The “Perfect” Memory

Just the other day I had a young mother visit the library and say, "There are so many picture books!  It's pretty overwhelming to know which one my daughter will love."  When I probed a little further, I discovered that she wanted to find the one book her daughter would remember reading when she was older.  Unfortunately, I can easily say that's probably not something Moms can control.

Child and READ Dog Katie

This mother wasn't in the wrong; she made the same mistake as many other young parents who think that every book is a gem waiting to be polished by the love of a parent’s lap and the gentle sound of a parent’s voice.  I almost hate bursting this bubble, but that just ain't the way it happens.  After decades of working with children and books, let me tell you that the book you think your child will remember tenderly is almost certainly not going to be the one they mention when someone asks "What was your first favorite book?" when they are in their teens. In fact, in most cases, it won't even be one you remember reading.  

Franklin and Friend with Picture Books

What can a young parent do to create those warm fuzzies around books?  The answer is simple: read, and then, read some more. Read until you are blue in the face and dreaming about The Poky Little Puppy while you sleep.  Your child will thank you for this.  Why?  Because, the children who do best, the ones who learn to love reading, and the ones who take to it much more easily than others, are the ones who have had thousands of books in their life BEFORE they even start school.  And, when I say thousands, please note, that wasn't a typo. I mean THOUSANDS.  And, while it's nice for your child to have their own little library and learn how to take care of their books, unless you are a millionaire, thousands of books just aren’t in the budget of many young families.  Hint: This is why we have a humongous checkout limit of 20 books per card.

The perfect book?

So, to make our world a better place, we want children to read lots and lots of books.  Some families visit the library daily, others weekly and still others come every three weeks when their books are due.  Many of these families check out their limit and laugh about how fast their children plow through the titles.   Throughout the years, the one thing I've noticed most is that the children of these families often become very good readers and have learned to love books almost by osmosis.  Feel free to look for that perfect book, but don't make it your biggest goal.  After all, when I would have pegged The Poky Little Puppy -- a book I still remember every single doggone syllable of to this day -- as my son's favorite childhood read, it didn't even make his top ten.  Sigh.   

--Dawn Heisel, Public Services Librarian

National Library Week at VPL

Of course, everyone knows that National Library Week is pretty high up on my list of happy weeks.  I decided to be a librarian in the 7^th grade and hardly ever wavered -- just a little blip of thought when I discovered that degreed librarians are required to go to college for at least 5 years.  But, dedication persevered and here I am, more than 30 years later, still a librarian who enjoys National Library Week.

This is the week to celebrate our libraries and their role in our communities.  Coming on the heels of the 2012 MN Bureau of Business and Economic Research report which concluded that the return on investment for every dollar spent on libraries brought $4.62 back into our communities, I say it’s a pretty good role. After all, not many people can say they quadrupled their money. 

This year, Virginia Public Library is once again planning some great events: 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

April 10^th – Noon in the Library Auditorium: Not only is this National Library Workers Day, but it is also the day for our community discussion of this year’s One Book, One Community book selection.  So, on the way to the auditorium, give your favorite library worker a hug and continue on to discuss The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot.  Everyone is encouraged to read this riveting book and discuss its many themes. Like all of the library's Brown Bag Programs, this one is designed to fit into the work week, so feel free to bring a lunch and enjoy the discussion during your lunch hour.  To make our week even more festive, the Friends of the Library will provide coffee 'an!

Poetry of Place

On April 11^th – Noon in the Library Auditorium:  What a great opportunity! Poets Sheila Packa and Michelle Matthees will lead a poetry reading and workshop. The reading will feature the poets’ work as related to place. Sheila Packa grew up south of Biwabik and has a deep understanding of how place helps define identity and can be celebrated in poetry. Michelle Matthees shares how place informs her poetry, especially as it relates to travel—including her recent trips to Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Local poets are encouraged to share their poetry as well.

The workshop will immediately follow the reading and will explore and celebrate the role of place in our lives. Using guided writing exercises, participants will explore themes like memory, tradition, pride and even alienation. This workshop is designed for everyone, from beginning to more experienced writers.

Sheila Packa is the author of Echo & Lightning and Cloud Birds, editor of Migrations: Poetry & Prose for Life's Transitions, and served as Duluth’s Poet Laureate from 2010-12. Michelle Matthees is a current Minnesota State Arts Board Fellow and the author of Served, Outside, and Junket.

This informative and interactive program is geared toward all audiences. Admission to the event is free thanks to sponsorship by the Arrowhead Library System and funding by money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Blue Guitar Highway

On April 12^th – Noon in the Library Auditorium:  Local folk singer-songwriter Paul Metsa, who creates not only folk music, but also music in most styles to be found in America, will present a fantastic program for our Brown Bag Series. Bring a lunch and listen to Paul discuss his new memoir, Blue Guitar Highway which will be available for purchase and signing. (BTW, we're hoping he will also bring his guitar!) Once again, coffee an' will be generously provided by the Friends of the Library.

For more information on these events or others, please call 748-7525 or visit the event calendar at www.virginia.lib.mn.us.  And remember, during this week especially, that your library is at the heart of your community.

--Dawn Heisel, Public Services Librarian