Sarah Tobias, Director

Last Minute Holiday Gifts

2011-12-19T15:02:00.000-08:00

Just a few days from now, many people will be celebrating Christmas. Stockings will be hung by the chimney with care, presents will be wrapped and under the tree.

Right now, you may be searching frantically for the perfect gift for a loved one who is as hard to buy for as it is hard to find a snowflake on a rainy day.

We have a few ideas to offer library lovers.

A Library Gift Certificate that can be used for paying for late fees, printing, DVD rentals, book sale items, or even to purchase a non-resident fee card. (You set the amount that you want to give, we provide the gift certificate.)

A Sycamore Public Library Mug

$4.00

$7.00

We have a variety of Library Book Bags.

$4.00

You may want to buy one, two, three or four pewter ornaments.

$25 - $50 each

All of these items make for fun gifts and can be purchased at the Circulation desk during regular business hours.

If you have someone who is less about things and more about helping the community, you could make a donation to the library. You can donate money to purchase books, movies or music in honor of that special someone.

We are also accepting donations to help purchase new furniture for the library. We have received a $10,000 grant from the DeKalb County Community Foundation to help with the purchase of new browsing book shelves for the children's picture books. The shelving will cost $26,000. A donation for this or other furniture will be a lasting honor to your loved one and will benefit everyone one who uses the library. We will send a letter telling your special person about the donation.

Monetary donations can be made by check in person or by credit card from the library website. The following link provides the gift form so that we know who to thank and honor by your gift.
We wish you the very best of all the holidays!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah!
Joyous Kwanzaa!
Happy Solstice!
Pancha Ganapati Good Wishes Pouring In!
Festivus! For the Rest of Us.

Giving Thanks

2011-12-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

It is often dark when we get up and dark when we head home after work. Our days are short and our evenings often feel so very long. This is a wonderful time to reflect and see the blessings that we have had all through the year.

I know as well as anyone that some days and even weeks don't feel like they are filled with blessings. There are many people out of work, others have incurable diseases, and on those grey and gloomy days, it can be hard to see the blessings that do come to us in a day.

Over the past several months, I have posted and watched others post on Facebook, the things they are thankful for and are happy about. Here are a few things that I am thankful and happy for right now.

I am thankful for the wonderful staff. They are hard working, caring, and full of wonderful energy and ideas.

I am thankful for the library patrons. They come to share their love of books, music, and reading and really keep us on our toes.

I am happy to have Swedberg and Associates as our Construction Manager for the upcoming building projects.

I am happy to have Lisa Sharp and the team at Sharp Architects designing our construction plans.

I am thankful for a library board that works with me to make the library a better and better place every day.

I am thankful to be a part of the Sycamore Community. I love the small town spirit and big wonderful dreams and ideas of this community.

I am thankful for Joyce Klein and Dennis Kimme, and the County Board for keeping the library in mind as they plan the jail expansion.

I am thankful for Toni and all of the years that she kept me going here at the library.

I am very happy to have Katherine as a new Assistant Director.

These are just the things that popped into my head I sat at my desk at the end of this day. I am sure that I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. I wish you happy moments in each and every day.

Check out our Library Newsletter to learn about all of the wonderful things going on at the library this December.

Your Cover Letter can Unlock or Lock the Door to an Interview

2011-11-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

Your cover letter is a wonderful opportunity to show how your life and work experiences will benefit the company to which you are applying for work.

This letter is part of the interview process. It is an opportunity for you to show the people who are hiring that you have the writing skills necessary to do the job. The letter should be formatted properly, spelling should be perfect, and correct sentence structure is very important.

What you should include in your letter:
How you will benefit the Company.
Give one or two real examples of how you can be an asset to the company.
Include skills that actually apply to the job you will have if you are hired.
Show that you understand the position for which you are applying.
When asked to send the resume to a certain person, address that person. (Good Afternoon, To Whom it Concerns, or Dear Sir/Madam will not get you an interview).

More ways to improve your application:
Your letter should fit on one page.
Don't copy a letter out of a cover letter book. Let your knowledge and experience shine.
A resume for a part time job or for a first job should fit on one page.

Instead of:
"detail oriented" share an example such as, "In my last position, I organized the office supplies and created a new efficient supply ordering system.

"asset to the organization," provide a true experience of how you have been an asset like, "My ability to write great thank you letters to donors, helped to increase future donations to the organization."

Remember: Do not lie or make up stories. It will come back to haunt you.

Library eBooks @ the Library

2011-09-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, the library offers downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks. We are part of a library consortium called OMNI. Here is our cover page for help with getting started downloading books to your electronic devices. http://sycamorelibrary.org/general/OMNI.html All the links and software downloads you would need are right there on one page.

If you don't find the book that you want to read or listen to, please ask. If it is available and it fits within our budget and our material selection criteria, we will add it to the collection.

It is now possible for Kindle owners to borrow eBooks from the library too. Click below to see the four minute video on how the process works.
Four Minute Video for Amazon Kindle Users

Happy reading!

Having Fun at the Library

2011-09-26T04:53:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that on Fridays the staff are all similarly dressed. If you haven't maybe you haven't been in on a Friday or it was one of our less coordinated days. We have started Fun Shirt Friday. A way to build staff morale and have a little simple fun while on the job.

The first Friday was bright shirt day and blue jeans. Then we had blue shirt day and school shirt day. It was suggested by staff that for the Spartans vs. Barbs Cross Town Classic, we should wear the Sycamore colors. I was also asked if I thought that DeKalb Library staff might take up the challenge as well and wear DeKalb colors. I said there was one way to find out. So I emailed Dee Coover, the Director of the DeKalb Public Library, and the answer came back with a resounding yes.

Sycamore Library Staff say Go Spartans!

To add to the excitement, we proposed a little wager with DeKalb Library and took the bet DeKalb proposed a grilled lunch for the winning library. Spartans win, means DeKalb cooks for Sycamore and vice-versa. We accepted the wager. Game on.

Spartans 33 Barbs 21

This past Friday the DeKalb Library staff came over to make good on their debt. Grilling was done in the parking lot . . .

and lunch was served in the meeting room.

We want the Sycamore Public Library to be an enjoyable place for the all of the residents of Sycamore. We know that to make this happen the employees need to be friendly and and helpful. A little Friday fun helps to make everyone happy. How can you not be happy when you have good food, make friends, and create moments of laughter?

Watch for our Fun Shirt Fridays. You never know what we'll decide to wear.

Water, Water Everywhere, But Not Where it Belongs

2011-08-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

Last year I attended the Illinois Library Association Conference (ILA). One of the programs I attended was "Understanding Life Cycle Cost, Capital Reserves and Implications of Sustainable Construction on Your Building Budget." Exciting, you say. Well, no, it wasn't really exciting, but it was very applicable and very helpful.

I was hired ten years ago to run the Sycamore Public Library. My background includes a Bachelors Degree in Art, a Masters in Library Science, and three years experience running and owning a cell phone business with my husband. I have never taken a class on capitol planning or dealing with building problems. I am a home owner so understand the need to replace the roof and maintain household equipment, but doing that for a 27,000 square foot facility that is paid for by public property tax dollars is a different story.

We are at a juncture. The library addition is now 15 years old. You may realize from your own house that this is the time when things start to break and repair bills creep up to the point that the cost to replace the offending broken piece of equipment is about the same or just a little more than the cost of the repair.

Over the next six years, the library will need to replace 6 air handling units; each costs about $10,000 to replace and carpeting on the second floor that will cost us over $80,000 because we have to move all of the shelving and furniture which is no easy feat. I knew when the time came to complete these projects that they would be big ticket items, but when I started were distant thoughts that could be dealt with later. I also knew that I did not want to have to cut the regular operating line items to pay for emergency repairs, so exciting program title aside, I attended the ILA program.

In addition to capital planning, the presenters talked about building issues stemming from poor construction. I suspected, but really didn't want to know, that when the addition was built some of the work was not up to par. Sadly, even a poorly built building doesn't show its problems until several years have passed. Sometimes just enough years that the work is no longer under warranty. You may recall that just over a year ago, we had a window replaced on the second floor. This window had leaked for about 4 years. We had the window re-caulked twice, we had window panes replaced, seals replaced, and each time we would get a big rain, water came in through the window. With the help of an architect, we came up with a modification and replaced the window. While Swedberg and Associates was taking out the old window, they discovered that it had not been installed properly. We asked for some compensation from the general contractor who worked on the project, but they denied culpability. We could have started a legal fight, but time and money were not on our side. So we let it go.
The Board agreed that we needed to check the whole building for problems and to create a long range capital plan for replacement of air handling units, carpet, and roofing. Last December, we hired Sharp Architects to help us through this project. Lisa Sharp brought in roofing specialists, window people, and EFIS specialists. (EFIS -- Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems) It was not pretty, but boy was it thorough. You can read the report on our website. The roof report was a little less scary, at least for the short term. The roof report is also available.

After the water stopped coming in through the bay window that was replaced, we started getting water in through the clerestory windows above the reference desk. This year's spring and summer rains have really highlighted the problem. Thankfully we kept all of the old towels and plastic drop cloths. We have moved furniture to keep it safe and Sharp Architects is completing architectural drawings for the window repairs.

At the August board meeting, the board selected Swedberg and Associates to act as construction manager for our window remediation project and our upcoming remodeling project. (Watch for a post about that.) The architectural drawings for the window repair project should be completed by September 1st and we hope to have new windows and the associated repairs complete by late fall.

The estimated costs for repairing the clerestory windows and the window bays on the south side of the building is $90,000. How are we going to pay for this? First, we will use funds received from DeKalb County as part of our agreement to house the County Law Collection for 10 years and the rest will come from our capital reserve account.

Over the next six years, we will use our reserves to make repairs and replace AC units and roofing. Then we should be settled for a little while so that we can build up the capital reserve fund for the next major building projects.

This has been my year for learning about building structure and repair. It is daunting, sometimes scary, and really quite exciting to know that we have a holistic picture of what needs to be done and how we are going to make it happen.

Clear skies ahead. And if not clear we have a plan to deal with problems that may arise.

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting an Interview

2011-06-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

The recent experience of taking resumes for two new positions at the library has given me the opportunity to realize what is really important to an employer when looking at a long line of applicants. I thought I would take this opportunity to let job hunters know about some pitfalls they can avoid when applying for a job at the library or anywhere.

If you are changing careers, make sure that you make it very clear that you really want to change careers and point out the skills that you have that will translate to that new career in your cover letter.
If you don't really want that job, you just want a job, don't waste your time or the potential employers energy with applying; it is obvious.
Don't mention praying unless you are looking for work at a church.
Check your email address. If it is shortandsassy@gmail.com or hotandsexy@yahoo.com, take the time to get a new email address for business; they are free.
When asked to apply by email, apply by email. It is probably part of the pre-interview process. Translated question, Are you technically proficient with email, attaching emails, and can you use the office product listed as a required skill.
When provided with the information about who to send the resume to, write the cover letter to that person, not to "To Whom it Concerns" or "Dear Sir or Madam".
If the job has certain nomenclature specific to the field, get it right when mentioning it. The library uses the Dewey Decimal System, not the DUI Decibel System.
Rather than saying you will bring many great qualities to the job, tell specific stories about those qualities and how they will benefit your new potential employer.
While you have done many great things in your last place of employment, tell the new potential employer about how those skills will benefit the new place of employment.
Use spell check and then have someone proof read your cover letter and resume. While the Mispeling Vyrus might be loose in Jasper Fforde's novels, you have the antidote, be sure to use it.

Finally, In case you couldn't tell from all the previous points, it is all about the employer and how you working for that person will improve the business or organization.

Sycamore Public Library Photography Club

2011-02-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

I decided to start the Photography Club at the library for personal reasons. I love photography. I love taking photographs and looking at them. I was disenchanted though. The fun of taking pictures only goes so far. I get bored in the digital darkroom and not really having any purpose for my work, I spent more time procrastinating than photographing.

After a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico with National Geographic on a photography expedition, my love of photography was reignited, but I still needed a way to keep myself motivated. I thought that it would be fun to be a part of a photography club, but discovered that there was no such thing in Sycamore or DeKalb area. For a year, I thought about starting my own club. Out of fear that I would be alone at the meeting and because I wasn't sure that I wanted to be in charge of creating and keeping a club going, I did not move on the idea.

In November, I attended a program for libraries about reinventing, re-imagining, and re-allocating libraries. The presenter talked about how many libraries have really changed who they are and what they do to meet the demands and needs of their communities. One example she shared was about a librarian who loved to do digital touch-up work of old photographs. He started sharing his knowledge with patrons who wanted to learn what he knew, and turned his hobby into a popular library program. This stuck with me and then that Nike saying got into my head. "Just Do It!, Just Do IT!, JUST DO IT!"

So, I did it. I picked a date, reserved the meeting room and created a poster. Then I waited. I got some questions and I had hope that 10 - 20 people would be at the first meeting with me. To my surprise, by the time people stopped coming through the meeting room doors, we had 52 people in the room. At that first meeting we only had time to introduce ourselves and make a few decisions about the future of the club.

The Midweek and the Northern Star both took an interest in this new club, and we got great press. I continue to get phone calls and emails from interested photographers.

Our second meeting will be held tonight in the big meeting room. We will spend most of our time sharing our current work and a little time continuing to narrow down what this Club is to become. For now, the plan is to meet the first and third Wednesday of every month. We will spend the first few meetings sharing our work and developing the club and see where it all goes. At each meeting we will have an assignment as a get out and do photography motivator. In the future, we will have programs to learn more about the digital darkroom, styles of photography, and ways to use our cameras. We hope to have occasional field trips/outings.

By the way, the library has many great books on photography. I have read a couple of the newest books. The reviews of those books can be found on our Review Blog. You will find reviews of all kinds of stuff including music, movies and books for all ages. You are welcome to write reviews of the materials you read, watch, and listen to as well. It's just one more cool way we can connect with you.

We Would Love to Hear From You

2010-11-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

Someone recently asked the question, Do you remember the first book you ever checked out from the library?

I thought about that for a while, and I don't remember my first book. I do remember a book that I checked out in the grade school library about three dachshunds. One of the dog's names was Cinnamon. It's the first book I remember loving. It was the first book that also brought me disappointment. When I went back to read it again, I couldn't find it. I scoured the book shelves and asked the school librarian if she could help me find the book again, no luck. She said I should look for something else to read. I still don't know what the book was though I can still remember where I thought it was shelved in the library. Maybe my disappointment is a bit of why I became a librarian. I love to help people find the book that brings back good memories, or the title that has just slipped their mind.

I would love to know about the first book you checked out from the library. Leave me a comment or send me an email.

A Call to Librarians and the Community

2010-06-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

The financial situation for libraries is in a very difficult place. As we get busier and busier, as people want more and varied things from their library, funding resources are drying up. They say we need to do more with less. Well, Libraries have always done more with less, but there does come a time, when we just can't do any more than we are already doing. The following is a letter I recently wrote to Library Journal in response to an editorial about free and fee.

Even Andrew Carnegie didn't really believe in the “Free” Library. When he gave money for communities to build libraries, he required that the community charge a tax to keep the building up and running. I think that his intent was that a library should make everything freely (readily) available to anyone who came into the building.

The bottom line, and if Mr. Carnegie were alive today I think that he would agree, is that libraries and services cost money and someone has to pay for them. Schools charge the biggest portion of the property tax dollar, they garner large amounts of funding from State and Federal resources, and they still charge fees for various services. The Park District takes more tax money than the library and they charge an additional fee for every program that they offer. The City, County, and Community Colleges all charge larger fees than the public library and still they ask everyone to pay additionally for services.

When are we librarians going to wake up and realize that we are doing ourselves and our communities a disservice by saying the library is free? It is incumbent upon us to find additional revenue sources to fund all that we offer to EVERY resident in our districts.

I feel certain that there are cost effective ways to modify the way we provide services to our communities. These are the questions that we need to ask regularly of ourselves and of each other, but I believe very strongly that we are making a huge mistake in throwing the word FREE around as if everything we do has no value.
People who know me, know that at this moment, I would include a expletive. Maybe I should. Maybe it would wake some people up. Shock the senses. Offend you enough to move toward action. When are we going to get tired enough of doing without, of underpaying our staff, of just eking by, and take action? It’s a simple action, really. First we must admit to ourselves that libraries are anything but free.
Everything that we do, everything that we offer costs money, and we have to have money to provide all the services and materials that the public wants and needs.
They say that we receive what we give. Well, then what do we expect when we keep saying that it’s free. We send the message that we don’t need the money.

MasterCard has a great campaign. They recognize that life and doing things doesn't come without a cost, but the reward is . . . PRICELESS. Well isn't that true about libraries as well? Ten bestsellers: $300.00; five DVDs: $100.00, A really funny performer: $300.00; a subscription to Library Journal, $157.99; The Library: PRICELESS but not FREE.

Library Card Policy Changes

2010-04-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Sycamore Public Library believes that every person who uses the library has the right to look for information without fear of what others may think or say about their inquiries. The library also believes that the personal information we have regarding each patron must be held confidential by the library staff.

We recognize that some families, spouses, and roommates are willing to share their private and confidential information with each other.

In order to ensure that the library upholds the highest standards of privacy and confidentiality, we have revised our library cards and now offer three types of cards to residents and non-residents.

We now offer a Family Card, A Personal Card and a Child’s Card

It’s YOUR CHOICE!

Family Card: All members of the same household who show that they live at the same address with approved identification. Any family member listed on the account may be given information regarding this account by a library staff member.

Benefits of a family Card
Only one library card number
All of your holds, loans, and fines will be on one card.
Easy to manage
Faster checkout time
Your family’s confidentiality will be maintained by library staff

Personal card: One person sixteen years of age or older. Only the person listed on the account may be given information regarding the account by library staff.

Benefits of a Personal Card
You have complete privacy and confidentiality.
You have an individual account number.
You are responsible for only you.
You are the only one who can pick up your holds.

Child’s Card: A parent may choose to allow a child five years of age or older to have his/her own library card. The parent or legal guardian must sign the application until the child reaches the age of 16 and may withdraw a child’s card at any time. Only the child listed on the library card may be given information regarding the account by library staff.

Benefits to a Child’s Card
Child has an individual library card number
Child receives complete privacy and confidentiality
Teaches responsibility
Maximum checkout of 20 items
The child is the only one who can pick up his/her holds.

If you have a library card and you feel that you would like to change your card to a family card so that you and the members of your household can pick up materials for each other, pay fines for each other, and share the information on your card, stop in and ask for the new family card. Every person listed on the account must sign off on the account. All household members must show proof of their address.

Beginning June 1st, if you have not changed your card to a family card, you will not be able to pick up materials for other family members and they can not pick up materials for you. Your card is a personal card, and it is the obligation of the library to hold your account private and confidential.

If you have any questions regarding library cards, let us know, we are happy to help.

You can read the whole Circulation Policy on the library's website.

Reuse and Recycle

2010-04-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, April 17th between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. the library will be accepting all of your book magazine, movie and music donations. NIU Cares Day volunteers will be on hand to to help move the materials into the big meeting. They will go through everything and either box it for reuse or box it for recycling.

Reuse of materials includes, adding to the library collection, putting into the library book sale, and donating to other organizations in need.

The recycling will be handled by International paper. All books and magazine that we can not reuse will be taken a way and given a new life by being recycled and made into paper.

In just three hours the library will save trees and money. You can't get any more ecologically or economically friendly than that.

Our plan is to offer a collection day 2 to 4 times a year. This means that you, the donor of books, will have to hold on to you stuff until a collection day as we will not longer accept donations at any other time.

"Why?," you ask.

Because accepting and dealing with donations has begun to take up more and more staff time. We are overwhelmed and do not have the funds to add additional staff to manage of the donations we get. We decided that this is out opportunity to work with volunteers and deal with everything at one time reducing staff stress and work overload.

We want to thank you for working with us to provide the best service possible to everyone.

We want to thank International Paper, Paul Coon, and all of the NIU Cares Day volunteers who have helped us make this program a reality.

National Poetry Month and Speaking Engagements

2010-04-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spoke at Sycamore Aktion Club. Since many of the members come to the library on a regular basis, I decided that talking about Poetry and sharing some poems would be much more interesting.

I have to admit, that my favorite poems generally come from books in the children's department. I was a children's librarian for many years and I have always been attracted to the imagery that children's poems have to offer.

I selected and read the following poems to the group.

Mud Flood
The spring rains came
And made a flood
So now there's mud
and mud
and mud.
It oozes on my shoes and boots
My pants and shirts and outersuits.
The only cure for springtime muds
Is suds
and suds
and suds
and suds.

From Handsprings by Douglas Florian

Bella Had a New Umbrella
Bella had a new umbrella,
Didn't want to lose it,
So when she walked out in the rain
She didn't ever use it.

Her nose went sniff,
Her shoes went squish,
Her socks grew soggy,
Her glasses got foggy,
Her pockets filled with water
And a little green froggy.

All she could speak was a weak kachoo!
But Bella's umbrella
Stayed nice and new.

From For Laughing Out Loud: Poems to tickle Your Funnybone written by Eve Merriam

Letter to the Sun
Dear Sun:
It's so wet.

The meadow has turned to bog.
Chill, sinking, squishy sog.

We long for your face, Sun.
We crave your rays,
those
long,
lovely,
honey-colored says.

O Dear Sun,
we're huddled in our buds,
waiting to bloom.

Please come soon . . .
the only ones still singing
are the frogs.

Signed, Aktion Club

From Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman

After reading the poems, I suggested that we write our own spring poem. Everyone was invited to share a word about spring. We wrote them all on a big piece of paper and the we created this poem.

Easter is Over Spring is Here
Butterfly flies to the
Flowers in the sunshine.
Flowers bloom in the green grass.
Robins eat worms.
Bunnies hop.
Rain pours down
Rainbows appear
And it is a nice day out to ride
a horse while birds
Sing spring songs in May
for Mother's Day.

I share this today because, I want to share the moments and the people that make my job at the library so incredible and wonderful.

Happy Spring! Happy Poetry Month!

A Day in the Life of the Library

2010-03-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

On February 10, 2010, libraries all over Illinois documented that day by taking pictures and asking people for their library stories. The Sycamore Public Library participated in the day as well. You can follow this link to the library's Flickr page to see all the things that happened on that day.

The really cool part of the day for me was that people were so receptive in sharing their stories and allowing us to take their pictures to show how people use the library. You may not remember but on the evening of February 9th we had a snow storm and then at 4 a.m. there was an earthquake that woke much of Sycamore out of a deep sleep and yet the library was filled with people taking advantage of all of the things that the library has to offer, from borrowing books and movies to connecting to the Wi-Fi and everything in between.

Here are a few quotes from our patrons:

"My granddaughter called me this morning to make sure that I was going to come and get her for storytime at the library. She loves coming here and she loves the toddler program." - Debra Byrd

"I come here to study because it is conveniently located between my school and my home and this old area [The 105 year old Carnegie] is nice and quiet so I can get a lot done." - Danielle Stokes, Elgin Community College Student

“I love my library because I love to read and I love to learn. I love being able to browse through the stacks and select from so many great books to satisfy my craving for knowledge! Thank you for giving the community such a wonderful gift. This is a more than just a building or a place, it is a warm and welcoming environment, providing a sanctuary for learning that we can proudly call OUR Sycamore Public Library!” – Joyce Mathey

"I just wanted to let you know that the storytime programs for young children are great. I bring both of my girls and they love it. I really believe that my oldest [she's 4] is able to read already because she has had to opportunity to go to the story programs and listen to so many books being read to her. Thank you for offering such a great program." -Bradley Cahill

"We use the library several times a week for homeschool. Both of my children depend on it for large quantities of reading, video/DVD, and books on tape. My high schooler uses the computers for school work since we don't have all the software at home. I can inter library loan all my reading needs, do research for vacations and all my personal reading." - Nina McConnell Hatch

DVD and Music Theft

2010-02-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

About 9 months ago, library staff caught a young man stealing DVDs from the library. He had come up with a simple plan. Each week he would come to the library and browse the DVD collection, select 6 or 7 DVDs and then wander around the library as if he was looking for books. After a while, probably when staff at the circulation desk were busy, he would wander downstairs and browse in the children's department and then finally walk out of the library with those 6 or 7 DVDs that had not been checked out.

Library staff began to notice that movies the catalog said were available on shelf were no where to be found. One staff member noticed a particular young man spending a lot of time looking at the DVDs but never checking anything out. Sure enough, he came in and we caught him red handed. He was arrested for the theft of 39 DVDs, sentenced to 2 years of probation, must pay restitution, and is not allowed in the library anymore.

A pretty obvious theft.

There is another kind of theft that we suspect is going on in the library on a regular basis. This is copyright infringement or piracy. Patrons borrow music and movies, take them home, and make copies of them. This is illegal. It is stealing from the owner of the copyright.

Should the piracy thief be treated differently?

Magic Happens in the Library

2009-12-14T09:43:00.000-08:00

It is a magical time of year. As we grow older, it is easier to miss the magic before us as we are caught up in so many little details. So, here's a little magic to remind you of the season.

Mrs.Claus flew in to read to the storytime children and share a few a little known secrets about Santa Claus. He is the world's #1 toy expert.

Santa Claus appeared to find out just what the children want for Christmas. He takes his job very seriously. He even checks the lists while the children wait.

Beyond this magic, there is even better stronger magic taking place. The little boy talking to Santa Claus has spent time practicing his writing skills, he has made some important decisions about what is important to him, and there in the picture, he is asking he an authoritative figure for what he really wants.

The group of children with Mrs. Claus are practicing their listening skills and patience while they wait to see and talk to Santa Claus.

Every time a child attends a storytime, they develop basic leaning skills that are the building blocks to each child becoming a lifelong learner and a lifelong reader. For the kids, it acts and feel like a fun time. That's the point; at the library children learn and grow naturally.

The teens of SPLAG had their Christmas Party. Look closely, there's a TV playing in the background and no one cares. They are trading and picking out white elephant gifts; making a choice between the appeal of a wrapped unknown gift and an unwrapped present. At the party, they used their creative side and decorated ornaments, they filled their stomachs with treats, and then they hung out and played a board game together. The television faded away and young men and woman played, laughed, deduced, strategized, and had fun at the library.

Yes, there is magic in the library. It takes place around the holidays and all throughout the year.

If you have a magical story about your experience at the Sycamore Public Library, we would love to hear it. Feel free to leave it as a comment on this blog, or you can send me an email at saraht@sycamorelibrary.org.

Happy Holidays! Happy Reading! Happy 2010!

Where Your Money Goes, What You Get

2009-06-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

If you live in the city limit of Sycamore, whether you own or rent, you pay some money to have the public library in your community. For people who own, it is easy to see exactly what you pay for library service by looking at your tax bill. Renters pay their monthly rent and the then the building owners use a portion of that money to pay property taxes.

In the State of Illinois the first laws written in the 1800's to collect tax money for public libraries were written for municipalites and as such library services were offered to househelds within the municipality limits. Sycamore Public Library is a municipal library. Later another law was written to allow a library to become a district library. This made the library autonomous from the municipality and provided a venue for expanding services beyond city limits. In both cases, the libraries are property tax supported and every household that pays a tax to the library is eligible for library service.

People who live outside of a library district do not pay any taxes to support the library. By law, they have the option to annually pay for services at their closest public library. (It was determined that closest public library was the library within your school district.)At Sycamore Public Library, the Board of Trustees has decided that the fairest method for determining the fee for non-residents is to use the same calulation used for determining the city tax bill. (We take the net taxable value of your property and mutiply it by the library tax rate. This year's rate is .0018451. It is the lowest rate in more than 10 years.) For renter's, the fee is calculated by taking one month's rent and multiplying it by .15. This is the lowest rate allowable by State law.

These property tax funds equal 85% of the total library revenue.The other 15% comes from fines, fees, and grants. Our tax rate has decreased every year but on in the last 8 year's yet we continue to provide more services to more people. In 2001 we had only 4,500 registered card holders and we now have over 9,600 valid registered card holders. The library is open over 3,211 hours a year with an average of 9.5 hours a day.

We offer technology resources, books, movies, music, and pregramming. Books come in a variety of formats such as large print, audio, and elctronic. Our technology resources include access to computers with internet and office software, wi-fi, basic computer skills training, online subscription databases, and 24/7 access to reference help from your home computer.

We offer programs throughout the year for people of all ages on a wide variety of topics. In the summer, we help to make reading fun and rewarding for everyone with programs for children's, teens, and adults.

Finally, the library board and staff accomplish all of this with just a tiny portion of your tax dollars and a lot of ingenuity.

April is National Poetry Month

2009-04-22T19:26:00.000-07:00

I remember in fifth grade we had to make a book of poetry. We had to collect at least one of many different types of poetry from the sonnet to the limerick and a Haiku in between. We also had to write a few poems for our book. It was a great lesson in poetry. I didn't decide to become a poet, but I used to write little rhymes for story times when I was a children's librarian.

I have recently been playing with Haiku poetry as a way to journal. It's kind of fun because you have a formula, but you also have to be very selective with your words because of that formula. It really focuses the mind.

Midwestern Spring
Throw off your jacket
Gentle Breezes, sun is shining
Birds abound with song

Looking Out My Window
Little Robin Red-Breast
Sitting in the tree
Waiting for your breakfast
A worm and cup of tea

I found this website about Haiku Poetry. You can also stop in the library and pick up a book or two on poetry. There are currently displays of poetry books in both the children's and the adult collections right now.

Happy National Poetry Month on this Beautiful Earth Day!

Friday, April 17th -- Staff Day

2009-04-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

The library was closed on Friday, April 17th for our annual staff training day. We had the added benefit that the cement was poured around our new entrance. When it stops raining (tomorrow, I hope) the black top will be filled in and new stripes will be painted in the parking lot. There will be two disabled parking spaces and the third space by the entrance will be a five minute space for people dropping off materials in the book drops or for picking up people.

Don't forget, the book drops are available 24/7.

What we learned at staff training day:
We learned about gangs that move in and through Sycamore, we talked about the joys and frustrations of working with patrons and co-workers, we learned how to repair books, use the new microfilm machine, and the new public catalog. It is still called PraireCat, but is has a new face and an easier to use searching strategy.

You can try out our beta site now by clicking on the links in this message. We are excited about the new added features and easier more successful search screen.

Back to Staff Day, we also had a chance to learn and do some yoga. Many people say how they would love to work in a library because they get to read books all day. (We wish) The reality is that we are in the business of customer service and we work with people all day. This can be stressful. Sometimes because there are just a lot of people at one time and sometimes because one party is not in a good mood. Yoga has great relaxation benefits and makes a great way to end a staff training day.

If you have any questions about our training day, the new face to our catalog, or the new vestibule, give me a call, send me an email, or stop in and visit.

Bald Eagles

2009-04-02T10:48:00.000-07:00

I have been watching a live camera feed of the Norfolk Virginia Botanical Garden's Eagle nest camera. The eagle pair hatched three eaglets in late March. We have been sneaking peaks of the eagles since last week when the link was emailed by a friend.

Right now one of the parents is feeding fish to the three eaglets. Just a little bit ago, both adults were in the nest. This parent is breaking off pieces of the fish and feeding it to the eaglets. Every once in a while, he (the male is smaller than the female) takes his own bite. The food is in a separate part of the nest.

So, why is the library director in Sycamore, Illinois writing about an eagle cam in Norfolk Virginia?

First, I love to share the really cool stuff that we find on the Internet. (Really cool as defined by me.)

Second, Earth day is fast approaching and this live video is a great reminder about the need for each of us to take care of the earth.

Third, watching the video spurred us to look at the library books that we have on Bald Eagles so we could have a better understanding of this majestic bird.

And finally, as I sat watching the father feed his brood and himself, I thought about how important it is to take care of yourself even as you take care of others. If he gave all of the food to the eaglets, he would not have the energy to care for his young. A reminder that we need to take care of our needs and give ourselves the food and moments that we need to keep up our energy.

The mother and father also share the duties, so they remind us to work together.

Book Drops

2009-03-25T13:46:00.001-07:00

We have noticed that in the morning there are not very many books in the book drop. We suspect that people don't realize that the new outer door is open 24 hours a day 7days a week. You can drop your materials off even when the library is closed.

For safety we have installed a security camera in the new vestibule and the big glass windows make it easy for the Sycamore Police Department to see if anyone is trying to use the floor as a bed.

Please help us pass the word, tell your friends.

ARK

2009-03-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday I took my dogs for a walk and felt very water logged. My boots were sticking in the mud, rain beat down on my raincoat and water sloshed everywhere. I started thinking that maybe I should build an ark. Then, for some reason, the movie Evan Almighty came to my mind and I thought about one of Evan's conversations with God:

God: How do we change the world?
Evan Baxter: One single act of random kindness at a time.
God: [spoken while writing A-R-K on ground with a stick] One Act, of, Random, Kindness.

So, I realized that maybe it is time for me to change the world one single random act of kindness at a time.

Have a wonderful day! May good things happen to you at every turn.

About the movie Evan Almighty

Inspired

2009-01-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

Today January 20, 2009, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama has been sworn into Office. At the library, we have broadcast the event on a 50" television. History is taking place right before our eyes and we are part of that history.

In early April, 1968 my mother boarded a train in Schenectady, New York with my sister who was 8 and me. I was 5. We were coming home from visiting friends. Martin Luther King Jr. had been killed and riots had broken out in Chicago. The porter on the train, a black man, wouldn't let my mother off in Chicago unless there was someone there to pick us up. It was just too dangerous. My father was driving to Union Station from Evanston to pick us up. The police at the blockades told him he couldn't go into the city because it was too dangerous. He knew that it was too dangerous not to go so he drove to Union Station and we brought us home safety. I don't remember that day. I was five and the porter, my mother, and my father did everything in their power to to make that day like a regular day.

When I started grade school, desegregation was a popular term. What that meant to me was that some kids rode a bus to school and some kids walked. I was jealous. I wanted to ride the big yellow bus to and from school. There was a boy in my class. His name was Dock Cannon. He was so cute, brown skin, short black hair and really nice. I used to stand on the sidewalk and watch Dock's bus pull away to take him home. I stood there and waved until the bus turned the corner out of sight and then I would walk to my house 6 blocks away.

I worked at the Roosevelt Branch of the Chicago Public Library in the mid-1990's. We were not allowed to open the library unless there were two employees and a security guard on duty. We had no evening hours because the neighborhood was too dangerous. My boss was a Taiwanese woman and and the other two women and the security guard were African-American. The ladies I worked with told me that I was safer going to my car and driving in that neighborhood than they were because black-on-black crimes were more likely than black-on-white crimes. Most of the kids that came into the library were African-American and they lived in the nearby Chicago Housing Project apartment. Many of these small children had no experience with a white person, let alone a pale red-headed white girl. They were fascinated. They wanted to play with my hair and they wanted to trust me, but first they needed to get to know me. One of the regulars that came to read the paper everyday stopped coming in during the stifling hot summer months. When he reappeared, he had a cast on his leg. He told me that he was leaving his apartment for work one day and was hit by stray gunfire. That happened more in the sweltering heat.

On May 7, 2005 U.S. Senator Barack Obama hosted a town hall meeting at the Sycamore Public Library. Over 400 people attended the event. Some came with their children so they could have the experience of seeing a political figure speak and answer questions, some attended because they just happened to be at the library during the event, and many came to hear what the first year Senator was going to do to help the State of Illinois and the Country. I had the opportunity to greet the Senator as he came through the door and then I spent most of the time during his question and answer session fitting people into the room, turning up the air conditioning, and giving library employees the chance to go and see the Senator for themselves. After the crowds had dispersed and it was well past time for the Senator to move on to his next speaking engagement, he came out of the meeting room and thanked me for opening the library, he asked if he had signed my copy of his book that I held in my hand. I said no and asked if we could have a picture of us together. He signed the book and wrote "I love libraries!" Then he said, I mean that, I do love libraries. Even though he was running late and needed to go, he took a couple of extra minutes to stop and talk to me.

My life has been inspired by these events. I am inspired now as we have looked beyond color, beyond political party, and into the person when electing our President. I am proud to be an American.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-19T14:17:00.001-08:00

The library will be closed December 24th, 25th and January 1st. We also close at 5:00 p.m. on December 31st. Please remember that materials are not due on those days and our drop boxes are closed during construction so hold onto them until the library is open.

I hope you all have a wonderful holidays and create many happy memories over the next couple of weeks. Stay safe and we'll see you in the stacks.

FAQ’s About Sycamore Public Library Funding and Services

2008-11-17T15:06:00.000-08:00

What percent of my taxes go to the Sycamore Public Library?
2.39% of your total tax bill is paid to the Sycamore Public Library so that you and your family may have library services.

What do I get for my Sycamore Public Library tax dollars?
Helpful, knowledgeable, conscientious staff.
More than six million books, movies, music, and audio books for all ages and abilities that can be used in the library or borrowed for a period of time.
Access to reliable online databases, including thousands of full-text magazines and journals articles.
National, regional and local newspapers for use in the library.
Access to computers for connecting to the Internet or using Microsoft Office software.
Free access to wireless Internet in the library.
Entertaining and educational programs for children, adults, and families.
Your own personal research and entertainment center.

When Can I Use the Sycamore Public Library?
The Library is open 338 days in 2008, and is scheduled to be open 337 days in 2009. The hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sundays (September through May) 1 pm to 5 pm for a total of 68 hours per week during the school year and 64 hours a week in the summer. That is more than 3,200 hours per year.

Use of the library is not limited to the hours that the building is open. Sycamore Public Library is available to you 24 hours a day 7 days a week with an Internet connection and your library card. With these tools, you can ask questions on the Ask?Away Illinois link from our website, download audio-books, read e-books, and complete research using of the 10 subscription databases which include full-text magazine and journal articles printable from your own printer.

What would it cost if I shopped instead borrowed from the library?
If you don’t use the library, in a year you might pay for:
2 Best Sellers $ 49.36
1 Travel Guide to . . .(place of your choice) $ 17.56
2 People and 1 Celebrity Hairstyles magazines $ 15.89
1 trade paperback you thought looked good but never read $ 14.98
2 paperbacks bought in the airport or grocery store line $ 17.42
2 DVDs purchased $ 42.98
75 Black and white and 25 color copies made at an Office Supply store$ 19.00
100 DVD rentals through the mail $ 167.88
Shopping Expenses $ 344.05
Library property tax $ 130.90
Total Cost for the year $ 474.95

What does it cost for my family to use the library?
For equivalent services, your cost for using the library might be:
Library property tax $130.90
Unlimited loans on books, magazines, audio books, databases, etc. included
100 DVD rentals (you can borrow as many you want at 50¢ per DVD) $ 50.00
50 days of late fees (Or you may have none) $ 5.00
75 black and white copies or and 25 color prints (optional) $ 20.00
Total Cost per year $205.90

By using the library, you can save: $269.05 or more a year

So, where did you get that $130.90 Library Property tax?
If you live within the City Limits of Sycamore, you pre-pay for library service as part of your property taxes. Currently, Sycamore’s average home value is $211,197. The property EAV for that home would be 70,399. This number is multiplied by the library tax rate of .0018598 to get $130.90. Depending upon the value of your home, you may pay more or less than this amount.
The library’s tax rate has decreased by 26.9% since 2001. The actual rate has gone from .2545 down to .18598.

Are tax dollars the only funds that pay to run the Library?
No, property taxes are is 81% of the total expected income for the year. The other 19% comes from grants, fees, interest earned, and gifts and memorials to the library.

What about people who don’t live within the City Limits?
Homes outside of the Sycamore city limits do not pay any property tax dollars toward the Public Library. They have the opportunity to purchase an annual card at the same rate as that paid by residents on their tax bill. The process for determining the annual fee is the same one used to calculate property tax amounts for residents.

What if I have additional questions?
Contact Sarah Tobias, Sycamore Public Library Director, 815-895-2500 or email her at saraht@sycamorelibrary.org.

What is an EAV?
Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) - The equalized assessed value, or EAV, is the result of applying the state equalization factor to the assessed value of a parcel of property. Tax bills are calculated by multiplying the EAV (after any deductions for homesteads) by the tax rate. For more information about understanding your tax bill, you may want to look at the following link.

New Entrance for Library

2008-10-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

The library will get a face lift beginning Wednesday, November 5th. The current entrance will be demolished and a new entrance will be constructed in its place. We will be open during regular business hours throughout construction.

The door to the north of the main entrance(to your right when looking at the building)will be the temporary entrance. This door does not have an automatic opener, so if you need assistance opening the door, please ring the bell and a staff member will come to help.

*The handicapped parking spaces will be temporarily relocated to the spaces in front of the cement wall.

*We will not have a bike rack during construction. Bicycles can be parked and locked in the garden area by Youth Services on the State Street side of the building.

*The book drop will be unavailable during construction. All materials need to be brought into the building and dropped off at the Youth Services desk or the Circulation desk on the second floor. We realize that this may be an inconvenience when you are in a hurry so we are giving everyone a three day grace period throughout the construction process.

This new entrance will address several problems that we have with the current vestibule. The woodwork is rotting and needs to be replaced, the hardware does not lock properly, and the airflow through the narrow entrance brings a great deal of cold air into the building during the winter.

The entrance will be constructed of steel and glass, with new hardware on the doors, and the longer walkway that will prevent cold air from coming into the building.

This will save money on heating and cooling costs. The book drops will be under cover and this will help ensure that materials returned in the drops stay dry even on the snowiest and rainiest of days.

Doorways

2008-09-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

The library is a doorway. It is the doorway to an escape. If you choose a book or a movie or music to take a break from life, it is just a doorway. Until you combine it with your reading, listening, and seeing skills and then mix in your imagination, you only have the doorway to escape.

If you want knowledge, you can enter the door of the library, but until you pull the books, movies and magazines off the shelf and open them, read them, and interpret them they are nothing but a doorway.

Those same books and doorways can lead to real adventure. From what you learn in a book or movie you can step through the doorway to reality. You can take the adventure. Go to the places that you read about, meet the people that you have learned about in movies.

The doorway to creating art, learning a language, writing your own book, building a birdhouse or bird feeder to building your own home.

Open doors . . . Open minds . . . Open a world of adventure.

New Entrance for Sycamore Public Library

2008-09-15T09:40:00.000-07:00

The Sycamore Public Library is constructing a new entrance that fulfils structural and safety needs. The first stage is to demolish the main entrance of the library. We hope to have the project completed by the beginning of December.

During demolition and construction, the front entrance will not be available. The temporary entrance is the staff door to the right of the main entrance (on the east side of the building). Follow the signs.

The temporary door may be awkward for some patrons. There is a red doorbell to the right of the door. Please ring the bell, and a staff member will come as quickly as possible and hold the door open. If are disabled and you just need to drop off or pick up materials, you are welcome to call and make arrangements for a staff member to come out to your car make the exchange (815-895-2500).

The outside book drops will be closed for the duration of the project. This means that all materials need to be returned inside the library. We will offer a three-day grace period during the construction project. Most materials can also be renewed. You can do this by calling the library (815-895-2500, ext. 11 or 12), going online (www.sycamorelibrary.org; PrairieCat link), or by bringing the items into the library.

We will not accept book donations during this construction project.

We are working out a temporary bike rack for bicycle riders.

Welcome to the Sycamore Public Library

2008-09-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Library is located at the corner of State and Main Streets in downtown Sycamore, Illinois.
I sat down to update this page and the first word that popped into my head was "Change." The librarian in me thought, well, before you go writing about change, you better look it up in the dictionary. So, I went to our Online resource, Encyclopedia Britannica which includes access to the unabridged Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus. I typed in the word "Change." Meaning: to make or become different; to undergo transformation, transition, or substitution; to make different in some particular. There are more ways to describe this six-letter verb, but those descriptions get my point across.
I scanned the list of fourteen choices and came across this French phrase: Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. It means, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I wonder if that is true?
Two years ago, I stated that the library was busier than ever. Today the library is even busier than it was two years ago. So, while it is changing, it is the same. No matter how busy we get, how often the newspaper writes about how busy the library is, the number one question I get from people who do not use the library is "Now that everyone can find everything on the Internet, are libraries still viable?"
For the 129,776 visitors to the Sycamore Public Library in the last fiscal year, I would say, they believe libraries are still viable. For the 26,508 people who used the public computers, libraries make sense and save money. For the 7,648 people who attended the 352 children and teen programs in the last year, libraries are fun and educational. In a day and age when the Internet is so readily available, Sycamore residents borrowed 140,878 books, 59,953 movies, 17,686 audio books, and 4,751 magazines. I guess even if you can find it on the Internet, sometimes it is just nice to have it in hand. So, even as we change and grow and provide more services, some things stay the same.
The goal of the Sycamore Library is to make sure that everyone in Sycamore finds irresistible value in their local public library and gets and uses a library card. For those who want concrete evidence of the value of the Sycamore Public Library, we can offer more than 56,766 books, 121 newspaper and magazine subscriptions, more than 5,000 audio recordings including audio books and music, and over 3,000 movies on DVD and VHS. We also provide access to wireless internet and access to computers with the latest Microsoft Office Software and high speed Internet. Those are just the things available in this building. We partner with libraries around the State and beyond to get the materials that we don’t have on hand, and for those who want to get it all on the Internet, we offer library cardholders access to excellent and reliable subscription databases 24/7. And while all of these things are not really free, you have already prepaid for them so why not use them?
Welcome ladies and gentlemen and make yourself at home.
Sarah A. Tobias, Director
Sycamore Public Library

Why Read?

2008-09-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

The National Endowment for the Arts issued a report (To Read or Not to Read) on the importance of reading. It is available at http://www.nea.gov/news/news07/TRNR.html

The report shows some important reasons why developing a reading habit and providing the opportunity for people to read is so important.

Reading for pleasure correlates strongly with academic achievement.
* Voluntary readers are better readers and writers than non-readers.
* Children and teenagers who read for pleasure on a daily or weekly basis score better on reading tests than infrequent readers.
* Frequent readers also score better on writing tests than non-readers or infrequent readers.

Good readers generally have more financially rewarding jobs.
*More than 60% of employed Proficient readers have jobs in management, or in the business, financial, professional, and related sectors.
* Only 18% of Basic readers are employed in those fields.
* Proficient readers are 2.5 times as likely as Basic readers to be earning $850 or more a week.

Good readers play a crucial role in enriching our cultural and civic life.
* Literary readers are more than 3 times as likely as non-readers to visit museums, attend plays or concerts, and create artworks of their own.
*They are also more likely to play sports, attend sporting events, or do outdoor activities.
* 18- to 34-year-olds, whose reading rates are the lowest for any adult age group under 65, show declines in cultural and civic participation.

Good readers make good citizens.
* Literary readers are more than twice as likely as non-readers to volunteer or do charity work.
* 84% of Proficient readers voted in the 2000 presidential election, compared with 53% of Below-Basic readers.

Open Books . . . Open Minds

2008-09-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

I am often amazed at how people tend to view the library as a safe and comfortable place. While we work very hard to keep the building and people who come into the library safe and comfortable enough to spend time reading, using the computers, or attending meetings, the collection is a veritable den of iniquity that could scramble and possibly even change your mind. I write this a bit tongue-in-cheek, but only just a bit.

Our job at the library is to make available to all who enter our doors, a comprehensive assemblage of recorded knowledge. This means that there is something here to please and offend everyone.

When you come to the library, you get to choose. You can look at things from only one perspective, you can completely ignore a topic, or you can tackle it from every angle. That is the thing that I love the most about working in a public library; knowledge and information is uncensored and accessible.

Abraham Lincoln said, “I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” At the library you can become wiser every day. To be wise though, you must enter a dangerous realm, you must let go of your fears and beliefs long enough to see if something else makes sense.

I wish you all, happy reading listening, and viewing. Read the inside flap or the cover before you check something out and then if you discover you selected something you don’t like, put it down or turn it off. There is no rule that says you must finish reading, listening to, or viewing any item you borrow from the library.

Donations

2008-09-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

Like New; the key phrase determinant for deciding which books to donate anywhere. The book needs to be like new. Like new condition and like new publication date. Books that are old may have value to a collector, but even that value is diminished when a book is in poor condition. Old books do not have value to the public library. Books that have been stored in your damp basement in paper boxes are getting dusty, buggy, and very likely moldy. If you think that someday you will donate a book to a library or book reseller, everyone will benefit if you donate the book sooner than later.

The Sycamore Public Library accepts books that are in like new condition. Once the items are donated to the library, they are the property of the library and what is done with them is the decision of the library staff.

The following will not be accepted at the library: magazines, textbooks, encyclopedias, bibles, and anything that has been wet, smells moldy, or has creepy crawlies dead or alive.

Materials that are likely to be added to the library collection include current or recent bestsellers in mint condition, unabridged Books on CD, music CDs, and DVDs in excellent condition. Although videos are no longer added to the library collection, they are very popular sale items. All money that is made in the books sale is an added bonus to the library budget.

Donations need to be delivered to a service desk for acceptance during business hours.

On Respect

2008-09-08T14:18:00.000-07:00

There is a sign on the library door that reads, “Respect Yourself, Respect Others and Respect Property.” These are the basic rules of the library.
We ask you to be respectful and we will offer the same respect in return.
For the library staff, respect means that we will not take a phone call while we are helping you and we expect the same consideration in return.
Respect means throwing your cigarette butts away not on the ground or in the flower pots. It also means not smoking within fifteen feet of the library entrances or windows.
It means throwing garbage in a garbage can and even picking up garbage that is floating in the wind.
Respect means sharing space with others and not blocking people from being able to enter or leave the building.
Respect means parking only in designated parking spaces and driving the right direction slowly through the parking lot.
It also means leaving the handicapped parking spaces and the door opener for those who need it.
It means parking across the street when you are capable so that others who are less capable can park close to the door.
Respect means resolving a problem and apologizing for an error. It also means understanding that we are all human and sometimes make mistakes. Respect means accepting an apology.
We respect your privacy so we will not give out information about you or the items you have checked out to anyone other than you. Respect yourself by using only your library card and having it with you whenever you come to the library.
We respect your right to access information. We expect you to respect others by being careful of what you view in public. Respect for yourself means keeping personal information private when you are in a public building.
Respect means keeping noises low so that others can do what they came to the library to do. It means talking softly, taking a crying child out of the building or into the bathroom to calm them down. Respect means turning a cell phone off or to vibrate.
Respect means looking at the fish in the tank not tapping the tank. It means walking instead of running.
Respect means understanding that your behavior conditions other people’s behavior and taking a moment to do the right thing has a positive effect.
Respect means taking a moment to understand a situation before getting angry or yelling.
Respect Yourself, Respect Others, Respect Property
Respectfully Yours,
Sarah Tobias, Director

Just the Stats May, 2007- April, 2008

2008-09-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

Sycamore Public Library
Days Open -- 334
Hours Available -- 3,348
People in the Library -- 129,776

New Library Cards -- 1,463
Average 122 new cards per month
Current Cardholders -- 8,020

Items Loaned -- 221,650
18% increase over 2006-2007
Books Loaned -- 140,878
Movies Loaned -- 59,953
Audio Loaned -- 17,686
Magazines Loaned -- 2,766
Magazines read in Library -- 1,985
Other items loaned – 367

Computers Used by 26,508 users
Average 8 people per hour
79 people per day
Wi-Fi used by 897 people in last 11 months
139 people connected to Wi-Fi in April

352 Children’s and Teen Programs
7,648 participants

41 Adult Programs
391 participants

Pumpkin Fest Winner
Best of Parade