Half-way

Is the glass half empty or half full?

Now that we have hit our half-way point in the Library's Summer Reading program I'm not sure if it's a happy thing or a sad thing.

I know that it's a huge challenge for staff to deal with the constant every day crowds,

(yes, that's Mark & I doing the 'Find Your Pirate Name' on Pirate's A-Plenty, Pirates Ahoy! Day- oh and I have Pirate Will Reed there on my arm... he got a little obnoxius when he wasn't picked as a volunteer. When I finally let him volunteer with the other kids he didn't like his pirate name!! Silly guy.)

There is never a down moment. If for some reason there is a lull in the coupon redemptions, there's the booklists that we've run out of copies that need printing, there's the endless cleaning to be done (budget cuts have librarians doing double duty as the janitorial staff) and if you've got all that done (yeah, right) then there is shelf-reading and straightening and planning for the next week's program.

But, I can't help it. I'm going to miss all this when August hits and all the books come back as families turn their efforts and energy into getting ready to go back to school.

...some pictures of the last few weeks of BUSY at the  library - oh and the Mermaid/Forbidden Sea display!

The Monte L. Bean Museum and crowd of 554! Yes, the photo is only of half the space.

Amy on Medieval Day with Mr. Troll and a young patron - sorry for the goofy look, but I do get excited when I talk to the kids about books!

Drew Briney the Storytelling Juggler ( www.jugglingtricksunlimited.com ) juggling KNIVES!!!

...and the Mermaid Display!! Which - by the way, check out Sheila's book Forbidden Sea - it was released on July 1st! It's a pretty darn good read!