Ahoy!
I hope your summer has been treating you well! I can't believe Summer Reading is in its final days! It feels like this year's program flew by. I've seen so many familiar faces and new friends logging minutes, writing reviews, and claiming their prizes!
Along with going on a literary adventure, I hope you've gotten to take a real adventure! Whether it's a local jaunt or a faraway trek, it's fun to get away! I was fortunate to go away during our extra-long 4th of July weekend, and of course, I had to visit a library!
The Saratoga Springs Public Library is absolutely lovely! I got to stretch my legs and mingle among the Summer Reading Program setup. They did a great job on the Dino-theme!
I always love to visit new-to-me libraries. I like to see how they post their program info, where they keep their information handouts, and how many programming rooms they have. I feel like a secret shopper in a way... although, my family usually blows my cover once a member of staff says hello...
You don't have to drive far to check out new libraries. I recently visited the Doylestown library, which has had a total overhaul since I was last there as a kid. They had really cool displays and even had an Art-O-Mat!
It was like a vending machine of trinkets from local artists! It was very neat. I dream of having the space for something like this! (Although I will settle for an old-fashioned bubble gum machine! One has been on my thrift store wish list for a loooong time.)
Never hesitate to let me know if you've visited a new-to-you library. I have patrons who save me programming schedules and tell me what other libraries are doing. It's always neat to hear, and who knows: you may see something I could bring to LPCL! My favorite Patron-shared library is probably the Beach Town libraries. The vibe at a library by the ocean must be so fun. Imagine clocking out and hitting the beach... again, I'm dreaming!
Even with all the summer excitement, I'm still reading. I challenged myself to read one of the most controversial books in history: Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence. I wanted to see if it's really that salacious or just a product of its time...
Well, it was certainly something, folks. It took me until halfway through the book to wonder if I was actually reading a censored copy, and then it got... controversial. For its time, this book is a wild ride. Today? I think it's pretty tame. I'm glad I read it, not only for the Jeopardy clues but also for the zeitgeist.
Now for something more my speed, I just finished listening to The Gales of November by John U. Bacon. It's about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The book begins all the way back in 1958, when the ship was built. The story winds all the way to the 1990's when the ship was legally protected as a gravesite. It was sad, informative, but incredibly fascinating. The families of the victims are so strong, and their work to preserve the ship and crew's legacy is heartbreaking. And yes, they talk about the famous song.
As for what I'm reading right now, Nine Lives by Dan Baum is a tragic love letter to New Orleans. It follows several people from all over the city from the 1970's to 2009. We all have this image of Mardi Gras, Spanish moss, and beautiful architecture, but this book shows the perspective of the rich, the poor, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I'm at the part just before Hurricane Katrina hits. It's like the calm before the storm; I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. This is one of those books, I'll never look at New Orleans the same way again!
I hope you enjoy the last few weeks of summer. Before you know it, we'll be talking about fall weather and cozy sweaters. Happy Reading!!
