Shutters! And Librarians!

What do the two have in common? Not much, except that Librarians from around the State will be in town next week, and they are all gonna come by to see our new Shutters!

First things first... About the Shutters...

It's been a long time coming! At least it seems to me that way. Way back in 2008 we asked the City of Natchez to find the funds necessary to get the Library building painted and the shutters repaired (replaced) and painted. There were no funds available for the Library at that time. Another request was made. Still no funds.

Finally, last spring, we came up with the idea of the Friends of the Library raising the necessary funds and getting the City to get the work done.  Great idea! We asked the City and they agreed to this arrangement. This is not new news! You've heard this story before.

Well, we raised nearly $37,000 and were shocked to find that wasn't enough! The shutters and exterior were in much worse shape than we realized. But, the City agreed to pay the balance! Yea!!!!! Be sure to thank Mayor Butch Brown and the Board of Alderman.

So, the painting is completed (and looks great by itself) - and this week the shutters are being hung! They are Be-U-Ti-Full!!! If you haven't driven by the Library this week, make a special trip! I posted a picture on my Facebook page and got comments and "likes"  from all over the country - from some of the many people that made donations to the project. The shutters are really beautiful, and it is amazing the difference they make to the building. Our new paint scheme and the new shutters makes this nearly fifty-years-old building look practically brand new!

Among the celebrations the City of Natchez is preparing for (along with the three-hundred years anniversary celebration) is a not-yet-mentioned one. The Judge George W Armstrong Library will celebrate its 50th anniversary in June of 2015! We should have a party - and maybe we will!

And, now to the Librarians...

Bet you thought I forgot about them! They'll be back in town next week. There will be librarians from all around the State! school librarians; public librarians; university, community and junior college librarians; even special librarians. Now, you're probably thinking, "that's rude - aren't they all special"? Well, yes, but "special libraries" are those other than school, public, or college-level. The MS Department of Archives Library would be considered a "special library" - the library at a medical school would be a "special library" - a large attorney firm might have a law library that we would refer to as a "special library."

Anyway, the 500 member Mississippi Library Association will hold its Annual Conference in Natchez next week. Remember, they were here in 2004 and again in 2008 - and they're planning to come back  again in 2015. Hey, another party! Librarians love to come to Natchez, and we are all looking forward to their visit. They'll be here Tuesday - Friday. But, don't expect to be "shushed" - they'll be here having a good time.

And, they'll come by the Armstrong Library to see our new "look" - we'll be so proud! And so should you be. Thanks, one more time, to all that made a donation to the project! Come by and see the results of your generosity!

Apprendre une Langue Gratuitement

The title is French for "Learn a Language for Free". Would you like to learn another language? Now you can - without leaving home and totally free.

Your Library now has Rocket Languages available online. Like so many other successful businesses these days, Rocket Languages was started by two students who saw a need. One was taking Spanish at a university, and the other was learning French. They both agreed there must be a better way. So they set out to design a Spanish course that would:

• be fun to use
• be easy to follow
• minimize study time
• give people confidence to actually speak

Rocket Spanish was an instant online hit and was followed by Rocket French. Rocket Languages now includes Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and even American Sign Language. These courses normally cost $150 each, which is not bad - but you don't pay anything when signed up through your Library.

One of the nice things about Rocket Languages is once you sign up for a language, you have lifetime access. So you can take your time learning and check back for refreshers.

So go ahead and register. All you need is your Library card. Once you've registered, you won't need your card again. You will sign in with your email address and your own password.

Two of my granddaughters (and their parents) live in Austria, where they speak German. I'm going to register to learn German so I can impress my granddaughters. So if you see someone wandering around Natchez mumbling German, it will likely be me. "Ich lerne Deutsch." (I'm learning German.)

If a bunch of us learn a language, we can do translations for tourists!

Your Library is the Face of Natchez

 One of the things I like best about being Assistant Director of the Library is welcoming visitors during Spring Pilgrimage. This year has been very active so far, and it’s great to see people so upbeat, enjoying the spectacular weather. But every year there are little stories about visitors showing their appreciation for help checking their email, advice on where to eat lunch, or directions to the next house on their tour.

People naturally gravitate to the Library as a starting point for their searches; whether it is for general area information or specific services. The Library is the heart of the community, and seasoned travelers know this better than most. Just this morning, we had a couple who had to time the printout of their boarding passes exactly or they’d miss the first seating. They stood by as the time ticked toward the magic moment when they could print out. As they left, the lady called out to us “We can always count on the library.” True story.

Sometimes visitors are participating in a scavenger hunt, looking for places and items peculiar to Natchez. Smart visitors know the best place to get information is a public library. Sometimes we have had the entire staff involved in looking for answers - and our visitors always win.

As described in our last blog post, the producers of the Prince Among Slaves have scheduled one of their events here in Natchez. And guess who they contacted first? That’s right. The Library. We are so happy to be able to provide whatever information we can to all visitors. It is just part of being the heart of the community.