Read Charlotte Canelli's column in the June 1, 2012 edition of the Norwood Transcript and Bulletin or listen to the podcast on SoundCloud. Podcasts are archived on the Voices from the Library page of the library website.
From the Library on June 1 Destination! Wedding by written and read by Charlotte Canelli
In this column, I have written about the marriages of our two eldest daughters in 2010 and 2011. They say that the third time is a charm. So, yes, we attended our third, and youngest, daughter’s wedding this past weekend amidst more joy, beauty and love.
We can agree that none of our three lovely girls are very traditional. They are, instead, incredibly independent and sassy. They are also sweet, bright and beautiful and masters of organization.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Looking for America
Read Charlotte Canelli's column in the May 25 edition of the Norwood Transcript and Bulletin or listen to the podcast on SoundCloud. Podcasts are archived on the Voices from the Library page of the library website.
From the Library on May 25, 2012 - Looking for America by written and read by Charlotte Canelli
Anyone who has been near Death Valley knows that it sits in the dry and hot California desert. Death Valley lives up to its name. It is barren and it is also immense. It is the driest and hottest place in North America.
Death Valley National Park, the largest national park in this country, covers 200 square miles. A trip from the National Park Service central site at Furnace Creek is a 53 mile drive to Scotty’s Castle at the north entrance.
Badwater Basin, its lowest point, sits at 262 feet below sea level. Death Valley is also home to the site where a 20-mule team transported Borax out of the desert’s Harmony Borax Works.
From the Library on May 25, 2012 - Looking for America by written and read by Charlotte Canelli
Anyone who has been near Death Valley knows that it sits in the dry and hot California desert. Death Valley lives up to its name. It is barren and it is also immense. It is the driest and hottest place in North America.
Death Valley National Park, the largest national park in this country, covers 200 square miles. A trip from the National Park Service central site at Furnace Creek is a 53 mile drive to Scotty’s Castle at the north entrance.
Badwater Basin, its lowest point, sits at 262 feet below sea level. Death Valley is also home to the site where a 20-mule team transported Borax out of the desert’s Harmony Borax Works.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Sexagenarians in the Library
Read Charlotte Canelli's column in the May 18 edition of the Norwood Transcript and Bulletin or listen to the podcast on SoundCloud. Podcasts are archived on the Voices from the Library page of the library website.
From the Library on May 18, 2012 - Sextagenarians in the Library by written and read by Charlotte Canelli
From the Library on May 18, 2012 - Sextagenarians in the Library by written and read by Charlotte Canelli
There’s a sexagenarian in the library director’s office this week.
Ah, let me define. I was born in May, 1952 and I am now a person who is 60 years old. A sexagenarian, then, is between the ages of 60 and 70. Expanding on that definition, I am a person being in the 7th decade her life.
I celebrated with much fanfare last week and I am happy to have made it to 60. But seventh decade? Yikes, that sounds a bit too close to eight, eighty or four score. But then that would be an octogenarian, and that I am not. I’ve got a score to go, thank you.
The Baby Boomer generation has certainly grown up. Some are nearing fifty and some are nearly seventy. That puts me smack in the middle with the rest.
By definition, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a Baby Boomer is one born between 1946 (the first year after the end of World War II) and 1965. Some Boomers watched their fathers leave for the Korean War. Others watched them leave for Vietnam. Many happily saw them return.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Geckos and the Future of Libraries
Nancy Ling is an Outreach Librarian at the Morrill Memorial Library. She is also an author and a poet and loves working with children and teens and teaching poetry. Read her column in the Norwood Transcript & Record or listen to the podcast on SoundCloud. Podcasts are archived on the Voices from the Library page of the library website.
From the Library on May 11, 2012 - Geckos and the Future of Libraries by written and read by Nancy Ling
A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life. — Henry Ward BEECHER Recently the Massachusetts Library Association asked the question: What is the future of libraries? This was my response: You may have forgotten his name—Martin. You may have a hard time deciding which one of his ads is your favorite: the one where he’s dancing in Texas, or his journey out of the parking lot. But there’s hardly a soul out there who wouldn’t recognize that tiny, British-accented gecko who is the mascot for Geico Auto Insurance. Not only is Martin a gecko, he IS Geico. Without a doubt, Geico has increased their sales and notoriety with consumers through Martin. The future of our libraries depends on the same—a clear, concise marketing style. In the past, libraries have made the mistake of thinking they are separate from this business of marketing. We’ve argued, people should value us for what we are. Or, we’ve always existed, therefore we should be forever appreciated. Unfortunately, this is a harmful assumption. As much as any business out there, the library needs to make its value to the community known—consistently and constantly. Marketing is the key to our future. So how do we do this? More than the number of books we provide on OverDrive, more than the variety of programs we offer children and seniors alike, it is the people behind the library’s name who serve as our best asset. As Rivkah Sass wrote in Library Journal (6/2002), “As highly touted, purely electronic tools like Questia fade into history, we should remember to market the value of what is the largest percentage of most library budgets—the staff.” Librarians bring in depth knowledge, experience, and a relationship to our patrons. We do this daily in the Outreach Department at the Morrill Memorial Library. We reach out to the community. We are in the business of touching people’s lives and making a lasting impression. This is what we do best, and this is something worthy of the patron’s attention. In my parents’ town of Wrentham, there is a hardware store called Cataldo’s. This family- run store is a beloved fixture on Main Street. However, the day that Loews moved in everyone was worried. How could this small business survive the big competition? Turns out, it wasn’t a problem. Why? The reason for its success relates to librarians as well. Not only does Cataldo’s provide the goods. Not only do they provide the know-how. They provide the personal touch. They are there for you when ice dams crash through you ceiling. They know your children and your children’s children as they grow up. Just as the famous jingle from Cheers goes, we all want to go where “everybody knows your name.” The library is that kind of place. We are essential to our communities—the great equalizers of society. We need to send out this message loud and clear. Librarians are valuable. You can bet your future on it.
From the Library on May 11, 2012 - Geckos and the Future of Libraries by written and read by Nancy Ling
A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life. — Henry Ward BEECHER Recently the Massachusetts Library Association asked the question: What is the future of libraries? This was my response: You may have forgotten his name—Martin. You may have a hard time deciding which one of his ads is your favorite: the one where he’s dancing in Texas, or his journey out of the parking lot. But there’s hardly a soul out there who wouldn’t recognize that tiny, British-accented gecko who is the mascot for Geico Auto Insurance. Not only is Martin a gecko, he IS Geico. Without a doubt, Geico has increased their sales and notoriety with consumers through Martin. The future of our libraries depends on the same—a clear, concise marketing style. In the past, libraries have made the mistake of thinking they are separate from this business of marketing. We’ve argued, people should value us for what we are. Or, we’ve always existed, therefore we should be forever appreciated. Unfortunately, this is a harmful assumption. As much as any business out there, the library needs to make its value to the community known—consistently and constantly. Marketing is the key to our future. So how do we do this? More than the number of books we provide on OverDrive, more than the variety of programs we offer children and seniors alike, it is the people behind the library’s name who serve as our best asset. As Rivkah Sass wrote in Library Journal (6/2002), “As highly touted, purely electronic tools like Questia fade into history, we should remember to market the value of what is the largest percentage of most library budgets—the staff.” Librarians bring in depth knowledge, experience, and a relationship to our patrons. We do this daily in the Outreach Department at the Morrill Memorial Library. We reach out to the community. We are in the business of touching people’s lives and making a lasting impression. This is what we do best, and this is something worthy of the patron’s attention. In my parents’ town of Wrentham, there is a hardware store called Cataldo’s. This family- run store is a beloved fixture on Main Street. However, the day that Loews moved in everyone was worried. How could this small business survive the big competition? Turns out, it wasn’t a problem. Why? The reason for its success relates to librarians as well. Not only does Cataldo’s provide the goods. Not only do they provide the know-how. They provide the personal touch. They are there for you when ice dams crash through you ceiling. They know your children and your children’s children as they grow up. Just as the famous jingle from Cheers goes, we all want to go where “everybody knows your name.” The library is that kind of place. We are essential to our communities—the great equalizers of society. We need to send out this message loud and clear. Librarians are valuable. You can bet your future on it.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Walking the Nation's Capital
Read Charlotte Canelli's column in the May 4 edition of the Norwood Transcript and Bulletin or listen to the podcast on SoundCloud. Podcasts are archived on the Voices from the Library page of the library website.
From the Library - Walking the Nation's Capital by Charlotte Canelli
From the Library - Walking the Nation's Capital by Charlotte Canelli
In 1965, my parents packed our family of six into our Oldsmobile sedan and spent one month touring the country from California to Boston and back again. We first navigated south, stopping at over a dozen national parks along the way. Our trip home was to the north and included Niagara Falls and Reno, Nevada.
On that family vacation, I had my first lessons in navigation using multiple road maps and AAA tour books. I often won the front seat between my parents and spent hours studying the highways, motel amenities, restaurant offerings and sightseeing highlights in those guidebooks.
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