Liblog

Library Staff Member Wins State-wide Poetry Prize

Greenfield Public Library — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:22:35 GMT

Greenfield, WI—May 9, 2008—Last month Dennis, a Greenfield Public Library staff member, was awarded Second Place in the 2008 Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets (WFOP) Muse Prize for Excellence in Poetry for his poem “wisconsin places.” Dennis was awarded a $100 prize at the WFOP Spring Conference in Madison on April 26^th.

According to Susan Kileen, co-chair of the WFOP Literary Fund Committee, there were 162 entries to the Muse contest. The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets is a non-profit, state-wide organization with a 58 year history of promoting poetry. The annual Muse Prize contest is open to all Wisconsin residents and is funded by an endowment set up by the Fellowship to recognize and reward poets.

Linda Andrews, who served as judge for the 2008 Muse contest, described Dennis's poem as “A joyful poem, meant to be heard, as all good poetry is. There is wit and wordplay aplenty here, teamed with a great love of place.”

In congratulating Dennis, Library Director Sheila O’Brien said “Library staff get to enjoy Dennis’ delightful way with words every day in the library. We are pleased that others can now enjoy it too.”

Dennis's poem appears below. It is copyrighted material, published here with the author's permission.

wisconsin places

lately these lines la crossed my mind
what's as nice as wisconsin faces?
reciting the names of wisconsin places
cassville and platteville and dodgeville and janesville
crivitz and pembine. that's where i feel fine
prairie du chien, beloit and menomonie
camp mccoy armory forward in harmony
dairy state it? wisconsin's made it
whether up in minocqua, surrounded by aqua
rock island or madeline, i've seen 'em paddlin'
waterford watertown waterloo oughter do
just for a thrill you can whitewater waterville
even waupaca but why weyauwega?
or manitowoc or oconomowoc
fish creek to spring green, the play is the thing
been all 'round the joint, what's really the point?
a beach at two rivers that gives me the shivers
been seen in racine, and bonged in kenosha
partaken fine wine while romin' algoma
and we won't run out of prairie du sac
no shortage of portage, no fond du lac lack
there's merton and mercer, and tomah, wautoma
or neenah menasha. oh wow! wauwatosa
and rhinelander's fine, just like the state fair
have you ever eaten an eau claire eclair?
and appleton's here, it won't disappear
to tomahawk, ladysmith or lac du flambeau
the game's in green bay over at lambeau
ixonia fredonia caledonia, i'll phone ya
new london, new berlin, new glarus, oh spare us
in bayfield and brookfield and greendale and greenfield
pewaukee, ozaukee, west allis and wausau
wausaukee's superior, milwaukee is beerier
madison's capitol, cornell is swell
and sure, what the hell, the wisconsin dells
no, this ain't no trashland, it's got a nice ashland
for all of my money, that beetown's a honey
and franklin and dousman, wish i were your spouseman
so, what can i say? that is the way
the amnicon
        black river
               chippewa
                         falls

Computer Policy Change

Greenfield Public Library — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:38:27 GMT

Next week the library is getting new reservation software for its computers. During this change there will be no public computers available for use on Monday, May 19th, and Tuesday, May 20th. Starting Monday, no reservations will be taken over the phone. Patrons will still be able to make reservations at the library up to three days in advance. The library will also be gaining four more public computers with internet access to better meet the needs of patrons. Please see the reference librarian if you have any questions about these changes.

Take me out to the ball game...

Greenfield Public Library — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:27:00 GMT

Before the Braves baseball team deserted Milwaukee in 1965, I was lucky as a boy to see some of the game's greats in action at County Stadium. Besides home team favorites like Henry Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Joe Adcock and Lew Burdette, National Leaguers like Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Ernie Banks, Bob Gibson and so many more made regular visits. Before the designated hitter, fake home runs, and closers, it was a great era when starting pitchers more often than not pitched complete or near complete games. In June, 1962 I was in attendance when baseball's two greatest left-handed pitchers squared off. I refer to Milwaukee Brave Warren Spahn and Los Angeles Dodger Sandy Koufax. In her book, Sandy Koufax: A Lefy's Legacy, author Jane Leavy recounts that game amongst many. Koufax is a charismatic, enigmatic man. Born in 1935 in Brooklyn, then home of the Dodgers, he was the most dominant pitcher of the early 60's, with an unmistakable style, and a fastball feared by all hitters. Together with the big right-hander Don Drysdale, they comprised an unparalleled one-two hurling punch. They were pivotal in the effort of players to gain salary bargaining freedom. Koufax's no-hitters, Cy Young and MVP awards,his famous refusal to pitch game one of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur, his retirement because of arthritis at age 30 after his best season ever; they're all here, and more, told with deserved affection for a great ballplayer, an exemplary human being. They just don't make 'em like that anymore. This biography can also be enjoyed by non-baseball fans and right-handed readers. Ask for Greenfield Library nonfiction call number BIO Koufax, Sandy. Play ball! --shelver dennis

Book Clubs

Greenfield Public Library — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:50:09 GMT

Did you know that the Greenfield Public Library has not just one, but TWO book clubs for your enjoyment? In addition to the widely popular adult book club that meets the second Wednesday of every month, there is also a lesser known book club for teens. The teen book club meets one Tuesday evening a month to discuss great books and enjoy a variety of delicious snacks. For more information, check out our website. All teens are welcome.

Free Frozen Custard

Greenfield Public Library — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:34:00 GMT

In celebration of National Library Week (April 13-19), the Greenfield Public Library is now hosting a coloring contest. Kids ages 11 and younger, pick up a coloring sheet at the Greenfield Public Library. Celebrate your favorite book by drawing a picture about it. It can be a character, event, scene or anything you liked about the book. Return the drawing to the library when completed by April 30th.
What you will win...
Give completed coloring sheet to the librarian, and you'll win a certificate for a FREE single scoop of frozen custard in a cake cone or dish from Culvers.
And...
Your name will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a kickball or mini lantern.

Check out this book

Greenfield Public Library — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:23:00 GMT

The recent lunar eclipse has persuaded me to write my first Greenfield Liblog book review on The Planets by Dava Sobel. Having read another of her books, Longitude, I was familiar with her ability to present scientific information in an entertaining manner. Those of us who are not astronomy buffs, but, nevertheless, stand in awe of the majesty of the universe while gazing at the glossed cluster of a clear northern sky, find a user friendly interpreter in Ms Sobel. Contained in this book is history, discovery, mythology, mystery, suspense, beauty, glory, failure, science, creation, competition, and certainly, facts and figures of our star, planets, moons, asteroids and more. All this is woven together with poetic and spiritual appreciation. I particularly enjoyed learning how and when our local heavenly bodies were named. For example, why is our planet named Earth, when, logically, it should be Ocean? Plus, I now can tell you the order of planets from nearest to farthest from the sun thanks to the excellent mnemonic "my very educated mother just served us nine pies". Of course, lately the planetary status of "pies" has been called into question. Hey! You'll learn why we are dePlutoed in this book, published by Viking in 2005.The Planets by Dava Sobel is a concise, informative and enthusiastic story of what's all around us. The call number in the Greenfield Library Nonfiction section is 523.3 SOB. -- shelver dennis

New Library

Greenfield Public Library — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:09:54 GMT

Imagine grabbing a cup of coffee, settling into an over-stuffed chair next to a fireplace, and spending the afternoon paging through your favorite magazine or a novel. Where are you? At home or at a trendy book store? No. You are at the new Greenfield Public Library! As many of you have probably heard, the library will be moving to a new building in spring of 2009. The library has outgrown its current location and a new building will ensure that the library continues to provide excellent service to the community. The new library will be located on 52nd and Layton Avenue, right across the street from Konkel Park. Some features of the new library that you can look forward to enjoying are:

a children's area with a story time room and a separate teen area, giving younger library users their own space
a computer lab with over 20 computers
a coffee kiosk that will sell beverages and snacks
a sound-proofed music studio equipped with an electronic piano
a community room (seating capacity 100) that contains a kitchenette and a grand piano
a periodical reading room with comfortable seating and a fireplace.

There are many ways you can support the library in building its new facility. Please consider giving a monetary donation to ensure that we build the best library possible that will continue to serve generations to come. All donations, at entry level, will be recorded in a book that will be permanently displayed in the new library. Donations of $500 or more will be recognized on a donor wall. There are also several naming and sponsorship opportunities starting at only $5,000. Please contact Library Director Sheila O'Brien at (414) 321-9595 or visit our website to make a contribution to the new library.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the New Greenfield Public Library

Q: How much will it cost to build the new library?

A: The estimated cost of building, furnishing and equipping this new library is $4,000,000.

Q: How much will operating costs increase as a result of the new library?

A: Because the new library will be considerably larger than the current library, one would expect staffing costs, as well as heating, cooling and electrical costs, to increase. We are in the process of taking steps to minimize these operational cost increases. Designed into the architectural plan are several cost-efficient features, including the extensive use of natural lighting and high-efficiency glass windows, as well as fuel-efficient heating and cooling systems. In order to moderate staff costs, we will implement a new technology for checking in and out materials when we move into the new library. This technology, called RFID - radio frequency identification - will dramatically streamline staff handling of materials though the use of self-check-out machines and automated bulk check-in and sorting. We expect these measures will significantly impact our ability to keep operating costs under control.

Q: Once the new library is built, how will you cover increased operating costs?

A: Once the new library is built, furnished and equipped, the Library Foundation will work toward the establishment of an endowment fund to help offset increases in operating costs.

Q: What impact will funding for the new library have on my taxes?

A: Building this new library will require a community investment in the future at the rate of 11¢ per $1,000 of assessed value. On a $300,000 value home this would be about $33 per year for 20 years.

Q: Do we really need a new library in Greenfield when there are libraries in surrounding communities that are just 10-15 minute drive away?

A: "Pledged to Progress" is the motto of the City of Greenfield. Quality of life issues and lifelong educational opportunities contribute to a community's ability to attract new residents and businesses, and encourage homeowner and business investment. A well-maintained public library, equipped with ample informational resources and technology, plays a vital role in contributing to this quality of life and extending economic and lifelong educational opportunities to all.

Q: Will people outside of Greenfield be using our library?

A: Yes. The Greenfield Public Library is a member of the Milwaukee County Federated Library System. This means that any resident of Milwaukee County can utilize any one of the 28 public libraries or branches in the county that is most convenient and most suitable to their needs. This system yields many benefits to Greenfield residents, including access to more than 4.5 million items from libraries throughout the county, including many that the Greenfield Library does not own.

Q: Is there cooperation among the libraries? Are services being duplicated?

A: In the state of Wisconsin, public libraries are a model for cooperation among agencies across municipal lines. Through extensive resource-sharing agreements and shared automation systems, duplication of materials and services is minimized. At the current time, Greenfield residents have access to many types of materials that are shared freely among the public libraries within the Milwaukee county library system. For example, if the Whitefish Bay Library has a copy of an obscure movie that you are looking for, it can easily and quickly be shipped to a convenient neighborhood library at no charge. If the Milwaukee Public Library has a rare old book you need, you as a Greenfield resident are allowed to use it at no charge.

Q: How will the new Greenfield Public Library be different or better than other libraries in the area?

A: The current Greenfield Public Library specializes in classic films, large print materials for the visually handicapped, and an extensive collection of music CDs. These special collections will be maintained and enhanced in the new library. In addition, we are planning several special features for the new library that will be distinct and unique, and very valuable to the community. These features include:

a bright and cheerful children's area where parents and their children can attend a story time or find age-appropriate materials and get assistance from specially trained librarians
an attractive coffee kiosk where visitors can grab a cup of hot coffee and a roll, or juice and a cookie for the children
a sound-proofed music practice/performance studio with a grand piano
a business conference room equipped with the latest in technology for videoconferencing and high-speed computer access
a community room with seating capacity for 100 equipped with a kitchenette and overhead projection equipment where civic and cultural events will take place
a comfortable periodical reading area with soft seating and a fireplace where people can read the latest magazine or newspaper or curl up with a great book
a computer lab with more than 20 computers for community use, running the latest software for school and office applications
free Wi-Fi access available throughout the library for students and business people carrying their own laptop computers
all these features, as well as our standard services, are available to all residents at no charge. This means that each of our citizens, regardless of their financial means, has equal access to our educational and informational resources for the betterment of their lives and the enrichment of the community.

Q: Why does the library need to move to another location?

A: The selected location at 5310 W. Layton Avenue will be conveniently located on one of Greenfield's busiest commercial streets. It is within walking distance of many residential neighborhoods, a number of schools, and is across from Konkel Park. The new library will play a prominent role in the development of the "municipal campus" which will include the Law Enforcement Center, the Fire Station, and the Bicentennial Fountain. Renovating the vacated police department building allows us to make economical use of an existing city structure and therefore to stretch our scarce dollars farthest to build the best library possible.

Q: How will the library stay current with technology? Won't that be expensive?

A: Keeping up with technology is always a challenge for a community, one that must be met if students and other residents are to remain competitive in this computer age. With the guidance of local experts and educators, the Library Foundation will seek to create an endowment and search out gifts and grants to help keep our technology current.

Q: Will the new library offer more CDs and DVDs for checkout?

A: The new library will have ample space designated for the display of music CDs and DVDs-two of our most popular collections.

Q: How many people are currently using the Greenfield Public Library?

A: Many people do not realize it, but the Greenfield Public Library is one of the busiest public libraries in Milwaukee County, having circulated more than 300,000 items in 2007.

Q: Now that so much information can be found on the Internet, won't libraries become obsolete in the future?

A: Many people have the false impression that the Internet has replaced the need for public libraries because there is so much information available on the Web. It is true that many people use the Internet to find information. But research does not support the claim that libraries have become obsolete. Results just released on a study by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction showed that in 2006, public libraries experienced a continued increase in use of most types of their services, including the check out of materials (up 3% over 2005) and attendance at library programs such as story time for children (up 2.6% over 2005.) Since 1996, the year the Internet began to be introduced into homes and libraries, public library check-outs increased 28% from 47 million to 60 million items. Use of public libraries in Wisconsin ranks high nationally, placing Wisconsin residents as 11^th highest in the number of library visits per capita. An estimated 3.3 million Wisconsin residents, or nearly 60% of the state population, are registered public library users.

Wisconsin is not the only state to experience this increased library use. A national study released in December 2007 by the Pew Internet and American Life Project and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign confirmed these state-wide trends. This study found that young adults are the heaviest users of public libraries "despite the ease with which they can access a wealth of information over the Internet from the comforts of their homes." One author of the study portrayed young adults as "the ones likely to have visited libraries as teens and seen their transformation into information hubs, with computers and databases alongside stacks of printed books." Described as having an "information hunger," they seek information that cannot be found on the Internet related to health, schooling, jobs, government benefits and other life issues. "The age of books isn't yet over," said Lee Rainie, Pew's director. Leigh Estabrook, a retired professor of information science and sociology at the University of Illinois, said young adults used to finding information online are likely to crave even more and realize they need to turn to libraries to get it.

Q: What is the size of the current library and how big will the new Library be?

A: The new library will cover more than 35,000 square feet, considerably larger and closer to design standards for a community the size of Greenfield. By comparison, our current library is 10,000 square feet, the smallest in the state of Wisconsin in square feet per capita of city residents. This additional space will allow us to create an adequately sized children's library, a separate area for young adults with specialized materials selected for them, as well as more computers for public use and more comfortable seating and work space for people to use.

Q: Will the new library offer more programs and services with the additional space?

A: In the new library, we plan to expand our services, especially to children and young adults who have been underserved in the cramped quarters of the old library. There will be additional story time and literacy programs, book discussions and game nights for young adults, and programs especially designed to meet the informational needs of our seniors and retired citizens. In our Community Room on the lower level, we plan to offer as many civic, cultural and community events as scheduling will allow. Our highest hope is that the library will become a hub of community activity, bringing services to all sectors of our population.

Q: When will the new library be built?

A: We hope to begin construction on May 1, 2008. If everything goes according to schedule, we will be opening the new Greenfield Public Library in the spring of 2009.

Q: Will you have to close the current library while you are building the new one?

A: At the current time, we plan to close the library for about one week while we move our books and equipment into the new building.

Pay your fines online!

Greenfield Public Library — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:29:33 GMT

We have great news to all library users who owe fines. You can now pay your fines (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) online with a MasterCard or Visa check/credit card from home computer or at the library. Just go to CountyCat and login with your library card or use the library's designated computer located next to the circulation desk. It is easy and safe because no credit card information is stored on the CountyCat server. Your fine will immediately be removed from your record, enabling you to place holds, check out materials, or use library computers. Any questions? Just ask one of our helpful staff members for assistance.