October 15, 2008

We’ve certainly been given a lovely fall season this year. I guess we’re having our Indian Summer and Harvest Moon in the same week, as well.

Through the generosity of local community-minded donors and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the library has received seven new computers for our patrons to use. They were recently installed to replace older computers that had seen better days, so now we feel we can provide up-to-date technology for your use.

Our patron computers are used for a variety of reasons. We’ve learned that patrons are taking tests for admission to programs of study, searching for job opportunities, writing cover letters and resumes, researching subjects for homework assignments, communicating with family and friends by email, planning vacations and plotting the routes of travel, locating services and businesses, listening to music using the earphones, and playing educational and fun games online.

These newer computers do not accept discs, so if you have one here that you use, you’ll need to come in and transfer the information on that disc to a flash or thumb drive. We have some here for you to purchase at our cost for that purpose.

If you have your own flash drive and want to use it in one of our computers, each time you bring it in, it will have to be scanned for viruses by a staff member. This is for the protection of our computer system.

Who can use the computers? We have a written policy that states you must have an Internet Use card from our library if you are not a resident of the city and posses a Uniontown Library card. An Internet Use card is available for only $5 for a year. You will be limited to one hour of computer use a day unless the computers are not busy. We will ask you to read our Internet Use Policy before you are permitted to use the computers the first time, and you will have to agree to its stipulations. Minors must be accompanied by a parent when using the computers in the Gismondi Children’s computer lab.

The library’s computers must not be used for illegal activity, profit motives, lobbying, advertising, transmitting offensive material, hate mail, or sending or receiving obscene or pornographic material. You cannot download programs or files onto our computers, disrupt the work of others, violate copyright laws, or modify or destroy equipment. All this is for the protection of our patrons, and we thank you for your cooperation. Violators can or will lose their computer privileges.

Now for the fun stuff. Mark your calendars for the November events coming to the library. Monday, November 3 from 6 to 7:30 is our next Family Craft Night upstairs in the meeting rooms. Bring your child or grandchild along and work with them as they create a turkey pen and a leaf recipe holder plus two other crafts.

Saturday, November 22 from 2 to 3:30 is the next Family Game Day, and again we invite you to bring your child or grandchild and enjoy playing a board or other game with them.

Come see us in the library, get an Internet Use card, and make a craft or play a game with your child.

“A book never interrupts with a commercial.” ~~ Unknown

As I write this, my office windows are open and I’m wishing I could play hooky today and go for a long walk, or sit on a bench across the street in the park and read the afternoon away. It’s a beautiful day in Uniontown. The fall brings pleasant changes before we drift into winter.

If you haven’t been in the library for a while, you’ll notice a few changes in personnel the next time you’re here. Through retirement or job changes over the last year, we lost three faces. As you know, I’m here filling the position held previously by Christy Fusco, but have you noticed the front desk changes? Both Helen and Joanne are no longer with the library, but we have Sherry Yourchik there now along with Loretta, Sandy, Dolores, and me to help you with your questions or check your books in and out.

Our second floor staff is still the wonderful group you know – Vicki in the PA Room, and Dianne and Kristi in Children’s. Linda comes in occasionally to help and keep us in line, and holding it all together is Steve – we couldn’t exist without Steve. Children are always calling for their Moms, but here in the library, we rely on and call for Steve each day. Oh, and his Mom makes the best grape jelly – thanks Mrs. Petruska!

If you missed our first Family Craft night, mark your calendar for the next one on Monday, October 6 from 6:00 to 7:30. No fee or registration required, and a snack will be provided. Children should be accompanied by an adult.

Have you taken a good look at our web page lately? It’s a work in progress, and the latest addition is the slide show on the home page showing different views of the exterior of this lovely building. We may do seasonal photos showing the snow in winter, and the spring green and flowering trees.

The link on the library’s web page to the PA Room is done is shades of sepia and looks quite appropriate. I was reading Vicki’s ‘Wish List’ for the Pennsylvania Room and found items such as local postcards, photographs, family histories, and Fayette County memorabilia. If you have and no longer want any items pertaining to the history of the area, contact Vicki in the PA Room. We would be happy to give them a home.

The library also accepts used books, videos, DVDs, and audio books you no longer need. Please keep in mind, though, that donated material should be clean, dry, and free from mold, must, dampness and dirt. We also cannot accept text books, encyclopedias older than five years, Reader’s Digest Condensed books, and National Geographic magazines.

Also, if you need a monetary receipt for the donation of books and other items, we have been told we cannot place a value on the donated material, so you may want to make an itemized list before bringing them to us. All we can give you is a receipt with the total number of items on it – no values. Thank you for understanding.

Come see us in the library, smile at the staff, make a craft, or donate in some way. Thank you.

“I go into my library, and all history unrolls before me. ~~Alexander Smith

Haven’t these fall days been wonderful?  The air is clean and clear with a light breeze to move it along, plus the night-time temperatures are perfect for sleeping comfortably.  I see a lot more smiling faces each day.  Sadly, though, it will mean fewer outdoor activities or relaxing evenings on the porch or patio, but on the other hand we’ll enjoy football evenings at the stadium, walks with crisp leaves swishing underfoot, and the scent that brings many pleasant memories – burning leaves. 

Often when folks think about a library, the word ‘volunteer’ comes to mind.  We have been fortunate to use the services of many dedicated and skilled volunteers here at the Uniontown Public Library, and I’d like to take this time to thank the group that makes up the Board of Directors.  They are responsible for keeping the library going and the doors open for you, the public.  With rising costs, inflated prices for goods and supplies, and reduced funding, it can be a stressful endeavor.  Thanks go to Jim Balling, Larry Bush, Bob Cahn, Mimi Cluss, Ed Hyjurick, Retta Semans, and Ralph Warman. This group is committed to making the library the best it can be.  Thank them when you see them.

Onto Family Game Day!  Saturday, September 27th from 2:00 to 3:30, we will hold our first game day of the season.  Do you like to play Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, Life, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Connect Four or lots of other games?  Bring the children or grandchildren for an afternoon of game-playing.  The games, a snack and drinks will be provided by the library.

I was recently asked how to go about getting a library card.  First requirement for a free card is that you reside or are a property owner in the city of Uniontown.  We ask that you bring photo ID (driver’s license, military ID, or other photo ID) with your current address on it.  If you’ve recently moved and your new address is not reflected on the ID, please bring a utility bill with your name and new address on it, too.  We’ll ask you to complete a short registration card, then we’ll give you your card number to use until your card is ready in about a week to ten days.

With your Uniontown Public Library card, you can access a world of information free – books, books on CD or cassette, large print books, music CDs, magazines, video tapes and DVDs, and free Internet use. 

If you do not reside in the city, the difference is a fee for the card.  For a six-month card good for the entire family, the cost is only $20.00.  A full year is $35.00 – about a penny a day – a true bargain when compared to the price of books, magazines and audio material today.   Or if Internet use is all you need, we offer an Internet use only card for $5.00 a year.

If you’re wondering about a column I did a few weeks ago, I have not heard from ‘Quail’, the only person I knew from Uniontown before I came here in June.  She may have moved away from here years ago, or maybe even doesn’t care to be found.  I thought I’d give it a try anyway.

Come see us in the library, apply for a library card, play family games, and thank a Board member.


“Oh for a book and a shady nook, either in door or out.”  John Wilson
 

School may be back in session, but things haven’t slowed down any here at the library.  Just last Wednesday, the patron computers were all in use and for most of the day, there was a waiting list four deep.  Our reading area bustled with patrons who were reading newspapers, using their laptop computers, or doing research.  Our library isn’t just for children!

            Before we leave the summer behind, we want to thank the sponsors who made our Summer Reading Program such a huge success.  Thank you to Geshay Pediatric Dentistry, Steve Wright & Associates, Steven & Rita Peters, Retta Semans, Davis & Davis Attorneys-at-Law, Sepic Orthodontics, McMillen Engineering, Abby’s Gold & Gems, Friends of the Library, Private Industry Council of Westmorland/Fayette, Fayette County MH/MR, First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Fayette County, W.B. Kania Associates U.C., and Anonymous Donors.  Their generosity made a lot of children very happy this summer.

            With fall on the horizon, we’re making plans for our Family Craft nights here at the library.  Miss Kristi will offer four craft items for parents and their children each time.  The first Family Craft night will be Monday, September 15 from 6:00 to 7:30.  You might want to wear not-so-good clothes, as you’ll be using glue, paint, markers and such to make a turtle using scratch art, a sand art surfboard, a fish magnet, or a sun catcher lantern.  Miss Kristi promises snack and a drink as well, so bring the children and come enjoy an evening at the library.  Watch this column or check our web page (www.uniontownlib.org) for the times and dates of future Family Craft nights.

            In my last column, I mentioned our desire to add a feature on our web page listing upcoming class reunions.  We have our first one for the Uniontown Area High School Class of 1953.  They’ll be enjoying a weekend of reminiscing from September 19-21, so check out the information on our web page if you’d like to know more.

            Are you looking for a book you heard about from a friend or on a TV show?  Call us at the library to see if we have it.  If we don’t, and if it isn’t a brand new title, we can borrow the book for you from another Pennsylvania library.  It’s called Interlibrary Loan, a free service for our patrons.  If the title isn’t found in a Pennsylvania library, we can search nationally for the book, again, at no cost to you.  In my previous library, we had a book on Wallace Nutting pictures that was especially popular and was constantly requested for loan.  It went out more than I did.

            Here in the library during the month of August, the staff celebrated three birthdays.  Lovely Loretta, Delightful Dolores, and Dynamic Dianne all received a song, card, and gift for their birthdays from the rest of the staff.  Come September, we’ll be singing to Vivacious Vicki, Sweet Sherry, and Loquacious Lynne.  I’ve found that working with the Uniontown Library staff is like being a part of a family.  Come visit us in the library and see what I mean.

          “I received the fundamentals of my education in school, but that was not enough. My real education, the superstructure, the details, the true architecture, I got out of the public library. For an impoverished child whose family could not afford to buy books, the library was the open door to wonder and achievement, and I can never be sufficiently grateful that I had the wit to charge through that door and make the most of it.”  ~~ Isaac Asimov

I’m not sure how it happened, but it looks like summer is nearly gone. I hope the weather continues to stay warm for many weeks to come, but here in the library, the Summer Reading Program activities have concluded. Last Thursday was a fun-filled afternoon of carnival atmosphere upstairs. We had a duck pond, football throw, balloon dart game, face painting, bean bag toss, tattoos, javelin toss, ice cream sundaes, and balloons.

Let me tell you who the winners were this summer in each contest held for the children. We had a jar full of honeybee cookies, and Chailyn Barden guessed the correct number of cookies – 792 exactly! In the photo contest (Where in the world is rubber ducky?), Wil Joesph and Arianna Haky went home with the prizes in their respective age groups. The art contest to create your own version of an insect was won by Cole Jeffries, Gabriella Rankin, and Ayla Nolan. The writing contest found Hattie Hughes, Mara E. Wallace, and Ayla Nolan as winners. And who won Rajah, the tiger? Harry Strauser did. Finally, the craft basket was taken home by Kaylena Harrell. Congratulations to these children and to all who participated and read all summer long. You are all winners.
If you’d like to see some of the winning creations, check out the link from the children’s page on our web page and click on the ‘Happy Bee Gallery.'

A feature we’d like to add to our new web page is a link to high school class reunions that are scheduled each year. The idea here is that if you live nearby or far away, you can go to our web site and find out if your class is having a reunion and who to contact for more information. Obviously, in order to do this, we would need the assistance of each class that is planning a reunion. Please, if any of you reading this know of an upcoming reunion and would like to place the information on our web page, contact me at the library – 724-437-1165.

I’m on a personal quest now. The only person I ever knew from Uniontown was a girl I met in 1967 when I worked one summer at Camp Henry Kaufman, a Girl Scout camp outside of Ligonier, and she was our unit leader. I’m wondering if she might still be in the area or have family here, but the difficult part is, I’ve forgotten what her name was. You see, we each had a ‘camp name’. In our unit there was Hen, BJ, and Quail. I was BJ and I’m looking for Quail. It may be a fruitless search, but I couldn’t be here without trying. If you are aware of a woman who worked at Camp Henry Kaufman in the 60s, please let here know of my search. Thank you.

Dolores has been busy, busy cataloging books all summer, so I’d like to list a few of the new non-fiction books we’ve acquired for the library collection. We now have on our shelves the following titles: How Come That Idiot’s Rich and I’m Not? By Shemin, Medical Myths That Can Kill You by Snyderman, Moving Forward by Pelzer, Warman’s Antiques and Collectibles 2009 Price Guide by Schroy, The Sixties Unplugged by DeGroot, Southwest Indian Jewelry by Cirillo, Christmas with Southern Living 2008 by Brennan, Iwo Jima: WWII Veterans Remember by Smith, Twilight by Monticello by Crawford, Nature’s Clocks by Macdougall, Save Everything, Save Money by Family Handyman, Bon Appétit, Y’all by Willis, Weight Watchers All Time Favorites, 2009 U.S. Coin Digest by Harper, So You Think You Can Be President? By Burnett, Quick & Legal Will Book by Clifford, Civil War Battlefields by Shaara, Complete Compost Gardening Guide by Pleasant, Semper If by Chenoweth, and Holistic Health Guide: Natural Care for the Whole Dog by Knueven.

I’ll bet there are at least one or two titles that caught your attention. Stop by the library and check them out.

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.”
~ Groucho Marx

Have you taken a look at our newly redesigned web page, yet? We’re excited about the changes and adding new links and features every day. Friends of the Library President, Beth Bubonovich is putting it all together for us and adding photos and links daily. While it’s a work in progress right now, take a look and see what you think. Go to www.uniontownlib.org to check it out.

On our newly designed web page, you may notice a new link. Heritage Quest is near the lower left on the home page, and it was a gift subscription from three donors. You can access it with the library card you hold from the Uniontown Library by clicking on the link, then entering a code you can get here at the library followed by your library card number. You’ll open a full resource for genealogy research right at your home computer. If you have any questions, stop by and ask at the front desk.

With our busy Summer Reading Program for the children, we’re experiencing a lot of foot traffic this summer, but the season also brings many to the library in search of their genealogy history. The PA Room here at the Uniontown Library is a premier example of a genealogist’s dream. Curator Vicki Leonelli has brought this resource to a high level of quality service. The local history of Uniontown and Fayette County can be found here along with volumes and volumes of Pennsylvania history. Our goal is to preserve local history through writings and artifacts that reflect the area’s beginnings and development.

I understand the PA Room has helped many genealogists as well as paralegals doing research in our microfilm. The Genealogical Society counts the PA Room as a valuable resource. High school students come to the PA Room and work out their senior projects here. We see people from all over the country through these doors. How fortunate Uniontown is to have this resource as their own.

Last time I wrote, I mentioned our collection of CD Books, but we recently cataloged and added nearly a hundred music CDs to our collection. What a variety of music there is to choose from! We have classical, country, popular rock, oldies, big band, jazz – just about any type of music you enjoy is here. Stop in and check them out, but Perry Como is singing to me in my car for the next week or so.

Parents, if your child is registered for the Carnegie Science Center program this Thursday, August 7, the show begin at 1:00 or 2:00. Then, on August 14, don’t forget to come by with the kids for the Health Carnival at 1:00 and enjoy games and prizes for the whole family.

Come see us in the library, take home some wonderful music, or participate in the Health Fair.

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” ~~ Emilie Buchwald.

Hello Uniontown and Herald Standard readers! I am Lynne Tharan, the new Library Director at the Uniontown Public Library. Many of you know how wonderful this library is for the community, and now I’m learning everyday about the variety of services offered here.

For instance, recently we announced the expansion of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library from its original city boundaries to now include all the municipalities covered by the Uniontown and Laurel Highlands School Districts. This program provides a free book a month to children from birth to age five who are registered by a parent. All that is asked is the parent read the book to the child or children enrolled.

Right now, our Summer Reading program with the theme “Catch the Reading Bug” is attracting over 440 children for the fun, crafts, enthralling programs, and prizes. Each Thursday afternoon, you’ll find a new program for the kids. July 31 at 1:00, we’ll enjoy the Amazing Wonder Show presented by Doc Dixon. Our program for August 7, bubble science classes by the Carnegie Science Center, is filled. We had to preregister children for this one because of class size limitations. Then on August 14 at 1:00, come by to join the crowd at the Health Carnival beginning at 1:00. There will be games and prizes for the whole family.

If you have travel plans this summer that involve a long drive to your destination, why not take along a book on cassette tape or CD? Maybe there’s an author you’ve been curious about, or a title that piques your interest. Here’s your chance to ‘read’ while driving and hear a good book. My mother recommended a book to me last year, but I couldn’t get into it. Recently, I found we have that title here on CDs, so I checked it out to listen to and was hooked! I’ve borrowed two more by the same author and thoroughly enjoyed both, plus they help pass the time while enroute.

Come see us in the library, be amazed by Doc Dixon, and hear a good book.
I always like to close with a quote that’s about libraries, reading, or books.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” ~~ St. Augustine


About me: I come to Uniontown from a twenty-one year directorship with the New Bethlehem Public Library in New Bethlehem, PA where we built and moved into a new library facility in 2002. Clarion University is where I earned my master’s in Library Science. My passions are my family, libraries, gardening, and books. I love Uniontown already and I’m learning quickly how to navigate the one-way streets!