Remember too, that the Friends of the Somers Library accepts cash donations. The Friends is a 501(c)3 organization, so all donations are fully tax deductible by law. All money raised by the Friends is used to support exciting library programs, express copies of new books, furniture, items for the children's room, etc.

I also want to recognize the librarians Betsy and Vicki for running a wonderful children's summer reading program, Jamie for continuing summer teen programs, and Val for running the adult book bingo.  Please join me in thanking our sponsors for their support, including Cold Stone, Chili's, Bistro19, Somers Colonial Shop, and Grand Prix New York.

What's the best thing about being a librarian? Our Reference Librarian Valerie Herman thinks that the best thing about her job is developing a relationship with our patrons, responding to their interests, and creating a community in the library where patrons feel welcome.

Val listens to patrons and responds by buying books that reflect their interests. For example, if a patron is interested in sailing and Val sees that what we have is outdated or unappealing she will order a new book or two on the subject. And of course there are hundreds of books on the topic so deciding which one to buy can be a challenge. To make that decision, Valerie pores over the professional journals reading the opinions of reviewers who have digested the thousands of new books that are published each year.

Most recently, Val has been building up our collection of cookbooks, especially recipes and techniques from foreign countries, which she feels reflects the tastes of our patrons. Also, watch for a collection of Wilton Decorative Cake Pans to begin circulating in September!

Keeping up-to-date is a challenge not only for the books we buy but also the technologies. Val keeps up our presence on the Web via Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr, and maintains a wide-ranging collection of useful websites on de.licio.us. If you're not familiar with this, give it a click from our website. Val is also on the "Librarians Best Web Picks" committee at the Westchester Library System.

Val arranges for programs at the Library that she thinks would interest our patrons. Arranging the programs, creating and posting flyers, updating the media, editing our own newsletter and website are all ways Val keeps in touch with and helps nurture a sense of community in the library.

Being a librarian at Somers in Val's view is as much about the people as it is about the books. So be sure to stop at the information desk and introduce yourself!