Louisiana Libraries

A 2013 Pew Research Center survey found some key reasons that some people do not use the internet. Thirty-four percent of users did not go online because they had no interest in doing so or did not think the internet was relevant in their lives. Another 32 percent of non-users said the internet was too difficult to use. Cost was also a barrier for some adults who were offline since 19 percent cited the expense of owning a computer. 

Do you want to learn how you can operate a computer, navigate a website and use email? The Union Parish Library lets patrons have access to the Digital Learning Classes. They offer a link to the Digital Learning Classes at https://digitallearn.org. Click on links and arrow down until you are able to click on Digital Learning Classes. These services can be accessed from the Union Parish Library or you can access it at home if you have a computer and want to improve your skills. 

Once you get to the page, there are seven links: Starting Out, Being Safe Online, Job Skills, Being Productive, Connecting with Others, Mobile Devices and Online Shopping. Starting Out has nine tutorials. It lets a person click: Why Use a Computer? It gives a tutorial on the reasons why you should take the time to learn about computers. Using a computer can change your life and help you succeed in today’s world. Windows 10 lets a user learn the basics of a PC with the Windows 10 operating system and using the Desktop, Files and Folders. 

My favorite is saving and closing files because certain files are important and you want to come back to them at a later time. Navigating a website lets you learn how to find a website such as the local library. It gives instructions on typing the name and pressing enter. Intro to email lets a person discover everything about email such as signing up, logging in, opening and replying, sending messages and even a quiz you can take for later.

Basic Search lets a person learn about the different search engines by searching the internet. You can use google, yahoo or Bing to access the weather channel’s web page. If you want to purchase a Mac computer, it lists six tutorials on learning the OS-X Operating system. Files and Folders is my favorite because it tells you how to open a file icon that is on the desktop by double clicking on it. 

Being Safe Online has three tutorials. My favorite is the one about scams. Do you know the different scams? There are website scams, spam emails, phishing and pop-up windows. Website scams may lead to computer viruses. Spam email is junk email sent to many people at once and it is always fake! Phishing claims to be from a real organization that tries to win your trust. Pop-up scams are hard to close and appear on untrustworthy websites. 

Internet privacy is important because anytime that you visit a website, the owner of the website can see general information about the type of computer you are using and what you are doing on the site.

Job Skills has three tutorials that you can click on and I recommend the avoiding job scams’ tutorial because it lets you know what to avoid when looking for a job. Never apply for a job that sounds too good to be true like a high-paying work from home job. Never give your bank account and credit card number when applying for a job. 

Being Productive has four tutorials that you can click on. My favorite is Creating a Basic Budget with Excel because it gives basic computer skills on how to create a household budget. Tracking a budget lets a person know how much one spends in one month. 

Connecting with others lets a person click on two tutorials. Facebook is one I recommend because it gives details how to sign up, finding friends and privacy. You can click on settings and then edit to list who can contact you.

Mobile devices have one tutorial where a person can click on Using an Android Mobile Device to learn basic information about getting connected, adding new apps and security. Mobile privacy and security suggest that a person set a pin or passcode to the phone which will protect the data that is stored on your device if it is lost or stolen!

Buying a Plane Ticket has one tutorial where a person can learn how to search for and buy plane tickets online. I like how it suggests you to use http://www.kayak.com and gives examples of looking for the best flight. 

Digitallearn.org will give you necessary tools to help you tackle technology at your own pace and gain the confidence you need to succeed thanks to the Union Parish Library! 

Alessandra Cave presents a very exciting look at Shooting with Soul: 44 Photography Exercises Exploring Life, Beauty, and Self-Expression book. Whether you are an aspirational photographer, artist, parent or blogger, you will enjoy expanding your understanding of this creative hobby by exploring 44 exercises aimed to enhance your creative self-expression. No matter what camera you own, this book offers tips and methods for any device that snaps a photo.

Shooting with Soul teaches successful photography methods through an approach that is very much like journaling because people put their feelings and thoughts into the exercises which focuses on personal exploration and autobiographical information you will be able to create images that are based on soul which connects you with viewers. 

Cave starts off by choosing your camera which enables people to create images that are lovable because the real magic in taking pictures comes from the heart. Deciding on the right camera depends on aesthetics, portability, functionality, personal rhythm and confidence. Confidence is my favorite factor because holding a camera in your hands has the ability to empower you since it is often based on a point of view. 

One thing that I did not know that cameras come in four formats that indicate the size and shape of the film: miniature, 35mm, medium format and large format. There are smartphone cameras, point and shoot cameras, mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, single lens reflex, instant cameras and toy cameras. My favorite camera type is the smartphone camera because they are a great backup option if you forget to take your primary camera with you while on a vacation. 

Did you know that light is the single most important ingredient in photography? Photography comes from the Greek words’ “photos” meaning light and “graph” means drawing which combines to say drawing with light. 

One thing that I did not know was that exposure is a fancy word to describe how much light is allowed to reach the film when you are taking a photograph. Learning to see life through the viewfinder means that your subject should have a purpose for seeing, feeling and experiencing. Shooting with soul means that a photographer shoots with greater awareness and intention since it involves the gift of our unique experiences to others.

The author keeps the reader interested by mentioning that an individual should start off by taking pictures of one’s feet and hands which tells a story about being curious and where one has traveled. Remember to find a reflective image such as mirrors, windows, television and computer monitors and move around until you realize that you are composing your surroundings in an interesting way. 

Photographing something you collect is my favorite exercise because people are always interested in preserving memories and history. Anything is good as long as it tells a story about you and your personality. 

Photograph your books is important because it is one way of sharing a piece of your heart and soul with your family and friends. Virginia Wolfe says that “Books are the mirrors of the soul.” Do you agree? The author even mentions that depending on your camera that you can take pictures of chores that have just been completed such as hanging clothes on a line. Taking pictures of house chores lets you look at things from a different perspective. 

Capturing the seasons in photography is a must for anyone that loves the outdoors because the summer displays a hot sun, fall has leaves off the trees, spring has flowers blooming and winter has snow. Always capture how trees change throughout the year. Photographing weather is my favorite because you can take pictures of rainbows or snow because the elements can produce intriguing and magical images of weather. 

Taking the best evening picture requires an individual to position themselves to take advantage of any natural light that is still available. Did you know that in low light even the slightest camera movement can result in a blurred image? Shoot a picture with a tripod by propping your camera onto a firm surface.

Taking the scenic route allows a person to escape the city and take pictures of trees and even small objects like acorns. Always get down on your knees to shoot from a lower vantage point and to better capture the grand scale of the trees. It can also work for taking pictures of wildlife. 

Taking pictures of the sky tell wonderful stories about the weather and our moods especially when it is cloudy and sunny. Can you relate how you feel to the sky around you? All you have to do is look up and take notice! You can use the contrast between the bright sky and dark foreground to capture interesting silhouettes. 

If you are interested in learning more about the photography exercises and how to take the perfect image then I suggest you stop by the Union Parish Library and check out Shooting with Soul: 44 Photography Exercises Exploring Life, Beauty and Self-Expression. That particular book is featured in our Union Parish Celebrate the Artist in You Theme for Youth Art Month. It will leave you with a feeling of awe and anticipation as you seek to capture the perfect image and might even motivate you to take a vacation to the beach or mountains!

Did  you know that there are 647 bookmobiles delivering library services in the U.S. according to the 2015 Public Libraries survey conducted by the Institute of Museum and Library Services?  Last year the Union Parish Library delivered 4,715 books to patrons throughout Union Parish locations:  schools, daycares, community centers just to name a few!  

As you may know, the Union Parish Library has a bookmobile and two employees that work for the library, Jessica Hart and Tinnie Martin went to Union Parish Elementary School on Monday to read a book to the students and let them check out books! On Tuesday, they went to Union Parish Elementary School from 10:00-12:00.  Janara Ferguson, Sandra Slaton, and Patti Dodd are all alternates for the bookmobile services.

On Wednesday March 6, they have plans to visit Playhouse Too Daycare from 9:00-10:00 to read a book to the children. They will also be at Mom’s Helper Daycarefrom 10:15-11:15 and Union Parish Elementary (Preschool): 11:30-2:00.  Did you know that reading to children makes them interested in reading and increases their vocabulary? It is always best to read to them when they are young which will make them read even more into adulthood. 

On Thursday March 7, the bookmobile will be at D’Arbonne Neighborhood Stop (D’Arbonne Post Office): 8:30-8:50 for patrons that are in the area and too busy to make it to the library.  The Downsville Baptist Church will also host the bookmobile: 9:00-9:25 for patrons that cannot make it to the library. The Bookmobile will also travel to the Dowsville Charter School: 9:35-1:30 to read to the students and let them check out books! Hwy 15 Neighborhood Stop (Corner Store) is their next destination: 1:40-2:00 for traveling patrons and Point Neighborhood Stop (Antley’s Store): 2:10-2:30 for patrons that are shopping and not able to visit the library.  The bookmobile will also have enough time to stop at the Union Parish High School: 3:00-5:00 for students that want to check out a book. Did you know the most popular books for high schoolers are: The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird,Romeo and Julietand Twilight? 

If you happen to see the bookmobile in any of those neighborhood stops, I suggest you stop by and tell Jessica Hart and Tinnie Martin hello and check out a book or two! If you have a favorite book in mind and they do not have it on the bookmobile, simply tell one of them and they will write it down for you! 

Did you know that about six percent of public libraries had one or more bookmobile outlets, with a total of 659 bookmobiles delivering library services in the United States? The Union Parish Library has one bookmobile that travels all across the parish and one employee drives it, her name is Tinnie Martin. 

Martin lives in Farmerville and besides driving the bookmobile all across Union Parish, she also reads to the students at Bernice Head Start, Downsville, Union Parish Elementary School and Union Christian Academy. Science-fiction is a favorite genre of hers to read and she also likes children’s books. She also remembers as a child that when she was in the hospital that her mother brought her a book titled The Little Prince.

If you ask her why she likes working at the library, she will say “finding books and writing titles of books down that the students want. Students want books that are series based and even ghost mysteries! Every library employee enjoys writing the titles of books down and finding books for students to read because it makes their job more enjoyable and the students are having fun too because they are learning.

Before working at the library, she worked at Union General Hospital in transportation and her main role was to transport patients from their home to their medical appointments and back again. 

Martin has worked for the Union Parish Library since 2018 and other than working at the library, she loves spending time outdoors which means that she loves to see the sun shining on a cloudy day. 

Martin has 4 boys, 9 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Three of her main hobbies include cooking Sunday dinner, raising grandchildren and reading. This week she will stop by at one of the area schools near you to read a book for the children’s story. 

She does such a terrific job driving the bookmobile for the Union Parish Library and interacting with the students so please stop by to meet Tinnie Martin and she might even tell you her favorite children’s book or she might have even read to your child at his or her school. 

Have you ever thought about what it must have been like leading Allied troops into battle during World War II or cutting a path of American wilderness for new settlers to pass through then I suggest you take a look at the biography of genre of books at the Union Parish Library! They have 2,809 Adult books from authors like Thomas Emory who wrote Robert E. Lee: A Biography and 1,223 Juvenile books like authors by the name of Karen Blumenthal who wrote Steve Jobs: the man who thought different: A biography.

Did you know that a biography is a detailed description of a person’s life? It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships and death: it portrays a person’s experience of these life events. Biographical works are usually non-fiction but fiction can be used to portray a person’s life. Works in diverse media from literature to film form the genre known as biography.

An authorized biography is written with the permission of the estate while an autobiography is written by the person sometimes with the assistance of a collaborator or ghostwriter. 

One of the earliest biographers was Cornelius Nepos who published his work: Lives of outstanding generals in 44 BC. Longer and more extensive biographies were written in Greek by Plutarch in his Parallel Lives published about 80 A.D.

Another well-known collection of ancient biographies is On the Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius written about 121 A.D. in the time of the emperor Hadrian. In the Middle Ages, one biography from this period is the life of Charlemagne by Einhard. The famous biography of the Middle Ages was: Le Morte d’ Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory. That book was an account of the life of the fabled King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. King Arthur was made into a 2004 movie, titled King Arthur and was very good! 

Biographies in the English language began appearing during the reign of Henry VIII. John Foxe’s Actes and Monuments (1563) was the first official biography in Europe. The American biography followed the English model incorporating Thomas Carlyle’s view that biographies were part of history. The first modern biography and work which had considerable influence on the evolution of the genre was James Boswell’s The Life of Samuel Johnson, a biography that was published in 1791. 

Autobiographies became even more popular with the rise of education and they were written by authors such as Charles Dickens who incorporated autobiographical elements in his novels and Anthony Trollope who wrote his own autobiography which became a national bestseller and entertainer P.T. Barnum even wrote one. 

British critic, Lytton Strachey revolutionized the art of biographical writing with his 1918 work Eminent Victorians which consisted of biographies of four leading figures from the Victorian era: Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Thomas Arnold and General Gordon. Biographical writers in the 1920’s and 1930’s started debunking biographies because more were based on pure fiction ideals than real life! Nancy Milford’s 1970 biography Zenda was the beginning of a new period of women’s biographies because women could tell their own life stories. 

Multimedia biography has become more popular than traditional literary forms thanks to the proliferation of Television channels dedicated to biography which includes A&E, The Biography Channel and History Channel. 

Some of the best biographies ever written were Let Us Now Praise Famous Men by James Agee and Walker Evans to explore the daily lives of sharecroppers in the south. That biography was published in 1941. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was published in 2010 and tells the story of a woman whose cells were taken without her knowledge. Steve Jobs was written by Walter Issacson and published in 2011 and it is based on the interviews of more than 100 family members, friends, adversaries, competitors and colleagues. Steve Jobs was made into a movie in 2015 that chronicled his time with Apple and both are very good!  

Thurgood Marshall was written by Juan Williams in 1998 that tells the story of the extraordinary lawyer and Supreme Court Justice. Chrurchill by Andrew Roberts was published in 2018 which tells the story of the British statesman who had the strength of a lion to take on Nazi Germany during World War II. 

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank tells her side of the story about what it was like hiding from the Nazis during World War II which is very good and personal.  William Martin’s A Prophet with Honor: The Billy Graham Story tells about the evangelist who led millions to Jesus which is one of my favorites. His Excellency: George Washington (2004) tells the story about the father of our country. 

If you are interested in reading any of the biography genre of books that I mentioned, I suggest stopping by the Union Parish Library and check out one! Pick an author and read about a real actor who later became a politician during the Cold War or a man destined to preach the Gospel to every human being on earth, either way you will admire these men and women even more when you study their lives.

Did you know that 62 percent of U.S. households participate in one crafting hobby? Even more surprising is that crafters do not stick to just one craft, but by and large participate in multiple hobbies. Only 16 percent of the crafters engage in one craft while 39 percent participate in 2-4 and 45 percent are involved in five or more creative hobbies.

Do you want to make crafts so you can decorate your home with beautiful objects and engage in hobbies that you find most appealing? The Union Parish Library provides for patrons have access to the Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center. They offer a link to the Hobbies and Crafts Reference database at http://www.unionparishlibrary.com.

Click on links and arrow down until you are able to click on Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center. These services can be accessed from the Union Parish Library or you can access it at home as long as you have your library card number to log in.

Once you get to the page, there are twelve links: Arts & Crafts, Collecting, Home & Garden, Indoor Recreation, Kid’s Crafts, Model Building, Needlecrafts & Textiles, Outdoor Recreation, Performing Arts, Science & Technology, Scrapbooking & Paper Crafts and View All Topics.

Arts & Crafts lets a person select anything such as Drawing & Sketching where you can learn how to draw a farmhouse. Drawing a farmhouse looks very interesting and it gives fourteen useful directions on how to make the perfect drawing. My favorite arts & crafts is learning how to make a Hardwood Mosaic Frame and there are 88 articles about making other frames.

Collecting lets you click on Artwork where there are 3,520 articles about art collecting. Figurines lists over 829 articles about ceramic figurines and how much they cost in antique stores. Autographs have 808 articles that you can click on to see what to look for when buying an autograph baseball which is my favorite! Stamps have over 23,776 articles for your viewing pleasure which lists good advice on stamp collecting. 

Home & Garden has 653 articles on aquariums if you are interested in raising tropical fish! Photography lists 4,971 articles about how to take the perfect picture which is a good thing. Gardening has 765 articles on deciding what plants to grow. Soap making has 309 articles on making soap. My favorite is making cold process soap because it gives you thirteen directions on how to prepare the oils, combining the ingredients and getting the soap ready. 

Indoor Recreation has advice for Cards & Board Games, Role-playing games, video games, fantasy sports and social games. My favorite is the Cards & Board Games because it has 3,086 articles on different games and even gives advice on how to cross and stitch a tic-tac-toe pattern! 

Kid’s crafts have 47 articles about making cards. One of my favorite articles describes how Valentines Day cards are made and even says you can make your own! Quilting & Sewing has 62 articles and one of them even describes how kids can make an apron for their mom! 

Model Building lets you click on tips for making the perfect model airplane which has 11,979 articles. One of my favorite articles relates to building a torpedo bomber which gives 26 examples and looks very interesting to do. Helicopters has 1,090 articles about making a helicopter model and gives very good examples. 

Needlecrafts & Textiles has 410 articles where you can learn to crochet just about anything! 

Outdoor Recreation lets you click on Canoeing and Kayaking which has 9,983 articles on Canoe and Kayak Research and how to properly carry a kayak. Fishing is my favorite because it gives 6,797 tips on fishing. Hunting has 11,634 articles on how to hunt effectively and Birding has 4,480 articles about catching the perfect bird nesting.

Performing Arts has tips on Bell Ringing, Drum Playing, Piano Playing and Singing, but Guitar Playing is my favorite because it lists 6,509 ways on how to play the guitar. 

Science & Technology lists Insects, Robotics, Metal Detecting, and Rocks Minerals and Gems. There are 5,603 articles about insects and my favorite article is Big City Butterflies because it gives tips on how to photograph butterflies. 

Scrapbooking & Paper Crafts has ideas about printmaking, bookmaking and scrapbooking. Bookmaking has 640 articles and it is my favorite because it shows how to make decorative books for any occasion. 

View all Topics lists describes all of the crafts and hobbies and alphabetical order.  Whether you want tips on making the perfect craft or more elaborate details about the different hobbies that people enjoy, then find the Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center and embrace your creativity! 

Anne Schraff presents a very captivating story to her Dr. Charles Drew: Blood Bank Innovator book. Today, thanks to the work of a brilliant young doctor, we take blood banks and blood transfusions for granted. Dr. Charles Drew’s pioneering research with blood plasma and storage made this possible. This book was designed for the middle school and high school reader which spotlights inspirational African Americans both contemporary and historical.

Schraff starts her story off by talking about the director of Britain’s Army Blood Transfusion Service, John Beattie was given the task of getting blood to the wounded during World War II. He decided to turn to an old friend for help. Dr. Charles Drew who had in interest in blood research. 

One thing that I did not know was that plasma is very vulnerable to bacteria during storage and it could kill a patient, leading to what the British describe as “liquid dynamite!” Dr. Drew took a leave from absence from his position at Howard University in Washington D.C. and quickly set in motion “The Blood for Britain Project.”

The author goes further back into her story by mentioning that Dr. Drew was born on June 3, 1904 in Washington D.C. His father was a carpet layer who worked for the Moses Furniture Company and Charles’s mother, Nora Drew had graduated from Howard University with a degree in pedagogy which is the art of teaching.

Charles started working at age twelve selling newspapers from street corners in 1917. He even recruited six to ten other boys to help him. In the spring of 1918, fourteen-year old Charles entered Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School and the classes were very small which allowed for Charles to achieve high grades in science and mathematics.

His sister, Elsie died during the 1918-1919 influenza epidemic and that is one reason that Charles decided to become a doctor. Charles left home for Amherst College in Western Massachusetts. Drew graduated college in 1926 and still wanted to become a doctor. After college, Charles Drew secured jobs as director of athletics at Morgan College in Baltimore Maryland and as a biology and chemistry instructor.

The author keeps the reader interested by mentioning how Charles got accepted at McGill University Medical School in Montreal Canada in 1928. Drew did an internship at Royal Victoria and another at Montreal General Hospital. The following year Drew became a doctor in training. 

Drew left Montreal to become an assistant instructor in pathology for the 1935-1936 year at Howard University. He became assistant in surgery at Freedmen’s Hospital for 1936-1937 and a resident in surgery at Howard Medical School. Drew was just the sort of man that Howard University Medical School and Freedmen’s hospital was looking for. 

Charles Drew was welcomed as a student at Columbia University Medical School to further his education and he was asked to participate in the annual clinic at the John A. Andrews Memorial Hospital at Tuskegee Hospital. 

Drew stopped by to visit some friends at Spelman College and noticed Minnie Lenore Robbins who was a home economics teacher. He started writing letters to her and they were married on September 23^rd. In the summer of 1940, their daughter Roberta was born and was nicknamed Bebe for blood bank. The one thing that I did not know was that Dr. Charles Drew and his colleague opened their own experimental blood bank at Presbyterian Hospital. Drew gave the Russians credit for initiating the concept of a true blood bank. Did you know that Russian doctor, Alexander Bogdanov began the practice of building transfusion centers throughout Russia? Another Russian Dr. S.S. Yudin saved the life of a suicidal man by giving him a blood transfusion. 

Blood transfusions have been done by people since 1665 when British physiologist Richard Lower transfused blood from one dog to another. Most of the blood transfusions were just experiments until a group of New York doctors started to raise standards for blood donations in 1925.

Did you know that segregation in the military did not end until 1954? Drew knew that blood differed only in types. Dr. Drew was appointed Chief Surgeon at Freedmen’s Hospital and his dream was to raise the level of training for black doctors. On July 31, 1941, Lenore Drew gave birth to the couple’s second child, Charlene Rosella and his third child, Rhea Sylvia was born on February 14, 1944.

Charles Drew denounced the U.S. Army’s decision to ban black donors as “a stupid mistake and grave error.”

Dr. Drew and three other doctors had a car wreck on their way to Tuskegee, Alabama. Dr. Ford was thrown from the car and suffered a broken arm, Dr. Bullock had cuts on his hand and Dr. Johnson was uninjured, but Dr. Drew was taken to the hospital where he died. 

Of all the things that he done to save Britain with the blood banks during World War II and asking people to donate blood for the war effort, his own blood could not save him. If you are interested in wanting to learn more about this unique doctor who was an early innovator in blood transfusions, then I suggest you stop by the Union Parish Library and check Dr. Charles Drew: Blood Bank Innovator. That particular book is featured in our Union Parish African Americans in Healthcare theme for Black History Month and my last article on the subject.

It will give you a feeling of admiration for this great American who changed the course of American history with his expertise in blood banks. 

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”  –Dr. Seuss

Have you heard about Read Across America Day? It is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2 which is Dr. Seuss’s birthday. 

Did you know that Dr. Seuss was just a pen name?  His is actual birth name is Theodor Seuss Geisel? He adopted the name, “Dr Seuss” as an undergraduate at Dartmouth College and as a college student at Lincoln College, Oxford. Dr. Seuss is mostly known for his work of illustrating and writing more than 60 books. His children’s books have sold over 600 million copies worldwide and were translated into more than 20 languages. 

“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.”  –Dr. Seuss

My favorite Dr. Seuss book is Green Eggs and Ham. What is yours?  The Union Parish Library is also participating in Reading Across America all this week and on Saturday. For our library, it is Read Across Union Parish. This program will bring kids and books together and your child can take part in the numerous programs at Downsville Charter School, Darbonne Woods Charter School, Mom’s Helper Daycare, Union Christian Academy and Union Parish Elementary School. 

“A book is just like life and anything can change.”  –Dr. Seuss

Recently Ferguson visited Union Parish Elementary School on February 5^thto read to the students One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. There will also be a parish-wide coloring contest where children can color a picture of The Cat in the Hat nad post it to social media with the hashtag #readacrossunionparish.  Three winners will be chosen from all the entries to receive a free Seuss book and plush toy.

 “I can read in red. I can read in blue. I can read in pickle color too.”  –Dr. Seuss

Janara Ferguson is not the only one celebrating Read Across Union Parish this week by visiting the students and reading to them. Jessica Hart of the Union Parish Bookmobile visited Mrs. Donna Hick’s kindergarten class at Union Christian Academy and the children had a great time listening to Hop on Pop and they also looked at some of the other books written by Dr. Seuss. 

The Read Across Union Parish program to commemorate Dr. Seuss’s birthday is keeping library outreach staff very busy this week as they visit Union Parish area schools to share the love of Seuss and reading!  

“I like nonsense, it wakes up brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”  –Dr. Seuss

One of the main reasons that Seuss broke barriers in his writing and illustrations is because he broke a lot of conventional rules of children’s books.  He made up words and scenarios that took kids on an adventure in reading.  If they picked up a Seuss book it was because these books made reading fun!  Geisel changed the landscape of childrens literature from a more academic focus of childrens reading to just sheer reading for pleasure!   And generations of kids from that point until today find joy in the Zuzzer Zuzzer Zuzz of the imagination of Dr. Seuss.   Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote over 60 children’s books and this week might bring back memories at a time when you first read one of those unique books to your child or to yourself!

“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.”  –Dr. Seuss

Did you know in 2017 that there were 194,000 librarians, 40,000 library technicians and 96,000 library assistants employed? There are nineteen employees that work for the Union Parish Library, but this local library really considers itself a family, rather than a collection of employees.  One of those family members, who may be considered the matriarch of the family is JoAnn Buggs.  

Buggs lives in Spearsville and she lists church, reading and watching television as her main hobbies. Light romance is a favorite genre of hers to read. Her favorite author is Kimberla Lawson Roby who writes mostly Christian fiction novels.  She told me that she does not have a favorite book because books are often like children, you can’t really pick a favorite because you love them all.

Speaking of children, Buggs has certainly seen her share grow up through the bookmobile to high school and into adulthood.  In fact, just today a local policeman visited the library and she said as he left, “I remember him from the bookmobile”.   Buggs has been a librarian at the Union Parish Library for 21 years, much of that time spent as a bookmobile librarian traveling to schools and daycares and most kids (who are now adults) still remember Ms. Buggs and will often come in and hug her today.    At one time, the bookmobile was going to schools that didn’t have their own libraries, so bookmobile staff were checking out over 500 books a day to students through the parish.   Today, Buggs is the Assistant Director and Director of Bookmobile Outreach Services, but over the years, if you could count how many books she has put into the hands of children–it would be in the millions without a doubt.  As I am also one of those children who received a book from Bernice High School years ago and now am in a Masters program at ULM, I can say with gratitude to Ms. Buggs, thank you for your incredible legacy!    

If you ask her why she likes working at the library, she will say “the people”.   Every library employee will tell you that it is the people that make working at the library fun and exciting! Before she worked at the library, she worked at Pilgrim’s Pride in Eldorado, Arkansas before it closed and as a substitute teacher for the Union Parish School system.   Buggs is married and lives in the Spearsville area and is the proud mother of two children:  a military veteran college graduate son who lives in Houston and a successful daughter who is also a librarian herself at Grambling State University.  And while we are mentioning Grambling, she herself is a proud graduate with a degree in Early Childhood Education which she obtained while working at the library.  So during football season, yes, you would probably see her sporting colors of black and gold in support of her alma mater.  She and her husband are active in church in music programs and some days you may hear her humming to herself as she is busy doing her work.   

JoAnn Buggs is a wonderful asset to the Union Parish Library family.  After 21 years of service, she has been a mother to many children and some employees too, planting the seeds for the love of reading for generations to come. 

If you have ever thought about taking a trip to Africa to study elephants or wanted to read about an Arabian queen then I suggest you take a look at the general fiction genre of books at the Union Parish Library! They have 569 general fiction books like authors by the name of Erin Hunter who wrote The Empty City and The Last Tudor by Phillipa Gregory who specializes in historical novels.

The General Fiction genre at the Union Parish Library includes any drama, classic, historical, family saga, etc. that wouldn’t fit under science fiction, western, romance, or mystery.  It’s basically like it says “General Fiction” or fiction that doesn’t fit more specific genres which the library does collect together.  General fiction is also known as popular fiction which is a term used in the book trade for fictional works written with the intent of fitting into a specifically literary genre in order to appeal to readers and fans alike. The Last of the Mohicans is a historical novel written by James Fenimore Copper in 1826 which tells the story of Natty Bumppo, Major Duncan Heyward, Chingachgook and Uncas who escorts Colonel Munro’s daughters to Fort William Henry. It was made into a movie in 1992 starring Daniel Day Lewis and is one of my favorites!

Sir John Barrow gave a descriptive 1831 account of the Mutiny on the Bounty which immortalized the Royal Navy Ship HMS Bounty and her people. John Ruskin wrote the King of the Gold River in 1841. 

George MacDonald was the influential author of The Princess and the Phantasies in 1958 and William Morris was a popular English poet who wrote several fantasy novels during the nineteenth century. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Treasure Island in 1883 which is a story of pirates and buried treasure which is one of my favorite literary classics! Stevenson also wrote The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Kidnapped in 1886.  One of my favorites The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain tells the story of a boy’s life along the Mississippi River. 

The Lost World literary genre was inspired by real stories of archaeological discoveries by imperial adventures. H. Rider Haggard wrote one of the earliest examples: King Solomon’s Mines in 1885. That particular book was made into a 1950 movie and was very good! C.S. Lewis was a leading major fantasy novelist who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia (1950-1956) and J.R.R. Tolkien who wrote The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955). 

Comic novels started becoming popular in 1882 thanks to F. Anstey’s Vice Versa that tells a story about a father and son magically switching bodies. Spy novels started becoming popular in 1903 with Erkskine Childer’s The Riddle of the Sands. 

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby in 1925 which tells the story of a young and mysterious millionaire, Jay Gatsby and his obsession with Daisy Buchanan. Of Mice and Men was published in 1937 and tells the story of two displaced ranch workers who move from place to place searching for work. 

In thriller writing, Ian Fleming created the character James Bond 007 in January 1952 and wrote twelve novels which includes Casino Royale (1953), Live and Let Die(1954), Dr. No (1958), Goldfinger (1959), Thunderball (1961), The Spy Who Loved Me (1962) and nine short story works. 

Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960 which tells the story of Jean Louise Finch, nicknamed Scout and her Daddy is a lawyer who helps defend a client in court. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1962) was written by Ken Kesey which tells the story about mental patients in an Oregon psychiatric institution. Nigel Tranter wrote historical novels of celebrated Scottish warriors such as Robert the Bruce, in The Bruce Trilogy and William Wallace in The Wallace (1975) which is one of my favorites. 

General fiction continues to be popular in the 21^st Century with Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner (2003). which tells the story about a young Afghan boy who has a rough life. Water for Elephants was written by Sara Gruen in 2006 which tells the story of a man who joins the circus and falls for Marlena, the main love interest and star performer with the circus. 

If you are interested in reading any of the general fiction novels that I mentioned, I suggest stopping by at the Union Parish Library and check out one! Pick an author and pretend you are escorting two women to safety or looking for a pirates chest of gold, or exploring middle earth for a lost ring either way these books will keep you entertained as they are often both engaging and educational!