Testing, Testing, Testing!

Step by Step........

Well little by little we are getting the website put together. Yay! Please visit at: www.leecountylibrarysc.org. Feel free to offer suggestions or comments.

Library Services.......................

Several years ago we had a service we offered that I fondly referred to as “Geek on the Street.” This service offered at home computer help using the library staff. We recently have had some requests for this service and are happy to comply – with some caveats. If you need help during the library regular hours and Breon or I am available – we will be happy to help you. If you need help after regular library hours there will be a nominal charge. This is a great service and one that very few – if any - other SC libraries offer. When I went to the State Library a few weeks ago they were very impressed and encouraged me to promote it. So that’s what I am doing! Remember: this is available based on staffing levels so be patient if we can’t get to you immediately.

More from the summer....................

Here's a little heartwarming story from the library. Pictured above are Levi Atkinson and Nylek Thomas. These young men met each other during the first program of Summer Reading 2014 - the Edventure program. Levi lives in Lee County and Nylek was visiting his grandmother from Charleston County. But they hit it off big time. They visited back and forth the whole time Nylek was here. Alas, the day came when Nylek had to return to Charleston. Since then they written and called each other almost weekly. Nylek had his birthday in July and held a camping themed sleep over party. Levi could not attend, but he sent hime a sleeping bag and called during the party to wish him a happy birthday.

They still are in close contact and Levi's parent up date us on the progress of their friendship. The library ladies think this is a wonderful example of how we impact our community and the lives of our young ones.

Summer reading is o.v.e.r.......

Well, the 2014 Lee County Library’s Summer Reading program has concluded! Although it was a dark and threatening day out, we had a wonderful final program at the Lee State Park with our pal Ranger Laura. Her program: “Aquatic and Biotic Factors in Fresh Water Quality” was fascinating!! Although intimidating as that may sound it essentially means water life and how it reflects the quality of the water they live in. To that end, we pulled samples from the artesian well that feeds the ponds. By looking under the electron microscope we could identify various small and microscopic flora and fauna and by looking at their condition conclude that the water quality at the ponds is good to excellent. Yay!! Then Laura pulled out pelts and specimens of some of the wild life that lives in the park. Deer, otter, raccoon as well an assortment of snakes were all displayed and handled by the youngsters. Thanks to Ranger Laura Kirk for a great and informative program. We all learned a lot.
Next we all went to Scoops where the owner Griselda Wilson provided us with a nice lunch of hot dogs, potato chips and, of course, ice cream! She also went out of her way to offer the children cookies and assorted sweets. We were surprised and pleased when she gave out school supplies to the youngsters. Thanks to Griselda for going above and beyond our expectations!!
So this was our busiest and most exciting summer reading program. Thanks to grants from the LSTA and administered by the SC State Library we were able to bring three great programs to Lee County. The EdVenture program kicked of the season, we funded PorkChop Productions presentation and finally the Lee State program closed the season. We would like to thank all our partners for their help: The Lee County Arts Council, Clemson University Extension, Lee State Park and Scoops Ice Cream. We also must thank the parents of the participants who go out or their way to get their children to the programs. Summer Reading is fun, but more importantly it helps students keep their reading skills sharp so they are at an advantage when school starts. So, thanks to everyone and we hope we will see you next summer!
Oh, one more thing: thanks to the SC State Library who donated some children’s books to us to give to our summer readers. We had some left over so we gave them to Griselda at Scoops to hand out. If you would like a brand new children’s book _”Wild About Reading, by Judy Sierra just go to Scoops and present your library card. Viola, you will have a very nice book to add to your collection!

More summer fun...and reading..........

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

“Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost

Well, it’s official: we are half way through our 2014 Summer Reading Program!! Last week we had the arts/crafts class at the annex and about 30 participants, led by our crafty librarian Brenda, spent the afternoon making coasters out of bath tiles by decorating them. The finished products were pretty darn impressive. One of the children wrapped his up to give to his father who was celebrating his birthday that day.

This week we are hosting the Van Doran Magic show. The show is being held at the Opera House, today at 1:30. If you do not have plans this afternoon try to make it down to the Opera House. The magician came to the library last week to finalize plans and he is GREAT! As always, this show is FREE and open to the public. Each year the library donates a couple of live performances to the community as our way of saying thank for the continued support. So Thanks Lee County! Come catch a live show!
Also mark your calendars for next week when the Porkchop Productions will be presenting Rumpelstiltskin on July 25th at 1:30 at the Opera House. Again, another free show! This performance is paid for by a grant from the South Carolina State Library and a grant from the IMLS. So, come down and enjoy.

The new release shelf is chock full of best sellers from authors as diverse as Clive Cussler, C.J.Box, Jeffrey Deaver and Jeffrey Archer. One of my favorites is Robert B, Parker. But wait you say: “Robert B died four years ago.” Yes, that’s true and he is not writing from the grave but his estate authorized a couple of novelists to continue his Spenser series and the Cole and Hitch series. I have always loved the Spenser series because: 1. they are really easy reads (think Sunday afternoon here) and 2. they are set in Boston so I recognize many of the places mentioned. Actually Boston is really a character itself. The authorized author is Ace Atkins and he holds up the tradition pretty well. He has written a couple of these novels and we have them all. So come down and check us out and check out a book!!

More summer reading..............

It’s a hot and lazy time of year
With temperatures rising high
A body doesn’t want to work
Doesn’t even want to try

It’s time to lie around and rest
Not exert much energy
It’s too hot to work but rather
We want to take it pretty easy…..
Marilyn Lott

During the “dog days’ of summer the librarians try to take it easy, but with the Summer Reading Program in full swing we have to keep up to pace. This week we are having an art class being presented by our very own talented Dawn Ellen. Dawn does beautiful work, and you can see examples here at the library. We hope to have the summer reader’s art work on display as well.

Please mark your calendars for July 16th at 1:30 P.M. We will be presenting a live theater production at the Opera House. We will be hosting the Van Doran Magic show. Again, this is a FREE performance. We really want to pack the Opera House. We will also be hosting The Pork Chop production ladies again this year. They will be performing on July 25rd at 1:30. This is their sixth visit here and everyone who has seen them loves them. This program is funded by a grant from the SC State Library and IMLS. Again, this is a free and public production. Everything the library does is free – we are supported by tax payers’ dollars and private donations. So try to come to this performance and encourage the youngsters.

Okay, patrons have been asking about accessing e-books through our SCLends program. Here is the skinny: we do not have access to e-books, but some of our partners (Kershaw, Florence, etc.) do. In order to access their catalog you have to have a library card from that county. You can go to the home library and apply for a card. Because we are members of the consortium, there is no out of county fee. A couple of our patrons have come back and reported how easy it is and they love the access. We also try to get our patrons to access the on-line catalog. It’s convenient and you can do it from home 24/7. If you do not have internet access at home, come to the library and we can order it from the desk.

The Lee County Friends of the Library is conducting its annual drive for membership. In past years, the Friends organization has been instrumental in the funding of six live theater productions for our young readers in the “Summer Reading Program.” Also, in the past we have contributed to field trips to EdVenture in Columbia and the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston.
We encourage you to become a Friend of the Library. Your contributions help support the Lee County Public Library and its many worthwhile projects. You may also contribute in honor of friends and family.