library
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When politicians come after public libraries it gets my dander up. Libraries have become part of who I am and without them we would all be something less. The administration, which doesn’t give a fig about me and what I think, is at it again. The president’s proposed budget seeks to eliminate funding for the… Read more
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When I had a newspaper route, I stopped at the corner drugstore and occasionally bought mass-market paperback books. They are characterized by their small size (roughly 4.25 x 6.87 inches), lower price point, and widespread distribution in places like airports, grocery stores, and drugstores. I have so many of them that I built a special… Read more
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We are out of storage space in the house, so something has to go. Before the library’s March 7, annual used book sale, I donated more than 600 books. It was pleasurable seeing them laying on tables in the main meeting room while people browsed through them. I hadn’t realized how many French language books… Read more
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When I became an adult, married, and settled into steady work, it was assumed I would volunteer in the community. The volunteer impulse has its roots in the industrial period after the Civil War. People used less time to produce enough money with which to live our lives. In more modern terms, we could pay… Read more
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I like to have more than one thing to do when I drive the two miles to town. The more I multi-task my trips to the City of Solon, the more value I find in it. It began with gambling. Almost always, I buy a Powerball ticket. The social aspect of walking into a convenience… Read more
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At the bottom of our public library home page it says, “This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of Iowa.” I wrote my Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks on March 31 after the staff of the… Read more
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Last night I spent time reading in a Discord group. That means about seven members of the community got together on the platform, set a timer for 45 minutes of quiet reading, then had a discussion after we finished. A couple of things stood out. The time went quickly, and it was fun to know… Read more
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Afternoon plans changed after the optometrist dilated my pupils. It was part of my annual eye exam, in which I seek to monitor whether or not diabetes is showing in my retina. I got an all clear diagnosis but the dilation persisted well into the afternoon. I could not bear working outdoors on a sunny… Read more
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On Monday, March 31, National Public Radio reported the Institute of Museum and Library Services placed its entire staff on administrative leave. While the employee count is low at about 70, the impact of the institute across the country is high. I recently posted about all they do to help public libraries in my community.… Read more
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Below is the message I sent to my federal representatives in Washington, D.C. The president signed an executive order on March 14, which said in part, the Institute of Museum and Library Services is an unnecessary bureaucracy. …the non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent… Read more
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