Animoto Rocks!

Diane turned me onto to Animoto last week and since then I've gone cray! To think a a low techie person like me could create something snazzy is simply amazing!

I've done a total of seven so far, including one about an upcoming exhibit on Harry Potter.

I'm cheap; I do the free 30 second videos. Works for me so far. I recommend this to anyone with limited time and skill; it can help market your library in many different ways!

Movie Night at the Library

Did you ever offer a movie night at your library? I did, last night. I am helping with a local community reads initiative, Marion Reads and our book is To Kill a Mockingbird. This is a great choice; it has lots written about it, it is studied in high school English classes, there's a movie version and even a stage production. We are lucky to offer all three to our community. I showed the movie at my library and so did the public library.

Our local theater, the historic Marion Palace Theatre, is showing the stage production on April 23; several book discussions and programs are going on this month. Our mayor has just proclaimed April "Marion Reads Month" in our community.

I had only a few folks show, but I had never watched it and it was great. But read the book before you watch the movie; you'll notice some differences.

I'm excited. We have limited funding, but through the generosity of our Marion Community Foundation, Marion Public Library, The Palace and Ohio State Marion, we have been able to offer free tickets to students at area high schools and senior centers. The public library purchased 250 copies of the book for the community to borrow; my library is hosting a website and created the calendar of events, sponsored some programming and are giving some tickets aways at our events.

We've been doing activities since early February, but most of them will take place this month. I get to talk on the local radio station, WMRN, on April 14 about 8:15 a.m. Wish me luck.

If you are near Marion on April 23, order some tickets from the Palace Theatre and join us for a great viewing of a timeless classic.

Are the students out there?

October is here and Autumn Quarter (for us) has definitely arrived. Along with that is the usual assortment of activities, events and community functions.

Ohio State Marion welcomed over 500 new freshman this year with a convocation program and a Common Book reading and discussion of the book "Honky" by Dalton Conley. Many students did read it this time and quite a few actually liked it. Many special welcome events were planned; the library collaborated with our new campus security office to offer a safety quiz and win an Ipod. I was amazed at the lack of response by many students; they were not interested in winning an Ipod or even getting a free prize just for doing the quiz. Others events and activities were similiarly not attended. I know how much work the staff put in to the events (myself included) to offer a great environment in which to start their academic careers. In a way they are shortchanging themselves; it's one way to distinguish college from high school and a great opportunity to explore what is out there. After all, who doesn't want free food and free prizes for doing virtually nothing but being interested? I fear that the lack of interest may spill over into areas of work performance, volunteer initiatives and others. We need students to be committed and interested!!!