As promised, here is the second installment (or, part deux, as we French kitties say) of my report on "Flat" Dovydas Balčiūnas' visit to my Library. If you missed my earlier report, go read it. Now. I can wait.
"Flat" Dovydas asks CompuGal a reference question
("I'm looking for a book. It has a blue cover.")
(That's an old reference librarian joke, about a patron asking to find a book and only knowing the color of the cover boards. Of course, "Flat" Dovydas would never ask that question, except for laughs. He knows how to use libraries quite well.) By the way, we can find that book for you. We have something called the "reference interview," which is our way of finding out what you're actually looking for. It's a trick they teach in Library school.
"Staff Only" on the Ladder, Please!
We made "Flat" Dovydas an honorary staff member for the Library's Indiana Roving Reporter Room, so he was allowed to climb the ladder (under Scowl-Face's supervision, of course). He reshelved some books for us way up high! Thanks, "Flat" Dovydas. That's more work than we get out of Scowl-Face in a week. (Just kidding!)
"Flat" Dovydas Selects a DVD
Next, "Flat" Dovydas selected a DVD from our Media Alcove. He wanted to watch a video back at my place over this past weekend. We saw A Christmas Story (standard DVD version, 2006), which is a hilarious comedy starring Peter Billingsly, Melinda Dillon and Darin McGavin. It was based on a collection of stories by Hoosier humorist Jean Shepherd, who co-wrote the screenplay and narrated the movie. Then we watched Christmas in Connecticut (1945), which is a great comedy starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, and Sydney Greenstreet. Thanks to the Lady With the Red Hair, who lent us her copy of the movie. We finished with Miracle on 34th Street (1947), which I recently mentioned in a blog posting. We have two books (Miracle on 34th Street, by Valentine Davies; and A Christmas Story, by Jean Shepherd) from which the movies were more or less based.
"Flat" Dovydas waits to check-out his materials
at the MPL Circulation Desk
Since "Flat" Dovydas was staying with Library staff during his visit, we gave him a temporary library card to check-out materials. He borrowed some good books and videos, which he read over the weekend and returned to the Library today. He said he really enjoyed them and was glad he could borrow from the Library. We were pleased to serve him.
"Flat" Dovydas in the MPL Community Room
If you saw our recent promo trailer about "Flat" Dovydas' world travels, you may recall seeing the Library's Bonita C. Marley Community Room, named after the Library's director (between 1961-1984) who also designed the Mooresville Town Banner in 1974 to celebrate the town's 150th anniversary. She was one of the nicest people you could ever have hoped to meet.
Bonita C. Marley (1906-2002) holding the India Likely Scrapbook
MPL Library Director (1961-1984)
Mrs. Marley's maiden name was Conduitt. She lived in a big house on North Indiana Street, which later became Comer Sanitarium, a local hospital that treated -- ahem! -- rectal disorders. Actually, the hospital was nationally (possibly internationally) famous for its innovative medical procedures in this area. We have a "treasure trove" video that summarizes the hospital's local history, which includes a photo (ca. 1911) of the Conduitt house in which Mrs. Marley grew up. Watch for it between the 1:23 and 1:38 time marks in the video.
Click to Play Video
When "Flat" Dovydas first arrived at the Library, we had just had a brief snowfall, which melted the next day. But not before my minions captured this digital photo.
"Flat" Dovydas outside the Library's front entrance
"Flat" Dovydas in the MPL Grand Hall
"Flat" Dovydas looking for books in the Library's
YAZ (Young Adult Zone)
YAZ (Young Adult Zone)
"Flat" Dovydas outside the Library's Youth Services Department
"Flat" Dovydas asking a reference question
at the Library's Children's Information Desk
(That's Cataloger Queen at the computer)
"Flat" Dovydas in the Library's Children's Programming Room
Last, but not least, I showed "Flat" Dovydas my favorite exterior hangout at the Library: the Children's Kinder Garden.
"Flat" Dovydas poses in front of the
Library's "Kinder Garden", where some
outdoor children's programs are held
It was time for "Flat" Dovydas to return to his travel log so we could write down all the exciting things we've been doing during the past week. There's a cute slobberdog pictured on the front and back, but the pooch is easier to see on the rear cover.
Cute Slobberdog!
I'm sad to think that our visiting time is coming to an end, but I know we have enjoyed our time with "Flat" Dovydas and hope he has had fun and learned some interesting things about Mooresville, Indiana and our Library. We hope he, his teacher, Shay Laws, and his classmates back home at his school, the Vincas Grybas Gymnasium, in Lukšiai, Lithuania, will keep in touch.
But, Wait! There's More Library Fun for "Flat" Dovydas! Stay Tuned!
Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
World Travel News Beat
P.S. The progressive rock band Klaatu, about which I have previously blogged, wrote "Around the Universe in 80 Days," which was their interstellar take on the Jules Verne novel, Around the World in 80 Days (1873). The song was included on the album Hope (1977), which Canadian music critics voted "best album" of that year, and which also won a Juno award for best engineered album. Maybe someday "Flat" Dovydas will be an intergallactic traveler. "Flat" Cauli, too.
