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Author: Taryn Taylor

  • Students Level Up Their Academic Success at the Library!

    The Level Up program started at the Fairborn Community Library nearly a decade ago, and it’s still going strong. The program’s sustainability comes from the community’s need for accessible tutoring, but also the tutors that diligently work to help your students!

    Meet Lucas Mohme! Lucas tutors at the Fairborn Community Library, and this is his first year teaching in Fairborn City Schools. Starting out as a phonics intervention teacher, Lucas has recently taken over a third-grade homeroom position.

    I had the opportunity to discuss Level Up with Lucas.

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    What made you want to tutor at GCPL?

    I was very interested to tutor at GCPL because I knew I could help students who were struggling or who were intrinsically motivated to be there. Getting to help students between K-12 is a unique experience where I get to work on high level math and teach reading strategies in the same session.

    To you, what makes Level Up tutoring such an important library program for the community?

    Many students come into Level Up with homework they do not understand and probably would not finish on their own. We get the opportunity to not only help those students complete their homework, but we also get a one-on-one time to help them solidify their understanding of the concept. Plenty of students have even come into the tutoring sessions with their friends instead of hanging out in the common area. They see that there is homework help available and take up the opportunity to work with us.

    What is a student success story you’ve seen through Level Up?

    There is one student from Fairborn City Schools who is a regular at the library for our tutoring sessions. At the beginning of our program in October or November, she came in struggling with geometry. Her quiz and test scores were not where she wanted them to be, and she didn’t even know how to begin most problems on her homework.

    She comes in about once a week for extra help and ends up staying for an average of two hours. This gives us a chance to go really in depth on the geometry concepts that she is learning about. I will have her show me what she knows or thinks she knows on her homework so that I can see how she thinks about each concept. Then we typically use whiteboards where I do each problem with her until we have constructed enough to where she can do them independently.

    Throughout this school year I have seen her growth in understanding. Her quiz and test scores are in the A-B range where she is happier with the results!

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    Stop into the Fairborn Community Library every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30-6:30 for homework help from Lucas and our other amazing Fairborn tutors!

    When it comes to academic success, your library is here to help you LEVEL UP! Find tutoring times at your community library at https://greenelibrary.info/levelup/. This program is supported by the State Library of Ohio with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

  • Tutoring Session Achievements Lead to Leveling Up in the Classroom!

    Cindy and student Dallas during Level Up tutoring at the Xenia Community Library.

    The Level Up tutoring program has seen success across all 7 community libraries at GCPL, and we’re so happy to see so many students’ achievements happening at the library! The real work happens with the students and their tutors at each Level Up session, so who are these tutors helping your students?

    Meet Cindy Mash! Cindy tutors at the Xenia and Jamestown community libraries and recently retired after teaching history and English for 32 years. She mainly taught grades 7-12 at Greeneview High School in Jamestown.

    I had the opportunity to chat with Cindy about Level Up.

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    What made you want to tutor at GCPL?

    I have always enjoyed helping students do their best. Level Up seemed like the perfect opportunity to connect with students and help them improve their study skills and knowledge base.

    To you, what makes Level Up tutoring such an important library program for the community?

    Level Up is set up to meet the specific needs of each student. One-on-one tutoring such as this allows students to catch up or move forward at their own pace. 

    What are some student success stories you’ve seen through Level Up?

    Small daily successes add up! Here are some successes I’ve had:

    • A Greeneview second grader got an A on a spelling test after practicing his toughest words at Level Up.
    • A Xenia freshman made up several missed assignments in one session, with the goal of getting a passing grade in English.
    • A private school 2nd grade student is learning Spanish vocabulary.
    • A Greeneview 3rd grader practiced math facts for better speed in solving problems.
    • I am learning American Sign Language with a Xenia area private school student. We work together each week to learn new signs.
    • Several Xenia students of all grades complete homework assignments every week, mostly on their own, getting tips and encouragement from the level up tutoring team.

    —

    If you have a student who needs academic help, come out to the Xenia or Jamestown community libraries and work with Cindy, or any of our other amazing tutors!

    When it comes to academic success, your library is here to help you LEVEL UP! Find tutoring times at your community library at https://greenelibrary.info/levelup/. This program is supported by the State Library of Ohio with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

     

  • Leveling Up Your Academic Success!

    At GCPL, we try to provide you with free access to as many resources as possible; the library is a champion of all pastimes, hobbies, and endeavors you wish to take on! We strive to have all the things you want and need, and that didn’t stop when the pandemic began in 2020, it only made us more determined to provide help where you need it – like expanding a program that prioritizes our students in Greene County and their academic success. According to the Ohio Department of Education, remote learning had a significant impact on third grade proficiency in fall of 2020, falling as low as 12 percentage points in fully remote schools compared to falling 8 points for the schools with hybrid schedules.

    When it became clear there were students in our community struggling academically and needed the face-to-face academic help, Elizabeth Cusack, Deputy Director of the Greene County Public Library, implemented Level Up after school homework help at all 7 community libraries.

    I had the chance to speak with Elizabeth about Level Up, and why it’s such an important program at our community libraries.

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    I know Level Up was inspired by a similar program done in Fairborn. What about the Fairborn tutoring program made you think it could be something GCPL could do on a system-wide level?

    When I applied for the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant, federal funds meant to assist libraries and their communities as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, I reached out to each of our community libraries and asked what needs they see in their community. There was a common theme of an increase in kids struggling with schoolwork. So, I thought about the successful tutoring program already happening at the Fairborn Community Library through a generous donation – a program that’s been going on for nearly a decade and is very successful in their community – and proposed that we use the grant money to implement one-on-one, in-person academic tutoring at a system-wide level. Once we were awarded the grant, it was so exciting to green light the Level Up program, as it had been in the works for months. It’s great to see so much student success happening in the library!

    How do you find tutors and what do you look for when bringing a tutor on for Level Up?

    Our tutors are mostly retired teachers, current teachers, and Cedarville University education students. All our Level Up tutors are enthusiastic and happy to help students any way possible. When they were onboarded, we told them that since these are walk-in appointments, they needed to be able to quickly assess needs and adapt to each student. They could see a kindergarten student needing help with reading then a high school student with a geometry assignment back-to-back.  The tutors are able to use resources we have for parents and educators, such as Scholastic Teachables, to identify learning activities and worksheets based on a student’s specific need. Our tutors are seeing students from all grades, academic levels, and walks of life.

    Will Level Up be returning for the 2022-2023 school year?

    So, this year, we’ve had 129 tutoring sessions with 449 attendees and 25 students have completed 10 sessions or more. Due to the current success of Level Up, GCPL is happy to say that we’re already making plans to continue the program for the entire 22-23 school year. We know for sure that Level Up homework help is happening Fall of 2022!

    —

    It’s no secret COVID has been hard on all of us, but we’re not letting that get us down and neither should you. Your kids are our kids, and GCPL will try our hardest to make sure your students have what they need to succeed.

    Throughout our conversation, Elizabeth explained that Level Up is meant to level the playing field when it comes to academic success. Traditional tutoring services can be costly, so the library is here to fill the gap and provide accessible, free tutoring for all students in Greene County.

    We also discussed how tutoring can sometimes have a negative connotation, but students at all academic levels may need a little extra help occasionally, and that’s okay! The library is a safe place for all students, and Elizabeth encourages them to utilize this library resource whether they need help with a homework assignment, an essay, or need helpful study tips for an upcoming chapter test.

    When it comes to academic success, your library is here to help you LEVEL UP! Find tutoring times at your community library at https://greenelibrary.info/levelup/.

  • Women in Country Music: Shaping the Genre’s Past and Present

    Real Roots Radio’s Daniel Mullins Celebrates Iconic Women Country Artists

    Today’s country music scene boasts many leading ladies with powerhouse vocals and incredible stories to tell, but it’s important to remember how much women from the past have shaped the genre. Xenia’s own Real Roots Radio (WBZI) teamed up the Greene County Public library to highlight some amazing women country artists every day this month, with a weekly spotlight on the one and only Dolly Parton.

    Real Roots Radio, Xenia’s only locally owned and operated radio station, has always been a champion for country music and sharing the country music sound with the Greene County Community. DJ Daniel Mullins compiled this month’s list of women artists and is thrilled to be showcasing them on his show The Daniel Mullins Midday Music Spectacular. A Greene County native, Daniel said that he’s grown up around Real Roots his entire life, as his dad (Joe Mullins) took over the station in 1995, when Daniel was only 4 years old. During high school, Daniel helped around the station, and by the time he was a sophomore in college, he spent his weekends on air doing a show centered around connecting the new roots music he heard in his college dorm with the traditional bluegrass he heard growing up. The rest is history; you can now listen to Daniel every weekday from 10 a.m. to noon.

    I had the chance to sit and talk with Daniel about Real Roots Radio and the women of country music.

    What excites you about the music you play and the community you’re able to reach here in Greene County and beyond?

    I really get excited when folks tell me that they discovered a song or artist that they were previously unaware of, by listening to Real Roots Radio. It is my goal to take listeners on a journey through roots music, past and present. Whether it’s highlighting new artists that are making great music like Charley Crockett or Mike & The Moonpies, or digging deep to showcase a forgotten gem from Johnny Cash or Dolly Parton, I really enjoy getting folks’ ears perked up by hearing something that is new to them. It has always been a goal of mine as well to use roots music to build bridges. We are all more alike than different, and nothing highlights that like the universal language of music.

    Why do you think it’s important to spotlight the work and music that women have done in the country music scene?

    It’s not just important – it’s vital! Since the beginning, women have played a huge role in shaping country music. Their voices and songs help paint a fuller, richer, and more vibrant history of country music. Country music is at its best when it covers all aspects of the human condition, and a big part of what it means to be human is dealing with sadness and loss, struggling to get by, and dealing with troubles that you feel no one else can relate to. With the power of music, especially something that pulls on the heartstrings like country music, we call all can gain a better understanding of what women deal with, and women can connect with a song or artist that reaches them on a personal level during their life. That’s the power of real country music.

    Who are some of the lesser-known artists that you’re excited to feature this month? Why did you pick them?

    This month, I am trying to showcase a wide variety of women in country and roots music. I will be covering household names like Loretta Lynn and Reba McEntire, bluegrass stars like Rhonda Vincent and Alison Krauss, and several artists with which many folks may not be as familiar with. One of those artists is Patsy Montana. She was a huge radio star in Chicago during the Depression on WLS’s National Barn Dance. Her song, “I Wanna Be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart” was the first million-selling country song by a female artist. It was an absolute smash hit back in 1935!

    It’s Dolly’s World, We All Just Live in it

    Here at the library, it’s no secret that we love Dolly! Her Imagination Library has changed the game for so many young children on their path to literacy. Daniel and I chatted some more about Dolly and what she means to the country music community.

    What is it about Dolly Parton’s music that you think has resonated with us for so long?

    First of all, there is NO ONE like Dolly Parton. She broke the mold in every way. Her talent as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, philanthropist, etc., is simply hard to fathom! Heck, the Moderna vaccine I had put in my arm last spring so I could safely celebrate my wedding with friends in family is due to Dolly!

    One of the biggest reasons Dolly’s music has touched so many of us for so long is due to her honesty and sincerity. She has that rare ability to speak to you directly on a personal level. I have seen her in concert twice – most recently in 2016 in Cincinnati. When she is speaking or singing, you honestly feel that she is communicating with only YOU! It’s so hard to explain, but even in a crowd of thousands and thousands of people, you just feel like your ol’ pal Dolly is talking to you from across the kitchen table.

    Tune into WBZI Real Roots Radio weekdays 10 a.m. to noon for The Daniel Mullins Midday Music Spectacular, and make sure to listen on Wednesdays to hear GCPL’s Head of Youth Services Kim Bautz chime in on all things Dolly and the Imagination Library! 

  • Christi Cox: Building Community Through Giving

    We all know community service is a good thing, but what is the true meaning of community service and how it impacts ourselves and each other? The Greene County Public Library’s very own Community Engagement Officer Christi Cox answers this question through her diligence, compassion, and friendship she offers our community day in and day out.

    Saturday, Christi received the S.L. Stephan Award from the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce. This award is presented to a person who has worked unselfishly, through voluntary services, to promote the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce and our community for at least the past two years.

    Community Service for the Community

    During her time in the Chamber, Christi has shown immense commitment to her community. Mathew Bennett, owner of Anderson-Williams Insurance and immediate past Chamber Board Chair, speaks to Christi’s involvement in Women in Business, the Professional Outreach Committee, Kiwanis and so much more. “Christi consistently exceeds expectations whether it be hosting Zoom meetings for WIB to increase engagement during the pandemic or adding a little free library at Shawnee park through Kiwanis Club, which she refills weekly with donated books. She’s a rockstar and an inspiration to our community,” Bennett said.

    Christi’s nominator Tarija Hubbard, Administrator of New Beginnings Group Home, notes that Christi’s participation in uplifting New Beginnings has been wonderful. “Christi is the board secretary and helped keep the group organized and on task. She researched and wrote the bylaws for the board and helped me with getting the home C.A.R.F. certified (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities). Through Kiwanis Club, she organized Christmas gifts for our residents,” Hubbard shared.

    Community Service for the Soul

    It doesn’t stop there. Christi went generously above and beyond by stepping up and giving the gift of life when her friend and fellow Fairborn Rotary member needed a kidney transplant. “They were not a match with each other, so Christi agreed to donate to a stranger for her friend to receive a kidney. Both her Rotary friend and the person who received Christi’s kidney are doing well,” said Hubbard.

    Hubbard says amidst all her hard work and community service, Christi was diagnosed with a brain tumor seven years ago and uses her journey to help others. “She has been sharing her brain tumor journey helping the freshman medical students in the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine learn to interview patients for the past 4 years.”

    Christi continuously shows up for her community and selflessly serves others, making her more than worthy of this award. During the ceremony when Christi accepted the S.L. Stephan Award, she thanked everyone and said, “I’m honored to be awarded the Stephan award. I can do all these things because I have a job I love. I want to thank the library and specifically Karl Colón, my boss, for letting me be me.”

    Karl Colón, GCPL’s Executive Director, later shared, “We are so lucky to have Christi as the Community Engagement Officer at the Greene County Public Library. I’m incredibly proud of her and how she has contributed to our amazing community. I will always support Christi in her community endeavors as her boss and as her friend.”

    Christi ended her acceptance speech with a thoughtful reminder, “While you never know what you say or do will make an impact on your community or a person’s life, we just hope that, in the end, we have been and done enough. Thank you.”

    Christi is an inspiration to us all, and her hard work has not gone unnoticed. Community service goes beyond just joining a few committees; it’s what you do to positively impact your community and make it a better place. Thank you, Christi, for all that you do – from your GCPL family!

  • Historical, Headstrong, and Humorous: Discover the Marvelous March Sisters

    Little Women – Online Book Club

    March is Women’s History Month, and we’re excited to bring you a host of interesting, fun, and educational books, programs, and resources all month long! Your librarians will be highlighting amazing women authors, women in business, and more. Among these programs is the Online Book Club (we refer to it as ‘OBC’) hosted by Cedarville Adult Services Librarian Erin K.

    They discuss a new book each month beginning with a blog post every Monday. Erin fuels great discussions with insights and food for thought for each week. Book club members engage an open forum for a fun book discussion! I was excited to learn some of Erin’s favorite aspects of her book club.

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    How has moving you club online changed your experience of what book clubs can be?

    I love the fact that we can be completely self-paced. Readers can check out the blog posts whenever they like, and they can comment whenever works best for them. I really enjoy the fact that readers can continually access all the book club information and aren’t just limited to one meeting.

    What do you think are the best parts for book club members?

    I hope the best parts of the book club for members are the blog posts. I truly enjoy finding video clips, interviews, and websites to add to the blog posts, and I hope readers enjoy all those “extras.” I also think readers enjoy the relaxed nature of it since there’s no pressure to finish or comment on a particular date.

    —

    For Women’s History Month, Erin chose Little Women. I had the opportunity to chat with Erin about the significance of Little Women on women’s history.

    Originally published in 1868, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott follows the trials and tribulations of the March sisters throughout their childhood into adulthood. The March family unit is strong, but each sister’s individuality shines through – Jo yearns to be a published writer; Meg is a wonderful actress; Amy wishes to master painting; and Beth is musically inclined. When discussing what makes this story so pertinent to women’s history, Erin remarks “Each one of the female characters is distinct and independent while also staying true to the time in which they lived. I think this book is important to women’s history because it shows that women were full, complete people with dreams and passions.”

    Erin goes on to discuss that depicting women as “people with dreams and passions” was groundbreaking at the time of publication due to societal norms. “[Women] weren’t always able to implement those passions due to social restraints,” said Erin. It was common for men to have numerous aspirations, but for women, not so much, since they were typically bound to their societal duty of becoming wives and mothers. The book’s author Louisa May Alcott herself was revolutionary; she was a notable woman author among the male-dominated literary world at the time. Alcott also never married, never had children and was an early American suffragette. Consistently going against societal norms, Alcott was a life-long advocate for herself and women alike.

    Little Women’s popularity and significance persists today. With numerous film/television adaptations, readers and watchers alike can enjoy this timeless tale. At its core, this story is about women and family from a woman’s perception; readers relate to the March sisters and the familial story line, allowing the story to resonate today. “This [March] family, while enduring hardships and heartache, are close-knit and loving, and the family relationship feels very reassuring. And the fact that each girl is so different makes the book everlasting,” Erin says.

    Just for fun, Erin and I joked that everyone identifies with at least one of the March sisters. Buzzfeed has an abundance of March sisters personality quizzes, especially after Greta Gerwig’s most recent film adaptation of the story in 2020, which Erin says is her favorite version. “When I was younger, I would have said that I identified with Jo because I wanted to be a writer, and I loved how creative she was. As an adult, I think I still identify as Jo, less because of her creativity and much more because she loves her family deeply and desperately wants to keep them close,” Erin says.

    Join Erin’s online book club and look for weekly blog posts every Monday at greenelibrary.info/blogs!

  • Food Assistance Feeds the Heart, Mind, and Body

    Since 1976, following the 1974 tornado, the Xenia FISH Food Pantry has been a steady source of food assistance to folks across a wide range of circumstances. Gail Matson, FISH Food Pantry president since 2017, said they have served an average of five to six hundred families every month over the past few years. That is, until the pandemic hit our community in early 2020. Since that time, the number of families has been as high as 1,200 per month. “Our numbers have leveled off since that peak, but we still had 875 families this January, which is usually our slowest month,” she said.

    To give our patrons an opportunity to help our community with food assistance, the Greene County Public Library has held our annual Food for Friends drive for more than 10 years. We’ve organized this drive in partnership with area food pantries, such as the FISH Food Pantry. This year, it runs from February 14th through the 28th and provides these food pantries with thousands of non-perishable food items. It’s a wonderful opportunity for you to feed your heart while helping to provide food for your friends and neighbors. The program allows you to donate non-perishable food items in exchange for credit toward library fines.

    I had a wonderful opportunity to discuss Xenia’s needs with Gail. She is an inspiration.

    —– —– —– —–

    How has Xenia’s needs changed over the past two years?

    Early on during the pandemic, we had to change everything about how we distributed food. We could no longer have people coming in to shop due to health protocols, so we had to box up the food to hand out. We re-opened this past June, which is great. The library’s Food for Friends drive comes at a perfect time for us since we expect the community’s need to remain high.

    What’s the most rewarding part of your role?

    The smiles and hugs we get from people. They really appreciate what we do. You develop friendships and worry about them if they do not come in. If I’m having a bad day, a hug from one of our clients makes it all better.

    What’s something about your work that some folks may not know?

    We respect everyone who comes to us. We instill in our volunteers the importance of treating our clients as if they were coming to a grocery store. To anyone who needs food, come see us and give us a chance to show you what we offer.

    Why are community partners so important to your work?

    I have made so many friends in this community. They hold up the pantry and help whenever I ask. Melissa Fasanella, the head librarian at Xenia Community Library, is an inspiration. She’s fun and I love working with her. Food for Friends has been phenomenal.

    Community partners are the key to our success – from donated or reduced cost services to volunteers. We have churches and organizations – Greene County Fair board, the Post Office, the Boy Scouts and, really, too many to list all of them. We had an Eagle Scout paint two sides of our building for his Community Service Badge.

    So many have donated or worked on things at reduced prices that would never have been finished without their help. Food drives, monetary donations, and volunteers – these are the backbone of the pantry.

    —– —– —– —–

    Greene County Public Library is proud to partner with the FISH Food Pantry and all the other food pantries in Greene County. Bring your non-perishable food items to any of our seven community libraries – Beavercreek, Cedarville, Fairborn, Jamestown, Winters-Bellbrook, Xenia, and Yellow Springs – between now and February 28th. We’ll make sure that our County’s food banks receive them on your behalf!

    Food for Friends ends February 28th, but you can continue to support your local food pantry. Reach out to get involved by volunteering, participating in other food drives, or through monetary donations.

    To learn more about the Xenia FISH Food Pantry visit their website here.

    Community pantries that are a part of Food for Friends:

    Beavercreek: Beavercreek FISH Food Pantry

    Cedarville: Cedarville Community Food Pantry

    Fairborn: Fairborn FISH Food Pantry

    Jamestown: Jamestown Community Food Pantry – Jamestown United Methodist Church

    Winters-Bellbrook: Bellbrook Sugarcreek Community Support Center

    Yellow Springs: Yellow Springs Community Food Pantry