Dr. Peter Michalos, MD, FAAO (Assistant Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Columbia University, Attending Surgeon, Southampton Hospital, will present a lecture entitled “How Sun & Ultraviolet Radiation Affect the Human Eye…From Cataracts to Eyelid Cancer” on Thursday, March 8th at 5:30 pm.  The program is sponsored by Southampton Hospital and will take place at Southampton Hospital’s Parrish Memorial Hall.  Reservations required at rmcdonald@southamptonhospital.org or 631-726-8700. 

“Fiction is like a spider’s web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners.”

If you see me wandering around the building looking completely spaced out, it is due to the fact that I have been doing little else but writing grant proposals and letters of inquiry to a plethora of foundations and grantmaking organizations.  All of these grants are written to raise funds for the current building and its restoration.  Hopefully the hard work of the Grants Committee (Chairperson Gloria Primm Brown, Diane Gaites, Tippy Ameres, and myself).  We hope to receive grant money for the restoration of the stained glass panel in the rotunda, the dome, the exterior roof, the windows, and all of the masonry which desperately needs re-pointing.  Additionally, we want to restore the furniture that is original to the 1910 library.

If you have any connections with grantmakers or foundations, they’d sure be appreciated! And now I’m off to wander around vacantly for a minute or so before getting back to my grants

Due to the Federal holiday, the library will be closed on Monday, February 19th.  We will reopen on Tuesday at 10:00 am.  No library materials are due back on the 19th so enjoy your extra day!

It was a rough week last week for our reference librarian and our local history expert as they oversaw a massive shifting of materials in the rotunda level. We moved the History Collection to the other corner office so that the materials are no longer in a room with such severe mold and moisture issues. We have moved the entire (and wonderful to browse) non-fictio oversize book collection into what used to be the local history room. This is certain to make these great books more available to you as we now have them all shelved with the spine facing out.
The move also necessitated the shifting of the non-fiction collection.
It all looks great and will be much more user friendly. I checked out a bunch of oversize books when I went into the room and saw the many wonderful topics covered.
So, check it out!

Are you tired of trying to talk to IVRs?   IVR (Interactive Voice Response)  is the name for computers who answer most customer service phone calls today. http://gethuman.com is an informative website which offers tips on how to get to speak to a PERSON.  The website also contains a list of “800″ customer service numbers which are rated between A and F for the organization’s telephone customer service vs. the GETHUMAN standard.

A collection of horror fiction reading lists for adults and teens can be found on http://www.monsterlibrarian.com  Reviews of horror podcasts can also be found on this very scary web site.

Check out these comic Victorian valentines:

http://www.scrapalbum.com  (go to the bottom of the page: Saint Valentines Day - click on Comic Valentines)

You’ll be surprised at “these scurrilious printed sheets” which were part of the humor of the common and middle classes.  Interesting facts regarding the origin, size and approximate date of each card is included.

“In a very real sense, people who have read good literature have lived more than people who cannot or will not read.”     S. I. Hayakawa

I was unable to post for a couple of weeks as I just attended the Midwinter conference of ALA.  I am on a committee that helps coordinate awards for best library building projects in conjunction with the American Institute of Architects.  I am also on a committee that awards 6 significant scholarships for students pursuing their Master’s in LIbrary Science with the intent of becoming a children’s librarian in a public library.

I had loads of fun in the vast Exhibit Halls, looking at furniture, lighting, products, etc. that would be wonderful in our new building as well as the restored current library.  It is simply amazing to see all the wonderful library items that are available.

Speaking of technology, we will begin offering audiobooks that you can download from our catalog to your mp3 player.  Unfortunately, no downloadable book vendors are compatible with Apple’s ipods.  We plan to have mp3 players available at minimal cost for those who wish to purchase them and use our collection.