Meet the Staff: Jo in Brazoria

Name?
Jo

Position?
children’s specialist/assistant branch manager

What are your general job duties?
My main task is to plan and implement all children’s programming, including teen events and summer reading activities, and to manage the children’s collection. I also prepare branch press releases, narratives, FYI newsletter and monthly statistics. I help out at the circulation desk and with shelving and assist our branch manager when needed.

How long have you worked with the library system?
5 years

What are your favorite books or authors?
My favorite authors are John Grisham, Nicholas Sparks and Mary Kay Andrews. I like to read historical fiction and light mysteries as well as biographies. Anything set in the South will capture my attention.

What are your hobbies?
I enjoy cooking, working in the yard and different kinds of crafting and sewing. I am trying to learn how to crochet. I also like to read and watch movies.

Where are you originally from?
Tyler, Texas

Where did you go to school?
I went to school in Tyler at Robert E. Lee High School.
I received my associates degree from Tyler Jr. College and my BS in education from the University of Texas at Tyler.
I am currently studying for my masters in library science online through the University of North Texas.

What do you like best about working at the library?
My favorite thing about working in the library is the daily interaction with our patrons and my co-workers.

New Preschool Storytime in West Columbia

Beginning in January, preschool storytime at the West Columbia Library, a branch of Brazoria County Library System, will be held on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. instead of Wednesdays. Preschool storytime is a literature-based program featuring stories, songs, fingerplays, puppets and simple craft projects for children ages three to six years of age.

The storytime theme for January is Winter Wonderland. January 3 we will read stories of snow and paint a snow picture. The next week we will discuss and read stories about animal hibernation. The third week hats and mittens is the topic. We will read some classic children’s stories, such as “The Hat” by Jan Brett and “The Three Little Kittens” illustrated by Paul Galdone, along with new books for children. Penguins and having winter fun is the topic for the fourth storytime in January, and we will be making penguin puppets. The last storytime in January we will discuss when it will be spring. Our craft project will be pop-up groundhog puppets.

For other storytimes and events, please visit our website. Preschool storytime is free to the public. For more information, contact the West Columbia Branch at 979-345-3394.

Meet the Staff: Donna in Technical Services

Name?
Donna

Position?
cataloging clerk

What are your general job duties?
Entering newly-acquired library items into the catalog for BCLS.

How long have you worked with the library system?
nearly 10 years

What are your favorite books or authors?
I appreciate a well-written novel or memoirs of interesting people [and] some poetry anthologies.

What are your hobbies?
Scrapbooking and paper crafting, reading (of course!), writing and sharing poetry, and I enjoy keeping in touch with friends on Facebook.

Where are you originally from?
Oklahoma City

Where did you go to school?
Graduated high school in Moore, OK (home of F5 tornadoes)
BA from University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond (way back when it was called Central State University)

What do you like best about working at the library?
I love seeing the new books and DVDs come in and being able to populate my reading (or viewing) list with ones that interest me.

Free Zumba Classes in Freeport

Every first Saturday of the month at 11 a.m., free Zumba classes will be held at Freeport Library, a branch of the Brazoria County Library System. The hour-long classes begin January 7 and will be led by Zumba instructor Cathy Strambler.

Free Zumba classes are uncommon, and the library is proud to offer this new fitness series. Classes will be limited to about 30 participants and will be held in the library’s meeting room on a first-come, first-served basis. Bottled water will be provided.

“We are happy to provide this free fitness program for our community. There was a good response to our Bollywood Dance class in September, and we wanted to try different services and ways of helping our patrons. It’s going to be fun,” Cindy Yell, Freeport branch manager, said.

Free Zumba classes will be held all year, on the first Saturday of every month. For more information, call the library at 979-233-3622.

Book Review: "The Name of the Star" by Maureen Johnson

Maureen Johnson's "The Name of the Star" is a funny, scary, suspenseful, inventive read.

Rory, a teenager from Louisiana, heads to England with her parents for her last year of high school. While her parents are teaching at a University in Bristol, Rory settles in at a boarding school in London.

Unfortunately for Rory, she's ill-prepared for London's weather, but she's even less prepared when a killer begins striking very near the school. Even worse, the killer is duplicating the 1888 murders of Jack the Ripper.

All of London is terrified by the string of grisly murders, but Rory thinks she's safe at school. Until she sees a strange man on campus. A man her roommate Jazza does not see - even though Jazza is only feet from him.

What is going on? Is he the killer? Why is Rory the only one who saw him?

Johnson has crafted a wonderful story with a memorably witty heroine. Rory is smart and funny and brave. And that's a good thing, because when this book gets scary, it will leave you breathless.

The ending leaves the door open for sequels. I can't wait for the next one!

reviewed by Sara, children's coordinator