Carolina Forest Library Ground Breaking--Bombs Away!

Note: This posting is the remarks I made during the Carolina Forest Library Groundbreaking ceremonies on December 15, 2010.

When this institution was first getting established as a county library in 1946 with appropriated funding and a levied one mil for tax support, the county delegation gave us our name--The Horry County Memorial Library. What a great name. An entire library system dedicated to the memory of all servicemen from Horry who served their country.

I can not think of a better or more appropriate group, our veterans, to honor in the naming of a library. Stop and think about it. Our county libraries honor the very people that defend all our liberties, including the freedom of speech where we as U.S. citizens derive our freedom to read. We have the right to read anything and our forefathers knew how important it was to have a well informed citizenry for effective participation to make our new indirect democracy work. Which leads us to the reason for being here. To celebrate the ground breaking of our newest library, or as I like to think of them, Arsenals of Democracy. And if you think I am being a little too dramatic linking veterans to our freedom of speech and libraries, ask yourself this, what kind of information would you have access to if you had to use a library that honored Hugo Chavez or Fidel Castro. I imagine you would not have the right to use databases such as the Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. I guarantee you would have what librarians call an unbalanced collection because every dictator knows the power of information.

So here we stand on an old bombing range, once used to train airmen during the second world war to bomb and destroy enemies that would probably not make good Friends of libraries, to begin construction on the county's tenth library. By the way, we think most of the bombs have been cleared from this property. In fact during the site work process we reversed the meaning of the phrase "Bombs Away." Not only are we physically breaking ground, but we are breaking ground by placing two county services at one location that some might think are on opposite ends of the entertainment spectrum. By placing the Parks and Rec Center next to the Carolina Forest Library we can serve the Horry County citizens' mind and body. The library is looking forward to possibly reaching people who may have never used libraries simply because it may not have been convenient or they were unaware of all the resources and services we offer. Of course this works for the Parks and Rec department as well, they are sure to entice library patrons who have never taken advantage of their services and programs. I think we will refer to these kinds of patrons as "Recreational Readers."

We are fortunate to live in a county that values libraries and understands how they can inform, empower, and transform communities. Libraries are one of the few information places in an already overcrowded field that do not have an agenda to persuade or sell you something. We are a place for access to almost all ideas--a core value of any open democratic society. Empower yourself by being informed. Use the library's many collections to have all the facts and information you need to make better decisions. Knowledge is empowering.

So let me close by once again thanking the Horry County Council for making the funding for this library possible; thanks to Gary Watson and the maintenance department for working with the library on this construction project; and thanks to PMH Associates for their patience and time working with the library to design our newest Arsenal of Democracy. But as we stand and break ground on what was once a bombing range, I hope that all of you will remember all our veterans who have sacrificed so much to protect and defend all the rights guaranteed to us under the U.S. Constitution, especially our right to read.


Currently Reading: My Reading Life by Pat Conroy

Does it get better than Pat Conroy? I think I could read just about anything he writes and enjoy it. This is one of the authors that I take my time with and slowly digest each word, sentence, and paragraph. I have already started making a bibliography of the books Mr. Conroy discusses in this interesting biographical look at his life. We all measure our lives out in different ways just as Prufrock measured his in teaspoons. Mr. Conroy has written different autobiographical essays of his life and discusses the books that were important to him at the time. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Currently Listening: Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

Summary: The bestselling author of "The Devil in the White City" tells the amazing, interwoven stories of two men--Hawley Crippen, a doctor and an unlikely murderer, and Gugliemo Marconi, the obsessive genius who invented the wireless--whose stories converge during the greatest criminal chase of all time. If you are a fan of Micro histories this title will appeal to you. I have been fascinated with the dramatic story of Marconi and his struggles to get the wireless telegraph company "off the ground." I admit that I had never heard of the Crippen murders but this story will also keep you driving slow so you can continue to listen. I would also recommend this bok to all true crime fans.

Put Your Checkbook Away: Four Inexpensive Ways You Can Support Your Public Library

Lately, I find whenever I go someplace and someone discovers I work for the library they always want to know how is the library doing with all the news of budget cuts and large libraries such as Charlotte Mecklenburg making the national news with their financial woes. You see, libraries are one of those institutions that most people support and feel good about having in their community so they always want to know how we, as in the library, are doing. I tell them we are fortunate. Fortunate to have the support of our communities; fortunate to have the support of active library Friends groups; and fortunate to be building new libraries to better serve the citizens of Horry County. Does this mean we are not experiencing painful budget cuts? Absolutely not. We are making reductions in our operating costs and constantly looking at ways to save money. And we are always in need of your support.

Its funny, whenever I tell people we are always in need of their support they reflexively make a move to cover their wallets. However, you can help support the library in a variety of ways without having to stroke a check for a donation. Of course if you want to do that to I will not object. So here are some simple things you can do to help support our libraries.

• Donate Used Books and DVDs -- The HCML can use these items in a variety of ways. If you have a copy of the latest best seller, we can put it in our collection to help reduce the wait time for patrons who have the item on reserve. With our current budget, we can only buy so many copies of the latest James Patterson or Janet Evanovich novel. In addition to helping supplement our collection budget, the biggest use we have for used books and DVDs is for our Friends Groups book sales. The money our Friends raise is used in our branches to help support everything from programs to supplies. Don't worry if you think your books or materials are too old or dated, as long as they are in good shape, think "gently used," we can use them. Book sales are revenue generators for Friends groups and they can use what you don't want and you can clear some space in your attic or garage.

• Join A Library Friends Group -- All of our libraries have a Friends group that helps support that location. All of the HCML Library Friends groups are passionate people dedicated to strengthening our libraries and making people aware of available library resources in the community. In addition to raising money, they are also great advocates for libraries. For more information, contact your local library and tell them you want to join the Friends group.

• Be A Library Advocate -- Anyone can advocate for our public libraries by doing something as simple as telling your friends or coworkers about our services and resources. We do not want to be the best kept secret in town as we hear so often from patrons. If you are inclined, be an advocate by writing a letter of support to the newspaper editor; to your state representatives; or even to your congressman and senators. If you do not know who they are and how to contact them, use Project Vote Smart.

• Use The Library -- One of the easiest and best ways to support your public library is to be a regular library user. Besides, think of all the money you can save by not having to purchase books or movies. Whether you agree with it or not, sometimes our effectiveness and value is evaluated by usage statistics. You and I both know the value of libraries goes beyond how many books are checked out or by counting how many people walk through the doors but we do need quantitative ways to evaluate ourselves. Libraries add value to our communities in so many ways by providing access to resources and programs to everyone whether it is for recreation or research. Yet we still need to be used and agencies that fund grants like to know their money is going to an institution that is well utilized.
  

Now more than ever libraries need your support across the great state of South Carolina. Right now I can tell you that in our county we are fortunate to have people that recognize the need and value of libraries but we do not need to become complacent. As library users, or potential users (you know who you are), we need to develop and strengthen support for our libraries. So if you want to do something right away to support us just stop by and find a good read or let us suggest a book for you. Who knows, you may just develop a new habit that you will want to tell your friends about.

Currently Reading

The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron. This is a book I am recommending to just about everyone who wants a good read. The writing is great and the action moves at a quick pace. Here is a brief summary:

Game Warden Mike Bowditch strikes up an uneasy alliance with a retired warden pilot and together the two men search the Maine wilderness for Mike's father-- a fugitive on the run who has been accused of killing two men in an ambush. Mike searches for his father while his career and personal life begin to unravel.


Moment of Glory by John Feinstein. One of my favorite sports writers who I recommend to anyone who likes well written nonfiction that reads like a novel. Feinstein's latest is a unique look at how Tiger Woods' desire to retool his swing changed the life of four golfers. Feinstein's premise is that Tiger's struggle to relearn his golf swing left him vulnerable in all the PGA's Majors in 2003 and golfers who were virtually unknowns were able to take the opportunity to capture their first Major victory. Feinstein has a gift for recounting their final round play hole-by-hole while interjecting player commentary to give a entirely different look at how professional golfers handle the pressure of playing in a Major tournament or championship. If you have ever wondered what goes through a professional golfers mind as he stands on the 18th green at Augusta National attempting to make a put to win the Masters, then this is the book for you.

Inform, Empower, Transform

Welcome to the new Horry County Memorial Library website. While the appearance of our site has dramatically changed, I hope you will find that we have not just given this site an "extreme makeover" to make it more visually appealing, but have created a website that will provide you with better access to our many collections, wonderful programs, and information about your library.

One of the goals of the group that worked to revamp the website was to create a new look that reflects that diverse people and communities that we serve. With that goal in mind we set out to design a new logo that was a better reflection of Horry County. This was not an easy process and you can imagine the difficulty of attempting to find an image or concept that could potentially represent the entire county. But we found help from an unexpected talent pool of graphic artists and designers who accepted our challenge to create such an image.

Enter Ms. Joanne Doshier's Junior Digital Arts students from the Horry County School District's Academy for Technology and Academics. They listened to what we wanted and each student created a potential logo for the library. The finished designs presented to the group were impressive and we were "blown away" by their artwork and professionalism. Three of the designs were so good that we struggled to pick just one but ultimately we went with the logo you see on our web pages. Having both the oak and palmetto trees representing the coastal and inland communities that we serve edged out the other incredible ideas. I can't thank Ms. Doshier and her students enough for all the professional help they provided. They are truly talented artists.

Just as importantly, I hope you have noticed the headings in the center of the library's homepage. Inform, Empower, and Transform: three simple words that convey what libraries can do for individuals and communities. Inform yourself by using our resources. Libraries are one of the few information places in an already overcrowded field that do not have an agenda to persuade or sell you something. We are a place for access to almost all ideas--a core value of any open democratic society. Empower yourself by being informed. Use the library's many collections to have all the facts and information you need to make better decisions. Knowledge is empowering.

Can libraries really transform your life or community? They sure can and as a librarian I get to see and hear about people's transformations all the time. I have patrons tell me how they discovered a better treatment option for a diagnosed illness or disease by using library resources to find the latest articles and books. Currently, the Horry County Memorial Library is helping transform lives by helping patrons use the Internet to locate and apply for jobs. The Socastee Library is even hosting open computer lab time on Wednesday afternoons to give people extra help with job research or creating a resume. We call it "Get to Work @ Your Library." These are just two examples but there are many more that prove how a well staffed and funded library can truly be a transformational force in our communities. But don't just take my word for it; visit your nearest location of the Horry County Memorial Library to see for yourself.

Currently Reading -- Wake by Lisa McMann. Ever since she was eight years old, high school student Janie Hannagan has been uncontrollably drawn into other people's dreams, but it is not until she befriends an elderly nursing home patient and becomes involved with an enigmatic fellow-student that she discovers her true power.

Recently Read -- The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith. Soviet Union, 1956. Stalin is dead, and a violent regime is beginning to fracture-leaving behind a society where the police are the criminals, and the criminals are innocent. A secret speech composed by Stalin's successor Khrushcev is distributed to the entire nation. Its message: Stalin was a tyrant. Its promise: The Soviet Union will change. Facing his own personal turmoil, former state security officer Leo Demidov is also struggling to change. The two young girls he and Raisa adopted have yet to forgive him for his part in the death of their parents. They are not alone. Now that the truth is out, Leo, Raisa, and their family are in grave danger from someone consumed by the dark legacy of Leo's past career. Someone transformed beyond recognition into the perfect model of vengeance.