LIBRARY NOTES

July 8, 2010

July is the time for the summer reading program at the Joslin Library. This year's theme is "Make a Splash." Children's Librarian Stacy Werner has put together 5 programs using this idea. Every Thursday afternoon in July from 3:30 to 4:30 there will be a variety of crafts, performances, stories, snacks and other entertainment for children ages 6-12.  

July is also a good time for patriotic books and local color. Two new additions in the children's room are Emma's Poem, by Linda Glaser, and The Sons of Liberty, by Alexander and Joseph Lagos. Emma's Poem is a beautifully illustrated book telling the story of Emma Lazarus, the author of the famous "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses" poem at the Statue of Liberty site. Accessible to preschoolers, this book also has enough information to keep the interest of older readers and does a good job of introducing Emma as a person and how she came to write her famous words.   

The Sons of Liberty, by Alexander and Joseph Lagos, is a graphic novel about early America. It is a mix of fact and fiction, combining historical events and figures with the fictional story of two slaves on the run. The struggle for independence, abolitionism, African lore and even some superpowers successfully interact to create a story compelling to a wide range of readers. The art work is exciting and engaging.  

Two Vermont books new to the library are History of Shelburne Farms: A Changing Landscape, an Evolving Vision, by Erica Donnis, and Nothing Hardly Ever Happens in Colbyville, Vermont, by Peter Miller. Donnis's book tells the history of Shelburne Farm from its beginning as a manifestation of the Webb family's wealth to the formation of a nonprofit in 1972 to its current commitment to cultivating sustainability practices. The unique character of multiple generations of the Webb family make this a human interest story as well as a historical and agricultural story, especially since their ideals are mostly responsible for the farm's successes. The archival photographs serve as a visual history and to write that some of them are stunningly beautiful is an understatement.    

Nothing Hardly Ever Happens in Colbyville, Vermont is a collection of stories and essays about the place Miller lives. It is practically the backyard of Ben and Jerry's but many people don't know there is a town there separate from Waterbury. Miller is funny, caustic, entertaining and also adept at social commentary as he describes the changes in the area he's witnessed over the past several years.     

And of course we continue our automation project at the library. We're happily experiencing quicker progress now that we've moved from cataloging skinny little picture books that are about a hundred books per shelf to the thicker (and often less obscure) tomes of the adult section. Watch the thermometer at the circulation desk fill up as progress continues.