You're Invited! Virginia Public Library Centennial Gala - December 5

The 5th Avenue library building opened to the public in January 1913, and in January 2013 the Friends of the Virginia Public Library launched the centennial year celebrations with a birthday cake at their annual meeting. To further commemorate the Library’s 100th anniversary, the Friends decided to update Dorothy Petroskey’s 1992 history, Virginia’s Libraries, written the year of the City's centennial. Virginia High School junior Tucker Nelson volunteered to do the update, and what a remarkable job he's done! 

During his research, Tucker discovered an article from a 1912 edition of The Virginian indicating there is a time capsule under the cornerstone of the library! 

On December 5th, the Friends will host a gala dinner cosponsored by the Virginia Area Historical Society and the Virginia Study Club. Photographer Doug Ohman, author of Libraries of Minnesota, will present the history of the Library in the context of the history of libraries in Minnesota, and Tucker Nelson will present the new History of the Virginia Public Library and share the story of the time capsule.

Please join us for a wonderful evening of celebration as we commemorate this cornerstone of the community ...and be one of the first to read the updated and expanded history!

Virginia Public Library Centennial Gala

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Holy Spirit Social Hall – 306 S. 2nd St, Virginia, MN

5:00 p.m. social … 6:00 p.m. dinner … 7:00 p.m. program 

Cost: $15.00 per person. Pre-pay at the library by November 21.

Door prizes and books available for sale.

How to RSVP...

Fill in the form on this flyer and return it with your payment of $15 per person to the Virginia Public Library front desk or mail to the library at 215 South 5th Avenue, Virginia MN 55792. Make checks payable to the Friends of the Virginia Public Library.

~ Jennifer Armstrong, President

Friends of the Virginia Public Library

Learn a new language for free through Virginia Public Library!

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Learning a new language with Mango Languages is free for all VPL patrons, and offers a fast and convenient solution for today’s increasing language-learning needs. Each lesson combines real life situations and audio from native speakers with simple, clear instructions. The courses are presented with an appreciation for cultural nuance and real-world application that integrates components of vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and culture. Users learn actual conversation, breaking down complex linguistic elements within an audio-visual framework that draws important connections and builds on information they have already learned.

There are more than 40 foreign language courses available and 16 English as a Second Language (ESL) courses.

To learn more about Mango and get a preview of what the program has to offer, stop by the library and we will give you an introduction. You can access Mango through the library website at http://www.virginia.lib.mn.us. 

For more information, call 748-7525.

--Susan Hoppe, Reference Services Librarian

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Fortune Bay Resort Casino Donation

Have you seen the library news in the Mesabi Daily News?  If not, here is what they printed from Fortune Bay Resort Casino: 

The Virginia Public Library recently received a $433.07 donation from Fortune Bay Resort Casino that will be used to enhance the library’s Summer Reading Program. The donation was made possible by customers who tossed coins into the large waterfalls like fountain at Fortune Bay.

Maintenance employees collected the coins and presented them to Fortune Bay Resort Casino employee Rob Alger, whose daughter, Delia, takes part in the program.

“We really appreciate this donation from Fortune Bay Resort Casino,” said Dawn Heisel, Virginia Children’s Services Librarian, who plays an instrumental role in the reading program.  “This will really help our efforts in providing our local children with an even better Summer Reading Program.”

Pictured left to right are: Rob Alger, Delia Alger, Dawn Heisel , Nancy Maxwell, library director, and Kathryn Cremers, member of the Friends of the Virginia Public Library. Submitted photo.

Thank you, Fortune Bay, for your support of reading and the Virginia Public Library, and thank you Delia Alger and family, for thinking of us!  

Susan Hoppe, Reference Services Librarian

Press Release from Arrowhead Library System: Preston Gunderson kicks off his Musical Tour August 5th With the Arrowhead Libraries

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Preston Gunderson kicks off his Musical Tour August 5^th With the Arrowhead Libraries

Mountain Iron, MN, July 22, 2013 – Preston Gunderson will be at the following locations:

• Buhl Public Library on Monday, August 5, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.
• Mt. Iron Public Library on Monday, August 5, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.

• Virginia Public Library on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 12:00 p.m.

• Aurora Public Library on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.
• Babbitt Public Library on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.
• Gilbert Public Library on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at 4:30 p.m.
• Eveleth Public Library on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 at 6:00 p.m.

Preston Gunderson, a native from Virginia, Minnesota will begin his musical performance & songwriters workshop running from August 5-17^th, 2013!  Preston will perform and provide input on writing and recording original music, his processes and his musical experiences as a singer/songwriter at your library.

Preston Gunderson, a casting finalist for this years season of The Voice on NBC was one of only 200 out of over 500,000 auditions to be flown out to Los Angeles!  He will perform songs from his album "While I was Gone," which cracked the top #200 on the iTunes pop charts, and songs from his latest release, "The Recluse–EP,” which was top #25 on the iTunes singer songwriter charts. 

Preston Gunderson is currently working on a new album that will be recorded at the famed Terrarium recording studio http://www.the-terrarium.com/index.html in Minneapolis.  You can hear a sample of his music at iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/preston-gunderson/id485158290

The Musical Performance & Songwriters workshop is for both Teens & Adults!  Feel free to bring a note pad to jot down songwriting tips as Preston shares his personal story of being a songwriter and working in the music business industry.

This project was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts & Cultural Heritage fund.

The Popularity Paper

Amongst all the other things I’ve been doing for this summer’s fantastic reading program, I squeezed in a webinar on the impact of libraries on early reading development.  To be fair, I grumbled about the timing of the program.  I mean, what are they doing presenting this program to Children’s Librarians at the busiest time of the year?  But then I decided that I could probably fit in an hour, especially if it was quiet in the library.  As it happened, I was only interrupted 5 times, which was very manageable.  Anyway, while I learned some new information on early reading, I learned far more about how parents (and others) around our nation feel about libraries from Lee Rainie of PewInternet.org.

The Pew Research Center is considered to be the gold standard for unbiased, scientific community surveys, so I fully expected the presenter to be somewhat dull and perhaps a little boring. Imagine my surprise when he sounded downright giddy to be talking about their recent report concerning libraries.  To quote:  “We just don’t see these numbers in other areas.  This level of agreement throughout our nation is unheard of in any of our other studies.”  Yikes, and they’re talking about libraries?

Well, this got my attention and I completely ignored the ruckus being raised at the puzzle table.  What I learned is that parents and the general populace really like us.  I mean they really, really, like us and they think we’re important to them.  The number one takeaway from this vast nationwide study is that libraries are appreciated.  A full 91% (this was the statistic responsible for the giddiness) of the respondents said libraries were important to their community.  Another 76% said they were important to their family and them personally.  And then, when it comes to parents, 94% said libraries are important for their children.  Ok, so I knew that, but I never in a million years thought that many other people knew it too.

from http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/05/01/parents-children-libraries-and-reading/

Wow!  I confess that I was starting to feel a bit like Sally Field when she won her Oscar.  Then Mr. Rainie began with the survey comparisons between libraries and other institutions.  Once again libraries came out on top.  (Mr. Rainie was almost jumping out of his seat now.)  Did you know that Americans have more confidence in libraries than just about any other service provided by our fine government (excepting those hunky firemen), and even many other services provided in our communities?  Yep, libraries beat out banks, TV stations, newspapers, schools, hospitals, big business and more.  Of course I believe this, but no one can accuse me of unbiased thinking when it comes to libraries... 

from http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/05/01/parents-children-libraries-and-reading/

So, what about our future?  I’ve heard plenty of doomsday prophecies.  E-books are the death of libraries; print books will be gone, etc.  How does America really feel?  Well, more than 80% of them say “keep the books”.    Hmm... not only do Americans like libraries, but they also like print books.  I’m starting to think that perhaps the rest of the world is finally catching on to the wonder my world.  Way to go, Pew!

Click HERE to read the summary of findings.

-Dawn Heisel, Public Services Librarian