I haven't been blogging in a while. I need to start writing regularly. Today is just a promise to talk next week about books I'm currently reading! Meanwhile, here is the NetGalley Challenge 2015.

Review of The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. Book 2 of the Raven Boys.

Like the first book in the Raven Boys series, I couldn't put it down. Each chapter seemed to draw me deeper into the action, just as it did to Blue, Adam, Ronan, and Gansey. We learn a lot more about Cabeswater and leylines in this book, and lots more about each of the characters. New players become part of the drama, extending our knowledge of the original characters. It becomes evident that far from being psychic onlookers, each of the residents in Blue's home are deeply involved in the action and have hidden many things from Blue. Again, we are left hanging at the end of the book with several unanswered questions.  How long must we wait for the next installment???  Yes, we will purchase this second book of the series for the library. This is an excellent extension of the story line. I expect this book to fly off the shelves. Publication date is September 17, 2013

Age 70 isn't too old to start something new! Actually, becoming a staff writer for the new South Grayson Sentinel doesn't call on new skills. I wrote a weekly column about the Van Alstyne Library for sixteen years while I was Director of the Van Alstyne Library. What is new is that I won't be writing just about library subjects. In our first Sentinel issue, I wrote an historical article about Hilltop Haven, Gunter's local nursing home which is closing down after 65 years. My second article is an extension of that article. When the nursing home began as Home for the Aged, it opened in the existing building of Gunter Bible College which existed from 1903-1928. I'm writing an historical article on Gunter Bible College. I have some family stories connected to the College that I can include since my Father-in-law and Mother-in-law both attended the college and my Father-in-law also taught there. I'm looking forward to an opportunity to delve into history as I start this new phase of volunteering, writing regularly for a bi-weekly newspaper!

Updates 2012

It's been a long time since I posted to this blog. In the meantime, I've cruised to Alaska with my husband (August), attended the ARSL conference in Frisco (September), visited my Tennessee grandkids (December), adopted a puppy (January), helped the Gunter Library & Museum move into new quarters (Dec-Jan), and started a book discussion group at the Gunter Library (January). That's not all I've done, but it kept me busy. Now I'm wondering if I committed myself to too many things! After all, I'm supposed to be retired! However, on Mondays I'm involved with Toastmasters, on Tuesdays I volunteer at the Gunter Library, on Wednesdays I'm at church and sometimes help deliver Meals on Wheels or lead the book discussion group, on Mon-Fri my husband and I workout at the gym, Sundays are church days and grandkids are here. That leaves me Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays for other things -- like cleaning house, shopping, reading, computing. Not bad, after all!

I'm reading Jean Carper's 100 Simple Things You Can Do To Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss. Keeping the body and mind active, eating healthy whole foods, and surrounding oneself with stimulation is supposed to delay or prevent age related dementia. I'm working at it!

Beyond Method #12: Library Technology

Beyond Method #12: Last Dance: Evaluation. I finished!!!
1. My favorite exercises include Smilebox and Shelfari. I'll be using those most of all. i can use them personally as well as professionally.
2. My lifelong learning goals include trying to keep up with technology changes, even though they proliferate exponentially! Even though I retired in June, after 43 years in libraries, I will continue to be involved with libraries as a volunteer, and as a member of TLA. If I want to keep myself relevant to the daily changes in information technology, I need to continue learning through webinars like this.
3. One of the take-aways I really like is Skype an Author. This has such great possibilities -- why didn't I know about it sooner!
4. Improvements for the course? I like the self paced learning and the exercises to hold myself accountable for actually doing the hands-on learning. Improve by continuing to provide this kind of tech training.
5. Yes, I would definitely participate if you have a similar program.

Beyond Method #11: Library Technology

Beyond Method #11 concerns use of online surveys. I have participated in many surveys using several of these tools although I haven't devised such a survey myself. I can think of several ways to use these tools. I plan to use SurveyMonkey to poll visitors to the Gunter Library & Museum facebook page to see how many would be interested in forming a historical society in Gunter. PollEverywhere is a new tool to me. I can see where it could be useful in a library focus group, and perhaps could be used in some YA activity where they are game playing.

Beyond Method #10: Library Technology

Method #10 concerns tools to help conferencing or continuing education online. I have used Go-to-meeting. This was useful when a tech needed to take over my computer remotely and fix a problem we were having. I've also attended many webinars for continuing education. I used this extensively for staff training, and now that state library finances have been cut so drastically, I expect we will all be relying on this more and more.

I participated in a podcast set up by NETLS to discuss with other librarians how we liked using Discover Pods. NETLS also set up an online conference to discuss the feasability of KOHO as an online automation system. I have never organized an online meeting or training session.

I really liked the idea of using SKYPE to connect authors with children, or even with a book discussion group. I've never used SKYPE, but my laptop can use it, so I will be trying that out soon. Connecting families with soldiers overseas sounds like an excellent program, one that all libraries should have.