Oct News

Unattended Children Policy

By Jan Pease

Have I ever told you about the child who was left behind at preschool story hour, hiding under the table, crying inconsolably? Or the time a little girl with speech difficulties and no phone number to call a parent was left at the library to use the computer until 6:00, but the library closed at 5:00? Or the middle school students doing homework and chatting with their friends online in the middle of winter, who didn’t bother to wear coats or hats, but were left without a ride in the sub-zero darkness?

Librarians around the state could share stories that are much worse than these incidents that happened at Litchfield Library. If you check library websites, most of them provide information about policies for unattended children. In response to this problem, the Pioneerland Library System Board has written the PLS Unattended Children Policy.

Purpose: Pioneerland’s libraries are busy public facilities and therefore the library staff is unable to assume responsibility for babysitting, supervising or entertaining children left alone in the library. Responsibility for the safety and behavior of children in the library rests with their parent, guardian or caregiver and not with library staff.

Policy: While in the library, children seven (7) years of age and younger must be supervised by a parent, guardian, or caregiver who is at least twelve (12) years old and is able to attend to the child’s safety and insure appropriate behavior. If they notify library staff, the parent, guardian or caregiver can leave the library for the length of the time that the child (ages 4-7) is attending a formal library program. Children aged 3 or younger must be supervised by their parent, guardian or caregiver at all times while in the library.

Procedures:
1) It is recommended that children have telephone number(s) of persons who can assist them in case they have to leave for library closings or for rule violations. This is seen as even more important at times of inclement weather and after dark.
2) If a child of seven years-of-age or younger is left unattended in the library, except while they are attending a library program, Pioneerland staff may contact the police to pick-up the child.
3) If children ages 8-11 are left unattended at the time of the library closing, Pioneerland
staff may contact the police to pick-up the child.
4) Patrons, ages 12 or older, who violate library rules and guidelines, may be asked to
leave the library at any time.

A copy of the policy is available at the main desk at Litchfield library. I think the policy will enable library staff to work with parents to ensure the safety and acceptable behavior of children in the library. I hope it will never be necessary to involve the police because of an unattended child. See you at the library!

Oct 16

Top

nature of fear

By Jeanette Stottrup

Halloween will be here in just over two weeks. This is a night where we laugh at fear and have fun scaring each other. Young people seem to love the thrill of a good scare as they shriek and yell, letting their anxieties out. As we grow older we suppress the giddy enthusiasm of that ripple of fear down our backs and indulge in a scary book, the thrill of skiing, or putting ourselves in physical danger by indulging in sporadic reckless behavior.

We all however have had enough of these scary economic times. This is new territory, uncharted by any other experience with which to compare it. One of the last questions asked in one of the presidential debates was “what don’t you know and how will you find it out?” The moderator of that debate called it a Zen-like question. We are learning a lot about economics and the nature of fear as we learn what we didn’t know about the nation’s banking system. We thought perhaps that someone else was in charge of that area of expertise. Maybe our ensuing fear is the shocked realization that the nation’s financial experts are also clueless as how to proceed.

My earlier mention of the “nature of fear” may be one place to begin coping. There are a number of books in our collection that address this topic in a helpful way.

“The Science of Fear: Why We Fear the Things We Shouldn't--and Put Ourselves in Greater Danger” by Daniel Gardner is the newest acquisition and seems to be an excellent starting point. A reviewer from “The Economist” makes the point that both the media and politicians, among others, use fear as a tool to get our attention. The author encourages us to “engage the Head over the Gut.” Fear is the instinctive first response but reason should be our defense which lays to rest the Boogeyman of fear. Sometimes this attempt at reason will lead us to learn how to build a better bear trap or as in financial matters, that credit has to be paid for at some point.

“The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why” by Amanda Ripley explores the psychology of fear and how we react to it. Even though the examples are of physical disaster our reaction to fear is what is important. “The Oprah Magazine” calls it “An absorbing study of the psychology and physiology of panic.”

Another book that addresses fear of free speech is “Finding Jefferson: A Lost Letter, a Remarkable Discovery, and the First Amendment in an Age of Terrorism” by Alan Dershowitz. In the catalog entry it states that Jefferson's third argument for free speech is that “we have nothing to fear from the demoralizing reasonings of some, if others are left free to demonstrate their errors.” Whether it is Islamic imams or financial analysts it is helpful in a democratic society for everyone to have their say. By listening and learning from what the smartest among us has to say about a current crisis, we can reason out the best course of action.

“The Assault on Reason” by Al Gore argues that reasoned debate in our country is endangered by many cultural distractions which use fear and misguided faith or flawed patriotism to influence the masses. Individuals, however, are using the Internet to discuss and communicate to circumvent these powerful agendas. You cannot communicate with a TV but you can have free speech through blogs where “the quality of the submissions and the breadth and depth of the subject matter is amazing” says the author.

In dealing with fear the quote that I think sums it up the best is “Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself.” I’ll let the younger generation Google this to place it in its historic prospective.

Oct 23

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Children's Books are Getting Larger

By Jan Pease

Google the phrase “children’s books, length” and you will immediately pull up articles stating that the typical novel written for children or young adults is around 150 – 200 pages in length. A stack of books arrived at my desk this week that defies the conventional wisdom that children won’t read books longer than about 250 pages.

Some people will say that J.K. Rowling started the trend of longer and longer children’s books. For example, the final book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, has an extraordinary 784 pages, long even for an adult novel. Just in case you’re curious, children who have read all of the Harry Potter books in the hardcover editions have read an astonishing 4,169 pages.

I first noticed children reading longer books as the Redwall series, by Brian Jacques, became popular. Redwall, the first novel in the series, has 352 pages in the hardcover edition. The twentieth Redwall novel has arrived. Doomwyte, with 371 pages plus an epilogue, is another grand adventure tale. Brave mice go on a great treasure hunt, menaced by vicious ravens and terrifying snakes. By the time they read the epilogue of Doomwyte, fans will have read 7,867 pages of this incredible fantasy series.

Young adult fans of German writer Cornelia Funke have been waiting for Inkdeath, 656 pages of great reading. A young patron spotted Inkdeath on my desk and checked it out immediately. This is the third book in the Inkheart series written by Ms. Funke, a famous German author who is now becoming well-known in America. The Inkheart series revolves around a girl whose father has the gift or curse of having book characters come alive if he reads aloud. Since I’m following this theme, I’ll tell you that this series is now up to 1,835 pages.

Palace of Mirrors, the new book by Margaret Peterson Haddix, is set in the same kingdom as Just Ella. This tale of two identical girls, one who may be the true princess, the other a decoy, has a surprising ending. Intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance make this 297 page book a great choice for readers who like the Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot or the series of fairy tales adapted into novels by Donna Jo Napoli.

The term “Christian science fiction” may seem like an oxymoron, but the long awaited book The Infinite Day is indeed Christian science fiction. I think Chris Walley is one of the best authors in this genre, and his trilogy, Lamb Among the Stars, defies explanation. He may eventually be regarded as this generation’s C.S. Lewis with this epic tale of the battle against ultimate evil. At 576 pages, this is a daunting read. If you read the entire trilogy, you will read 1,792 pages.

Finally, Neil Gaiman is up to his usual quirky, slightly scary writing in The Graveyard Book. Mr. Gaiman is the acclaimed author of graphic novels, children’s books, and young adult novels. He often works in collaboration with famous illustrator Dave McKean, whose creepy pen and ink drawings give this book the feel of a graphic novel. This book is lyrical, darkly funny, and leaves you wanting more adventures for Nobody Owens. Incidentally, it is 309 pages long if you count the final illustration.

These 16,000 pages of reading, and more, are waiting for you at the library – see you there.

Oct 30

Top

Mary Hansen, Resigned

By Jeanette Stottrup

Mary Hansen, a long time employee of the Pioneerland Library System and staff member at the Litchfield Public Library for the last ten years, has resigned her library position to become receptionist / secretary and bookkeeper at Bonniwell Electric of Dassel. A recognition party for her years of service was held Oct. 28th at the library in her honor.

Mary’s connection to the Pioneerland Library System began in 1986 when she had a college internship at the library. She was earning an elementary education degree from the College of St. Benedict. This was her first look at the business end of libraries when the catalog was a card catalog with just a glimmer of the technology to come. Mary remembers doing story hours, shelving books and filing cards into the card catalog. She had fun working on the bookmobile for a short while. Mary also worked at the Willmar Library for part of a week where one of her jobs was to shelve magazines in the dark vault like magazine room where it was scarier than a crypt. Mary remembers that Carol Blunt, the head librarian, gave me the job of showing her how to use the reference materials, which I did by sending her on a series of information hunts. Another assignment of Mary’s, no doubt because the rest of the staff avoided it, was to weed the pamphlet file. That task took up the better part of a month. The semester ended with Mary graduating at the end of 1986.

In 1992 Mary became the lead librarian at the Dassel Public Library after Gladys Paulsen retired. Sandy Ward also worked at the library and during the school year at the elementary school media center. During this time Mary juggled her part time job with increasing family responsibilities. During these years Mary remembers a very busy schedule. She was assigned as the designated driver for Meeker County librarians whenever there was a meeting at Willmar. Ordering books and budgeting were tasks done by the Assistant director Kathy Matson, but soon these tasks were added and the part time assignment grew. Mary also remembers trying to find more room in a space that would not expand.

In the fall of 1998 Mary sought a change of assignment and began working at the Litchfield library under the then head librarian Carolyn Baird. Indeed these were interesting times when PLS was bar coding the collection for a move to an automated system. Mary worked a variety of assignments among which were manning the Tuesday evening circulation desk, leading a variety of story hours and always working one Saturday a month. Mary helped the library move to the “Baril’s building,” took part in automation training, helped move the collection twice more as the “Baril’s building” transitioned into the present library. Recently Mary has been ordering books, working Tuesday evenings at the circulation desk, guiding the after school book club, presenting two story hours at the Dassel Library a month and working a Saturday a month.

Public service careers are not glamorous assignments on the whole. A person is asked to work evenings and Saturdays, and in a part time capacity one is always coping with changing work hours to fit others schedules. Mary, by exhibiting a professional demeanor, has always had a calming affect on patrons and staff. She has had a mature and steady hand at whatever task she has been assigned. I would like to thank Mary for all those times that she made adjustments to her schedule on behalf of the library. The community benefited by her time with us and we thank her for that commitment to us all.