Summer Reading from the Other Side of the Desk

At the Library, we really encourage kids to read during the summer; it's a great way to keep the brain tuned up and ready for the start of school in the fall. Sometimes I feel jealous of the kids leaving with their stack of books. I have a stack too, but it's usually loaded with things I have to read for work. This summer I finally decided to read what I want to read, so...I'm halfway through "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"!

I started in July with Book 1 and I'm planning on getting through all 7 books before the fall (and I wanted to be ready for the next Harry Potter movie, too.)
Even though the films have to trim some of the story, they do a great job of fulfilling J K Rowling's vision of Hogwarts and all the great characters in Harry's life -- and by finally reading the books, my Harry Potter experience is so much richer. Now I'm as excited about "summer reading" as the kids!

Some Surprising Library Statistics (Well, Maybe Not...)

Recently OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) published statistics gathered from 719 libarians from 23 states, and the numbers may surprise you. Did you know that more people visit the library each year than attend movies? Speaking of movies, libraries are close to beating Netflix in DVD use (Netflix rentals: 2.2 million; DVDs borrowed from libraries: 2.1 million). Every day, 300,000 Americans get job-seeking help at their public library: there are 3,000 Department of Labor Career Centers, but 13,000 libraries offering career assistance.
Yes, these figures may be startling to some, but those of us who work in libraries aren't the least bit surprised!