Ernie Harwell and Alan Trammell Go to Bat for Michigan's Public Libraries
By Sarah Lapshan, Department of History, Arts and Libraries

Hoping to write a positive new chapter in the story of Michigan library funding, the Department of History, Arts and Libraries and the Library of Michigan recently announced that Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell and Detroit Tigers Manager Alan Trammell have offered to champion for state libraries in a new campaign called "Ernie and Tram Go to Bat for Michigan Public Libraries."

One of the very first fund-raising events takes place at Comerica Park on Sunday, May 15, 2005, when $10 of every ticket purchased for a $20 upper-deck box seat will be donated to a special library endowment fund. That day the Detroit Tigers host the Anaheim Angels for an afternoon game.

Harwell and Trammell are well aware that libraries have, for a number of years, faced critical funding shortages and have stated they want to do what they can to help create endowments and expand existing endowments for Michigan's 384 public libraries.

"I have always had a strong interest in books and libraries and want to help support our state's libraries any way I can," said Harwell. "My brother, Richard, who spent a long career serving as a college and university librarian, had a strong influence on my love of books and libraries."

Said Trammell, "As a father of three children with two now in college, I am well aware of the critical importance of libraries in the learning development of children and young adults."

Department of History, Arts and Libraries Director Dr. William Anderson said this partnership is an excellent opportunity to draw attention not only to the uncertain financial state of Michigan's libraries, but also to the incredible good they bring to their communities every day.

"With such well-known and well-loved hometown heroes like Ernie and Tram taking a public stance on the value and enduring importance of libraries, the message will get stronger and stronger," said Dr. Anderson. "We cannot thank Ernie, Tram and the Detroit Tigers enough for their generosity in making May 15 a special day for Michigan libraries."

Acting State Librarian Nancy Robertson said that libraries would certainly do their part to help promote the game. "There isn't a stronger advocacy group than the library community anywhere in Michigan," she said. "With the help of our cooperatives, we will do everything we can to get the word out to friends, family and library fans everywhere about this exciting day at the ballpark."

Watch coming issues of Access for more information about ticket sales, or contact Roger Mendel, director of the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative, at (810) 232-7119 or rmendel@flint.org.

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Meet Acting State Librarian Nancy Robertson
By Casey Warner, Department of History, Arts and Libraries

With former State Librarian Christie Brandau headed to Kansas, Nancy Robertson took the helm of the Library of Michigan as acting state librarian. Robertson has been with LM since 1995, when she was hired as the library's first rare books cataloger. She acted as temporary head of the cataloging and processing team, and in 1997 she became the curator of the library's rare book collection, a charge she continued when she was appointed director of the Technical Services Division in 2000.

Robertson worked with the Library of Michigan Foundation to bring the Martha W. Griffiths Michigan Rare Book Room to completion and was closely involved in selecting the architects, completing the design, and overseeing the construction of this state-of-the art rare storage and reading room facility within the Library of Michigan's walls. She became Deputy State Librarian in 2002, taking charge of handling the Library of Michigan budget tracking and planning and acting as agency liaison to the Department of History, Arts and Libraries administrative staff. In 2004 her duties were expanded to include more statewide operations in addition to these internal operations functions.

Robertson has a library background dating back to her youth. Born in Ohio, she frequented the small-town Wright Library in Dayton throughout her childhood. During her last semesters at the College of Wooster, she worked as an assistant to the cataloger of a special collection acquired by the college library. After completing her M.A. in English Literature at the University of Illinois, Chicago in 1979, it was not until she relocated from Michigan to Philadelphia that she was able to move forward with her ambition to become a librarian.

At Drexel University, where she earned her M.S. in Information Studies in 1990, Robertson focused on rare book librarianship and began work in 1990 at the renowned Library Company of Philadelphia, which was founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin and later served as the library of the Continental Congress. In 1992, Robertson was hired by the William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, another of the country's premier Americana collections. There, she spent two years cataloging new acquisitions.

Robertson lives in Jackson with Jim, her husband of 30 years. They enjoy spending time at their summer cottage near Crystal Lake and frequently visit with their two grown sons currently in Boston and Charlottesville, Va. Robertson, owner of a Jack Russell terrier, collects Edward Gorey books and late 19th- and early 20th-century decorated publishers' cloth bindings.

Look for "News from Nancy" in the next issue of Access for more on Robertson’s plans as acting state librarian.

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Library Community Bids Fond Farewell to Christie Pearson Brandau
By Casey Warner, Department of History, Arts and Libraries

A large crowd turned out at the Library of Michigan Jan. 20 to thank Christie Pearson Brandau for her great work as State Librarian and to wish her well in her new position as state librarian of Kansas.

Many in the library community spoke during the event, reflecting on Christie's tenure at the Library of Michigan and her many accomplishments. Speakers included LM Board Chair Cliff Haka, Department of History, Arts and Libraries Director Dr. William Anderson, Michigan Library Consortium Executive Director Randy Dykhuis, LM Foundation Executive Director Judith Moore, Barbara Brown of the
Abrams Foundation, Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative Director Roger Mendel, Michigan Library Association Executive Board President Linda Farynk, LM Documents Outreach Coordinator Bernadette Bartlett, Acting State Librarian Nancy Robertson, and Christie Brandau herself.

State Representative Mike Nofs, a member of the Library of Michigan board of trustees, also presented Christie with a proclamation on behalf of all the legislators on the LM board.

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State of Michigan Records Management Services Develops a General Retention Schedule for Public Libraries
By Caryn Wojcik, Government Records Archivist, Records Management Services/Michigan Historical Center

• Maple Rapids Public Library (Class 1)
• Eaton Rapids Public Library (Class 2)
• Chesaning Public Library (Class 3)
• Marshall District Library (Class 4)
• Capitol Area District Library (Class 6)
• Lapeer District Library (Class 6)
• Southwest Michigan Library Cooperative (Paw Paw)

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Upcoming Continuing Education Opportunities from the Library of Michigan
By Deb Bacon-Ziegler, Continuing Education Coordinator, Library of Michigan

2005 Loleta Fyan Rural Libraries Conference
Rural Libraries: Gateway to Information
Conference registration is now open! To access the registration form, visit the Rural Libraries Conference Web page. This site is your complete source for all information related to the conference, including reservations at Boyne Highlands and the preliminary conference schedule. Bookmark the site and check back often.

The CONFERENCE AWARDS nomination deadline has been extended to Friday, February 25, 2005. Do not miss your opportunity to recognize a hardworking colleague, trustee or Friend with an award nomination.

The 2005 Rural Libraries Conference will be May 2-4 at Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs.

Beginning Workshop 2005
This year, Beginning Workshop will be held the week of June 6 at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey. Based on feedback from 2004 attendees, the workshop will be newly updated for 2005 with a strong focus on the QSAC essential quality measures. Watch for registration details at www.michigan.gov/lma in late February.

Looking ahead...
The Library of Michigan and the Michigan Library Association are partnering to offer Trustee Basic Training (various dates/locations around the state) in 2005. See http://www.mla.lib.mi.us/development.htm for details as they become available.

Don't forget to check the Statewide Workshops and Events Calendar, your one-stop source for workshops, training events, conferences and other library-land happenings!

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Library Laws Handbook, 2004-2005 Edition
By Lance Werner, Library Law Specialist, Library of Michigan

Since its inception in 1988, the Library of Michigan's Library Laws Handbook has become an invaluable resource for public libraries in Michigan. The Library of Michigan recognizes the importance of ensuring that public libraries have access to the information contained in the latest applicable laws. The staff at the Library of Michigan selects appropriate Michigan laws for this compilation. The handbook - a non-exhaustive guide for library trustees, directors, library staff and interested members of the public - includes state constitutional provisions and public acts referencing myriad laws that may affect Michigan's public libraries.

The latest version of the Library Laws Handbook is available in an electronic format and can be accessed through the publications section of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries Web site. The new format, a significant departure from the previous editions of the handbook, was chosen because it affords users flexibility in updating and, perhaps more importantly, increased access. As various laws get amended or interpretations are issued, users may easily supplement the edition themselves with copies of public acts, attorney general opinions or other helpful information. The Michigan Legislature Web site brings the latest amendments to every library within hours of legislative activity and provides access to the Michigan Compiled Laws database. Most opinions of the Michigan Attorney General are available on the Department of Attorney General Web site.

The new electronic format will also enable those seeking the handbook to print as many copies as needed. Although the latest revision of the handbook is now completed and freely available on the Web, the Library of Michigan has additional plans for the resource and hopefully will be able to supplement the handbook with an index in the future. The indexing process is currently in its infancy, but as soon as it is completed it will be available on the Web site. All the public acts in the latest edition of the handbook are current through the end of the 2004 Michigan legislative session.

There have been a number of significant additions included in the 2004-2005 edition of the handbook. Some noteworthy additions include:

Standards of Conduct for Public Officers and Employees, 1973 PA 196, Section 2, MCL 15.342. This section addresses the types of public officer and employee conduct that are prohibited.

Political Activities by Public Employees, 1976 PA 169, MCL 15.401 et seq. This act regulates certain political activities by certain public employees.

Museum Disposition of Property Act, 1992 PA 24, MCL 399.601 et seq. This act will provide guidance to libraries that wish to dispose of donated items, as well as helping libraries determine the ownership status of materials when there is ambiguity about the identity of the legal owner.

The Library of Michigan remains committed to supplying the latest legislative information to Michigan's library community. In the instance that the Library Laws Handbook does not provide the information sought, please check previous issues of Access or contact the Library of Michigan's library law specialist at wernerl@michigan.gov or (517) 373-1299 for additional help.

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Nominations Sought for MLA's Children's Services Division Award of Merit
By Jennifer Mackey, Salem-South Lyon District Library

Please take a moment and consider if you know a youth services librarian who has made an outstanding contribution to library service for youth in Michigan. This is your opportunity to honor a colleague or co-worker who has had a significant impact on the children who visit the library.

The Children's Services Division of the Michigan Library Association is accepting nominations for the 2005 Award of Merit. The honoree will be presented with this special award at the 2005 Spring Institute Award Dinner on Wednesday, April 20.

For complete details please contact Jennifer Mackey or consult the MLA Web site.

All nominations must be submitted by March 1, 2005 to:

Jennifer Mackey
Salem-South Lyon District Library
9800 Pontiac Trail
South Lyon, MI 48178
Phone: 248-437-6431
Fax: 248-437-6593
Email: jmackey@salemsouthlyonlibrary.info

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Making of Modern Michigan's Digital Collections of Local History Materials Now Available
From Making of Modern Michigan staff

Michigan history is in the spotlight on the Making of Modern Michigan (MMM) Web site, now available for browsing at http://mmm.lib.msu.edu/search. Local history materials from more than 35 libraries are currently available on the site, with another 15 collections to be added soon.

The MMM collections include extensive photograph and postcard collections, personal papers such as diaries and scrapbooks, oral history interviews, sound and video files, and documentation on local organizations. The subjects covered are even more diverse: the Dutch and Polish immigrant communities, the mining and lumbering industries, rural and small-town life, and much more.

The Making of Modern Michigan project is administered by the Michigan State University Libraries, in partnership with the Michigan Library Consortium, the Library of Michigan, Wayne State University, Western Michigan University, University of Detroit-Mercy, Traverse Area District Library and Superiorland Library Cooperative.

The MMM collections can also be searched through the new MeL Preview gateway.

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Preserving the Legacy of the Freedom Trail in Michigan
Compiled by Casey Warner, Department of History, Arts and Libraries

The heritage of the Underground Railroad and the antislavery movement in Michigan is as rich and multifaceted as our state's automotive and maritime history. Preserving, protecting and promoting this legacy is the mission of the Michigan Freedom Trail Commission, part of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Since forming and beginning its work in 2002, the commission has been busy implementing a strategic plan to carry out that mission.

Most recently, the commission announced the launch of the Michigan Freedom Trail Register, a resource that will identify and promote sites, programs and facilities that tell the story of the Underground Railroad and anti-slavery activity in Michigan.

Modeling itself on the National Network to Freedom - a National Park Service program - the register will provide an opportunity to ensure that the history of Michigan's role in the struggle against slavery is carefully preserved for future generations.

"The Michigan Freedom Trail Register recognizes that enslavement denied the humanity of the enslaved who desired to be free," said Michigan Freedom Trail Commission Chair Mary Edmond.

Understanding the importance of the varied archival sources that help tell these stories, Freedom Trail Register Committee Coordinator Carol Mull said the register will also acknowledge the facilities that hold key documents. "With the launch of the Michigan Freedom Trail Register, local sites, programs and facilities will be listed in one database," she said. "With the participation of citizens and communities across the state, we will be able to share our history with our neighbors and the nation."

From the beginning of slavery in the New World, women and men escaped slavery and resisted, through various means, wherever and whenever possible. The term "Underground Railroad" was used beginning in the 1830s to describe efforts of African Americans, sometimes joined by European and Native Americans, to help themselves and others escape slavery. The women and men who resisted enslavement through flight did so through a variety of places, events and people - making what might constitute a Freedom Trail Register site very broad in definition.

Nineteenth-century Michigan residents of Cass, Wayne, Calhoun, Washtenaw, Lenawaee, Genesee, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Jackson and other counties were actively involved in resisting slavery. The Flint Underground Railroad Heritage Project, the Free Soil Tour of Cassopolis, the Flight to Freedom Project in Detroit and the Journey to Freedom Underground Railroad Tour of Wasthenaw County are just a few examples of programs that document and retell the stories of resistance to slavery and serve as likely candidates for program designation on the register.

To learn more about the Michigan Freedom Trail Register or to find forms to nominate sites and programs, visit www.michigan.gov/freedomtrail or call (517) 335-2726.

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African American Genealogy Basics
By Linda Neely, Reference Librarian, Library of Michigan

Since the 1976 publication of Alex Haley's Roots, millions of Americans of all colors have been inspired to search their family histories, and we have seen a tremendous growth of resources for African American genealogy. Today's researchers enjoy the use of an ever-growing number of African American genealogy Web sites, published records and "how to" books. Anyone conducting African American family history research should read at least one how-to book before starting. I highly recommend Tony Burroughs' Black Roots: A Beginner's Guide To Tracing The African American Family Tree but some additional worthy titles are listed below.

The basic steps for African American genealogy are similar to those for any other family search:

• Tony Burroughs recommends that you write your own autobiography first, using as many names and dates as you can recall. Your autobiography provides names of family members you'll want to interview, and it becomes an important keepsake for future generations.
• Interview other members of the family - particularly the eldest members - to learn additional names and dates. Tape-record elders' stories of important events and fond memories and include these oral histories in the family genealogy.
• Search for family records and photos in closets, drawers, attics, family bibles, etc. Ask all your relatives to do likewise and to send their information to you or the designated family genealogist.
• Working backwards from your parents, complete a pedigree chart and family group charts, filling out what information you know for sure about each person (name, birth, death dates, marriage info, etc.) and going back as far as you can.
• At a research library such as the Library of Michigan, search in this order: U.S. Census (1930-1870 or as far back as you can go), vital records, newspaper obituaries and military records. Also, ship passenger lists and naturalization records may be searched to find voluntary and post-Civil War emigrants.
• Visit county courthouses, churches and cemeteries to obtain further documentation for each person and event listed on your pedigree chart and to learn of additional names and dates.

Census research becomes more complicated for decades before the Civil War. In 1860 separate Census schedules were published for free black and free white populations. There were over 600,000 free blacks recorded in the U.S. in 1860, and some light-skinned blacks are listed on the white schedule. The 1850 U.S. Census was the first to list free persons of color by name and race, but slaves were recorded in numbers only on the general Census. The slave schedules for 1850 and 1860 list the slave owner by name along with the gender and age of each of his slaves. For further information on Ante-Bellum and slave research, how-to books are an invaluable resource, listing strategies and record sources, many of which were unknown a decade ago.

At some point, most Michigan black genealogists will want to make a trip south to access church, probate and homestead court records and special collections. Before you think of traveling, a great deal of primary document research can be accomplished at the Library of Michigan. In addition to all U. S. Census, Michigan birth, death and marriage indexes and many Michigan newspapers on microfilm, the following resources are available at our facility:

Abajiian, James. Blacks in Selected Newspapers, Censuses and Other Sources: An Index to Names and Subjects. Boston: G.K. Hall. 1977

Black Studies: A Selected Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. National Archives Trust Fund Board, 1996

Burkett, Randall K., et al. Black Biography, 1790-1950: A Cumulative Index. Chadwyck-Healy, 1990

Burroughs, Tony. Black Roots: A Beginner's Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree. Fireside Book Co., 2001

Civil War Unit Histories, Regimental Histories and Personal Narratives: Part 5: The Union-Higher and Independent Commands and Naval Forces. UMI, 1990

Crawford, Marion G. African American Genealogy: A Handbook of Reference Sources [1987]

Freedmen's Savings and Trust Company. The Library of Michigan has Registers of Signatures of Depositors, Board of Trustees and Inspectors Committee Minutes, and Indexes to Deposit Ledgers for this system of bank branches that served newly freed persons of color from 1865-1874.

Glazer, Sidney. Negroes in Michigan During the Civil War. Michigan Civil War Centennial Observance Commission. 1966

Greene, Robert Ewell. Black Courage 1775-1783: Documentation of Black Participation the American Revolution. Washington D.C. Daughters of the American Revolution. 1985

Katz, William L. Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage. Athenaeum, 1996

Michigan Bureau of History. Pathways to Michigan's Black Heritage. Lansing: The Bureau, 1988

Records of Ante-Bellum Southern Plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War. University Publications of America, 1996. Set includes guidebooks and a large set of microfilm.

Streets, David H. Slave Genealogy: A Research Guide with Case Studies. Heritage Books, 1986

United States War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. U. S. Govt. Printing Office, 1880-1901

See the Library of Michigan's Abrams Collection Genealogy Highlights publication for Nov-Dec 1999 (vol. 1:6 African American Research Sources) for additional print and microform resources.

The following databases and Web sites may also prove helpful:

• AncestryPlus, available at libraries through the Michigan eLibrary, includes the following databases of particular interest:
• Slave Narratives a database searchable by first name, surname or keyword anywhere in the narrative text.
• Afro-Louisiana History and Genealogy, 1718-1820 (Slave) has detailed information on over 100,000 slaves who came to Louisiana between 1718 and 1820.
• Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina Black Deaths 1871-89 provides name, age and location for each entry.
• Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society - Working out of the Detroit Public Library's Burton Historical Collection, the society provides activities and events for Detroit-area African American genealogists. Also, the FHWGS Web page lists a number of useful links.
• Freedmen's Bureau Online - The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands was established at the end of the Civil War to provide relief services and eventual employment to newly freed slaves. The bureau kept meticulous records, including physical descriptions and some photographs of all persons who used their services.
• The Library of Congress provides the following links of interest:
• The American Memory Collections include a variety of resources on African American history.
• African American Family Histories and Related Works in the Library of Congress, a bibliography.

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Web-Sitings
By Gloriane Peck, Library of Michigan

These links focus on African-American history and culture. For more black history Web sites, go to the Pathfinders page of the Michigan eLibrary.

African-American Fiction for the New Millennium: Books recommended by the Seattle Public Library.
http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=collection_readinglists_category_detail&cid=1063920939234

African-American World: PBS examines history and culture. Be sure to check out the Reference Room.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aaworld/

Black History: Resources exploring black history in Michigan, including online exhibits, teacher's guides and Michigan History magazine articles.
http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17451_18670_21920-57586--,00.html

Black History and African-American Resources: A list of Web sites compiled by the Hackley Public Library in Muskegon.
http://hackleylibrary.org/blkhis.htm

Black Studies Resources: A collection of resources on topics from affirmative action to the Tuskegee Airmen.
http://origin.admin.ccny.cuny.edu/library/blacks.html

Celebrate Black History Month: Videos, photographs, maps and profiles from the History Channel and Biography.com.
http://www.historychannel.com/blackhistory

Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History: Describes the Detroit museum's exhibits and programs and its history.
http://www.maah-detroit.org/index.html

Culture & Change: Black History in America: Biographies of leaders and an interactive timeline.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory

GRPL Research Guide to Local African-American History: A guide to manuscripts, photographs and other materials at the Grand Rapids Public Library.
http://www.grpl.org/collections/grhsty_spcoll/researchguides/rg_africamer.html

"I Will Be Heard!"-Abolitionism in America: This Cornell University Library exhibit documents the struggle against slavery from the 1700s to 1865.
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/abolitionism

Library of Congress Exhibitions: Explore the exhibits "With an Even Hand: Brown v. Board at Fifty," "African-American Mosaic: African-American Culture and History," and "African-American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship."
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits

Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project at Stanford University: Texts, video and audio of letters, speeches and sermons, as well as lesson plans and classroom resources.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/

Michigan Historical Markers-Black History: Provides background information, a photograph and a map for each site.
http://www.michmarkers.com/startup.asp?startMenu=BlackHist.htm

National Civil Rights Museum: Spotlights some key activists and features highlights and photographs from exhibits.
http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center: An online exhibit honors those who stood for freedom; another examines the Underground Railroad and recommends resources.
http://www.freedomcenter.org/

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture: Online exhibits, digital collections and finding aids from the New York Public Library.
http://www.nypl.org/research/sc/sc.html

We Shall Overcome: Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement: Lists sites across the United States and explains their significance.

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AROUND THE STATE

Curtis Township Library Receives PLA EBSCO Excellence Award Submitted by Moira Maus, Director, Curtis Township Library

The Curtis Township Library (CTL) in Glennie, Michigan (Alcona County) has been selected to receive the prestigious national PLA EBSCO Excellence in Small and/or Rural Public Library Service Award. The award will be presented at the American Library Association's annual conference in Chicago June 23-29, 2005.

The nomination was made by current library director Moira Maus on the eve of the CTL's seventh anniversary. "Glennie is the heart of the Huron National Forest and our library - the tenth smallest in the state (based on a service population of 1378) - has become the heart of our community," said Maus. "Ten years ago no one believed a group of senior citizen volunteers could build a library with their own hands - but we did it. Now every service organization in the community is proud to work with us to continue to improve our homegrown 'miracle' and we've become an inspiration to other libraries in the state."

The PLA award committee chose the CTL for this award because, "With only $80,000 in private funds, over 72 community volunteers spent five 'hands-on months' involved in the construction from site clearing to open house. This is a true example of excellence in small/rural libraries."

This prestigious national award, open to small/rural libraries that serve a population of 10,000 or less, was established in 1991 by EBSCO Subscription Services. It includes a plaque and a $1,000 honorarium.

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Award-Winning Author Christopher Paul Curtis Visits Houghton Lake Public Library Submitted by Donna J. Alward, Director, Houghton Lake Public Library

Small, rural libraries often lack the necessary funding to host nationally known authors, but a recent grant from the Michigan Humanities Council made it possible for one northern Michigan library to do just that. The Houghton Lake Public Library was awarded $7,444 to support two collaborative after-school programs, "Popcorn and Pages" and "Battle of the Books." Youth, grades 4-8 from Houghton Lake Community and Gerrish-Higgins School Districts, are participating in fun library activities that promote reading and critical thinking about their world. The grant covered the costs of books, supplies and a visit by award-winning children's author Christopher Paul Curtis.

Curtis, a Michigan native and former assembly line worker at Fisher Body in Flint, became a successful author with his first published book, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, which won many prestigious awards including the Newbery Honor Award, American Library Association's Notable Book for Children, New York Times Book Review Best Book and Publisher's Weekly Flying Start Author. His second book, Bud, Not Buddy, again garnered many awards including the Newbery Award and the Coretta Scott King Award. His recently released third book, Bucking the Sarge, is the story of 15-year-old Luther, his best friend Sparky, and Luther's mother, the "Sarge."

A standing-room-only audience of more than 100 people jammed the library's community room to attend the kickoff event - a book talk and signing on Jan. 18 with Curtis reading from Bud, Not Buddy. The following day the author visited local schools to share his writing and ideas with nearly a thousand students. Fourteen staff members from nearby libraries joined him for lunch at the library.

Director Donna Alward said, "Beyond being a good writer, Christopher is just so engaging. His writing success is an inspirational story and his books offer hope and humor. We knew that he would be perfect and he was!"

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Cadillac Library Receives Grant for Laptops, Finds Artwork Worth Thousands Submitted by Lisa Marie Popp, Librarian, Cadillac Wexford County Public Library

The Cadillac Wexford County Public Library received a $5,000 grant from the SBC Foundation, the philanthropic arm of SBC, to purchase five new laptop computers for student use. Reference librarian Lisa Marie Popp wrote the grant proposal, called Laptops for Learners, with teenagers in mind.

"The idea was to offer teenagers a special place in the library. We don't have a teen room, and laptops were targeted as a way to bring them into the library." Popp said. "Our goal is to provide laptops to teens in an inspiring after school setting and offer instruction on the Internet and Microsoft Office applications."

Laptops for Learners will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. on weekdays during the school year, and high school students may check them out with their student ID. The wireless computers with Internet access may be used in the library for the length of battery time, or about two hours.

In another windfall for the library, an old box found in its storeroom turned out to be filled with five prints by New York artist Jane Berry Judson, valued at $1,000 each, and four prints by French artist Paul Daxhelet, valued at about $2,000 each. The library had donated a similar box, previously found in the storeroom, to the Wexford County Historical Society before discovering that it contained $16,000 worth of original art by Judson.

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On a lighter note... Cubicle Wars at the Chesterfield Township Library Submitted by John Hebert, Assistant Collections Technician, Chesterfield Township Library

It started with one string of Christmas lights in the "back room," where most of the Chesterfield Township Library's support staff lurks. Things might have stopped there had the lights' owner not started with a "neener, neener" campaign, touting how much more festive her cubicle looked. This challenge was immediately taken up by the IT manager.

The next day the "cubicle wars" began, much as World War I had, because of a chain of interlocking treaties. One string of lights became a string wound around a garland. One became two, etc. Angels and snowmen and bears, oh my. Stars, hearts and foils sprouted like stalactites. Breaks and lunch periods turned into frantic activity. Santas appeared in quantities to rival Toys R' Us.

A supposedly neutral judge was chosen, who established four prize categories, along with a blatant announcement that bribes were acceptable. Cubicle-dwellers lobbied mightily. The whole thing reached its inevitable crescendo when, on judging day, one cubicle resident brought in one of those six-foot penguin figures inflated with air and put it on the overhead - opposite the tree with an electric train running around its base. The judge passed by in stately manner, hand extended for final bribes; one cubicle proceeded to blow artificial snow through a cardboard tube as two members sang a Christmas song.

All contestants gathered at the front of the library as the prizes were announced. Then it was over ... not really. The IT manager is already plotting things for next year. And may God bless us, every one.

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