Library Scoop
Johnson County Public Library August 2015
Beverly A. Martin 28 years as JCPL Director 1987 - 2015
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES OF YOUR TIME WITH JCPL? • • • • • •
Many wonderful moments getting to know staff members as individuals The construction and grand openings of each of the branches Leadership Academy Initiations My 25th Anniversary Celebration Playing Corn Hole blindfolded at Staff Day Working with Lori Roberts one snowy Saturday morning when she and I were the only ones able to make it into the Franklin Branch and there were three patrons waiting for us to open After all, it’s what my career was all about - helping others by serving the public and my community.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR TOP 10 ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING YOUR CAREER? 1. Being a part of the lives of my wonderful nieces and nephews as they have grown into fine young adults. Plus my siblings still love me! 2. Being a well liked and respected leader of the Johnson County Public Library these past 28 years. 3. Nurturing the growth and development of the amazing and outstanding staff members with whom I have had the great good fortune to work both here at JCPL and at IMCPL. Establishing JCPL Leadership Academy. 4. Working with many fine Library Board members during my career and surviving the one or two not so great ones! 5. The planning, the execution and the successful operation of the four JCPL branches and the Library Service Center building projects. 6. Always balancing the budget and maintaining a strong fiscal outlook for JCPL. 7. Sustaining the support of the many great JCPL Friends members over the years. 8. Ten years chairing the ILF Legislative Committee – working on significant legislation that benefitted Indiana libraries and their patrons. 9. Serving on the ALA Caldecott Committee. 10. Maintaining my sense of humor and my vision of the bigger picture even through the rough times. There were not a lot, but the few were challenging!
DO YOU HAVE A FUN “I WOULDN’T DO THAT AGAIN” MEMORY? We had just started talking about controlled substances and how staff should handle something they might find in a branch that appeared to be “suspicious”. My office was in the Franklin branch at the time and when a member of the circulation staff brought me a white substance that had been swept onto a piece of cardboard, my immediate reaction was to wet my finger, touch the substance and taste it. Hey – I had seen them do it on TV all the time and just knew if it was a narcotic that I would be able to make a determination by the taste. Having taken this action, I was able to wisely declare that the substance was only Tide and that everyone could rest assured that their brave leader had saved the day. It was only then that they told me that the substance had been swept up off the floor of the men’s toilet room! A hard way to learn that in a situation like that you really do need to call in an expert!
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IF YOU WERE REINCARNATED AS AN ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I have always had an issue with the anthropomorphism of animals, giving human characteristics to animals. Thus for me, it is hard to chose an animal for reincarnation because how do we know what their traits and attributes really are? From what I have read in the research on these two animals, I think I would choice to either be a dolphin or a wolf. WHEN YOU HAVE 30 MINUTES OF FREE TIME, HOW DO YOU PASS THE TIME? Read or listen to music or both! IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ONLY THREE PEOPLE (REAL OR FICTITIOUS/FROM ANY TIME PERIOD/DEAD OR ALIVE), WHICH THREE PEOPLE WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY? Eleanor Roosevelt, Gandhi and Martin Luther King. All three chose civil disobedience to effect the lives of others and mankind through their writings, their passive actions and deep belief in the goodness of people. WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF FUN? IF GIVEN A CHANCE TO SKIP WORK FOR A DAY, HOW WOULD YOU SPEND THE ENTIRE DAY? Get up early, do something outdoors, take a nap, read and have a great meal of either Mediterranean or Asian cuisine. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A BEACH ALONE, WHAT ARE FIVE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? Tools, fresh water, food source, Satellite Internet feed and an electronic device stored with reading and reference materials of some sort or the other. Would have to build a shelter and a source to generate power. Could then relax and read. Would be nice to have Wilson along for the adventure! WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE MUSICAL GROUP IN MIDDLE SCHOOL? I was a big fan of the TV show American Band Stand back then. If I remember correctly, I liked Dion, the Everly Brothers and the Kingston Trio. Listened to a lot of classical music like Peter and the Wolf and Sleeping Beauty and recorded tall tales of Pecos Bill, John Henry, etc. NAME ONE THING YOU MISS ABOUT BEING A KID. Fishing with my Dad, my siblings and my Aunt Chris. DO YOU HAVE ANY PHOBIAS? Not really. My Mom implanted her fear of mice in all her children but other than big dogs there isn't much that makes me uncomfortable. I think as you get older you get more claustrophobic just because you value your own personal space more. WHAT TYPES OF FOOD DO YOU NOT EAT? Ketchup is about the only thing I won't eat. Not big on organ meats any longer as I have come to understand the reality of their unique functions. Don't really know why that bothers me as I consume as many additives in my diet as the next person.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE 10 CHILDREN’S BOOKS/AUTHORS? (not in order) • • • • • • • • • •
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats Corduroy by Don Freeman When the Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle Frog and Toad series by Arnold Lobel Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE 10 ADULT BOOKS/AUTHORS? (not in order)
Impossible to list – Only one of the authors I chose is in the Amazon top 100 list of authors by number of sales • • • • • • • • • •
Dr. Seuss – Oh, the Places You’ll Go Harper Lee - To Kill a Mocking Bird Charles Schultz – Peanuts J.R.R. Tolkien – The Hobbit John Steinbeck – Grapes of Wrath Kathleen Norris - Dakota Ellis Peters - The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael Patricia Cornwell Nevada Barr Doris Kearns Goodwin
IF YOU COULD CHOOSE TO STAY A CERTAIN AGE FOREVER, WHAT AGE WOULD IT BE? I guess I would choose 45 - you are both physically, mentally and spiritually healthy. You can start planning for retirement while having some great years left in your career. If you are fortunate you have economic and personal stability on which to rely. If not, its not too late to start afresh.
IF YOU COULD LEARN TO DO ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Rocket Science - hoping that it would make me a better plumber, electrician and Jill of all trades. Realistically, I would like to learn to play the banjo.
IF YOU HAD TO WORK ON ONLY ONE PROJECT FOR THE NEXT YEAR, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Improving my health - for too long I have not spent enough time on sustaining and improving my physical and metal health. I need to be more active and more meditative.
Thanks Bev for all the help these past four years. I hope you have a great retirement!! ~Kit
Too many wonderful memories to count! I’m extremely grateful and honored that I have had the privilege to work with Bev for the past 26 years. Her dedication to JCPL and her leadership has made JCPL what it is today. I’m proud to say that that JCPL is MY library! Thank you Bev for your service! ~Judi Congratulations on your retirement! I hope you enjoy your new freedom...we will miss you! ~Wendy
I went to ALA in Anaheim in 2008. I had only been at the library for a year and the only other JCPL employee that went was Bev. I thought it would be intimidating but of course she took care of me and made sure I had a great conference. We went to dinner at Buca di Beppo with a bunch of her library director friends and somehow she ensured I ended up with all the leftovers. I don't think I had to buy a meal for the rest of the conference. ~Davin
I remember an act of kindness that Bev did when we went to a PLA Conference in Seattle. It had been an intense time and we were all tired. On the last day she rented a car and drove the group to San Juan Island, via the ferry. It was a wonderful day, with a visit to the Lime Kiln Lighthouse, and a drive around the island, with time spent in Friday Harbor. A big Thank You to Bev for this! ~Dorothy
Bev and I had a thing about tomatoes! We chatted about my garden harvest during the summers when we saw each other at meetings. I remember smuggling in a few end-of-the-harvest remnant of tomatoes to our early November Staff Day at the FFA Center one year to give to Bev! It may have been the year we had the "boats" theme when we broke off into groups with outside guests helping facilitate. I tried to bring tomatoes in to share when I thought I might see her or other non-CPB staff members. In reference to "boats," thanks to Bev for keeping JCPL afloat during those rough economic times we weathered together as a crew. "O Captain! My Captain!" Thanks for the memories, Bev! ~Sue S.