Get well, Brenda! And Happy Halloween!

Get well wishes to Brenda, who had her eye surgery on Monday.  Her doctor said he was going to do her surgery last in case there were complications.  How's that for a confidence builder? Not to mention having surgery on Halloween.  Rebecca reports that her mom came through the surgery well, but that a small piece of lens fell through the hole in the eye.  It could reabsorb without complication.  Brenda hopes to be back to work on Wednesday! Brenda appreciates the prayers and good wishes!

Welcome back to  Doris who has just returned after knee surgery!  We've missed you!

More good news:  Pam survived Halloween with the teens & tweens, only losing an earring and a shoe in the process, nearly getting strangled by her purse strap and being outrun.  Way to go, Pam!

And speaking of Halloween...

Samurai Randall

Magician Melba the Magnificent

Nancy asks a boon from the Melba the Magnificent!

Newsflash!  Library Sweeps Ferguson Awards!

Ferguson Animal Hospital had a Halloween costume contest for pets.  The winners were announced today and we're enormously proud to announce that Gatsby Neal won in the canine division for his prison outfit and Melon Powers  won for his feline football costume!

 

We (heart) Heartwood!

How many folks have been out to Heartwood, the wonderful new complex near Abingdon?  It features local crafts, music and a restaurant, all designed to showcase the best of Southwest Virginia.  As part of that mission, they're issuing "passports" to visitors, encouraging them to explore other parts of the area and collect a stamp on the passport.  The passports are divided up by county first, then cities.  Why am I telling you all this?  Because Main's Virgie R. Fleenor Gallery is one of the THE spots to visit!  There are packets at both Reference and Circulation with a rubber stamp, a stamp pad and a sample passport.  When someone comes in the library with a passport, direct them to the Gallery, then stamp the appropriate square in the passport.

This makes me want to go get a passport of my very own!

If for some reason you aren't familiar with Heartwood, check out their website here.

The Melon Halloween cards are out.  If you want one, see Jeanne. If you want to see a photo of Gatsby Neal in his Halloween costume, lobby Pam!

www.icanhascheezburger.com

Cake Boss info, Happy Birthdays, & Happy Halloween!

From Sarah:

 

There are copies of a Cake Boss Information sheet at Circulation and at Reference to help you all field some of the Cake Boss questions that will be coming in. We have already had a great pick up in ticket sales due to some of the new ads we have put out. Soon we will have a promo on WCYB and that will definitely increase calls as well.

 

I have a couple rows (which is about 20 or so seats) of the $75 floor seats available here in my office if anyone is interested in purchasing those. The rest of that section, the $50 floor seats, and the $20 balcony seats are available at Viking Hall. Their contact information is on the  information sheet.

 

There is also the Cake Competition on the same day as the event (December 1^st). Registration deadline is November 21^st.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to call or email me. If you receive a question that you are unsure how to answer or someone would like to make a ticket purchase from me, transfer the call to me.

And there's an important postscript:

 

P.S. Don’t forget: If you would like some Cake Boss tickets (free of charge), please let me know as we have some staff seating set aside for those who would like to attend.

 So be sure and let Sarah know soon about those tickets if you want to see the Cake Boss.  Don't miss out on  what should be a wonderful program!


In the meantime,  don't forget that in between we have Mary Kay Andrews!  She'll be at the library on Saturday, November 5, at 1:30 in the J. Henry Kegley Meeting Room.  Reserved seats are $20, general admission is free.  If you know any patrons who just love  Southern books with a dash of mystery and a touch of humor, be sure to mention this event. (In case you didn't know, Mary Kay Andrews is also Kathy Hogan Trocheck, author of several mystery books.)

Happy Birthday!

October continues to be a busy month for library birthdays! Many happy returns to all those celebrating!

 

Christy   October 20

Marva  October 23

Ashley  October 25

Judy  October 27

 

Happy Halloween from icanhascheezburger.com!

 

Visitors and birthdays!

Becky's son came in from Texas and didn't tell her he was on his way.  Instead, he came by Main with grandson Cole and gave her a grand surprise!  We have photographic evidence of the visit, too!

Becky wants to thank everyone at Main for making her feel welcome here. She says,  "I know I'll still be asking a million questions, but I really appreciate all the help!"  Remember, Becky, this is the library:  questions and answers are our stock in trade!

If you haven't checked out the BPL Facebook page lately, you should!  There are photos from the two recent Discovery series events, the History Mobile's visit, and a host of things from Avoca.  Our branch library has a display of miniatures that has to be seen to be believed!  BPL Facebook page

Happy Birthday!

  October is a busy birthday month at BPL! Here are some upcoming dates to celebrate:

James Estep  October 13

Susan Wolfe  October 14

Joyce McCracken October 17

Long term health insurance & other

Our condolences to Don in Circulation. He lost his grandfather, Earl Saxon Bise, earlier this week.  To read the obituary and leave a message, click on this link:   Don's grandfather.

For those interested in long term care insurance:

Beginning October 10, 2011 and continuing through November 18, 2011, you will have the chance to enroll in a comprehensive Group Long Term Care Insurance Program that offers a range of affordable coverage options.  Everyone, including those not covered through VRS, may attend the scheduled meeting below.

A live presentation to provide you important information will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. and again at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2011, at the Bristol Public Library in the Henry Kegley Meeting Room.

 (For more information, see the flyers attached to the email message alerting you to this new blog. Click on the attachments to view.)

Thanks to all the great cooks who made Chili Day a success!  Everything was wonderfully tasty. If anyone wants to share recipes, I'll be glad to post them in the blog.

For those of you lucky enough to sample the "pecan pie" in the staff lounge a few days ago, I've asked Lee for the recipe.  It was actually a brown bean pie with toasted walnuts on top.  No, I'm not kidding!

This Saturday we'll have the first in the Bristol Public Library Film & Discussion Series!  The film is 8 1/2 by Federico Fellini. The film will start at 2 pm in the J. Henry Kegley Meeting Room.

Brand new librarian Gena Chattin is volunteering at Main.   She is interested in a variety of library experiences so there's no telling where she'll turn up next! Gena will also be doing some reviews for us at the library bookblog.  Thank you, Gena!

Here's a smile from www.icanhascheezburger.com:

A Message from Jud

I want to personally welcome Becky Berry to the Main Library and want to share with everyone how difficult it was to tear her loose from her fans down at Avoca. Becky is treasured down there for her winning ways: for her ability to smile at people and call them by their first names. The folks at Avoca are terrified that without Becky, it will never happen to them anymore.

Why? Because, according to them, nobody smiles or calls people by their first names at the Main Library. And if Becky got taken away, it would mean the smiling at Avoca would stop.

As pleased as I was that this group cherished Becky so much, I felt a little bad for Sue Morrell and Bill McKenzie, who’ve worked with Becky for a while. I think they probably smile some and use some first names. I felt bad for Sue Wolfe, just starting out down there, because in effect her presence there was being taken to mean that Main was exporting its moroseness and its impersonality to Avoca. I assured the group that this wouldn’t happen.

In fact, I thought it would be useful to share this with everyone just so that we could understand what it is about Becky Berry that makes her so special to these people. I don’t mean to put her on the spot because she’s modest and humble, but I do think it would be good for all of us to realize the very simple and easy things you *must* do in order to make the library a place that people want to come to.

I can say all I want to about the threat of changing technology to the future of libraries. But the best thing to keep libraries viable will be people who treat the public like Becky Berry does.

History Mobile, flu shots, and a queen is crowned!

Sarah in Marketing has a message for everyone:  

              

Thank you all for helping so much with phone calls, selling tickets, etc for the Discovery Series events. We really appreciate it! We need to start getting a headcount for how many staff members would like Cake Boss tickets, so we can start getting those together. These tickets are free of charge and they are just our way of saying thank you for all of your help. If you have any questions or would like to be on the list for tickets, please feel free to stop by my office, email me, or call me.Thanks so much!  

Let Sarah know as soon as possible if you want tickets!  

Things to Remember This Week:

• Flu shots will be given at City Hall, Room 210, on Tuesday, October 4, from 1 pm -5 pm  and Friday, October 7, from  8 am - noon.

• The Civil War 150 History Mobile is coming!  This wonderful mobile museum will be in the Piedmont Street parking lot beside the library.  The museum will be here and open to the public on Thursday, October 6 from 9 am until 6 pm, and on Friday, October 7, from 9 am until 1 pm. For more information on the exhibit go to History Mobile.

• Oliver North will be appearing at Virginia Intermont as a part of the library's Discovery Series on Saturday, October 8, at 1:30.  Tickets are available through Marketing, but some are available at the Circulation Desk. 

• The Bristol Public Library Movie & Discussion Series will be starting in October!  One Saturday a month, a film from another country will be screened with a discussion of the movie to follow.  The first film is the famous Federico Fellini film, 8 1/2.  It will be shown on Saturday, October 15, starting at 2 pm.  

•   Janice H. writes, "Friday will be Chili Day at the BPL.  I promise not to make the chili too hot! We will be saying good –bye to Nancy Chafin.  She has kept the books in order and ready to shelve for the last year and an half.  Her contract time with Experience Works has ended.  She has been a great asset for the library." Nancy has indeed brought order to chaos and been a wonderful addition to BPL.  We'll miss her.  Visit often, Nancy!
  
   

Hats off-- or on?-- for Charlotte, our volunteer!

The Adult New Books section is looking quite festive, thanks to Charlotte!  She has been doing the decorating for book displays for months now, always earning rave reviews!  Thanks, Charlotte!

And speaking of festive occasions, it has been reported that a group from BPL visited a local eating establishment recently where a shrimp eating contest took place. My source, while usually quite reliable, insisted that Brenda won the aforementioned contest by putting away 125-- yes, that's ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE-- shrimp! I'm not sure I can believe this. Unfortunately, they didn't get a weight on these shrimp, because according to the Major League Eating site, the record is 4 pounds, 15 ounces.  Unless I hear otherwise, though, I intend to proclaim Brenda the Shrimp Queen of BPL!  Do I hear a second?  Or is there a challenger in the wings?

"Shrimp?  Bring 'em on!"