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This Week at the Library
This week at the Library:
Kids can learn about W.A.T.E.R. Safety - in English y en español! Several dates and locations this week »
Families will stomp, clap, play drums and sing with Johnny and Adam. Tuesday, June 26, 2 pm @ Antioch Library
Job seekers, register now to enjoy snacks while learning how to enhance a resume to catch employers' eyes. Tuesday, June 26, 6 pm @ Blue Valley Library
Voters and future voters, take the guess-work out of November. Register to vote, update your information, grab an absentee ballot, or find your polling place. Wednesday, June 27, 1 pm @ Central Resource Library
Teens, the Library is your new escape room! Come crack codes, solve riddles, and beat the clock to break out of the Library. Friday, June 29, 5:30 pm @ Shawnee Library
You've heard of Read to a Dog, but we have Library-certified local, friendly teens who need kids to read to them, too. Saturday, June 30, 10 am @ Lackman Library
Much more happens each week at the Library, so check out our full schedule »
Find a Great Book to Read
In a rapidly changing world, the Library has come to mean different things to different people – local arts incubator, MakerSpace, or focal point for community engagement – yet for many people the library is still a place for books. Some people see the rows and rows of neatly shelved books at the local library and find them wonderfully enticing, but others find those stacks looming and intimidating, feeling utterly lost in what SHOULD be the simple act of finding a good book.
Find it Here
A book that could be perfect for one person might be absolutely of no interest to another. Or the book that seems to hit all the right points might turn out to be too slow, too twisty, or too unfocused when you actually sit down to read it. Luckily, the Johnson County Library has resources to connect you to that perfect book. Our library staff can help you find that ideal title in a vast array of genres, like space opera, a sweeping historical romance or a gritty thriller.
In addition, we’ll ask you about your favorite appeal factors. Do you like novels that are fast-paced with lots of action? Alternatively, would you prefer novels that are slower, richer and take their time? Do you like books set in a specific place, like the back alleyways of a crime-ridden city where police track down a ruthless killer? Or, would you prefer wild, far-away worlds of adventure filled with vampires or elves? Maybe you want a title that would be perfect for a book group, full of meaty topics? Whatever the need, we understand no two readers are the same and reading suggestions should reflect that.
Making Connections
Not only does the Library have the expertise of our staff with the training to listen to your tastes and help you find what you want, but we also have an online catalog containing connections to great content, accessible with a click of a button. One of our databases, NoveList, can even give you author read-alike lists.
No matter how busy or pressed for time you are, the Library likely has something that fits what you need. Today’s Library is not only about books – Johnson County Library also has eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, books on CD, plus movies and TV shows on DVD. Check out our most recent Staff Picks, and stop in to chat recommendations with us soon!
Library Histories: Cedar Roe
Since its inception in 1952, the Johnson County Library has grown to 13 (soon to be 14) locations! In this blog post we feature the history of the Cedar Roe Library.
By 1965 the Johnson County Library District had reached a population of 165,000. The Library consisted of Headquarters (Antioch), Corinth, Mission, Lenexa, and Gardner. The last three were small storefront branches. The Mission branch had space for about 3,500 books. News stories at the time referred to the crowded conditions as students packed the libraries after school and in the evenings to study and do homework. By 1966 a plan for expansion of the Johnson County Library system had been formulated, and a bond issue went before voters on February 11, 1967.
The $1.5 million plan called for expanding Antioch and Corinth, and constructing new “Northeast” and “Southwest” branches to replace the Mission and Lenexa branches. The package sailed through with a “Yes” vote of 69% of the total vote.
Planning for the “Northeast” library began immediately. A site was chosen about a mile north of the Mission Branch at 6500 Martway. The new library was to be a block west of Roe Avenue on Cedar Street in Roeland Park. A contest was held to name the branch was held and “Cedar Roe” emerged as the winner.
The Cedar Roe Library opened on June 2, 1969. The total cost of the land, materials, construction and equipment was $470,950. The new library had 17,157 square feet, including a balcony originally used for library programs. Today changes in building codes that mandate improved emergency egress have relegated the balcony for use as storage. Dedication of the facility took place on November 16, 1969. The following year, the Cedar Roe Library received the Excellence in Design Medal from the Kansas City Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture.
Since the mid-1990s the Cedar Roe Library has received updating and refurbishing. With the interplay of wood and brick on the interior, Cedar Roe remains one of the most attractive and interesting of the Johnson County Library public facilities.
Get Road Trip-Ready
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
~ Ibn Battuta
Your Library Card can lead to an epic odyssey!
Happy travelers know the secret to adventure-awesomeness: planning.
Step 1. Have a strategy!
Navigation
- Go old school. Get a Road Atlas. Have you ever relied on your phone for navigation only to encounter a "no-service area" for 3 hours? Never again.
- Snag a Travel Guide. Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, Fodors, Eyewitness and more guarantee a trip tailored to your tastes.
Entertainment
- Music. Every road trip needs a soundtrack. Years later you'll hear song from it that takes you back to the sights and smells of your roadie. Will you have phone reception? If so, our streaming music services are the way to go. No service? No worries! Good old-fashioned CDs are still available for checkout. ;)
- An audiobook. Remember how Listening to Will Wheaton voicing Ready Player One got you from here to Dallas and back a couple years ago? Get them in pretty much any format you want, even an eAudiobook.
- Snackage. You're going to get hungry and the stops are sometimes few and far between. Our advice? Snack-up!
- Have a contingency plan for that abomination your hotel is calling "cable." An eMagazine and eNewspapers will give you solid alternatives.
- Make sure you've viewed this travel tutorial at least once before hitting the open road. :D
Step 2. Pick up your holds from your favorite location.
Step 3. Roll.
Throw Down a Sleeping Bag, it's Throwback Thursday!
Whether you choose to acknowledge June as the "National Great Outdoors Month" or June as the "National Camping Month," we here at the Library take this controversial position: "Why not celebrate both?!"
"It was a perfect weekend, no wind, sunny, and warm. 16 families camped, swapped stories, fished, boated, water-skied, and some even loafed."
It sure seems like these happy campers are keen on camping! Did these 1965 "Prairie Dog Campers" from Overland Park and Prairie Village ever get that tent assembled? Or, are they still out there to this very day? To find out, you'll just have to read the story about this fascinating tidbit of local lore!
And for even more local history, visit jocohistory.org or follow our hashtag on Twitter.
Music Monday: Black Mariah Theater
Happy Music Monday! We are so happy to bring you local music recorded live. You might notice that we've outgrown our MakerSpace sound booth! We've discovered that our branches, like the Leawood Pioneer Library, are big enough to accommodate larger bands and books absorb sound perfectly. Who knew that a Library is such an awesome sound recording studio. But don't take out word for it, listen for yourself! Here's Black Mariah Theater performing:
1. Honey Stop
2. Emerald Cut
3. You're No Good
This Week at the Library
This week at the Library you can register to vote, and enjoy art both written and visual!
Voter Registration Drive Monday, June 18, 1pm @ Central Resource Library
Poetry and Prose Tuesday, June 19, 6pm @ Central Resource Library
Meet the Artist: Fally Afani Wednesday, June 20, 6:30pm @ Shawnee Library
Check out all of our special musical events for kids!
Behind the Scenes: Interlibrary Loans
As a library patron, you may have been faced with this dilemma: You arrive at the library armed with a list of resources you need to expand your knowledge on one of your favorite subjects, only to find out the library doesn’t own the book you want! What do you do? That’s where the librarians in the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) department come into play. The ability to obtain books and materials from all over the world is one of the best-hidden gems of the library.
Evolving Through the Years
In 1886 U.L. Rowell, Librarian at the University of California, Berkeley, sought permission to borrow a book from another library, thus creating the Interlibrary Loan program. What started with a simple form to fill out by hand, developed into a complex system of online databases used today to easily share items between libraries worldwide. OCLC, or the Online Computer Library Center, is a database with over 30 million entries of materials held in more than 10,000 libraries, and is the main resource used in Interlibrary Loan requests.
What We Do
Here at Johnson County Library, our Interlibrary Loan Department employs three full-time staff and five part-time staff. We process around 1,700 items monthly to lend to other libraries and borrow around 1,400 items monthly for our own patrons. ILL uses couriers who drive across Kansas, Missouri, Texas and Colorado to deliver materials, as well as the U.S. Postal service. We can attempt to borrow anything from books, to DVD’s to cake pans! Recently the department obtained a plastic model of a human ear from Idaho for a patron!
How it Works
As a resident of Johnson County, you have access to the Interlibrary Loan Service we provide. You are able to have up to 15 requests at a time, and you can manage much of it on the Interlibrary Loan account page through our website. All you need is your library card number and pin. You can access Discovery, which is the worldwide catalog used to place a request for an item. ILL request are available for three weeks with no renewals. If patrons wish to put in another request for the book, ILL staff can try to get the item from another lender.
If we are able to obtain it, the item will be waiting at the branch you select in just a few short weeks. Be sure to keep the white strap wrapped around the item so we know where to send it back. It’s also recommended to have an email address on file for prompt notifications and communication, as well as to obtain requested articles. And don’t worry, if you’re stuck our Librarians are always happy to help!