Laramie County Library has 214 active volunteers, and they are Ah-Maz-Ing! As the Volunteer Coordinator, I am continually awed by the volunteers of all ages who give so freely of their most precious commodity; time. Library volunteers racked up over 12,000 hours for us in 2018. When we say we cannot do what we do without volunteers, it is absolutely true. Read More
Catching Up with Laramie County Library System’s Newest Board Members
Over the summer, Laramie County Library System welcomed three new members to its Board of Directors. Elizabeth Dillow and Rob Dickerson will serve on the board from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022, while Will Dinneen will serve on the board until June 30, 2020. Board members for Laramie County Library System are appointed by the County Commissioners who are required by Wyoming State statutes to provide library services to their constituents.Read More
Laramie County Library System Joins in Campaign Against E-book Embargo
On July 25, Macmillan Publishers announced that it would limit e-book lending for U.S. libraries. Its new licensing model, scheduled to take effect on November 1, 2019, would only allow a library to purchase one copy of a newly released title in e-book format before implementing an eight-week embargo on the sale of any additional copies to that library.
R.I.P Apostrophe
Don’t talk about religion or politics at Thanksgiving dinner. This advice is frequently shared in order to preserve family harmony. For some families, grammar and punctuation should be added to the verboten list.
Winners of the One World Prairie Guitar Contest
Thanks so much to all our judges, the guitar society and everyone who came out and competed in the One World Prairie Guitar Contest. Thank you, too, to those of you who came and supported these great musicians. A special thank you to Steve Gilmore who brought in all his own sound equipment and ran sound from 10am to 9pm. Everyone involved made the day a great success. We will be holding the third annual contest next year, so watch for information starting around June!
C.J. Box: A Wyoming Original
For each of his book signings, C.J. Box quietly parks outside a main entrance and walks in with an unassuming manner. He strolls down the hallway, clad in a suit jacket, a long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and a cowboy hat, jovially greeting the last minute stragglers who are still trying to find a seat in the jam-packed room. He doesn’t bring a publicist, or an assistant; he brings family members and friends instead. He always waits patiently by the entrance to the Cottonwood Room, smiling at people who walk by and waving to those he knows in the crowd.Read More
Libraries and the Changing Times
This past weekend I was visiting with an old friend I hadn’t seen in years. The usual topics of conversation came up and I was asked a question I so often get when I tell people I work at the library; Are libraries dying?Read More
August 2019 Foundation Report
This is just a quick update on some of the great things happening at our Library thanks to your generous support.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: BOOKLOVERS BASH
We are already in full planning mode for the October 18, 2019, Booklovers Bash. Our featured speaker is New York Times best-selling author and award-winning sportswriter Joe Posnanski. Joe Posnanski is the author of five books including the No. 1 New York Times bestseller Paterno. In a 30-year career as a sportswriter for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports, Major League Baseball, the Kansas City Star and other publications, he was named National Sportswriter of the Year by five different organizations and won two Emmy Awards. We are thrilled he has chosen Cheyenne to feature his newest book, The Life and Afterlife of Houdini, which will be released just three days after our Bash.
Click on Joe’s caricature to the left to go to his podcast, aptly named, “The Poscast.” Read More
Elimination of Fines on Children and Teen Materials
In continual pursuit of our mission to “serve the people of Laramie County by encouraging and supporting lifelong learning and adventure,” we here at Laramie County Library System are eliminating fines on children and teen materials beginning July 1, 2019. The new policy will be applicable to all materials on the second floor, excepting Blu-rays, DVDs, videogames, and adult nonfiction such as the parenting, homeschool, and childcare books. We are committed to creating, maintaining, and growing a library that is equitable and accessible, and eliminating these fines will move us forward in ensuring that the library is truly a place for all.
The Joy of Sharing Books
What’s more enjoyable than reading a good book? For many people, the pleasure of reading is heightened when they have a chance to discuss the book with other people. That’s the whole idea of a book club—readers getting together to talk about books.Read More