Library
Read On! Fake News
Information is power. Unfortunately, false information disguised as truth cons us into giving up that power, so it’s important to fight back. The internet, where those under age 50 get half of their news, is the preferred battlefield for this power struggle.
At the library, we will always help you evaluate the information you find, but here are some things you can do on your own:
Make sure you’re getting information from legitimate sites. Look at the web address. “ABCNews.com” is very different from “ABCNews.com.co.” The “.co” site really wants you to believe it’s legitimate, but it’s not.
Don’t be afraid to read a site’s “About Us” page and look at other stories by that reporter. This is also a good time to make sure you’re not on a satirical news site like The Onion.
Online information tends to be more lax in grammar and punctuation than printed news, but if there are a lot of spelling errors and excessive CAPS or punctuation, you should be suspicious about the information they’re giving you. Journalists and news sources have standards for publications and employ staff who ensure their reporters meet those standards.
In an article, look at who is quoted and whose quotes are missing. Are both sides represented? Was there an attempt to represent both sides?
Can you find the information somewhere else? Have multiple reputable sources reported on this topic? How old is the information? Sometimes fake news sources like to recycle older stories out of context to make them seem more outrageous.
Last, but not least, there are fact-checking sites doing a lot of this work for you. There are several to choose from (factcheck.org, politifact.com, snopes.com, truthorfiction.com, etc.) and it’s a good idea to check more than one.
It’s a lot of work to vet your news, but it’s worth it.
Read On! Tulsa Race Riot/Massacre Exhibit
I remember briefly learning about the Greenwood District and the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot/Massacre in high school. The lessons made an impact, but it wasn’t until the Race Riot/Massacre was mentioned in the HBO show “The Watchmen” that I realized how little I know about that area of Tulsa, its history, and the larger repercussions for our state as a whole.
When the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum reached out to your Pryor Library (and many other libraries in NE Oklahoma) asking if we would be interested in a permanent loan of their “Spirit of Greenwood/1921 Tulsa Race Massacre” exhibit at no cost, we quickly accepted. The exhibit, which is on display now in our lobby, is quite moving.
Learning about events like the 1921 Race Riot/Massacre isn’t comfortable, but it is important. Honestly, that’s true for much of our country’s history. Past events are complicated and difficult to wrap our heads around, especially as we delve into the details. This exhibit doesn’t try to give us an exhaustive lesson on Greenwood or the Race Riot/Massacre, but it does offer a glimpse into what it was like to be there.
With historical photographs from the Greenwood District in its heyday and after its destruction during the riot/massacre (nothing graphic), the exhibit makes the time and place very tangible. It reports some of the findings of the 2001 Tulsa Race Riot Commission Report and discusses the change in terms from “riot” to “massacre.”
After viewing the panels (or before), you should check out the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum’s website (tulsahistory.org) and read the 2001 Tulsa Race Riot Commission’s report through the Oklahoma Historical Society’s website (okhistory.org/research/forms/freport.pdf).
It’s worth the discomfort to learn about this important part of Oklahoma’s history.
Library closed for President’s Day
Our physical building will be closed on February 17th, 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.
Read On! Friends of the Library
Last week, the Friends of the Pryor Creek Library held their first fundraiser – a murder mystery party where each ticket holder was assigned a character and attended a party in honor of the fictional bed & breakfast, “The Harrison House.” Of course murder ensued and then the guests were tasked with solving the crime. (If you missed this year, they promise to do it again next year, so stay tuned!)
The Friends group has two primary goals: to support the Pryor Public Library and to support increased literacy in Pryor and Mayes County. The Friends group’s primary literacy initiative is enrolling Mayes County children under 5 years old to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. This program sends age appropriate books through the mail to enrolled children at no cost. It’s a fantastic way to get good books into the homes of children.
Each book is chosen with the child’s age in mind and the inside cover offers suggestions for ways parents and caregivers can interact with their child while reading the book. These suggestions help adults teach young children the vital early literacy skills they need so that they are ready to learn to read when they start school.
When my children were younger, we enrolled them in the Imagination Library. I was pleasantly surprised by the selection of books. I was impressed to see familiar characters (like Llama Llama) and books that were recently published. It was a great program for our family and it seems to be just as beneficial to Mayes County families. In fact, as of this writing, we have 150 readers!
While the program is free for the families enrolled, it does cost the Friends group $25 per child per year (which is an amazing bargain for 12 books). All of the money raised at the murder mystery party will support the Imagination Library program.