day 342 of 365

A special poem written and illustrated for me by my 9 year old cousin Claire.  I am touched beyond words:

Lucy the Librarian

She loves to read
She loves to write
Column after column
She'll read all night.

Faster, faster
On she goes
It's hard to believe
All the words she knows.

Rocks, astronomy
Nouns and worms
Lucy knows everything
Every single term.

We all love Lucy
She's so much fun
She's the best Library Director
Under the sun!!!

day 243 of 365

Guess whose next novel (due out next fall)  is going to be partially set in Barnstable?  He stopped by the library last week for help with some research.  Click the photo to see one of the reasons I love my job.

day 92 of 365

A little library humor. Given to me by my library co-workers for my birthday yesterday. Thanks, ladies!

day 75 of 365

Here's a "vintage" photo of me from about 10 or so years ago, when I was the Director-Reference Librarian-Children's Librarian-Cataloger-Historian-Archivist-Janitor at the Plumb Memorial Library in Rochester, Massachusetts. I just found it while going through old photos yesterday, and remembered this day when I did a special program with the Brownie Troop. It's hard to believe that these girls are now about ready to graduate from high school! Time flies. It got me thinking back on some memorable librarians from my past.

• There was my great-Aunt Anne, who ran the James White Memorial Library in Freetown, and bore a fleeting resemblance to Almira Gulch in the Wizard of Oz. But she ran her little one-room library with dedication and tenacity.
• And there was Grace Eastman, who was Director at the East Bridgewater Public Library for many years. We were neighbors; I babysat for her grandchildren; and she indulged my passion for books. She was lively and intelligent and maybe just a bit eccentric -- she had an interesting habit on hot summer days of mowing her lawn wearing her slip and carrying her purse.
• And Anne Petterson, the Director of the Stoughton Public Library, who was a mild-mannered librarian by day and on the weekends took to the skies as pilot of her own airplane.
  

There are numerous others who, from all appearances, could blend into the woodwork of the stereotypical librarian -- a little musty, fusty, and drab. But don't believe it. Behind those glasses beats the heart of a poet, a dancer, an artist, a conductor, a pilot, an explorer, and an adventurer. Don't let the costume fool you.

I just recently ran across this list of 85 reasons to be thankful for librarians. Have you hugged your librarian today?

day 9 of 365

A little librarian humor. You can entertain your friends and family (or just yourself) and generate your own cool catalog cards at the Catalog Card Generator at blyberg.net - a library geek blog.