Friends of TCCL Spring 2020 Newsletter

@your library Volume XXVII Number Three

See Editor's Note on page 6 regarding Tulsa City-County Library closures.

A NEWSLETTER OF

Spring 2020

Author Jennifer Latham to speak at writing contest awards ceremony

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by Karen Smith ulsa City-County Library plans to present programs from May 2020 through May 2021 that mark the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

To that end, meet Jennifer Latham, Tulsa author, at the Adult Creative Writing Contest awards ceremony on May 9, 2020.

Jennifer has written Dreamland Burning, a novel which chronicles the massacre and its impact through the eyes of two teenagers in two different centuries. A review of the book is aptly titled:

Adult Creative Writing Contest

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he 43rd annual Adult Creative Writing Contest sponsored by Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries runs through March 31.

CHILDREN'S FICTION INFORMAL ESSAY POETRY SHORT STORY

The contest is open to any person over the age of 18 who resides, works, or attends school in Tulsa County, or has a nonresident Tulsa City-County Library card.

INSIDE:

First place winners in each category will receive a cash prize of $125; second place winners will receive a cash prize of $75; honorable mention winners will receive a $10 gift card and certificate. Comprehensive rules and entry forms are available at all Tulsa City-County libraries and at tulsalibrary.org.

President's Podium: Another gift from the library page 2

Tulsa author Jennifer Latham will give the address at the Adult Creative Writing Contest awards ceremony on May 9.

Photo credit: Cory Young, Tulsa World.

“Some bodies won’t stay buried. Some stories need to be told.”

When 17-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton buried on her family’s property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past and the present.

Jennifer’s book was inspired by stories she listened to over four years of research. Although the characters in the book are purely fictional, Jennifer says, “ . . . [t]hey tell their stories on behalf of those who didn’t survive the riot, as well as those who lived but were never heard . . .[I] hope they make people want to learn more about the riot. And I hope that maybe-possibly-they might even break a few hearts … and mend them right back up again.”

The book boldly raises important questions about how racial tensions have changed, and haven’t changed, in nearly 100 years.

Jennifer undoubtedly will weave her own broad life experiences and her researching and writing of the book—an artful historical fiction with a cold case mystery—when she shares tips on how to be a writer and how to get published with this year’s participants of the Adult Creative Writing Contest.

Contest entries will be accepted through March 31. Applications are available online at tulsalibrary.org. 

Library system racks up awards page 3

Spotlight: Brookside Library page 4

Curbside pickup program expands page 6

PRESIDENT’S PODIUM Another gift from the library

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ven though it is March, you need to pick up the library’s 2019 Annual Report if you have not already. The Annual Report appears every January and copies for everyone are available in every branch. They are free of charge, in beautiful color, full of interesting stories about the year and “fast facts” such as how many library materials are in the system and numbers on attendance at events. Jackie Hill and others in the library's Public Relations office work diligently and creatively to make the report relevant and attractive.

The 2019 Annual Report is also a 2020 calendar. The main festivals and award ceremonies, the Summer Reading dates, Grandparents Day, national holidays, writing contest dates, and many more things are already marked on the calendar.

The report is also available on the library website, under the tab “About” on the home page.

Feb. 19 fire at Central Library

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ou may have heard that Central Library sustained damage from a fire inside a second floor bathroom on Feb. 19, forcing the library to close operation for a time. Restoration crews worked tirelessly to re-open the library as quickly as possible.

The first floor opened to customers on Feb. 28. The administrative wing followed on March 2, and the third floor opened March 9. The second floor remains closed for repairs. The affected bathroom will require an extensive remodel, which crews hope to complete in the coming weeks.

Friends are pitching in to help get the second floor ready too, scanning shelves to ensure books are in their proper place following cleaning!

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@your library | Spring 2020

So many Tulsa County residents use the libraries to check out books, CDs, and DVDs (well over 2 million physical visits happened in 2019.) But many are in a hurry and don’t pick up the wonderful materials on display tables, such as the monthly My Library event guide and the Annual Report. I suggest you take some extra copies and hand them around as you go about your day. You will be teaching your friends all the amazing reasons to be proud of what our libraries provide, and how we all can, at no cost, have even more fun, learn more, and meet new people at the library.

You may want to share copies of the Annual Report with your small groups where you work or worship, with family members, with your dentist's and physician’s offices, favorite coffee house, your book club, quilting class, your child’s school personnel, or at the neighborhood nursing home. Parents, teens, hobbyists,

business people, retirees—there are library events, services and materials for every age. If they only knew! Please share.

I'll see you at the library. 

Sherry Leslie 2019-2020 President, Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries

Friends celebrate Read Across America Day

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n March 2 Friends took part in the annual Read Across America Day that coincides with the birthday of Dr. Seuss, Theodor Geisel. We donned our Cat in the Hat hats (and tails) and headed to Robertson Elementary, one of the four schools we support with our First Book program. We visited four pre-K and Kindergarten classes, reading several Dr. Seuss books to eager students, including the book they received from us this March for First Book, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

Special thanks to this year's readers, Friends Kathleen Kastelic, Brenda Michael-Haggard, Glad Platner and Marian Sexton. 

Glad Platner reads to students at Robertson Elementary in Tulsa on Read Across America Day, March 2.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS Library system continues to rack up awards

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by Sherry Leslie

ince we've recently celebrated award season in Hollywood, we just have to bring up the wonderful list of national and local awards our libraries have been given in the past year.

The Library Journal selected Central Library, along with just five other libraries across the nation, as outstanding in 2019, bestowing it with the designation of a New Landmark Library.

The American Library Association and Information Today, Inc. designated TCCL a Library of the Future Award winner, for the focus on teaching technology through its Digital Literacy Lab. (Which we told you about in our fall issue.)

The National Safety Council awarded TCCL the Oklahoma Employer Traffic Safety Exemplary Award, only given to two Oklahoma organizations, for going above and beyond to make traffic safety a priority for employees. The many vehicles moving books and librarians are kept safe from breakdowns or accidents by dedicated work and planning. Kudos to Literacy, Outreach and Volunteer Services Manager, Tracy Scott, for leading this effort.

TCCL also earned Bronze Quill Awards for Excellence in Business

Books Sandwiched In

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iscover your next read or dive deeper into a latest best-seller with our series of lunchtime book talks. Talks take place from 12:10-12:50 p.m. at Central Library unless otherwise noted.

Katlin Seagraves teaches a class in the Digitial Literacy Lab at Central Library, which earned TCCL a "Library of the Future" award.

Communication for its promotional video (have you seen promos on TV?), the Summer Reading Program promotional video, the Library Event Guide and the BE ALL IN Communication Campaign.

Locally, The Tulsa Voice readers again chose TCCL as the Best Place to Learn Something New. The Tulsa Dialogue Institute of the Southwest honored TCCL and two other organizations with the 2019 Fethullah Gulen Education Award for outstanding dedication and service to society. ď ź

MARCH 9 | FICTION

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

by Kim Michele Richardson

RESCHEDULED TO OCTOBER 2020 A special evening Books Sandwiched In event...

APRIL 13 | NON-FICTION

Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation

by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw Presented by Scott Aycock

Heirloom Rustic Ales | 2113 E. Admiral Blvd.

Check-in and reception: 6:00 p.m. | Program: 6:30 p.m.

COMPLIMENTARY BAR SNACKS | DOOR PRIZES

Heirloom Rustic Ales will donate a portion of proceeds from the evening to Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries.

Presented by Mona Easterling

MARCH 16 | NON-FICTION

The Mosquito by Timothy Winegard Presented by Eldon Eisenach

MARCH 23 | MEMOIR Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl Presented by Hilary Kitz

MARCH 30 | FICTION The Testaments by Margaret Atwood Presented by Carissa Kellerby

APRIL 6 | MEMOIR Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo Presented by Joe Johnston

Spring 2020 | @your library

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Fall scholarships awarded

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riends of the Libraries are proud to have awarded funds for these staff members to further their education during the Fall, 2019 semester: CLAYTON FLETCHER, Data Analyst, Central MARY GREEN, Associate Children’s Librarian, Bixby HOLLY MAYHALL, Customer Service Assistant, Bixby JORDAN NEWBERRY, Customer Service Assistant, Hardesty JENNIFER PARRISH, Customer Service Assistant, Hardesty ERIC TACKETT, Customer Service Assistant, Central

Spotlight: Brookside Library

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by Debbie Cogan

Small but mighty" describes the Brookside Library nicely.

Serving a vibrant community in Tulsa’s popular Brookside district, the Brookside Library features a variety of programs for all ages and is home to a unique collection of metal sculptures

by Tulsa artist Lisa Regan. Most of Brookside’s customers have been coming for years and know the staff by name (just as the staff knows theirs!). It all started in 1951 when the library opened in a storefront on S. Peoria Ave., moved 11 years later to leased quarters on E. 35th St just off Peoria before building the current location in 1967. The current building was almost three times larger than the previous location but quickly became one of the busiest branches in the system. In 1998, the library was enlarged again, reopening in 1999 with shelving for a collection of 32,000.

At the helm is Branch Manager, Kelly Bayles who actually started at Brookside as a teen volunteer and was hired as a shelver.

Brookside Library is located at 1207 E. 45th Place, near 45th and Peoria Avenue in Tulsa.

After college, she completed her degree in library science and moved up through the ranks at several branches before returning to manage Brookside Library in 2017. The Brookside staff brings a wealth of experience to serving their customers.

Deeply involved in the Brookside community, including the Brookside Business Association, they hosted a Kid Zone during the BooHaHa Halloween festival in October and participated in neighborhood festivals like Brookside Herb Day, and provide outreach to local schools, daycares, and social service agencies.

Organizations like Toastmasters, Brookside Lions Club, and several local homeowner’s associations rely on the community meeting space to conduct their meetings. In addition, the library serves as a polling place for local, state, and national elections.

Brookside is known for interesting, innovative programs and events. Dana Henson, Youth Librarian, hosts two Build-A-Reader storytimes each week: Babies & Toddlers on Tuesdays and Preschoolers on Wednesdays, both at 10:15. Families love sharing stores and songs with “Miss Dana” each week. PAWS for Reading is once a month, giving children the opportunity to read to therapy dogs and receive a free book.

Teen Associate Katie Hanisch hosts Kids Zone rom 3-5 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the school year, with activities such as crafting, LEGO, video games and movies for after school students. On the 1st Thursday of the month, Katie hosts Teen Maker Club with a new activity planned each month, including paracord bracelets, paper snowflake making, and yarn crafting.

Katie also plans a variety of special events for teens and tweens throughout the year.

For adults, the popular Brookside Book Discussion group meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 1:30. This is one of the largest book discussion groups in the Tulsa City-County Library system and they are celebrating their 20th anniversary!

Participants read a wide range of genres and topics like The Library Book in February and The Dutch House in March.

Kids enjoy a special story time with Channel 8 at Brookside Library.

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@your library | Spring 2020

Brookside has a committed and hard-working complement of volunteers, who with the staff make every effort to nurture the "community vibe." They work hard to cultivate relations with the Brookside community to make the Brookside Library a welcoming place to read, learn, study, create, and discuss. You will find something for everyone at the Brookside Library! 

SERVICE SPOTLIGHT Research Wizards work magic

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by Sherry Leslie

ulsa is blooming—with business growth, new agencies working on public issues, new products, nonprofits supporting education and culture— and dreams of what could be. Every dream is important, exciting, and in need of data for planning on how to reach its fullest

potential. Tulsa Library works with businesses, potential businesses, and non-profits to gather data they can use to be successful. The library’s department is rightly called the Research Wizard.

This department’s descriptive byline is “customizing information to meet your knowledge needs." A visit and interview within the rooms of Research Wizard department is fascinating. The varied and huge amount of data that can be gleaned from the many sorts of computer databases to which the library subscribes will be instrumental to any group or individual with a dream.

For example, there is access to standard business plans, strategic plans, national specifications for products, supplies for marketing, lists for direct mail prospects based on lifestyle data, patent research, reviews of competitors, trademark clearance, and technical product development details.

And so much more!

Jennifer Pawlowski and Martha Gregory make up the "Research Wizard" service.

Staff is available to help

by appointment. Martha Gregory and Jennifer Pawlowski work in this department with clients, who must have a library card. After a brief discussion, they will research and present the requested data for an hourly fee. But they will teach an individual how to use the library databases on their own, costing no fee, with an appointment.

The Research Wizard staff is also capable of developing displayable data—graphs, charts, and/or maps—in large format for display. It is called their “visual intelligence service." These displays could be made of the data found by Research Wizard, or of material the client already has.

If you or someone you know will benefit from learning more about this department, they can be reached by phone 918.549.7431 or fax 918.549.7433 or email to wizard@tulsalibrary.org. A robust website, www.ResearchWizard. org, offers many helpful details about the service.

This department is housed on the third floor of Central Library. We will be sharing more about help for business and nonprofit needs in newsletter issues to come.

GROW mobile library opens at The Gathering Place

by Carolyn McClure

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ulsa City-County Library has partnered with The Gathering Place to implement GROW (Gather and Read On Wheels).

Park guests may browse and select books to enjoy while visiting the park or check out books to take home with them. A mobile folding book case houses the collection and may be moved anywhere in the park. Park staff or volunteers check out the books to visitors who use their TCCL library cards. Books may be returned to the park or any library location. To date, most of the use has taken place in the park.

Books in the collection are all types: storybooks for kids; adult fiction; nonfiction including books about Tulsa; books with activities you can do in the park such as bird watching, tree identification, and outdoor games. You may see the GROW Mobile Library every second Saturday from 9:30 to noon in

Buddy Bookworm welcomes readers at the launch of GROW. ONEOK Boathouse. Storytime begins at 9:30 followed by literacybased activities, toys, and games. 

Spring 2020 | @your library

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Curbside pickup program expands to seven locations

by Rachel Organist

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n our summer 2019 Service Spotlight, you may have noticed a piece on the library’s curbside pickup pilot program. The program was initially offered at Hardesty Regional and Schusterman-Benson branches, but as I recently pulled into my local Kendall-Whittier branch I noticed with interest that a colorful new sign had appeared in front of one of the parking spots. As it turns out, after a successful pilot phase, service has expanded to five additional branches, with plans for more to come.

According to regional manager Emily Archibald, who has been tasked with overseeing the program’s expansion, the idea was originally floated by the library leadership team in 2017. Curbside pickup services were being offered by an increasing array of retailers, from Target to your favorite local restaurant. Launching a similar service would be consistent with the library’s goals of staying relevant to its users and removing barriers to access.

Hardesty, Schusterman, and Rudisill branches were initially selected as potential locations for a pilot program. After an investigation phase, which included talking to other libraries that had implemented similar services, it was determined that the building layout at Rudisill wasn’t ideal for a pilot, so the program proceeded at the other two locations.

Archibald notes that the service has been very popular with those who use it. At the Hardesty branch, most users are parents or caregivers with sleeping children or multiple strollers to wrangle.

Other branches have found they have more senior users or those with mobility issues. All have found the service to be a perk they appreciate, but use has thus far stayed at a level that doesn’t overwhelm library staff or require changes to workflows.

Using the service is simple—when your hold is ready for pickup, just head to the library and look for the designated parking spot near the door. Call the number on the sign, press 2, and enter the two-digit location code found on the sign. You’ll be connected with a library staff member who will request your name and library card number. They’ll check out your items and bring them out to your car—without your having to wake a single sleeping toddler.

Curbside pickup service is now available Monday through Thursday from 1-6 p.m. at the following locations:

EDITOR'S NOTE (3/23/20): All TCCL branches are temporarily closed

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Central Library (Fifth Street and Denver Avenue; look for the holds parking lane on Fifth Street)

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Hardesty Regional Library (8316 E.93rd St.)

or posterity, we wanted to note that just prior to completion of this newsletter issue, we received word that all TCCL branches would close to the public and staff until further notice, beginning at 6 p.m., Monday, March 16, in an effort to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

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Jenks Library (523 W. B St.)

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Kendall-Whittier Library (21 S. Lewis Ave.)

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Nathan Hale Library (6038 E. 23rd St.)

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Schusterman-Benson Library (3333 E. 32nd Pl.)

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Zarrow Regional Library (2224 W. 51st St.)

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This followed the closing of all branches to public access that went into effect at close of business on Friday, March 13. With the expanded closure, all curbside pickup, book drop access and phone service was halted.

At this time, customers can continue to access the library's online services. A reopening date is undetermined.

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Instructions for picking up books placed on hold for curbside service are posted in front of Central Library.

@your library | Spring 2020

The expansion locations were chosen for their geographical diversity, with the hope that most library users will have one nearby. The library plans to continue to add locations each year, so keep an eye out for the curbside pickup sign at a branch near you. 

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

When you give, your membership and donation dollars go far...

96%

$20,000 $19,173

Now more than ever, we realize that libraries are a safe space in our communities, opening the doors to knowledge and making lifelong learning accessible for people of all ages and backgrounds. Join us, and give a little to say "thanks" for all that libraries give to us.

Library doors may be closed temporarily, but you can continue to support Tulsa CityCounty Library and the Friends with an online gift. Visit TulsaLibrary.org/Friends and click "Join or Donate" to make a gift through Paypal.

We're ALMOST there! YOUR gift today will help us do even more for TCCL this year!

Goal:

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id you know National Library Giving Day is is celebrated on April 23?

You can help us celebrate now by donating or joining TODAY and showing how much you love YOUR library!

CAMPAIGN TRACKER

Raised:

Help us celebrate National Library Giving Day a little bit early!

$250—Allows five branches to offer Take Your Child to the Library Day programs $100—Sends 10 adult literacy students on an educational fieldtrip $50—Provides one Books Sandwiched In session for adult learners $25—Supplies a book for every month of the year to one pre-K student Join with your membership or gift of $25+ and you'll receive your own "I Love My Library" decal! 

SUPPORT FRIENDS WHEN YOU SHOP ON AMAZON Doing a lot of online shopping these days? You can do some good while you're at it! It's easy: When you shop Amazon, make sure you're shopping at smile.amazon.com. (Bookmark the site so you don't forget!)

Choose Friends of the Tulsa City County Libraries Inc. as your charity of choice. Amazon will then donate a portion of your purchases to Friends!

GET A FRIENDS WINDOW DECAL Join as an Avid Reader ($25) and above and receive a complimentary Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries window decal!

We love our libraries and we know you do too—show off that love and let others know you're a Friend of the Tulsa City-County Libraries!

"I put my sticker on the back of my iPad. As I went through airport security, the TSA agent exclaimed, 'I love the library!'

What a wonderful feeling!"

—Rita Kirk Share photos of your decals in action with us at www.facebook. com/FOLTulsa with the hashtag #lovemylibrary, or send them to us at Friends@ TulsaLibrary.org

Spring 2020 | @your library

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HAPPENINGS 400 Civic Center Tulsa, OK 74103 918.549.7419 TulsaLibrary.org/Friends Editor: Cecilia Whitehurst Contributors: Debbie Cogan, Sherry Leslie, Carolyn McClure, Rachel Organist Layout: Tara Farrar Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries (FOL) is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to aid and promote the activities and goals of the Tulsa City-County Library. @your library is published for members four times a year.

FRIENDS SPONSOR "TAKE YOUR CHILD TO THE LIBRARY DAY" ON FEB. 1

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n Saturday, Feb. 1, Friends sponsored Take Your Child to the Library Day for the second year, providing funds that allowed library branches to host special activities in conjunction with this nationwide initiative. Some branches continued their programs throughout the month of February!

From Children's Services Manager, Laura Raphael: "An enormous thanks to the Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries for sponsoring this fun event again this year! We made a lot of 'friends' and kept the library front of mind for families!" 

2019-20 OFFICERS Sherry Leslie, President Marian Sexton, 1st Vice President Michael Nesser, 2nd Vice President Norman Bryant, Treasurer Laurie Brumbaugh, Assistant Treasurer Dorothy Minor, Recording Secretary Lynn Peacher, Corresponding Secretary Debbie Grillot, Past President

2019-20 BOARD MEMBERS

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Clockwise from Top: Judy Kishner Library hosted drop in crafts; Maxwell Park Library hosted its third annual #Bookface contest; South Broken Arrow Library held an Eric Carle painting workshop.

CALENDAR

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Laura Bottoms Robyn Bowman Lynda Brownson Courtney Cooper Connie Cronley Doris Degner-Foster Rachel Ann Dennis Eldon Eisenach Catherine Gatchell Laurie Green Janet Henderson Don Hockenbury Claire Johnson Kathleen Kastelic Rita Kirk Katy Livingston Carolyn McClure Cindy McDonald Brenda Michael-Haggard Rosemary Moran Elaine Olzawski Mary Olzawski Rachel Organist Richard Parker Diane Pennington Glad Platner Janet Purinton Karen Smith Travis Splawn Sally Stewart Karla Tomsen Mack Vanderlip Cecilia Whitehurst Peggy Wolfe

BOOKS SANDWICHED IN Mondays, March 9 - April 13 12:10 p.m. | Central Library

FRIENDS OF TCCL ANNUAL MEETING Thursday, May 7 noon | Central Library

facebook.com/FOLTulsa

43RD ANNUAL ADULT CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST Awards Reception Saturday, May 9 2:30 p.m. | Central Library

Find entry forms at TulsaLibrary.org/ Friends. Entry deadline: March 31.