The days are finally getting longer. I do believe we can see the light at the end of winter's tunnel.

Here in the Children's Room we've been (kind of) celebrating the winter season with some great new picture book titles like  The Little Snowplow by Lora Koeler and First Snow by Peter McCarty. Naturally, we also have several of the Anna and Ilsa books for all you Frozen fans out there. But spring is coming. We just got in a wondrous new picture book called Night Gardener by the Fan brothers. It's lovely and fanciful - puts me in the mood for green trees and warmer temperatures. Speaking of fanciful, our new addition, Vegetables in Underwear cracks me up. I mean, who can resist broccoli or carrots in fancy underwear?

In our monthly themed story time we have been exploring the season with stories and with crafts involving things such as snowflakes decorated with frozen paints and Playdough snow sculptures. If this sounds like fun to you, come join us on the third Friday of each month, except on school vacation days. Check our website for any date changes. There are also songs and a snack to enjoy!

About songs: Don't forget Generations!,  our monthly music and movement program with Denya LeVine. We invite all the Generations! to join us here at the library on the first Friday of the month at 10:30.

Dreaming of spring...

In the Winter Yardarm , we wrote that the Yarmouth Port Library has three significant framed etchings, which the Library would like to put on public display. To refresh your memory, the etchings are:

The etchings suffered some minor damage during their stay at the Library, however. As Ann Petrou said, before they were moved to a room on the second floor, they were rather ignominiously stored in the basement which, to be charitable, was less than ideal. The prints were evaluated by the Cape Cod Framing and Restoration Company in Dennis, who determined that their Art Rescue team can repair the damage.

The Library Special Projects Committee is actively raising funds to restore and conserve the etchings and frames at a total cost of $2,300. If you are interested in donating to the restoration of these important 19th Century prints, please send your check to the Library clearly indicating that the donation is for the conservation effort.

March 17: The Secret River by Kate Grenville

In 1806 William Thornhill, an illiterate English bargeman and a man of quick temper but deep compassion, steals a load of wood and, as a part of his lenient sentence, is deported, along with his beloved wife, Sal, to the New South Wales colony in what would become Australia.  The Secret River is the tale of William and Sal's deep love for their small, exotic corner of the new world, and William's gradual realization that if he wants to make a home for his family, he must forcibly take the land from the people who came before him. Acclaimed around the world,  The Secret River  is a magnificent, transporting work of historical fiction.

 

April 21: The Blackhouse by Peter May

From acclaimed author and dramatist Peter May comes the Barry Award-winning  The Blackhouse , the first book in the Lewis Trilogy--a riveting mystery series set on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides. When a grisly murder occurs on the Isle of Lewis that bears similarities to a brutal killing on the mainland, Edinburgh detective and native islander Fin Macleod is dispatched to the Outer Hebrides to investigate, embarking at the same time on a voyage into his own troubled past.

 

May 19: The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

Two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize David McCullough tells the dramatic story-behind-the-story about the courageous brothers who taught the world how to fly: Wilbur and Orville Wright.  In his book, master historian David McCullough draws on the immense riches of the Wright Papers, including private diaries, notebooks, scrapbooks, and more than a thousand letters from private family correspondence to tell the human side of the Wright Brothers' story, including the little-known contributions of their sister, Katharine, without whom things might well have gone differently for them.

Survey period: 5/26/15 to 7/31/15
Total responses: 3,039
More than 83% of respondents use a computer from outside the library to access the online catalog.
47% use a mobile device to access the online catalog.

What patrons are doing in the online catalog:
90% - Searching for materials
84% - Logging into My Account to request/renew items.
38% - Using lists such as New and Popular Titles
24% - Accessing OverDrive

Types of Searches:
85% - Title
74% - Author
36% - Keyword
23% - Subject
96% say they find what they are looking for all or most of the time.
45% use the Search by Format feature.
40% use the Advanced Search options.
40% limit their search results in some way.
47% use the reviews while searching the online catalog.
46% used the Novelist/series information at the bottom of the page.

When asked whether they would like articles and online reference sources included in a catalog  search when doing research:
45% said Yes
15% said No
40% said Not Sure
50% of respondents said they would like to access ebooks from within the online catalog.

New CLAMS Acquisitions 

"At ERT Architects, we believe your home should reflect your personality, compliment your lifestyle, and provide you with comfort and functionality. We take the time to get to know you on a personal level so that we better understand your needs and how you live. Building or remodeling a home is not just about beauty and aesthetics, it's about creating a space for you and your loved ones to enjoy life, the way you want to live it. We take an active approach to learn your habits, daily routines, family dynamics, likes/dislikes, interests, and much more. Why? It's simple. The better we understand you and your family's needs, the more perfect a home we can create for you. We believe your home should be an extension of YOU."