Geek the Library

Ok though I am not sure when the word Geek became a verb and not a noun and of all words to associate with Library I'm not sure geek is the best choice but nonetheless check out this campaign to increase awareness and and therefore support for our local libraries.

The ‘Geek the Library’ campaign, was made possible by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and built by OCLC. It highlights what people are passionate about and how libraries can support them, in an effort to heighten awareness about the critical funding issues public libraries face.

Whatever You Geek, The Public Library Supports It All

"Public libraries inspire and empower. Everyone is welcome. Almost anything can be explored. And they play an important role for individuals and for communities."

Make sure you check out the facts section!

The Goal of the "campaign hopes to inspire a conversation about our incredible public libraries and their urgent need for increased support. We hope you tell people what you geek, how the public library supports you and your community, and that everyone in your community benefits from the services your local library provides."

Crafts & Hobbies #61: Craftspiration!

I have been a crafter of all sorts for as long as I can remember. It started with coloring books, construction paper and Elmer's glue but since then I've done many things including; cross stitch, (even went as far as to cross stitch a monopoly board) hooked rugs, embroidery, crochet, quilting, scrapbooking, stamping, and sewing. I've taught myself how to do all these things though my grandmother, great aunt, aunt, mother, and mother-in-law were all crafters and definitely helped me with things like putting in my first zipper, making my first french knot and holding the yarn and hook just right so you could control the tension. I did take a quilting class once, in which I made my first quilt, as a way to keep busy while we lived in an apartment which I found a lot less work than owning a home. I have always wanted to learn how to weld/solder because I thought that had huge crafting possibilities but I have yet to do that. I discovered Etsy almost a year ago and love the ideas there but it is time mainly that keeps me from visiting the site as often as I'd like and completing any projects I see there. The only thing I'm tempted to do is spend money because that's quick. However, if I were ever looking for a project to undertake, I'd certainly turn to Etsy for ideas. One craft I have spent time doing lately is scrapbooking. I was trying to get my daughter's scrapbook all caught up by the time she graduated. That did not happen as she graduated in June but in her scrapbook she's only almost 4 years old. But I am still plugging away at it. I love to go on scrapbook retreats where you arrive Friday night and stay until Sunday afternoon and all you do is scrapbook. Your meals are prepared for you, there are no family obligations to run someone to the movies, work, etc.., no phone calls (unless of course you choose to answer your cell phone), nothing but scrapbooking. I've been to 4 now in the last several years and they are great. Some of the sites I use for ideas are Split Coast Stampers and Creative Memories.

I did check out some of the craft sites as suggested in this module and loved some of the crafts I found particularly, the Snowman Ornament Pattern from Roxycraft

I thought the idea of Repurposeful was pretty neat. When my kids were little we used to get ice cream from Schwan's and it came in these plastic tubs which we always saved and reused to store their little toys in. Schwan buckets are how we organized many things even my craft supplies. To make them look nice in the closet I even sometimes covered the lid with fabric. They were white and we could easily mark the container with a sharpie marker noting the contents. At one point they even gave out handles that could be attached to the sides making the containers even more useful.

I can see how learning a craft technique or hobby by watching a video could be helpful especially if you didn't have someone to show you how. You may also want written instructions but sometimes written instructions aren't as helpful as watching someone show you how.

What libraries are worth to us by Krista Ramsey

It is needlessly provocative and shamelessly antagonistic behavior to pit books against technology. No one should ever do this. They are both sources of information. They are entirely different species, never meant to compete with each other. None of which explains the delicious thrill some of us feel when we hear that book reading in the Public Library system of Cincinnati and Hamilton County skyrocketed 12.5 percent last year while audio-visual circulation climbed a "mere" 5.7 percent.
No insult to DVDs, CDs, Twitter, Flutter, Flipper, Dipper or Gumby. It's just great news to learn that books, whose death is periodically predicted, are no longer on the endangered list - at least not here. Last year 15.6 million items were checked out of the 41 libraries in the Hamilton County system. The Main Library downtown is the single busiest library in the nation despite serving the 34th largest market. People may have stashed their credit cards in a drawer, but 250,000 Hamilton County adults, teenagers and kids flashed their library "plastic" last year.

In lean times and fat times alike, the public library is the one place where it's always OK to overindulge. The economy is no doubt a factor in the library's banner year. Not only did the borrow-rather-than-buy principle find new appeal, but people flocked to reference materials and programs that helped with job searches, resume writing and interview skills. Still, there is more to the library's appeal than economics. Much of it has to do with how a library makes you feel.
Sanctuary might be an overly serious word, but a library projects an unmistakable sense of civility and calm. Young and old come together peaceably here, rich and poor, readers of mysteries and lovers of ancient philosophy. A library is a bastion of non-judgementalism and one of society's great equalizers.
This atmosphere is in no way accidental. Librarians are almost eerily aware of what goes on inside your head. They know your tastes better than you do, being trained to cut through your vague references to plot or author and put their hands on what you need.
So they know, for example, about that independent streak that makes you want to handle your library business yourself. When 12 libraries put in self-checkouts last year, usage soared. There's something oddly empowering about knowing how to unlock DVD cases all by yourself.
Equally appealing is the library's unusual status as an intensely private public space. It's the one place you can move in the presence of others without saying a word and not be thought rude. The library "dance" is the epitome of socialized behavior, strangers gracefully giving way to one another as they peruse books and DVDs. Yes, cell phones ring and children sometimes use their playground voices, but library users still rank among the most civilized creatures on earth.
That is not to paint too Victorian a picture. The library's Web site had 87 million hits last year, making it the far busiest "branch" in the family. Patrons download audio books onto their MP3 players and reserve books at 3 a.m. from the privacy of their home computers. This week, the library's summer reading program kicks off for children, teens and - this year - adults. There are prizes to be won, plus you get smarter. Nice way to spend a summer.

Next fall, Hamilton Countians may be asked to support a library levy. The state has cut $10 million from the local system, and its reserves are being eaten through.
It wouldn't hurt a bit, as we enjoy their bounty this summer, to think about what public libraries are worth to us, and how to keep them strong. Bad economy or good, it's never wise to let such a gem slip through our fingers.

Krista Ramsey is a member of the Enquirer Editorial Board; kramsey@enquirer.com.

Cy-Woods Inaugral Graduation 2009

Congratuations Danielle, We are so proud of you!