Sharing Our Superpowers Since 1912

Librarians are super-heroes.  I know they look like mild-mannered alter egos, such as Barbara (Batgirl) Gordon and Clark (Superman) Kent, who was originally a newspaper reporter way back in the day, but he was pretty mild-mannered, to be sure.  Barbara Gordon was a librarian, though.

Anyway, our super library staffers, such as Casey at the Bat, Crafty Gal, and, to a lesser extent, Scowl-Face, have donned their super-hero garb to present a workshop at this year's Indiana Library Federation (ILF) annual conference bigbash.

Our Terrific Trio's workshop is entitled "Share Your Superpowers With the World!" and is slated for Tuesday, October 22, 2013, from 5:00-5:50 p.m.  That's the dinner time slot, so they'll really need to show some superpowers to draw a big crowd.  That should be pretty easy for Casey at the Bat and Crafty Gal.

What are their secret identities, you may well wonder?  Let's have a look.

 The Streak and the Youthinator

(Click Images to Bigify)

Crafty Gal (alias The Streak) and Casey at the Bat (alias the Youthinator) are true super-heroines.  Casey isn't totally sold yet on her superhero name, so that may change before the conference.  But The Streak sounds like it'll stick.

What are these ladies' superpowers?  Well, they can simultaneously conduct several youth programs while corralling hundreds (hey, maybe thousands) of stampeding youngsters and their caregivers.  They can locate obscure, microscopically thin children's books faster than a speeding bullet.  They can educate and entertain their charges with almost super-hypnotic concentration.  And that's just a partial list.

Then there's Scowl-Face's alter ego.  Brace yourselves.

Captain Video

Nice Boots, C.V. (Eye-Roll)
 

Scowl-Face is secretly Captain Video because (this is a gimme) he makes all those videos for my Library.  His superpower is talking the ears off evil-doers and boring them into confessing their crimes and voluntarily going to prison, just to get out of earshot.

Librarians should flock in enormous quantities to see this workshop at the ILF bigbash.  They will learn about making videos (and hosting programs) that will draw loyal audiences to their libraries' youth services departments.  I'd tell you more about it, but that's all I actually know moiself.  Watch for a future posting, if Casey at the Bat gives me her Google Presentation.

We're no strangers to superheroes at my Library, as you may recall from this blog posting.

Hey, Casey at the Bat, Crafty Gal, and Scowl-Face!  Are you going to wear costumes like the MARCinator?  Just asking.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  "The Adventures of Super Librarian" (2006) is a hoot.

 

P.P.S.  Scowl-Face's superhero is not to be confused with Captain Video (and His Video Rangers) (1949-1955), one of the earliest American science fiction television series.  The show appeared on the DuMont Television Network until the network's demise in 1956.  Some of the top sci-fi writers of the day, including Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, James Blish, Damon Knight, Jack Vance, and many others, scripted the program.

 

Get to Know the Masters of the Know (Part 3 in a Series)

MPL is blessed to have many "masters of the know" on our staff.  These are librarians who hold (or soon will be holding) the coveted M.L.S.  (Master of Library Science) degree.  Let me do a head count.  We have five of them.  Did I miss anybody?

Longtime readers have met Casey at the Bat and Savvy in previous blog postings.  Need a refresher?  Here are a few posts of interest: 

• Casey at the Bat;
• Photo Ops for Casey et al.;
• Savvy Takes the Teen Reins;
• Savvy Book Reviews (New Blog)

Click to bigify the images below.

Casey at the Bat leads a

Clifford readaloud at the Library

(Mooresville-Decatur Times, Nov. 9, 2011)

Savvy in the Library YAZ

(Young Adult Zone)

(February 2012)

Casey began her MPL career as a library school student intern in the Youth Services Department.  She now is a valued member of the MPL Circulation Team and handles all of the Library's senior outreach programs.  Savvy began, and continues, her MPL career as young adult librarian.

Let's describe these two librarians further by focusing upon my "get to know those in the know" questionnaire.

When asked how long each had worked at MPL, Casey replied, "Not long enough."  (Hey, Casey--I do the jokes in my blog.)  Savvy reported more literally:  "Since the end of January, 2012.  I'm still brand new!"  But is the warranty still in effect?  Just asking.

Savvy's favorite color is green, which reminds her of "spring and warm, fresh air and nature."  Casey likes any shade of blue.  Favorite bands?  Casey's is Fleetwood Mac; Savvy's "changes all the time, but right now" her favorite band is Florence and the Machine, and her favorite local band is My Yellow Rickshaw.

Casey lived in Mooresville between 1998 and 2009, but she now lives in Irvington (Indianapolis), childhood haunts of Broadway Gal and Boss Lady.  Savvy is a born-and-bred Indianapolis native.  Casey has lived in many American states--Connecticut, California, Michigan, and Indiana--as well as several other countries (Scotland, England).  She was not a "military brat" growing up; rather, her family just had the wanderlust.  We felines truly understand that!

What are their favorite childhood library memories?

• Savvy:  "The Pizza Hut Book It! Summer Reading Program!  I would leave the library with a stack of books half as tall as I was, and I got so excited when I won a prize for finishing my book!"

•  Casey:  "My school librarian reading the book Tikki Tikki Tembo to my class.  It's still one of my favorite books."

What do they like most about working at MPL?

• Casey:  "The staff works really hard, truly cares about the community, and loves to laugh!"

• Savvy:  "I love the people I work with.  They're all so awesome, and they've been so great as I get to know my new role as Teen Librarian.  I love working with the teens; it's awesome to see them get excited about our programs and books.  I love being surrounded by all these books!  Quot libros, quam breve tempus."

Any Latin scholars out there?  Zazzle.com must have a few.

Could that be any more microscopic?  Zoom, if you please.

Click Image to Bigify

I still can't read it, and I have superb feline eyesight.  The English translation is "So many books, so little time."

Both Casey at the Bat and Savvy bring high energy to their jobs.  Both have backgrounds in library youth services, so having boundless energy is absolutely essential.  Both are incredibly well organized, technologically sophisticated, and multi-faceted in the hidden mysteries of library science.  That much we expect from M.L.S. graduates.  But there is another intangible:  Casey and Savvy actively engage patrons as peers.  Not every librarian manages this--especially in academic libraries--but it is commonplace in the public library scene.  What is remarkable about Savvy and Casey is the ease with which they interact with a wide range of patrons.  But MPL is once again blessed with a battalion of such staffers (excepting Scowl-Face, of course) who make patrons feel welcome and relaxed.  That must have appealed to Casey and Savvy; perhaps it is another reason they chose to work here.  Certainly, we are a better library for their efforts.

Next Time--Two More Who Know To Get To Know,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Library Staff News Beat

P.S.  "Landslide," by Fleetwood Mac, is my favorite Stevie Nicks song.  It appeared on the group's self-titled album (1975).  There must be a gazillion YouTube videos capturing live performances, if you're interested in watching.  Fleetwood Mac was the premiere rock group of the mid-1970s.  You had to be there to best appreciate the sheer majesty of the band's musical productivity.

P.P.S.  "What the Water Gave Me," by Florence and the Machine, appeared on the band's second studio album, Ceremonials (2011).  The song is performed at 133 beats per minute--I counted--which makes it pretty incredible by itself.  I don't often hear art rock and indie pop featuring harps and guitars.  This music video was filmed (in part) at Abbey Road Studios.  Great vibes in that sacred place.

Terrific Tuesday Goes Crazy Science

Terrific Tuesday goes crazy science as Crafty Gal and Casey at the Bat explored combining colors, making bubbles, mixing different textures, and erupting volcanoes.  Photos, minions, if you please.  Click the pix to bigify.

Let's begin with Casey at the Bat's volcano roundtable discussion, sans table.

 Grade schoolers share some fun facts about volcanoes

 Crafty Gal finishes read-aloud with some colorful language

(about how colors are made)

to her kinder and pre-kinder kiddies

 That's one HUGE bubble, Crafty Gal

 Must be a magic bubble--that girl changed into a boy!

(Just kidding)

 Casey at the Bat shows her charges

some interesting websites about volcanoes

 The United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Volcano Hazards Program website keeps

you updated about what's happening,

volcano-wise

 Crafty Gal's troops learn to mix primary colors

to create new, different colors

 Messy is right fine on Terrific Tuesdays

Frankly, I have no idea what those little dudes are mixing there.  Looks like macaroni and flour to moi.  All we need is Yankee Doodle and a feather in his cap.

 Whatever it is, it looks like fun

 Blowing bubbles

Meanwhile, back at the volcano lab, Casey at the Bat shows her young patrons how to mix vinegar and baking soda to simulate a volcanic eruption.

 Pound the plastic bag a few times

(to break the vinegar bag inside)

which then mixes with the baking soda

 Casey at the Bat provides some bonus pounding power

The result?  A fairly loud BANG!!! as carbon dioxide was released from the vinegar/baking soda mixture, expanding the outer plastic bag until it popped.  This was a real crowd-pleaser.

Check-out the Library's children's books about volcanoes

from our Evergreen Indiana online catalog

Science is pretty wild!  Another great Terrific Tuesday, C.A.T.B. & C.G.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

P.S.  "Colours," by Donovan, was released as a single (1965) and was included on the album Fairytale (1965).

Casey at the Bat

UPDATE:  In October, 2012, Casey at the Bat was hired as our new boss lady of the MPL Youth Services Department.  I blogged about it here.

You may have read the poem "Casey at the Bat: a Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888," by Ernest Thayer.  (If you haven't, you should, if for no other reason than to get a picture of American baseball in the latter 19th century, when it was truly the American pastime.)  My Library has its own "star player" working as an intern this summer.

Meet Casey O'Leary, graduate student in the IUPUI School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) in Indianapolis.  Casey is working on her S605 internship course in the MPL Youth Services Department.  So far this summer, she has overseen eight youth programs with 155 attendees.  That alone would keep anyone busy, but she has also undertaken outreach programs at the local YMCA day camps and the Pioneer Park aquatic center.  The pool program is called "Little Tykes," and, as the name indicates, it caters to tiny human patrons who are a pawful, to be sure.  Along with all of these duties, Casey also answers reference questions at the MPL Youth Services Desk,  prepares PowerPoint slideshows of upcoming youth programs and events, and handles some of the acquisitions processing for children's collections.  That's a plateful of chores!

Broadway Gal, who, you will recall, is boss lady in the MPL Youth Services Department, says that Casey has been a super-great intern, and libraries will be clamoring for her services (if they're smart) as soon as she secures her M.L.S. degree.  Earning that degree is no cakewalk, either.  Just ask Broadway Gal, Boss Lady, Manga/Anime Gal, The Lady With the Red Hair, or Scowl-Face.  (The gals have obtained their M.L.S. degrees, while Scowly is still a work-in-progress.  He insists, however, that I mention his doctorate.  That'll cost him a case of canned tuna-in-oil.)

Congratulations to Casey for a terrific internship.  We appreciate her invaluable contributions to Mooresville Public Library.  Unlike the title character in the famous poem, our Casey has hit a home run and won the game.  That, my friends, is how happy endings should be written.

Casey Deserves Some Special Treats, Broadway Gal,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Internship News Beat

Casey Hits Another Home Run!

Remember Casey O'Leary, our youth services intern last summer ("Casey at the Bat," 7/6/2011 blog)?  In keeping with the baseball theme, Casey has again come to bat for us by accepting the position of Outreach Coordinator/Circulation Team Member.  (Team Member?  Teamster?  Which sounds better?)  This is an extremely important position, since patron services is the heart of our Library, and outreach programs are the paws and tail.  Hmmmm . . . 

Perhaps I should stick with the baseball analogy.  Let's back up and try it again.  This is an extremely important position, since patron services is the ground-rule double of our Library, and outreach programs are the home run hit, with runners on first and third, ready and able to score.  Okay, the whole baseball thing doesn't seem to be working today, so let's just cut to the chase, shall we?

Here's a warm and friendly Cauli welcome to our latest staffer, Casey O'Leary, who officially comes aboard next week.  There is nothing better than having yet another human to bring my tuna-in-oil to moi.  Use the good crystal dishes.

Don't Forget the Napkin, Please and Thanks,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Employment News Beat

P.S.  Another great "work song" is "Five O'Clock World," by The Vogues (1965), shown and heard here in the original 45 r.p.m. single, in all its pop-and-scratch glory.  Aren't you glad music is now digitally recorded?

P.P.S.  Casey needs a "Cauli name."  How about "Casey-at-the-bat"?  Worked for my July blog posting.  Sounds good to moi, so we're good to go.  Welcome, Casey-at-the-bat!

Hitting the Big Time

Casey at the Bat and Programma Mama hit the big time while attending the American Library Association (ALA) bigbash this past week in Chicago.  I'll get to that momentarily.

Besides hanging out with librarians galore, attending informative workshops, and visiting library-related exhibits, C.A.T.B. and P.M. also met with famous authors.  Naturally, we've got some exclusive photos.

 Author Lauren Myracle signs Casey at the Bat's daughter's copy of Twelve

Author Lois Lowry signs Programma Mama's copy of The Giver

Casey at the Bat's blog posting about meeting authors (such as Lauren Myracle and Audrey Niffenegger) was showcased in the ALA's conference highlights.  Click here to read the e-newsletter.

The annual ALA national conference and exhibition is a librarians' Mecca.  It is truly amazing how much one can learn and absorb in just one week.  I haven't yet read their reports, but I'm sure there are many wonderful library ideas that they will be sharing with our staff.  I'm just hoping some of the vendors' free giveaways included canned tuna-in-oil.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

 

 

P.S.  Singer/songwriter (and, now, children's author) Janis Ian performed at the wrap-up/rev party at the 2013 ALA conference.  If you've never heard her repertoire of great songs, you've been living under a rock for the past half century.

Planting Some Fun, I'll Venture

For this week's Terrific Tuesday programs, Casey at the Bat and Crafty Gal introduced their charges to all manner of plant life.  Planting some fun, I'll venture.

Casey at the Bat held her grades 1-6 program in the MPL Children's Programming Room.  Naturally, we have photos galore.  As always, click the images to bigify.

 Distributing Crafty Supplies

 Lots of Interesting Books About Plants

 Casey at the Bat Showing How to Cut the Edges

 Paper Plates Coming to (Plant) Life

Meanwhile, Crafty Gal was outside in the MPL Kinder Garden helping her pre-kinders, kinders, and their caregivers make colorful impressions of various plants and trees.

 MPL Kinder Garden

 Setting Up Work Stations

 Placing Plants on the Blue Paper

 Working in the Shade

to Place the Plants Just Right

Putting plants on the blue paper in the shade sets the stage for science wonderfulness.  When each plant arrangement is then placed in full sunlight, there is a chemical reaction with the blue paper, leaving an impression of the plants that appears when the blue paper is submerged in water.  Like so:

 Like Magic!

 Numerous Plant Projects Sunbathing

 Blue Papers Dunk Tank

Pretty exciting stuff!  Everybody had a great time with these creative craft projects.

Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

Photo Ops!

As a feline roving reporter, I come across many news stories at my Library.  So do the human reporters at our local newspaper, The Mooresville-Decatur Times.

Click to Bigify

You remember Casey at the Bat, whom my Library hired back in September?  Here she is sharing a Clifford book at my Library's recent Celebrate Clifford event.  Of particular interest is Marley, the Golden Retriever, who helped launch the festivities.  (Marley is not a "library critter" as such, but his presence did assure a successful program.)  Ordinarily, all things slobberdogish would try my patience, but I'm down with Celebrate Clifford.  Who wouldn't like a big red slobberdog?  Plus, there was a collection for the Morgan County Humane Society.  That's going to help lots of adoption-ready slobberdogs and kitties!  But what they really need is your love and adoption.

Click to Bigify

Speaking of recent newbies, here's a photo of three newly-hired Library staff.  You already know Casey at the Bat (center, in photo); now meet Toni the Tigress (left in photo; see what "Cauli name" you get when you wear leopard spots?) and School Media Master (shown on the right).

Click to Bigify

Here's a great news story (with photo) of Wild Thang's early literacy blog.  Why no picture of Sammy the Toucan?  Just asking.

As you can see, there is always big news happening at my Library.  Of course, there was no story about, or photo of, moi (or "Flat" Caulis, for that matter), but newspapers have limited space, so some important items must fall by the wayside.  (Thanks, William Tyndale, for that catchy phrasing, and for trying to help ploughboys become more educated than the elitists in your society.)

"To Plough Once in the Winter Sowing," etc.,

Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
New Staff News Beat

P.S.  Speaking of ploughmen, "The Background to History, Part IV," opened side two (or was it three?) of the THREE-sided LP album, The Monty Python Matching Tie & Handkerchief (1973), now available on CD sans the three-side gimmick that made the vinyl record so innovative.  All the humorous content remains on the CD, of course.  "Background to History" presents some authentic historical snippets, and the songs are really catchy.  Python Terry Jones is a real historian, and all the Pythons held degrees from Oxford or Cambridge.  We even have a book trailer about one of Terry Jones' history books.  Naturally, we would.  The book is available in the Evergreen Indiana catalog.  Matching Tie & Handkerchief is also available in the E.I. Catalog.  Monty Python is grown-up humor, so parents, be forewarned.