New Year's thoughts

I'm surprised to see that it has been so long since I updated this blog! November brought class projects, the Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL) convention in Denver, Thanksgiving of course, and lots to do at work. As a graduate student in Library and Information Science, the CAL convention looked different to me this year. With a fellow student, I presented information about learning styles at the convention. That was fun and a great way to meet others involved in the libraries of Colorado. Various sessions were informative and interesting, as were the keynote speakers.

December meant more holidays, final projects for classes, and a much-needed break from academics. I enjoyed lots of reading for fun, walking with my dog, extra sleep...and I ignored electronics as much as possible.

The books I found to occupy my time and my mind were great! I had heard about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and was curious to read it. What a delight! The characters were so well-developed and so varied that I felt that I knew them. Written in the form of letters among strangers who become friends, the book is comfortable and intriguing, with the sense of a different time and place. It was a joy to read, and is my favorite recommendation for this blog post.

I'm hoping that the cold winter days to come allow me additional time for fun reads. Tomorrow (January 11) begins the Adult Reading Program at PPLD, and I hope to complete the goal of eight books for it. For years when my own children were young, I would encourage their reading during their time off from school, and the library summer reading program was a part of that encouragement. They enjoyed receiving prizes for time spent reading. And that's the idea of our Adult Reading Program as well. I know that I will continue to read, even with the academic work required of my program. The prizes aren't necessary to encourage my habit. Still, it is a treat to receive a prize for completing my goal. I hope my readers will participate in the library's reading program. Sign up on our website or at any PPLD location, and enjoy feeling like a kid again as you earn prizes for the books you read!