Read On! Weeding

One of the most difficult things for many librarians to do is weed the Library’s collection. “Weeding” in a library is just like weeding in a garden: you take stock of what you have, get rid of things you don’t need or want, thin out anything that is too crowded, and watch the garden (or library collection) flourish. 

Healthy library collections, just like healthy gardens, are tended to, weeded, and cared for on a continuing basis. Because we have a finite amount of space in the library building, we have to make sure we have room for the new materials we purchase by weeding the material we no longer need in the collection. 

We don’t take this part of our job lightly and we make every effort to ensure the books we weed from the collection find a new home. That’s why you’ll see a good rotation of books in our book sale ($0.25 for hardbacks, $0.10 for paperbacks), and some books or other items on our free cart. 

Generally speaking, when a book is taken out of our collection it is either not being used by the community (usually we look at the last 2-5 years), is no longer accurate (like books with Pluto listed as a planet), or interest in the book has gone down and we no longer need multiple copies. We also look at the condition of our other books to make sure they’re not falling apart or torn up. If they are, and it’s a book we want to keep in the collection, we’ll buy a newer copy of the book if it’s still in print. 

An interesting result of regular weeding and collection maintenance like this is that our physical checkouts increase. It may seem backwards, but when we look at the statistics of this year (after we completed a major weeding project) versus last year, our checkouts are up by 600-1000 items every month. For a collection of just over 30,000 items, that’s significant! 

Read On! Writing & Learning Express

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) has come to an end. We had several writers in our writing session groups reach the 50,000 word goal! I was not among this winning group, but I definitely enjoyed the experience and the people involved. 

One of the nice things about NaNoWriMo is that the only pressure is to write 50,000 words (or whatever word goal you set). They don’t have to be good words and they certainly don’t have to be words that anyone else will read. For me, knowing this is freeing. 

Writing every day (or as often as you can) is a great way to get better at writing, but if you’re looking for something more formal to help improve your writing skills, we have several books in our collection to do just that. From tips on writing good nonfiction to journal writing and descriptive writing, you’ll find some good stuff in our collection. 

Our Learning Express online resource has two resource centers that might help too. The first is in the “Adult Core Skills” resource, which covers math, writing, and reading. The second is the “School Center.” The School Center has tests and tutorials for Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and more for grades 4 – 12. 

All of these resources are free, of course, but you will need a library card. Learning Express is a great resource to explore when you have an extra few minutes. I’m always surprised by how much is in there. You can find it through our website by going to “Use Your Library” tab and clicking “Research and Resources.” You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the lightbulb logo. 

We’re taking a break from classes and events during the month of December, but we’ll be back in January with storytime classes on Wednesdays, and something fun for teens and adults the first two Thursdays of each month.

Read On! Gifts

We are entering the serious days of holiday gift buying, but there’s still some time left to figure out what you’re going to do. Here are a few ways your library can help you tackle your holiday gift-giving:

If you’re looking for bookish gifts for kids under 5 years old who live in Mayes County, sign them up for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Paid for by our Friends of the Library group, the child you sign up will receive a free, age-appropriate book through the mail each month until they turn 5. We’ve got applications here at the library. (If you’d like to donate to the Friends and help with this program, they pay $25 per year per child. It’s an amazing deal.)

If you like making gifts but need some instructions or a little inspiration, we’ve got lots of craft books in the building. We also have an easy-to-use DIY resource through our website called “Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center.” Between our physical books and the online resource, you’ll find instructions and inspiration for everything from appliqué to wreath making.

If you like to give food as gifts or if you’re preparing a recipe box for a loved one, we’ve got many cookbooks that can help.

Lastly, feel free to strike up a conversation with one of our staff. We can’t tell you what someone checks out from our collection, but with a little information about them we might be able to suggest a few titles they would be interested in. We’ll just need to know some of the books, movies, or video games they like and/or some of their hobbies or interests. If all else fails, we’ll help you brainstorm.

Of course, all of the shops and stores in town will have even more ideas and suggestions!

Remember, the Pryor Library will be closed the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Thanksgiving. We hope you enjoy your holiday!

Library closed for Thanksgiving

Our physical building will be closed on November 28, 29, & 30, but we’re open 24/7 online! Check your account, place holds, download ebooks and audiobooks, learn a language, research your family history – all from where ever you are, day or night.