary knowledge on you. First off, library usage is on the RISE mother*******.”
While Halpern acknowledges that his use of profanity is probably what caught most people’s attention, I hope the resulting conversations move the focus to what is really important, understanding today’s libraries so everyone can take advantage of all we have to offer.
In reality, today’s libraries are modern, welcoming, educational, technical, social, trendsetting, transforming and transformative. A look at
upcoming activities in my own library illustrates this very clearly. In the coming week, we’ll provide classes, programs, and community events that serve EVERY age group libraries, schools, daycares, and senior facilities across 14 communities. These include children’s literacy, STEM and early learning classes, after school math, reading and art clubs, first aid, software coding, circuitry, knitting, arts and crafts, a photography exhibit, history exhibits, Medicare assistance, Ukulele lessons, dance classes, exercise, author presentations, adult coloring, ice age floods, community movie, “Happy Hour Yoga,” Fireside community group, Pie & BINGO, technology instruction, and caregiver support.
This list doesn’t even include the day-to-day services, like the lending of books, movies, music, downloadable audio and eBooks, other online collections, technology support, Internet access and public computing, Wi-Fi hotspots, public restrooms, reading and meeting spaces, coffee, and so much more.
All of these classes and services are available in one week from “little” Whitman County Library. Can you imagine what larger libraries like Mr. Walker’s in New York City are accomplishing and the people they are impacting?
Unfortunately, there are some people like Andre Walker who envision a library they used long ago (or perhaps they’ve never really used one). These folks imagine a building full of old books, old ideas and old librarians.
I hope Mr. Walker will visit his library to view all that is new. More importantly, I hope you will visit too.
As an added bonus, The Center will be filled with stunning local barn photos! Click here to learn more! For more information, contact Kristie Kirkpatrick at 509-397-4366 or kirkpatr@colfax.com
While Halpern acknowledges that his use of profanity is probably what caught most people’s attention, I hope the resulting conversations move the focus to what is really important, understanding today’s libraries so everyone can take advantage of all we have to offer.
In reality, today’s libraries are modern, welcoming, educational, technical, social, trendsetting, transforming and transformative. A look at upcoming activities in my own library illustrates this very clearly. In the coming week, we’ll provide classes, programs, and community events that serve EVERY age group libraries, schools, daycares, and senior facilities across 14 communities. These include children’s literacy, STEM and early learning classes, after school math, reading and art clubs, first aid, software coding, circuitry, knitting, arts and crafts, a photography exhibit, history exhibits, Medicare assistance, Ukulele lessons, dance classes, exercise, author presentations, adult coloring, ice age floods, community movie, “Happy Hour Yoga,” Fireside community group, Pie & BINGO, technology instruction, and caregiver support.
I hope Mr. Walker will visit his library to view all that is new. More importantly, I hope you will visit too.
All fitness levels are welcome and no registration is required!
In Colfax, over $230 of non-perishable goods were donated to our local food bank, $170 in fines waived, and ~30 residents participated! Thank you Colfax!
"Radium Girls" by Kate Moore - Incredible true story of the brave girls who fought America's glowing danger. The Curies' newly discovered element, radium, makes gleaming headlines across the nation as a wonder drug and beauty treatment. Meanwhile in the radium-dial factories, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust, covered from head to toe. When they begin to fall mysteriously ill, factories ignore claims of gruesome side effects and the battle for workers' rights begins.
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot - Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. All HeLa cells ever grown would weigh more than 50 million metric tons. HeLa lead to advancements such as the polio vaccine, in vitro fertilization, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Yet, Henrietta is unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.
"A Train in Winter" by Caroline Warhead - An extraordinary story of women, friendship, and resistance. They were teachers, students, and housewives; a singer at the Paris Opera, a midwife, a dental surgeon. They distributed anti-Nazi literature, hid resisters, secreted Jews to safety, transported weapons, and conveyed clandestine messages. Eventually, the Gestapo hunted down 230 of these women and in 1943, they were sent to their final destination: Auschwitz.
"American Chronicles: First Ladies" by NPR - NPR presents the story of iconic first ladies as they apply their unique gifts to transform America. Featuring in-depth, inspiring profiles of our beloved and brilliant first ladies, including: Martha Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and more. (audiobook only)
Making Technology Work for Your Business features an interactive session with Jim Kusznir, owner of Colfax Computer and Colfax Phone. Kusznir will discuss a variety of issues and questions business owners are facing when trying to match technology and services to their business needs.
Session 2 will cover: Cloud services, merchant accounts (PoS systems and more), multi-site and remote worker configurations
