New Changes

It has been a while since our last post and we have had many changes. At this time we are implementing new ideas to the library and we will continue to have changes, some good and some bad. In the next few weeks we will have a new and improved website bringing us to the 21st Century!

My name is Leslie and I will be the new director when Jean retires later this year. I have a degree in Library & Information Services from Spokane Falls, Washington, but I have lived in Nevada for four years. I love to read any book and welcome suggestions. Osvaldo is a godsend and has been keeping the library running we should all give him a big Thank You, when you see him.

Here is a list of new DVDs coming in October:

Iron Man 2: PG13

Billionaire Tony Stark is battling a potentially dangerous condition resulting from heavy metals. In addition, resentful Russian science whiz Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) is making Iron Man’s life miserable.

How to Train Your Dragon: PG

Hiccup is a failure as a Viking, until he befriends a young dragon named Toothless.

Robin Hood: Unrated

Robin Longstride (Russel Crowe) comes back to England after 10 years in the Crusades. He meets Marion (Cate Blanchett) and her father while creating political intrigue by stealing from the rich King John and giving to the poor.

Predators: R

A mercenary (Adrian Brody) along with an innocent doctor (Topher Grace) find themselves stranded on a jungle planet with criminals and professional killers while being used as living targets for a horde of Predators.

In addition here are some new books that we have received:

James Patterson and Liza Marklund in Post Card Killers.

Jeannette Walls, Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel

Nicholas Sparks, Safe Haven

Janet Evonovich, Wicked Appetite

Simone Elkeles, Leaving Paradise

Suzane Collins, Mockingjay

It's Nearly Summer Reading Time!

Greetings to One and All!

Okay, so now it's been just over two weeks since Sam has gone (literally and figuratively) to greener pastures, but we still miss him tons, though wish him well.

And so goes the wheel of life...spinning 'round to the next exciting adventure and that, oh patrons, means the Summer Reading program is soon upon us!

Now, the theme this year is "Catch the Reading Bug!" and we plan to have two major events although there will be a continuing reading program which will include prizes and such, however this will all be announced at the school assembly (date tbd soon) so I am not of the mind to give anything away just yet!

Tune in soon for more blogging...!

Erin :)

Out With The Old, In With The New (Library Director, That Is)

It’s with mixed emotions that I have to announce that I’ll be leaving both Amargosa Valley and the library here in the middle of April. I’ll be moving to Maryland, and taking a job with the Carroll County Public Library. It’s an exciting professional opportunity for me, but I will greatly miss this library, and the people here whom I’ve come to know and love during my time here.

I want to thank the library board for being so supportive, Erin, Osvaldo, Nina, and all of the other library volunteers and helpers for making my job much easier, and Jean Adams and the Friends of the Library for their dedication and service. And I especially want to thank the residents of the Valley and patrons of the Library. You’ve made me feel welcome and appreciated from the first day I arrived in Amargosa Valley, and for that I will always be grateful.

Erin Booth, who has been working at the library since last summer, will be taking over as the Interim Director after my departure. I hope that you all will show her the same kindness and generosity that you’ve shown to me. I believe the library will be in good hands, and that you will all enjoy getting to know Erin better.

Thanks again!

~Sam Eddington

5th Grade Donates Sweepstakes Books!

We're happy to report that Mrs. Dunsterville's 5th grade class at the Amargosa School were the winners of several boxes of books, courtesy of Scholastic's Whoopi! We're Reading! Sweepstakes. We're even happier to report that they kindly donated 200 of these books to our library! The books are currently being processed, and will soon be on the shelves for everyone in the community to enjoy.

Here are the boxes before we opened them.

And here we are opening the boxes!

Gardening in Amargosa

This past Wednesday, March 12, we were privileged to have Jan Cameron, chair of the Library Board and avid gardener, present a free public program on "Gardening in Amargosa." 21 people attended and learned tips and tricks for growing vegetables here in our desert climate. I've heard nothing but positive things about the program, and I really appreciate Jan's willingness to come and share this information.

Advocacy Training in Salt Lake City

As a part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant that we've been awarded, I'll be traveling to Salt Lake City on March 12-15 for training. The focus will be on advocacy -- showing the library's worth to the community and encouraging people to support it.

I really feel that our community's support for the library is outstanding. But I'm still looking forward to getting new ideas from this training.

I'm also excited for the rest of the grant! We're going to be able to replace at least some of the public computers, which are aging. I think this will be a great benefit.

Press Release - AVL Receives Conservation Bookshelf

Treasured objects and artifacts held by the Amargosa Valley Library will be preserved for future generations with help from the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of conservation books, DVDs, and online resources donated by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal funding of the nation’s museums and libraries. IMLS and its cooperator, the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), will award a total of 2,000 free sets of the IMLS Bookshelf by the end of 2008.

Items held in the Amargosa Valley Library's special collections include archival newspapers and newsletters, photographs of the Valley, VHS tapes of community events, and transcripts of interviews with community members. Many of these materials are several decades old, and are in need of special care in order to ensure their preservation.

“We are pleased to announce the first group of IMLS Bookshelf recipients. These small libraries and museums are taking up the charge to care for America’s heritage,” said Radice. “A recent national study tells a sobering story about the state of America’s library and museum collections. Without immediate action we stand to lose important collections that are at the heart of the American story.”

The Amargosa Valley Library is among the first to receive this essential set of resources based on an application describing the needs and plans for care of its collections. The IMLS Bookshelf focuses on collections typically found in art or history museums and in libraries' special collections, with an added selection of texts for zoos, aquaria, public gardens, and nature centers. It addresses such topics as the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally specific conservation issues.

The IMLS Bookshelf is a crucial component of Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action, a conservation initiative that the Institute launched in 2006. IMLS began the initiative in response to a 2005 study by Heritage Preservation documenting the dire state of the nation’s collections. The multi-faceted, multi-year initiative shines a nationwide spotlight on the needs of America’s collections, especially those held by smaller institutions, which often lack the human and financial resources necessary to adequately care for their collections. Click here for more information on the conservation initiative.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.