Special Collections are up and running! This month marks the completion of the Rasmuson Foundation’s generous grant, which funded significant expansions in the library’s collection and the beautiful new display case in the fireplace lounge. The items in the special collections case are rare and/or valuable books, mostly related to Alaska history or culture. The grant also paid for circulating items in the arts and sciences (especially health), updating many titles in the DVD collection and the children’s nonfiction, expanding the Great Courses, and acquiring materials in adult fiction.
We’re all keeping an eye on COVID and debating what library services will look like through the winter. Whatever happens, the library is in a better position than we were in March. We can now provide outdoor wi-fi, laptops for checkout, reference services through a variety of media, curbside delivery of items and public programs through Zoom. Winters are always a bit gloomy in Alaska, but we’ll do our best to help dispel it!
I hope you all have a happy Halloween and look forward to a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Stay healthy!
Dave Berry
Director, Homer Public Library
907-435-3151 dberry@ci.homer.ak.us
Be on the lookout for a new, refreshed and updated FHL website in early January of 2021. The HFL has contracted with local web designer Kammi Matson to upgrade, update, and basically work her magic to enhance our website. Our website is still fully operational, so if you need to access it for any reason, please do visit our webpage. The FHL Board members are excited about anticipated improvements, and we hope you will be, also.
Like so many programs that have been altered due to the Covid 19 pandemic, our lovely Art in the Library program has been postponed until August of 2021. We are especially fond of this program, as it gives us a chance to highlight and celebrate the work of local artists in the Homer Public Library. However, due to recent restrictions of library closures and ongoing FHL board member projects and demands, we made the hard decision to postpone Art in the Library. To all our artist friends, though, keep making art, and hopefully we'll hear from you next fall.
Library Holiday Giving
After discussion with library staff they were of the mindset that instead of our annual ask for the library i.e. The Holiday Giving Tree, we should instead encourage those inclined to give this holiday season to support any number of local organizations that have worked so tirelessly to support our community during this pandemic.
If you are looking for a non-profit to give to this season,the Homer library currently partners with and recommends the Homer Food Pantry.
This issue was all settled when several community members reached out and asked that we absolutely push the idea of supporting local nonprofits, but they would still like to have the opportunity to purchase books for the library as it has become a part of their holiday tradition.
So with the support of the Homer Bookstore we have decided to move forward with our annual giving tree (though not at the library this year) and not actually a tree, but a smaller version that will be in list form at the Homer Bookstore counter.
Look for the list to be available at the bookstore
the Monday following the Thanksgiving weekend.
The Friends of the Homer Library will be hiring a Library Coordinator who will oversee the general administration, fundraising/grants, and programs of FHL. The work is designed to be completed in 15-25 hours/week, at a starting rate of $20/hour.
The coordinator will be supervised by the FHL Board President and will work closely with all FHL Board members, Homer Public Library staff, FHL members, volunteers and other entities in the community. If possible, library experience is preferred. For guidelines and to submit an application, please visit: friendshomerlibrary.org
Applications are due no later than November 18th.
BOB the Bookmobile, 2020
After a busy summer, BOB (Books on Board) is now resting for the winter and undergoing maintenance. COVID 19 may have put a halt to driving BOB around town this summer, but the pandemic did not stop BOB’s ability to open its doors to the community. Stationed in the library parking lot, BOB serviced over 500 patrons who went home with over 900 books.
BOB hopes to reopen in May and make its annual school visits before visiting its summer spots, including Hornaday Park, the soccer fields and the Spit.
A heartfelt thank you to volunteers, Wayne Aderhold and Bill Morse, who keep BOB in tip top shape and oversee its maintenance.
A huge thank you to the students and staff of West Homer Elementary School for their generous book donations acquired in the spring of 2019. Students donated over 2000 quality books that have been enjoyed by youth over the past two years.
This summer we had several generous donors who supplemented our cache of books. Jacque Peterson donated hundreds of popular books, Fireweed Academy donated over 1000 nonfiction books that were popular this summer, and Claudia, our youth librarian, donated many quality picture books. Because of all these donations, every person walked away with a book they were excited to read!!
Keep an eye out this spring for BOB’s reopening!!
STORYWALK:
Our last storywalk, The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, by Linda Williams, will be up until November 20.
Posted for Halloween, it’s a fun book to share any time. Make sure you add the movements and noises!
This year we displayed a record seven stories and we are already lining up fabulous books to post starting in May, 2021.
December Read Event!
One of Shakespeare's final plays, The Winter's Tale mixes tragedy and comedy, complete with a jealous and paranoid husband and devoted, loyal friends, filled with magical and fantastical components, and named because it might be the kind of tale you would tell to pass a long winter's night. Please join us and read!
Native American Heritage Month books for kids
Check out these books for kids created by:
The Barren Grounds written by David A. Robertson (Norway House Cree Nation)
Salmon Boy illustrated by Michaela Goade (Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska)
We Are Grateful written by Traci Sorell (Cherokee Nation)
Chukfi Rabbit's Big Bad Bellyache illustrated by Greg Rdgers (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
C is for Chickasaw created by Wiley Barnes (Chickasaw Nation)
Mission to Space written by John Herrington (Chickasaw Nation)
Did you cast a ballot in the Books Get Our Vote campaign? The votes have been counted and the statewide winner is...Pete the Cat! Thanks to the Anchorage Public Library for coordinating this event!
