May 23rd Library News Round-Up

I’m trying something new here. Sometimes you have to throw 5 pieces of Jello against the wall and see what sticks. The interviews with library blog managers will continue as planned as well.

So, this is what I’ve come across today in the world of public libraries. This may be a daily or every other day thing. Let’s see how it goes.

+ Runaway success of India’s mobile books (from BBC) – “Ms Sharma is a volunteer with an Indian non-governmental organisation (NGO), Pratham (First), which runs mobile libraries for the children of Delhi’s slums. The NGO has developed a novel way of helping under-privileged children learn to read – they deliver books door to door.”

+ Love Of Reading Keeps 99-Year-Old Librarian Working – (from The Kansas City Channel) – “If you travel 10 miles southeast of Lawrence, you may come upon a small building in Vinland that just happens to be the state’s oldest subscription library. If you step inside the Coal Creek Library on a Sunday, you may chance a meeting with the librarian who’s been coming to work there since 1926.”

+ Money Is Needed For The Next Chapter – (from The Day) – “The Stonington Free Library was formed 117 years ago when members of the Ladies Book Club collected 330 dimes and used the money to buy 38 books. Today, the library’s collection contains more than 36,000 titles, and it has more than 5,250 card holders.”

+ WWII veteran battled to save city’s library – (from The Enterprise) – “As the USS President Madison sailed into Pearl Harbor, Arnold Swartz boarded the gangplank and strode onto the passenger ship wearing the full military dress uniform of a U.S. Marine. More than 50 years later, Swartz, who fought at Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway and who was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action against the Japanese, would use that same bravado to talk people into donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to save the Brockton Public Library.”

+ Library makes reading fun – (from Central Ohio) – “On those rainy days over the summer when you can’t go to the pool and it seems there’s nothing to do, grab a book. Reading not only improves your skills, but also enhances the mind. This summer the Coshocton Public Library will offer a reading program for adults, teens and children called Dragons, Dreams & Daring Deeds.”

+ Library project aims to tell Delta’s history through photographs on Net – (from – The Clarion Ledger) – “The Dancing Rabbit Library Consortium has begun a photography project to help those trying to research the Delta on the Internet. “The history of this area is becoming of great interest to the rest of the world,” said Brenda Outlaw, who is heading the project.”

+ Centennial speaks volumes – (from Davis Enterprise) – “The Woodland Public Library turns 100 years old this year. It was built with a grant from Andrew Carnegie in 1905. Carol Beckham, reference librarian at 250 First St., says the library is celebrating its centennial with a variety of events.”

+ Library to pack up quirky history – (from St. Petersburg Times) – “Lost in the hype and anticipation over the July 31 grand opening of Largo’s $21-million library is a smaller, far less glitzy building that has satiated thirsty minds, saved procrastinating students and entertained children for more than 30 years.”

For more news effecting libraries, make sure to visit LISnews.