Friends Book Sale

Mona Draheim & Arlene Wallin
Staffing Friends Book Sale

Audiobooks....Anytime....Anywhere

We lead very busy lives and are finding it harder and harder to sit and read-audiobooks are becoming a very popular alternative. People are now "reading" books while commuting to work, exercising, going for a walk, or doing house or yard work. Families on long trips also listen to books alone or together.

Libraries have had audiobooks for many years in cassette and now CD format that have allowed people to multitask while enjoying their favorite author. Library patrons can borrow an audiobook and play the book in their cars or on a portable CD player, and can go just about anywhere and "read." Stop by the library and look over our great selection of cassette and CD audiobooks and get started "reading" again.

Quarterly Friends Book Sale

Friends of the Kasson Public Library will hold a book sale on Thursday, May 31st, from 10am-6pm and Friday, June 1st, from 10am-5pm at the library. The Friends hold four book sales a year as a way to fund library projects for preschoolers-seniors.

We are accepting books, cd’s, dvd’s, etc. that you would like to donate to the library. We go through the materials and choose items to be added to the library collection and what we cannot use we place in the book sale. Cost of sale items: a quarter for paperbacks, fifty cents for hardbound, and AV materials are $1.00. Stop by and see what is available during the book sale.

Memorial Day Thoughts

While searching for ideas to commemerate Memorial Day I ran across two very moving thoughts: one a poem and the other a song.

Last Monday in May
By John T. Bird

We pause to remember those who died
With so much courage, so much pride

They’ll never come back, yet memories endure
To remind us of freedom: fragile, pure

We’re worthy of their sacrifice if we pause each day
Not just on the last Monday in May
©John T. Bird, copyright 2006

ON THIS DAY

by Music and lyric by Charles Strouse

The bugle has sounded
Its notes drift away.
This time now belongs to you….

Verse:
On this day for one brief moment
Hear the silence fill the air.
Think of those, who walked beside us;
Now no longer there.
Then, don’t cry, but hear their laughter
For their spirit lives inside,
Let the mystic stream of mem’ry
Fill our hearts with pride!
Make us humble,
Make us knowing,
And reflect on what is done…

On this day
For now, forever
Make this nation one!
On this day,
For all the fallen,
Make this nation one!

© 2003 Charles Strouse Publications

Freedom is Not Free

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.

Memorial Day used to be a solemn day of mourning, a sacred day of remembrance to honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. Businesses closed for the day. Towns held parades honoring the fallen, the parade routes often times ending at a local cemetery, where Memorial Day speeches were given and prayers offered up. People took the time that day to clean and decorate with flowers and flags the graves of those the fell in service to their country.

"Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day." -- VFW 2002 Memorial Day address

The Moment of Remembrance started in 2001 is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember and reflect, to maintain and decorate the graves of the fallen.

We need to remember with sincere respect those who paid the price for our freedoms; we need to keep in sacred remembrance those who died serving their country. We need to never let them be forgotten. However, over the years the original meaning and spirit of Memorial Day has faded from the public consciousness. On Memorial Day we need to stop and pay with sincere conviction our respects for those who died protecting and preserving the freedoms we enjoy, for we owe those honored dead more than we can ever repay.

Pause To Remember America's Fallen Wherever You Are on Memorial Day at 3 pm!!

Get Outside and Explore Minnesota

With gas prices going up and up, visit local attractions such as Oxbow Zoo, Chester Woods, Mayowood, Olmsted County History Center, camping, boating or fishing on local lakes and rivers. Go to a Rochester Honkers game, try hiking, biking or horseback riding with family and friends on local area trails.

Or spend your vacation in Greater Minnesota visiting some of our many attractions such as North Shore Drive, the Boundary Water Canoe Area, our wonderful state parks, Minnesota Zoo, cultural attractions in Minneapolis and St. Paul, resort areas, the list is endless.

We have new books that highlight Minnesota attractions, stop by and check them out.

"Aunt Violet" Extends Her Stay!

Aunt Violet thoroughly enjoyed her visit to the library and decided to stay a bit longer. She is pictured trying out the new seating and is enjoying one of the books from the many displays.

Quarterly Friends of the Library Meeting

Thursday, May 24th 10 am at the library, the Friends will hold their second meeting of the year. All are welcome to attend and help out with Friends projects. Membership cost is $12.00 for adults and $6.00 for seniors. The officers are: Clint Patterson-President, Mona Draheim-VP, Fran Johnson-Secretary, Lois Gardner-Treasurer, Nancy Bauman-Bookkeeper, and Sybil Haugen-Historian. If you have any questions, please call the library 507-634-7615.

Library Honors Armed Forces Day May 19th

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.
On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department -- the Department of Defense.

Kasson Public Library honors military men and women on their special day. Thank You for all that you do for us.

Minnesota Storytime Books & Guides

Developed by the Minnesota Humanities Commission and the Minnesota Library Association, Minnesota Storytime is a free, online collection of reading guides featuring children's picture books (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc.) written or illustrated by Minnesota authors and illustrators. Developed for use by librarians, teachers, child care providers, parents, and others interested in reading and related literacy activities with children and families. The guides contain suggestions for sharing stories in a consistent, easy-to-read format.

We have purchased about half of the books and also have the guides available. Parents who have used the guides have enjoyed the related activities such as art, science, math, etc. and the additional book suggestions that further discuss the topic. Stop by the library to take part in this wonderful program. website:http://www.thinkmhc.org/Literacy/library.htm

Books On Wheels Outreach Program

Kasson Public Library recognized that the library is not accessible to a variety of groups and they needed to help create reading opportunities for all ages.

The Library Board decided to launch a Books On Wheels (BOW) Program and hire a outreach librarian to provide service to this new and exciting program. BOW started a little over a year ago and participants are very happy with the books, and media materials along with a small program brought to them bi-weekly.

We currently have ten daycares who already use and enjoy our program. They all like the idea of new materials in the house to read to the children and the best part they are delivered and picked up! Children get excited when the books, audio books, cd's, and board books arrive and they get to choose what they want to read or hear first.

The seniors at Prairie Meadow and Sunwood enjoy the books, magazines and eagerly look forward to the monthly theme programs.

If your group loves to read, but can't come to the library, then Kasson Public Library will bring the library to you. Just call 634-7615 and sign up for this great program.

Free WI-FI...@your library

In response to patron’s requests, the library now offers wireless internet access for users with wireless enabled laptop or notebook computers or PDAs. The library network is open to all visitors free of charge. No special settings, user names or passwords are required.

What’s in it for you?
Access to the internet from the public areas in the library.

No waiting for a library computer and no time limit.
Faster access than you might experience at home.
Access to you personal software and data on your own laptop or PDA.

How can I connect?
Your personal wireless device must be equipped with a wireless card that supports WI-FI standard. Many wireless cards will detect the network automatically. If your does not, you will have to know how to use your wireless devices’s network.

Policy Statement
The Library’s Policy for Public Electronic Information Services and Network applies to the wireless network as well as all internet access in the library.

Spring Minnesota Library Director’s Forum

Friday, May 11th, Director Bonnie Adams, attended a directors forum at the beautiful Stillwater Public Library. This semi-annual forum is an excellent way for library directors to get together and discuss issues and find possible solutions for current or future concerns.

Library Director Lynn Bertalmio, gave a tour of the newly remodeled building. The library is a wonderful blend of the old Carnegie Library with the new library. Technology was added to make the library run more efficiently. The roof terrace is second to none as well as the parking garage. The stained glass windows were kept and so were the original wrought iron designs on the bookshelves (that are still being used in the fiction section) throughout the rest of the library. I thought one of the best new technologies is RFID (Radio Frequency ID). This allows a stack of books to be checked in or out all at once instead of one at a time. This is a great time saving measure.

Everyone in attendance enjoyed the discussion items and the library tour.

Books On Wheels Mother's Day Program

The library's Books on Wheels Program (BOW) goes bi-weekly to Prairie Meadows Senior Living to deliver library materials and present a small program. Paula Talbert, Outreach Librarian and Library Director Bonnie Adams presented a small Mother's Day program complete with tasty muffins and juice.

As part of the program there were Mother Taught Me sayings such as: Mom Taught Me About ANTICIPATION-Just wait until you get home and others I know we have all heard from our moms. The residents appreciated the treats, poems, plus other literary gems.

Senior Living resident Doris attends and enjoys our programs is pictured with her daughter.

Opportunity Services Weekly Visit to the Library

Kasson Public Library partnered with Kasson Opportunity Services last summer to provide library services for their clients. Every week, two or more clients come to the library, take part in a special program just for them and bring back materials to share with the others. This partnership has been very beneficial to both the library and Opportunity Services. Unlike other agencies, Opportunity Services encourages involvement within the community and offers a variety of programs for their clients, matching abilities in order to meet needs.

Opportunity Services clients enjoying a program at the library.

Friends of the Kasson Public Library

The Friends organization is very vital to the library’s operation and very much appreciated by the staff and patrons. Current officers are: VP-Mona Draheim, Treasurer-Lois Gardner, President-Clint Patterson, Historian-Sybel Haugen, Secretary-Fran Johnson, Bookkeeper-Nancy Bauman (not pictured).

Mother’s Day Window Decoration

"Aunt Violet" paid a visit to the library and decided to stay for a few weeks in the library window. She brought her tea set, tea etiquette book, purse, gloves, and some other personal effects from her house to make her stay much easier.

Every few weeks two staff members, Paula Talbert and Donna Kirchgatter, collaborate and decorate not only the window but other displays that make our library much more inviting to our patrons. Visitors comment on the window and displays and look forward to what will appear next to delight them or jog their memories.

Stop by the library to see our special visitor and all the other library decorations. Remember Mom on her special day, Sunday, May 13th.

Library Board Meeting

The monthly Library Board meeting will be at the library on Tuesday,
May 8th at 6pm. All are welcome to attend.

At the end of the year, library board trustee John Talcott's term will expire and the library board is seeking his replacement. Library board terms are for three years and can be renewed two additional times for a total of nine years.

If this is something that you or someone you know would be interested in doing, stop by the Kasson City Hall and pick up an application, deadline is August 1. The library board would like the candidate selected to be able attend meetings ahead of John's term expiration so that they are ready January 2008.

New Storytime Area

Friends of the Library purchased two new colorful rugs this Spring for the storytime area. The money came from the Marian Driver "Granny Reads" Memorial Fund which was established to buy items for the children's area in our library. Children and parents enjoy the new quieter area to hear stories and watch videos and have also remarked that the rugs brighten up the area.

A mom and her daughters are enjoying the new area to read their books.

Library Director Receives Recognition Award

Prairie Meadows Senior Living held a Recognition Dessert, Tuesday, May 1, to honor the past year's volunteers. Bonnie Adams (pictured on the right in photo with campus director, Barb Hudson) was honor with an award for the library's bi-weekly Books On Wheels (BOW) Program. Paula Talbert, Library Outreach was also honored.

2007 Friend of the Year

Mary Kramer, Circulation Librarian was honored with an award by the Friends of the Library. Each year the Friends choose a person who has been an advocate for the library to receive their Friends of the Year Award. The first award was in 1993 to Marian Driver with 14 other people receiving this prestigious award.

Mary has worked at the Kasson Public Library for over 16 years and is a well known staff member to all of the patrons. She is always willing to help patrons with questions ranging from how to order a book while in the library or at home, to helping fill out a form to get a library card. Over the years Mary has seen many changes at the library and services provided.

Stop by the library and see the wonderful collage picture (made by Donna Kirchgatter, Library Assistant) and congratulate Mary on her award.

New Look & Furniture at the Library

The library staff decided to change how patrons sit and relax while in the library. We wanted the library to have more of a homey feel for our patrons. We have two purple cafe tables with red chairs for patrons to sit, read or talk with friends. Two rolling easy chairs have also been added for sitting and relaxing while looking at new books or reading one of the many newspapers available. Many patrons have commented on the overall new look and are enjoying using the new furniture. So next time you're in the library enjoy the new look and spend sometime relaxing with a good book.