What I Read Last Week:

Warmer (and weirder) New Jersey

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The latest display in Media is “Warmer (and Weirder) days are ahead, NJ” –  our attempt at keeping up with the warm weather-adventurous feeling that everyone seems to have, but with a spin – Weird NJ – to keep up intrigue rather than a table of how-to garden DVDs .

My co-worker and I gathered books, DVDs, and books-on-CD about New Jersey, outdoor recreation, and urban legends. Or in some cases, all three. Janet Evanovich’s series is based in New Jersey and The X-Files falls right into spooky-town. We made a skirt of grass around the sides of the table and some monster silhouettes.  (Yes, we did think about posting them as staging a fight between the Jersey Devil and Bigfoot.)

I am happy to report that items from the display have been steadily going-on and the tables been replenished a few times since it was put out last week. Outstanding!

And for fun (?), there is a very weird (and a little graphic) story from my area that has ties to the Library indirectly: Seeking the Hide of Antoine Le Blanc. And, if that’s not your speed, Mrs. Sundberg’s thoughts on a warm weather treat:

“At the grocery store yesterday, my 21 year-old daughter asked what is my favorite ice cream flavor. No hesitation. “Butter Brickle,” I replied. The funny thing is I haven’t had any in a good long while because I CAN’T FIND IT. No grocery store in the area sells butter brickle ice cream. Where did it go? If anyone can direct me to the Butter Brickle Ice Cream Source, I would be grateful. Because it’s getting hotter out there and ice cream is one of the best things about summer. Of course there are other flavors I love, like mint chocolate chip and lemon graham crumble and strawberry cheesecake and good ol’ vanilla. And black cherry and tin roof and cookies and cream and chocolate marshmallow. But. Butter brickle is my favorite, from back in the day, and yes. I’m having a little craving.“

What I Read Last Week:

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Free Comic Book Day 2014

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Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is an annual promotional event for comic books in North America that occurs the first Saturday of May. The intent of FCBD is to bring new readers (and buyers) into comic book stores. The effort is coordinated by Diamond Comic Distributors, the industry’s single largest distributor. Since 2002 DCD has provided participating comic book stores with a selection of free comic books for varying age and reading levels to offer visitors on that day. In recent years DCD has expanded FCBD to reading and literacy allies like libraries and schools. 

This year was a tricky year for me to participate in FCBD. Most of the stores in my area didn’t open until 10AM – at which time I had to be at work.

The joys of being a Saturday Librarian.

Enter: Funny Books – the sole story open at 9AM on a Saturday, which was also the same store I visited last year in the afternoon. This year though, given the difference in visiting times the store wasn’t crowded and I was able to pick-up my 5 free books virtually pain-free. I consulted the list DCD provided in the weeks leading up to FCBD of the available titles and wasn’t itching for any issue in particular. The industry is definitely gearing up for Guardians of the Galaxy at every turn, and Kaboom! Summer Blast is my yearly-cartoony go-to. I grabbed the following titles:

  • Kaboom! Summer Blast
  • Teen Titans Go!
  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Futures End (The New 52)
  • Rocket Raccoon

In honor of FCBD Funny Books was also offering a BOGO-half off sale of graphic novels in the store. Hello, volumes 2 and 3 of Saga. Overall, another successful FCBD.

What I Read Last Week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjbRh56WG9E

“Plunder the lox” – line of the year, via ESPN.

What I Read Last Week:

I didn’t read a lot last week; I was busy:

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May the Fourth Be With You / Return of the Sixth

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Once again Media was blessed with some serendipitous timing when it came time for the next display. Last week the cast of the new Stars Wars movie was announced, in addition to it being May 4th (“May The Fourth Be With You”) and May 6th (“Return of the Sixth”.) Like with the Shakespeare display, we included Books-on-CD, DVDs, and CDs again, but we also included novels from the adult fiction collection.

We also had a hand-out for “viewer advisory” for what other movies that new Stars Wars actors can be found in, as well as Yoda-earred hats for ambiance and takeaways . (Disclosure: I had made the ears for an unrelated event and decided to share them.) My favorite part of this display is the cardboard-backed Death Star that my co-worker made. We are considering leaving it up and seeing if the administration notices.

Shakespeare in the Library

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About three weeks ago Reference approached Media with the offer of an available table. After some creative wheeling and dealing on the part of my co-worker, my dream of having a display space in Media has been fulfilled. Prior to this addition, Media did not have any display areas besides the counter top of the service desk (which is prime real estimate, but not convenient for display materials.) I believe that displaying materials from one’s collection is critically important to getting users aware of what the collection can offer them, and conversely thus displays are important to materials getting circulated.

Our first display fell a few days after William Shakespeare’s birthday, but more importantly fell a week before a program that the library was hosting with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Collection promotion AND program promotion? Yes, please.

What I Read Last Week:

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Ortley Beach board via The real boardwalks of New Jersey: The ultimate guide (The Star-Ledger)

What I Read Last Week:

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Take up your spade – Sara Watkins