R.I. Pen Pals for Y.A.

I'm lifting this post from "The Cat's Meow" from MPL. Too bad kids can't pick this up from school computers- remember, they've banned me & anyone using blogspot. Because the school dept. can & no one complains. Nope, we wouldn't want them to know anything about their own public library, would we.

Young adults can obtain a pen pal from- R.I.! No postage required. Way Cool!

"A very cool thing is happening in RI thanks to the amazing Aaron C., Young Adult librarian at Greenville Public Library. Aaron is putting together a YA summer pen pal program for teens 11-18 years old. And we are talking old school pen-pal'ing. Paper and pen! (Come on, you know you want to try it. See how old people did it way back in the 1980s.)

Here's the 411:~Fill out an introductory letter form* and turn it in to the MPL Reference Department by July 3rd. (*Forms are available in the YA section or email ChristinaWolfskehl@yahoo.com for a copy.)

~Aaron C. (the YA librarian I mentioned above) will match you with someone your age who has the same interests. Your pen pal will be from another town or city in Rhode Island.~Check back after July 14th to find out who your pen pal partner is.

~Write letters to your pen pal and turn them in at the Reference Desk. (Don't worry! The letters are only read by your snail-mail buddy. We just save you the postage when we forward them to your pen pal.)

~I will email/call when you receive a new letter from your pen pal.

So whaddaya say? Take a break from texting and try connecting with someone the old fashion way."

It's a good post & I hope some ya's out there can make use of this. (source) Thanks to all concerned for doing this.

Rumor Has It...

that the Middletown Library Director just resigned. Alas, things haven't been going well there. A number of resignations have taken place under his leadership & evidently the local Union (NEARI- no, it's not just teachers) there has taken a vote of "no confidence" which bespeaks management and organizations problems.

It should also be noted that the librarian lives in Sturbridge, Mass.- almost two hours away. With a 4 hr. daily commute, this amounts to another part-time job in itself & this is given as the reason for this departure.

What a pity. A decent library with really good working conditions & a decent salary. The only thing that I find it is lacking in is- materials!

** Update: Here's the Daily News story.

Middletown Public Library

The library has a new website up. Love it! They've even got a new updated blog. I use online services to order books. Now if they'd drop them off & pick them up...

You can use some databases with your card number. They have Projo but no Newport Daily News. Microfiche only- darn!

Local News & Happenings

Sorry for the lack of postings recently. I travelled to Missouri (heart of the Bible belt), found out why I always have such a pain -in-the-neck (no, it's not my sons or husband, but rather arthritis)), knit 2 scarves, & am preparing for Thanksgiving. Once again my NEW laptop is in the shop (#3).

Turkeys for sale (no, I'm not talking about our local politicans): Check out Simmons Farm at $4.89/lb. They led short but happy lives there. E-mail Karla with requested size at simmonsfarm@cox.net or call 848-9910 soon!!! Pick-up is next Mon. afternoon.

Cookie Exchange this Sun. afternoon at Middletown Public Library at 3. Bring cookies that you want to exchange. I'll never forget the yr. I participated in one of these at school & had to make 12 dozen cookies in a galley kitchen with a toddler underfoot while working full-time. E-mail your RSVP to dmmhl@aol.com. Requested but not required. I need to look up that no-bake recipe...

Easton's Beach water temp is 44.5. It dropped 10 points from last week! It's light when I go test it with my partner around 6:15 AM, but just barely. When it's dark we have to keep our headlights on.

So much news (little of it good) and so little time. So respond with topics that you are interested in. And pray for my laptop. Praise Jesus! (oops- left over from my Bible Belt travels).

Middletown Public Library

There are so many good things going on here that it's hard to know where to being.

Sunday hours are here! 1-5 p.m. Thank you! Hallelujah!

There was a no-fine period around the holidays in exchange for canned goods. As a friend said, "We actually got quite a lot of food for the Martin Luther King Center. They were so grateful!" The library benefitted in that long-time missing books reappeared. Since the largest shortage of food is summertime (I did not realize that), they hope to institute a food for fine program in June every year. Definitely a win-win for all. Thanks to all who have made these wonderful things possible, esp. the Library Board & the Friends! Another hallelujah!

The director has started a travel video series on Sundays from 2-3. So go travel- on the cheap!

Middletown Library Trustees & Others Deserve Apologies

Why not? The "Newport Daily News" and Middletown Council members were not the only ones condemning them. We all make mistakes because we're in a group or business, or even individuals trying to pursue the "right thing" does not make us immune to errors.


I refer, of course. to the earlier library brouhaha in Middletown. Accusations flew from individuals, some of whom should have known better, and both the "Daily News" & Middletown Council called for the entire Library Board to resign for inappropriate actions & a lack of public trust (although they had helped engineer the later). Councillor Silveira was removed from his position as liason while being publicly rebuked.


Although I've alluded to it before, this link with documentation from the Attorney General proves that neither the Library Board nor Councillor Silveira acted inappropriately and, in fact, did exactly what they were supposed to do - protect the library's & town's best interests.


Here is some of the language in reponse to the filed complaints: "No violation," in the use of e-mail, false rumors as to the reason that trustee Bev Murphy resigned (nothing to do with the library - personal reasons), "Councilman Silveira properly included in Executive session...presence was germain." Correct postings, agendas, & meeting minutes.


"While many assumed the [Nov.] meeting was to be on Director Robert Balliot's performance, in fact it was never discussed & Mr. Balliot resigned." Some knew that this was to be the case. The Library Trustees & lawyers were not free to speak.


Mr. Balliot had been directed by the Library Trustees's in Sept. to come up with a organizational plan to work "civilly and cooperative with the Board." Gosh, ain't that just awful. Mr. Balliot did not & asked the board's extension for the Oct. meeting until Nov. Most of the Nov. meeting consisted of lawyers for both sides discussing resignation terms. Without favorable perks, Mr. Balliot's lawyer threatened to sue the library & the town. It suited the director, then, to have a vocal, public audience on his side without knowing the true purpose of the meeting. Too bad the public did not know, but were led down a path making them think they were privy to all pertinent facts (kinda like the Iraq war).

This was a rumor campaign designed to malign individuals & manipulate the public in a political season which many bought into for good reason. Those who have the public trust were counted on to have "insider info" and be beyond a rush to judgement. But the opposite occured. These groups/individuals fueled the accusatory onslaught for their own agendas or merely to ride the tide. In a system designed to protect the individual, "groupthink" overwhelmed reason and a pause for facts by targeting both groups and a few individuals.

Councillor Silveira isn't to blame and neither are the Library Board nor the local Democrats then active in the committee, nor myself. The blame lies elsewhere. A manufactured affair designed to aggravate many while benefiting only a few. Gossip, rumor, innuendo at its worse, masquerading as protecing "intellectual freedom." Those whom we trust unable or refused to act in our best interests by withholding judgement until all the facts were known. Instead there was an immediate call for relentless and irrevocable castigation- a public lynching without the gibbet.


Apologies are owed. I won't hold my breath.

Middletown Library Chair: a Thank You & an Apology

I am writing in regard to your earlier post concerning the Middletown Public Library ("Library Brouhaha Over, July 26). Now that the legal process has run its course, I feel that an apology to the author of this blog is in order. Anyone who actually believed the scurrilous rumor that Ms. Spillane had been promised the Director's job as a political favor should truly be ashamed of himself.

Kudos to my fellow Board members who persevered throughout this entire unfortunate affair. You were right, you stood up for yourselves, and you prevailed.

Lastly, I would like to correct an earlier report in the Journal that our Board had summarily rejected the Council's earlier resignation request by refusing to receive this communication. Though we may not have seen eye-to-eye on this issue, we maintain due respect for the Council, and would never treat them with such discourtesy.

(Signed) John Grisham, Chairman Middletow Library Board of Trustees

Town Council Money Appropriation this Monday

One of the items the council is set to vote on is $3000 for the Senior Center for computer equipment for their offices. This is a carryover item from last yr. Granted, this isn't a lot of money, but still, nothing to be ignored.
Why isn't this in their regular budget which is the highest on the island? Couldn't they have raised this on their own? They certainly put on fundraisers in Newport & Portsmouth. The Senior Center rec'd a raise in funding this yr. With cutbacks in many other areas, I don't think this is a lot to ask.
What exactly is the documented membership? It's a fair question in the current financial atmosphere. The Senior Center should present a detailed accounting of its income in the town budget along with the library.
I've known several citizens who have offered their skill in computing to the Senior Center with zilch response. In the center of a high tech area, there are many advantages the Ctr. could take of for nothing. But with secure town funding guaranteed & no questioning every year on their budget, what is the incentive?
With tax caps, increased fees, fewer services, layoffs in the schools, etc., every budget needs to be closely examined. It's also appropriate to ask which departments need to be a part of the town & which could stand on their own with appropriate financial support.
I've already editorialized on the fact that I believe the Center should stand on its own like the other centers on the island do. It would no longer be a town dept. but would function as a non-profit with a town allotment. Since the Senior Center is part of the Charter, it would take a town referendum to do this. Same goes for the public library. You would never even notice the difference.