1. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kandare Blake, 9780765328656, 320 pgs. IL: UG – BL: 4.6 – AR Pts: 12.0 (horror, ghost story, first in a series, starred reviews, language, sequel is Girl of Nightmares)

2. The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow, 9780061579684, 416 pgs. IL: MG+ – BL: 5.7 – AR Pts: 13.0 (WWII historical fiction, boxing, Jews, Nazi Germany, 2012 Booklist Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2012 Sydney Taylor Book Award)

3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, 9780316134026, 432 pgs. IL: UG – BL: 5.8 – AR Pts: 16.0 (supernatural adventure, five starred reviews, sequel is Days of Blood & Starlight, Amazon’s Top 20 Books of the Year, 2011 Kirkus Best Books for Teens,  2011 Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year)

4. Divergent by Veronica Roth, 9780062024022, 487 pgs. IL: UG – BL: 4.8 – AR Pts. 16.0 (dystopian adventure, sequel is Insurgent, being adapted into a movie, voted the “Favorite Book of 2011″ in the Goodreads Choice Awards, Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year)  

5. Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King, 9780316129282, 282 pgs. IL: UG – BL: 4.2 – AR Pts: 9.0 (SLJ and VOYA Starred Reviews, humorous, bullies, some language)

6. The Name of the Star: Shades of London Book 1 by Maureen Johnson, 9780399256608, 384 pgs. IL: MG+ – BL: 4.9 – AR Pts: 14.0 (Jack the Ripper copycat killer mystery, heroine from Louisiana, Edgar Allan Poe Award nominee)

7. Shine by Lauren Myracle, 9780810984172, 359 pgs. IL: UG – BL: 4.4 – AR Pts. 11.0 (mystery, gritty realistic fiction, National Book Award nominee, 2012 Booklist Best Fiction for Young Adults, edgy language)

8. Something Like Hope by Shawn Goodman, 9780385739399, 193 pgs. IL: UG – BL: 4.3 – AR Pts. 5.0 (juvenile justice system, gritty realistic fiction, edgy language, think of a girl version of a Walter Dean Myers book, winner of the Delacorte Press Award for a First Young Adult Novel, 2012 Booklist Best Fiction for Young Adults)

9. Trapped by Michael Northrop, 0545210127, 232 pgs. IL: MG+ – BL: 5.3 – AR Pts. 9.0, (realistic fiction, blizzard, kind of like the movie The Breakfast Club, some language)

10. Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley, 9781442413337, 228 pgs. IL: UG – BL: 5.7 – AR Pts: 9.0 (2012 Printz Award winner, 2012 Morris Award winner, Louisiana author)

All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon. Illustrations by Katherine Tillotson

 America Is Under Attack: The Day the Towers Fell – September 11, 2001 by Don Brown

 Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

 Bongo Fishing by Thatcher Hurd

 Close to Famous by Joan Bauer

 Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur

 Escape by Night: A Civil War Adventure by Laurie Myers. Illustrations by Amy June Bates

 The Incredible Life of Balto by Meghan McCarthy

 Lots and Lots of Coins by Margarette S. Reid. Illustrations by True Kelley

 Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss. Illustrations by John Hendrix

 Olivia’s Birds by Olivia Bouler

 The Secret Kingdom: Chronicles of the Red King, Book 1 by Jenny Nimmo

 Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break if You Want to Survive the School Bus by John Grandits. Illustrations by Michael Allen Austin

 Trundle’s Quest by Allan Jones. Illustrations by Gary Chalk

 Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan. Illustrations by Amy June Bates

Grades 6th-5th, Nominated Title List

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander

Hidden by Helen Frost

How to Rock Braces and Glasses by Meg Haston

Michael Vey: the Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

Quarterback Season by Fred Bowen

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

Silhouetted by the Blue by Traci L. Jones

Variant by Robison E. Wells

Wild Life by Cynthia DeFelice

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull

Welsh Public Library

When a parish wide tax failed in Welsh for a free public library in 1927, citizens united with Miss Essae M. Cullver, Executive Secretary of the Louisiana Library Commission ,and Hon. J.O. Modisette, President of the Louisiana  Library Commission and a Jennings lawyer.   These two people met with the Board of Trustees for the Town of Welsh in the Masonic Hall in July 1929.  A decision was made that if Welsh could provide a fund that would maintain a library, the Louisiana Library Commission would send 500 loaned volumes to serve as Welsh’s first public and free library.  According to historical records, the Town Board agreed to a one mill reduction on other taxes in order not to raise anyone’s taxes.  The ordinance adopted on September 4, 1929 read:

“A Proposition to levy and assess and collect annually a one mill tax on all of the assessed and assessable property of the Town of Welsh, Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, for a period of five years, beginning with the year 1929 and ending with the year 1933, for the purpose of supporting, operating, and maintaining a municipal, free public library in the Town of Welsh, Louisiana, title to which shall vest in the public.”

These efforts resulted in a fund of $900 a year to pay the librarian and buy new books and magazines.  The Library Board was established and consisted of:

• Mrs. A. R. McBurney, President
• Dr. B.J. LaCour, Vice-President
• Mrs. R. R. Arceneaux, Secretary
• Mrs. W.E. Faught, Treasurer
• S.E. Carroll
• Mrs. Laura Mae Kimball, Librarian.
• Ex-officio members included:  John W. Armstrong, Mayor of Welsh, Mr. P.E. Wilson, Principal of Welsh High School and Miss Mary Yantis, Chairman of the Book Selection Committee.

The library was opened on February 25, 1930.  The State Library Commission loaned 500 volumes to Welsh City Hall to serve as Welsh’s first public and free library.  During the first year the following statistics were kept:

• 3462 adult books checked out.
• 3342 children’s books were checked out.

As a personal note, I was born in 1951 and lived in Welsh.  I remember the court house square.  City Hall was a beautiful massive building set in the middle of the location of the present police & fire station.  I remember walking to the library with my Mom and siblings and noting the signs posted on the grass surrounding the library:  KEEP OFF GRASS! I was amazed because even in the heat of summer the City Hall grass was always green. I also vividly remember walking into the City Hall to the back of the building where the books were kept.  I remember the smell of that room like it was yesterday.  Wonderful smell of books…lots of books.  We were each allowed to check out only two books.  Being one of seven siblings gave us an edge in that we would often share the books with each other after reading our own.  I would have been 8 years old when the library was then moved to the Home Economics Building in June 1959.  Documents state that Miss Essae M. Culver, State Librarians and Louisiana dignitaries attended the October Open House.

The new library became my new favorite.  It seemed like a real house of books.  We still walked to the library (my Mother never drove a car).  Sometimes, my older sisters would be the ones to walk us to the library on those very hot summer days.   I can still feel the hot blacktop road against my feet and the hot stones & rails along the railroad tracks.   The new building must have meant more books because I can remember thinking…how will I ever read all of these books?  I remember spending one summer reading every biography in a series that were blue-green with red lettering for the titles.  How I loved reading of Florence Nightingale, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and so many others.

Another pleasant memory of our library visits included visiting the Busy Bee Café and getting an ice cream cone on the way home.  I felt like a special little girl sitting on a red bar stood waiting my turn.  Ice cream cones were only for special times, not every time we went to the library….boy were they not the best I ever had?  I still smell the scent of the Busy Bee Café and I am sure my fellow Welsh Citizens remember it also.  It was like Mom’s best cooking and Christmas day cooking all wrapped together in a neat package.

In 1968 the Welsh Library became a part of the Parish Library System.  Mrs. A.R. McBurney was one of the first members of the Library Board.

Mayor Jimmy Martin, who was also representative-elect of Jeff Davis Parish, appeared before the Police Jury and stated that the Welsh Town Council would donate the site for the library building if the Police Jury would take over paving payments that would decrease each year and be completely paid within ten years.  This was accepted by the Police Jury.  The current building was built at a cost of $80,000.  It was financed by 60% of federal monies secured by the Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury and the remaining 40% donated by Mrs. A. R. McBurney as a memorial to her deceased husband A.R. McBurney and her deceased son Dr. William McBurney.  The building was built on the corner section of the property with the plans for a tie in with the ultimate construction of a Welsh Civic Center.  The building was renovated in 2010 to re-purpose the building for technology changes, appropriate functionality of the building for all ages and all events and general updating for a more modern décor.

This library has a total 14,256 holdings that include books, books on cassette, books on CDs, DVDs, e-books, music CDs, paperbacks, video games, laptop computers for check out and so much more.  Databases on our website allow for incredible research possibilities.  Last year a total of 11, 527 items were checked out.   Denice Sonnier is an incredible manager providing so many new ideas for sharing with patrons.  Patrick Guillory is a creative Children’s facilitator and assistant manager.   We thank them both for the excellent services they provide for the people of Jefferson Davis Parish.

As I researched the information on the progress of your library system I have to tell you how very honored I was when I read that Mrs. Culver and Mr. Modisette aided our citizens in Welsh in their efforts to establish the first public library in Welsh.  Why?  Both of these prominent people who are now deceased have awards in their name that are presented by the Louisiana Library Association.

Jefferson Davis Parish Library received the Modisette Award in 2008 for the most improved library system in the state over a two year period.  It was a grand evening in Shreveport when I stood at the podium accepting that award on behalf of all the work accomplished in our library system. 

Today reminds me that our work makes a difference in the lives of our patrons.  It was so kind and so very wise to take time to celebrate such victory for Welsh and its library.  Thank you so very much.

Jefferson Davis Parish Library Sex Offender Policy

In accordance with its by-laws the Jefferson Davis Parish Library Board of Control has adopted on this 4^th day of December 2012 the following policy for the purpose of:

• Compliance with the statutory mandates set forth in LA. R.S. 14:91.2
• Protecting children from contact with persons who have been convicted of sex offenses where the victim was under thirteen (13)  years of age

 Definitions:

• Sex offender – A person convicted of a sex offense (defined in R.S. 15:541) when the victim is under the age of 13
• Public library – A parish or municipal library. Act 653 does not ban sex offenders from the state library or libraries associated with colleges and universities.
• Public library property – Immovable property that is open to the public and is used as a branch of a public library, including any courtyard or parking lot that is under the direct and exclusive control of the public library. That is, Act 653 does not ban sex offenders from bookmobiles (except when bookmobiles are used for children’s programs and located on public library property any and all restrictions included in the Jefferson Davis Parish Library Sex Offender Policy shall apply to the bookmobile), library storage buildings and drop boxes (because they are not “branches” of a library), or parking lots that are shared with other businesses or entities that do not ban sex offenders (because such parking lots are not under the “exclusive” control of the public library).

Any sex offender who wishes to use the services of Jefferson Davis Parish Library must abide by the policy of the library board of control.

Sex offenders are NOT allowed in any children’s or teen areas of any branch of Jefferson Davis Parish Library. Computers at each branch of the Jefferson Davis Parish Library shall be designated as follows:

All Branches:

 Computers are in full view of the circulation desk and use will be monitored by staff.

Adults—ages 18 and older will be designated a specific area and will not be allowed to use computers in the children’s and teen areas of the library. If all the adult computers are in use, the adult patron may check out a laptop for use in an area assigned by a staff member.

Children’s—these computers may only be used by children birth to the age of ten (10). No Exceptions.

 Anyone wishing exception to the computer designation must complete a form and obtain an exception card at the circulation desk. For example: your child is typing a report and he needs assistance typing the report.  The parent will need to complete the form and obtain an exception card.

No sex offender shall loiter within 1000 feet of any Jefferson Davis Parish Library property.

No sex offender shall apply for, work for or otherwise provide services to any Jefferson Davis Parish Library branch, including but not limited to as an employee, contractor, sub-contractor or volunteer or other persons.

All employees, contractors, sub-contractor, volunteers or other persons who perform work for the Jefferson Davis Parish Library System may be subject to background checks through the Louisiana State Police Database, Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office database or other databases.

 Sex offenders are not allowed on Jefferson Davis Parish library property during peak hours when children are using the library.  During the school year, peak hours are defined as 2 pm to 6 pm.  During the summer, peak hours are defined as 9am to 4 pm.

No sex offender shall be physically present in any area of the Jefferson Davis Parish Library branch or on any Jefferson Davis Parish Library property during days of scheduled children’s and/or teen programs. Programs are posted on the Jefferson Davis Parish library’s webpage http://www.jefferson-davis.lib.la.us/

 The Jefferson Davis Parish Library Board of Control adopted a Revised Unattended Child Policy on December 6, 2012.  This policy will be enforced by staff at all branches of the Jefferson Davis Parish Library System. Copies of the Unattended Child Policy may be found on the Jefferson Davis Parish Library website http://www.jefferson-davis.lib.la.us/ and at the circulation desk of each location of the Jefferson Davis Parish Library.

 Exceptions to these restrictions are:

• Police station/courthouse/polling station – There shall be no violation of this regulation if the sex offender is reporting to a police station, courthouse, or polling station that is within the restricted area.
• With special permission – There shall be no violation of this regulation if the sex offender has requested and has been granted written permission to be physically present on public library property from the library branch director or her designee, and the sex offender complies with any special restrictions contained within the permission.

The Library Director and members of the public are invited to make recommendations to the Jefferson Davis Parish Library Board of Control to improve this regulation or suggest legislative changes that will allow public libraries to more effectively achieve the public purposes set forth herein. Those recommendations, along with any supporting documentation, should be submitted annually to the Jefferson Davis Parish Library Board of Control by or before November 1. Attention: Janice Esthay, Jefferson Davis Parish Library Board of Control President.

Authority Note

Act 693 of the 2012 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature amended and re-enacted R.S. 14.91.2. The effective date of the Act is January 1, 2013.

 Exception Form:

Date:  _____________________

Child’s/Teen’s Name (print):  _______________________________

Parent/Guardian’s Name:  _________________________________

My Child/teen requires my assistance at the computer for the following reason:

________________________________                        ____________________________________

                        Parent Signature                                                       Staff Signature

To increase accessibility for more people of Jefferson Davis Parish, the Mobile Branch will implement a mobile branch stop every Friday beginning September 7, 2012.  The Mobile Branch will park at the St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Raymond, Louisiana from 9:30 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.   The church is located at 5505 Pine Island Highway.  Librarians Kathy LeJeune and Gary Davis will be available to assist patrons.  Persons from Raymond, Hathaway and Pine Island who are interested in obtaining a library card may file a free application.  Books, DVDs, Audio Books and information on e-books will be available.  The Mobile Branch is handicap accessible. 

As an added point of interest September is National Library Card Month.  Presently, 55% of the parishioners now possess a library card.   Parishioners are encouraged to obtain a library card at the Mobile Branch or any other library branch in the parish during September and throughout the year.

August 2012

“Libraries are reservoirs of strength, grace and wit, reminders of order, calm and continuity, lakes of mental energy, neither warm nor cold, light nor dark…in any library in the world I am at home, unselfconscious, still and absorbed.”
                                                                                                (Germaine Greer)

What a profound statement!   I believe that my employees and I share this sentiment when it comes to our workplace.  Not only do we provide reservoirs of strength, grace and wit as mentioned above, but we continue to build our repositories of books, materials and services for the patrons of Jefferson Davis Parish.

In recent years, I have enlisted the assistance of all library personnel in obtaining new materials for our collection.  I firmly believe that the individual branch managers know their patrons within their local communities.  This has greatly increased the progress in the book collections at all library branches including our Mobile Branch.

While assisting with processing of books, I just was so pleased at the choices that each branch manager selected.   I could not possibly detail the many hundreds of books added to the collection this summer.  However, I thought that I could highlight a few titles that would be of interest at this time of year.  With the approach of a new school year, adults and children alike embark on the journey of returning to school or universities  to increase their knowledge base.   Here are a few titles to maybe tempt you to step inside our doors.  We would love to be at your service.  These are just a taste …so many other delicious titles await you!

For the student (adult or child):

Writing the AP English Essay

SAT Subject Test Literature (practice tests)

5 TEAS Practice Tests (Nursing)

Multiplication & Division

ACT DeMystified

Accounting DeMystified

For the Job Seeker:

Resumes for Dummies

Computer for Seniors

Managing and Troubleshooting Networks

Letterhead & Logo Design 11

The Big Book of Jobs

For the Hunter:

Standard catalog of Handguns

Shotgunning for Deer

For those who have time for fun:

Busy Girl’s Guide to Cake Decorating

Digital Painting Tricks and Techniques

Complete Colored Pencil Book

Scrapbook Workshop

Hot Rod Wiring

Creative Paint Workshop for Mixed-Media Artists

All of our titles are available to all patrons.  If you come to Jennings and the book is housed at another library, know that we can have that book to you as soon as possible.  This is true at all library branches.  All anyone has to do is request a title from the librarian.  We aim to please.  Come visit us and allow yourself to be still and absorbed in our collection.  We are having such fun, are you?