We Get Messy and Smile

Every Thursday morning at 10am, we at the library do a storytime.  The first half-hour is Mark reading books, singing songs, dancing, and often making the noises of animals and machinery.  The second half-hour is devoted to crafts of one kind or another.  Sometimes they are simple, and sometimes more complex.  But we always try to make them fun! 

On Thursday, December 19th, for example, the kids decorated gingerbread houses that the library staff had built out of graham crackers and hot glue over several days leading up to the program.  The houses themselves were not suitable for eating, but the decorations certainly were!

Being at 10am on a weekday as it is, the program is mostly geared towards pre-K, although we have had some homeschool groups with slightly older kids come in the past and have a wonderful time!  

Like all library programs, storytime is free of charge.  Hope to see you there!

Milestones and Landmarks

 

After I got settled into my job as Berryville Library Director a couple of years ago, I looked at where we were in terms of the business we were doing, and set some goals for the future.  The goals were not extravagant, but they were unprecedented: 10,000 item circulations in one month, and 100,000 in one year.

 

In 2012, our best months saw us top 9,000 circulations, and at the end of the year we came in at just under 90,000 total item circulations.  There are certain trends throughout the year that we had come to expect: the summer is really busy, the fall and winter are slow.  But 2013 undermined all that we thought we knew.  We had a huge January - over 9,000 items, and the pace never slackened.  All year, we have maintained a 14% (give or take) increase in circulation over 2012.  We broke the 10,000 mark for the month of July, and then duplicated the feat again in August.  Those were exciting months, and put us well on track to break the yearly goal.

 

Tuesday, December 10th, was the historic day.  We left work Wednesday over 99,800 for the year, so I knew we'd break 100,000 on Thursday.  Then an epic winter storm shuttered the library Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, AND Monday.  The balloons I had purchased for the occasion the previous Tuesday were still floating, although the Mylar wasn't quite as tight as it had been.  Business started out slow in light of the continued poor road conditions, but early in the afternoon on Tuesday we reached our goal.

 

 





By the time Rod Rivera walked innocently up to the desk with his items in hand, we were ready.  The balloons were mounted to little gift boxes full of chocolate, and he was presented with a certificate AND a $100 credit on his account! 

 

I often find myself obsessing over numbers, but I suppose it goes with the territory in my job.  So, a town of 5,300 people, in a county of 27,000, with a library collection of 32,000 items, and we passed 100,000 item circulations on one year.  I am proud of that.  And I think Berryville and Carroll County can be proud of it, as well! 

 

With three weeks left in the year, who knows where we will end up?  And as for next year - who knows what it will hold?  But, whatever happens, I know our happy little library will rise to the challenge!

A Good Mascot is Hard to Find

Part of what is fun about working at the library is finding new ways to utilize old things.  We had this little goose statue sitting around and one day we decided to put her to work.  After a lengthy and well-received naming competition, she was christened "Penelope," and has since taken on a life of her own.  Patrons of all stripes enjoy seeing what Penelope has chosen to wear from day to day, often commenting on her fashion sense (of humor) and her penchant for sun dresses.  She has received a number of different outfits over the past couple of years to complement her closet full of costumes, but she is always looking for more!  The brighter, the better.  If you, or someone you know, has a yen for crafting clothing for goose statues, stop by and take some measurements!  

Our monthly Brickstravaganza!

Bricks...bricks...thousands of bricks.  The fourth Wednesday of every month we spread thousands of LEGO bricks across our floors and invite kids (in fact, or just in heart) to spend an hour freestyling to their hearts' content.  From buildings to automobiles, to creations that defy all easy description, we've seen some pretty amazing things!

 As an added incentive to attend this FREE program, we always have several brand new minifigures to give away as doorprizes!  In November, we are going to let Beefeater, Fitness Instructor Lady, Lumberjack, Painter, Baseball Player, Criminal, Barbarian, Paintball Guy, Graduate, and Motorcycle Mechanic go to new homes!  

The LEGO club meets the fourth Wednesday (which is usually the last Wednesday) of each month.  If the fourth Wednesday falls on a holiday (like Christmas), we'll do it the week before.  Like all of our programs, LEGO club is free of charge!

"It's the most wonderful time...of the year!"

We are approaching the end of day two of our special three-day "just in time for Thanksgiving" bake sale.  We've seen lots of tasty treats go out the door, but just as many come in!  The sale will continue through 6pm tomorrow.  Most of the small things are priced 4 (or 5, or 6) for a dollar, and there is nothing at all over $5!  Come stock up on some of the tastiest creations of some of Berryville's greatest bakers!