Friends of TCCL Newsletter - Summer 2020 by Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries

@your library Volume XXVII Number Four

A NEWSLETTER OF

Summer 2020

Online library services expand as staff adjust to working from home

by Tara Farrar

hat does it take to keep library services running when buildings are closed? The answer is a lot of dedicated work and creative thinking by library staff.

Library doors first closed to the public on March 13 as the seriousness of COVID-19 became evident. Curbside service was offered for a few days until, for the safety of staff, all buildings were shuttered and staff were asked to work from home. It's safe to say that no one anticipated the closures would continue this long. But IT staff and managers immediately went to work ensuring that everyone had access to a computer and wifi. By March 30, Customer Care was up and running and all AskUs methods including phone lines, text messaging and chat reopened. To make that happen, Customer Care laptops had to be equipped with special phone dialer software and headsets had to be distributed to the department staff. (So yes, when you call the library you might be talking to someone at home in their PJs.)

INSIDE:

Miss browsing the shelves? Central Library staff have created mystery grab bags for customers to pick up curbside. They are available for elementary ages, teens, or by genre for adults.

President's Podium: Parting—no sorrow, only gratitude page 2

Creative Writing Contest winners page 4

The Customer Care department got creative in putting the word out on social media when phone lines reopened at the end of March. Public facing staff also made a huge shift, creating brand new services to offer through social media and Zoom. Book clubs went virtual, branches offered live book recommendations on Facebook, and filmed storytimes, gardening tips and do-at-home crafts. Staff also sewed masks to donate, processed an enormous number of library card requests, and updated the library catalog—all from home. The TCCL website got an overhaul, putting all the virtual resources front and center. The Summer Reading Program went on. As curbside service prepared to restart in mid-May, public facing staff returned to branches. A planned June reopening was pushed back indefinitely as COVID-19 cases continued to rise in the county. Administrative staff and other departments continue working from home to keep buildings as safe as possible. Programs will likely remain entirely virtual through the end of the year. With fall approaching, staff are working to consolidate virtual offerings to free up time to meet the heavy demand for curbside service. Next time you pick up a book from your car, be sure to tell the staff thank you. 

Central Library fire restoration complete page 5

Online book clubs: the new normal page 7

PRESIDENT’S PODIUM Parting—no sorrow, only gratitude

his is my final column as I complete two wonderful years as president of Friends, and pass the leadership to the very capable and creative Dorothy Minor. Dorothy is so talented, having had a variety of work and hobby experiences, plus involving herself with many volunteer groups. She is a Broken Arrow resident. I foresee we will learn more about that community’s wants and needs. I look forward to our upcoming projects for the library under her guidance. We are all deeply appreciative to these outgoing officers: Laurie Brumbaugh, Debbie Grillot, Lynn Peacher and Marian Sexton. They have given us many funfilled hours and lots of brain power. Lynn, Debbie and fellow board member Diane Pennington served the maximum three terms, totalling nine years. Each has contributed too many services to list here, and we are so grateful.

It has been fascinating to see the library staff find ways to serve the patrons during first a fire, then a pandemic. People who use computers have many new activities led by library staff across the system. The Library Commission met in June via a Zoom get-together, and I was invited to take part! Anyone could have; it is a public meeting. I’m learning how to use Zoom, as I’m sure many of you are! The more we can learn about using our computers, the better—they are really going to be a huge part of the future. Though I will not be president, I will continue on the Board and take part in just as many library activities as anyone. Why? I enjoy it so much! And our libraries are so vital that I am compelled to help keep them thriving—they aim to serve everyone in our communities, providing positive outlets for learning, education, group activities—so much, and they're serving more and more people every year.

Spring semester scholarships awarded

ven though colleges were forced to close classrooms for the health and safety of students and faculty, these three library staff completed all requirements of their spring 2020 classes. We congratulate them for their hard work and persistence! Friends is proud to award scholarship monies to each of them, thanks to the donations from our members. Clayton Fletcher, Data Analyst, Central Eric Tackett, Customer Service Associate, Central Malinda Thao, Customer Service Associate, Owasso Thanks to our Scholarship Committee: Kathleen Kastelic (chairperson), Richard Parker, Karla Tomsen, Sally Stewart, and Peggy Wolfe. We especially thank Gary Cathey, TCCL Human Resources Manager, for his help. 

@your library | Summer 2020

Join me in supporting such wonderful enrichment for our community. I'll see you at the library. 

Sherry Leslie 2019-2020 President, Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries

Distinguished Service Award winner, new board members named

ith Safer At Home measures in place, we made changes to our annual membership meeting this year, instead holding an online election of directors. We also recognized our 2020 Distinguished Service Award winner, Brenda Michael-Haggard, during a board meeting on Zoom. The Distinguished Service Award honors those persons who have donated their time and talents to serve the library and the Friends. Brenda spent countless hours utilizing her expertise to plan and conduct strategic planning with our board. In addition to chairing the Marketing & Development Committee she has supported our First Book program, Read Across America Day and our volunteer appreciation event. Thank you, Brenda! We welcomed new board members Barbara Bannon, Chris Cole, Mindy Galoob, Lillie Haddican, Arlene Johnson, Marty Laughlin, Diane MorrowKondos, April Schweikhard and Janet Thomas. We also said goodbye to board members Laurie Brumbaugh, Lynda Brownson, Connie Cronley, Debbie Grillot, Claire Johnson, Katy Livingston, Brenda Michael-Haggard, Lynn Peacher, Diane Pennington, Janet Purinton, Marian Sexton, Travis Splawn and Sally Stewart. Thank you all for your commitment to Friends! 

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS Love YOUR library— become a Friend TODAY!

ibraries are a safe space in our communities, opening the doors to knowledge and making lifelong learning accessible for people of all ages and backgrounds. Now more than ever we see the great strides they take to bring people together, engage minds and provide needed resources. Join today, and give a little to say "thanks" for all that libraries give to us. YOUR gift will allow us to respond in this unprecedented time to meet new needs the library faces, like providing personal protective equipment to staff and supplying materials for branches to create take home activity kits for children and caregivers. YOU can be a Friend of the library for as little as $15. That's less than the cost of the one book you checked out this year! Wait, you checked out more than one? Your annual membership is good from now through June 30, 2021.

When you give, your membership and donation dollars go far... $250—Allows five branches to provide take home activity kits for Take Your Child to the Library Day $100—Sends 10 adult literacy students on an educational fieldtrip $50—Provides one Books Sandwiched In session for adult learners $25—Supplies one pre-K student with a book for every month of the school year Join with your membership or gift of $25+ and you'll receive your own "I Love My Library" decal! 

BE ENTERED TO WIN $100 TO A LOCAL BOOKSTORE WHEN YOU GIVE BY SEPT. 15. Give a gift in any amount and you'll be entered to win one of three $100 gift cards to Fulton Street Books, Magic City Books or Whitty Books! We love supporting our local bookstores during this uncertain time, and we think you'll love shopping there as well!

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.

SUPPORT FRIENDS WHEN YOU SHOP ON AMAZON Doing a lot of online shopping these days? You can do some good while you're at it! It's easy: When you shop Amazon, make sure you're shopping at smile.amazon.com. (Bookmark the site so you don't forget!) Choose Friends of the Tulsa City County Libraries Inc. as your charity of choice. Amazon will then donate a portion of your purchases to Friends! NEW! If you use the Amazon phone app, you can now link the app directly to Amazon Smile!

GET A FRIENDS WINDOW DECAL Join as an Avid Reader ($25) and above and receive a complimentary Friends of the Tulsa City-County Libraries window decal! 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 City-County Libraries!

"I put my sticker on the back of my iPad. As I went through airport security, the TSA agent exclaimed, 'I love the library!' What a wonderful feeling!" —Rita Kirk Share photos of your decals in action with us at www.facebook. com/FOLTulsa with the hashtag #lovemylibrary, or send them to us at Friends@ TulsaLibrary.org.

Summer 2020 | @your library

NOTEWORTHY NEWS Adult Creative Writing Contest winners announced

by Karen Smith

or over 40 years, Friends of the Library (FOL) have offered the Adult Creative Writing Contest to cultivate and celebrate the tremendous talent in our community. This year, because of the pandemic, rules were amended slightly. The deadline for entries was extended and entry fees were waived. All prize monies this year are provided courtesy of FOL, rather than from writing entry fees. Despite the fact that the Awards Ceremony, previously set for May 9, had to be cancelled, the winners were recognized on social media and the TCCL website. There are four categories for submissions to the contest: Children’s Fiction, Informal Essay, Poetry, and Short Story. Entries are based on content, originality and quality of expression, and

2020 Adult Creative Writing Contest Winners

|Informal Essay

|Children's Fiction 1st Place

Gene LaViness

"Mom's Wedding: Bean There, Done That"

2nd Place

Jennifer Sneed "Bio-Morph-OMatic"

Honorable Mention James Owens

"Quirky Quarks and Leaping Leptons"

1st Place Rachel Le

"Of Mountains and Oceans"

2nd Place

|Poetry

|Short Story 1st Place Josh Parish

"Indian Clinic"

2nd Place

1st Place

Jennifer Sneed

"Love on the Lido Deck"

2nd Place Bridget Riley

Tama VanHorn

"What is She?"

"I Pledge Allegiance"

"Excerpts from the Journal of Dr. Gary Newhouse, MD"

Honorable Mention

"Surviving Upward Mobility"

"Just Another Love Poem"

"An Empty Building"

Dustin Barton

Christine Good

Honorable Mention

"Gift Wrapped Eternity"

"A Lovely Old Woman"

Mike Kennedy

Honorable Mention "Collecting Pine Cones"

@your library | Summer 2020

First place winners this year are Gene LaViness for Children’s Fiction, Rachel Le for Informal Essay, Josh Parish for Poetry and Jennifer Sneed for Short Story. You can access the entire list of 2020 winners and read from some of the winning entries online at tulsalibrary.org/adult-creative-writing-contest. Tulsa is not wanting for skilled and extraordinary writing talent. Add the winning entries to your good summer reading list. 

Lauren Lay

Karen Kiely

are judged anonymously. First place winners in each category receive a cash prize of $125. Second prize winners receive a cash prize of $75, and honorable mentions each receive $10. All receive certificates recognizing their winning writings.

Mike Kennedy

Honorable Mention

Diane MorrowKondos "Memories of Home"

Don Bradley

Honorable Mention Cathy Grigsby "The Barracuda"

Honorable Mention J. Allen Harris "Before the Seawall"

Central Library fire restoration complete

by Carolyn McClure

n February 19, Tulsa Fire Department responded to a fire that took place in TCCL’s Central Library. The library was evacuated and damages were assessed. Mike Leitch, TCCL Capital Projects Manager, began the laborious process of assessing the damage and getting the library back in business. The fire began in the second floor women’s restroom when a woman wadded up a bunch of toilet paper, stuffed it into a plastic baby changing table, and set it on fire. The fire burned through the plastic of the changing station then traveled into the walls and burned the insulation. Heat from the fire also melted wires in the walls and triggered the sprinkler system. The water quickly doused the flames in the bathroom, but continued spraying so that water seeped through the floor and created a situation known as “excessive hydration.” The sprinklers do not automatically shut off so that water continued to spew after the fire was doused. By the time the water was manually shut off, it had run down to the first floor and further down to Aaronson Auditorium.

All library floors were negatively affected by the water, soot, ash, and other microscopic byproducts of combustion. As for the collection, there were no lost items. All items had to be carefully cleaned. Most of the items could simply be wiped with special “soot sponges” that remove harmful particulates. Nothing had to be taken off site for cleaning and testing was performed several times to make sure everything was entirely clean before the process could be deemed complete. Leitch reports that there was lots of damage inside the walls. But, because the building is relatively new, modern fire-retardant building materials helped keep the damage in check. The library was opened briefly in February, with the exception of the second floor, then COVID-19 hit, and the library closed again. Crews were able to continue socially-distanced work and the restoration was completed at the end of March. While the building remains closed to the public at this time, like branch libraries, curbside service is now available at Central. 

A Central Library second floor bathroom suffered extensive damage during a fire on February 19. This look inside the walls shows a portion of the damage to the bathroom. The fire also caused electrical, water and smoke damage throughout the building.

Volunteer opportunities shift online

ost volunteer jobs have halted due to the pandemic, but there's a new opportunity to help out the library by becoming part of the Volunteer Bibliocommons Brigade. And you can do it from the comfort of your own home!

There's no sign of the damage after crews completed restoration of the bathroom and building. Each piece of the library collection was "wiped" to remove harmful particulates, and indoor air quality was meticulously checked before customers returned. Staff and Friends volunteers then scanned each and every shelf to ensure that items had been reshelved in proper order by the cleaning crew. Work on the second floor continued after the building was closed again in March due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Do you enjoy sharing your reading finds with others? Do you get so excited when finishing a book that you just need to let others know? Do you have deep knowledge in a subject and could put together a resource list for others to delve deep into new information? We would love to have you assist by writing reviews of the books you have read. Or by creating lists such as “If you liked this book, you will like…” for the library's online catalog. You will receive volunteer hours even if you do this at your home on your computer. Email volunteers@tulsalibrary.org with your questions about adding to this program, and you will receive more specific guidelines on being a contributor to the Bibliocommons Brigade! 

Summer 2020 | @your library

What we're reading during quarantine by Debbie Cogan

ave you ever wondered what the folks who work in the Tulsa CityCounty Library system read when they have time to pick up books that interest them? I reached out to some to see what they have been reading during the months the library has been closed due to COVID-19. Sarah Davis, Youth Librarian, Herman & Kate Kaiser Library There are many kinds of readers, especially in pandemic times. I’m one of those readers that has been devouring historical nonfiction and memoirs in a quest to see how others have survived difficult times, whether global disasters or personal upheaval. Influenza: The

Summer Books Sandwiched In available on YouTube

id you miss Books Sandwiched In this spring? Well, we had a mini Books Sandwiched In series in June and July on Zoom! If you missed it, you can check out recordings of the programs on the library's YouTube channel at youtube.com/TulsaLibrary. We discussed Margaret Atwood's award-winning follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale, The Testaments, Sue Monk Kidd's The Book of Longings, and The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern.

@your library | Summer 2020

Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History by Dr. Jeremy Brown discussed the 1918 pandemic and its century-long fallout. Jessica Simpson’s Open Book demonstrated the fallout from 90’s celebrity culture in her life and how she made changes to live differently. In I Want You to Know We’re Still Here: A Post-Holocaust Memoir, Esther Safran Foer wove the broken threads of her family trauma from Nazi devastation in the Holocaust in Ukraine. Chanel Miller laid bare her experience as a sexual assault survivor in our broken justice system in her breathtaking memoir Know My Name. These books and others I’ve read this pandemic have given me perspective on the scope of history and human experience. As I write these recommendations, I’m in the middle of reading When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele alongside Paula J. Giddings’ Ida: A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching. While I haven’t yet finished these titles, even what is revealed in the early pages of this memoir and history, respectively, makes them worth suggesting to you. History and memoir reveal the best and worst of ourselves: how far we’ve come and far we have yet to go. Richard Jackson, Customer Service Assistant, Peggy Helmerich Library During quarantine I read two biographies that were thematically similar dealing with the history of comic books and their creators. The first was Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics by Tom Scioli. A biography told appropriately enough in comic book form, it explores comic book artist Jack Kirby's early life, his WWII service and his substantial contributions to the Marvel Universe that spawned a lot of the blockbuster movie hits of today and his fight later in life to get recognition and compensation for his contributions. The other biography was True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee by Abraham Riesman. Lee was Kirby's collaborator on the Marvel Universe, writing many of the stories that were produced. However, Lee gained notoriety later in the comics community for exploiting his artists and not giving them their share of the credit, while he profited from their ideas. Both

books are good meditations on creators' rights and bring attention on how multibillion dollar movie franchises like Iron Man, The Avengers and Spider-Man came from artists who saw very little of the profits. Sarah Peterson, Systemwide Products Director As I go through this pandemic with a suppressed immune system, I find that I am looking for books that have happy endings, interesting characters and great plot lines. My favorite book during this time is Sun Sister, by Lucinda Riley. It is the sixth book in the Seven Sisters series, and every one of them has been fantastic. The books tell the stories of adopted sisters who were raised by a wealthy, enigmatic man who recently died. He left each of them a letter and GPS coordinates that will help them connect with their birth families. Each book tells the story of both the lives the sisters are living now and the stories of how they came to be adopted. In this case, the main character is a famous model who is struggling with addiction issues and wanting to change her life for the better. As she encounters her biological grandmother, she hears about a life path that moves from England to Africa to America, and in learning about her family history, she learns to find the future she wants. I’ve been reading these books with my Mom and we hate to finish them because we know we’ll have to wait for the next one! Great characters and great plots—these books are hard to put down.

You can see the choices are as varied as the people who shared their stories with me. I find myself going back and forth between historical fiction and books that my book clubs are reading. I have enjoyed keeping up with my book clubs through Zoom and am thrilled that I have more time to read now too. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides was an engrossing mystery that I found difficult to put down and Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar was an intriguing story about the Dyatlov Pass Incident where nine people mysteriously perished while hiking in the Ural Mountains. I have an ever growing pile of books to be read and am looking forward to diving in this summer. What will you be reading? 

SERVICE SPOTLIGHT Online book clubs: the new normal

or most of us, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered many aspects of our daily lives. As an important part of the social and intellectual lives of many Friends, book clubs are no exception. My own monthly book club has shifted its meetings to the now-ubiquitous Zoom online meeting platform for the time being. Considering the challenges and benefits of this new paradigm inspired me to reach out to library book club leaders for a broader perspective. Carissa Kellerby, Assistant Manager at Hardesty Regional Library, has led the LitWits book club there for three years. Like my own club, they shifted their meetings to Zoom earlier this spring. Kellerby was pleased to share that attendance numbers have remained consistent with in-person meetings, and were even boosted at the first online meeting by the surprise presence of U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, who joined the group for their discussion of her latest poetry collection, An American Sunrise.

The pandemic has also spawned new book clubs. Brad Thomas, Schusterman-Benson Library Manager, saw how the children’s and youth librarians at his branch rose to the challenge posed by the pandemic with great virtual programming. Inspired to make a contribution of his own, Thomas convened a new online book club for the neighborhood. The club boasts 22 official members, with usually six to eight regulars making it to each hour-long weekly meeting. The multi-generational group has grown close over the course of the COVID crisis. Each meeting consists of roughly half book discussion and half general chit-chat, creating a much-needed opportunity for social connection to combat the isolation of safer-at-home orders. Importantly, the only requirement for each book selected by the club is that it be available on the e-book resource Hoopla. This is because unlike some of the library’s other e-book portals, books on Hoopla are unlimited, so members never have to wait for a copy.

by Rachel Organist Running an online book club isn’t always smooth sailing. Some members who lack the required technology may have to join by phone, which can make them feel less engaged in the meeting. And to avoid the ever-present risk of “Zoom bombing,” or the intrusion of uninvited online troublemakers into a Zoom meeting, the library’s clubs have switched from posting the meeting link on social media to having it emailed directly to members. Kellerby and Thomas agreed that although there have been a few technical glitches, and the online meeting format has required some adjustment by attendees and moderators, the book clubs have been a great success—and come with some perks of their own. Some LitWits members have had time to attend meetings they wouldn’t have otherwise made it to the library for. My own club has a member who recently moved to Oklahoma City, but has been able to continue to participate thanks to Zoom. And, of course, there’s always the chance a nationally renowned poet may drop in on your meeting. 

Digital Bytes: Your library @ home Find upcoming programs by clicking on "Virtual Events" from the library homepage.

by Katlin Seagraves

hile the libraries are back open for curbside delivery service, we are not hosting any in-person programs for the foreseeable future. Before you get too bummed out, know that we are offering programs for all ages online! From yoga on Facebook Live (every Tuesday at 6) to wellness programs and book clubs, there is something for everyone. For those of you that are missing our technology programs, fret no longer! Every Friday at noon you can attend a live Tech Talk via Zoom. Instructors from around the library system and the community are teaching classes on a variety of topics. If you cannot attend the live program, the lectures are recorded and uploaded to the library’s YouTube channel. You can head to tulsalibrary.org/events to find the full list of events. Use the “Computers, Devices & Digital Services” tag to find our technology classes. Join us every Friday at noon!

• • • •

Canva 101, August 7 Library Resources for the Job Hunt, August 14 Scams, Cons and Other Phish to Worry About, August 21 Cryptography, 500 B.C. to Present, August 28

You can find our Tech Talks archived online at https://tinyurl.com/ tccl-tech-talks. If you are interested in even more technology classes, check out Lynda! Lynda is a resource that provides quality technology instruction. It is free with your library card and can be accessed right from the comfort of your home. Find Lynda and more online learning at tulsalibrary.org/programs-and-services/online-learning. 

Summer 2020 | @your library

400 Civic Center Tulsa, OK 74103 918.549.7419 TulsaLibrary.org/Friends

Editors: Sherry Leslie & Cecilia Whitehurst Contributors: Debbie Cogan, Tara Farrar, Carolyn McClure, Rachel Organist, 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. @ your library is published for members four times a year.

2020-21OFFICERS Dorothy Minor, President Peggy Wolfe, 1st Vice President Cecilia Whitehurst, 2nd Vice President Norman Bryant, Treasurer Rachel Organist, Assistant Treasurer Kathleen Kastelic, Recording Secretary Michael Nesser, Corresponding Secretary Sherry Leslie, Past President

Library staff assemble resource on race

n light of recent events and the current political environment, Tulsa City-County Library has invited our community to have courageous conversations about race, political violence and power in institutions. Books and literature can be powerful tools to spark conversation, build empathy, and promote healing, transformation, and change. Libraries and library resources are here for you. For customers searching for information on race, librarians have brought together a wide range of resources that they hope you will find helpful in these uncertain times. Whether you are discussing current events with your children, engaging in dialogue with other community members, or simply looking to educate yourself, the "Let's Talk About Race" resources are a great place to start. 

2020-21 BOARD MEMBERS Barbara Bannon Laura Bottoms Robyn Bowman Chris Cole Courtney Cooper Doris Degner-Foster Rachel Ann Dennis Eldon Eisenach Mindy Galoob Catherine Gatchell Laurie Green Lillie Haddican Janet Henderson Don Hockenbury Arlene Johnson Rita Kirk Marty Laughlin Carolyn McClure Cindy McDonald Rosemary Moran Diane Morrow-Kondos Elaine Olzawski Mary Olzawski Richard Parker Glad Platner April Schweikhard Karen Smith Janet Thomas Karla Tomsen Mack Vanderlip

Like us on

A new resource to inform, educate and spark dialogue, "Let's Talk About Race", can be found at tulsalibrary.org/lets-talk-about-race. The site includes important terms to know, book recommendations, caregiver resources, information on local organizations and more. You'll also find links to TCCL's African-American, American Indian and Hispanic Resource Centers.

ave you been keeping busy and taking advantage of the library's online services during the pandemic? We put together a little Bingo card to encourage you to search out some of the library's offerings as well as practice a bit of self-care. We'd love to see your completed Bingos—either a row or the entire card! Snap a pic and share with us on our Facebook page at facebook.com/ FOLTulsa. 

facebook.com/FOLTulsa

Special thanks to TulsaPeople Magazine for the printing of our summer 2020 issue.