A Night Out

I look forward to Summer Saturday Evenings at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum all year.

The Museum closes at 5:00 PM but during July and August, it stays open until 10:00 PM and takes on a magical – almost forbidden - quality as you walk the grounds at dusk and then in the dark.

Not only do the docents man stations that are different from those you see during the day – you can peer through telescopes, analyze saguaro “stew” under a microscope, look for scorpions with a blacklight, find animals by looking for their eye shine – you also have a chance to see animals moving around that lay low when the sun is up.

I swear I thought the beavers were stuffed until I saw them swimming one evening – who knew they could actually move around?

Over the last few years, Museum staff has been enhancing the evening experience by adding programs based on a theme. June 23 was “Backyard Camping and Summer Reading Night”. I was pretty excited about attending since I knew the Pima County Public Libraries were involved. Philip hurried home from Saguaro National Park so that we could get there just before the activities got started.

Peggy Larson

I knew all about Peggy Larson, museum librarian/archivist, author of several books including Arizona Sonora Desert Museum: A Scrapbook, married to Merv Larson who was an early Museum employee, eventual director and visionary extraordinaire….but had never had the privilege of meeting her until last night. She was scheduled to talk a little about the Museum, then show a video. We made our way to the Warden Oasis Theater, thinking it would be nice to sit inside while it cooled off (the temperature was still 103 degrees when we arrived.)

Peggy calls herself the oldest living employee since her “career” at the Museum started in 1953 when she and Merv moved onto the grounds right after the grand opening. This initial six-month stint has led to a long-term association with the institution. When the staff wanted to put together a video about the Museum’s history in preparation for its 60^th anniversary coming up Labor Day 2012, they turned to Peggy for help. The video we saw last night covers the first 30 years, and she is hard at work completing one that covers the second 30 years.

I enjoyed Peggy’s stories and hope that they are being recorded for posterity, especially the little known facts: the dinners she prepared for Bill Carr every night, the ghostwriting she did as George L. (Leo) Mountain Lion, the thought process behind the creation of the first naturalistic cages and invisifence, and the personalities of the founders and first employees.

Carol, Prancer and a young reader

Philip and I then went to the Baldwin Education Building. Native Seed Search and the Pima County Public Library’s Seed Library both had information tables – we came away with a seed catalog and a seed ball to plant in the yard. A librarian was reading desert stories to a small group of children and adults in one of the classrooms – we joined in singing Itsy Bitsy Spider – before moving on to see “Read to a Dog”.

Carol Madeheim, former Museum employee, had brought her therapy dog, Prancer, to listen while children read aloud. I have to admit I was taken aback at first since I was expecting to see a Golden Retriever or a dog of similar size –not a Chihuahua – but his little face was so expressive that it made me laugh. Such a cutie! There was a line of children waiting their turn and I’m sure Prancer and Carol were busy all night.

REI had a table in the Desert Garden – I still think of it as the Sunset Magazine Demonstration Garden from our very first visit to the Museum 25 years ago – and I picked up their version of the Summer Reading Program passport. Their goal is to get families outside and it features puzzles, games, stickers and places to record your observations.

An added bonus: There is a magnificent exhibit in the Gallery by wildlife artist Tell Hicks and he was there, working on a painting. It’s amazing to see his technique and the detail that goes into each one.

And an extra added bonus: as we were walking toward the entrance, Philip and I saw a sand snake by the Mammoth Exhibit.

The Museum wasn’t as crowded as I have seen it in the past.  There were probably a couple of reasons for that: very little advertising (I didn’t see anything in the paper and the libraries weren’t really pushing it, even though kids with an Adventure Pass coupon could have gotten in for free), the heat (it has been over 100 degrees for more than a week and not been cooling down at night), and the Museum was closed last Saturday unexpectedly due to a lightening strike that took out one of the transformers. When you lose momentum, it sometimes takes a while to get it back.

Next week’s theme: Desert Storms and Music

Book Review: The Small Public Library Survival Guide

My hope is that after I complete my Master’s Degree at the University of Arizona, I will be able to secure a position in a rural public library. I have always been drawn to small towns, which is one of the reasons Philip and I live on the west side of the Tucson Mountains, south of Picture Rocks.

I was planning to take IRLS 566 Small & Rural Library Administration and Practice in the fall but it was cancelled due to funding issues. So, in addition to working one day a week at the Geasa Marana Branch Library this summer as part of my internship (located in Old Marana, which is definitely rural), I decided to read the two textbooks that would have been required as part of the class.

One is called Administration of the Small Public Library by Darlene Weingand; the other is The Small Public Library Survival Guide: Surviving on Less by Herbert Landau. I opted to read the survival guide for several reasons: snappy title, nice cover, fewer pages.

So, based on How to Write a Book Review (in 10 easy steps – see my May 27 post), here goes.

According to the author of The Small Public Library Survival Guide: Thriving on Less, 80% of the libraries in the United States are considered small, serving populations of no more than 25,000. Given tight budgets these days, librarians working in these communities will probably not get the opportunity to attend educational workshops or conferences where they can network with other librarians, see vendors and their products, and listen to speakers on a wide variety of topics.

The American Library Association is well aware of this so offers online courses, eforums, webinars, webcasts, and career development resources, including how-to books on a wide variety of subjects. Published in 2008, The Small Public Library Survival Guide certainly falls into that category.

Whoever encouraged the author, Herbert Landau, to take on this project should be congratulated. He has produced a well-written, thorough, easy-to-use guide that is a perfect balance between the practical and inspirational.

Mr. Landau draws upon his own personal experience, not only as Director of the Milanof-Schock Library in Mount Joy, PA, but his years in technical publishing and the computer industry. He begins each chapter with a brief overview, then proceeds to cover the selected topics succinctly. By using headings and formatting effectively, the reader is able to easily go back and review pertinent information, making it a reference that won’t just sit on the shelf. The appendices and selected bibliography is particularly useful for someone who would like to see specific examples and/or more information on a subject.

Given my years in philanthropy and not-for-profit work, I appreciate the fact that Mr. Landau urges the reader several times throughout the book to check with the library’s attorney or accountant, review the library’s by-laws and related documents, or notify the board before embarking on a new initiative. Besides the fact that no one likes surprises, sometimes a fundraising activity, for example, seems like a great idea but may be inappropriate based on library policy or city/county/state statutes. Too often folks with good intentions get into trouble just because they didn’t check first with other people who should be in the loop.

This book should be required reading for every person assigned to a rural public library, particularly if they do not have a lot of work experience to draw on, especially in the areas of governance, marketing and funding. In my case, I found a lot of the information to be more review than new – which isn’t a bad thing. I got a few ideas that I will be passing on to folks at both the Geasa Marana and Wheeler Taft Abbett, Jr. Branch Libraries before my internship is over, and I can definitely see myself using it as a reference in the future.

Now on to Administration of the Small Public Library.

Think globally, act locally

I think it is important to support your local businesses. However, when Picture Rocks is your nearest “metropolitan” area, that can be difficult, despite good intentions.

There are the businesses that have a physical presence (a hardware store, two gas stations, a hair salon, several churches, PRCC - a foodbank/thrift store, a branch of the Marana Health Center, the Wagon Wheel - a “grocery” store/bar, a feed store and whatever that is on the corner of Picture Rocks Road and Sandario – one week it is a tire place, the next a store that sells firewood, and then the local satellite provider…it’s hard to keep up) and those that you don’t see, usually run out of someone’s home (handyman-type businesses, roofers, a couple of nurseries, tax preparers). You get the idea.

But on the third Friday of the month, an important, temporary business comes to the Picture Rocks Community Center for an hour: the Pima County Public Library’s Bookmobile. On June 15, I was there waiting. The fellow who is the driver/librarian has held the position for years and absolutely loves it, though maybe not so much when it is over 100 degrees and the air conditioning is on the fritz. That was apparently the case last month, forcing him to take a few days off while it was repaired. Out of courtesy, he called all of his regular customers to give them a heads up and the option of renewing the materials they had checked out over the phone. A really nice gesture and appreciated by the patrons who stopped by while I was there.

All ready for the first customer of the day - me!

There is a little bit of everything on board: fiction, nonfiction, books for teens, first readers and picture books, magazines, the World Book Encyclopedia, DVDs, CDs and books on tape. He has a laptop so accessing the library catalog is no problem. There are free bookmarks and pencils, flyers about events, and copies of the Tucson Weekly. That is especially nice since it is not available out in this area.

After browsing for a while, I checked out two books for teens, Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales and So Not Happening by Jenny Jones, and an audiobook, Seriously…I’m Kidding, written and read by Ellen DeGeneres. I got a receipt that said Readrunners and a return date of July 20, the next time the Bookmobile is scheduled to stop by, rather than the typical 3 weeks.

So I’m all set for a while. Thanks Pima County Public Library for giving me the opportunity to “shop” local.

Yes it is. No it isn't.

Library work is really hard when you suddenly find yourself with the use of only one arm.

June 4 was a great day at the Wheeler Taft Abbett, Jr. Branch Library. It was very busy as folks started to get into their summer routines (and isn’t it wonderful that their summer routines include regular visits to the library?). I helped with pulling and packing up books for delivery to other branches, registering people – kids, teens and adults – for the summer reading program, and manning the customer service desk.

When I got home, I fed the dogs, ate some dinner and was watering when I tripped. I came down hard on my elbow and decided I needed to have it looked at. Of course, Philip was out of town for several days so I drove myself to St. Mary’s Hospital – the closest emergency room to my house. Diagnosis: radial fracture…and I left with a cast.

The next day I reported for work at the Geasa-Marana Branch Library. I was able to wipe down the tables, chairs and computers before the library opened and man the customer service desk – but had difficulty shelving or even lifting a stack of books to place on the cart or hand to a patron. It is a good thing that I had arranged for Branch Manager Kendra Davey and I to meet with Pastor Dave Hedgepeth, Community Christian Church of Marana, that afternoon or I might have felt a bit more discouraged. It’s always good to sit down with him – he had some great suggestions regarding people Kendra should meet and encouraged her to call the church’s preschool director to schedule story times on site.

On Wednesday I went to see a specialist at Tucson Orthopedic Institute. Diagnosis: NOT a radial fracture. Off came the cast and a prescription to “baby it”.

Philip came home on Thursday after a successful outing in the Chiracahuas chasing bats. “Anything happen while I was away?” he asked. “Nah, just the usual.”