Dixie Drivel

Another book review

2010-05-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

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.

Never mind, I'm here now

2010-04-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

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.

"New Beginnings" Art Show

2009-04-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

"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.

Between Fences

2008-06-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

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

Peter Fletcher to perform in Tilden

2008-03-12T13:46:00.001-07:00

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.

Time marchs on, or not.

2008-03-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

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.

Marjorie Whitwer

2008-01-15T13:49:00.000-08:00

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

Avoiding reports

2008-01-15T13:41:00.000-08:00

She's back!!! I'm avoiding the inevitable State Statistical report.

Wanted to fill you all in on the eBay auction that The Tilden Library Foundation held in December. We sold 80 of 116 items. I understand that is a pretty good percentage. The auction included excess City property like old library books and used computers. I still have a little bookkeeping to do in order to determine exactly how much we made. It was a learning experience and I'm hoping we can get an online store started in the near future. The Foundation is also registered with Mission Fish as a nonprofit organization which allows you to donate a portion of your eBay sales to the library and qualify for a percentage of your eBay costs to be refunded. What a deal. Check it out at www.missionfish.org .

The Road to Hell

2007-11-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

You know what they say? The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I had wonderful plans to be a faithful blogger and it has been 5 months since I've made an entry. I'm not proud of it, just stating the fact. It seems as though I haven't had a minute since then. Let's see, what's been going on?

TRAVELING EXHIBIT

The Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln's Journey to Emancipation national traveling exhibit was in the library from June 28 through August 10. What a wonderful adventure. We had so many great programs. Two gentlemen from the Civil War Veteran's Museum in Nebraska City helped us open the exhibit with their display of Civil War artifacts. Bill Dean was kind enough to leave some of his personal collection for us to display during the exhibition. We also had Ken Winkle, Lincoln Scholar, give a very informative program on the part the Great Plains played in the Civil War. Then we hosted Spencer and Vivian Davis during Tilden Prairie Days. They portrayed Abraham Lincoln and Sojourner Truth (who actually did meet in the White House) They also rode in the parade in Don Mollhoff's wagon. Mr. Davis did an afternoon program as Lincoln and answered many interesting questions from the attending crowd. He did a great job staying in character. They both seemed to enjoy the day. The final day of the exhibit, Dan Holtz presented a program featuring Civil War songs. These exhibits value go far beyond their physical presence. They provide the subject and the incentive to do terrific programming. Thanks to the Nebraska Humanities Council the library could afford to provide these quality programs.

TILDEN PRAIRIE DAYS

The library was instrumental in starting Tilden's Prairie Days celebration in 2004. It continues to do a lot of things in conjunction with Prairie Days. This year we hosted the Lincoln exhibit and hosted the two Lincoln programs as well as the annual Pieces of the Good Life Quilt show. The beautiful Lied Auditorium of the library is the perfect place to display the 100 items that are featured in the three day show. In addition Yvonne Hollenbeck did programs on Saturday and Sunday. Yvonne is a nationally recognized Cowgirl Poet. Visit her website: http://www.yvonnehollenbeck.com/ She is definitely worth knowing about. She was so personable and such a good sport. The Library also sponsors the annual, sanctioned, "Triple T" C1o*w Chip Throw. Yvonne consented to be a VIP contestant. It was great (see picture above)-. She was joined by Rod Wagner, Nebraska Library Commission Director from Lincoln, Nanette Day, Tilden City Council member and State Senator Mike Flood.

Needless to say it was a very busy 3-day celebration. Everyone should mark their calendars for next year. It will be the last full weekend in July.

There's a lot that's happened since the end of July 2007, but I'll have to add more at a later time. I'll try to be more faithful. Don't want to go down the path of good intentions.

It's about time-I was busy, okay?

2007-06-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

People like me should not make committments they don't keep. Rather than writing a bunch of stuff about why I haven't blogged lately, I'm going to just share the promotional items that I have been working on the last couple of months. The following is a news release about the national traveling exhibit that will be in our library starting next week. It's pretty awesome!!

Raymond A. Whitwer Tilden Public Library to host “Forever Free” traveling exhibition

Tilden – Why did a nation founded on ideals of freedom and equality tolerate for so long one of the harshest labor systems the world has known? A new traveling exhibition opening at the Raymond A. Whitwer Tilden Public Library on June 28, 2007 looks for answers to this question by tracing Abraham Lincoln’s gradual transformation from an antislavery moderate into “The Great Emancipator,” who freed all slaves with a revolutionary war-time proclamation in 1863. “Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation” will be on display at the library until August 10.
Organized by the Huntington Library, San Marino, Calif., and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York City, in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA), this traveling exhibition is made possible through major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress and charged with planning the national celebration of Lincoln’s 200th birthday.
“We are pleased to have been selected as the only site in Nebraska to receive this exhibition, “said Library Director Dixie Kucera. “The Civil War and slavery are topics which must constantly be revisited in order to help 21st century Americans better understand their causes and more clearly see how their effects are still with us today. This exhibit offers our community an opportunity to learn more about how Abraham Lincoln decided upon emancipation of the slaves, even as he tried to hold together a
fragile coalition of states in order to preserve the Union. It is a revealing insight into the values, principles, and ideals that guided one of our greatest Presidents.”
Abraham Lincoln was an obscure Illinois lawyer and politician of humble origins who rose in an astonishingly short time to world renown as the leader of a young nation during one of its most troubled times. Throughout his life, Lincoln’s dedication to the ideals of freedom and equality for all people did not waver. “I want every man to have the chance—and I believe a black man is entitled to it—in which he can better his condition,” he said early in his political career.
Lincoln was also a pragmatic politician who believed that a direct attack on slavery in the South would split the Union and end America’s experiment in self-government. He steered a middle course during the early years of the Civil War but became convinced that ending slavery would help the Union militarily. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation transformed the character of the war by re-committing the nation to its founders’ vision of freedom and equality for all people.
“Forever Free” draws upon original documents in the collections of the Huntington Library and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. It was curated by John Rhodehamel, Norris Foundation Curator of American historical manuscripts at the Huntington Library.
The library is sponsoring free programs and other events for the public in connection with the exhibition. Contact: Dixie Kucera 402-368-5306 Email: dkucera@tildenlibrary.org
or visit www.tildenlibrary.org for more information.

eBay woes

2007-04-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

Not woes, really. Actually, I'm pretty proud. I just listed my first item for sale on eBay for The Tilden Library Foundation. I have spent about a week getting signed up with MissionFish so that the foundation can direct sell as a nonprofit. I'm almost there. Didn't read the directions closely and neglected to fax in one of the necessary documents. If all goes well it should be a done deal by tomorrow. The upshot of all this is that the Foundation will be able to sell the library's excess property items at an online auction sometime soon. Soon, being whenever we can get the items all listed. Have to check into Turbo List, etc. Quite a learning curve for an old lady.

People please check out Jed Marum's website. He is going to be here at the library on May 20. I'll have posters up soon. He is from Fort Worth, TX and the Hall family is so very generous to provide this entertainment free to the public. Don't miss this chance. You'll be glad you came, I assure you.

Triple T Cow Chip Throw

2007-04-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

My goodness, it has been awhile since I added to this. Well, I've been busy. I am either promoting quilts or cow chips. The Tilden Library Foundation sponsors the annual "Triple T' Cow Chip Throw during Tilden Prairie Days. This weekend our Women's Champion is traveling to Beaver, Oklahoma to compete in the World's Championship. I'm including the article that appeared in our local papers.
Tilden Winner to Compete in Beaver, Oklahoma below:

Jill (Hansen) Kaps, of Norfolk, NE will travel to Beaver Oklahoma to compete in the World Cow Chip Throw Championship on Saturday, April 21. Kaps became eligible to compete after winning the women’s division of the sanctioned “Triple T” Cowchip Throw held in Tilden, NE during the 2006 Tilden Prairie Days festival. She defeated the seven other contestants with her 75’ throw. According to Kaps, without the encouragement of event coordinator, Dixie Kucera, she probably never would have entered the contest. “I was working for a local radio station at the time and we had a team competing. Dixie told me if I competed individually and won, I would have the chance to go to Oklahoma. I figured I’d give it a shot and somehow I won.” Although Kaps doesn’t think she will walk away the champion, she is ready for the entire experience. “It’s exciting, something that I know I will never forget. I just want to make the city of Tilden and Northeast Nebraska proud.” Kaps also stated that she planned to do some practicing in a local pasture before she makes the trip. Tilden’s local contest is proudly sponsored by The Tilden Library Foundation.

Historically, cow chip throwing developed when Oklahoma settlers discovered that dried buffalo dung burned extremely efficiently. Unfortunately, the buffaloes were nearly extinct so they turned their wagons to the cow pastures. Not quite as efficient and a tad smellier, "cow chips" still saw them through the harsh winters on the prairie. Collecting the chips turned into a sport as the settlers hurled the chips toward the wagon
The basic principles of the competition are similar to the more conventional javelin throw, but any style of throw is allowed. Chips must be at least six inches in diameter and are selected from the official dung truck. They must not be tampered with in any way, as the dung must be flung in its natural state. If the chip breaks apart in mid air, the farthest piece is counted.

Nebraska Memories

2007-04-05T13:45:00.000-07:00

In 2006 our library received a digitization grant to make a typewritten local history of Tilden available online. It can be viewed at Nebraska Memories * and is very interesting. I was always delighted to look through this material and realize the huge amount of work that went into its collection and organization. The original project was started by The Tilden Women's Club in the 1950's and went on for a number of years. To our knowledge, no published history was done. Much of the information was used in the development of the 1980 Tilden Centennial book. That's a great volume, also. Unfortunately it is no longer in print. That's enough for today. I'll be back next week.

*This project was supported in part by the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services and granted by the Nebraska Library Commission.

The pressure is on

2007-04-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

Now that this blog is prominently featured on our website, I had better continue to add to it. I have been very busy this last month. I've been to meetings every week, it seems. One of the most interesting one was the workshop for our "Between Fences" Smithsonian exhibit that the library will host from May 19 - June 20, 2008. We joined six other local coordinators for a full day of intense information. It has made me even more excited about this exhibit.

To say nothing of the drive down to Lincoln and the many interesting traffic situations, where I was very glad that people recognized an inexperienced Grandma driver and cut her considerable slack. Now I know Lincoln is a small town to most people, but give me a break, Tilden doesn't even have a stoplight, let alone multiple lanes.

That's all well and good, but while I'm typing this, Gloria comes into my office with two boxes of promotional materials for the Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln's Journey to Emancipation Exhibit--which we host beginning this year from June 28 -August 10. We became hosts for this exhibit through a grant process. We are one of sixty libraries across the U. S. to host it and the only library in Nebraska to do so. I'm including the credit line here because so many people are responsible for this thing and it gives a good overview of that involvement: “Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation” has been organized by the Huntington Library, San Marino, California, and the Gilder Lehrman Institure of American History, New York City, in cooperation with the American Library Association Public Programs Office. This exhibition was made possible by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, promoting excellence in the humanities, and the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress and charged with planning the national celebration of Lincoln’s 200th birthday.

See what I mean? I guess I'd better get in gear, because June 28 is not very far away. Along those lines, I was delighted to open the mail this morning and find money from a Northeast Library Systems Grant that will help us pay the Nebraska Humanities Council fees for the three programs that we are planning to go along with the exhibit. I'll tell you more about that, another day.

Right now I have to get busy and research a little more about eBay selling, as the library is going to be selling excess property over eBay, soon. That is, if I can manage to figure out how. But right now I have to go work the desk, as Gloria's shift is over. More tomorrow.

2007-03-21T16:17:00.000-07:00

March 28, 2007
I have been the librarian of the Tilden Public Library since 1990. I have decided to venture into blogland and I took the leap today. I hope to add to this blog at least 2 times a week. I had to put that in writing to make myself set aside the time. I'm just learning my way around. Wow, I got the picture to upload. That was fun. Not sure I put it where I really wanted it, but with computers we sometimes compromise.