April is National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month and in the Bellview Library, I created a posterboard display to commemorate the occasion. A collage of cut-outs celebrate authors Jack Prelutsky, Roald Dahl, Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss. The decorative sign accompanies several book of poetry for young readers.

New books! In the Bellview library

New books! Always an exciting time in the Bellview Elementary School library, for students and this worker alike. At work today, I put spine labels onto several of the books, with onlooking students eager to know if they were ready for check-out. Watch for new titles to soon become available: fiction, non-fiction, picture and chapter books.

Related posts about work behind-the-scene in libraries:

• Day centered around Jackson County libraries, Oct. 20, 2013
• What do we still do in public libraries?, July 26, 2012
• No time for reading at the library, April 12, 2011

Happy School Librarian Day

Someone in the Bellview Elementary School community left a card and bag of candies in the library for School Librarian Day today. For teacher-librarian Lauren Hall, library assistant Doug Werner and me, thank you for the recognition. (And I’m marking my calendar: April 15 is National Library Worker Day.)

My journalism mentor seeks new opportunity

Steve Buttry

Steve Buttry, a mentor of mine, announced that he’s a free agent, following layoffs by Digital First Media.

Until February 2013, I worked at the Lake County Record-Bee in northern California. Owned by MediaNews Group, it joined the DFM family when MediaNews appointed John Paton as its CEO and entered an agreement with Digital First Media to provide management services.

The move brought a change in emphasis from next-day print journalism to “digital first” publication across websites and social media.

No library funding in proposed U.S. House budget

A House Budget proposal released by Rep. Paul Ryan eliminates funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is the agency that supports U.S. libraries. Rep. Ryan recommends instead that the agency’s responsibilities be borne by the private sector.

In a statement, American Libraries Association president Barbara Stripling emphasized large returns upon federal library funding “in the form of literate and civically engaged communities. We hope that Congress will support the important role that the Institute for Museum and Library Services plays in supporting educated communities by rejecting the House Budget resolution.”