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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

A Visit from Nancy P & an unusual tree!

 Nancy P. wants to thank everyone for all the many kindnesses!  She said the good wishes, prayers, puzzles, balloons, cards and phone calls meant so much.  She misses everyone like crazy and will be by periodically to visit.  She says if she can't stay away, she may volunteer-- as a greeter if nothing else.

She also sends out holiday greetings to everyone.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Please continue to keep Harrison's family in your thoughts and prayers.  While Chris came through the operation well, he isn't out of the woods yet.  

Okay, Janice-- start saving donated books for next year!

The Richard Gleeson Library at the University of San Francisco apparently has a Christmas tree tradition with a bit of a twist.  Here's a shot of this year's 9 foot tall tree:

To see another shot of the tree, click on this link:
University of San Francisco library

And finally, the last word from Melon:

"So, where are the cookies and milk?"

Update from Mr. Gilley

As some of you may know, Harrison Gilley's son in law Chris underwent open heart surgery on Tuesday in Nashville.  He came through the surgery well and is now in ICU.  Prayers and good thoughts for Chris and the family would be appreciated.

I'll post further news as we get word.

Update:  Harrison called to say that the doctors had Chris up and walking around this morning!  Harrison and Mary Jo will be heading back to Bristol today (Wednesday) and we should be seeing his smiling face at the library tomorrow.  He sends thanks for all the prayers and good wishes.

Monday, December 20, 2010

A gift for all of us!


It is indeed the season of giving, sharing and caring.  Click HERE to see an animated card and gift from Mr. Barry! (There's sound, too!)

Remember that we'll be closed on Sunday, December 26 as well as December 24-25.

Security guard Scottie has left us, but has promised to come back and visit.  In the meantime, we'd like to welcome Art Booher to our security team!

For those of you who missed Janice H's version of the Twelve Days of Christmas at the party, I offer-- no, not yet another photo of Melon modeling antlers-- but this fine feathered friend:
Not a partridge, not a pear tree: Cooper's hawk on a power pole!

 Have a happy and safe holiday!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Staff Christmas Party!

"And I'm gonna have some ham and some cheesecake and some sweet potatoes and some more cheesecake and slaw and bread and creamed corn and...."

Nancy P. attended, with the news that she will not be retiring: she will resign but never retire.  She may volunteer for us!


Nancy Young gave a fine rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas as rewritten by Janice H!














The food was fabulous, the company convivial, and a wonderful time was had by all!











 Everything went really well, except for the annoying person taking photos.


A toast to Janice & Bill, who did their usual fine job!  Each claims that the other did all the work, so we'll just celebrate both!




  Merry Christmas, everyone!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Alert! Change in Party Plans & Work Schedule!

Due to illness, the Staff Christmas Party is going to be held here at the library instead of Michelle's house.  Date and time remain the same:  Saturday at 6 pm, dining at 6:30, fun to follow!

Also, the library is going to be CLOSED on Sunday, December 26! 

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Party Alert!!

 We just got word that there will be a Bristol,Virginia City Party for employees on Friday night!  It's at the Holiday Inn at Exit 7.  Doors will open at 6:00 pm, with dinner from 7-8:00 pm.  There will be entertainment, doorprizes and a dance with a DJ from 8-10:00 pm.  Employees may bring a guest.  Dress is casual.  Let Brenda know ASAP if you plan to attend!!!  She needs to let City Hall know on Thursday how many folks are coming.


Don't forget the Staff Christmas Party is Saturday at 6 pm at Michelle's house! Sign up sheet for food is in the kitchen so that we all don't turn up with some sort of potatoes.  Although I don't think that would  be a bad thing at all. . . .

The Scholastic Book Sale is going on in the Children's Department all this week. There are some great deals, so be sure to stop by and take a look! There are some neat things.  I bought pens with eyes on them for my nephew the eye doctor.  I'm sure he will be thrilled.

Don't forget to admire all the wonderful Christmas trees people have brought in for the Parade of Trees in the Children's Department!  There are some very inventive and lovely trees this year.  Contributors include the BPL Foundation, the Self Family, and Christine Caldwell.
Any guesses as to who did this tree??


It's been Old Friends Week!  Nancy Patterson stopped by and she is doing very well now.  Janice Crowe came to get some Christmas books to get into the spirit of the holidays.  Joan was here to be wished "Happy Birthday" on December 6th.  She's getting very excited about that third grandson!
Speaking of birthdays,  good wishes will be in order for  Kathryn on December 15 and Harrison Gilley on December 17! 

On Sundays we're often treated to another special visitor, courtesy of Nicki!  In case you haven't had the pleasure, here is a photo of Wolf the Wonderdog! 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Board Members to Visit, Staff Bios & Money!

Don't panic! Board Development is requesting that all Board members visit the library and meet some of the staff. They want to find out more about the staff as individuals and more about the nuts and bolts of our jobs, how things really work.  Jud says, "This is a great opportunity to 'open the eyes' of Board members to the good work you do and the challenges you face. The visits will be informal and friendly. There's no need to feel like you're in the hot seat.We have a great group of Board volunteers. They are seriously interested in learning more about how staff feel about the work they do."

The BPL is a great place to work.  The proof is in the number of people who have stayed here for years-- even decades.  People are the heart of any organization and we have some of the best right here. This is our chance to show our stuff a bit.

Along this same line,  Mr. B. asks that everyone write a brief biography to be used in some of our library publicity. It doesn't have to be too long, about 200 words or so.  This is just a way of letting people know about the real us, not just warm bodies behind desks.  (Although in winter at the Reference Desk in front of the automatic doors, finding a warm body is quite the challenge!)  It doesn't have to be elaborate, just something simple and friendly.  "My name is Bunny, I like long walks on the beach and pina coladas--"  oops, wrong bio.  Just tell a bit about your job, how long you've been here, what you like best, your hobbies, favorite book or movie,  that sort of thing.  Email your bios to Kathryn at kathryn@bristol-library.org or if you don't email, you can just write out what you want to say.

And now, what you've all been waiting for: written confirmation of our "additional compensation," aka bonus money!  From the City of Bristol, Virginia memo of November 30, 2010:

"The one time employee additional compensation will be issued on December 10, 2010, as a separate check, with taxes withheld.  Anyone that is on the City's payroll December 10th will receive the compensation.  Full time employees will receive $500.00; part time employees will receive $250.00."

There is another notation of interest about the payroll for December 24:
"Regular payroll will be in the bank on Friday the 24th, not Thursday the 23rd as some banks choose to deposit early."

Finally, the staff Christmas Party will be at Michelle's house this year!  Mark Saturday, December 11 on your calendar and show up about 6 pm.  Sign up to bring a dish for the festivities. Meat and drinks (tea or coffee) will be furnished.  The address is 1025 Highland Avenue, Bristol, Virginia.  In case you didn't get Michelle's email with directions, here they are:  from the library, turn onto Commonwealth toward Euclid.  Go past the Marathon Station and cross a set of railroad tracks.  Turn right onto Highland Avenue (this is just before the EVERYTHING GOES furniture store) and go up the hill 2 blocks.  The house is on the left on the corner of Highland and Prince Streets.  It's a light green/blue house with cream trim, fence around the yard and lots of trees.  You can park on Highland or Prince.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Authors, news & a visit to Santa!

We're going to have two authors appear at Main on Thursday, December 2 at 7 pm!  Craig McDonald and Chuck Thompson, professors at King College,  will be here to discuss their novels. Both novels are set in the first century Palestine and both are very readable, but otherwise these books are quite different!  If you have any interest in Biblical history, by all means give these books a try.  Dr. McDonald's book is entitled In His Right Mind and is about Simon from the Gospel of Mark.  Simon was the man possessed by demons.    The novel explores what might have happened after he is --well, dispossessed! Dr. Thompson is the author of The Bishop of Jerusalem, which is about the last days of Jesus' brother James.  Please encourage folks to come by and hear these two fascinating gentlemen! (Note:  that IS indeed the same day as the Bristol Christmas parade so parking may be tight.)

We had a call from a friend of Eunice McCracken who reports that our long-time patron came through hip surgery well and is recovering.

Kay will be doing the Pet Tree again this year!  Please bring pet food, blankets, cat litter, treats, etc. to the library to put under the tree.  She's going to divide the donations between the Sullivan County Animal Shelter where she volunteers and with For Pete's Sake, a local rescue which has saved several animals from being euthanized at the shelter.  They take adoptable animals whose time has run out and foster them in hopes of finding them a forever home.  Kathryn is doing some publicity on it for us, too!

Christine M.  shared this photo of Moira and Santa!  Isn't she adorable???

Happy Birthday to
Sue Morrell on December 2
Joan Hutton on December 6

  

Monday, November 22, 2010

BPL Bookblog, Special Visitors, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Have you visited the BPL Bookblog?  Susan, Nancy W, Doris and Jeanne have done most of the reviews, but Nicki from the Children's Department wrote one review.  Read it here:
http://bristol-library-bookblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/girl-who-reads-stieg-larrson.html

To visit the most recent Bookblog entry, just click here:

BPL Bookblog

Feeling inspired?  Want to review a book, cd, movie or some other item carried by the library?  Please do!  Email or bring a written copy of your review to Jeanne and we'll get it posted!

The Fred Sauceman event was a lot of fun! Fred and Amy generously gave the leftover Benedictine dip, pork in BBQ sauce, fried pies and Helms candy for the staff to enjoy, so now you know from whence came the goodies you found on Monday.  (You may have noticed there wasn't that much left of the barbecue:  can you believe that sauce was made with Cheerwine???)  The recipes for the Benedictine dip and the BBQ sauce are in the Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook to which Fred contributed.  Yes, the library will be getting a copy!  

The library had a very special visitor on Saturday:
Her Royal Highness, Empress-in-Training Allie, accompanied by her devoted servant--er, Lady-in-Waiting, graced us with her presence.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!  Remember, we close at 5 pm on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Melon wishes everyone a very happy Thanksgiving and is hoping to be invited to lots of houses for lots of food.  Vegetarians need not apply.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Event Reminders!

From Kathryn:
"Should anyone call tomorrow asking for info about Ruth Graham, here is the run-down:
 
The presentation is at VI College in the Kegley Auditorium.
 
Reserved seating will be available for purchase until 2:00p.m.  just send them to my phone and tell them to leave a voicemail if I am not available, I will be checking it throughout the day and will take care of ticket sales. 
 
The auditorium holds almost 1000 people and we have sold around 120 reserved seats, meaning there will be around 800 or so free seats left for the general public.  People often ask what the chances are that they will get a seat; we expect a crowd, so they should arrive early to guarantee seating if they do not have reserved tickets.  The doors open at 6pm and the presentation starts at 7pm with a Q&A session and book signing to follow.    
 
If you need anything tomorrow , my cell is 423-646-8432".  

Fred Sauceman
 Fred Sauceman will be showing his film "Beans All the Way," about Greeneville's iconic Bean Barn.  There will be some samples of food, including sorghum, cornbread and a taste of "beans all the way."  He'll be signing copies of his books, including Cornbread Nation and a wonderful new Appalachian cookbook.  So bring your friends in this Sunday at 3 pm for this tasty and entertaining program!



Melon, Plus-Sized Feline Supermodel
Last, and least, Melon will make an appearance at the library today.  By patron request, he'll be showing up in his too too solid flesh around 1:30 pm in the teen room in case anyone wants to take a gander at his girth.  I'll keep him here about an hour before we waddle home.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Food, Shopping, Ruth Graham & Ghosts!

The holidays are fast approaching!  To prove it, there are some seasonal events lined up:


Fred Sauceman & Beans All the Way!
On Sunday, Nov. 21 at 3 pm, Fred Sauceman will be showing his documentary "Beans All the Way," about a little Mom 'n' Pop restaurant in Greeneville known for its special Soup Bean Stew.  This is an interesting and entertaining film which I think you'll enjoy, and Mr. Sauceman is a great speaker.  There will also be some sort of sampling going on, too!  He'll have copies of some of his books for sale, including a  Southern Food Alliance cookbook. That should make a few people on the staff very happy. Buy the cookbook and try some recipes for Thanksgiving! 

One Enchanted Evening:  Shop the Mall
The Mall is offering a special sale Sunday, November 21 from 6-9 pm to benefit the United Way!  Tickets are $5. You'll get "After Thanksgiving Pricing" before Thanksgiving, plus a chance at prizes, a silent auction, events for children and more!  Tickets are available at the United Way or at Bristol Mall Customer Service. 

City Hall Thanksgiving Luncheon
This year's luncheon will be on Tuesday, November 23 at noon at the Lee Street Fire Station.  All guests are invited to bring a covered dish.  Call Peg Brown at 645-7304 to let her know what you're bringing.  The city will provide meats, bread and beverages.  
Spot the Staff!  Joe Tennis gave a great program on ghostly veterans.  This is the post program autograph session.  Three of the five staff members in attendance are pictured.  Can you spot them?

Don't Forget Ruth Graham!
 Ruth Graham's Discovery Series program will be  Thursday, Nov. 18 at 7 pm  at Virginia Intermont College. Reserve seating tickets are $20; otherwise admission is free as long as there is room. For more information, direct calls to Kathryn at  276-821-6148.



Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Bad Moon--er, weather-- on the rise: Bad weather policy review time!


If anyone had forgotten what snow and cold is like, this past weekend provided a good reminder!  Mr. B. thought it would be a good time for a refresher on our "Inclement Weather Policy."  So here 'tis:

Emergency library closings may be authorized by the Director.  Staff members will be notified by their department heads by telephone if they do not have to report to work that day.  They will be paid for the number of hours normally scheduled to work.
When the library is open, but extreme weather conditions make it impossible for a staff member to arrive at the regular time, reasonable allowance for lateness will be made.  If the employee cannot report for work within a reasonable time, they may charge the day off to vacation leave or leave without pay.  The library should, of course, be notified as soon as possible.
If an emergency occurs during hours the library is open, the Director, or, in the absence of the Director, the person in charge may authorize closing.  Employees will be paid for any remaining hours scheduled.
When the library is closed for weather or other emergencies, compensatory time off is not allowed for those on day off or on vacation.



REMINDER:  Joe Tennis will be at the library on Thursday night at 7 pm to tell ghost stories!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Policy reminder!

Mr. Barry wanted me to remind everyone about the site for the latest versions of library policies..  Just click 

https://sites.google.com/site/bristolpubliclibrary/policies 

and select the ones you'd like to review.  Be informed!

Ghost Stories from Joe Tennis & Other News

Does anyone need reminding that we will be closed on Thursday, November 11 in honor of Veterans Day?  Even though we're closed, the Friends will be hosting author Joe Tennis to tell ghost stories with a military slant.  Joe has written some wonderful books about this area.  His latest one is Haunts of Virginia's Blue Ridge Highlands.  This will be a fun program!  It starts at 7 pm on Veterans Day.  Doris and Mr. Barry will  be here to open the doors about 6:30 pm.  It'll be a great way to celebrate.  Hope to see a lot of you here!


Have you seen the pictures in the Gallery??  Those old photos of Bristol in the 1930s are wonderful!  If you haven't taken a look yet, it's worth your while to do so. The photos are from the Kelly & Green Collection and the exhibit is sponsored by the Bristol Historical Association.  The exhibit will be up the entire month of November.

Speaking of the Bristol Historical Association, they will be having a reception in honor of the exhibit on Monday evening, starting at 6 pm.  Jerry Necessary Ivey will be speaking at 6:30 about growing up in Bristol.  Many of you know Jerry:  she's a delight and I'm sure her presentation will be entertaining.

Since someone asked (Joyce)--I'm not naming names (Joyce)-- you can view pictures of the Melon at his blog.  Just click on Fat Cat. I try to post a new picture at least once a week. 

Happy Birthday!
Amanda at Avoca     November 10
Laurie in Children's    November 13  

Another blast from the past! Yes, both these ladies still work here!



Tuesday, November 2, 2010

New for November!


It's that time of year!  We fall back on Sunday, so remember to set your clocks back an hour. Just think, in 40 plus days (depending on when you read this) we'll start gaining about a minute a day instead of losing one a day.

Just in case you haven't heard, there is going to be a new Teen Book Club!  Pam Neal, librarian at Virginia High, will be leading it.  The emphasis will be on reading, along with some other activities.  Meetings will be Wednesdays 4:30- 6:30 pm starting this Wednesday, November 3. The first book up for discussion will be Fallout by Ellen Hopkins.

The Children's Department is encouraging everyone to do a Christmas tree with a children's book theme again this year.  Trees must be turned in for display by December 3.  Fortunately, there are many, many, many children's books with cats so Jeanne is set. It is to be hoped the rest of you  will be more creative.

There are two new children's programs starting in November. These are being done by parents and not the Children's Department.   They will meet in the children's department and are for children ages 8-12.

The Treasure Hunters AR Book Club   will meet on Thursday, November 4 at 5:30 pm.

The Bristol Bright Sparks Electronic Club will meet on alternate Wednesdays, Nov. 3 and 17, at 6:30 pm.

People News:

Nancy Young is home and on the mend! She thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers.  She's not sure when she'll be back, but we hope it'll be soon.  We miss you, Nancy!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Farewell to All Hallow's Eve. . .

Janice H as Susan W.'s worst nightmare!
... but the memories linger on.  For those of you trying to identify folks in old picture, here are the names I know:  Janie Hawthorne, Kathy Braswell, Jeanne, Judy, Howell Barnes, Gail Rose, Nancy Patterson, and Melba.  You decide who is who!

Thanks to all who dressed up!  It made for a festive time indeed.  There were some wonderful costumes!
Laurie the Viking!

Melba the glamorous witch!

Randall channeled Willie Nelson!

Nicky the pirate with her parrot!
We also had a wonderful time with the cookbook tasting-- er, booksigning.  The ladies were funny and food was fabulous.  That bacon and bread stick recipe is easy too!  My kind of recipe!



Finally, Crowe's party was a rousing success. Everyone had a wonderful time, especially the honoree.  We miss you, Crowe!





Thursday, October 28, 2010

Crowe Baby and a Blast from the Past!

First, some of the staff are going to get together at Fatz at 6 pm  Friday in honor of Janice Crowe and her well deserved retirement.    See Wanda for details  if you want to celebrate with Crowe Baby!

Remember the Who Stole the Cornbread from my Dressing book signing and cooking demonstration this Friday! It'll be at 3 pm in the large meeting room.

It was great to see all the costumes! And some of them were even on the kids! I'll post photos of this year's Halloween in next week's blog.  In the meantime, how many staff members can you identify from this golden oldie photo?

I know eight out of ten people in this picture. How many can you name?   Four are still on staff. For our newer staff members, the setting is the meeting room in the old library, which was where part of the workroom is now.  We still have that courtyard, but the fountain is gone.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Friendly reminders so you'll be "in the know"

Monday, Oct. 25 is the National Health Options seminar for staff in the Conference Room. There are two sessions, at 1:00 pm and again at 2:00 pm so that more people can attend. This is optional:  you don't have to attend but you may miss out on some good information if you do.  There will be other health seminars later if this one doesn't appeal to you.

Cookbook Signing!
The authors of Somebody Stole the Cornbread from My Dressing, Elizabeth Gourlay Heiskell and Susanne Young Reed, will be at the library on Friday, October 29, 3:00 pm in the J. Henry Kegley Meeting Room (aka The Big Meeting Room.).There will be a cooking demonstration as well as a book signing.   The authors are drawing some comparisons between North and South cooking.  It's light-hearted and the recipes are wonderful.   This should be a fun presentation, so invite all the people you know who love to laugh and cook!  

Party Time!
Tuesday, Oct. 26 is the Children's Halloween Party and the House Warming for Rebecca.  Dress up if you wish and bring spooky food!  The staff costumes have been very inventive through the years...





Later I may post some golden oldie photos....

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Halloween Countdown

Mr. Barry wants to thank the Staff for the treat basket for Boss's Day. He adds, "As in everything else, I can't do it without you all!" 

Halloween & Party!

Yep, another photo from Halloweens past to get you in the mood.  Ah, all those costumes of yore. . . Jeannie N. who wore a lampshade and trailed an electrical cord as a floorlamp. . . Brenda as a giant pink bunny (Harvey, maybe?) or the cow .. . Judy M. as a witch. . . Nancy P. as a gypsy. . . Gail R. as Smurfette. . . Michelle as a trashbag full of leaves. . .  Jeanne as Groucho Marx (a former staffer asked if the big fake nose bothered her. . . trouble was, Jeanne wasn't wearing a fake nose) Joan and Crowe as Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. . . . Ashley B. as a faerie. . .  Melba as an elegant witch. . . .  It's always fun to see what transpires!
Susan the Hunter and Jeanne the. . . something or other.
 Remember also that we're looking for spooky food for the Halloween Housewarming Party!  Rebecca has submitted her wish list:
Toaster
Sheets (king)
Pillows
Silverware
Plates
Bowls
Mixer
Can opener
Storage bin with drawers
Bathroom accessories
Rebecca's mom adds that Rebecca's favorite colors are black and red, in that order, and that she needs  
Cookware
Sheets (full or king)
Toaster oven 
The Halloween Housewarming party will be the same day as the Children's Halloween Party, Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Scariest book or movie?
For the library's bookblog, Jeanne would  like to hear from staff about the scariest book you've ever read or movie you've ever seen.  If it's one we have, even better.  We'll be posting answers for the next couple of weeks. Thanks!
 
People News
Nancy Young is going to have surgery on her knee on October 26th.  She'd appreciate it if we'd keep her in our thoughts and prayers.  Can you believe that Nancy has been volunteering here for ten years??

Nancy Patterson stopped by the library on Saturday, October 16.  She looked great!  She wants to thank everyone for the cards, messages and concern.   She wants everyone to know that she is feeling much better and is starting to get out a bit more.

Becky Berry shared the good news that grandson Cole is doing much better!

There are some new faces at the library: Christy Lunsford (Circulation) and Randall Mullins (Literacy Academy). Welcome!

Happy Birthday!
October 23  Marva Woodby
October 25 Ashley Brown
October 27  Judy Moore

Janice gets into the spirit!




Monday, October 18, 2010

Bud Phillips Booksigning!




As you can see, we had a great turn out for Bud Phillips' Ghosts of Bristol Storytelling & Book Signing!   Bud did his usual  wonderful job.  He spun some great ghost  stories and the audience was very appreciative.The line for books was long but he patiently signed every book. He is a Bristol Treasure.

A heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful folks who volunteered to help! Melba, Marva, Tommy, Susan Wolfe, Nancy Young and Angi Bradnan all pitched in to make it a success.  Doris handled the reference desk with help from Susan. and Scott kept everybody in line.
Angi Bradnan helped sell books and was a beacon of cheerfulness!

Melba, Marva & Tommy served refreshments & sign-ins!

Nancy Young and Bud made a charming couple!


Susan made everyone welcome: the perfect hostess!

 Remember, our next Homegrown event is in November, when Fred Sauceman will entertain us with his documentary and stories about Appalachian food-- just in time for Thanksgiving!

Again, many thanks to all who helped make the event a success!