Meet the New Hold Wrapper

Starting May 28th, we're changing the look of our hold wrappers, that little slip of paper wrapped around holds on the first floor. If you pick up holds regularly  you'll know what I'm talking about. Instead of being held in place by rubber bands, the new slip will stick nicely to the items.

Why are we changing them?

Think efficiency. Since we process around 10,000 holds a month, little changes make a big difference. Not only will new wrappers stay in place better, we'll be able to create them a lot faster. Currently the wrappers have to be typed by hand. Now we'll be able to generate them automatically. The wrappers will be more accurate too. 

We process around 10,000 holds a month.

What will they look like?

The big change is that now you'll see the following pieces of information on the wrapper:

• A pickup date
• The first 8 letters of your last name
• The last 4 digits of your library card
• The item's barcode

Pretty simple, right? Not only that, but we hope that obscuring more of your name will ensure greater privacy.

How will this affect you?

We hope you'll see holds appear out on the shelves faster, which will mean less waiting for the things you want the read, watch, and listen to. You'll still have 4 days to pick up hold, so that won't change. 

We do urge you to bring your library card though. If you have share a similar last name to someone else, you might need to reference your library card to identify your holds. We don't expect this to be a big problem, but now you know.

So that's it. Have a save Memorial Day weekend.

May is Short Story Month

We celebrated poetry in April during Poetry Month, so why not recognize short stories in May? The idea comes from the website StoryADay.org, where they promote the writing and reading of short stories. And why not? Short stories offer digestible, bite size chunks of fiction. Perfect for summer days in the back yard when your attention can get a little…distracted.

"When you read a short story, you come out a little more aware and a little more in love with the world around you."
-George Saunders, Interview

There are so many great short story authors and collections out there. Where to start? A great way to get acquainted with the masters of the form is through our “Always Available” collection in MyMediaMall. These eBooks can be downloaded unlimited times and never go away. You can find collections by writers ranging from Jack London to Philip K. Dick.

If you're new to downloading eBooks through MyMediaMall, the “Always Available” collection can be a good place to start. Download an Overdrive app for your device, select our library then start downloading. See our getting started page for MyMediaMall for help.

If you're looking for something more contemporary, you can also search for “short stories” from the MyMediaMall home page or look in our catalog for more titles.

Have fun and enjoy those short stories!

Organize Your Inspiration with Pinterest

Pinterest has become an incredibly popular way of doing what librarians love to do best—organize things. We want to help you dive into this great social network too. We regularly offer classes that will introduce you to the basics of setting up an account, pinning, sharing and more.

Why Pinterest?

If you haven't seen it or used it, Pinterest allows you to create virtual boards for different topics to matter to you. The images and the stories that people post come from different sites around the web. Think of it as fancy bookmarks for the visually inclined.

Pinterest for you

People use Pinterest for a wide variety of things. On the library's Pinterest board staff member Heather Imhoff creates boards for everything from our great free, online resources, to cool ways to display books in your house. And so much more.

Using Pinterest is like sitting down with a never-ending magazine

Heather compares the site to a magazine, only one where you are the editorial director: “Using Pinterest is like sitting down with a never-ending magazine or book stuffed full of photos, articles and information, selected by you to match all of interests and tastes. It’s really, really easy and great free resource.”

Learn the ways of Pinterest

There so much to see on Pinterest and so many ways to use it. So, where do you begin? Start by signing up for one of our classes. Heather will take your through the process of creating an account, creating boards, and other tips and tricks.

Most importantly, you'll learn how to make Pinterest work for your interests. As Heather puts it, “Many people who come to our class come wanting to learn how to pin and organize recipes and then discover that they can also use Pinterest to track holiday shopping, pursue hobbies, assist in keeping all kind of projects organized, collaborate on planning events with friends and family and more.”

So, don't wait! Sign up now and add a little visual flair to your online life. Also don't forget to follow the library on Pinterest. We can't wait to see how you use it.

Are you ready to Go?

This summer we want you to Go with us. Go to real and imagined places in books and movies. Go to the past; go to the future. Go swimming and running and playing. Go to the library. Go to the lake. Go somewhere you've never been. Just Go!

Here are a few things to look for this summer as you're planning all the ways you can Go with the library.

Summer Reading Clubs

Our Summer Reading Clubs for kids, teens, and adults will kickoff in a about a month. Stay tuned to our Go page for official start dates and more details. There will be great prizes and awards in store for everyone. The theme for this year's reading clubs is "Have Book Will Travel." Indeed.

Favorite Places

Google Streetview let's you go just about anywhere, so why not take a virtual trip to some of our favorite places. Just visit our Go Places page. Every few days we'll feature a new favorite place to explore. Currently, you can explore Stinson Beach and Muir Woods in California.

Events and Programs

We have tons of Go themed events this summer. We'll feature special programs on the Go page. You can also get notifications about programs in your email here.

Vacation Loans

Finally, if you're planning to Go somewhere near or far, don't forget to ask about vacation loans. We can extend the due date for most materials. Going is great, but coming back to late fines is a drag. See our loan policies page for more details.

That's it. Have a fun and safe summer. And let us know where you plan to Go in the comments.