The Inside Story

It’s a Great Year to Raise a Reader

2012-01-29T12:35:00.001-05:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

We’re a couple of weeks into the New Year and by now you are probably acclimated to writing 2012 on documents instead of 2011. One of my personal goals for 2012 is to read more. I love to read, but like many, have trouble finding time to squeeze it in amongst the other daily demands of life. That said, I’m committed to making it a priority, not only because I enjoy it but because I want it to be a priority for my kids as well. You see, I think one of the best gifts we can give our kids is the love of reading. And that love begins early, which is why Washington-Centerville Public Library puts such an emphasis on offering services that foster early literacy skills, including:

· Storytimes – Stories, songs and fingerplays encourage language and social skills for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. More than a dozen storytimes are offered each week at various times of day and night so that even working parents can give their child the benefit of this experience. It’s a really simple way to “schedule” some reading time for your child.

· Online Educational Games – Don’t underestimate the power of technology in helping to raise a reader. Kids love to interact with computers and the library offers designated computer stations pre-loaded with more than 50 educational games for kids ages 2-10. Games like Sesame Street, Dora’s World Adventures, and Math Doodles not only encourage early literacy skills, but math and geography skills as well!

· Tumble Books – Can’t make it to the library? Access Tumble Books via the children’s website at http://kids.wclibrary.info/. Tumble Books is an online collection of animated books. Simply select a book off the virtual “bookshelf” and it will be read to your child. How’s that for easy?! Tumble Books also offers puzzles, quizzes and games that reinforce comprehension of the story read.

· Open Shut Them Blog – This service is really more for parents than kids, but if you are looking for some great early literacy tips or suggestions for what to read your children, be sure to follow this library sponsored blog at http://open-shut-them.blogspot.com/

Take advantage of these great services, as well as the more than 100,000 items in our children’s collection and you’ll have kids who love to read! For more information on Washington-Centerville Public Library and early literacy services visit www.wclibrary.info .

Keep Track of What You Read

2012-01-22T11:59:00.000-05:00

Very often, patrons ask how they can keep track of their Reading Histories. While the library doesn't keep a history of what you've checked out (except if it's overdue), you can opt to have your online account do it for you! It's easy to select this feature. Here's how:

Log into your account.
Select the Reading History button (at the far right)
Select "Opt In"
After that you'll see a red "X" reflected in the button and the words "Opt Out". You've done it right.

Going forward (not for the items currently checked out), you'll be able to access this list just by selecting your Reading History (it keeps track of movies and games, too). So, if you can't remember the name of that book (or the author) you read last year and you really liked it ... we've got an "app" for that!

Award-winning Documentary to be Shown at the Library

2012-01-15T11:59:00.001-05:00

The controversial subculture of raising exotic animals as household pets will be the subject of a program to be hosted by Washington-Centerville Public Library in January. On Thursday, January 19 at 6:30 pm, Centerville Library will present The Elephant in the Living Room, the award-winning documentary by Ohio native Michael Webber. Local animal rescuer Tim Harrison will be on hand to talk about the documentary in which he has a starring role, and will also relay stories about his own experiences in rescuing dangerous animals found wandering at large in suburbs across America.

The newly released documentary couldn’t have had better timing. In October, just two months after the film’s nation-wide debut, the worst exotic animal tragedy in history occurred in Zanesville, Ohio, in which more than fifty wild animals were purposefully released from their cages to roam freely. Forty-nine of the wild creatures, including lions, rare Bengal tigers and grizzly bears, needed to be killed by local officials before they could do harm to the public. Six animals that survived the ordeal are now in protective custody at the Columbus Zoo. Both Harrison and Webber were interviewed by the national media after the story hit the newsstands, and coverage on the event went world-wide.

Mr. Harrison is a nationally known expert in handling exotic animals, has written two books on the subject, and is well-known locally for his establishment of Outreach for Animals, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on the dangers of owning exotic animals.

The library’s presentation will include a complete showing of the documentary followed by audience questions and answers. Because of the subject matter, the program may not be suitable for all audiences. The public is encouraged to arrive early to ensure seating, and no reservations will be taken.

We Make Finding What You Want Easier

2012-01-08T11:59:00.002-05:00

For years patrons have been able to identify Mysteries, Science Fiction and Westerns by special labels affixed to the books' spines. Now another label will be added to the mix. In response to the growing popularity of Christian Fiction, the library is in the process of affixing identifying spine labels to these selections, too. Unlike Mysteries, Science Fiction and Westerns, however, these titles will still be located in the general fiction (and large print) areas. They'll just be easier to locate.

Kick the Year Off in the Write Way

2012-01-01T11:59:00.001-05:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

With the New Year come new ambitions. Perhaps you are committed to eating healthier, working out more regularly or just trying your hand at something new. Regardless of your new ambition, Washington-Centerville Public Library is a great place to glean inspiration and information. Take the Erma Bombeck Writing Contest for example. This contest, started 15 years ago, encourages budding writers to try their hand at writing. If Erma, a suburban housewife in the 50’s, could catapult to bestselling author acclaim, why not you?!

Intrigued? If so, I encourage you to submit your previously unpublished personal humor or human interest essay of 450 words or less online at www.wclibrary.info by February 14th. Each entry costs $15, and will be judged in two rounds by seasoned humor writers from all over the country on the following criteria:

Does it have the voice of Erma? Erma knew how to portray the humor in the mundaneness of everyday life.
Is it organized? Does it stay on topic and have well-developed ideas?
Does it have a compelling lead? The piece should "Hook 'em with the lead. Hold 'em with laughter. Exit with a quip they won't forget."
Is it funny? (for humor entries only)
Is it true and does it evoke emotion? (for human interest entries only

Four winners will be selected and awarded $500 as well as a free registration to the University of Dayton’s Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop held April 19 - April 21, 2012 (a $375 value). Past contest winners have told us this experience was just what they needed to boost their confidence enough to continue writing. Who knows, we may be inspiring tomorrow’s bestselling authors!

For more information on Washington-Centerville Public Library visit www.wclibrary.info .

Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Call for Entries

2011-12-25T11:59:00.000-05:00

Writers around the world are encouraged to capture the spirit of famed Dayton columnist Erma Bombeck by submitting an entry in the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition, sponsored by Washington-Centerville Public Library in conjunction with the University of Dayton. The contest, now held every two years, was established in 1997 and pays tribute to hometown writer Erma Bombeck, one of the greatest humorists of the 20th Century. The contest opens for online entries ($15 entry fee) at 8 AM (EST) Tuesday, January 3, 2012, and closes at 7:30 AM (EST) Tuesday, February 14, 2012. Entries should be 450 words or fewer and cannot be published (either print or online) more than once in the calendar year 2011 (personal blog posts are allowed).
One Dayton, Ohio-area winner and one global winner will be awarded a $500 prize in each of two categories – “Humor” and “Human Interest” for a total of four prizes. One entry per person will be accepted and there is no age restriction. All winning essays will be published on the library’s website,
as well as in the Dayton Daily News. The top prize will also include a free registration to the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop to be held April 19-21, 2012 (value of $375), at the University of Dayton. The panel of judges includes authors, syndicated columnists, and experienced writers and some entries will receive feedback. Winners will be announced in mid-March with a Celebration event set for April 18, 7 PM, at Centerville Library featuring syndicated columnist and author Tracy Beckerman.

The Procrastinators Shopping Club

2011-12-22T10:00:00.003-05:00

By Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

Washington-Centerville Public Library

Quick, what’s the biggest shopping day of the year? Black Friday, of course! Wrong. Black Friday doesn’t even make the top five. The biggest shopping day of the year is usually the Saturday before Christmas, unless Christmas falls on a weekend (like this year) and then the biggest shopping day is the Thursday before. You’ve got it, that’s today. So, if you’ve put off your holiday shopping, chances are you’ll be in good company at the mall. Don’t get all Ebenezer Scrooge on me. With the help of resources I found on the Washington-Centerville Public Library’s website, I’ve amassed a procrastinator’s guide to shopping. These sure-fire tips will help you accomplish the task at hand with minimal stress and maximum success. Consider it my gift to you!

1. Give everyone a book – Holiday stress-busting experts say the easiest way to simplify holiday shopping is to get everyone on your list the same thing. And while gray mittens for everyone seem impersonal, you can definitely get a book for everyone that reflects their personal interests. Visit the library’s Fine print blog and online reading lists to find reviews of titles that are hot right now. And for the little ones on your list, our children’s librarians have prepared a great ‘books for kids’ gift list accessible at www.wclibrary.info

2. Do your homework – Before setting out to the mall, spend some time using resources like Consumer Reports online to compare prices, features and reviews of all kinds of products. Doing so will cut down on the time you spend at the mall and you’ll get more objective, credible information than you will from the college-aged seasonal employee helping you at the store. Access Consumer Reports online from the comfort of your own home by visiting www.wclibrary.info/databases/index.asp. Access is free to library cardholders.

3. Go high tech – Nooks, Kindles, iPads, smartphones, oh my. All the “top 10 gifts” lists include one or more of these geeked out gadgets, so I’m thinking you can’t go wrong. They are equally desired by women and men, and have cross generational appeal. That said they can be an intimidating purchase. If you are buying a device for an avid reader, be sure to check out the list of devices compatible with the Library’s collection of free digital books and audios. Our librarians have not only compiled a list of reviews but also tutorials to help the gift receiver get started with their new toy.

There you go. Easy as 1-2-3. For more details on all of the suggestions listed here visit Washington-Centerville Public Library online at www.wclibrary.info . Happy Holidays!

School Closings Don't Always Mean Library Closings

2011-12-18T11:57:00.000-05:00

Patrons often assume that the Centerville and Woodbourne Libraries are closed for school holidays like Martin Luther King Day or Presidents Day. Actually, your libraries only close for major holidays. We always try to let patrons know those dates well ahead of time, and holiday closings are always listed on our website.

School closings for inclement weather don't automatically close the library, either! There are several ways to discover if the library is closed due to emergency conditions such as severe weather or power outages.

•The first is to simply call the library at 433-8091 (Centerville) or 435-3700 (Woodbourne) for a recorded message.
•The second way is to check the library's Web site at http://www.wclibrary.info/ where closing information will be posted on the main page.
•And, finally, we also report to WHIO (channel 7), WKEF (channel 22/45), and WDTN (channel 2). If they don't list us on the ticker at the bottom of the screen, we should be included in the closings listed on the station websites--if we're closed.

When the "weather outside is frightful" and the library really is closed, patrons may still enjoy many online services such as 24/7 research assistance and homework help, data bases, and downloading selections from the digital collection!

Library Adds New Play & Learn Stations

2011-12-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

Thanks to grants and donations, the library has added two Early Literacy Stations (Play &Learn) each to Woodbourne Library and Centerville Library. These stations are a complete educational solution loaded with 50 educational games for kids ages 2-10. The games reinforce core curricular areas inlcuding reading, math, science, social studies, writing, art and music. The Play &Learn stations offer children a safe, stand-alone computer, not connected to the Internet, that is age-appropriate, engaging, and academically relevant for children.

The stations made their debut at the December 12th "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" program. Drop in and have your kids try their hand at educational games such as:

Dora's World Adventure
Giggles Toddler My Musical World
Kid Works Deluxe
Math Doodles
Photo Kit Jr.
Sesame Street
Stationery Studio
World of Goo

The Art of Gift Giving

2011-12-11T11:59:00.000-05:00

By Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

According to a poll conducted this November by the American Research Group, the average shopper will spend about $650 this holiday season on gifts. Those who have already started their shopping (versus procrastinators like me) will spend slightly more ($714 to be exact). I wish I could say I was simply being budget conscious by waiting until the last minute to start my shopping, but the truth is that my hesitation is more likely the result of not knowing what to get the people on my shopping list.

Each October my parents and in-laws start sending in their requests for ideas of what to get my husband, myself and our kids for Christmas. As good, obedient children (who also loathe post-holiday returns), we comply. There is no reciprocity however. We are left to wrestle with finding the perfect gift for four individuals who insist “Oh, you don’t need to get me anything.” And while I appreciate the “out”, something doesn’t seem quite right about giving your mailman a token present but leaving your own mother high and dry.

I read somewhere you can significantly reduce your holiday shopping stress by getting everyone the same gift. It’s a strategy I might try this year. In fact, Washington-Centerville Public Library has a really nice way to give a gift that lasts, to anyone (or everyone) on your list. On your next library visit, simply take an ornament tag off our Giving Tree, fill it out, and return it with a $25 donation. Kids can also participate with a smaller donation of $1 or $5. Giving Tree tags are also available on the website at www.wclibrary.info. The donation is used to purchase an adult, teen or children’s book for the library’s collection. We will even include a nice name plate for you so each person who checks out this particular book, will know it was purchased in honor of a special someone. Sure, it’s not a present you can wrap and put under the tree, but unlike traditional gifts, this one will serve as a lasting gift that can be enjoyed by not only the one for which you intended, but for an entire community of readers. And that my friend, is gift that keeps on giving long after the holiday hustle and bustle has past.

Our Library Supports the Blue Star Mothers

2011-12-04T11:48:00.009-05:00

This story about honoring our veterans was shared by Sue Shay, the library's Adult Programming Coordinator.

"This past week I bundled up our Veterans thank you cards written by kids during our special exhibit last week and delivered them to the site where the Blue Star Mothers are assembling stockings and Christmas packages for our military in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our cards are now nestled in with stockings and other special gifts and are going to an isolated Marine outpost where the men are tasked with finding and detonating buried IEDs, the improvised explosive devices which have caused such horrific damage and injury. How neat is that?

The next day, Saturday, Nov. 19^th, the mothers and other volunteers formed a huge working force in their donated space at the Town & Country Shopping Center. Perhaps 50 helpers worked to stuff more than 2500 stockings which by now are heading across the ocean. My granddaughter Regan went with me to watch the volunteers in action, and she personally helped stuff more than 20 stockings. By the end of her session, they encouraged her to give each stocking a kiss – so I can personally attest that a whole lot of stockings do indeed get sent with kisses and best wishes for our military who are serving so far away."

Sue mentioned that the woman who helped them with the Thank You cards was an Erma Bombeck Writing Contest winner from 1999. She was thrilled to have our library be involved with the efforts of the Blue Star mothers. Sue assured her that the library would continue to promote their work with our future programs.

Tis the "Green" Season

2011-11-27T11:58:00.005-05:00

By Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

If your household is like many, those dirty Thanksgiving dishes will just have to wait until everyone returns from the retail blitz that promises to begin at the stroke of midnight (or earlier). Yes, before our turkey dinners have even been digested, the retail world hurtles us into holiday planning overdrive. Ordering the holiday cards, chopping down and decorating the tree, purchasing wrapping paper….wow all this holiday preparation wreaks havoc on the environment!

Here at Washington-Centerville Public Library, we are going green in honor of the holidays! To save the environment, and some cash to boot, we are discontinuing the practice of sending printed notices of overdue and reserved materials, effective January 1st. For a while now we have offered email notices in lieu of print, but for those without an email account that wasn’t of much use. Starting in 2012, patrons will have two notification options – email or automated phone message. Each has its benefits and each is more cost effective and environmentally friendly than printed notices.

Email Notification

• Immediate notification of books on reserve and overdue fines/fees
• Courtesy reminder notices that alert you when an item is about to be due (this feature is only available through email notices)

Phone Notification

• Immediate notification of books on reserve and overdue fines/fees
• Good alternative for those without a computer or email address
• Anyone who currently receives printed notices will automatically receive phone notices unless they specify otherwise

Eliminating printed notices will not only save scads of paper from the landfill, but will save the library $13,000 in paper and postage costs annually. Now that’s some green everyone can get excited about.

So, the next time you are in the library, or in your library account online, be sure to confirm your current email address and phone number and help the library make this the holiday (ever)green.

For more information on Washington-Centerville Public Library, call 433-8091 or 435-3700 or visit www.wclibrary.info .

Many Reasons To Be Thankful

2011-11-20T11:14:00.001-05:00

By Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager
Washington-Centerville Public Library

Thanksgiving is quite possibly my favorite holiday. There’s all the family togetherness and good food requisite for a traditional holiday, without all the stress of shopping, wrapping, and going into debt! Plus the whole holiday is centered on taking time to think about all the reasons we have to be grateful…and eating.

In this economy, I’m really thankful to have not only a job, but one in which I take great delight. It’s really a joy to come to work in a beautiful facility that houses the answers to almost any question imaginable. There’s a definite sense of pride in working for an institution that, at its essence, embodies the things that make our democracy great – freedom of speech and uncensored access to all types of information.

What’s even more fun is seeing all the ways in which the library positively impacts the daily lives of our users. Patrons tell us all the time how grateful they are to have a library like ours and so I thought it would be fun to share a sampling of what they are thankful for when it comes to their public library:
· Thanks to you and the Library my wife’s 4 year battle with cancer was easier because of books and the Library. She was happier because of the Library and the wonderful world she could escape because of books and the gift of reading.
· Thanks for showing me how to download an eBook. The library levy is one of the few taxes I pay with a smile on my face.
· One of the reasons I'm so happy we relocated to this area is the library system!
· Thanks so much for offer to submit an inter-library loan request for these books. I so appreciate your consideration of being willing to purchase them, if they were available. Thank you for your follow-up! What would I do without Centerville Library as I teach!
· You have such a great large print collection at this library.
· Thank you so much for checking on this for me. What great personal service! I love my library!
· Thank you so much- you guys are on it. Quick replies, courteous service- so seldom occurs in the real world. Thank you!

Not everyone has the opportunity to see their place of employment make a difference in daily life. Yes, I’m thankful to be an employee of Washington-Centerville Public Library, and I’m not alone.

Homebound Residents Eligible for Sunshine Book Delivery Service

2011-11-13T12:26:00.001-05:00

Do you love to read but are unable to get to the Library? Washington-Centerville Public Library and Hithergreen Center collaborate to provide regular home delivery of library materials to residents of Centerville and Washington Township who are either temporarily or permanently homebound.

“We were fortunate to have dedicated Hithergreen volunteers providing delivery for a number of years, but thanks to Hithergreen, a van and driver now make the library deliveries each month, allowing us to expand our capacity to serve even more homebound adults,” said Betty Pupko, Outreach Services Coordinator for the library.

The “Sunshine Book Delivery” service delivers once a month, every fourth Wednesday.

Interested homebound adults may call Betty Pupko at 610-4442 for more information or to sign up for the service.

Thanks to Our Community

2011-11-09T11:00:00.016-05:00

November is a month to give thanks! We are thankful for all the local citizens that support the library financially and through their patronage. The successful passage of the Library's levy on November 8th means the Library will have the resources necessary to continue to meet, and exceed, your information needs. If there is anything we can do to make your library experience even better, please let us know.

Resolve to Take Advantage of My Library

2011-11-06T13:52:00.001-05:00

By Georgia Mergler

Community Relations Manager

The recent descent of festive decorations upon every major retailer has me thinking about the holiday season, and more specifically the New Year. I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. We all know by the first week of February most people have long misplaced their shiny new gym membership cards and well-intentioned diets have gone by the boards. What I am a proponent of, however is year-end resolutions. The logic goes like this. If I can resolve to make a positive life change and am able to sustain that change through the stressful and fattening goodie-filled months of November and December, then that change is probably one that will stick.

This year, I’m feeling pretty good about my health, so I’m going to focus on my mind and try to learn something new. But what? Luckily the Washington-Centerville Public Library provides a vast array of possible learning opportunities. In fact, a quick scan of our website wwww.wclibrary.info turned up several opportunities in just the next week. If I wanted to, I could learn to:

• Use MS Office – I’ve got this one covered, but highly recommend it for the beginning computer user.

• Download an eAudiobook – A great skill for anyone who’s feeling tapped out by iTunes and wants to access some free digital content via the Library’s Digital Collection.

• Use MS Powerpoint – I consider this learning opportunity a gift to anyone who has sat through a boring, non-visual lecture on any topic.

• Plan for retirement – Retirement seems like a long way off, but I’d like to envision myself retired on a beach somewhere and since that is going to take some cash, planning does seem like an important step.

• Raise a reader – These early literacy workshops show parents how to select books that can help prepare their kids for school.

• Bully-proof my child – A quick self-defense course taught by a local martial arts studio teaches kids how to assertively hold their own. I’m definitely reserving a spot for my two kids in that one!

The best news is that all these learning opportunities are free, so I can save my money for holiday shopping! With all these possibilities, I should have no problem learning something new before the New Year and I invite you to join me.

For more information on Washington-Centerville Library visit www.wclibrary.info.

Volunteering As A Friend Of WCPL Is For Everyone!

2011-10-30T12:00:00.001-04:00

The word is getting out about our first-ever Friends of the Washington-Centerville Public Library group, and patrons frequently ask how they can join in and volunteer.

Volunteers fill roles that easily fit their busy lives:

Being a Friend in “name only” and getting into the booksale on the preview day
Serving on a committee (membership, finance, events)
Helping out with a specific event/project (like the Americana booth, working the book sale, building a friends website, etc.)
Contributing to an ongoing projects (like sorting books for the booksale)

Benefits include:

Satisfaction of knowing you are supporting one of the top libraries in the state of Ohio and the nation!
Admission into the "members only" preview day of the annual book sale
Invitations to special Friends events
Annual membership fee of only $10.00 for non-residents or $5.00 for Centerville and Washington Twp. residents

All you have to do is fill out a membership form which is available at either our Centerville or Woodbourne locations or download a form from our website at http://www.wclibrary.info/donations/documents/friendsgroupenvelope.pdf.

Take Advantage of the Speaker's Bureau

2011-10-27T09:39:00.000-04:00

Need a speaker for your next business, civic or community group? Consider one of the library’s great programs presented by our very own staff members. Our Speaker’s Bureau includes programs on Technology (Introduction to eBay™, Introduction to Genealogy, Online Job Searching Strategies, eBooks Made Easy, Intro to Online Social Networking), History, Travel and Culture (The Three R’s of Growing Through Loss, Norman Rockwell’s America, Flags of our Fathers, the Story of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, First Mothers, A Sense of the World, Heroes and Characters of the Miami Valley, And He Lived to Tell: the Incredible Story of Louie Zamperini), Parent/Caregiver Education (Every Child Ready to Read, Choosing the Right Books for Your Child, Popular Picture Books, What’s New in Kid Lit), The Teenage World (Hot Picks for Teens, Got Game?), Book Bites (topics include War? What is it Good For?, Mysterious Women, Business Reads, or choose a custom book selected especially for your group).

For more information, print the Speakers Bureau Flyer, and then complete this request form for more information or to request a program for your group.

Books Bringing People Together

2011-10-23T11:57:00.001-04:00

By Georgia Mergler

In today’s world of technology, it is pretty easy to have relationships with people without ever actually setting foot in the same room with them. And while innovations like Skype and Facebook are great for staying connected with far away relatives or reconnecting with old high school friends, I am sometimes saddened when people seem more interested in connecting virtually than in person.

I’m a true extrovert, so I get energized by being surrounded by people. That’s why I was excited to learn that October is National Reading Group Month, sponsored by the Women’s National Book Association. National Reading Group Month promotes the values reading groups offer, including camaraderie, enjoyment of shared reading, and appreciation of literature and reading as conduits for transmitting culture and encouraging interaction among citizens. In short, they promote the real life kind of interaction that comes from sitting around a room with other readers and sharing opinions on a book.

The Washington-Centerville Library encourages this same type of interaction through its monthly book discussion group, Page Turners. Held the third Wednesday of every month at 1 PM in the Dorothy R. Yeck Conference Room of the Woodbourne Library, Page Turners has a loyal following of citizens who engage in spirited conversation of books selected by library staff. October’s selection is Song of the Silk Road by Mingmei Yip.

If you are looking for a way to reconnect with neighbors and/or meet new friends, I encourage you to attend a book discussion group – either at the library or by starting your own. The Library can provide you with the books and even give you guidance on where to find discussion guides to get your group off to a great start. For more information on Washington-Centerville Library visit www.wclibrary.info.

Library Stars On YouTube

2011-10-16T12:00:00.016-04:00

Did you know your library has it’s very own channel on YouTube?

Tune in this month, along with about 1000 other people from all over the world, to see our most popular video, “The Book of Kells: The Pages of History.” This video alone has garnered over 21,000 viewers since its release two years ago!

The Teen Advisory Board’s production is the next most popular, with over 11,000 views! You'll get a laugh out of Top Hat Tom and his team of local teens dishing up reviews of books, games, Anime and hot picks at the library!

The Library’s YouTube channel currently has more than a dozen videos ranging from a kid-friendly tour of the children’s room, a demonstration of the Express Checkout machines, and interviews with Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson), and pro-football player, Nick Mangold, for the Good Life Award.

Check it out by visiting www.wclibrary.info and clicking on the YouTube link in the social navigation bar, or for your convenience, just click here!

Oh, What a Tangled Web……

2011-10-09T11:08:00.003-04:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

A study by Harris Interactive found that adults now spend more than 13 hours a week online…..almost double the amount we did back in 1999. Perhaps we’ve gotten a new gadget that allows us to stay connected 24/7, or gotten jobs that demand we be online, or we’ve simply become a slave to our Facebook pages. Regardless of the reason, the Internet is certainly an integral part of everyday life.

If you are like me however, about half of my 13 hours are spent “searching” for information on the Web, not “finding” information mind you, but “searching” for it. I can see a few nods of agreement from the readers out there. Take heart, as of today there are nearly 55 billion indexed webpages on the Internet. The odds are clearly stacked against us. Fear not! There is help to be found at the Washington-Centerville Public Library. My esteemed librarian colleagues spend all day untangling the web for people like you and me. With a simple email, instant message, text, phone call or a visit to the library, you can elicit their help in finding a credible, accurate website that will provide you with the information you seek. And even better, they can teach you how to find information more easily the next time around! In fact, countless (and free) opportunities to learn to be a more effective Internet user await you at the Library.

Things like:
o Google Basics - Explore Google and learn search strategies, tips and tricks.
o Online Job Searching – Learn online job searching basics, including job site navigation, resume resources, and networking opportunities.
o Digital Downloads: ebooks - Attend this demonstration and learn to download ebooks to your computer, eReader, or tablet.
o Genealogy Interest Group - Meet informally to discuss genealogy, use the library’s genealogy databases (Ancestry and Heritage Quest), and learn from each other.
o Ebay Basics: Selling - Learn the procedure for listing items for sale and get practical tips on getting the greatest profit from your listings from an Education Specialist trained by eBay.
o Email for Beginners - Start communicating electronically with friends and relatives! Learn the basics of e-mailing, set up a Gmail account, and send and receive your first e-mail messages.
o Digital Downloads: eAudiobooks - Attend this demonstration and learn to download audios to your computer, mp3 player or iPod.
o Microsoft Office Basics - Learn some basic skills to use with all Microsoft Office products including how to open, save, and print a document. Also provided will be other tools and Web sites to enhance your use of Microsoft Office.

All of these programs are offered one or more times in October. Register here, or visit http://www.wclibrary.info/ or call 433-8091 for more details. Tutorials for some programs are also offered online at http://www.wclibrary.info/internet/university.asp

Barktoberfest at the Library!

2011-10-02T12:00:00.001-04:00

Dog lovers of all ages are invited to attend Barktoberfest, a fundraising festival celebrating man’s best friend. The event, co-presented by Washington-Centerville Library and SICSA, the Society for the Improvement of Conditions for Stray Animals, will be held on the lawn of Centerville Library, 111 W. Spring Valley Road, on Saturday, October 8 from 10 AM to 2 PM.

Sebastian, Here 4 You

Attendees can look forward to pet-related vendor booths, agility and other demonstrations, face painting, music and more. Children and their dogs are even encouraged to come in costume! Gift cards will be awarded for Dogs Only (Funniest and Scariest), Kids & Pups (Most Creative and Best Look Alikes), and Best in Show. There is a nominal charge of five dollars to participate in the contest. Judging will be done by the directors of the two organizations and begins at Noon. Several novelty items such as doggie bandanas and finger puppets will be available for purchase. Friends groups for both the Library and SICSA will have booths set up as well. Kids can even Read to a Dog with Sebastian from the Miami Valley Pet Therapy Association. Newfoundlands are known for their giant size, tremendous strength, calm dispositions, and loyalty.
The festival is offered with significant sponsorship assistance by Digital Fringe, Kosins Party & Tent Rental, Pet Supplies “Plus”, musician Rick Fannin, Centerville Landscaping, Suburban Veterinary Clinic, and Wash Your Dog. And yes, dogs are encouraged to come – on leash! Admission to Barktoberfest is free. Proceeds from the day, including contest entry fees, benefit the Library and SICSA.

Library Awarded Two National Grants

2011-09-25T10:18:00.001-04:00

Two national grants were awarded to the Library in August. The first, awarded by Target, is in recognition of the library’s efforts to support and promote early literacy in the community. The second grant will pay for the travel costs and provide program funds for a six-week traveling exhibit about Abraham Lincoln.

The $2,000 Target grant will be used to create themed ‘Brary Bags containing books, a toy or game, and fun early literacy suggestions for parents and caregivers. According to Jenna Boles, Literacy Specialist for the Library, “These bags will give busy families the materials and ideas to incorporate singing, talking, reading, writing and playing with their children. Participating in early literacy activities in the home is an important part of preparing children to learn to read before they actually start school.” The ‘brary bags will complement the library’s existing early literacy services, including weekly storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, as well as Every Child Ready to Read Workshops that teach parents early literacy tips and strategies they can use at home with their child.

The library will also be one of 200 libraries throughout the U.S. to host Lincoln: the Constitution and the Civil War, a six-week traveling exhibit organized by the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and the American Library Association Public Programs Office and made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Using the Constitution as the cohesive thread, the exhibit offers a fresh and innovative perspective on Lincoln that focuses on his struggle to meet the political and constitutional challenges of the Civil War. The library will host the exhibit in the spring of 2013, the 150th anniversary commemorating the most pivotal year during the American Civil War, and will offer a series of special programs during the exhibit’s visit.

State Library's Mobile Lab to Visit Centerville Library!

2011-09-18T12:00:00.002-04:00

SEO (Serving Every Ohioan) Mobile Lab

Get mobile at the Library! The State Library of Ohio’s Mobile Lab is making a stop at Centerville Library this month. This 35’ mobile lab is equipped with 10 networked PCs, a digital projector, printer and everything else needed to hold programs to teach computer based courses. Here's a list of programs being held in the mobile lab (registration required):

*Wednesday, Sept. 21 (2 to 3:30 pm): Microsoft Office Basics 2010
Thursday, Sept. 22 (3 to 4 pm): Consumer Reports Online
Friday, Sept. 23 (8:30 to 10 am): Online Job Searching
*Saturday, Sept. 24 (9 am to noon): Internet for Beginners (one-day class)
Saturday, Sept. 24 (2:30 to 4 pm): Online Job Searching
*Monday, Sept. 26 (2 to 3:30 pm): Microsoft Word

*These classes are currently full. Please call 937-433-8091 to be waitlisted or go to the Library Events Calendar, select the class you want, and Get on the Waiting List.

Things Not Taken for Granted

2011-09-11T12:00:00.002-04:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

The crazy storms that have pounded the Miami Valley recently remind me how easily we take things for granted. Things like electricity for example. It’s human nature, I suppose. We work really hard towards something and then once we have it, we forget how valuable it is. The Washington-Centerville Public Library is hosting a Voter’s Fair on September 17th from 10 AM – 3:30 PM and the planning of that event has reminded me that the right to vote is something many people take for granted as well.

At this event, voters will have the chance to get information on issues and candidates on the November ballot, try out electronic voting machines, learn about provisional and absentee balloting, and even meet local officials currently in office. All of those things are very useful in making informed voting decisions. If we are honest, however, many times whether we vote or not is based on convenience. Excuses like a busy schedule on election day, rainy weather, or not wanting to tote kids to the polls often get in the way of our democratic duty. So, I invite you to put your right to vote into perspective, especially if you are a woman. Come to the Centerville Library on September 17th and take in a few moments of the documentary we will be showing at the Voter’s Fair. The film, called “Not For Ourselves Alone” documents the efforts of Susan B. Anthony and countless others, to secure a woman’s right to vote.

It is staggering to think that women have only had voting rights for less than 100 years. Even more staggering, women had to fight for 100 years to get that right written into the constitution. In 1820 a woman named Fanny Wright called for women's voting rights (along with an end to slavery, birth control and more liberal divorce laws) in her book “Course of Popular Lectures”. Fanny was a firecracker by 1800 standards and I think we would have been buddies had I lived back then. Her views, however, didn’t pick up steam until the 1840s. By the 1870s there were formal women’s rights groups who were actively fighting for the right to vote. In 1920, after three failed attempts, hundreds of demonstrations, hunger strikes and imprisonments, the 13th amendment was finally approved and ratified into the U.S. Constitution. When you take all that into consideration, a rainy day seems like a pretty lame excuse not to go vote.

So, stop by the Library on September 17th to not only get registered to vote, but to get the information and the motivation you need to exercise your right to do so.

WCPL Director Named Centerville's Rotarian of the Year

2011-09-04T12:00:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Centerville’s 2010-11 Rotarian of the Year, our own Washington-Centerville Public Library's director, Kim Senft-Paras!

Meeting all the criteria for membership, plus active involvement in club activities and service projects, Ms. Sneft-Paras garnered the majority vote of fellow Rotarians.

Mark Koogler, Rotary President, wrote that, "Kim Senft-Paras received the most votes, along with some very nice comments regarding her character, personality and helpfulness. Club members cited Kim’s immediate involvement with activities, including becoming the Community Service Director and taking a major role in assisting with Interact, our high school club. She was also commended for her consistency and faithfulness to club lunch meetings and Board meetings. One member described Kim as “thoughtful of others, kind-hearted, welcoming to all she meets, and…a hard worker who makes things happen”!"

Read to Me

2011-08-28T13:00:00.002-04:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

For most local students, the school year has started. And believe it or not, the early reading experiences those students had as a young child will directly impact their academic success this year and beyond. I’m a lover of trivia, so here’s a question for you. Which of the following statements is true?

1. Students who are read to at an early age are twice as likely to be rated by teachers as near the top of the class in learning skills.

2. Reading to a toddler forms new brain cells and strengthens connections between existing ones.

3. Reading aloud to children helps improve their social skills as they learn to communicate feelings and opinions by discussing stories.

4. Kids who are read to early and often score better on college entrance exams.

5. Adults who are well read are 3 times less likely to live below the poverty level than those who aren’t.

Give yourself a gold star if you said ALL of the statements above were true! In my house, we have the 30 minute rule. For 30 minutes our kids get the “opportunity” to read whatever they like. Studies support that as little as 20 minutes a day makes all the difference. If your family is like mine, sometimes 30 quiet reading minutes are hard to find amidst soccer practice, homework, dinner, baths, etc., so here are a few suggestions for “sneaking in” reading:

1. Register for and attend story time - At Washington-Centerville Public Library we have 16 weekly story times for kids’ ages 6 months to 5 years. I realize this is a bit like “outsourcing” reading, but being read to, is just as effective for young kids. Registration for our fall session starts Sept. 12 and you can call, drop by the library, or visit www.wclibrary.info to register.

2. Drop in on a story time – Can’t commit to a weekly story time? We have ‘family story times’ twice a month on a Saturday morning. You can knock out your 30 minutes and get some quality family bonding time.

3. Make use of your drive time – Visit the library and check out audiobooks and/or books that always stay in your car. That way kids can listen/read in route to places like soccer practice, the grocery, etc. You’ll be amazed how quickly those minutes add up.

4. Pack a book – Keep a book in your purse at all times and pull it out while you wait at the Dr.’s office, in the grocery store line, etc. Not only does this pass the time, but it distracts your kids from the tempting treats in the checkout lane!

Reading at any age is important, but especially for our youngsters. In fact, early reading experiences are so important that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that “pediatricians prescribe reading activities along with other instructions given to parents at the time of well-child visits!

So whether you are a veteran or a soon-to-be parent, put your child on the road to reading success by visiting the library and utilizing all the built in services to help your child be well read.

Time Flies

2011-08-20T12:00:00.000-04:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

Next week my daughter starts middle school. She’s thrilled. I’m a wreck. It seems like just yesterday she was toddling around the house giggling at the sight of Elmo. In reality, it was 10 years ago. Yes, time does fly.

It’s fun to look back over the years and see how my daughter has changed and grown. Washington-Centerville Library does the same thing. Every 10 years or so, the Library takes the opportunity to reflect back on how things have changed and progressed and then issues a written ‘status’ report to local taxpayers in Centerville/Washington Township. Residents can expect this report in their mailboxes soon, but I thought I’d give you sneak preview in this week’s column.

Evolution. That’s the big theme over the past 10 years. Back in 2001, the Library didn’t offer Blu-Ray disks, videogames, or eBooks, but now those items make up some of our biggest growth areas. In fact, checkout of non-print items has grown 20% over the past decade and overall checkouts have grown by 22%. Conversely, items like books on tape and VHS movies are being eliminated from the collection to make more room for these newer formats.

Demand for online library service has grown as well. In 2001, the Library website had 130,000 visits annually. Today that number is approaching a half million. One may think that the online service has displaced personalized service, but that is not the case. In fact, visits to the library over the past 10 years have increased by more than 30%!

While much of the Library’s evolution has been to proactively meet the changing needs of patrons, some of it has been in response to economic conditions. Just 10 years ago, the Library depended primarily on the State of Ohio to fund its operation. A depressed economy and a series of cuts to public library funding have changed all that. Today, local residents fund almost 60% of the Library’s budget via a 10-year operating levy passed in 2002. Without this local support, the Library would not have been able to weather ongoing state cuts. In addition, the Library has had to look for ways to cut costs and collaborate to make operating money stretch even further. Good financial stewardship has always been a Library strength, but we’ve had to get even more creative in the areas of private fundraising and grant requests!

It’s been a decade of change, but one thing remains the same – top notch library collections and service and the pride citizens feel for their local library!

Helpful Hot-Weather Friends

2011-08-17T13:13:00.000-04:00

Unlike "fair weather friends" who are only with you for the good days, our WCPL Friends group will stick with us through thick and thin--or hot and muggy! In the blistering heat and humidity of early August, several Friends of the Library members joined forces with a dozen software engineers from Lexis Nexis to sort and label scads of donated books, movies and audios that were stockpiled in the shed behind the Cataloging Center. This hearty bunch worked for hours, in the heat, to clear out the storage space and prep the materials for the next book sale.

Then, with the help of Centerville Landscaping owner, Jim Teske, all those sorted boxes were loaded up on a flat-bed semi and taken to a warehouse space (provided for free by Bob Yeck) in Moraine. The materials will be stored there until the next book sale.

A book sort like this is a great example of how interested patrons can get involved as a volunteer with the Friends Group!

"Beyond Point & Shoot" Photo Contest and Workshops

2011-08-14T12:00:00.002-04:00

Calling all photographers! The Centerville Arts Commission and the Washington-Centerville Public Library are teaming up for their third annual Beyond Point & Shoot digital photo contest. Beginning August 1 and continuing through September 11, area residents are encouraged to participate in the online contest. Photographs can be entered in four subject categories: People, Places, Locally Taken (within Centerville or Washington Township), and Black & White with two age groups: Youth (17 and younger) and Adult (18 and older).

To help people polish up their skills, the library is offering two workshops on Saturday, August 27. Advance registration is required:

Beyond Point & Shoot Workshop - 10:00 to 11:30 am, presented by photographer Jerry Huffman. Learn how to use major elements in creating a great photo, including use of color or contrast, creativity, framing and more;
Photoshop Editing - 1:00 to 2:30 pm, presented by photographer and Centerville Arts Commissioner Kera Estep. Participants will learn how to use tools from the poular software to enhance and alter pictures.

Photographers Jerry Huffman and Gary Kunze, and Arts Commissioner and photographer Kera Estep will judge all of the photos submitted for the contest on the following critera: use of lighting, use of color or contrast, creativity, and perspective/framing. In addition, the public will have a chance to vote on their favorite picture in the People's Choice contest on the Library's website from September 13-20.

A winner's reception will be held on Sunday, October 16, at the Centerville Police Department Art Gallery located at 155 W. Spring Valley Road from 2:30 to 3:30 pm. Awards will be given at 3 pm.

To register for the workshops or to learn more about the Point and Shoot contest, visit www.wclibrary.info/photocontest. Anyone needing special accommodations should contact the library in advance.

1000 "Likes" On Facebook!

2011-08-04T11:02:00.000-04:00

If you're on Facebook we'd love for you to "like" us! Why not click on over to your Washington-Centerville Library Facebook page and launch us into another 1000 likes?

Liking the WCPL page means you'll be the first to see status updates on the latest and greatest news and photos at the library! And we want to hear your opinion in the comment line regarding book reviews, movies and library events.

Our Facebook page also offers light-hearted public service announcements so you'll never miss another National Ice-Cream Day again, or the quoteable Dr. Suess:

"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love." - Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss calls it "love," we call it "like" us on the WCPL Facebook page. Join in soon!

Bank Buster Movies

2011-08-01T09:50:00.000-04:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

I like a good movie the much as the next gal, but really I’m hard pressed to find one that merits the $10.50 ticket price! My daughter and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 the other weekend while my husband and son saw Transformers 2 in an adjacent theatre. For the price of four tickets, two small popcorns and a couple of drinks, I believe we could have bought our family a nice used car!

And it’s not just the theatres that are raising prices. Netflix recently announced they were upping their rates by 60% and if you can actually locate a movie rental place that isn’t boarded up, prepare yourself to pay $5 to rent a new release.

The Washington-Centerville Public Library saves me a bundle in those rental costs with its robust collection of 35,000+ movies. Whether you are a fan of classics, westerns, foreign films or the latest new releases, the Library has you covered. To the purists out there who scoff at the fact that the library offers movies, I say this: they are not our bread and butter. Books have, and will remain the “main course” on the library’s menu. We have more than 370,000 items in our collection and less than 10% are movies, so rest assured having a great print collection is a top priority.
That said, patrons do appreciate having an option for affordable entertainment. In 2010, more than 260,000 movies were checked out from the library. That represents an approximately $13.2 million savings to library users (if they would have rented all those movies) instead of borrowing them.

So if your family is like mine and enjoys cuddling up in the living room with some microwave popcorn for movie night, I encourage you to check out the library’s movie collection. Family movie nights are priceless….but with the library’s help, they don’t have to break the bank!

How Audiobooks are Saving My Life

2011-07-24T12:00:00.003-04:00

by Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager
ODOT is stalking me. There’s no other way to explain the fact that every stretch of highway I ever need to travel, is peppered with orange barrels and electronic signs announcing “expect long delays”.

The Gallup poll puts the average American commute at 23 minutes. I suppose that would make me above average because I’m lucky if I can get home from work in less than 45. At best my 60 mile round trip commute is frustrating. At worst it is downright maddening. And since the Gallup – Healthways Well-Being Index says that folks with longer commutes are more likely to report a range of adverse physical and emotional conditions, I’m darn lucky I work at Washington-Centerville Public Library and have unlimited access to audiobooks.

The Library offers more than 16,000 CD books, Playaways and Eaudiobooks to provide a pleasant distraction from the onset of road rage. I can download a book to my iPod and get in plenty of “reading” time while I sit in gridlock. A fictional story is just what’s needed to transport me from the bottleneck on the road to the far off setting of the novel to which I’m listening. And by listening to a book, I can keep my eyes on the road.

I must not be alone in my love of audiobooks as more than 90,000 were checked out from the library in 2010. Either there are lots of stressed out motorist visiting the library, or people have figured out that audiobooks are great for passing the time while exercising, doing household chores, or sitting on the beach. (That sun glare can make reading a print book a bear!)

So, to you an audiobook might just be a nice way to consume a book. For me, and my fellow long commuters, they could “literally” be saving us from back and neck pain, high cholesterol, body fat, and depression! Whatever your motivation, stop by and check out an audiobook today!

Superheroes Unite at the Americana Festival Parade

2011-07-17T12:00:00.010-04:00

Americana "President's" Trophy

For the second year, the Library took home the President's Trophy at the 38th Annual Americana Festival July 4. Assisted again by Jim Teske, owner of Centerville Landscaping, the Library based its float theme on the Summer of Heroes Summer Reading Club. Riding on the float were a few Supergirls, Supermen, Violet from the "Incredibles", Super Mario, Batman, Captain America Girl, and a Star Wars guy, to name a few. The superheroes were protected at the front of the float by the Fortress of Solitude, Superman's Arctic headquarters. A blackened cityscape was the backdrop for the rest of the superheroes. Helpers walked the parade route and delivered Summer of Heroes stickers to enthusiastic readers along the way.

Summer Reading Club ends July 30 and to celebrate we are having an end-of-summer bash complete with carnival games, a dunking booth, popcorn, a duck pond, balloons, music and prizes. Visit us on the lawn of the Centerville Library on Monday, August 1, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and celebrate your reading accomplishments with a party! Anyone needing special accommodations should contact the Library at 937-433-8091.

How to ... Everything!

2011-07-03T13:00:00.000-04:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

Summer is a great time to lounge around poolside lost in the fictional places and lives offered up by a good novel. But I find the older I get the more I appreciate the tomes found on the other side of the library in the non-fiction collection. Sure, the Dewey Decimal system can be a bit daunting, but with the help of Washington-Centerville Public Library’s eCatalog system you can look up the subject matter you seek and get the call number of a specific book or a whole section of the library. Or you can simply ask a librarian!

I don’t know about you, but I believe with age comes wisdom. For me that often often means that I’m wise enough to admit when I don’t know something. For example, after much lobbying by our children, we just bought a puppy. Yes, I know, that doesn’t seem very wise but I’m a sucker. The wise part came before we ever purchased our miniature schnauzer (who's named Doogie, get it? Doogie Schnauzer.). We used the library’s vast collection to find out “how to” select a puppy that’s right for your family. I have allergies, so we had to find a breed that was ‘hypo allergenic’. So far, so good. We also checked out books on “how to” interview a breeder. Again, very helpful as I would have never thought to ask some of the questions the book recommended.

I’ll admit, the pre-puppy research was easy compared to the puppy care. Having never owned a house pet, we were clueless and again sought the help of the library. Now we are knee deep in “how to” housebreak your puppy. I can’t read it very fast however, because everytime I take my eyes off Doogie, he pees in the house. Go figure!

So, whether you a planning a bridal shower, building a deck, or just searching for an awesome barbeque recipe, the library has “how to” everything books than you could ever imagine. Stop by to browse or search eCatalog via the library website at http://www.wclibrary.info/.

Audio Book Collection Updated

2011-06-26T12:19:00.001-04:00

Patrons love our newly discovered Playaways!

These compact audiobooks are self-contained in a case about the size of an MP-3 player or Ipod. With no CD's to change and the compact size, they can be worn on a lanyard or tucked in a pocket making housecleaning chores, or walking and treadmill times something to look forward to!

Do you have a long flight coming up on your vacation or business travel? Playaways are smaller than a paperback, and easily fit in limited luggage space. Kids love them for long car rides. With their own headphones, or earbuds that can be purchased at the library for only $1.00, stories are powered by only a AAA battery and their imaginations!

Shelf-space for the Playaways and our CD books was recently expanded by removing all audio cassette tape books. Circulation for this collection drastically dropped in the past five years, and new titles are no longer available for our suppliers. The good news is that the audio cassette books that were in good condition will be available at next years' book sale!

Library Adds Sign Language to Kids Collection

2011-06-19T13:00:00.001-04:00

The American Sign Language (ASL) series adds a new dimension to some best-loved children's stories and the Library has recently added them to the collection. While the animated story is told in sound and picture, a fluent signer tells the story in ASL. There are even captions for early readers, a demonstration on some of the nouns and verbs, and the ASL alphabet. Stories in the series purchased by the library include such classics as The Story of Ferdinand, Goodnight Moon, and Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (also includes Little Quack and There's Something in My Attic), and A Pocket for Corduroy (and more stories about friendship). These wonderful books are presented bilingually making these DVDs a welcome resource for educators and families.

Library Keeps Its Promises to Community

2011-06-12T12:37:00.001-04:00

“The library has shown excellent stewardship and has earned the trust of taxpayers by wisely using income from the 2002-2012 operating levy to deliver on every promise made, including adding Sunday hours at Centerville Library during the school year, keeping pace with technology and growing library usage, expanding programs for kids, teens and adults, maintaining facilities, and adding more than a 25,000 books and media each year,” says Richard Carr, President of the Library Board of Trustees.

Past promises were kept despite drastic reductions in state funding. “The Washington-Centerville Public Library has had to deal with budget cuts, and a funding cutback along with the majority of other public entities. In 2010, the library reduced expenses by $580,000 by eliminating capital improvements, freezing pay for employees, reducing the number staff, and cutting administrative costs,” says James Marten, Library Trustee, member of the board’s finance committee, and Vice-President of Crown Solutions Company, LLC.

The library is facing continued reductions in state funding. In 2010, Ohio public libraries received 23% less in state funding than in 2008. The proposed budget for the next biennium would reduce state aid to local libraries by an additional 5%. Without the support of our current levy, the ongoing reductions in state aid would have been devastating.

Are you a Millionaire in the Making?

2011-06-09T17:00:00.005-04:00

I was among the crowd that attended yesterday's outstanding Money Sense: Manage Money Like a Millionaire program, presented by Christine Olinsky of The Ohio State University Extension. The presentation was based on the best-selling book The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley and William Danko. If you missed it, here are the highlights:

Five Surprising Facts About America’s Millionaires

Two thirds of millionaires are self-employed with an average taxable income of $130,000.
Most millionaires have lived in their home for over 20 years. Their average home value is $320,000.
Four out of five millionaires have a college education. That means 20% did not go to college.
Most millionaires attended public schools, but 55% send their children to private school.
Eighty percent of millionaires built their wealth within a single generation. Only twenty percent inherited their wealth.

Five Smart Financial Habits of Millionaires

Most millionaires invest 20% of their income every month, and use professional financial advisors to help them make smart decisions.
Most millionaires work 45 – 55 hours per week.
Millionaires save all receipts - even receipts from McDonalds. They review receipts regularly to monitor their spending.
Millionaires clip coupons, comparison shop and NEVER impulse-buy.
Millionaires describe themselves as "Frugal, Frugal, Frugal" and live below their means. This allows them to “Save, Save, Save.”

Learn more financial tips at the next Money Sense event. Managing Your Money , presented by Bettina Buscemi of Day Air Credit Union, will be held on June 23 at 2pm at the Centerville Library. Hope to see you there!

Library Debuts Brain Games!

2011-06-05T12:00:00.003-04:00

Educational games on the Library's Kid's Website are a big hit, and now it's time for adults to get in on the action!

The Library has launched Brain Games (located on the main website in the Quick Links Navigation bar) for puzzlers and anyone who likes to keep their mind sharp. Work an online crossword or a traditional sudoku, create matches of three in a row with Rome Puzzle, or use the letters on the stones in Super Speller. Improve your score and play them again and again -- they're free. Check them out!

Good Life Award Teen Writing Contest Announces Winners

2011-05-23T14:44:00.000-04:00

The sixth annual Good Life Award writing contest inspired Montgomery County teens to share their recipe for doing good and being happy. More than 350 students, in grades 7-9, wrote essays about how they are laying a good foundation for their lives..
For the sixth year in a row, a student from Watts Middle School has won the top prize. Erin Seymour was chosen as the winner of this year’s contest by an independent panel of judges comprised of retired educators, professors and professional writers from the Miami Valley. Erin will receive $3,000, paid for with endowment funds from the family of Dottie Yeck, who was a life-long supporter of libraries, children, and the arts. Erin and other winners will be honored on May 26th at 7 PM during a Good Life Celebration featuring acclaimed teen leadership expert Fran Kick.

Three other students won Awards of Distinction prizes of $100 each: Danny Barbaro, a 7th Grader from Ascension School, Jackson Diodoardo and Brendon Turner, both 9th Graders at Oakwood High School. In addition, the judges also awarded 19 Honorable Mentions to students from Dayton, Centerville, Oakwood, and Kettering, All of the winning entries can be read at the Library’s Web site at www.wclibrary.info/gla.

People needing special accommodations should call 937-433-8091. For more information about library programs, visit www.wclibrary.info.

A Great Bunch of Friends!

2011-05-15T12:32:00.003-04:00

The Friends of WCPL are off to a thrilling start with their very first Book Sale and membership drive adding 191 new Friends and $9400.00 in total sales! (memberships + sales)

Plus, a lot of fun and community spirit as great reading materials and videos sold and went to their happy new owners!

In the words of Book sales Chair, Peter Adams “Not bad for a rag tag bunch that didn’t even exist less than a year ago.”

A heart-felt "Thank You!" to this "rag tag bunch." We couldn’t agree more, Peter!

If you missed out, it's not too late. Friends memberships are still available at either the Centerville or Woodbourne Library circulation desks.

Library's Good Stewardship & Value Recognized In Survey Results

2011-05-08T12:40:00.004-04:00

". . . We are lucky to have a community that recognizes and supports the value of their local library,” commented Richard Carr, Board of Trustees President, at a recent WCPL board meeting.

That support was never more apparent than in the results of a recent telephone survey of local residents regarding their satisfaction with the library. Over 93% of respondents, including those who don’t use the library, said they had a favorable opinion of the library and more than 90% of respondents rated the quality of services at the library as excellent or good. Overall, 87% of respondents feel they get a good value for the tax dollars spent on the library.

“The Library remains a vital resource to the community, serving all ages with high quality content and passionate customer service. I hope that the citizens of Centerville / Washington Township will continue to support and appreciate the value that we all enjoy from the library,” added James Marten, Library Trustee.

Civil War Days Commemorates 150th Anniversary

2011-05-01T12:09:00.014-04:00

Commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War at an outdoor Civil War Days event on Saturday, May 14 from 11am-2pm at the Centerville Library, 111 W. Spring Valley Road. The three-hour living history experience is sponsored by the Library and the Centerville-Washington Twp. Historical Society and will feature:

• Re-enactors from the 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry will set up camp, drill in formation, cook meals, and more;

• Strolling music will be performed by Steve Ball of Columbus, whose repertoire includes classic songs from the Civil War era such as “Taps”, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”, and “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”;

• A kids-friendly station showcasing common children’s games from the era such as checkers, ball in a cup, 9 pins, tug-of-war, and stilts.

America paid a steep price during the war, which lasted for four years and ended in 1865. More than 600,000 died during the conflict which divided families and ultimately made our nation come to grips with issues of national importance such as slavery and equal protection under the law. Men from Ohio served under the Union flag, and included artillery, cavalry, and infantry units who lost more than 10 percent of their men — nearly 7,000 killed in battle and another 28,000 dead from wounds or disease.

The 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who will be a major part of the library’s event, is a re-enactment group with members from Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Northern Kentucky. Its mission is to recreate as accurately as possible an infantry company of the Civil War and their members participate in 10-12 events a year from small encampments and living histories to large national battle re-enactments involving several thousand re-enactors.

Fax Your Documents At Centerville Library!

2011-04-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

Centerville Library now offers a self-serve Fax24 service during open library hours! Patrons are already utilizing this handy service to send out documents paid for by credit card. On-site instructions easily step you through the faxing process. Here are some other facts about the new service:
How much does it cost?
Domestic Faxes: $1.50 first page
$1.00 each additional page
International Faxes: $4.95 first page
$3.45 each additional page

Can phone calls be made from this machine?
No, not even 911 calls. The machine only will send faxes.

Can faxes be received at the library?
No, this machine only sends faxes.

Does the library receive any of the money collected from the service?
The library will receive a small share if the revenue of the machine exceeds $50 for the month. There’s a greater share if the revenue exceeds $101.

What if there's a problem with a fax?
Fax24 customer service may be contacted from the handset or there is also a toll-free number posted for customers to call. In any case, Fax24 needs to be contacted directly.

Is Woodbourne Library going to get a fax machine?
There isn’t an immediate plan to add a fax service at WB. Fortunately, patrons there can be referred to the UPS store across the street.

How do I know if the fax has been received?
Please contact the recipients of the fax. Also keep the small confirmation page that serves as your receipt when the fax has been sent.
We hope the community will enjoy this convenient new service!

Talk About A Sale!

2011-04-17T12:37:00.002-04:00

The Friends of the Washington-Centerville Public Library kicks off their first-ever Book Sale on April 29th and 30th at the Centerville Library. Thousands of hardback and paperback books, DVDs, CDs, videogames and more will be sold for 50 cents to $2!

April 29th is open to "Members Only." You may purchase a membership ahead of time at either the Centerville or Woodbourne circulation desks, or on location the 29th.

Here are the annual dues:

$20.00 for a Charter Membership which includes a library tote bag and a $5.00 coupon for the book sale
$10.00 annual membership for non-residents
$5.00 annual membership for residents of Centerville and Washington Township

Besides the satisfaction of supporting your WCPL, becoming a Friend of the library will bring you updates and invitations to future special Friends events! Join today!

Self-Serve Holds Offer Speedy Service at Woodbourne Library

2011-04-10T12:12:00.008-04:00

Patrons enjoy easy access
to their reserved items!

Enthusiastic exclamations echo through the Woodbourne Library over the easy access to patron holds!

“Oh good! Now I can use self-checkout more!”
"That’s neat!"
"That’s great!"
And a heart-felt, "It just works!" after a staff member explained to a patron that she could now pull her holds and go directly to the Self Checkout Machine to avoid the circulation desk’s line.

Building manager, Kristi Hale says, "The new self-service shelving offers a number of benefits to patrons, including shorter lines at the circulation desk, and better access to Express Checkout machines. In addition, circulation staff now has more time to offer more in-depth patron service, such as Reader’s Advisory, new patron tours, item search and retrieval, and faster phone response times."

Kristi and Allison prepare books
for the self-serve
hold shelves at Woodbourne.

In today's fast paced world where people have grown accustomed to having consumer autonomy and control, the self-service hold shelves at Woodbourne Library bring efficiency and convenience to your library visit, plus the added benefit of a full-service professional staff ready and able to help with more detailed inquiries.

With Woodbourne Library serving to pilot this new service, patrons may look to see the self-serve hold shelves at the Centerville Library in the future.

Hike the Hoot Route!

2011-04-03T12:01:00.006-04:00

The Library and the Park District have teamed up for the first Nature Literature Trail at Grant Park (Normandy entrance - 501 Normandy Ridge Road) and you're invited to the grand opening festivities! Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 16, from 10:00 am until noon, for the debut of Owlexander's Hoot Route. Children ages 3-8 and their adult companions can hike the trail, learn about the woodland animals that live in the Grant Park Woods, enter a drawing, and enjoy prizes and refreshments.

Each sign on the Hoot Route helps children practice early literacy skills such as rhyming and counting, and features park district mascot, Owlexander, as he meets and makes new friends along the trail. Owlexander’s Hoot Route was made possible through a partnership between the Centerville-Washington Park District and the Library and is fully funded by the Yeck Family Foundation.

Get excited for the grand opening by taking part in one of the library's many activities leading up to the big event. A family storytime with crafts will take place Saturday, April 9, from 11 am until noon, at the Centerville Library. Then, during the week of April 11-16, both Centerville and Woodbourne Libraries will feature contests and craft activities featuring the Hoot Route. Owlexander (a costumed character) will stop by the Centerville Library on Thursday, April 14, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, and children are welcome to have their pictures taken with him, shake his wing, and say “Hooty-Hoo!” We hope you'll join us!

Library Forms Friends of WCPL

2011-03-27T12:00:00.004-04:00

If you've ever wanted to volunteer at the Library or help in some way, here's your chance! The newly formed Friends of Washington-Centerville Public Library has scheduled a Book Sale at the Centerville Library for April 29 and 30 from 10 am until 5 pm. They're currently accepting donations of new and gently used books, games, DVDs, Videos, and CDs which you can deliver to either Woodbourne or Centerville Library. And if you'd like to do more than shop and deliver donations, your help would gladly be welcomed in sorting before the sale. Just contact Debe Dockins at the Library at 937-610-4429 and she'll help you get started.

Friends of WCPL has been meeting monthly for almost a year with the eventual goal of helping the Library with general advocacy and specific short-term fundraising needs. Besides assembling baskets for the recent Dinner at the Trace Silent Auction, they have been busy electing officers, securing incorporation and 501(c)3 status, and planning a membership drive (beginning with the April Book Sale). The officers are

President June Ovington
Vice President (and Book Sale Chair) Peter Adams
Recording Secretary Karin Seymour
Corresponding Secretary Carleen Suttman
Treasurer Marilouise Beeman
Membership Chair Amy Fish

You can look forward to seeing more information about the Friends group soon. If you have an interest in helping the Library, consider joining the Friends of WCPL! The Library is very grateful to have the enthusiasm and support of so many of its patrons. Thank you!

Get Hooked on a Series

2011-03-20T12:43:00.002-04:00

If you love series, you’ll be glad to know that Washington-Centerville Public Library has you covered on several fronts this spring. We’ve got everything from new books in a series from your favorite author, to TV series, to program series. Take advantage of the stormy spring we've had so far and enjoy staying inside, warm and dry!

• Books – There’s nothing quite like hooking into a good series. Whether it be Harry Potter, Sue Grafton’s Alphabet series, or Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, there’s a comfort in getting to know a cast of characters and following them through multiple books. If you are looking for a good series, ask a library staffer for a recommendation.

• TV Series – Sometimes we get hooked into a series in Season 5, leaving us wondering what good stuff we missed out on in the first 4 seasons. Fear not, the library has a wide selection of TV series on DVD. Simply search eCatalog on the library’s website by Series Title to check availability.

• Program Series – The library offers hundreds of programs each year. Some are one-time events, but there are also some topics that take more than an hour or two to cover completely. In those cases we offer a series of programs.

Two such series are slated for this spring. The first is Great World Religions, which takes place over six Tuesdays and started March 1st. Each Tuesday, from 7-8:30 PM at Hithergreen Center, you are invited to learn more about the basic tenets of five world religions, including Hinduisim, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

In April, the library will kick off a grant-funded financial education series called Money Sense. This series, which will run throughout the year provides strategies for maximizing your investments, plotting a road map to retirement or simply managing your money more effectively.

So while you're watching March roar in like a lion and go out like a lamb, or waiting for April showers to bring May flowers, hook into some series and never mind the weather!

E-Book Circulation Sets Records

2011-03-13T12:25:00.001-04:00

As predicted, e-readers were a hot item this past Christmas! Our Digital Download circulation has already doubled! Last January, combined circulation for our digital collection was 947. This year it was 1,891! E-books compatible with e-readers such as Nook and Sony were largely responsible for the higher circulation.

Because of the increased interest throughout the region, our consortium, which includes Columbus Metro, Greene County and twelve other libraries, has committed to increased funding in 2011 to meet the demand. Part of those funds will be used to increase the number of copies in the collection so you don't have to wait as long to get the ebook you want!

Need A Test Proctor?

2011-03-06T12:00:00.001-05:00

The number of people taking online college classes is growing! Did you know that Washington-Centerville Library has been proctoring tests for years, and can do so for you if the need arises?

In fact, our libraries have seen a 16-fold increase in proctoring requests as distance learning has become more popular. Centerville Library currently has twenty students registered and Woodbourne has about 6 signed up for proctoring. Some colleges and universities use mail or fax to send exams in proctoring instructions while others send everything online. Contact our Adult Services department if you will need a test proctored in order to attend that graduation ceremony this June!

I "Heart" My Library

2011-02-27T12:35:00.002-05:00

Each year the American Library Association declares February as “Library Lovers’ Month”, and why not I say. Libraries need love too. Library Lovers' Month is a month-long celebration of school, public, and private libraries of all types. It’s a time for everyone to recognize the value of libraries and to work to assure that the Nation's libraries will continue to serve. And while we don’t have a formal host of activities to celebrate this occasion at Washington-Centerville Public Library, I wanted to at least offer a few ideas, should you care to partake in showing your love for your library.

1. Tell a library staff member “Thanks.” – everyone loves to be appreciated for their efforts and we’re no exception.

2. Write us a “love” note – we recently asked people on our Facebook page what they “love” about the library. The responses, of which I’ve included a few, were enough to make us blush with gratitude.

“I love the excitement of discovering something new in the stacks.”
“I love knowing that no matter how fast I read, I will never run out of books!”
“I love the library and can't think of a better place to spend my time. And I safeguard my library card with my life!!”
“I really love and appreciate being able to e-mail questions to librarians directly.”
“I love your movies, games and obviously all the great books. You are lifesavers during winter storms.”

3. Give a gift – a donation, in any increment, to the library is another way to show your support and love. And who are we kidding, we also like a nice box of Esther Price chocolates!

4. Share your love story with others – believe it or not, there are some people who have yet to discover the joys the public library can bring. Being an advocate for your library with neighbors, friends and even elected officials is a great way to support the library. You can even share your story via our website www.wclibrary.info/donations/share.asp.

5. Spend time with us – more than anything, we love serving those who use the library. You are not bothering us when you ask for a reading recommendation, an answer to a research question, or even where the restrooms are located. Quite the contrary. The staff enjoy helping our 70,000 cardholders and even count many of them as friends. So, visit us often!

Good Life Award Writing Contest Opens March 1

2011-02-20T12:58:00.001-05:00

Some insightful teen will be $3,000 richer this spring just for describing how helping others is fun and makes them happy. The sixth annual Dottie Yeck Good Life Award Writing Contest will open March 1 and will run until April 1 for online entries. Besides the top prize, $100 each to three Awards of Distinction winners will also be granted. The top four essay winners will also be featured in the Dayton Daily News and on the library website. Other prizes will also be awarded. The contest will culminate in the Good Life Award Celebration Ceremony to be held at the Centerville Library on Thursday, May 26, 2011. Nationally recognized speaker Fran Kick will once again entertain and inspire kids and their families to "kick it in!"

The writing contest is funded by a generous endowment from the family of Dottie Yeck. Mrs. Yeck believed you are never too young to have a positive impact on others. The goal of the contest is to encourage teenagers to think deeply about themselves and their impact on their community. This year’s contest once again features Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, as spokesperson and asks teens to write about how it's fun to help someone else. The Good Life Award Writing Contest also provides writing practice for Ohio’s statewide assessments, rewards local students for their efforts, supports character education, and is aligned with Ohio Academic Content Standards.

A drop down list of eligible schools, the writing prompt and rubric, interview with Nancy, READ poster, book and media lists, and more are featured at www.wclibrary.info/gla and can be used by kids, families, and schools to stimulate inspiring ideas and projects.

Library Demonstrates Good Stewardship

2011-02-13T12:58:00.001-05:00

By Randy Bowling, Fiscal Officer and Cindy Uttermohlen, Deputy Fiscal Officer, Washington-Centerville Public Library

Challenging times are not new to Ohio’s public libraries. State funding for libraries has been eroding since 2002 and the “Great Recession” only exacerbated a problem that already existed. Washington-Centerville Public Library, like libraries across the state, had to take bold action in order to survive Ohio’s economic crisis while at the same time meeting increasing demands for library service.

Washington-Centerville Public Library relies on the state for 31% of total revenue. The remaining portions come from a local 2.7 mil operating levy (60%) and fines and interest on investments (9%). Over the past three years, the library has endured more than $630,000 in state funding cuts. As a result of conservative fiscal stewardship by the library board, the cuts have been virtually invisible and behind the scenes.

In 2009 when the library saw that tougher times were ahead, management and the board of trustees took the necessary steps to reduce expenditures and ensure the continued fiscal health of the library system. Specifically, we eliminated certain capital outlays (improvements to facilities, supplies and equipment), froze pay increases for staff and reduced the number of new materials ordered.

Making budget adjustments early enabled us to stretch local levy resources 10 years and positioned us for further cuts that appear inevitable as lawmakers confront the state’s approximately $8 billion budget deficit. We expect that the libraries’ share of state funding will continue to decline and we are preparing financially for more cuts.

Despite reduced budgets, our community’s levy support, combined with selective reductions, has enabled us to survive state cuts. We are pleased that amid all the uncertainty, our staff and board of trustees have worked hard to weather the financial times without abandoning the library mission or our commitment to quality service. In fact, awards continue to be earned, usage remains high, and our professional staff remains outstanding. We appreciate the support and pride shown to our libraries and pledge to demonstrate our gratitude every day by delivering top quality library service.

In the meantime, we encourage you to visit our libraries and to be involved in protecting our Washington-Centerville Public Library. Ongoing budget information will be posted on www.wclibrary.info as it develops.

Library Gets $30,000 Grant to Provide Financial Education Programs

2011-02-07T13:00:00.000-05:00

This spring, Washington-Centerville Public Library will launch “Money Sense”, a series of programs to promote financial education in the community. The library has partnered with Hithergreen Center to present the series and will work with a number of groups including, Consumer Credit Counseling Service, DayAir Credit Union, Ohio State Extension Office and the Social Security Administration to provide a variety of programs geared toward helping adults, age 50+, gain knowledge that can inform their financial decision making.

In January, the library was awarded a $30,000 grant to fund the Money Sense series. The grant is funded by the American Library Association (ALA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation as part of the Smart investing@your library® program. The library was one of 20 recipients nationwide to be selected for participation in the latest round of grantmaking.

The grant will help build the capacity of Washington-Centerville Public Library to provide effective, unbiased financial education to the community at large. “The recession took a toll on the investment portfolios of many. These programs will not only provide guidance on how to make smart financial choices going forward, but how to budget on a fixed income. We partnered with Hithergreen Center in order to target older citizens whose retirement savings were put in jeopardy by the economic downturn,” says Kevin Risner, Adult Services Team Leader and grant project leader. Using grant funding, the library will offer free public programs on investing, budgeting, financial scams, identity theft and other financial topics. Programs will begin in April and be held at the Centerville Library or Hithergreen Center free of charge. Registration is recommended.

“We are so pleased to have been selected by the ALA and the FINRA Foundation for participation in this important financial education program,” said Mr. Risner. “Through the grant, we are able to offer a number of new high-quality programs, enabling our library to become an even stronger resource for patrons looking to learn more about investment options and saving strategies.”

"Cold Relief"

2011-01-31T10:12:00.002-05:00

by Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

According to the National Weather Service, we have had near record snowfall this winter and I, for one, am over it. In early December, the snow was novel. In late December, it was festive. Now, it’s just getting old. So, to keep myself from slipping into SAD (seasonal affectiveness disorder)-ness, I look for an escape. It could be a book set on a tropical island, a Jimmy Buffet CD, or a movie that reminds me that sometime, a few months from now, I will be able to enjoy the great outdoors without bundling up like and Eskimo before heading out the door.

The Washington-Centerville Public Library is nothing if not a great provider of “escape” opportunities. With a collection of more than 380,000 items in 15 different print and multimedia formats, it is easy to find something to distract you from the foul forecasts. Search the catalog using key words like ‘summer’, ‘outdoors’, or ‘tropical’ and you are sure to get a litany of options that will wisk you away to someplace warmer.

Here are just a few items I turned up and I’m feeling more optimistic already:

Documentaries:
Kon-Tiki – Five guys float in a raft from Peru to Polynesia!
Endless Summer – Two surfers travel the world in search of the perfect wave.

Novels:
Summer in Sonoma by Robyn Carr – warm temperatures and wine!
Killer Summer by Ridley Pearson – summer and suspense.

Movies:
500 Days of Summer – sign me up!
The Long, Hot Summer – the perfect antidote to the long, cold winter.

Music:
No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems by Kenny Chesney – tunes to transport you to the beach.
Meet Me in Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett – just name the time, Jimmy!

So, jump in your 4 wheel drive and stop by the library to get your dose of summertime escape. And for the hard core winter haters, we have travel books too for planning a real escape to warmer temperatures. For more information on Washington-Centerville Public Library visit http://www.wclibrary.info/

Help The Library While You Shop!

2011-01-09T12:32:00.002-05:00

Do you shop at Dorothy Lane Market?

If so, please consider enrolling in the 2011 DLM Good Neighbor Program and designating Washington-Centerville Public Library as your non-profit of choice. The library will receive a share of the $40,000 that DLM plans to donate to local charities in 2011.

The Library has participated in this program (which costs the library nothing) for many years. Typically we have about 5-10 shoppers who designate our library as their non-profit of choice. We'd like to try to increase participation this year!!! Participants must spend a minimum of $250 over the course of the year before their purchases will be rebated back to the library. If you can help us reach our goal of 50 participants, we'd really appreciate it!

Happy shopping!

The Donor of The Book of Kells

2011-01-04T11:27:00.000-05:00

Our Library has lost a remarkable patron with the passing of Mrs. Ruth (Fallang) Anderson yesterday. Mrs. Anderson donated the rare facsimile copy of the Book of Kells to Washington-Centerville Public Library in memory of her husband, Dr. Orviel Fallang. Dr. Fallang was a long-time Library patron and a local veterinarian. The book was purchased after his untimely death as a way to honor his memory. She and her four children -- Dennis Fallang J.D., David Fallang M.D., Michelle Fallang Patterson Ph.D, and Jennifer Fallang Bell M.D. -- all of whom graduated from Centerville High School, donated this book to the Library so many people could share in its history and beauty.

The original Book of Kells resides permanently at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Our Library is honored to display this facsimile edition of the Book of Kells, the world-famous 9th century illuminated manuscript acclaimed as the most beautiful book ever written.

Pages are turned periodically throughout the year with major decorated pages featured during certain holiday seasons (Easter, Christmas, etc.). On current display are Folios 7v (Virgin and Child) which is the first of the full-page illustrations in the book, and 8r (the elaborately decorated Breves Causae of Matthew).

The Library, which advances no religion or belief system, is grateful to the Fallang family and presents this destination book which has transcended its religious origins to become an object worthy of study - as a window into the past and a source of artistic inspiration for the future.

We Raised $12000!!!

2010-12-15T14:15:00.000-05:00

The library's Dinner at the Trace fundraising event, held on December 10th, was a huge success thanks to support from local businesses, community leaders and library loving patrons like you! The event raised more than $12000 which will go to fund Phase 2 of the children's room makeovers. Here were some of the highlights:

An inspirational keynote by author Bob Danzig. Bob iterated the importance libraries play in the lives of individuals and communities and was not only uplifting, but fun!
Twenty-nine book-themed, silent auction baskets featuring everything from gardening supplies, to spa services, to tickets to sporting events, raised more than $3400!
Signed sports memorabilia for bidding upon added lot of buzz to the evening. A framed photo of the Big Read Machine sold for $680!
Great food, music and a fabulous sense of community!

If you couldn't attend the event, check out these photos! And if you'd like to help support the children's room makeovers, there's still time to make a tax-deductible donation to the library before the year ends. We appreciate all the help we can get to make our children's libraries even more fun and functional for our youngest library users.

E-Books Catching On 1000 Percent!

2010-12-12T12:00:00.002-05:00

Circulation of ebooks and eaudiobooks has increased almost 2000% this year as Washington-Centerville Public Library patrons discover the ease and convenience of downloading books from the library’s Digital Collection!
Downloading is simple. Just browse e-catalog from the comfort of your home, select a digital books and in a matter of moments and a few clicks, the book is downloaded and available on your computer or electronic reader. Plus, you don’t have to worry about returning it to the library, and late fees don’t accrue since the access to the book simply expires on the due date.
Growth of this collection is continued to grow as e-readers become the “must have” gift this holiday season. Not sure which e-reader is right for you or that special someone on your holiday gift list? Check out the latest product reviews and gadget info right on our website.
Happy shopping!

Get to the Library for Fun!

2010-12-05T13:00:00.005-05:00

by Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

The old saying goes “It is better to give than to receive”. And while, I couldn't agree more, all that giving adds up! If your credit card is warm to the touch from so much swiping, you may have reached that point. That’s why Washington-Centerville Public Library offers several opportunities each December for families to come together and enjoy experiences that don’t cost a dime. Consider it our gift to you. So, if you are looking for a respite from the retail scene, stop by and enjoy one or more of these activities happening at the library!

Get Girly – Little girls in grades 3-5 are invited to spend tonight (December 9) celebrating the “Holidays with the American Girls”. From 7-8:30 PM at Centerville Library, participants can learn about different holiday traditions and celebrations of several of the American Girl dolls. Registration is required.

Get Crafty – Some of the best gifts are homemade! Kids in grades 3-5 can create some cool crafts and great gifts at the Centerville Library on December 13th from 7-8:30 PM. Registration is required.

Get Cozy – Cuddle up with your little one at one of our family storytimes this month. On December 11th at Centerville Library, hear stories about snuggling up during a snow and on December 18th at Woodbourne Library we’ll share stories about Ginger and Spice and everything nice. Family storytimes are from 11 AM to noon and no registration is required.

Get Away from Mom and Dad – Teens in grades 6-12 can hang out with friends, play board games and the Wii and win prizes at Totally Teen Tuesday on December 14th at Centerville Library from 7-8:30 PM.

So, stop by the library this month and check out these events that are easy on the wallet and fun too! In this case it is better to receive! For more information on library programs or to register for any of the events above, check our website.

Local Students Thank Veterans

2010-11-25T12:00:00.003-05:00

In response to an appeal sent from Washington-Centerville Public Library, more than 650 beautiful handmade cards with heartfelt messages were created by local students, patrons and Junior Optimists as part of the library's annual Veterans Week Exhibit. These handmade cards will be given to veterans, travelling with the Honor Flight Network, on their return trip from visiting our nation's war memorials in Washington D.C. Students from the following schools created cards for the veterans:

Alter High School
Englewood Hills Elementary
Incarnation School
John Hole Elementary
Magsig Middle School
Stingley Elementary
Tower Heights Middle School

The Honor Flight Network is a national organization committed to flying America's veterans, at no cost, to Washington, D.C., to visit those memorials that honor their sacrifices. Established in 2005, more than 17,000 veterans across the nation are served each year. Top priority (for which it is currently accepting applications) is given to World War II and terminally ill veterans from all wars.

In the future, Honor Flight Network will be expanded to include Korean War and Vietnam War veterans. In order for Honor Flight Network to achieve this goal, guardians fly with the veterans on every flight providing assistance and helping veterans have a safe, memorable and rewarding experience.

- We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by.

Will Rogers

30 Classrooms Visit Library

2010-11-15T11:23:00.000-05:00

Almost 550 5th grade students descended upon the library in September and October as part of Washington-Centerville Public Library's 5th Grade Visit program. Each year area schools make a field trip to the library in which student learn information literacy skills.

A tour of the facility, the online catalog and some homework related research databases serves as an educational primer before the students take off on a scavenger hunt throughout the building. Using information "clues" the students locate online and physical resources to help them answer a series of questions in this hands-on learning exercise.

Feedback from the teachers of these students demonstrated the field trip as a valuable learning tool since the fifth graders embark on writing more research papers for school. Teachers also appreciated the chance to show their students that there are still many valuable resources at the library in this age of easy access to computers and the Internet, and that library staff emphasized the need to carefully scrutinize information from the World Wide Web.

This program is just one of the many ways the library collaborates with local schools to support the formal education of our local children.

Teacher Collection Requests Sky-Rocket

2010-11-07T12:00:00.001-05:00

Teacher Collection requests typically increase at back to school time, but this September saw a record breaking number of requests. Pam Ridings, Coordinator of Teacher Collections, said, "Fifty requests were submitted online and requests for collections to be picked up in January 2011 have already been received!"

The Teacher Collection Service allows local preschool teachers, daycare workers, homeschoolers, private and public school teachers to request books to support a particular theme or lesson plan. Library staff then select, and package, up to 30 age-appropriate items with the theme/lesson in mind. Teachers, or their parent volunteer, simply come to the library and pick up the books. This service saves teachers precious time while providing a breadth and quantity of materials on one subject that can't normally be supplied through a school library.

If you are an educator, be sure to tap into this great service and resource at WCPL!

Veterans Week to Feature the Honor Flight Network

2010-10-31T13:26:00.016-04:00

Join us Nov. 9 through the 11th as we honor our nation's heroes during Veteran's Week at the library. Our special Exhibit is a joint collaboration with the Centerville-Washington Township Historical Society and will feature books, a special photo array of the Honor Flight Network, military uniforms, and more! On Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 10:30 am in the Centerville Program Room, we will hear from members of the Honor Flight Network, a national organization committed to flying America's veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit those memorials dedicated to honor their sacrifices. Established in 2005, nationally more than 17,000 veterans a year have been served.

Per tradition, each Veteran’s Day (Thursday, Nov. 11) at the Veterans Memorial at Stubbs Park at 11:11 am, the City of Centerville and VFW Post 9550 salute the men and women who have served in the armed services. For information about this veterans day ceremony, please call (937) 433-7151. After the ceremony, everyone is invited to an Open House at the Centerville Library as we pay tribute to the patriotic men and women who have shaped our country's rich heritage. Refreshments for all events are provided courtesy of Centerville Kroger.

Cataloging Center Celebrates Five Years

2010-10-24T12:15:00.003-04:00

Just five years ago the building next to Woodbourne Library was purchased from National City Bank to house the library's cataloging and audiovisual departments. Since this building isn't open to the public, most don't know what transpires there. (In fact, we still occasionally have people still walk in wanting to make a deposit!)

The cataloging center is the entrance and exit for all the library's materials. It is the first stop for all newly ordered materials. There they get processed, added to the catalog, and then shipped to the individual libraries to be put on the shelves so you can check them out. It is also the LAST stop for materials that are being "weeded" from the collection because the item is either in bad condition or it is no longer of interest to our patrons. To date, more than 360,000 items have made their way through the Cataloging Center and we wonder how we ever managed without it!

Award-Winning Author to Speak

2010-10-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

Join us in meeting award-winning author Martin Fletcher at the Center for Jewish Culture and Education in Centerville on Thursday, October 28 at 7 PM! One of the most highly respected correspondents in television news, Fletcher will be promoting his new book, Walking Israel: A Personal Search for the Soul of a Nation.

Martin Fletcher, long-time NBC Bureau Chief in Tel Aviv, has seen war, famine, killings and tragedy in his nearly 4 decades as a highly respected war correspondent and bureau chief. In 2008, he took on a different assignment – a personal one – that changed the outlook of this veteran newsman in a way he never saw coming. Instead of walking into a war zone, Martin Fletcher walked into the soul of a nation. In his beautiful and touching new book, Walking Israel: A Personal Search for the Soul of a Nation, Fletcher discovers the complexities of Middle Eastern life, and finds a little of himself, too. Reserve one of Martin Fletcher's books and read more about the book and author.

Ticket purchase is required. Cost is $5 in advance by Friday, October 22, or $8 at the door. Purchase tickets at the Library circulation desk, the Jewish Center, or online now.

Top Ten Uses for A Library Card

2010-10-10T13:00:00.000-04:00

A library card is the most important school supply of all! But did you know you can do more than schoolwork with today’s library card?

Check out these top ten uses for your library card:

Check out the latest DVD movie releases.
Research new job opportunities.
Get wireless access.
Attend preschool story hour with your child.
Join a book discussion group.
Research the purchase of a new car.
Use the library’s resources to start a small business.
Take a computer class.
Trace your family tree.
Borrow or download an audiobook for your next road trip or commute.

What's your favorite way to use your library card?

Support Phase 2 of our Children's Room Makeover!

2010-10-04T08:45:00.001-04:00

In June, we debuted Phase 1 of our children’s room makeover, made possible thanks to the generosity of local resident, Bob Yeck, and family.

With the help of private donations generated from our December 10th Dinner at the Trace event, we hope to begin Phase 2 in early 2011. Phase 2 will include:

• colorful shelving end panels and directional signage to help children navigate the library, find materials and learn how the library is organized

• additional interactive stations that allow children to “play” while learning

• painting and/or murals for our children’s room and teen zone

If you’d like to help make our vision for Phase 2 a reality, consider purchasing tickets to Dinner at the Trace or making a donation to the library.

We appreciate your support, and so do the youngest visitors to our libraries!

Step Back in Time

2010-10-03T13:36:00.010-04:00

Did you know that John Archer was the first postmaster of Centerville (1815) and that a loaf of bread in 1865 cost four cents? Or, that the Ouiji board took the U.S. by storm in the early 1900s? If you enjoy history, visit the Living History Tableau at Woodbourne Library Saturday, October 9, from 10 am until 2 pm. As part of the Library's 200th birthday celebration, ten stations will be set up throughout the library showcasing different periods in our history --- and accompanied by both library staff and Centerville High School Theatre students dressed in the costumes of the day. You will learn about the fashions of the times, front-page news and world affairs, which books were best-sellers, and what it was like to live in our community 200 years ago. Take a walk back in time with us!

Ready for Kindergarten?

2010-09-27T14:38:00.000-04:00

If you read today's Dayton Daily News article about kids in the Miami Valley region not being ready for kindergarten, you might be discouraged. Take heart, there are already some great resources in place at the library to help parents and pre-schoolers get ready for school.

To encourage language and literacy skills, the library offers 16 story times (Baby & Me for ages 6 to 18 months, Tot Tales for ages 18 to 36 months, Pre-school for ages 3 to 5 years, and Family Storytime for all ages) each week. Stories, songs and finger plays make storytime fun and interactive.

For parents, we offer free early literacy services like Every Child Ready to Read workshops and the "Open Shut Them" blog. Both offer tips on how to grow a reader.

And if your little one is about to embark upon Kindergarten, we offer a program called "Kindergarten: Ready or Not?" This adult program features a panel of local teachers and libarians that offer a wealth of information on the ideal traits and skills children should possess before entering school. Here's a sneak peak at some of those key skills:
-Direction following skills
-Good motor skills (cutting with scissors, etc.)
-Language skills (speak in complete sentences of five or six words, being able to recognize a few numbers and some letters of the alphabet)
-Listening skills (can they listen without interrupting?)

You can learn more at our website at http://www.wclibrary.info/.

Paper or Electronic?

2010-09-26T13:30:00.001-04:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

At the grocery checkout they always ask “paper or plastic?” A survey by the Library Research Services group recently posed a similar question to 1300 respondents. They asked, “Paper or Electronic” – what do you think will be the future of the book? The survey results weren’t all that surprising, but were comforting to paper book lovers like me and many of my co-workers at Washington-Centerville Public Library. Six main themes emerged from the survey:

1. Multiple formats will exist – And they should. Printed books are great to snuggle up with in front of a fire on a cold winter’s night, but an e-book or Playaway is a much better choice when I’m on a trip and each additional pound in my luggage may equate to surcharges! Luckily we have four different book formats at the library, in addition to print, so I never have to look far to find the format that suits the occasion.

2. Technological advances – Like everything else, the easier it is to download and use an e-book the more people will use it. Our librarians are here to help you through the process if you want to give it a go.

3. Emotional/aesthetic draw to books – Despite the cliché, people do judge books by those beautifully designed covers! The survey found that 63% did not think print books would ever disappear because of people’s emotional attachment to physical books. It is hard to imagine crawling into bed with your child for a bedtime story using an e-book reader, but you never know…

4. Content is king – Respondents across the board emphasized that the content is more important than how it is packaged. If the content is more easily accessible or digestible in print, then the consumer will opt for print even if they are typically more inclined to using electronic books.

5. Cost – At this point, print books are still cheaper than their CD and electronic counterparts. That will likely change as technology evolves and demand for e-books grows. If you are borrowing the book or e-book from the library, the cost is a bit of a moot point. Don’t you just love that!

6. Generational shifts – 1 in 10 respondents said that the younger generations may not have the same strong emotional draw to books that the current generation does. Younger generations are already comfortable using electronic devices and these tech-savvy consumers may end up accelerating the market demand for electronic formats.

What is the takeaway from this survey? Books are here to stay, even if in varying forms. This has been true for the last 200 years of Washington-Centerville Public Library’s history and I suspect will be true for the next 200 years! For suggestions on Great Books in any of the formats discussed above, visit http://www.wclibrary.info/.

Collaboration Adds Up to Savings and Fun For All

2010-09-19T11:51:00.010-04:00

Young, old, and furry four-legged friends alike enjoyed last Saturday's Barktoberfest event co-sponsored by the library and SICSA.

And this Saturday, Sept. 25 from 11 AM - 2 PM, the library joins forces with The Centerville Arts Commision, Centerville-Washington Diversity Council, and the India Foundation of Dayton to host "A Day In India". This event, held at the Centerville Library will feature Indian dance, music, food sampling, saris, Mehndi Henna demonstrations, and art!

These are perfect examples of how the library actively looks for opportunities to collaborate and raise money to offset reductions in state revenue. In 2010 alone, the library has worked collaboratively with other organizations to bring residents these offerings:

• Battle of the Bands and Digital Photography contests (Centerville Arts Commission)

• Kindergarten & 5th Grade Visits (Centerville City and private schools)

• Teen Zone (Panera Bread Co.)

• Author Visits (Books and Co.)

• Small Business Workshops (SCORE)

• Children’s Programming (Washington Township’s Town Hall Theatre)

• Book Delivery to Homebound (Hithergreen Center)

This strong commitment to collaborating is one of the reasons the library is ranked in the top 20% for efficiency among Ohio’s 251 public libraries. Collaborations keep program costs low while continuing to deliver quality programs that meet the needs and interests of our users. And, we are always open to new collaborative ideas. If you have a business or non-profit and would like to partner with the library, give us a call!

Library to Host a Howlin' Good Time!

2010-09-12T13:49:00.007-04:00

Here's a chance to show off your furry friend at the Library! We've teamed up with SICSA to host a fundraising event "Barktoberfest" on Saturday, September 18, from 10 to 3 pm. The front lawn of the Library will be transformed into a pampered pooch playground. Admittance to the event is free, but there will be a $5 registration for the costume contests (Best Grown Up costume, Owner/Dog Look Alike costumes, Cutest Kid costume, and Cutest Dog costume). We'll have lots of other activities, too, like Guess Jars, Balloons, Pictures with your Pet, ‘Read’ to a Dog, Agility Demonstrations, Puppy Races, Pet Adoption Station, Pet Vendors, Pupcorn, Doggie Maze, Doggie Bandanas, Face Painting, and more! Plus, we'll have great music from Rick Fannin all day long!

We're also excited to announce that Ritter's is bringing their always popular "Dog's Nite Out" offer to the Barktoberfest festivities by giving away their Doggie Dish of frozen custard with any purchase from Ritter's. They will be serving 5 of their popular Signature Sundaes including the Peanut Butter Mountain, Turtle Sundae, Strawberry Delight, Grizzly Cub, and Mud Sundae. Don Heyne, of Centerville, and owner of Ritter's Frozen Custard of Kettering will be on-site during the entire time of the Barktoberfest activities. Y-U-M!

Admission is free to this fun-filled, family-friendly event. Many thanks to our sponsors Complete Petmart, Kosins, Harold J. Becker Company, Rick Fannin and The Home Depot. Barktoberfest will be something to howl about!

Beautiful and Functional Improvements for Woodbourne Library Plaza

2010-09-05T11:17:00.010-04:00

Patrons enjoy the improvements that were recently completed to the plaza of Woodbourne Library! This project was essential for patron safety as heaved concrete in front of the building posed a tripping hazard, but the design by Centerville Landscaping also improved the health of the Honey Locust trees allowing room for root growth, and now offers attractive and functional outdoor programming space for performances and special programs.

We hope you enjoy these before and after pictures and thank you for your patience while the work was underway! Tell us what you think about the plaza's new look!

The Big Read Chooses Blockbuster

2010-08-29T13:00:00.006-04:00

The Dayton Daily News announced this morning that The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot, has been chosen by Miami Valley readers as The Big Read for 2010. The other contenders were Still Alice by Lisa Genova and The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride.

Henrietta Lacks, an African American mother of five, was undergoing treatment for cancer at Johns Hopkins University in 1951 when tissue samples were removed without her knowledge or permission and used to create HeLa, the first “immortal” cell line. HeLa has been sold around the world and used in countless medical research applications, including the development of the polio vaccine. Science writer Skloot, who worked on this book for ten years, entwines Lacks’s biography, the development of the HeLa cell line and her own story of building a relationship with Lacks’s children. Full of dialog and vivid detail, this reads like a novel but the science behind the story is also deftly handled. (Library Journal)

The Big Read encourages people in our area to read and discuss the same book. Book discussions will begin in March and end in May. Other events held through the Dayton Daily News will include a Teen Writing Contest and Author Visit. Stay tuned for Big Read programs through the Library. Other Big Read selections include Nineteen Minutes (2009) by Jodi Picoult, Funny in Farsi (2008) by Firoozeh Dumas, and The Glass Castle (2007) by Jeannette Walls.

Summer Reading Programs Saw Great Results

2010-08-22T12:09:00.001-04:00

Whew! The library just concluded eight weeks of hot, busy summer reading programs!

The Adult Summer Reading Program, “Going Places with Great Books”, inspired over 1500 adults to read more than 7,200 books!

The power of books to transport readers to new and different places motivated more than 60 local businesses to donate a collective $200,000 in prizes for the summer reading programs. Grand prizes winners from the Adult Summer Reading Club scored these prizes that will allow them to "Go Places"!

A one year membership to AAA
Tickets to Star Trek Live at the Victoria Theatre
A Dayton Art Institute Family Membership

Adults weren't the only ones reading this summer! Over 3800 kids read more than 50,000 books and 14,000 hours. Not to be undone, the 900 teen participants charged through almost 4000 titles! Research shows that these participants will be one step ahead of their peers when school starts because they spent their summer reading.

We want to congratulate all our summer reading participants. Even if you didn't win a prize, you certainly received the knowledge and experiences gained from reading!

The A-Ha! Awaits

2010-08-15T12:36:00.003-04:00

Want an easy way to find out what section of the library you should head to first for your favorite books, movies, magazines or research materials?

Try out our new interactive library maps! Thanks to some talented technical staff here at your WCPL, you may now browse the library right from the comforts of home! Then when you visit you'll know right where to go.

To start your inter-active tour of either the Centerville or Woodbourne libraries, just move your cursor over the various sections of either floorplan. A simple click will open a window to describing that section and the items that can be found in it.

We're always looking for innovative ways to enhance your library visits, and think you'll enjoy the "A-Ha" moments our interactive maps bring to you. The maps are also a great introduction for first time visitors and students!

Pardon our Dust!

2010-08-02T08:38:00.000-04:00

Starting August 2nd, work will begin to upgrade the plaza in front of the Woodbourne Library. This project is essential for patron safety as heaved concrete in front of the building poses a tripping hazard.

In addition to providing a safer walkway, the project, which was designed by Centerville Landscaping, will improve the health of the Honey Locust trees and offer some attractive and functional outdoor programming space for performances or other programs. The project will be paid for with building funds set aside for capital improvements (not operating funds).

The work is expected to take about three weeks to complete. The project will begin at the front entrance, and there will be periods when the Children's Room exterior entrance (the entrance east of the main entrance) will be the only point of entry to the library. In addition, there will be one to three days when the book drop will be closed to allow the poured concrete to set. Patrons will be directed by signage to Centerville’s exterior drop. We will also waive fines caused by the inaccessibility of the drop.

You can find“Pardon our Dust!” signs posted and informational flyers are available at the front desk as well as on the Library's website. If you have any questions, just ask!

It's a Party!

2010-08-01T09:18:00.001-04:00

Getting Better with Age By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

This weekend is my husband’s 20th high school reunion. I don’t usually think much about how old I’m getting, but I must confess attending this reunion makes it difficult to ignore the fact that time is marching on. I’m trying my best to be like fine wine – get better with age – and I know that it is possible because I see great examples all around me. My parents, my in-laws and Washington-Centerville Public Library.

This year the library turned 200 years old; much, much older than I! In that 200 years, the library has managed to continue to reinvent itself enough to remain relevant to citizens. Back in 1810, the library was just a club of citizens who paid a couple of bucks each year for the priviledge to share books amongst themselves. The library was located in someone’s home and was a way for Yankee settlers to gain knowledge and exchange ideas. Today, Washington-Centerville Library serves more than 70,000 library card holders and provides them with a myriad of items including books, music, movies, games and more. At its core, however, the library still holds true to the 1810 premise that libraries are a place to gain knowledge and exchange ideas.

We’ve spent the last seven months celebrating the libraries history with our Great Books, Great Libraries campaign. Author visits, a geocache adventure and tons of great reading suggestions have been enjoyed by our users. Putting all that together has been fun, but a lot of hard work. So now, we are ready to party. Consider this your personal invitation to join us this Saturday (August 7th) from 11 AM – 4 PM for our Birthday Blast. We’ll be out on the front lawn of Centerville Library whooping it up with music from the Hauer Music Swing band, marionette shows for the kiddies and of course birthday cake (well actually birthday cupcakes). Drop in for the whole day, or just a few minutes. Either way, it is sure to be a fun event for the whole family and a great way to celebrate a community treasure that has only improved with age!

Photography Classes Come at the Right Time

2010-07-25T12:00:00.002-04:00

By: Georgia Mergler, Community Relations Manager

The other evening I sat down to upload hundreds of vacation photos to a photo storage website. While I was thoroughly enjoying the vacation memories of the lake, I was struck by how many people in my family were limbless, headless, or blurry! Now, I’m not the only one who snapped photos on vacation so it seems my entire family has a deficiency in photographic skills. We have a nice camera, so it is clearly operator error. All it takes to improve is a little research and a lot of practice. Since I work at the library, the research is at my fingertips. The practice is up to me.

And if you're feeling like you've improved in your skills, I encourage you enter our Point and Shoot Digital Photography contest which opens July 26th. Anyone can enter (so long as they don’t work for the library or the city of Centerville), and there are categories for Youth (16 and under) and Adult (over 16). Entries are accepted online at www.wclibrary.info into one of four subject categories (people, places, locally taken and mobile). All entries will be judged by a panel of local photographers and prizes will be awarded for the winning photos! And best of all, you won’t have to worry about competition from me!

Friends of the Library Group and Foundation Board Now Forming

2010-07-16T08:07:00.001-04:00

Library-loving citizens have joined forces to assist the library! As state funding continues to shrink, private donations become even more critical to the library's long term financial health. Community minded patrons have stepped forward to help generate support for their library via the WCPL Friends Group and The WCPL Foundation Board.

Aid for specific short-term projects
A dozen energetic patrons have already convened to discuss the formation and organization of a WCPL Friends Group which would assist the library with general advocacy and raise funds for specific, short term needs of the library. Any interested patrons are welcome to attend the next meeting on July 20th, 7 p.m. at the Centerville Library.

Preparing for the future with long term giving
A WCPL Foundation Board will focus its energies on promoting long term giving to the library. This board includes a variety of local citizens with legal, financial and/or fundraising backgrounds who will work with the library to bolster current endowment funds and generate new planned giving revenue. The next meeting of this group is scheduled for August 26, to elect officers and approve by-laws.

Library Float Awarded President's Trophy

2010-07-06T13:46:00.011-04:00

The Library was awarded the President’s Trophy in the Americana Parade for its float Going Places with Great Books! The float was a celebration of the Library's 200th Birthday and featured a grandfather clock, swan, whale, willow tree, treasure chest, canoe, ship's wheel, raft, rocking chairs and tropical plants. Characters included pirates, 2 swan princesses, Alice in Wonderland, the Jack of Spades, Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher, Captain Ahab, 2 storytime moms and kids, and a Library board member.

The Great Books featured in the float were Alice In Wonderland, Treasure Island, The Old Man and the Sea, Moby Dick, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Wind in the Willows, The Swan Princess, and Hickory, Dickory, Dock.

Children made stars and stripes headbands and applied temporary patriotic tatoos at the Library's booth located in the Children's Annex at the Activity Center. A total of 250 visitors stopped by for a bit of fun and crafts. The President of the Library Board of Trustees and Library Director worked the children's activity booth at the festival.

A big thank you must go to Jim Teske of Centerville Landscaping & Irrigation, and a member of the Centerville Arts Commission, for his help in building the float including providing the willow tree, tropical plants, flatbed, and tractor, and to his business partner Tom Shields for driving the float! Many of the props and costumes were on loan from Centerville High School's Theatre Department and Washington Township's Town Hall Theatre. Signage was provided in part by FASTSIGNS of Centerville.

We must also thank our countless volunteers who helped build the float, waved at the crowds, created kid's crafts, and handed out 900 lollipops! Everyone had a great time. Be sure to check out the photos on Flickr and Miami Valley Communications Council's live streaming video.

Summer Reading Isn't Just for Kids

2010-06-20T13:00:00.001-04:00

Adult patrons are surprised and excited about the ghttp://www.wclibrary.info/src/reat prizes to be won by participating in the Adult Summer Reading Program this summer. It's easy! Simply visit http://www.wclibrary/src/ to register. Each book read nets you one entry in our bi-weekly prize drawings that include free meals, gift baskets, books, $20-$25 gift certificates, a four-pack of Paramount Kings Island tickets, and even a family membership to Dayton Art Institute! And all of these prizes are made possible through the generous donations made by local businesses.

We hear comments like this all the time from incredulous adults:
"I can read anything I want--as many books as I want?--listening to audio books counts, too?"
"I can register my entries on-line? Super!”

Hurry and register today! The first prize drawing is tomorrow! Winners will be listed online and contacted via email or phone. And if you win, don't delay in collecting your spoils. Adult prizes will be held for only 2 weeks, then go back into the prize pool.

Express Checkouts Are Quick & Fun

2010-06-11T12:23:00.000-04:00

Patrons of all ages are amazed at how easy to use and fun the Express Checkouts are.

“I love it!” commented a patron who was impressed that it was no longer necessary to rescan her library card to end the transaction.

As library staff members offer Express Checkout demonstrations to more and more interested patrons, we’re hearing many comments like these:

“It can unlock the movies? That’s great!”

“I didn’t know it would be so easy.”

“Thank you for showing me how. I was afraid to try it.”

“This is so cool!”

“It’s sooooo easy!”

"I can check these out by myself?! Gosh! All this technology!!"

"Thanks. This will help me when there is a line."

Join in the fun and try Express Checkout today! They're especially helpful during the Summer Reading Clubs when lines are long!

Teens Enjoy Panera Donation

2010-06-06T12:49:00.001-04:00

In addition to newly redesigned children's rooms, an exciting addition is coming soon for our teen patrons! Teens will soon enjoy a cozy reading corner in the teen sections at both Centerville and Woodbourne Libraries. The local Panera Bread is donating three leather chairs for these “cozy corner” spaces.

Join us for a casual dedication for these spaces on June 7th at 4 PM. We'll celebrate this donation with our Teen Advisory Board and refreshments from Panera!

A big "Thank You" to our donors! Their generosity makes a huge difference and benefits the entire community and all our patrons by stretching our budget and making each dollar go even further!

Children's Room Makeover Announced

2010-05-23T13:00:00.001-04:00

Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 5! The Children's Rooms are getting a makeover and you're invited to The Big Reveal. Thanks to the generosity of local resident Bob Yeck and his family, bright colors, whimsical elements and interactivity will soon adorn our children's rooms at Woodbourne and Centerville libraries. "We are so excited about this project and very grateful to the Yeck family for making it possible," says Library Director Kim Paras.

Working with Dayton-based firm Display Dynamics, library staff and a board member set out to design fun, yet functional, improvements to the children's libraries. "We wanted to create a space that was inviting and whimsical, but more importantly, we wanted the design to reinforce early literacy concepts critical to building young readers," comments Paras.

The redesign project was privately funded through the Dorothy R. Yeck Endowment for the Arts at Woodbourne Library and the Yeck Family Foundation. "Mom (Dorothy Yeck) was involved with our local libraries for over 40 years. She would be just as excited as the kids in experiencing these new areas," comments her son Bob Yeck. Library officials are hoping that with the help of other private donors like the Yecks, these enhancements to the children's rooms, including expanding the teen's area, are just the beginning.

The public is invited to celebrate at Woodbourne Library Saturday, June 5th beginning at 11 am and at Centerville Library at 1 pm that same day. Guided tours and refreshments will be offered and there will be activities and stories for children.

CD's to Look Better, Handle Better and Save Money!

2010-05-17T19:18:00.004-04:00

Have you noticed new shelving areas at both the Centerville and Woodbourne locations?

We're in the process of repackaging all the CDs in our collection. Why, you ask? To improve browsing and to reduce packaging costs! Margaret Maddox, Technical Services Manager, says "We think the collection will be a lot more attractive to patrons and a lot easier to handle by patrons and staff."

Bringing our patrons their favorite tunes faster, making them easier to find and saving money in the long run = a triple win!

In the meantime, if you want a CD with a RE-PACKAGING status, we'll be happy to put it on hold for you or we'd be happy to show you the digital collection.

The Pitter Patter of Little Feet

2010-05-07T13:51:00.001-04:00

If you’ve seen excited groups of kindergarteners wandering about the Library lately, rest assured they aren’t being truant! They are here for stories, giggles and a special "behind-the-scenes" library tour. In fact, between our spring kindergarten visits and our fall 5th grade visits, we teach over 3,000 children each year about all the great resources available at their Library. And while we make it a point to get these 5 and 6 year olds excited about using our resources, the highlight of the tour is always watching books shoot through the book drop before our 10 AM opening!

#1 Again!

2010-04-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

We're dancing between the library shelves because Washington-Centerville Public Library scored the top spot AGAIN for a library of our size on the "Fortune 500" index of libraries--"Hennen's American Public Library Ratings."

And, even more impressively, our library was one of only 10 libraries nationwide to appear in all 11 editions of the HAPLR Index! We couldn't achieve this level of success without our great staff and the great communities of Washington Township and Centerville. Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone!
You can find more information about the HAPLR Index on our Awards & Honors page.

Communities Thrive At WCPL

2010-04-12T12:53:00.000-04:00

Celebrate National Library Week as public libraries, including yours, deliver millions of dollars in resources and support that meet critical needs!

Three hundred thousand Americans get job-seeking assistance at their public libraries every day.
Public libraries are offering more free Wi-Fi than Starbucks, Barnes & Noble or Borders!
And business owners and employees use libraries resources to support their small businesses 2.8 million times per month!

At Centerville and Woodbourne Libraries, job seekers have free access to computers and the Internet to help people find jobs; and job search programs and software classes to build employment skills to land jobs!
Washington-Centerville Library saw more than 1.2 million visitors last year who benefitted from free educational and entertainment books, music, audio-visual media, database subscriptions and much more!

Like the theme for National Library Week--the Washington Township-Centerville communities thrive at Washington-Centerville Library!

Erma Winners Announced

2010-03-30T11:35:00.002-04:00

Writers from around the world entered the 2010 Erma Bombeck Writing Competition sponsored by the library and the University of Dayton. In the end, judges chose essays from the Dayton area, as well as California and Rhode Island as winners in the competition which began in 1996. The competition pays tribute to Erma Bombeck, one of America’s greatest humorists, and coincides with the University of Dayton’s Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop planned for April 15 – 17.

Eloise Williams of Dayton placed first in the Local Humor category for her essay “Do We Really Need to Ask” and Sheila Hassel Hughes of Kettering placed first in the Local Human Interest category for her entry “A Winter’s Tale.” In the Global category, winners were Rita Lussier of Jamestown, Rhode Island, for her Human Interest essay “A Sign of the Times” and Barb Best of Sherman Oaks, Calif., for her humorous essay “Confession.” All received high marks from the judges whose credentials ranged from stand-up comedians, newspaper columnists, authors, and presidential speech writers.

The judges were asked to apply the 'spirit of Erma' to each of the essays and they took that task to heart. Erma Bombeck (1927-1996) continues to inspire writers in her hometown of Dayton as well as throughout the world to ""Hook 'em with the lead. Hold 'em with laughter. Exit with a quip they won't forget."

All winners of the competition receive a cash prize as well as a free registration to the workshop. The library plans An Evening of Laughter featuring stand-up comedian Leighann Lord of New York, as well as winners reading their essays. The event will be held at the Centerville Library, 111 W. Spring Valley Road, from 7 to 8:30 pm on Wednesday, April 14. Those needing special accommodations should contact the library at (937) 433-8091.

Teens Are Reading More At WCPL

2010-03-17T14:50:00.000-04:00

Great books, fun programming and savvy library staff all pulled together to start the new year off with 25% higher circulation at Centerville Library, and 8.6% higher at Woodbourne than last year.

That's good news for schools and parents as developing and improving reading skills can enhance test scores and learning! But teens are the ones who will benefit the most as they expand their imaginations, vocabulary and curiosity!

Get Involved at the Library!

2010-03-08T11:34:00.001-05:00

TOTALLY TEEN TUESDAYS Grades 6-12 win prizes and have fun!
March 9 Scavenger Hunt & Pizza
April 13 Old School Video Games

TEEN CONTESTS
March 1 – April 1 Good Life Award Writing Contest
March 1 - March 28 Book Title Scramble Drawing

GREAT BOOKS, GREAT LIBRARIES READING CHALLENGE
January - December
Grab a tracking sheet or entry form and join the challenge of reading 12 or more great books throughout the year! Enjoy the pleasures of reading plus these prizes, donated in part by local businesses:
ADULTS: The first 1000 to read 12 books from any of our 14 reading lists receive a free prize from Tim Horton's, PLUS entry for the grand-prize drawing
TEENS: Prize drawings each month PLUS a special year-end drawing for completing the entire challenge
KIDS: Bi-monthly drawings for each book read and entered
PRESCHOOLERS: Drawing for a board/picture book

GEOCACHE ADVENTURE
January - December
Fun for the whole family as you test your GPS skills and learn about local history. Hunt for our secret "cache" each month. Collect all 12 puzzle pieces and win a GBGL T-shirt!

Good Life Award Writing Contest Offers Teens a Chance to Win $3,000!

2010-03-02T10:48:00.000-05:00

The 5th annual Good Life Award Writing Contest is now open! Teens in grades 7 - 9 who live or attend school in Montgomery County are eligible to enter, and the one who best writes about laying a good foundation for their life will win $3,000. This contest is made possible with a generous endowment from the family of Mrs. Dorothy Yeck, who believed that you're never too young (or old) to make a positive difference in the world. Dottie's philosophy of Being Good + Doing Good = Having Fun + Being Happy has inspired thousands of local teens to enter the contest.

This year's spokesperson is Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson. Go to www.wclibrary.info/gla to see her interview conducted by Teen Advisory Board member Rachel Kessie. They discuss Nancy's philosophy for laying a good foundation for life which includes tips for teens on staying busy, surrounding yourself with people who care, and having fun. The Web site also contains details on the assignment, how to enter the contest, and reading lists to help teens get started. The contest culminates in the Good Life Award Celebration Thursday, May 27, from 7 to 8:30 pm, featuring nationally known motivational speaker Fran Kick.

Registration Opens Feb. 27 for Popular Teen Program

2010-02-26T11:46:00.001-05:00

If you’re a teen, age 11 and up, now’s the time to check your calendar and sign up for one of our most popular and requested programs “Adventures In Babysitting” Childcare Clinics, sponsored by the American Red Cross.

You’ll learn babysitting skills, including diapering, feeding, and first aid. And you’ll receive infant and child CPR certification!

All clinics are held at the Centerville Library from 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM, and will be offered eight times this year. Check the Library's Web site for dates.

Patrons must register & pay in person and parents can sign up their own children and one other child as long as they have a signed permission form & payment. If you have a larger group that is interested, we can provide contact info for the Red Cross to visit their organization. Just let us know.

Pick up your registration form at the Youth Services desk at either Centerville or Woodbourne. The cost of $49 is due along with a signed permission slip at time of registration.

Class sizes are limited and registration will close if filled before the registration date.

We Take Requests!

2010-02-22T13:55:00.003-05:00

Washington-Centerville Library counts on its users to tell us what to add to the library collection and when to add more of a popular item.

If there is something you’d like to see us add, or a high-demand item you’d like to see us purchase more copies of, please fill out a blue “Suggestion Form” available at our circulation desk. Enter the title, artist, format and your name so our staff person can contact you if there are any questions. Or use our on-line suggestion form. http://www.wclibrary.info/recommend/form.asp.

We'll take a look at the the usage counts of your requested item, and if there is money in the budget, we may be able to purchase additional copies.

Library Board of Trustees

2010-02-08T09:00:00.004-05:00

Looking for more information on who serves on the Library’s Board of Trustees? Additional information on our board members can be found on the Library’s Web site, including:

Board meeting schedule
Past board meeting minutes
Term appointed and when current term expires
Committee appointments
Background information

All board meetings are held at 7:00 PM in the Centerville Library Conference Room and are open to the public. To contact the board with a question/comment or to request to speak at a board meeting, e-mail Library Administration at: libadmin@wcpl.lib.oh.us.

Flash Your Card Supports Local Businesses and the Library

2010-02-04T11:50:00.000-05:00

In this tough economy, the library continues to look for ways to save you money while building support for local businesses. Our new Flash Your Card program is an easy way to do that. Just show your library card at any of these participating businesses to get discounts and special deals. Don't have a library card? You can apply either in person at the library (bring a photo ID with your current address) or apply online to start saving today. Flash Your Card is just another way the library offers you more value than ever before! If you have a business located in Centerville or Washington Township, you can partner with the library, too! Check out our Web site for details.