Author: Karl Colón

Dear Greene County Public Library friends and family,

I love this time of the year. Getting to spend time with my family during the holidays warms my soul and reminds me of what matters in life—keeping myself surrounded by people who bring me joy. Bringing in the new year is always exciting for me, because I love thinking of ways our library can be better for our patrons. Each new year brings more beneficial changes to our libraries and nothing makes me happier than our libraries helping our communities.

Something to look forward to in the upcoming year is our new bookmobile. Yes, it’s time for our beloved Bertha, whom we welcomed into our family in 2001, to be replaced. Keep looking out for updates in our Library Links and website about our new bookmobile; our library patrons can plan on seeing our new bookmobile in action in late 2020, early 2021. Until that happens, Bertha will still be taking literacy on the road to schools and events.

In non-library-related news, if you’re looking for something delicious during this cold season, I’ve recently found a great recipe for hot chocolate. (My favorite winter drink!)

Take three big squares of your favorite dark or milk chocolate, and combine with 1 cup of milk. Then add:

• ½ tablespoon of cinnamon
• A couple drops of vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

That’s all you need to make it! Whisk it together and set it on your stove on medium-high heat and make sure it doesn’t boil. If you want to add some spice, add a pinch of cayenne pepper into it while it’s heating up.

Whether or not you make hot chocolate this winter, I hope that each and every one of you have a great holiday season and may your new year bring happiness.

As always, let us know how Greene County Public Library can help you.

Karl Colón, Director

Dear Greene County Public Library friends and family,

It’s that time of the year again when the leaves turn and the air grows colder. We trade out the shorts and Hawaiian shirts for jeans and sweaters. It’s a time of change. Greene County Public Library is having its share of autumnal changes. Just as leaves shed from a branch, we have some leaving of our own at our library branches.* 

In August we said farewell to JoEllen Fannin, Head Librarian of Winters-Bellbrook Community Library. JoEllen worked for the library for more than 30 years, starting as a substitute librarian in 1986. She began full-time work for the library a couple years later. For the last 15 years, she has been at the helm of the small, but mighty Bellbrook library. As JoEllen retires, we wish her well. 

Replacing JoEllen’s steadfast, quiet-yet-decisive leadership is a near-impossible task, but we lucked out. Sue Jeffery, previously Head Librarian of Cedarville Community Library, has made the move south and west to Bellbrook. Sue has been with Greene County Public Library for five years, working first as a Youth Services Librarian before taking on the role of Head Librarian. 

You can see where this is going. Now Cedarville is left open. No worries though. Eden Allison, longtime Beavercreek Reference Librarian, has stepped up into that role. 

More changes are in the works. Our makerspace, Spark Place, is expanding its operations. Our Library Links publications will also be expanding to include more programs and information in the coming months.

Karl Colón, Director

*Our marketing team is really going to be upset by this. Our libraries are “Community Locations” rather than “branches.” But I really can’t figure out a different way to work in an overwrought seasonal metaphor.

Dear Greene County Public Library friends and family,

The end of summer is upon us and there are a few loose ends I want to wrap up.

In my last letter I wrote about the many takes on George Gershwin’s “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess. One reinterpretation I mentioned was Sublime’s “Doin’ Time.” I’m happy to report that another iteration of the song has been added to the mix. Lana Del Rey, a modern-day crooner with a voice like melting wax, has covered the Sublime song in her forthcoming album. She smooths out the hard edges of the biting 1996 ska punk version and takes it to the beach. Her version is dulcet and sultry and languishes in the setting sun like the last days of summer. I highly recommend it. When the album drops in August, you can rest assured we will add it to our collection. 

In our last edition of Library Links, we had a list of Ohio astronauts. The list was apparently not comprehensive enough. A Fairborn library patron read the article and immediately asked, “What about Gregory H. ‘Box’ Johnson from Fairborn?” 

What an oversight! Though he was born in the UK, Johnson graduated from Fairborn High School in 1980 and piloted two shuttle missions, including the final flight of Endeavor. Following the Columbia accident of 2003, Johnson was part of the investigative “tiger team” that eventually determined the cause of the disaster. At the moment, Johnson is the President and Executive Director for the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space. We are certainly proud to claim him as one of Greene County’s finest.

While summer winds down, I have to say there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months. September is National Library Card Sign-up Month. We’ll be celebrating by promoting a limited-edition Toy Story card. Then, on October 1, the Greene County Public Library Foundation will host its annual fundraiser, Raise a Glass to Reading (formerly Books & Beer). If you’re over 21, come out to Caesar Creek Vineyard for an evening of libations and a love for literacy.

Karl Colón, Director

Dear Greene County Public Library friends and family,

Seasonal music. We think of seasonal music around the holidays—carols in the winter, renditions of “Ghost of John,” “Werewolves of London,” and “Monster Mash” in the fall. But what about seasonal music for the summer? What if I told you there was one song that would satisfy you, no matter your musical tastes? Sound too easy?  

Well, in the summertime, the livin’ is easy.  

I’m of course talking about the George Gershwin tune, “Summertime.” Whether you’re a fan of British Invasion bands, 60s pop, the crooning of Billie Holiday, the pipes of Ella Fitzgerald, or the ska influences of the 90s band Sublime, “Summertime” has you covered. All told, the jazz standard has been covered more than 25,000 times. (Technically, Sublime doesn’t cover the song; they reinterpret it and call their version “Doin’ Time.”) 

Originally composed as an aria for the 1934 opera Porgy and Bess, the song has been covered, rerecorded, and reimagined for eighty-five years. Best of all—the library has access to whatever version floats your boat. You might want the version of the Zombies singing “Summertime” at the end of their live album. Or you might prefer what many call the definitive recording of the song by Janis Joplin. Maybe you want the classic version with Ella Fitzgerald accompanied by Louis Armstrong on the trumpet. The library has them all.

Karl Colón, Director

Dear Greene County Public Library friends and family,

Did you know the library provides services to schoolchildren even if their families are not able to regularly visit the library? That’s thanks to our Bookmobile.

Our Bookmobile team members are the library’s ambassadors to children across Greene County. Throughout the year the Bookmobile visits schools, preschools, and daycare centers around the county, giving many children their first public library experiences.

Students can check out two books from the Bookmobile at a time, giving many of the youngsters an early lesson in responsibility. Students don’t need to carry library cards. The Bookmobile keeps a binder with a barcode for each student, making checkout easy peasy.

While visiting the Bookmobile children see first-hand some of the ways librarians can help them. It could be as simple as expert assistance to help them find a book or recommending a new favorite author. And those books students use for reports in their classes? A good portion of those also come from the Bookmobile.

So next time you’re out driving the roads of Greene County and see the Bookmobile, give them a friendly wave to cheer them on their way to helping our children discover, learn, and grow.

Karl Colón, Director

Dear Greene County Public Library friends and family,

We are incredibly excited to roll out our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program in Greene County.  

Kids who read succeed, and nothing is more important to our community’s success than creating young readers. It is so easy to help with that success. If someone in a young child’s life reads them a book each day, that child would have enjoyed 1,095 books in just three years. If you read three books to that same child, that child would get to 1,095 books in just one year! 

And yes, reading a favorite book over and over counts.  

Our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, together with our wildly successful Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program, gives kids a bridge to a future full of learning and enrichment. You can start both of these programs for free today on our website.

These programs were the innovations of GCPL’s legendary Youth Services Coordinator Kay Webster. Kay passed in November of 2018, leaving a legacy of learning, laughter, and light for the children of Greene County and around the state. Enjoy the incredible benefits of these programs and a child in your life will be part of a legacy that will endure for generations.

Karl Colón, Director

Dear Greene County Public Library friends and family,

‘Tis the time of year for giving. Presents and gifts wrapped with shiny paper and bows are a staple in the holiday season. As children we remember opening up a box or dumping out a stocking full of candy and trinkets. As adults we enjoy seeing the magic of giving—the surprise on a child’s face, the heartfelt gratitude for that perfect gift that shows you’ve been thinking about someone.

The best gifts are the ones that take on more meaning with age. Sure, we buy trendy toys that might end up broken or lost. Clothes only fit for so many years. Why not give a gift that lasts? 

This year, give a child the gift of literacy. Greene County Public Library is a proud partner in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library—an initiative that puts books directly into the hands of children ages 0–5. To be eligible, a child must be under the age of five and reside in Greene County. That’s it.

Here’s how it works: After a child is registered with the program, they will start receiving one book every month in the mail. The age-appropriate book will arrive shrink-wrapped and addressed to the child.

Study after study shows the benefit of early literacy and the conclusions are a chorus saying the same thing: Kids who read succeed.

Sponsoring a child for one year is only $25. Sponsoring a child for their entire time in the program is an investment of $125. That’s all it takes to give a child a lifetime of literacy, to give a kid a path to success. Donations are tax-deductible. Information about registering a child and sponsorship is available at the Greene County Public Library Foundation website at greenelibraryfoundation.org. 

Season’s greetings,

Karl Colón, Director