I read some interesting books awhile back. Now, understand that my taste is quite probably unusual, compared to normal people. But you already know about all the ‘ordinary’ books, so my job is to get you to read something you might not ordinarily pick up. Right? May I suggest you give author Mary Roach a try? Titles of the books that we have here at the library are: Stiff-The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, Spook-Science Tackles the Afterlife and Bonk-The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. These are very readable books. They include a lot of scientific information, numerous footnotes and extensive bibliographies. This lady has done her research. She writes with thoroughness, healthy skepticism and laugh out loud humor. I guarantee, whichever book you choose, you will learn something you never knew before. You may learn some things you never wanted to know, but hey, you’re learning. What I found very interesting was how very long science has been fascinated by these three subjects for centuries.
I’m currently reading Stiff. There is such a history of cadavers being donated to science. I always envisioned them being used to teach doctors and surgeons. Turns out that they are. But, did you know science has also used cadavers to safety test cars and to test firearms (one test to find bullets that cause the least damage and one test to find bullets that cause the most damage). There is also the quandary of the ‘brain dead’ patient, who is legally dead, but their heart is still beating and they are kept in that condition, with great care, until their organs can be harvested. The guillotine section of the book is equally fascinating. Told you my taste is unusual.
Ms Roach is not a scientist, but she is a curious, intelligent woman and I have no doubt that her books are accurate. I also have no doubt that they are often hilariously funny. Try one.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Never mind, I'm here now
Yes I know. Just be glad I'm back. I want to share a book with you. This one is nonfiction.
The State of Jones
by Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer
By following the life of a yeoman farmer, this book tells the true story of Jones County Mississippi before, during and after the Civil War. A seventy page bibliography pays tribute to the immense amount of research that was required to piece together the life and times of Newton Knight and his family. Newton Knight did not own slaves and did not believe in slavery. He was one of many within his county who were against secession. Fighting it politically was impossible. Fighting for the Confederacy was required, but bitterly distasteful. He deserted and became leader of a group that unofficially served the Union, from deep in Rebel territory. They disrupted the Confederacy and helped in its defeat. This is a brutal description of the hard times endured by soldiers and civilians, alike, during that period. The writing is exceptional and the story is riveting.
The State of Jones
by Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer
By following the life of a yeoman farmer, this book tells the true story of Jones County Mississippi before, during and after the Civil War. A seventy page bibliography pays tribute to the immense amount of research that was required to piece together the life and times of Newton Knight and his family. Newton Knight did not own slaves and did not believe in slavery. He was one of many within his county who were against secession. Fighting it politically was impossible. Fighting for the Confederacy was required, but bitterly distasteful. He deserted and became leader of a group that unofficially served the Union, from deep in Rebel territory. They disrupted the Confederacy and helped in its defeat. This is a brutal description of the hard times endured by soldiers and civilians, alike, during that period. The writing is exceptional and the story is riveting.
Monday, April 27, 2009
"New Beginnings" Art Show
"NEW BEGINNINGS" TRAVELING EXHIBIT AT LIBRARY
The Tilden Library Foundation is now hosting the "New Beginnings" traveling art show from Prairie Winds Art Center of Grand Island, NE, through the end of June. It is available for viewing in the Lied Auditorium of the Raymond A. Whitwer Tilden Public Library in Tilden, NE. This unique show is made up of pieces that are uniformly sized to be 7" X 7"(image) and framed to be 15" X 17". Although uniform in size, there is a wide variety of styles (abstract to realism), subject matter (non objective to objective) and media ( oil, watercolor, acrylic, collage, textiles, pastel etc). Three dimensional ceramic pieces are also included in the exhibit of about 50 pieces. The artists are the award winning professional artists and members of the Prairie Winds Art Center of 112 W. 3rd Street in Grand Island, NE. 68801. There is no charge for this exhibit. All pieces are for sale.
The Tilden Library Foundation is now hosting the "New Beginnings" traveling art show from Prairie Winds Art Center of Grand Island, NE, through the end of June. It is available for viewing in the Lied Auditorium of the Raymond A. Whitwer Tilden Public Library in Tilden, NE. This unique show is made up of pieces that are uniformly sized to be 7" X 7"(image) and framed to be 15" X 17". Although uniform in size, there is a wide variety of styles (abstract to realism), subject matter (non objective to objective) and media ( oil, watercolor, acrylic, collage, textiles, pastel etc). Three dimensional ceramic pieces are also included in the exhibit of about 50 pieces. The artists are the award winning professional artists and members of the Prairie Winds Art Center of 112 W. 3rd Street in Grand Island, NE. 68801. There is no charge for this exhibit. All pieces are for sale.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Between Fences
Some time back we had an exhibit called Between Fences. At that time the following poem was
submitted to be part of the display. It's a keeper.
Fences
by Jeanmarie Shermer 4-4-8
A leaning post
For a neighborly chat
A perch of safety for
A bird from a cat
The place to hang proudly
A family name
Or to run a stick over
As a noisy game
An obstacle to jump
snitched apple in hand
A divider separating
Parcels of land
A fence can be welcoming
With an open gate
Or a warning of trespass
With an ominous fate
Some fences keep things out
While others keep them in
Many are pristine and white
others rusty and dim
Fences can be a metaphor
A hurdle to conquer each day
A personal victory we scale
When they get in our way
A wall made of people
linking arms to take a stand
Or wounds we mend when
We’ve wronged our fellow man
Its something we’re on
When things are hard to decide
And often we’re jealous of
What’s on the other side
No matter what the purpose
Or where and when they’re found
A fence consists of more than
Merely posts stuck in the ground
submitted to be part of the display. It's a keeper.
Fences
by Jeanmarie Shermer 4-4-8
A leaning post
For a neighborly chat
A perch of safety for
A bird from a cat
The place to hang proudly
A family name
Or to run a stick over
As a noisy game
An obstacle to jump
snitched apple in hand
A divider separating
Parcels of land
A fence can be welcoming
With an open gate
Or a warning of trespass
With an ominous fate
Some fences keep things out
While others keep them in
Many are pristine and white
others rusty and dim
Fences can be a metaphor
A hurdle to conquer each day
A personal victory we scale
When they get in our way
A wall made of people
linking arms to take a stand
Or wounds we mend when
We’ve wronged our fellow man
Its something we’re on
When things are hard to decide
And often we’re jealous of
What’s on the other side
No matter what the purpose
Or where and when they’re found
A fence consists of more than
Merely posts stuck in the ground
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Peter Fletcher to perform in Tilden
I know it's unusual for me to be here this often, but I have some great news. We will be having another Alida Hall Memorial concert this fall. We will be hosting Peter Fletcher, classical guitarist. Visit www.peterfletcher.com to hear samples of his music and check out his schedule. He will be performing at Carnegie Hall on April 1st. Is that amazing?
He will be here at our Lied Audiorium sometime in October. Wow. I'll let you know when the date is finalized. Couldn't keep that to myself.
He will be here at our Lied Audiorium sometime in October. Wow. I'll let you know when the date is finalized. Couldn't keep that to myself.
Time marchs on, or not.
Wow, the things that happen on this job. Any given day you don't know with what you will be dealing. (See how I avoided ending that sentence with a preposition? Seems cumbersome, doesn't it? Would it offend any one if I don't bother next time?) So many times I come to work with certain things to accomplish and circumstances intervene to take me on a completely different tack. This week for instance:
I climbed up the 6' stepladder to change the 21" clock to reflect Daylight Savings Time (My opinion of DST would require an entire post) and scampered back down, put away the ladder and discovered that time was certainly passing slowly. Check that, according to our beautiful Loricron 21" French Antique Regulator timepiece it wasn't passing at all. No problem, I'd just replace the battery.
Get ladder-climb-replace battery-scamper down- put away ladder. Discover that time is still not passing.
Why doesn't she stay on the ladder until she knows if the clock is working?, you ask. Well, she's going to tell you. This particular clock has two smaller dials within the larger dial. One is a second hand and one is to be set for any time zone you desire. Those dials are working. Since the second hand is not connected to the large dial, waiting for the minute hand to move is tedious. And, she asks, who would expect a new battery not to solve the problem? Therefore:
Get ladder-climb-get clock-slowly descend- don't put away ladder, just lean against the wall.
Take clock into office and do the equivalent of kicking the little black box containing the works. Replace battery and let stand (for some reason none of the dials work if the clock is horizontal--another trial and error discovery) on a chair out of traffic. Time passes!!! Hurray!!!!
Reset ladder-climb-rehang clock-slowly descend-put away ladder.
Fast forward to a patron commenting on the quietness in the library. "Where are the school kids?" "Oh", I confidently reply, "It's a little early." The patron says "Well, it's 4:00 o'clock." Not according to the library's 21" French Antique Regulator clock - it's 2:30. (I don't think this clock likes DST, either)
Go get ladder-climb-take down clock-lumber down-lean ladder against wall.
Clean battery terminals, kick little works box (not literally, of course more like a vigorous shaking) and utter a strange combination of curse and prayer. Time refuses to march on.
Do online search to discover cost of replacement works. Looks like $11.00 for the works. But they need the measurement of the shaft, this would require taking the clock apart. I'm not going to do that.
Give up. Put away ladder. Suffer innumerable questions from patrons and staff as to the time. "Look on your computer" I tell staff. I glance at my watch to advise patrons. Go home.
NEXT DAY:
I decide I will replace the large clock with a smaller one from another room so at least the time is available for everyone.
Get ladder-climb-replace 21" round clock with a 10" square one-scamper down (it's the next morning, so I'm refreshed)-put away ladder.
First patron to come in says, "Didn't you used to have a different clock? Was it bigger?"
Go get ladder-climb-take down little square clock and replace with a 12" round one-scamper down-put away ladder.
Felt this last trip was worth it, because now we could claim that the other clock just shrank. Did make sure not to use the other round clock with Roman numerals, because we have youngsters who can barely tell time with Arabic numerals.
Local Handyman stopped to look over the clock problem. I could hear him imploring: "Run". Meanwhile, I did an online search to locate this particular clock to see if repair or new purchase was the route to go. Some one was sure they had seen this very clock at Target for maybe $60. The clock has no identifying marks. Local Handyman refuses to do more than the battery trick and faux kicking.
I finally Google the name of the works and stumbled across the exact model. (that's where I got the description I quoted above). Turns out it retails at $234. Hmmmm-might just be worth fixing. Can't find a clock repair shop listed in yellow pages. Decide to query a relatively local jeweler. He thought they could do it and I trust him to be fair price wise. Now we just have to get the clock to him. Problem (which did not exist before DST) is close to solved.
I don't want you to think that all I did was climb up and down ladders for two days. I managed to do some work. Searching for local Civil War Veterans is a current project, updating our library policy and including an emergency/disaster plan and providing information for the library website. All of this is very time consuming but since Daylight Savings Time gives us an 'extra hour' it's not a problem right? More next time.
I climbed up the 6' stepladder to change the 21" clock to reflect Daylight Savings Time (My opinion of DST would require an entire post) and scampered back down, put away the ladder and discovered that time was certainly passing slowly. Check that, according to our beautiful Loricron 21" French Antique Regulator timepiece it wasn't passing at all. No problem, I'd just replace the battery.
Get ladder-climb-replace battery-scamper down- put away ladder. Discover that time is still not passing.
Why doesn't she stay on the ladder until she knows if the clock is working?, you ask. Well, she's going to tell you. This particular clock has two smaller dials within the larger dial. One is a second hand and one is to be set for any time zone you desire. Those dials are working. Since the second hand is not connected to the large dial, waiting for the minute hand to move is tedious. And, she asks, who would expect a new battery not to solve the problem? Therefore:
Get ladder-climb-get clock-slowly descend- don't put away ladder, just lean against the wall.
Take clock into office and do the equivalent of kicking the little black box containing the works. Replace battery and let stand (for some reason none of the dials work if the clock is horizontal--another trial and error discovery) on a chair out of traffic. Time passes!!! Hurray!!!!
Reset ladder-climb-rehang clock-slowly descend-put away ladder.
Fast forward to a patron commenting on the quietness in the library. "Where are the school kids?" "Oh", I confidently reply, "It's a little early." The patron says "Well, it's 4:00 o'clock." Not according to the library's 21" French Antique Regulator clock - it's 2:30. (I don't think this clock likes DST, either)
Go get ladder-climb-take down clock-lumber down-lean ladder against wall.
Clean battery terminals, kick little works box (not literally, of course more like a vigorous shaking) and utter a strange combination of curse and prayer. Time refuses to march on.
Do online search to discover cost of replacement works. Looks like $11.00 for the works. But they need the measurement of the shaft, this would require taking the clock apart. I'm not going to do that.
Give up. Put away ladder. Suffer innumerable questions from patrons and staff as to the time. "Look on your computer" I tell staff. I glance at my watch to advise patrons. Go home.
NEXT DAY:
I decide I will replace the large clock with a smaller one from another room so at least the time is available for everyone.
Get ladder-climb-replace 21" round clock with a 10" square one-scamper down (it's the next morning, so I'm refreshed)-put away ladder.
First patron to come in says, "Didn't you used to have a different clock? Was it bigger?"
Go get ladder-climb-take down little square clock and replace with a 12" round one-scamper down-put away ladder.
Felt this last trip was worth it, because now we could claim that the other clock just shrank. Did make sure not to use the other round clock with Roman numerals, because we have youngsters who can barely tell time with Arabic numerals.
Local Handyman stopped to look over the clock problem. I could hear him imploring: "Run". Meanwhile, I did an online search to locate this particular clock to see if repair or new purchase was the route to go. Some one was sure they had seen this very clock at Target for maybe $60. The clock has no identifying marks. Local Handyman refuses to do more than the battery trick and faux kicking.
I finally Google the name of the works and stumbled across the exact model. (that's where I got the description I quoted above). Turns out it retails at $234. Hmmmm-might just be worth fixing. Can't find a clock repair shop listed in yellow pages. Decide to query a relatively local jeweler. He thought they could do it and I trust him to be fair price wise. Now we just have to get the clock to him. Problem (which did not exist before DST) is close to solved.
I don't want you to think that all I did was climb up and down ladders for two days. I managed to do some work. Searching for local Civil War Veterans is a current project, updating our library policy and including an emergency/disaster plan and providing information for the library website. All of this is very time consuming but since Daylight Savings Time gives us an 'extra hour' it's not a problem right? More next time.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Marjorie Whitwer
A sad note that I want to pass along. Marjorie Whitwer, wife of Raymond A. Whitwer, passed away in San Diego on January 8. She was 83. She had been injured in a fall and was in a coma since January 2.
Marjorie was very instrumental in Raymond choosing to build a library in Tilden, NE She told him that the town needed a library. At her suggestion, Raymond met with the Librarian, City Clerk, Library and Foundation boards and offered us a new library if the city would provide the site. That's how it started.
During the building process, I had the privilege of visiting Marjorie in their home in San Diego in 2000. She was a lovely lady with a quiet, clever sense of humor. Marjorie spent a lot of time in San Diego while Raymond worked on the library building in Tilden. In fact, Raymond was in Tilden at the time I visited San Diego. She joked about the minor repairs needed around her kitchen, which were left wanting while he built buildings. How typical of all of us. Our prayers and thoughts are with her family.
For anyone wishing to send condolences to Raymond, his address is:
Raymond A. Whitwer, 4470 Braeburn Road, San Diego, CA 92116
Marjorie was very instrumental in Raymond choosing to build a library in Tilden, NE She told him that the town needed a library. At her suggestion, Raymond met with the Librarian, City Clerk, Library and Foundation boards and offered us a new library if the city would provide the site. That's how it started.
During the building process, I had the privilege of visiting Marjorie in their home in San Diego in 2000. She was a lovely lady with a quiet, clever sense of humor. Marjorie spent a lot of time in San Diego while Raymond worked on the library building in Tilden. In fact, Raymond was in Tilden at the time I visited San Diego. She joked about the minor repairs needed around her kitchen, which were left wanting while he built buildings. How typical of all of us. Our prayers and thoughts are with her family.
For anyone wishing to send condolences to Raymond, his address is:
Raymond A. Whitwer, 4470 Braeburn Road, San Diego, CA 92116
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