Necessary repairs of library spur application to HGTVs Hometown Makeover

ALMOND Community leaders in Almond had one big facelift in mind when applying for HGTVs Hometown Makeover.

The historic Almond 20th Century Club Library building, while it looks good from the road, is in urgent need of major renovation.

Years of vibrations from the road and the relentless pull of electric wires have loosened mortar, displaced bricks, and generated cracks that run right down through the ground-level concrete blocks, said Susan Steere, President of the Almond 20th Century Club. Windows need to be replaced with tempered glass. This work must be accomplished soon, as weather and traffic will continue to take their toll. Also, the kitchen last had a major upgrade in 1958, and there are several other planned improvements that would add to the buildings safety, attractiveness, and usability.

For more than two years, members of the Board of Trustees have been meeting with engineers, architects, contractors, and grant-writers. At the same time, the 20th Century Club and Library staff have stepped up their fundraising efforts.

This village hub and after-school haven needs a minimum of $20,000 in matching funds for the contractor to get started on the reconstruction scheduled for this summer, and as much as $125,000 much more than its entire annual tax-supported operating budget in order to continue to serve the public, without completely depleting its savings.

The library leadership got creative with the application for HGTVs offer of a Hometown Makeover, hoping for a shot of funding both for the library and other structures in Almond. The group imagines historic homes restored to their original glorious architecture, the playground rebuilt and perhaps even the old Coslos building given new life as apartments and shops.

Steele said HGTV has received the application. As part of the effort a few dozen Almond residents gathered on the steps of the library to show off their community pride.

Whether or not the Hometown Makeover application is successful, the effort has put the need for structural work on the library in the community spotlight.

A number of community meetings and fundraisers are coming up over the next several weeks.

The next meeting of the trustees is set for Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Library.

The Library will host a Community Dish-to-Pass dinner on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 4:30 p.m. All are welcome. There's a sign-up form on the Library's Facebook page and walk-ins will be accepted.

The next meeting of the 20th Century Club will be Tuesday, March 10, at 7 p.m. Craig Braack will help visitors Learn About Our Backyard Birds of the Almond Area.

Among other fundraising efforts, the library will be hosting sales of Rada Cutlery online or through Club members. Details are still in the works.

The 20th Century Club has applied to receive funding as a charity from the Hot Dog Day Committee.

We would like to start monthly pancake breakfasts at the Library, but this will require the purchase of a new stove, as the current stove does not meet today's safety code, Steere added. The trustees have funds for the purchase of a new stove in the budget and are awaiting 20th Century Club approval.

We have held a quilt raffle with the drawing on Election Day for many, many years. The ladies who have made the quilt for the past several years will not be able to continue, however, due to health issues. We are looking for a new quilter.

To get involved, stop by the library.

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Almond leaders get creative with HGTV application - Hornell Evening Tribune

MIRI: Pustaka Negeri Sarawak Miri will hold the fifth edition of its Hobbies, Collections and Arts Exhibition today and tomorrow (Feb 22-23) at the ground floor foyer from 9am to 5pm on both days.

Open to the public, the highlights will be collectible figurines such as Gundam Mini, Transformer Robots, Warhammer, Star Wars, Hot Wheels, Marvel and Avengers, as well as drone and miniature aircrafts.

There will also be cosplay, Read Aloud Challenge, and singing competitions.

The interactive workshops include crafts workshop, Pinky Corner, Human Library Session, amigurumi, and painting for all ages.

The exhibition aims to promote creativity and thinking skills among the younger generation by showing them how to develop and maintain a special hobby, whether it would be collecting and trading items of value, playing games, or learning a new skill, said a press release yesterday.

For more information, contact Mohd Awis Abu Bakar or Suzanna Abdullah on 085-422525 or email [emailprotected] or [emailprotected]

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Library to hold fifth Hobbies, Collections and Arts Exhibition - The Borneo Post

For some, there is nothing comparable to the joy of cracking open a new book.

Bookworms all over Citrus County will be pleased to know that the Friends of the Citrus County Library System will host a Mega Book Sale Spring Fundraiser Friday, March 6, through Tuesday, March 10, at the Citrus County Auditorium at the Citrus County Fairgrounds, 3600 S. Florida Ave., Inverness.

The Friends of the Citrus County Library System is comprised of four county libraries: Central Ridge, Coastal Region, Lakes Region and Floral City. Each day of the sale will offer different deals and all of the profits made will go back into acquisitions of materials for these libraries.

The book sale kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday, March 6, with the cost of admission being only a $5 donation. As this is the first day of the sale, shoppers will have a large selection of books to choose from.

People are lined up outside on Friday night waiting to get in. Its really a big deal, said Cathy Lindell, Friends of the Citrus County Library System member. We will have thousands of books available of all genres. There will be something there for everyone.

Attendees will have quite the selection of items to choose from, as the book sale will offer more than books.

We will have DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, puzzles and of course, our Treasures section, which will offer special items of all kinds, Lindell said.

Shoppers can save by attending from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, when admission to the sale is free.

The sale will continue from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, where everything is half-price. With books already marked at such reasonable prices, this should be a huge day of savings for shoppers.

Most of our fiction books are $2, Lindell said. "At half-price, this will allow shoppers to bring home double the goods!"

For those who are able to wait it out, the sale will offer "$5 a bag day" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday.

Well provide you a bag and you fit everything you can fit in it and it will only be $5, Lindell said. The sale will conclude Tuesday, running from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. as "$5 a box day."

Well give everyone a banana box and itll be $5 to fill it, Lindell said.

All are encouraged to come out and see what the sale has to offer.

Ive been involved with this for 3 or 4 years now and Ive never seen anything like it, Lindell said. Thousands of books just fill the auditorium. Its overwhelming.

Some things to know before attending:

Only cash or checks will be accepted as a form of payment. If paying with a check, photo ID is required.

Shoppers are encouraged to take advantage of the book sale holding area, where items may be left temporarily to be picked up when ready to check out. Items not picked up by the close of day will be restocked.

Personnel will be available to transport heavy boxes and/or bags to the parking area and load them into vehicles for patrons requiring assistance.

Pets are not permitted into the sale.

For information about the Mega Book Sale Spring Fundraiser, visit foccls.org or call 352-513-4935.

Excerpt from:
Friends of the Citrus County Library System to host Mega Book Sale - Citrus County Chronicle

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On Feb. 11, the Anthropedia Center for Well-Being, comprised of the Anthropedia Academy and The Wellness Agora, opened its doors to the public. After being approached by the previous owner, the Wellness Agora is now located in where the Library Annex once resided.

One of the main purposes of the center is to help people reach their fullest potential and relieve the stress that drags an individual down through a bio-psycho-social-spiritual model. The Anthropedia Foundation, whose research informed The Wellness Agora, was founded by Lauren Munsch Dal Farra, M.D., Sita Kedia, M.P.H., M.D., and Kevin Cloninger, P.h.D., in St. Louis in 2004.

Cloninger, Executive Director of the Anthropedia Foundation, as well as Lara Pennington, MSW, Director of Development and Community Engagement for the Anthropedia Foundation, felt that there was a lack of well-being, self-knowledge, meaning and purpose in todays individuals alongside a world that is increasingly unstable.

Twenty years ago when we were getting started it was not obvious to anyone that these problems would be as bad as they are now, said Cloninger.

Sensing the degree to which individuals stress were affecting them, Cloninger felt that something had to be done to help, and The Wellness Agora was born.

The Anthropedia Center for Well-Being offers various ways for individuals to not only learn how to reach their fullest potential and decrease stress, but also to teach others to do the same. These come in the form of coaching and different services that target an individuals biological and psychological well-being. By being coached, an individual can learn how to lead a better, and more fulfilling life. By becoming certified in a training course, an individual can share what theyve learned and help others to follow in a path of a healthier lifestyle and being.

I went through the training with that personal development in mind, but also for the professional implementation of the curriculum. And I fell in love with the curriculum, stated Pennington on her experience before joining the team in April of 2018.

Osha Chesnutt-Perry, a junior at SLU, reflects on her time with Anthropedia and The Wellness Agora with gratitude. I have been fortunate to try some of these services in New York and have already reaped benefits in decreasing my anxiety, and look forward to continuing to use whats offered here to support my academic and professional pursuits, stated Chesnutt-Perry.

The services offered by The Wellness Agora target an individuals body and mind, seeking to help relax, renew and recharge. Some of these services included an iso float, a thermal relax, infrared sculpt, biobalance and various other biologically based services.

For all services, students in the St. Louis area will receive a 25 percent discount. For all SLU students with a valid ID, they will receive a 50 percent discount.

Continued here:
New Wellness Center Opens in Place of Library Annex - The University News

A firefighter was killed and another went missing Tuesday while battling a fire at a Central California library, officials said.

In this Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 photo, firemen battle a fire at the public library in Porterville, Calif. Two 13-year-old boys have been arrested for allegedly starting the blaze at a public library in central California that left a firefighter dead and another missing, officials said.

In this Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 photo, firemen work to extinguish a fire at the public library in Porterville, Calif. Two 13-year-old boys have been arrested for allegedly starting the blaze at a public library in central California that left a firefighter dead and another missing, officials said.

In this Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 photo, firemen work to extinguish a fire at the public library in Porterville, Calif. Two 13-year-old boys have been arrested for allegedly starting the blaze at a public library in central California that left a firefighter dead and another missing, officials said.

In this Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 photo, firemen work to extinguish a fire at the public library in Porterville, Calif. Two 13-year-old boys have been arrested for allegedly starting the blaze at a public library in central California that left a firefighter dead and another missing, officials said.

In this Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 photo, flames engulf the public library in Porterville, Calif. Two 13-year-old boys have been arrested for allegedly starting the blaze at a public library in central California that left a firefighter dead and another missing, officials said.

In this Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 photo, flames engulf the public library in Porterville, Calif. Two 13-year-old boys have been arrested for allegedly starting the blaze at a public library in central California that left a firefighter dead and another missing, officials said.

PORTERVILLE, Calif. (AP) Two 13-year-old boys have been arrested on suspicion of starting a blaze at a public library in central California that left a firefighter dead and another missing, officials said.

Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil said Wednesday the teenagers were arrested Tuesday in the blaze at the Porterville Public Library that killed fire Capt. Raymond Figueroa, 35.

Firefighter Patrick Jones, 25, is still missing, said Porterville Fire Chief David LaPere.

Kroutil said the teenagers were seen running from the library shortly after the blaze started.

Our investigation led us to two 13-year-old Porterville residents who have been determined to have started this fire, Kroutil said.

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The boys face arson, manslaughter and conspiracy charges, he said.Their names were not released because they are minors. It was not immediately known if they have attorneys who can speak on their behalf.

The blaze was reported at about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday at the library in Porterville, 50 miles (79 kilometers) north of Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley, fire officials said.

Staff called 911 when they noticed flames in the children's section of the library, which has about 77,000 books, city librarian Vikki Cervantes told the Visalia Times Delta.

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2 teens arrested in library fire that killed firefighter - Daily Journal Online

That Florida-based firm was also hired to help create the new Missoula Downtown Master Plan.

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"This block presents the opportunity to meet a number of needs in the community and that area of downtown, and this planning effort will sift through those needs to determine priorities and which ones can be best met at that location, wrote MRA director Ellen Buchanan in a memo to the board.

Buchanan said in exchange for $50,000, the consulting firm would identify multiple development scenarios followed by public presentations and an open house workshop to narrow down the vision for the block.

One of the components of this study will be massing and height studies to explore what size building will work best in that location, particularly with respect to preserving view sheds, Buchanan wrote. Once a redevelopment plan has been developed, (Dover Kohl) will assist the (city and the MRA and the Business Improvement District) in the development of a Request for Proposals or Qualifications to identify partners who can best help realize that vision.

Both Buchanan and Engen said there appears to be interest from some private businesses for short-term rental of the building in the interim, so that means the building can stay in use as the city works toward a redevelopment plan.

Weve got office users outgrowing their space who need a temporary situation, and the existing building will work well for those uses as our planning process plays out, Engen said.

Link:
With new library ready by June, Missoula looks at options for best use of old site - The Missoulian

Newton Public Library, Massachusetts

In an era consumed by the prevalence of digital media, the Newton Free Library has not only survived, but thrived, as a meaningful institution in the county. Library cardholders have been borrowing more and more library books every year. An increase in programming, technology, and classes has also helped the library attract visitors on a regular basis.

Jill Mercurio, library director of the Newton Free Library, told The Heights in an email:

While print circulation has softened, readers are checking out even more ebook titles than ever before, Mercurio wrote.

Newton Free Library patrons borrowed more books from the library in 2019 than any past year, with a significant increase in rentals of e-books every year. The library circulated 588,449 books in 2019, marking a 4.7 percent% increase from the last fiscal year. 95,808 of these were e-books, with the other 492,641 being print books. E-book rental has increased every yearthe previous year, 76,606 e-books were rented. Cardholder data has also remained steady over the years. The library recorded 49,123 cardholders in 2019, the largest total since 2014.

The Newton Free Library has introduced a variety of programs and measures to ensure that the library is adapting to cultural changes.

Royce McGrath, Newton Free Librarys sSupervisor for pPublic sServices, outlined some of the products the library offers. The library has been using the service Overdrive for many years, which has a wide selection for e-books, digital audio books, and magazines. Users simply sign in on the Overdrive website with their library card information, and the content is available on all tablets, computers, smartphones and Kindles. Another available digital product is Hoopla.

We now offer something called Hoopla, and that lets people stream movies. It offers people current music to stream or to download to their device, and graphic novels that they can just download at home. It also has digital audio books, which are very popular, McGrath said.

The library also provides a product called Kanopy, which has independent and foreign films that people can download at home to view even when the library is closed. Kanopy and Hoopla also require users to have a library card with the Newton Free Library.

Programming has helped the library draw more crowds and make up for those who no longer come in for the borrowing of physical books.

We have Sunday concerts every Sunday where people may never even check out a book, but they just come for the free concert, McGrath said.

All events hosted by the Newton Free Library are featured on the librarys website. Events include forums, book discussion groups, clubs, classes, and more. There are also special events geared specifically towards kids, tweens, and teens such as sing-a-longs, yoga classes, and holiday celebrations.

An area of focus for the library has been programming that focuses on technology.

We have been trying to add a lot of tech help programming to help people set up emails and learn about different apps, and another thing that people are very interested in is Makerspaces, McGrath said.

According to the Newton Free Library website, a Makerspace allows people to collaborate, connect, learn, build, and create projects. Makerspaces feature specific programs as well as scheduled DIY Studio Hours. Some examples of Makerspace events include decorating pillows, building rubber band cars, making chocolate, and creating nail art. There are also repair days, where people can bring in broken items and learn how to fix them themselves. Additionally, the Makerspace includes a 3D printing service. A large number of public computers, scanners, printers, and copiers are also located throughout the library, all free of charge to the public.

Another area of programming is the English Language Learning and Literacy Program, which provides volunteer tutors to adult English language learners, as well as adults whose first language is English to improve their reading skills. According to the librarys website, around 500 volunteer tutors are currently assisting more than 700 learners.

Services such as museum passes and free home delivery to Newton residents who are unable to visit the library also showcase the vast resources that the Newton Free Library provides.

Beyond books, technology, and programming, the library plays a social role in the community.

Its also a community space where people can come, they can see their neighbors, and they can meet other people, said McGrath. They can have free programming. They can have free internet access. They can get free help. They can get free classes. They can check out musical instruments. So, its become much more of a community space and less about just coming to check out a book, per se.

Featured Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Excerpt from:
Newton Free Library Thrives in the Technological Age The Heights - The Heights

Although this initiatives aim is to provide access to educational materials and incentives for good behavior, its pricing structure might work against the best interests of the inmates. The Prison Policy Initiative estimated that 2017 wages in West Virginia prisons ranged between 4 cents and 58 cents an hour.

"If you pause to think or reflect, that will cost you," said Katy Ryan,APBPs founder and educational coordinator. "If you want to reread a book, you will pay the entire cost again. This is about generating revenue for the state and profit for the industry. Tablets under non-predatory terms could be a very good thing inside prisons. GTL does not provide that."

The WVDCR will receive a 5% commission on gross revenue from the tablets, reports Reason. A spokesperson for West Virginia prisons noted that no inmates are being forced to use the tablets in the Reason report. The spokesperson also said the 5% commission will go toward a fund at each prison that inmates "use for such things as paying for cable TV and hosting open house visitation events for families."

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West Virginia Inmates To Be Charged By The Minute For Reading On Tablets From A Free Online Library - Blavity

The Tulsa Central Library was evacuated because of a small fire Wednesday afternoon and will remain closed through Friday.

Smoke was rising from the second and third floors when firefighters arrived a little after 4 p.m., Tulsa Fire Department spokesman Andy Little said.

They contained a small fire to a restroom. Minimal fire damage was reported, and some water damage occurred when sprinklers activated, Little said.

Firefighters ventilated the building before a remediation company arrived to help assess the damage.

Jackie Hill, a spokeswoman for the Tulsa City-County Library, said the Tulsa Central Library will remain closed Thursday and Friday.

Hill said customers can still access library services at the nearest facilities to Central, Rudisill Regional Library at 1520 N. Hartford Ave. and Schusterman-Benson Library at 3333 E. 32nd Place.

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Downtown library evacuated, closed through Friday due to small fire in restroom - Tulsa World

The Reading Public Library on Wednesday opened the Dr. Jerome I. Marcus Learning and Meeting Commons.

The commons consists of three meeting rooms and two nooks on the main floor of the library intended for use by the public free of charge.

The private meeting rooms are outfitted with a commercial grade audio/video system, including ultra high definition TVs with 4K resolution and smart connectivity so users can bring their own devices. The system has the flexibility to accept any device and allows screen-mirroring without the need for a separate app. The rooms include easy WIFI connectivity for IOS, Android, Mac, Chromebook, or Windows-based devices, and all of the furniture is on wheels for easy reconfiguration, said Bronwen Gamble, library executive director.

Starting today, you can reserve one of three high-tech meetings rooms or two meeting nooks. There is a touch pad outside each room to reserve a space, or rooms can be booked on the library website, readingpubliclibrary.org.

The project was funded by a gift from Marcus. What the Marcus gift didnt cover was picked up through in-kind donations from local contractors and subcontractors like Solution AVT, Reading, to install and equip the new meeting spaces, Gamble said.

This generous gift from Dr. Marcus will transform the main library into the 21st century workforce development and collaborative learning center our residents want and need, Gamble said.

Gamble said users could include people working remotely, students with school group projects, social workers meeting clients, tutors, ESL teachers, budding entrepreneurs, and staff of small nonprofits.

Renee Dietrich, president of the librarys board of trustees, said the Marcus gift is the largest designated donation the library has ever received for a capital project.

Donors do not just want to give money away, they want to make a difference, Dietrich said.

Dietrich said the Marcus gift will transform the Reading Public Library by taking its services to a new level.

The beauty of our society is that we value the genius of the individual as well as the genius of the group, Marcus said in a statement. This project facilitates that spirit of collaboration.

"Everything is digital nowadays," Gamble said. "We want to stay proactive."

Library users had been asking the staff if there were meeting spaces available. Already, social service, education, business and other professionals had been using areas of the facility for tutoring and to meet with clients. It's a clean, safe and neutral place to meet, she said.

Gamble said she visited her daughter, Katie, an instructor at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, last year where there were designated student learning rooms in the university library.

"That was my light bulb moment," she said.

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Reading Public Library opens rooms with a view toward collaboration - Reading Eagle