@your library Volume XXVIII Number Four
A NEWSLETTER OF
Summer 2021
Rudisill Regional Library hosts exhibit honoring Greenwood anniversary
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by Sherry Leslie
he entry, Ancestral Hall, and three meeting rooms of Rudisill Regional Library were filled with visuals, videos and art for the exhibit, "TCCL Remembers: Commemorating Tulsa's 1921 Race Massacre with Education, Empathy and Healing" from May 3 through June 30, 2021. The soft opening, which I attended, was an evening for special guests that included Friends of Rudisill, the Library Commission, Greenwood leaders, and Rudisill staff. The amount of information about the history of the Greenwood community and its businesses was large and thorough. The videos included several very interesting interviews of community members and historians, and did not fail to talk about the immediate re-building, resilience, and plans for the future of this
The TCCL Remembers exhibit at Rudisill Regional Library included informative panels, videos, and more. important area. (The exhibit was designed before the designation of National Register of Historical Places on June 12, 2021.)
INSIDE:
TCCL's African-American Resource Center coordinator, Alicia Latimer (left), chats with visitors at the exhibit opening.
President's Podium: We've got a friend in you page 2
Creative Writing Contest winners page 4
Educational material with great additional information was given to all guests to take home and to share. The exhibit itself took about an hour to walk through and absorb and was beautifully displayed. There was even an opportunity to add to a Wish Wall, where one could write a wish for the future of Greenwood and post it. I am grateful to TCCL for the many ways they joined in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the massacre.
Friends name Distinguished Service recipient page 5
Gathering Place rolls out book cart page 7
PRESIDENT’S PODIUM We've got a friend in you
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hank you to everyone who has joined or renewed membership in Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries. Certainly, we faced a year like no other we’ve known. As a Friend of the library, you have recognized the importance of your continued support. I would like to remind you what your gifts enable us to accomplish over the year and the importance of your continued memberships and donations for even more vital programs in the coming year. Friends provided $10,000 for PPE for library staff in order to help keep the staff at all Tulsa County library branches safe during the pandemic. Each year, library staff benefit from scholarships provided by the Friends. These scholarships enable staff to continue their higher education. Friends sponsor Take Your Child to the Library Day, allowing library staff to give
take-home kits for children and parents to complete together. One of the activities dearest to my heart lies in giving books to children in specific schools throughout the school year. Many of the children who receive the books have not previously owned a book of their own. By giving young children books, we hope to instill that love of reading, learning, and libraries. Many of you enjoy the Books Sandwiched In series of book talks, Travels With Tulsans, and Great Decisions; your donations enable us to continue to offer these terrific programs. Other costs associated with maintaining an organization include paying for printing and mailing of newsletters. Newsletters are fundamental in keeping all members apprised of activities within the Friends. Thankfully, our libraries have reopened for express service and, we hope, this fall for more services including meeting rooms for groups and students. Preschoolers may look forward to story times soon, and
TCCL has a new app for your devices
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CCL's NEW mobile app is available now in the App Store and Google Play. The original TCCL app was retired on June 30. If you used the old app, you will need to install the new one! Find it in your device's app store by searching for "TCCL," then download the app to explore new features like keyword search, access to your Shelves, reading lists and more. Have your online account info handy to log in. Tulsa City-County Library’s free mobile app turns your smartphone into a library on the go! Learn more at www.tulsalibrary.org/library-apps. You can also call the library's AskUs hotline at 918.549.7323 if you ever need assistance using library apps, eBooks, or your online account.
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@your library | Summer 2021
maybe we can meet authors in person in the near future as well. Whatever happens, the Friends continues to find ways to support literacy and our library system. Only with your support can we provide funds for library programs benefitting all users. I look forward to seeing you at the library!
Dorothy Minor, President
Hellos and goodbyes
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he Friends board says goodbye and thank you to several people every year who have concluded their term and to those who have served the maximum three terms, or nine years of service. We love to see fresh new faces helping serve our library system, but we are always a little sad to see board members go. We applaud the service of these four who have each served the maximum three terms: Eldon Eisenach, Catherine Gatchell, Elaine Olzawski, and Richard Parker. The four of them have provided their leadership to our board and committees and will be sorely missed. As a professor, an attorney, a nurse administrator and a library director, they have each added their talents to ours and contributed to meeting our goals. We also say goodbye to: Don Hockenbury, Kathleen Kastelic, Rita Kirk, Karen Smith, Janet Thomas, Mack Vanderlip and Cecilia Whitehurst. Thank you for your commitment to Friends. You will be missed. We welcome our incoming board members Lin Arnett, Brenda Bradshaw, Nancy Carroll, Ros Elder, Laura Frossard, Karen Gaddis, Donna Hart, Barry Hensley, Morgan Holmes, Jim Lee, Gisele McDaniel, Karen Owens and Diane Pennington. We look forward to all the upcoming year has to hold!
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS Love YOUR library— become a Friend TODAY!
When you give, your membership and donation dollars go far...
ne thing the triple-digit heat signals, besides it being summer in Oklahoma, is that the time to renew your Friends membership is here. Our 2021-22 membership drive has officially kicked off! Love YOUR library and renew today.
$50—Provides one Books Sandwiched In session for adult learners
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Despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, Friends stepped up and renewed their memberships in large numbers during the 2020-21 fiscal year. We also had new Friends join us and many of those whose memberships had lapsed returned to the fold. The board of directors are grateful for your support, and we know the library appreciates it as well. Looking to expand your support? Memberships make great gifts for your friends who aren’t yet Friends. Or, you may find that your book club or literary-minded coworkers don’t yet know about the work Friends does and would be eager to join if asked. Consider reaching out and bringing more Friends on board!
$200—Allows four branches to provide take home activity kits for Take Your Child to the Library Day $100—Sends 10 adult literacy students on an educational fieldtrip $25—Supplies one pre-K student with a book for every month of the school year Join with your membership or gift of $25+ and you'll receive your own "I Love My Library" decal!
BE ENTERED TO WIN $100 TO A LOCAL BOOKSTORE WHEN YOU GIVE BY SEPT. 15 Give a gift in any amount by Sept. 15 and you'll be entered to win one of three $100 gift cards to Fulton Street Books, Magic City Books or Whitty Books! We love supporting our locally-owned bookstores and we think you'll love shopping there as well!
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. Renew or join today, and say thanks for all that libraries give to us. You can use the enclosed envelope or give by credit card at TulsaLibrary.org/Friends.
CONSIDER AN EMPLOYER MATCHING GIFT
MAKE A TRIBUTE GIFT
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tilizing your employer’s matching gift benefit is often as easy as filling out an online form. Talk to your employee benefits representative or visit your benefits website to see if your company has a matching gift program. Many employers will double or even triple your support, allowing you to make a greater impact on our library and our community.
SUPPORT US WHEN YOU SHOP ON AMAZON
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f the pandemic has you doing a lot more online shopping these days, do some good while you're at it and use Amazon Smile! It's easy: When you shop Amazon, make sure you're shopping at smile.amazon.com. (Bookmark the site so you don't forget. Or, if you use the Amazon phone app you can link your account to Amazon Smile in the app.) 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!
ribute gifts are a unique way to honor someone special and support the library. To honor or memorialize a loved one with a gift to Friends, simply return a donation form or envelope with your gift of any amount.
FROM APRIL 1 - JUNE 30, 2021 WE RECEIVED GIFTS RECOGNIZING THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS: $100, $75, $50, $50, $40, $25, $20, $20, $20, $20 - In Memory of Amanda Blackman $50 - In Memory of Frank G. Gatchell, MD $25 - In Honor of Rita Shisler Thank you for your gifts in support of our libraries.
Summer 2021 | @your library
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NOTEWORTHY NEWS Adult Creative Writing Contest winners announced
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by Dorothy Minor
or 44 years, the Adult Creative Writing Contest sponsored by Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries has been a mainstay for creative writers in Tulsa County. Each year writing hopefuls enter one or more of the four genres: Children’s Fiction, Informal Essay, Poetry, and Short Story. Talent is abundant in these entries. Judges have their work cut out for them as they read and determine winners. The winners here deserve recognition for their outstanding writings. We honored them with an awards ceremony on Zoom that included remarks from author Jennifer Latham. First place winners each read from their winning pieces. You can watch the ceremony on YouTube at www.youtube.com/TulsaLibrary.
2021 Adult Creative Writing Contest Winners
|Informal Essay
|Children's Fiction 1st Place Stephen P. Gray "Sir Long Tail and the Caddo County Cowboy"
2nd Place
Heather Elliott
Jessica Brent "Agression Cookies"
2nd Place Pam Sanders
"A Covid Tale"
Honorable Mention
Thank you to committee members for the event: Cindy McDonald (chair), Mindy Galoob, Laurie Green, Don Hockenbury, Diane Morrow-Kondos, April Schweikhard and Karen Smith. Congratulations to all who submit their creative writing to the contest. That’s a first step for any writer.
|Poetry
|Short Story 1st Place
Hanna Al-Jibouri
1st Place
Sarah Blomfield
"The Truth Is"
"Tuesday at the Apocalypse"
2nd Place
2nd Place
"Time's Arrow"
"Tatterdemalion"
Thomas J. Taylor
Honorable Mention
Molly Hopkins
Honorable Mention
"Deeds the CrossEyed Christmas Dog"
Harvey Blumenthal
"Finding Joe Finch"
"Three Men I Didn't Marry"
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
"Superhero Sister"
"The Brown Shoes
"The Lawn"
"Beaumont's Thief"
Charlotte Glaze
Kaitlin Isley
Cathy Bankston
Jen Burke
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
"Never Come to an End"
"A World Crying Out for Repair"
"The Homeless Are Not Eagles"
Susie Scarpitti
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1st Place
First place winners received a cash prize of $125, second place winners received $75, and honorable mention recipients each received $10 and a certificate of recognition. You can read some of the winning selections at www.tulsalibrary.org/adult-creativewriting-contest.
@your library | Summer 2021
Karen Kiely
Tama VanHorn
Haleigh Baker "Macula"
Jamie Rinehart
Honorable Mention Jennifer Sneed "Pickle Loaf and Other Gifts"
Oklahoma Center for the Book honors Tulsan Hannibal Johnson
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by Arlene Johnson
klahoma Center for the Book has honored Hannibal B. Johnson, well-known Tulsa author, attorney, educator and consultant with the 2021 Arrell Gibson Award, which celebrates a body of work by an Oklahoma writer. Author of ten books, his writings include a book of poetry and a children’s book; however, his main focus has been on Black History and specifically Black Wall Street and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. His current book, Black Wall Street 100: An American City Grapples with its
Historical Racial Trauma, he describes it as “a window into what distinguishes the Tulsa of today from the Tulsa of a century ago.” It provides updates since the 1998 publication of his book Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa’s Historical Greenwood District.
OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME Also, Hannibal B. Johnson will be inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame this November in Tulsa. Hannibal B. Johnson
CEO Kim Johnson and Friends president Dorothy Minor. The degree of success that organizations achieved in responding to the pandemic depended on the leadership and the flexibility of the organization. Flexibility, the willingness to adapt, was the hallmark of Tulsa City-County Library and nowhere was that flexibility exhibited more than through its staff. All employees were required to adjust, innovate and work in new ways and settings. Nearly all procedures were adapted to the new pandemic environment.
Friends recognize TCCL staff for their dedication during the pandemic
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by Sherry Leslie
very year the Friends select a member or staff person who has contributed outstanding efforts toward reaching our goals and marks their Distinguished Service. Nominations are reviewed by a committee and an announcement comes at the Annual Meeting in May (when we can have one, that is.) This year the winner is...the staff of Tulsa City-County Library! Rather, the winners are! And the winners are, in our opinion, most worthy beyond words. But here are just a few reasons:
Fairly quickly the library rolled out curbside service at every branch, which had previously been a pilot program at a few locations. Working from home became the new norm for some, setting up equipment to be able to take calls from customers. Buildings were adapted for safe interactions—social distancing measures were put in place and barriers installed so staff could work safely and prepare to re-open branches to customers. All this on top of doing their "normal" jobs like handling materials and planning virtual programs. With great success the TCCL staff fulfilled its mission and created a few new and exciting things for us too. And so we award them the Distinguished Service Award, with admiration and gratitude.
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peaking of staff, congrats go out to Roger Gee, who was named the 2021 Oklahoma Library Association Support Person of the Year. Roger is the software engineer for TCCL. The award is given by the OLA to a library support staff who has greatly impacted their library organization or community, promoted library services, and demonstrated service “above and beyond”.
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Staff Scholarship Program: Helping staff serve you better
Spring semester scholarships awarded
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ongratulations to the following recipients of spring semester scholarships from the Friends:
Hector Arrazola, Maker Space, Central Clayton Fletcher, Data Analyst, Central Shelby Hanigan, Lead Customer Service, Collinsville Sarah Mulhausen, Lead Customer Service, Helmerich Katlin Seagraves, Help Desk, Central Elizabeth Seals, Customer Service, Broken Arrow Daniel Tovar, Bilingual Customer Service, Martin Friends is proud to have a part in furthering education for these stellar librarians and library staff. The Friends were also privileged to be able to provide an additional $1,500 this year to supplement the library's Tuition Reimbursement Program for graduate-level MLIS candidates.
Kids continue to read during the pandemic
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by Lisa Lawrence
ere is some good news about reading that emerged from the pandemic:
During the pandemic, three out of five students reported that reading made them “feel better.” One of three children stated that reading was helpful when the child was “feeling sad.” Elementary age students especially appeared to improve their reading skills by selecting more demanding texts. This data came from approximately 4100 students in the United Kingdom who participated in the National Literacy Trust Annual Literacy Survey. (Goodnewsnetwork.org). The reading habits of about 1.1 million students in the United Kingdom and Ireland reported that 56% enjoyed reading
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by Debbie Cogan
ulsa City-County Library staff members have a wonderful opportunity to receive scholarship funds so they can pursue their educational goals in alignment with the library’s goals. These scholarships are funded by the Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries. Applications may be submitted in the fall, spring, and summer and help eligible staff with certifications and undergraduate coursework. Staff must be in good standing and meet service criteria based on their number of work hours. Once they successfully complete their coursework, they receive their scholarship funds. According to Gary Cathey, Training and Development Program Manager, over the last five years a total of $37,607 has been awarded to 29 staff members. And this year we're pleased to increase the amount of scholarship funds available yet again, thanks to our generous members. The scholarship program is truly a win-win situation for staff and the library system. Staff members receive financial assistance to help with educational expenses and use the knowledge gained to enhance their service to the library and to customers. Thanks to YOU, Friends, for your support!
“very much” or “a lot,” also according to a study from GoodNewsNetwork.org. In the United States, a major digital reading platform for children reported an 89% increase in reading from 2019 to 2020. Advertised as the leading digital reading site for children under age twelve, the Epic students named reading as their second favorite activity (television was the number one choice). Parents surveyed stated their children read for 100 minutes per week, including four or more times weekly “for fun.” Epic co-founder Kevin Donohue recommends that parents allow children to choose their own reading material; children read as much as 72% more when they are allowed to select what they read. Even graphic novels or what may seem to be frivolous topics provide benefits in terms of increased comprehension, recall, and the introduction to more complex vocabulary (parents.com, May 2021). In 2020, over 2500 American parents responded to questions about the frequency of reading aloud to their children. From birth to age five, 54% of
parents read aloud to their children. From age six to eight, 34% of parents continued to read aloud to the children. The number of parents who continued oral reading dropped to 17% for children aged nine to eleven. In the same study, 40% of children aged six to eleven expressed the desire for parents to continue to read aloud with them. This data was the topic of a survey sponsored by Scholastic and reported by Caitlin St. John in an article published by Parents.com. In other words, the pleasant associations of sharing books and reading is a meaningful activity even after children are able to read independently. During the pandemic, the importance of reading aloud was evident in the activity of celebrity readers. LeVar Burton, host of “Reading Rainbow,” read aloud to children on Twitter. Michelle Obama did a fourweek read-aloud session for children, and the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson read aloud for many weeks in the UK (The New York Times). The habit of reading is one that should last beyond the pandemic—encourage the kids in your life to keep reading!
SERVICE SPOTLIGHT Bookcart rolls out at Gathering Place park
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f you've been to the Gathering Place this summer, you may have spotted something GROWing! We previously announced the library's partnership with Gathering Place to provide a mobile cart of books to check out at the park, known as GROW (Gather and Read On Wheels,) and we're happy to announce that the program is now operating and providing fun and education for kids of all ages. The mobile GROW cart is rolled out on Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., on Second Saturdays and on special events. Be sure to bring your library card when you head to the Gathering Place! Or just find a seat and enjoy a book or two while you're in the park. The GROW cart is located near the Williams Lodge on select days and times. Check gatheringplace.org for dates.
Digital Bytes: Library Blogs by Sherry Leslie, with Alex Mullin
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logs can be useful, informative and entertaining. So it's no surprise our library offers several! A blog, short for “Web Log”, is like a diary entry or a short newsletter, offered in a daily, weekly, or monthly format, usually of a consistent topic. Here are two you should check out: For Parents: tulsalibrary.org/kids-blog The Kids Blog has many entries written by Children’s Services Coordinator, Laura Raphael, and other children's staff. These articles offer tips about how to support your children’s literacy and suggestions of great books to make reading both fun and empowering. For Teens and Adults: tulsalibrary.org/tccl-blog The TCCL Blog is for adult and teen readers. It features a new entry every Monday, plus plenty of past posts. Some topics you can enjoy include: Authors Born this Month—about 15
The TCCL website, tulsalibrary.org, is worth regular visits to check out continually updated resources like blog posts. authors are selected each month and entries include brief bios, important works, etc. In addition, there are posts with book suggestions for given topics, like cookbooks, or books on specially designated days like Earth Day, and much more. Alex Mullin, TCCL Communication Specialist and other TCCL staff craft the posts and book lists.
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400 Civic Center Tulsa, OK 74103 918.549.7419 TulsaLibrary.org/Friends
Editor: Sherry Leslie Contributors: Debbie Cogan, Arlene Johnson, Lisa Lawrence, Dorothy Minor, 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.
2021-22 OFFICERS Dorothy Minor, President Diane Pennington, 1st Vice President Mindy Galoob, 2nd Vice President Norman Bryant, Treasurer Rachel Organist, Assistant Treasurer Peggy Wolfe, Recording Secretary Michael Nesser, Corresponding Secretary Sherry Leslie, Past President
2021-22 BOARD MEMBERS Lin Arnett Barbara Bannon Laura Bottoms Robyn Bowman Brenda Bradshaw Nancy Carroll Chris Cole Courtney Cooper Doris Degner-Foster Rachel Ann Dennis Ros Elder Laura Frossard Karen Gaddis Laurie Green Lillie Haddican Donna Hart Janet Henderson Barry Hensley Morgan Holmes Arlene Johnson Marty Laughlin Jim Lee Carolyn McClure Gisele McDaniel Cindy McDonald Rosemary Moran Diane Morrow-Kondos Mary Olzawski Karen Owens Glad Platner April Schweikhard Marian Sexton Karla Tomsen
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Mark your calendar for these upcoming library events ONE BOOK, ONE TULSA
Friday, September 3, 6-7:00 p.m. Each year, the Tulsa City-County Library hosts a systemwide initiative called One Book, One Tulsa, during which residents of Tulsa County are encouraged to read the same book. The purpose of this program is to foster literacy within our community and, put simply, to get folks talking about an important and meaningful book. This year’s selection is Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Mexican Gothic is a mesmerizing feminist Gothic fantasy, in which a glamorous young socialite discovers the haunting secrets of a beautiful old mansion in 1950s Mexico.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Join virtually for a discussion of Moreno-Garcia's novel. Following her presentation, Moreno-Garcia will answer audience questions. Register online at www.tulsalibrary.org to receive a Zoom link to the event. Email cas@tulsalibrary.org with questions. Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust.
CHAPTERS: A Benefit for the Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service Thursday, September 9, 7-8:00 p.m.
Chapters is a casual evening helping raise money and awareness for TCCL's Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service. Meet author Mateo Askaripour, whose debut novel Black Buck was an instant New York Times bestseller. Watch the event live on TCCL's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/TulsaLibrary. Visit www.tulsalibrary.org/Chapters for more details or to make a donation to the literacy service. Sponsored by TCCL and the Tulsa Library Trust.
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH September 15-October 15
Felicia Rose Chavez
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the library from Sept. 15-Oct. 15. Activities will include grab-n-go crafts, cooking tutorials, a community mural project and an event with author Felicia Rose Chavez on Sept. 15. Click on Events at www.tulsalibrary.org, specify the date range, then search "Hispanic Heritage Month" to find the complete list of events.
facebook.com/FOLTulsa
Special thanks to TulsaPeople Magazine for the printing of our summer 2021 issue.