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Public Library News & Notes
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Serving Kentucky's Need to Know
| September 2015
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Ahoy, Matey!
Shiver me timbers! Did you know that International Talk Like a Pirate Day 2015 falls on September 19? The young lady in the first picture of the photo bar above demonstrates that she knows how to celebrate the day in style, in a creative program at her local public library.
Legos are all the rage in children's programming, helping to fill classes that feature STEM & STEAM topics. The young man in the middle photo above shows his delight among the Lego sets his library won from KDLA.
Also, librarians across Kentucky know that adult programming continues to flourish, with classes covering everything from wreath making to canning and painting.
It's all covered in this edition of Public Library News & Notes, along with congratulations to Carter County Public Library director Nellie Middleton for completing a prestigious leadership program in her community.
Happy reading,
Paige Sexton
Editor
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Shelby County Public Library Takes Teens on Zombie Walk
Recently, Shelby County Public Library staff took a group of middle/high school students on a zombie walk through downtown Shelbyville. The group met at the library and put on zombie make-up, then 'staggered' through downtown Shelbyville. The teens were accompanied by the library's good friend, super hero and local police officer Kelly Cable, to help defray any concerns about a "zombie attack."
After the walk the teens returned to the library for snacks, drinks and zombie games and activities.
"Despite the searing heat, the kids had a good time and local merchants and shoppers got a big kick out of it," shared youth services librarian Sarahbeth Farabee.
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Lexington Public Library Debuts Beanstack
 Lexington Public Library is the first system in the state of Kentucky to provide Beanstack to families in its community.
Lexington Public Library recently launched Beanstack, an online portal that offers free personalized recommendations for books, apps, events and more. The service is available as part of the library's online research tools found at www.lexpublib.org/databases.
Beanstack is an innovative new way to connect children and their families with books, educational programs and apps that match each child's specific age, interests, reading level, and background. These are also linked to learning tracks and fun badges. The service is powered by children's curation company Zoobean and gives the library access to a database using over 1,600 unique tags to help patrons find the right content for their families.
Residents of Lexington can sign up and use Beanstack from their home computer, mobile device, or in any of the library's six branches. Every week, a book in the library's collection, along with a relevant program or event at their preferred branch, will be suggested specifically for that child. Recommendations are sent by email and are also available via an online profile that families can access anytime. In addition, each recommendation is accompanied by a learning tip, background information, and activities to encourage engagement and critical thinking. Residents do not need a library card to get started.
Beanstack is offered and managed by Zoobean, Inc., which provides innovative tools that help public libraries engage local families and build children's literacy.
"We started Zoobean to help kids find books that excite and appeal to them, and to make reading more fun," says Felix Brandon Lloyd, who co-founded the company with his wife Jordan Lloyd Bookey and serves as Chief Dad and President. "Connecting with libraries is a great way to do that. Personalized, weekly recommendations help families find great books and programs that are available at their local library to keep them reading and learning."
To date, Zoobean has agreed to launch Beanstack with over 45 libraries throughout the United States and Canada. Libraries licensing the service will gain access to Zoobean's database of children's books, apps, learning tracks and personalized recommendation system.
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Bible Correctly Identified at Breathitt County Public Library
Had Been Misidentified as the Hogg-Adams Bible
 A Bible donated to the Breathitt County Public Library more than five years ago has been correctly identified. The worn and tattered German Bible was originally identified at the time of the donation in October 2009 as the Hogg-Adams Bible in published information about the donation. On October 19, 2009, Mary Sue Smith donated the Bach Catechism and several other relics to the Breathitt County Public Library. At that time, a Bible printed in 1742 in the donated collection was erroneously identified by volunteers and the library staff as the Hogg-Adams Bible. The actual Hogg-Adams Bible remains in a private collection on Quicksand Creek in Breathitt County and is not in the Breathitt County Public Library Collection.
The Bible currently in the collection of the Breathitt County Public Library was printed in 1742 and was the family Bible of the John Baltzer and Rosanna (Stumphen) Bach family. Both Bibles and numerous other artifacts were a part of the Wilgus Bach Collection housed at Stevenson, Kentucky. Following Dr. Back's death in 1936, the collection was divided and the Hogg-Adams Bible was returned to the Lazarus W. P. Back family where it is preserved today.
The John Baltzer Bach Bible, the Bach Catechism, and numerous other Bach/Back artifacts can be viewed at the Breathitt County Public Library by appointment.
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Carter County Public Library Director Graduates from The Leadership Academy
 Nellie Middleton, director of the Carter County Public Library, recently graduated from The Leadership Academy. The Leadership Academy originated as a result of the efforts from the Carter County Community Partner's organization. During the group's 2013 county wide Community Development Summit, various committees were formed to establish a way of blending resources throughout Carter County. One of the committees was for adult leadership training named the Leadership Academy.
Three members of the CCCP group, Mark Strother, Mindy Click and Pat Collier, attended the Brushy Fork Annual Institute on the campus of Berea College in 2013 to learn how to build a pool of engaged leaders using the Brushy Fork Community Leadership Curriculum. Designed to be managed and implemented by local volunteers, the curriculum uses Brushy Fork materials to engage participants in the exploration and development of leadership skills and potential.
This year the participants Consensus Practicum was to assist with "A Day Out With Dad" activities at the Grayson Lake Spillway. Activities included birdhouse making, handcraft, fishing, scavenger hunt and serving and cleaning up for lunch. The activities were sponsored by the Carter County Extension Services with approximately 175 attending.
Graduates for 2015 not only successfully completed 30 hours of instruction but also made presentations describing their own special community projects. "I feel certain that each one of the graduates will continue being a positive part of Carter County," remarked Pat Collier.
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Robertson County Public Library Receives Funding for Outdoor Reading Garden
 The Robertson County Public Library was recently awarded grant funding to create an outdoor reading garden that will be located next to the library. Robertson County is the smallest county in Kentucky and generally has limited funds for projects of this type. For some time, however, library staff and county officials have been researching avenues to create a reading garden on the vacant lot adjacent to the library. In April 2015, Judge Bogucki contacted the Buffalo Trace Area Development District to request assistance in finding possible funding for the project, which resulted in the filing of an application to the R.C. Durr Foundation, located in Covington, KY. Regina Lang, of Buffalo Trace Area Development District, said that Robertson County planners did an excellent job pulling together material quotes, renderings of the proposed project, and a solid budget to submit to the Foundation in a fairly short amount of time.
The R.C. Durr Foundation offers competitive grants to communities in Northern Kentucky, which includes Bracken, Mason and Robertson Counties, for the purpose of making Northern Kentucky a better placed to live, learn and work.
In July the Robertson County Library was awarded with a $22,000 grant to complete the reading garden project. According to the Robertson County Library director, Carol Mitchell, the proposed reading garden will "provide a green space for people and families to gather, offer a place to develop and foster community culture, and enhance the overall quality of life of the community by cultivating lifelong learning and by developing new reading skills."
Based on the project renderings, the reading garden will be placed directly behind the existing gazebo. The garden will be designed by a professional horticulturist, and will include trees, plants, flowers, benches, trails, solar lights and garden art. In addition to a reading garden, this space can also be utilized to foster the arts, cultural events and other types of entertainment, thereby encouraging greater community participation and interaction. The project is expected to be completed by early to late fall.
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Libraries Offer Popular Adult Services Classes
Canning at Metcalfe County Public Library
The Metcalfe County Public Library partnered recently with the Metcalfe County Extension Office to offer a canning class. The popular class was attended by 22 people who learned the basics of canning, including what tools you need, what foods shouldn't be canned, and the importance of using new lids.
Participants were encouraged to bring the lid to their canner to be tested for safety at no cost. Attendees also received a binder full of home canning and freezing tips, as well as many recipes to try. The program closed with a recipe tasting. Participants received a door prize and a free magnetic lid lifter to use when canning.
Painting at Hardin County Public Library
At the Hardin County Public Library, the Adult Services Painting Class is becoming the place to be. Held the last Friday of alternating months, there is often a wait list beyond the 16 participants per class.
The class is BYOC (bring your own canvas) and participants only have to pay a three dollar deposit. Even reluctant painters come away with a painting they would be comfortable hanging in their own home. Some participants are so enthusiastic they have attended every class. Instructor Jana Leigh Propst facilitates the class and uses a strategy to help participants get started then work independently as she answers questions and addresses individual needs.
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Paducah History Brought to Life with Minor League Baseball Program at McCracken County Public Library
 Approximately 88 people attended local author and baseball historian Randy Morgan's Evenings Upstairs program, "Paducah's Native Baseball Team: A History of Minor League Baseball in Paducah."
"Randy Morgan provided a well-prepared, in-depth discussion of early baseball history in the region," said Bobbie Wrinkle, adult services librarian and Evenings Upstairs event coordinator. "His enthusiasm and knowledge for the subject made for an interesting, engaging program. Several attendees stayed afterward to share stories."
Family members of former Kitty League players were among the program attendees in the audience and added input to the discussion by sharing their memories of the minor league team.
Morgan's presentation covered Paducah's minor league story from the post Civil War era to the 1960's with an emphasis on Paducah's minor league team, the Chiefs, and the fields where they played, Wallace Park and Hook Park.
The program focused on the people who impacted baseball in the region including Barney Dreyfuss, former owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Morgan also discussed the successes of the low minor leagues as well as the problems encountered with maintaining professional baseball in small cities.
Morgan is the author of Paducah's Native Baseball Team: A History of Minor League Baseball in Paducah. Over the past 30 years he has owned interests in minor league baseball teams and helped organize two independent professional leagues. Morgan is a Paducah, Kentucky native and a member of the Society of American Baseball Research and the St. Louis Browns Historical Society.
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Kentucky Author Speaks at Green County Public Library
 The Green County Public Library hosted author James C. Claypool on August 21.
Claypool, Prof. Emeritus of History at Northern Kentucky University and author of "Our Fellow Kentuckians: Rascals, Heroes, and Just Plain Uncommon Folk" presented a choice selection of the many colorful Kentuckians whose stories make our history so interesting and captivating.
The presentation was sponsored in part by the Kentucky Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Copies of "Our Fellow Kentuckians" were available for purchase after the event.
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Welcome New Trustees
KDLA would like to welcome the following new trustees: - Carla Landon, Campbell County
- Mary Beth Emmick, Hancock County
- Allen Davis, Hopkins County-Madisonville
- Bradley Stark, Lawrence County
- Jessie Wellman, Lawrence County
- Ricky Jones, Marshall County
- Deborah Simon, McCracken County
- Melony Smith, McCracken County
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The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives helps libraries provide equitable access to quality library and information resources and services, as well as helps public agencies ensure that legislatively mandated documentation of government programs is created, efficiently maintained, and made readily accessible. For more information, visit http://kdla.ky.gov or call 502-564-1753.
Please send story ideas and articles for Public Library News & Notes to editor Paige Sexton at paige.sexton@ky.gov or call 502-564-1753.
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