Things are heating up at the Amherst Public Library

Maybe it's an omen.

John Henkel and Chase Harper first spotted the fire.

Library patrons tipped off staff today when a fire broke out at the Amherst Public Library today. “I had just stopped to talk to a friend when we spotted a burning bush”, said John Henkel.


Henkel had stopped near a parked car along the Spring Street side of the building to talk to Chase Harper. Harper ran inside the building to report the fire to library staff.

Amherst Police and Fire Departments respond to the call.

“It had really sparked up fast”, said Harper. “One minute we were just standing there talking and all of a sudden the bush was in flames and the mulch was smoldering.” Staff members responded to the fire by calling 911 while others grabbed fire extinguishers to contain the small blaze.

Cheryl Ashton was at the reference desk when she saw smoke billowing past the windows. Running downstairs she spotted Harper who pointed to the flames. “I’m wondering if we should take this as some kind of omen”, said Ashton. “You know it’s not the first time a message came through a burning piece of landscaping.”

Firemen soak down the mulch around the burned shrub.

A patron took over the first extinguisher as Ashton went back into the building for more. Don Dovala brought out a third extinguisher and the fire was contained by the time the Amherst Police and Fire Departments arrived. “Everything is so dry right now”, said one fireman. “It wouldn’t take much to set off a small brush fire. We’ll make sure it’s watered down well because the mulch has a tendency to hold in embers.”

Patrons soon returned to what they had been doing before all the excitement and some speculated to the fire’s origins. A carelessly tossed cigarette, spontaneous combustion, an ill timed promotion for banned book week?

The answers to many of life’s little mysteries are often found by looking at the library.  Checking out The Illustrated Book of Signs & Symbols by Miranda Bruce-Mitford explains many of the fundamental signs and omens that have become part of our folklore and our everyday life. Universal symbols like “mother earth” that permeate mythology across a multitude of cultures are examined as well as religious symbols and those found in nature.

 

Many books require the examination of omens and symbols. Dan Brown’s popular sequel to The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, traces back historical symbolism and secret societies that still exist today. Other authors picked up on the popular books releasing titles like Secrets of the Code: the unauthorized guide to the mysteries behind the Da Vinci Code by Dan Burstein.

Flipping through the Bruce-Mitford book it lists fire as one of the basic earth elements. Supposedly a vision of fire can lead to a deeper understanding of your place in the universe. Or maybe it means you’re going to meet a fireman. It’s elementary dear Watson.

Seasonal Evolution

Forget any celestial equinox or counting down the days till the solstice declares the perfect alignment of sun and stars to know when fall begins. The Farmer’s Almanac might give you weather predictions and advise you when to plant your winter wheat, but what’s happening at the library is as perfect an indication of the change of seasons as…well, Dick Goddard and the wooly bear.

 The library eased from summer reading into fall with people returning their summer paperbacks like The Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz, reads by Evanovich and thrillers like Laura Lippman’s What the Dead Know, a book that chronicled the mystery of two young girls that disappeared from a suburban shopping mall thirty years ago and show up at a hit a run accident years later.

Self indulgent mysteries, court room drama, and even summer romance has returned to the shelves as more weighty tomes find their way to the circulation desk. Look for research papers and science fair projects to bring in patrons searching for encyclopedias to cite as resources and heavier history books detailing civil war battles and world war scenarios. Reading lists still require ATale of Two Cities or Pride and Prejudice, but many kids now can download those books to their iPods.



For the last hundred years, students have visited the library to supplement their studies, once asking Maude Neiding for classic literature like Tom Sawyer and Treasure Island, now students use library computers to access the Internet or prepare PowerPoint presentations. During our annual book covering event at the library this year students brought in more than 500 textbooks that were covered here at the library, more books than Maude Neiding had in her original collection.

As the days get shorter look for fall favorites like Mediterranean Harvest by Martha Rose Shulman that lists more than 500 recipes such as Garlic Soup on page 161 or the Baked Eggplant Stuffed with Pasta on page 220. Recipes that celebrate the harvest, canning or pickling take center stage over recipes for grilling and summer smoothies.



While many students still require books for school projects, the downsizing of our school libraries and inclusion of more digital resources and computers, has evolved into more use of online databases and digital information sharing. The library’s Accelerated Reading database that merges with our library catalog is a valuable tool for students and parents who need library books to complete reading assignments.

A great book written with a teacher’s point of view, try Close Encounters of the Third-grade Kind: thoughts on Teacherhood by Phillip Done. His insightful depiction of every day life in the classroom as a new teacher is funny while at the same time acting as a soundboard for ideas.

Maude Nieding would be amazed at the evolution of the library as a community resource but also how we’ve learned to function through the seasons, turning over books and movies from one season to the next, just like the transition of baseball to football. The library constantly changes yet remains the same. I’d better check if we have enough copies of Tom Sawyer on the shelf.

Hunt Down Treasure at the Library

Many people have stopped by the library to pick up copies of our annual Scavenger Hunt. Any time I drive through town I can usually spot someone clutching their white sheet of paper in one hand and a pencil in the other, gazing up at buildings searching for that last elusive clue.



Just walking through the stacks of books here at the Amherst Public Library I’m reminded about all the treasures that await people who take the time to browse and search out that elusive title. People who only shop at Borders or other retail stores limit their literary exposure to current titles and remade classics. Of course I’ve got my Borders reward card and I’m usually there once a week on my day off, but people who don’t explore their own library may be missing out on some of the best book treasures around.



The tan, cloth-bound copy of The Dark Frigate by C.B. Hawes still stands on the shelf in Junior Fiction. The New York Tribune book review stated “No one, we think, has written so perfect a pirate tale since ‘Treasure Island” and the clipped summary from the book jacket remains pasted inside the book cover. Without Johnny Depp on the cover it’s a hard sell to today’s young readers but the stained cover is still sturdy and the sticker showing the book was a 1924 Newberry Medal winner has been taped over multiple times.



Tarzan of the Apes was a book by Edgar Rice Burroughs long before anyone thought of animating the story. Even the Wizard of Oz held shelf space long before the movie classic. Cloth bindings, well worn, and well read are signs of earlier times. Part of our library genealogy that makes each public library unique.

Downstairs, near the entrance Jane Eyre stands staunch in its orange, no-nonsense binding. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by Le Carre with its blue cloth binding seems to sink into the shadows next to other more flashy covers. Splashy fonts and graphics covered in special plastic covers protect newer books by Hiaasen and Scottoline.


I wonder about those people who stand in the aisles at the book store, sipping their lattes and browsing the stacks that have already been sorted for them by New York Times bestseller designations and a marketing plan that correlates visibility with increased sales. When all the books are slick and shiny it’s hard to tell the well read from the gimmicky, choosing from a set of cards someone has already dealt you from a limited deck.


The library keeps those favorites, those books that are timeless, that tell something about the character of those tending to the shelves. Why we would get rid of anything by Don Winslow I don’t know; The Life and Death of Bobby Z, was probably one of the best books I ever read. And the best Stephen King book won’t be found in the fiction section but I think it resides in the biography section. First editions sometimes end up on the sale rack because of space limitations and now even we are displaying the shiny new books on their own special shelves


Just like a community is made up of different people, all sizes colors and ages of books reside within the walls of the library. The collection defines who we our, our values and our dreams, I’ll keep our 1958 edition of The Call of the Wild in our collection for that one person who might appreciate the worn red copy with the fleur de lis with illustrations by Robert Todd and because you can’t always judge a book just by the cover. Sometimes you just have to discover the treasure for yourself.

Erie Authors

Georgann and Michael Wachter were on a backpacking trip through Europe in 1972 when they did some snorkeling in the Mediterranean Sea and were introduced to the underwater world.  Since that time they've completed hundreds of dives all over the world including the Caribbean, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and all around the Great Lakes. 


On Thursday, July 8 at 7 p.m., the Wachters will be at the Amherst Public Library to talk about their experiences and their books, Erie Wrecks West, Erie Wrecks & Lights, and Erie Wrecks East.  They'll even have a display of some of the various artifacts the've brought back from shipwrecks they've explored.

Erie Wrecks West covers more than 100 shipwrecks complete with photos and ship information.  Each book includes a shipwreck map of the area and detailed information such as surviror's stories and GPS coordinates.  Erie Wrecks and Lights gives details on the lighthouse of Lake Erie and the five greatest storms in Lake Erie history.

They traveled thousands of miles for a history lesson

How far would you go to find out about your family history?  Deborah and Stephen Jackson traveled more than 2500 miles from their home in Stockton, California, to find information on Deborah's family.  The retired couple had been on the road almost three weeks, traveling to Georgia and up the east coast through New York before winding back through Ohio and stopping recently at the Amherst Public Library.

"We came to Amherst because that's where my family is from originally", said Deborah.  "We've spent our vacation visiting cemeteries, historical associations, and genealogy centers tracing back our own family history."  Stephen's family was mostly from Georgia which led them to a great archives in the Atlanta area where they were able to find clues and fill in gaps in his family tree.

Deborah was very happy when she found the book Amherst Pictorial History by Fay Van Nuys Ott in the library's local history collection.  On page 129 of the book she found a photo of John Ulrich Sr., sitting in his cobbler shop, dated 1920.  "He was my great grandfather", she explained. "I've seen a photo of his house but never this one of inside the shop." 

The Jacksons spent quite a while pouring over books and maps while on the other side of the room, kids took part in the library's regular Wednesday craft activity.  "It makes me miss my grandchildren seeing all these happy little faces," said Deborah.  "We've really enjoyed our time on the road.  It's been a very relaxing vacation."  Stephen is holding a copy of the new book by Arcadia Press, Images of America: Amherst.  Find it at the library or purchase it online.

The Jackson's were traveling in their RV and had to head out to make arrangements for the evening.  Before they left town, though, they headed downtown to take some photographs.  Perhaps one day they'll tell their grandchildren about their journey across America to document their family history and tell them about some of the nice people they met along the way, maybe even the nice folks they met at the Amherst Public Library.

Find more information, including Amherst and South Amherst High School Yearbooks, historical photographs, and one of a kind books when you visit our Digital History Collection online. Also check out some of the Amherst News Times that are now available online.  No need to travel thousands of miles and you just might find something you didn't even know existed.

Summer Series

No more teachers no more books....hey, wait a minute, let's not get carried away.  Summer is the perfect time to pick up that book just because you like the cover, because someone told you it was good, because you have time to sit back and just read for fun.  Remember reading for fun?

Sometimes the best books are the ones you find by accident.  Barefoot: a novel by Elin Hilderbrand is one such story.  Connecticut housewife Vicki, diagnosed with lung cancer, has packed up her two kids for a chemo-commuting summer at the family's Nantucket cabin.  Vicki brings along with her two other women that have there own baggage.  The three women are noticed by Josh Flynn, a creative writing student that can smell a story in the air and quickly inserts himself into the drama that unfolds. 

Summer People by Brian Groh is a quick read that puts you into the world of social privilege, but fills you with a great story of friendship and compassion.  A debut novel, a light read that's perfect for poolside.

Sweet-and-sour summer is part of the series Dish by Diane Muldrow.  This young adult series combines friendships, cooking, talking...what else is there?  Short books, all with an underlyling culinary tie that brings characters and drama together on one menu. 


The Floor of the Sky by Pamela Carter Joern depicts four generations of Nebraska ranchers packed into 250 pages that will have you wanting more.  Lila is a pregnant teenager spending the summer at her grandmother Toby's Nebraska ranch. Toby has problems of her own, Toby is trying to save her ranch from foreclosure while dealing with her sanctimonious sister Gertie.  What begins as a summer visit opens up Lila to family secrets and generations of turmoil that can only be felt by those people whose very existence, and life depends on the land around them.  A gritty novel that would make a great movie.

Cabin pressure: one man's futile attempt to recapture his youth at summer camp  by Josh Wolk is available as a book on CD.  Reminicent of an Adam Sandler movie, Josh find himself faced with the ultimate step into adulthood - marraige.  He returns to the summer camp of his youth before walking down the aisle. But while his beloved campgrounds have remained the same, Wolk finds that he has grown out of touch.  What's worse is that he's still intimidated by supermacho co-counselor Mitch.  If summer camp brings back memories of wedgies and misquito bites then join with Josh Wolk and share the memories.

Front Porch Tales by Philip Gulley invites you to sit and just enjoy the front porch of life.  Lift your spirits and share in the warm and inspirational stories that help you put some perspective on what is really important in your life.  A nice, relaxing read.  Where's my iced tea?

Sure there's always work to be done but even young readers can relax and have fun with Mr. Putter & Tabby Paint the Porch by Cynthia Rylant. Everything is ready to go.  The drop cloths are laid, the paint has been stirred, but when a squirrel gets curious, the resulting chaos is worth a few laughs, especially if you're not the one cleaning up. This is one of the books located in our Beginning Readers section in the Children's Department.  Look for the red sticker on the book spine that says "Reader". 

Remember, the library has a summer reading program for those ages 4 through 104.  Visit our online registration page or our Youth Services page for more information.

A memorial for the weekend

Often we get caught up with our daily schedules, lists and agendas, timetables that fill up our days yet drain us of precious minutes. Holidays sneak up on us and add to the chaos with cookout, parades, and party invitations.



And while an aura of uneasiness settled over my morning routine I looked at the calendar, having missed a doctor appointment the previous day and now committing myself to better organization, and noticed the date and suddenly realized the reason for the emptiness. May 27, a prelude to Memorial Day weekend, and the day, eight years ago I lost a very good friend.



Alison Dodson was my friend and what I would call a spiritual sister. When our family moved to Columbus, we lived a stone’s throw from Alison and her family. Alison and her husband had both graduated from Amherst and it seemed ironic that we were now living so close to each other. Several years later when she was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer the journey was a rocky one and I just held on for the ride.



When the chemo kicked in I buzzed her hair and swept up the clippings from the kitchen floor. I shopped with her for clothes as she continued to lose weight.



Holidays were always a celebration at the Dodson household with food, kids in the hot tub, and pool volleyball. But that year I remember painting Alison’s toenails, red, white, and blue, as she laid resting on the sofa, because how could you go to the hospital without a proper pedicure.



She left that day, me promising to meet her at the hospital after I’d gone home to shower, change clothes and regroup. I promised her kids I would pick them up. But I never made it. I didn’t keep my promise. I got word she had died while I drove down Interstate 71, the day was sunny and James Taylor was singing “Fire and Rain”. Somehow the plans they made, the chemo, radiation, and all if it, had put an end to you.

 Today I remember that Memorial Day weekend in 2002, the one I spent writing an obituary, and think about all the people who might view this weekend as not just a time to remember our veterans but all of our friends who have left, whose journey included a battle of a different kind, one they fought bravely, but overpowered them in the end.



We’ll honor others this weekend, my father, whose reissued Army medals I just received, and Mike Barvinchak, who was a Navy medic in Viet Nam and survived the horrors of war yet lost his battle at home with cancer.


I pull in the parking lot at work, another day, another battle of deadlines, shifting priorities and requests. But as I put the van in park a song comes on the radio and I pause, my hand on the ignition key, as James Taylor comes on the radio:



I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
I’ve seen sunny days
That I thought would never end
I’ve seen lonely times
When I could not find a friend
But I always thought that I'd see you again.

Me, too, Alison….me, too. Sorry I let you down but thanks for the song.


Following is a list of books you might enjoy:

You can do this! : surviving breast cancer without losing your sanity or your style 
by Elisha Daniels and Kelley Tuthill


Some of the best therapy comes from within.  Help a friend by updating her look, new eye make-up, ideas and tips from someone who's been there.



Stand by her : a breast cancer guide for men by John W. Anderson
Chapters cover common concerns and questions from husbands who are on the front lines of the breast cancer battle.  Topics cover "emotional fallout" and "Chemo: the shot heard round the world".  Worth a look.

The unforgiving minute : a soldier's education by Craig M. Mullaney
 A West Point grad, Rhodes scholar, and Army Ranger recounts his unparalleled education in the art of war.  Nice personal narrative that includes "an appeal" as well as contact information for three non-profit organizations that help military personnel and their families. 


Miss O'Dell : my hard days and long nights with the Beatles, the Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the women they loved
by Chris O'Dell 

Here's your backstage pass to some of the most momentous events in rock history.  O'Dell was part of rock royalty's trusted inner circle and this tell all tale will give you the inside story to what went on when the Beatles, Dylan, Taylor, Santana, and others came to town.  Nothing wrong with living the dream.