Rapid City, SD – May 17, 2013 – All locations of the Rapid City Public Libraries, the downtown library at 610 Quincy Street, the north library at 10 Van Buren Street and the east library at 800 Mickelson Drive will be closed Saturday through Monday, May 25 – 27 in observance of Memorial Day.
Find out about library resources, services and events by visiting our website at www.rapidcitylibrary.org.
Rapid City, SD – May 16, 2013 – Library Board President Rod Pettigrew announced today that Library Director Greta Chapman has accepted employment as the President/CEO of the South Dakota Hall of Fame Museum. She has given 30 day’s notice to allow the Board to implement the succession planning process they began last fall for key positions in the library. Ms. Chapman informed the Board at the beginning of the year that she would be seeking to make a transition in her employment. She recently completed her master’s in public administration which includes nonprofit management.
The Board has also adopted a strategic plan that will continue to guide the library for staffing, services, and facilities. Ms. Chapman stated she has appreciated all that the city, board, and staff have done to develop 21st century library services. Rod Pettigrew Board Chairman expressed wishing Ms. Chapman the best in her new position and would be working with the Board to bring a smooth transition forward.
Rapid City, SD – May 16, 2013 – Join us for a big-screen movie night complete with refreshments! On Thursday, May 23 at 6:00 p.m., the ‘It Came from the Library Series’ is pleased to present the 2012 blockbuster film, ‘Men in Black III,’ directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin.
In this science fiction action film, Agent J travels back in time to 1969 to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history.
There is no need to register for this event; just join us upstairs in Meeting Room ‘B’ at our Downtown location at 610 Quincy Street. This is the final film for this season but the ‘It Came from the Library’ film series will resume in the fall. For information on all the activities and events available at the libraries, visit our website at www.rapidcitylibrary.org.
By Greta Chapman, Director of the Rapid City Public Libraries
This past month libraries nationwide celebrated National Library Week, an observance of the value libraries are to their communities and how they continually evolve to meet the needs of those they serve. During the week-long observation, the value of the Rapid City Public Libraries to their families and to the community was celebrated.
The libraries have demonstrated an ongoing effort to remain innovative and connected with the community. For the 3rd year in a row, the library saw circulations exceed 1 million with 1.6 million books, magazines, audio books, ebooks, downloadable videos, and DVDs circulated last year.
Within our circulations, many of these materials are increasingly digital. As our digital collection grows and the public adopts this format, we have been offering eReader clinics and eReader lending programs. Many of the new users of eReaders have benefited from the hands-on assistance offered by library staff.
Not only is the community utilizing the library for materials, but as a resource as well. On average, we have 1,500 people visit their public library each day. Our librarians answer over 300 patron questions per day, whether in person, by phone, email, live chat or text.
Interestingly enough, according to the South Dakota State Library, 78% of South Dakota’s public libraries are the sole provider of free internet access in their communities. Rapid City Public Libraries are no exception with a 60% increase in computer usage in 2012 and an average of 542 computer hours logged per day.
In 2012 Rapid City Public Libraries opened their second branch in a joint partnership with Western Dakota Technical Institute. Modern design and an open space filled with natural light lends to an ideal environment to discover the combined collections or take advantage of the numerous computers and Wi-Fi.
The first library branch, opened in partnership with General Beadle Elementary in 2008, showed significant increase in community use by 72%. Our North branch continues to be a popular neighborhood gathering place for computer usage, library materials and programs for children, teens and adults.
The mission of your community’s libraries is to anticipate the needs of the public, build relationships and connect community. Let us know how we can make your community libraries more relevant to your needs. Please join us in celebrating libraries as we strive to provide the best possible services and work towards building a 21st Century Community.
Rapid City, SD – May 8, 2013 – Have you ever wanted to learn why insects play an important role in your garden? Join us as local expert and master gardener Cathie Draine gives a Lunch & Learn presentation on May 15 entitled, “Four Great Reasons to Love Bugs in Your Garden,” from noon to 1 p.m. at the downtown library branch located at 610 Quincy Street.
If you would like to reserve a lunch provided by the Friends of the Library, please contact the library at 394-4171 or go on our website, www.rapidcitylibrary.org by noon on May 13. You are also welcome to bring your own lunch or just attend.
Rapid City, SD – May 7, 2013 – Back by popular demand, teens and tweens are invited to join teen librarian Lisa for this fun workshop on Tuesday, May 14 from 3:30 – 5 p.m. at the Downtown library, located at 610 Quincy Street.
Lisa will demonstrate several crafts, or use your imagination and make your own duct tape masterpieces. All supplies will be provided.
Visit the Teen Blog at teenblog.rapidcitypubliclibrary.com for more details and for information on everything the libraries have for teens. Find out about library resources, services and events by visiting our website at www.rapidcitylibrary.org.
Rapid City, SD – May 2, 2013 – The Rapid City Public Libraries’ Community Voices Series is pleased to present Civil War historian and enthusiast Don Balyeat. He is involved in battlefield conservation, and will share stories and memorabilia from his trips to battlefields and discuss efforts to preserve them.
This event will take place Thursday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the libraries’ East branch located at Western Dakota Technical Institute at 800 Mickelson Drive. There is no cost for this event or any need to register. For more information about events and library services, please visit the Rapid City Public Libraries website at www.rapidcitylibrary.org.
Rapid City, SD – May 1, 2013 – On Saturday, May 18, Rapid City Public Libraries’ Off the Shelf Book Club will meet at 1:00 p.m., at the East library location in Western Dakota Technical Institute located at 800 Mickelson Drive, to discuss May’s book selection, “The Sojourn,” by Andrew Krivak.
Inspired by the author’s personal family history, “The Sojourn” is the story of Joszef Vinich, who was uprooted from a 19th century mining town in Colorado by a family tragedy to return with his father to an impoverished shepherd’s life in rural Austria-Hungary. When war comes, Josef joins his cousin as a sharpshooter where he must survive a trek over the Italian Alps and capture by the enemy.
Visit RCPL – Off the Shelf at goodreads.com for more information and upcoming discussions. Find out about library resources, services and events by visiting our website at http://www.rapidcitylibrary.org.
By Susan Braunstein
Programming Library Associate
Do you sit in your garden and watch all the activity and wonder whether you should smile at or stomp on certain insects? If you look closely at the plants and ground, there is so much action it is like going to your own personal nature show.
Insects play an important role in gardens. Master Gardener Cathie Draine is going to give a Lunch & Learn presentation on May 15 entitled, “Four Great Reasons to Love Bugs,” from noon to 1 p.m. at the downtown library. If you would like a lunch provided by the Friends of the Library please register by noon on Monday, May 13.
In reviewing the library’s collection of books that describe beneficial insects I ran across a lovely book, “Good Bugs for your Garden” by Allison Mia Starcher. She is the illustrator as well as the author and her drawings are so accurate and descriptive that anyone can easily understand more about how to identify the bugs we want to encourage to stay. She divides the book into four categories: the predators, parasitoids, pollinators and soil builders.
A couple of children’s books also had helpful information, “Good Bugs and Bad Bugs in Your Garden: Back-Yard Ecology,” by Dorothy Childs Hogner and “What About Ladybugs” by Celia Godkin.
The Hogner book is an older resource but it has some good black and white illustrations and is written in a way that children can learn about many of the basic insects.
The ladybug book is non-fiction but is written in a story format. There is a gardener who has a beautiful garden but decides it would be much better if he sprayed everything with a pesticide so those pesky bugs would be gone. He soon realizes the important relationship between the insects and all the plant life when everything starts to die.
Thomas Eisner’s book, “For Love of Insects,” is an amazing view into the lives of insects from around the world. Eisner is a professor of Chemical Ecology at Cornell University. His photographs and studies will fascinate even the squeamish among us.
Cathie Draine recommends four other books with excellent information and the library has them on order. Look for “Buzzwords” by May Berenbaum; “Garden Insects” by Whitney Cranshaw; “What Good are Bugs?” by Gilbert Waldbauer and “Attracting Native Pollinators” published by the Xerces Society.
Mother Earth News magazine has a good article in their April/May 2012 issue entitled, “Enlist Beneficial Insects for Natural Pest Control,” and the author describes seven ways to welcome beneficial insects and gives a list of 10 different types of beneficial insects. The library subscribes to this magazine so you can check out this issue and read the entire article.
For information on other upcoming programs or to register for the “Four Great Reasons to Love Bugs” Lunch & Learn presentation, visit our website at www.rapidcitylibrary.org and go to the events calendar.
Rapid City, SD – April 18, 2013 – The ‘It Came From The Library Film Series’ will feature the movie ‘Charade’ at the downtown branch located at 610 Quincy Street on Thursday, April 25 at 6:00 p.m. Along with this classic movie on the big-screen, there will be popcorn and lemonade to enjoy.
The film ‘Charade,’ starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, is a stylish 1963 romantic comedic thriller set in France. With a storyline filled with espionage and an enigmatic plot that keeps the viewer guessing until the end, ‘Charade’ has been called “The best Hitchcock movie that Hitchcock never made.”
There is no need to register for this event; just join us upstairs in Meeting Room ‘B.’ For more information about Library events and to find a list of upcoming titles for the ‘It Came From the Library’ film series, visit our website at http://www.rapidcitylibrary.org.
