@your library Volume XXVI Number Four
A NEWSLETTER OF
Summer 2019
Cheers for our library volunteers
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by Sherry Leslie
t was festive, exciting, delicious, and cozy-crowded! Our 45th annual Volunteer Appreciation celebration happened in April at Central Library, where the Trust, the Friends, and the library staff honored people and pups who serve all the libraries with unpaid enthusiasm. The honors began with The Marcus R. Tower Award being presented to Adrian Alexander, who has worked diligently for several years as chair of the Helmerich Distinguished Author Award selection committee. He prepares ahead of the event by studying and then publically reviewing the books written by the winning author. The Dee McBride Award for Volunteer Excellence was presented to Lida McClain, a long-time volunteer at Charles Page Library in Sand Springs. She has given hundreds of hours to make that library collection and displays neat, accessible and interesting. Alice Costas was honored for 30 years of volunteering at Brookside Library, and Anita Pancook and Joanne Yarwood were awarded for 25 years of helping at Helmerich and South Broken Arrow libraries. For serving 15 years of volunteering, Judi Carlson, Steve Haas, Marsha Hughes, Carolyn Lee, Sharon Maust, and Verlinda Norris came forward to applause. Do you read to your dog or cat? In our libraries, we do! Our PAWS for Reading dogs listen closely and become relaxed with the words and anxious to be petted as a reward. At the ceremony we gave them some edible treats they richly deserve. Others recognized individually at the front podium were 57 adults and 110 teen/young adults, each who had given many hours or years in service to their local library. Each attendee received a certificate from CEO Kim Johnson and Trust President Richard White Jr.
INSIDE:
When you go inside a library, those friendly faces welcoming you are fairly likely to be one of these unpaid but happy volunteers! ď ź
President's Podium: Sweet summertime at the library page 2
Clockwise from Top: Committee members Janet Purinton, Rachel Ann Dennis, Michael Nesser and TCCL staff Cleo Berninger greet guests; PAWS dog Boone and owner Sally Harris pick up their name tags; Attendees enjoy the food provided by the Friends; South Broken Arrow manager Kelli McDowell with awardee Joanne Yarwood.
New membership year kicks off July 1 page 3
TCCL plus Starbucks equals success! page 5
Library pilots curbside pickup page 7
PRESIDENT’S PODIUM Sweet summertime at the library
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he Summer Reading Program is half over, so I hope that you have registered and are finding those four books that will earn you a great “space mug”—it's stellar! And of course receive the other prizes being given to adults. Whoever thinks reading (or listening to books) is a waste of time is just wrong! The Friends board stays busy during the summer—we are planning fall events, teaching new board members about their duties, planning our 2020 budget and membership renewal campaign, deciding on the six books and reviewers for the fall Books Sandwiched In, and writing the newsletter you hold now. We invite you to think about giving some hours to our library system in some way that would be fun for you. There are so many ways to help; what is your favorite thing to do? Which of your skills would be
Friends award scholarships for spring term
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oin us in recognizing these staff who are continuing their education and are recipients of a scholarship for the 2019 spring term.
great to use in volunteering? Or you could just be supportive by being a Friend or making a donation. Have you tried the new service called “Your Next Great Read”? You fill out a questionnaire with answers about your preferences in reading material, and librarians go through the million-item inventory of the libraries to give you back a list of what similar books you might like next. I answered the questionnaire at tulsalibrary.org. On the home page, click on “Books, Music, Movies +”, then look for the featured square, “Your Next Great Read”. Click on that and it gives you the questionnaire. After answering as best you can about what you prefer, submit it. A library staff will send you an email with your list. I love this service! Even if you don’t use that special service, I wish for you magical summer days in
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im Johnson delighted attendees at our recent Annual Meeting by sharing highlights from TCCL in the last year. She began her presentation by complimenting Friends of TCCL for their staff scholarship donations, $1,000 donation to Take Your Child to the Library Day, and overall support of the many outstanding library programs throughout the system. Other items she mentioned: •
JENNIFER PARRISH Customer Service Assistant, Hardesty
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MELINDA THAO Customer Service Assistant, Owasso
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@your library | Summer 2019
Sherry Leslie 2018-2019 President
Visit from TCCL CEO
MARY GREEN Lead Customer Service Assistant, Bixby
ERIC TACKETT Customer Service Assistant, Central
our libraries—meet other readers or bring friends with you, find a surprisingly wonderful book, enjoy a totally free event there, watch your young ones enjoy the space and make crafts, take a teen to volunteer. Add to the high quality of life in our county by taking a trip to your local library.
Fast Facts 2018 booklets are available at all locations. Statistical evidence of key performance indicators within these small booklets prove how outstanding TCCL performance has been. The numbers are mind boggling—total circulation for 2018 was 8,578,541. The American Library Association’s annual meeting is in Washington D. C. in late June. Several TCCL staff will present to a national and Canadian audience attending the conference. They will be showing and telling what TCCL is all about. In addition, TCCL will be recognized by ALA as the 2019 “Library of the Future.” Announced in Library Journal, Tulsa has been named as the location of the November 2019 Director’s Summit. Building plans for renovations at many branch locations are being rendered. Amounts and renovation information will be presented in the fall. The Annual Report provides a complete picture of 2018—activities, programs, and awards. Search "Annual Report" on TulsaLibrary.org and choose the pdf file.
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS Our new membership year starts NOW
Thank YOU for being a Friend. •
Staff Scholarships and Training. As a Friend YOU supply staff with scholarships for continuing education and fund staff training days.
•
Be a Friend of the library for as little as $10. That's less than the cost of the one book you checked out this year! Wait, you checked out more than one?
Literacy. As a Friend YOU champion literacy through the Summer Reading Program and the First Book initiative that provides books to children from low-income families.
•
And, be entered to win tickets to the Helmerich Author Award dinner honoring Stacy Schiff when you join or renew by September 1. Lifetime member? Donate to Friends in any amount by September 1 and YOU are entered also.
Programs. As a Friend YOU bring opportunities for yourself and other Tulsa County residents to participate in fun and informative programs like Books Sandwiched In and the Adult Creative Writing Contest.
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Libraries are a safe space in our communities, opening the doors to knowledge and making lifelong learning accessible for residents of all ages and backgrounds. Join us, and give a little to say "Thanks" for all that libraries give to us and our fellow citizens.
Volunteer Recognition and Thank You. As a Friend YOU say "thank you" to every library volunteer across Tulsa County by supporting the annual volunteer appreciation banquet hosted by the Friends.
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Advocacy. As a Friend YOU are an advocate on behalf of libraries in our community and across the state.
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ove YOUR library! Join or renew your Friends membership today. Your annual membership is good from now through June 30, 2020.
Plus, as a Friend you'll receive early notice of our engaging programs and the @your library newsletter delivered to your mailbox. As always, your membership is tax deductible to the extent provided by law. Use the enclosed envelope or pay by credit card at TulsaLibrary.org/Friends.
Join or renew today and enjoy these great incentives GET A FRIENDS WINDOW CLING NEW THIS YEAR!
Join as an Avid Reader ($25) and above and receive a complimentary Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries window cling!
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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 CityCounty Libraries!
YOUR generous support keeps these activities going over the next 12 months and beyond.
WIN TWO TICKETS TO THE HELMERICH AUTHOR AWARD DINNER Be entered to win two tickets to the Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award dinner honoring Stacy Schiff on Friday, Dec. 6. (A $350 value!)
JOIN, RENEW OR MAKE A DONATION BY SEPTEMBER 1 TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY. Simply return the enclosed envelope by mail or visit us at TulsaLibrary.org/Friends to pay by credit card.
Summer 2019 | @your library
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NOTEWORTHY NEWS Creative Writing Contest ceremony honors winners
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by Dorothy Minor
he Adult Creative Writing Contest committee celebrated the winners of the 2019 contest in May. Simon Han, the keynote speaker, gave the audience advice on writing. Han is a Tulsa Artist Fellow who will be teaching creative writing at TU this fall. His first book is forthcoming from Riverhead Books. Han, an engaging speaker, kept the audience captivated with his downto-earth advice and humor.
Janice Kuharski, first place winner in children’s fiction, read from “The Oak and the Linden.” Ryan Bradley who won first place in informal essay for “Ten Years Later” wrote a personal piece about his younger brother’s cancer diagnosis. In poetry, Jane Gibson enthralled the audience with “Squall Line,” a poem written in the Malaysian pantoum form. Winning first place in short stories, Jennifer Sneed charmed the audience with her reading of “Call Me Martha.” See all the names of all the winners and read from some of the winning entries at www.tulsalibrary.org/adultcreative-writing-contest. The Adult Creative Writing contest committee worked together to honor the winners of the contest: Courtney Cooper, Sloan Davis, Cindy McDonald, Diane Pennington, Travis Splawn, Mack Vanderlip, and Dorothy Minor, chair. Sherry Leslie and Tara Farrar were also indispensable in making the recognition ceremony memorable.
Summer Reading— not just for kids!
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o you know how to find that picture ast summer was the biggest ever for of your sister from 2008 from your the Adult Summer Reading Program: visit to Grand Lake? Can you find that tax Over 18,000 adults registered, which is return from 3 years ago? Spring cleaning a 30% increase over the previous year! The library is striving for does not just have to be about the closets and baseboards. Spring an even larger boost this year, encouraging Friends (and your is also a great time to think about your digital organization. It can friends) to register! This year’s theme, "A Universe of Stories", be difficult to store your files in a way that makes them easy to is quite literally out-of-this-world. The main prize for adults is a find. Oftentimes, our digital assets are spread between your cell TCCL-branded space shuttle coffee mug. In addition to the space phone, tablet, laptop, flash drives/memory cards, and email. mug, when you complete the program you will receive a coupon book $2you off library fines!long-term (Fines, what fines?) Therewhich are 2 includes main ways can ensure access to your digital files – by (1) backing up your digital files and by (2) naming To complete the program successfully, you must be at least 16 and organizing your files in a way that is consistent and easy to years of age, register at any of the TCCL branches or online by search. For information on naming and organizing your files, August 3, and read or listen to 4 books. In addition, there are I’d recommending checking out Melody Condron’s 2017 book a myriad of adult program offerings around the library system Managing the Digital You. She covers everything from naming from now through August. Check out TulsaLibrary.org or pick up schemas to how cloud storage works. a summer My Library event guide at any branch.
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@your library | Summer 2019
Clockwise from Top: Committee member Mack Vanderlip greets guests before the awards ceremony; Essay winner Ryan Bradley reads a selection from his piece; Winners of the Short Story category pose for a photo op with Simon Han and event chair, Dorothy Minor; Keynote speaker Simon Han encourages fellow writers with his speech entitled, "Mistakes I Would Make Again".
HAPPENINGS
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD GIVEN AT ANNUAL MEETING
SOUTH BROKEN ARROW LIBRARY 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
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n 1987, the Friends established the Distinguished Service Award to honor those persons who have donated their time and talents to serve the library and the Friends. This year’s award was given to Dr. Eldon Eisenach, a retired professor from the University of Tulsa, who has been a member of the Friends Board since 2012.
Members of the Friends Board of Directors were on hand to help out at the South Broken Arrow Library's 25th Anniversary Celebration on April 4. The event included a cake reception, family activities, and a ribbon cutting ceremony with community leaders.
Dr. Eisenach has served on the Books Sandwiched In and Great Decisions Committees. His dedication and support have been instrumental to the continued success of these programs and positive reception in the community. He has recommended books for review that are interesting and audience appropriate. He has served as reviewer and as introducer of the reviewer on numerous occasions.
He is also a valued member of the Great Decisions Committee. He secured the most recent kick-off speaker, Dr. Bob Donaldson. As a result of having a well-known speaker, the meeting had high attendance. His positive and cooperative spirit are exemplary of the mission of the Friends to provide programs that support the Tulsa CityCounty Library and the community.
TCCL + Starbucks = SUCCESS by Debbie Cogan
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f you have visited the Central Library downtown, you might have been pleasantly surprised to see a Starbucks located just inside the entrance. You really cannot go far these days without coming across a Starbucks, but the Tulsa CityCounty Library is the first public library system in the country to partner with Starbucks. Having a well-known national brand such as Starbucks inside the library allows TCCL to attract customers who might not otherwise visit. These new customers then have the potential of turning into new library users when they experience the many services that the library provides. During the Central Library renovation, which took place from 2013-2016, there was always the intention to have a space for library customers to take a coffee break. When Central opened, it was anticipated that customers would spend an average of 2-3 hours at the library
creating 3D items in the Renee` Neuwald Trust MakerSpace and working in the American Electric Power/Public Service Company of Oklahoma Foundation Digital Literacy Lab. Having a Starbucks on site allows customers to step away from their projects and their studies for a quick break without leaving Central’s campus. In addition to attracting new customers to Central and providing a space for customers to relax, Starbucks also attracts adults to the biggest library program of the year-the Summer Reading Program (SRP). Last year, TCCL saw an unprecedented amount of adult customers signing up for the Adult Summer Reading Program. The Starbucks coupon, included in the highly anticipated coupon book as a prize, was one of the incentives for adults to sign up for the program. This year, Starbucks is once again participating in SRP-every adult who completes the program will receive a buy one, get one free coupon for a
The Central Library Starbucks serves up drinks seven days a week in benefit of TCCL. handmade Starbucks drink of their choice. The library’s partnership with Starbucks is a great benefit for the library and its customers.
Summer 2019 | @your library
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Digital Bytes
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by Katlin Seagraves
re you planning to travel this summer? There are lots of apps and services that make traveling easier, and there are a few library resources I'd love to share with you before you go! Travel guides can be costly and quickly go out-of-date. One way to combat these issues is to borrow one from the library. You can download the latest in Lonely Planet travel guide books from an app called Freading. Just head over to our website for instructions here: www. tulsalibrary.org/books-music-movies/ digital-collections. The "Lonely Planet Route 66 Road Trips" is a favorite of mine. The Tulsa Library app is another tool every library user should keep on their phone. From the app you can accomplish so many things! You can renew books, see what events we have coming up, and place
books on hold. You can also "Freeze" your holds. Freezing your holds saves your spot on the holds list but prevents holds from arriving while you're out of town. Another lesser known function of the app is the "Scan an ISBN" tool. With this tool, you can scan the ISBN on books to find them in our catalog. As a library and book enthusiast, I always stop at the libraries and bookstores in every town I visit. The "Scan an ISBN" function lets me put books on hold and has saved me a king's ransom in vacation spending money. Just search "Tulsa CityCounty Library" in your smart device's app store. Download our app and you will have a little piece of the library in your pocket! Library databases are some of my favorite library resources to browse in my downtime. My favorite of the databases are the AtoZ World Food and AtoZ World Travel databases. AtoZ World Food lets you explore the food culture of countries all over the world. It provides recipes and anecdotal information about popular foods. You can even find recipes based on
What We're Reading
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by Karen Smith
ou're probably adding books daily to your summer reading list in preparation for those long car rides and days at the lake or by the beach, trying to get as much reading in as you can before the days seemingly speed up again in fall. When we recently asked our officers what they're reading, we got a wide assortment of recommendations, but these three were all reading award-winning dramatic fiction. Perfect thoughtprovoking titles to intersperse with your lighter beach fare. If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for the Summer Reading Program and get rewarded for your summer reads. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
"A newly married young couple in Atlanta have everything going for them in their personal lives and careers until their world is turned upside down by an unjust accusation of rape. The book forces readers to face loss and tragedy and to recognize the redemptive power of persevering in the face of adversity." —Dorothy Minor, Recording Secretary Check out Dorothy's book blog, The Book Whisperer, at parkdalear.wordpress.com.
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@your library | Summer 2019
the ingredients you already have in your pantry. Exploring food culture is a fun way to travel from the comfort of your own home. AtoZ World Travel is a great way to learn about foreign countries before you take a trip. You can find information on embassies and consulates, transportation, federal travel advisories, popular spots to visit, and more! I like to print a few pages of information in case of an emergency when I take trips abroad. You can find our library databases here: www.tulsalibrary. org/research/databases. If you need help navigating any of these apps or getting them set up on your device, stop by your neighborhood library. Or consider setting up a book-a-librarian appointment. You can call 918.549.7323 to get one scheduled. I hope you all have a great summer! Stay dry! Stay cool! And come visit us! I am very excited about our awesome Summer Reading Program line-up.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
"Historical fiction novel that tells the story of a Korean family in Japan—their challenges and triumphs living in a different culture." —Laurie Brumbaugh, Assistant Treasurer
The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish
"Set in London in the 17th and 21st centuries, the book is an interwoven tale of two women of remarkable intellect: Ester Velasquez, an emigrant from Amsterdam, and Helen Watt, an ailing historian with a love of Jewish history. Helen is summoned by a former student to view a cache of newly discovered 17th century Jewish documents, and with his help they embark on one last project to determine the identify of the documents’ scribe, the elusive “Aleph.” Women separated by centuries make choices and sacrifices to reconcile the heart and the mind." —Marian Sexton, 1st Vice President
Find these titles and more in the library catalog at TulsaLibrary.org.
SERVICE SPOTLIGHT Library pilots curbside pickup at two branches
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by Glad Platner
et’s say that you have a book on hold for you at your branch library and you need to pick it up. And your toddler has fallen asleep in her car seat. Or maybe your ankle is broken and you’re on crutches. TCCL is taking care of getting that book to you by adding curbside book delivery to its list of services. 2018 marked the beginning of curbside delivery at both Hardesty Regional and SchustermanBenson branches. Plans are to add
additional branches to the program in the fall of 2019. The process is quite simple—take your library card and cell phone, drive to the branch where your book is being held and park in the designated parking spot. Call the phone number shown on the sign there, give the library employee your library card number, wait a few minutes, and your item will be brought to you.
Voila! You have just what you need from your library without leaving your car. And, if you have items to return, just give them to the employee and they will take care of the return. Currently, this service is available Monday through Thursday from 1 to 6 p.m. Watch for news of the additional branches offering this service. TCCL, your library, is doing what it does best—serving you!
Seeds for all seasons by Carolyn McClure
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hether you are a certified green-thumb gardener or a bumbling beginner, TCCL can make your experience a fun, free adventure with seeds. To find these seeds, you can go online or make a personal visit to one of the nine seed library branches* to browse what is available. A recent online search yielded 171 different seed varieties (26 tomato varieties alone) for your gardening selections. These include herbs, vegetables, and flowers. Some of my favorites were “Drunken Woman” lettuce, “Mortgage Lifter” tomato, and “Outhouse Pink” hollyhock. You may check out up to five seed packets per season. Records will be cleared in April, July, October, and January so you can check out seeds for spring, summer, fall, and winter. Now the fun begins: take them home and plant them. If there are too many seeds in the packet for your purposes, you may return some to the library or share them with friends. TCCL simply requests that you retrieve seeds from a few of your best plants, ripen fully and dry them, then return those new seeds back to the library in the saved seed packet. The seeds will be “checked out” to you for six months, but you are not required to return what you took, nor will you be charged a late fine at the end of the check out period.If your gardening project is unsuccessful, you will not be required to return any seeds. Of course the library does not leave you wondering what the best gardening practices are with checked-out seeds. There are several books in the collection that can answer specific questions and show you how to plant, harvest, dry, etc. In a recent conversation, TCCL Central Adult Services librarian, Johanna Burton, explained the Seed Library program’s roots (sorry). It all began with an NPR show that aired about several
The Seed Library sets up an information booth at community events throughout the year. hundred seed libraries located across the U.S. A listening Tulsa patron recommended such a program to TCCL officials. Research began on other libraries’ program data and our library’s program launched at 2 branches in fall, 2014. Interest has grown so that currently 9 branches offer seeds for check out. The overarching goal of the program is to increase access to many varieties of seeds. Of special focus are seeds that grow well in Oklahoma and are popular among gardeners. So visit one of the Seed Library branches below, select seeds, put on your gardening gloves, and start digging! *Locations with seed libraries: Central, Bixby, Collinsville, Glenpool, Hardesty, Martin Regional, Nathan Hale, Suburban Acres, and Zarrow
Summer 2019 | @your library
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Welcome to our new board members
400 Civic Center Tulsa, OK 74103 918.549.7419 TulsaLibrary.org/Friends
Editor: Carolyn McClure Contributors: Debbie Cogan, Sherry Leslie, Dorothy Minor, Glad Platner, Katlin Seagraves, Karen Smith 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. Its newsletter, @your library, is published for members four times a year.
2018-19 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
Laura Bottoms Lynda Brownson Courtney Cooper Connie Cronley Doris Degner-Foster Rachel Ann Dennis Eldon Eisenach Catherine Gatchell Donna Goodman Gretchen Hannefield Kathleen Kastelic Hussien Khattab Rita Kirk Katy Livingston Carolyn McClure Cindy McDonald Brenda Michael-Haggard Melanie Nelson Elaine Olzawski Mary Olzawski Alex Paschal Richard Parker Glad Platner Janet Purinton Jan Reese Virginia Richard Karla Shahan Karen Smith Travis Splawn Sally Stewart Mack Vanderlip Julie Watson Cecilia Whitehurst Peggy Wolfe
Like us on
We're also lucky to welcome back all of our officers who have signed on for another year of service. They are: 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 Here's to another great year!
We would also be remiss if we didn't say thank you to our board members who are rolling off after completing nine years of service: Donna Goodman, Melanie Nelson, Jan Reese and Virginia Richard. Other departing board members are Gretchen Hannefield, Hussien Khattab and Julie Watson. Thank you!
CALENDAR
2018-19 BOARD MEMBERS
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s our new fiscal year begins July 1, it's a time of change for us— welcoming in new faces and saying goodbye to some old. Five new board members are beginning their service. We give them all a hearty welcome and look forward to what they will bring to the organization.
MUSIC SANDWICHED IN Monday, July 8, 22 noon | Central Library
IGNITE TULSA Thursday, July 25
6:30 p.m. | Central Library
SUMMER READING PROGRAM ENDS August 3
Visit TulsaLibrary.org for details. Visit TulsaLibrary.org for more events and holiday closures.
Facebook.com/FOLTulsa
Robyn Bowman
Robyn worked in public affairs and as a speechwriter for the Army Corps of Engineers and spent 25 years as a school librarian.
Janet Henderson
Janet is a retired public and school librarian who worked for TCCL and in several European specialty and research libraries.
Don Hockenbury
Don is a retired Tulsa Community College psychology professor and has authored several psychology textbooks.
Rosemary Moran
Rosemary worked for TCCL for 46 years before retiring in 2013, working in various areas including youth services and collection management.
Julie Tattershall
Julie is a theatre artist and former artistic director, and currently tours productions to local elementary schools and teaches acting to seniors.
CHAPTERS: A Benefit for the Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service Thursday, Sept. 7
6:30 p.m. | Hardesty Regional Library Join authors Liv Constantine, Juliet Grames and Ebony Roberts for this festive evening of "Books, Bards and Bites" benefitting TCCL's Adult Literacy Service.
Tickets: $50
For tickets visit TulsaLibrary.org/Chapters or call 918.549.7494.