LisaF's blog

There's something fishy about this blog...

Are you hooked?

This breezy, cloudy morning reminds me of when my grandmother used to take me and my brother fishing.  She said that the fish were more likely to come out when it wasn't so hot.  And wouldn't today would be a lovely day to go sit under a shade tree and stick a line in the water?  Oh!  and here's a neat tip - if you don't bait the hook, then you can just drift off and take a nap, and the fish won't bother you.

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Eastside High School Spring Beautification Day

Gardening and volunteering all at once? Can it get any better than this?

The United Way is sponsoring the Eastside High School Spring Beautification Day on Saturday, March 24th from 9 a.m. until noon.  This is a great opportunity for you to enjoy the fresh spring air and to do something good for your community. 

In order to volunteer, you need to sign up

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Alachua County Youth Fair & Livestock Show slated for March 2 - 6

Support your local FFA & 4-H Clubs!

During the past year, local teens have been raising animals, making clothes, and perfecting their favorite recipes.  Why? To exhibit them at the Alachua County Youth Fair & Livestock Show, which takes places March 2 - 6 at the Alachua County Fairgrounds. 

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A sport for cowboys

It's the broncs and the blood and tears and the mud...

The cowboy has always been part of the mystique of the American West.  Self-reliant, and answering to no one, the cowboy has developed a bit of a reputation as a daredevil.  And no wonder - they are frequently called upon to be brave and reckless at a moment's notice.  A calm herd of cattle can turn into a stampede in a matter of seconds, and if the herd isn't contained, then the cattle may be rustled, or go over into a deep gully or into a river that they cannot swim.  If any of these things happen, the rancher doesn't get paid, and the cowboy who contracts out to him doesn't either.  Add to this the elem

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Florida Memory Project has a wealth of Black History Month resources for educators

Doing a last-minute lesson plan for Black History Month? Let the Florida Memory Project Help!

Black History Month got its start in 1926, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson began commemorating the second week of February as "Negro History Week".  This was to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.  The efforts of Dr. Woodson, one of the first academically trained African-American historians in the United States, are largely responsible for the observation of Black History Month.

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What do autobiographies and book tours have in common?

They are the subject of two great programs featuring Liz Coursen, author of The Complete Biography Workbook and The Book Tourist, to be held on Jan 21, 2012 at ACLD Headquarters.

Everyone has a story.  This includes you.  Liz Coursen believes that yours is worth documenting in the shape of an autobiography.  Not only that, she's also convinced that it is entirely possible for a regular person to not only write an autobiography, but to also have a successful book tour.  She will speak about these two subjects on Saturday, January 21st at District Headquarters.

HealthStreet sponsors Holiday Money Workshop

One of the best ways to save money and aggravation is to learn from the financial mistakes other people have already made.

The University of Florida HealthStreet and 3 Rivers Legal Services have teamed up to offer a Holiday Money Workshop on Thursday, December 13th, at 5:30 pm. The workshop will be held at 2124 NE Waldo Road, Bldg 1628 (ECOB), Suite 1200, Gainesville, FL 32609. Parking is free.

This is a great FREE opportunity to get a handle on your financial situation before you get overwhelmed by the spending frenzy that frequently occurs during the holiday season.

Learn about the benefits and pitfalls associated with layaway, check cashing, payday loans, and pawn shops. 

Matheson Museum hosts Urban Forestry Workshop on December 7th

I think that I shall never see...

The Matheson Museum is hosting an Urban Forestry Workshop at 3:30 pm on December 7, 2011. 

With the Foundation Center, more is more!

And it's the best bargain in town - free!

Did you know that the Alachua County Library District offers free access to Foundation Center Directory Online AND to the Foundation Grants to Individuals Online?  These are available exclusively at the Headquarters library in downtown Gainesville.

What's your mindset?

Bet it will surprise you!

Was walking by the new books area here at Library Headquarters the other day and came across The Mindset Lists of American History by Tom McBride & Ron Nief.  Now, I'm from Texas, where high school football is the state religion and practically every high school history teacher is a football coach.  Suffice to say that my grasp on American history is, um, limited. 

But this book is really cool - it takes a number of seemingly random years from 1880 through 2026 and tells what historical facts were true for that year's graduating class.

Here are a few examples:

1898

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Payne's Prairie Photography Exhibit at the Matheson

You can't go to Payne's Prairie after dark. But you can go to the Matheson on the evening of November 16th for a reception for the Payne's Prairie Amateur Photographer Exhibit.

Why can't you visit Payne's Prairie after dark?  Well, as the sign near the Sink succinctly puts it, "After dark, if it moves, it's food."  Presumably the folks at the Florida State Parks don't want to fill out paperwork every time somebody gets bitten/eaten by an alligator.  Whatever.

Attorneys have a comic presence in popular culture

Did you know that there are at least 10 attorneys who are also comic book/graphic novel characters?

Neither did I.  But according to the American Bar Association Journal, there are at least 10.  And you might have actually heard of some of them.

Does Daredevil ring a bell?  There was a movie made starring Ben Affleck back in 2003.

And who could forget She-Hulk

Coffee, tea, or Aeroshot?

How do you get your caffeine?

I just read on CNN that there is a new product that is essentially a caffeine inhaler.  As one who has been known to eat instant coffee because she was so sleepy that she couldn't wait long enough to drink a hot cup of coffee and let the caffeine kick in gradually, this girl is super-excited to see how this product works.

What does a savvy senior do when her house is on fire?

Jim Miller, Savvy Senior columnist for NewsOK offers fire safety tips for senior adults.

Jim Miller of NewsOK has a Savvy Seniors column wherein he offers tips for senior adults who are caught in house fires

Did you know that individuals who are older than 65 are more than twice as likely to die in a house fire as someone younger?  And that individuals who are over the age of 84 are more than 4 times as likely?  This according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Do you have your kid's costume ready?

Halloween is only 2 weeks away!

Yes, technically you could go to the Halloween store or to a big box store and drop as much money as you wanted on the perfect costume for your young'un.   But where's the fun in that?  Plus, they won't be able to wear it again next year AND do you really want your kid wearing cheap plastic?

Here's an easy one:

Mary Poppins costume

 

 

    

 

Learn more about Gator history at the Matheson

The Matheson Museum invites you see the University of Florida Exhibit featuring photographs of the University of Florida's growth including coverage of its championships.

Anderson Hall, 1920sMarching Band in stadium

Is it too late for a grand adventure?

Probably not. Your family's history can lead you down paths that you never dreamed of. And you don't even have to go outdoors in bad weather.

The Alachua County Genealogical Society exists to bring together individuals who are interested in exploring the histories of their families.  And if you go back far enough, there is a good chance that you will find somebody interesting.  And if you come across somebody on your family tree who is extremely difficult to research, there is a chance that somebody back then was trying to hide something. 

old-fashioned child in sailor suit with shovel

Come craft downtown!!!!

Talk and work with other local crafters at the Headquarters Library on the 2nd Sunday of each month.

Bring your non-messy (by which we mean those that don't require liquids, paints, gloppy substances, and/or open flames) crafts to Library Headquarters on Sunday, October 9th, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.  Hang out with cool crafters.  Learn a little something.  And afterwards, wander back to the stacks to get your fix of craft books. Most of them are in the neighborhood of the 745s. 

Hope to see you there!  We'll be doing this on the 2nd Sundays of October - December, and if it turns out to be popular, we will consider making this an ongoing meet-up.

What is a devil's advocate?

other than a great Al Pacino flick?

A devil's advocate is a person appointed by the Roman Catholic Church to prepare in writing any possible objections to an individual's beatification

In The Devil's Advocate, Al Pacino plays attorney John Milton, who is actually Lucifer in disguise. There's a great line at the end of the film:

Oh, the Humanities!

Alachua County Library District and the UF Center for the Humanities & the Public Sphere join forces in "Rehumanizing the University."

Professor Leslie Harris, historian of race and slavery at Emory University, will lead two different public events in Gainesville.  One of these will be held at the Millhopper Branch Library on Sunday, October 9th at 2:00 p.m. and the other will be held on Monday, October 10th at 7:30 p.m. at the Smathers Library, 1A, University of Florida.

Before there was Martha...

there was Mrs. Beeton.

Martha Stewart is, of course, the domestic doyenne.  But before Martha, there was Mrs. Beeton.  Her magnum opus was Beeton's Book of Household Management.  The Alachua County Library District has a first edition facsimile that we keep in our reference collection; however, if you can't make it downtown, the text is available for free

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  • Things that go bump in the night...

    When you hear whatever it is that goes bump in the night, and you can't exactly call Ghostbusters, what should you do?

    There's a traditional Scottish prayer that goes

    From ghoulies and ghosties

    And long-leggedy beasties

    And things that go bump in the night,

    Good Lord, deliver us!

    So, what do you do when you've heard a bump in the night?  Well, if you survive, come down to the library in the morning, and try to figure out what it was.

    Lunch & learn about diabetes

    Do you have diabetes? Does a friend or family member?

    The Alachua County Library District and Alachua County CHOICES are pleased to host a lunchtime information session about diabetes.  The event will be held in the Foundation Room at District Headquarters on Tuesday, September 20th, at 12:30 p.m.  Lori Blanton of the UF Diabetes Center of Excellence will be the special guest speaker.

    So bring your (healthy!) lunch, and join us to learn more about this manageable condition. 

    I was just looking over the latest issue of Altered Couture...

    Did you know that you can make a gorgeous sweater from a wool blanket? And a cute necklace from a t-shirt?

    Did you know that you can make a gorgeous sweater from a wool blanket?  And a super-cute necklace from a t-shirt?  Neither did I.  But believe me, I'm heading to the thrift stores this weekend to find a wool blanket that I can cut up.

    Does United States v. Jones concern you? Perhaps it should.

    Brief (no pun intended) discussion of a case that is expected to come before the Supreme Court (again!) in November 2011.

    There's a great op-ed piece in the New York Times that discusses the ramifications of the

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  • Can't get to the beach?

    Head for the Library!

    I spent a wonderful half hour today talking a fellow about surfing.  I've never done it before, and frankly, the idea of being in any body of water that I can't easily swim halfway across scares the living daylights out of me.  However, he made it sound like a lot of fun (but don't go looking for me in the waves!). 

    Later, I walked by the shelf and spotted The History of Surfing.  So cool!  Lots of full-page, 4-color pictures, dense, yet readable text, and a comprehensive index. 

    Check it out, dude!

     

    Talking Books has revamped its service model!

    In case you were wondering what happened to the Talking Books...

    We recently learned that the Division of Blind Services was updating its service model and that Talking Books and players and tapes will no longer be distributed through public libraries. 

    They have generously provided a thorough fact sheet, which will easily answer most patron questions about the modifications to the service.

    Do you need a grant?

    Let us point you in the right direction.