So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen

Our students are packing up their belongings and emptying their dorm rooms as they transition into summer mode. We are transitioning here at the library as well, taking down our displays, shelving the books, (although some are staying out at the circ desk to entice those summer readers!), and cleaning up the building. As our students move on, so do some of us here at the library. As noted in an earlier blog post, I will be moving on to the Newbury Town Library this summer. It seems fitting that I offer our summer farewells and bid my own farewell in our last blog post of this academic year.

It has been a great pleasure and honor to work with the extraordinary students, faculty, and staff here at the Academy. Our learning never ends at the library as we continue to stretch ourselves, dive into new things, and work to make connections with our students. I never thought I would be a blogging, Flickring, Library Thing, moodling, code dabbling librarian. The Pesky library is doing all of this and much more. I will carry the lessons I have learned with me as I set off for new adventures, just as the students do when they graduate and move on.
Thank you for tuning into the Pesky Blog and look for more postings as we begin the 2008-2009 academic year. Happy Summer and Happy Reading!
(Our spiral staircase is one of my favorite photos!)
~ Jen

Exam Week

Exam Week
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

We have arrived at the last week of the school year and Pesky Library , usually such a lively place, is besieged by clever signs announcing that we are now a place of "Silent Study". Students are taking their final exams and we are trying to provide an environment that is conducive to studying. Everyone, including the librarians, will be happy when this stress-filled week is over and summer vacation is finally here.

ESL Outing to Haley's

ESL Outing to Haley's
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

As ESL meets in the library for class, the librarians are fortunate to get close to our international students. At the end of the year outing, we help Mrs. Gold transport the students to Haley's in Newburyport for ice-cream. So many decisions to make among flavors, toppings, cone versus dish! The most important lesson learned this year was that a medium really means the amount of ice-cream on a cone, not the actual size of the cone itself (maybe the most relevant lesson of the year!) We all enjoyed this last outing together and we wish them safe journeys home and a restful summer.

Pesky Top Ten

As we shelve the final returns this week and prepare for the summer months we were curious to know which titles circulated the most this year. The final tallies and the Top Ten circulations for Fiction are:
Denial by Ablow
The Other Boleyn Girl by Gregory
Water for Elephants by Gruen
A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner both by Hosseini
Run by Patchett
Crossing to Safety by Stegner
The River King by Hoffman
Those Who Save Us by Blum
and Bridge of Sighs by Russo

Our Top Ten DVD circulations include:
Akeelah and the bee
The Devil Wears Prada
A Doll’s House
Miracle
Miss Potter
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle
Night at the Museum
Sharpe’s Challenge
and Stuart Little

For summer reading ideas check out the books on our top ten list or stop by the library and we will be happy to make some suggestions! Happy Reading!

Shelving the Pesky Girls

A Job Well Done
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Nostalgia rules at year's end as we recall the timid freshmen whom we are now bidding farewell as seniors. Here in the library, we are also reminiscing, saying good-bye and sending two of our own into new ventures. Kate Pinkham who mangages our Archives and is our technical services assistant is heading back to school. Our Library Information Specialist Jennifer Brown is becoming the Director of the Newbury Public Library in July. We shall miss them (especially their skills with hand tools!) and wish them success and happiness as they go forth.

The Milestone at 300!

Milestone
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

The Milestone on campus was erected in 1708 by John Dummer who was marking an event important to him, the establishment of the Byfield Parish Church. Although the meeting house was built in 1702 and the Reverend Moses Hale was chosen as the first minister, the church was on land that had no public roads leading to it. In 1708 the parish determined that every member should grant access for others to reach the church. These pathways were incorporated into the Bay Road which had been established in the 1660’s, cutting through the Dummer farm and on through the marshes to Thurlow’s Bridge.

Two milestones were already in existence in Boston. They had been erected in Boston the previous year by Judge Samuel Sewall, a relative of the Dummers. Sewall was the first to mark distances this way in New England. John Dummer hired John Hartshorn to carve a milestone on his property. Hartshorn had left Haverhill after his family had been killed in an Indian raid. He settled in Byfield where he carved the first gravestones for Byfield Parish. You can read more about the Dummers and the carvers in Stories Carved in Stone: the story of the Dummer family, the Merrimac Valley Gravestone Carvers, and the Newbury Carved Stones, 1636 – 1735 (LH 974.4511 GAG.)

Our Milestone is a major part of our Commencement ceremonies. Following the ceremony on the front lawn of the Mansion House, faculty process to the Little Red Schoolhouse where they are joined by the senior class for the last time. As the schoolhouse’s bell is rung, faculty march around the Milestone and form a line to the wall. Seniors follow, walking around the Milestone and then thundering past their teachers to leap over the wall and into the future.

Tradition

The Wall
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

One of the traditions for the Seniors at the Governor's Academy is to leap over the pictured wall after Commencement. This jump is symbollic of the end of their high school careers, and the beginning of the rest of their lives. This Sunday, proud family members will watch the new graduates as they joyfully hurdle themselves over this last obstacle before summer vacation begins. We wish all the Seniors the very best!

Don't Panic!

Towel Day Display
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

On May 25th, grab a towel and pay tribute to the memory of Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001.) Why a towel? Well, as Adams explains in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a towel has practical and psychological value. Of course here at the academy, Towel Day is also Commencement. Caps and gowns don't necessarily accessorize well so choose your towel carefully. Be grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the literary world created by Adams.

Collaborating

Sharing headphones.....
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Often students need to share something they are experiencing whether it be music or video. Then we see them sharing headphones.....creative library behavior.......!

10,000 and Counting

We have just achieved a milestone and, serendipitously, I snagged it! Our photostream on Flickr has been viewed 10,000 times. Flickr allows us to create a history of our library in snapshots and share it with the world. We hear from other librarians for whom our pictures have sparked ideas as their pictures have inspired us. Our international students have posted their impressions of the academy to share and we've taught them about Creative Commons liscensing. We look forward to taking the pictures which will bring our next 10,000 views.

Books on the Environment

May Environmental Books
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Along one of our borders is the Parker River whose estuary is part of The Great Marsh. The largest salt marsh in New England covers 20,000 acres from Gloucester to Salisbury. Our history is tied to our location. The first Dummer arrived from England with cattle and settled here as the Parker and Mill Rivers made natural fences for his animals. Our science students research in the marsh and along the river. Students fish from Thurlow's Bridge which from 1654 to 1758 was the only bridge along the Bay Road from Boston north. And on my ways to and from home, I drive through the marsh and over the bridge. Each season has its own beauty although now is my favorite with the abundance of red-winged blackbirds.
Our interaction with the marsh is to become an even greater part of our curriculum. And to that end, we have started to enlarge our books on environmental writings and issues. One series is on Invasive Species by Suellen May. Of special interest to us is the section on purple loosestrife, a beautiful plant introduced for its purple flowers but of great threat to our wetlands. Another book to dip within is American Earth: Environmental Writing since Thoreau edited by Bill McKibben. Essays and short pieces are joined by artowork, maps, and historical photographs. Come by the library and look through the new books.

Wonderful displays

Getting ready for commencement
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Ever wonder who does the displays for Pesky Library? The lady's name is Louise Healey and she has been doing our wonderful displays for the past 10 years. Her creativity has gotten our library recognition from other libraries and librarians as we have posted the diplays on Flickr and shared her ideas with the entire library community. Her intended audience, our students, have picked up books they would not otherwise have tried, thanks to her clever displays. Well done, Mrs. Healey!

Senior Prank

Senior Prank
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

'Tis that time of the year when giddiness goes hand-in-hand with the last minute rush to complete papers, AP exams, and finals.

Fishing on You Tube

Fishing inspiration can be found everywhere, even on You Tube. After you have taken a look at our fishing displays, check out the many instructional and entertaining videos you can find on the web, including the one we have posted today.

New Nonfiction

For the nonfiction lovers we have one last collection of new books before the end of the year. For a complete listing of the books pictured visit our new acquisitions page on Flickr.

Caption Update

The Captions are coming along
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

There have been some very creative captions added to our Humor Me display. For the dog and kitty poster some of our captions include, "Cute", Ah-dorable", "The cat is eating the dog", "Aww Frenemies", and "Every Dog Has it's Day". We have also now found captions on other displays and posters around the library, so the comment idea is catching on.

Goodbye Seniors

Another Satisfied Customer
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

It is the time of year to say good-bye to our Seniors. The remaining weeks of this school year are filled with the Prom, with exams, with yearbook pages to write and photos of the past 4 years to enjoy. There is laughter and there are tears as the realization sets in that their time together is fleeting. The students who come to the library every evening, our "regulars", will be missed by the staff who have gotten to know them well these past 3 years. We wish them the very best!

Fish will be biting

Fishing Display
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Fishing season has officially begun as the first striper was caught off Plum Island yesterday and was reported in The Daily News. This is exciting news for many here at The Governor's Academy. The number of students, staff, and faculty who love of the sport of fishing seems to be growing and as the weather continues to warm up, we are certain to hear more about the catches people are making. Pulled from the second floor stacks are dozens for fishing books which are making up one of our display cases. From fishing techniques to fish guides, there is a book suited for every fisherman.
Check it out!

New Fiction

New Fiction - May 2008
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

May brings along the end of our book purchasing for a bit, so we were happy to see one last box waiting for us. There are many new and intriguing fiction titles and you can find them listed on our Flickr page. Happy Reading!

White Board Doodling

We recently added white boards to the library floor in anticipation of group work for finals. One of our students has started an interactive board asking for people to draw their favorite things or people. Already the board is filling up and while it may not be information for finals (yet), the students are using them in interesting and entertaining ways!

Grandparents Day

Grandparents Day
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

It is Grandparents Day and students are showing their grandparents what their days are like here at the Academy. Grandparents attend classes and other activities throughout the day. The library always becomes a destination spot, a quiet place to rest, read the paper, and enjoy time with their grandchildren.

Clean books are happy books

Charlie
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

At least twice a year each book in our collection is thoroughly cleaned and checked for loose pages or ripped covers. We want to make sure the books are in good shape and are where they should be on the shelves. This particular cleaning occurred while "shifting" was also taking place. The entire non-fiction collection has been weeded and moved this year. The library staff, although not thrilled with these tasks, realize the importance of this work.

The poetry comes to an end...for now

As poetry month comes to an end today, we wrap it up by posting a video of a poetry reading by Poet Laureate, Billy Collins. Enjoy!

Humor Me!

They say humor is the best medicine and as students prepare for the final weeks of classes (which can be a cause of great elation, yet great angst,) we were happy to put the display pictured to the left together. We have created a fun and interactive display titled “Humor Me”. We found some fantastic posters and have paired them up with a variety of humor books from our collection and together they make an engaging and entertaining display. Each poster is labeled with a “Caption Me” sign and we encourage people to create their own captions for the posters. We will see what the week brings and the responses we receive from the display. Stay tuned and hopefully next week we can report on the outcome!

Poetry in motion

Poetry month is the perfect time for us to highlight our magnetic poetry boards! They are constantly on the move in the library, we never know where they will end up. The surprise is always seeing what others have left behind; how have they put words together, what message have they left behind for others to read? This “community” poetry is in constant flow and motion and the fun of it is not knowing what will be on the boards the next time you find one about.

New at the Circ Desk

New at the Circ Desk
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

As the Academy's trees burst into glorious color, so did we want to shed the winter look. To celebrate spring, we set out colorful clips, paperclips, post-its, and "Love my Library" bookmarks. The butterfly and dragonfly paperclips have been seen holding many a student paper together. We've already had to make a restocking run to Staples.

Happy Birthday, Will!

Fictional Shakespeare
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Thanks to my husband who always reads aloud the interesting bits and pieces of This Day in History from The Boston Globe, I was reminded that today is the day ascribed to Shakespeare's birth. Wandering through a Shakespeare search in the catalog, I was struck by the amount of fiction listed.The fiction is now on the table in the foyer. Stop by and have a browse or click on the display picture for the titles.

Earth Day with Gary Snyder

This is the first of a four part documentary on ecology and poetry. Celebrate Earth Day with poetry! Find his poetry at 811.54 SNY.

Nature inspires the poet

April is Poetry Month
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

It is easy to see why April has been designated National Poetry Month, especially as Mother Nature seems to be slowly waking up and offers many reasons for inspiration. One of our display cases focuses on nature and poetry and includes one of my favorites from our collection, The Gardens of Emily Dickinson (811.4 FAR). The book provides insight into the poet’s personal love of gardening, how it is reflected in her poetry, and personal letters. Another title in the collection offering natural inspiration is House of Light by Mary Oliver (811.54 OLI). It is on days like this when the air seems to be a bit warmer, the birds seem to be signing a bit louder, and there is an energy in the air, that poetry and nature seem to go hand in hand. (This was a fun display to pull together - can you find our little critters {bugs} hanging out with the books? )

Dance Music

Pride
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

The sound of music brought me to the Group Study Room on the first floor of the library. It turns out that there was going to be a dance this weekend and students from two student organizations called "Pride" and "Nexo" were busy picking the music for this dance using our laptop computers. After the weekend of the dance, I again asked the involved students about the dance, and they were happy and proud to report that it went well and most everyone was dancing. Students from the surrounding private schools were invited and everyone had a fun time. The many ways our students use our library never cease to amaze me.

Puzzle in Progress

Puzzle in Progress
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

As the year moves along we have some students who continue t o puzzle in the library. They have chosen a challenging piece, Munch's The Scream with 2,000 small pieces. With only a few weeks left in the school year, we will have to see how it moves along...

Time for some inspiration

As a first time attendee at Computers in Libraries this year, I was impressed and inspired by the broad range of topics covered at the conference. The days were long and chock-full of informative sessions on all aspects of library service and technology. The push in the library world has been on 2.0 applications such as, blogs, wikis, Flickr, and gaming. At the Pesky Library, we have adopted many of these applications, some we use quite well and others we have had to tweak over the years. The key for us has been to try something new and see where it leads. While 2.0 technologies were still at the forefront of the conversation at Computers in Libraries, making connections with the people we serve was highlighted time and again. The interactions that are happening around technology are at the heart of library service. We see this with our own students as they work in groups around the library. The idea that technology can expand service beyond the library walls to connect with users wherever they may be is something we will continue to build on.

My takeaway from Computers in Libraries 2008

DSC01347
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Computers in Libraries is an exhilarating experience. My notebook is filled with asterisks, light bulbs, and post-its highlighting all kinds of ideas – some do-able, some dream-able, and some to be part of today forward. My takeaway from the conference for today forward was the result of a talk on Learning Commons in Libraries. A Learning Commons is where learning happens in a flexible, wireless environment. Students define their spaces, whether by dragging tables together, huddling around desktops, or creating little groups with laptops. The space facilitates learning and supports collaboration. Technology and library services are easily integrated. And, in addition to physically supporting the tools and methods of learning, students are given a positive emotional experience which leads to better learning. As I listened to the speaker, I realized we are an L.C. Our furniture never stays still. Our laptops are always checked out. Our students in the Electronic Classroom are often grouped around a single workstation.

Are there other ways we can support the active construction of knowledge by our students? This question will guide some of our planning for the fall. We have started by ordering two additional portable whiteboards which we shall place in spots where students reconfigure seating for study groups. We’ve asked that purchasing additional laptops be added to the technology plan now being updated. This spring we shall also be taking pictures and documenting the ways students interact with our space. We’ll also survey some of them for their input on how to support their learning. In addition to looking at our library with slightly different eyes, we shall create a video to share with faculty at the opening of school in September.

Jeannette Walls visits the Academy

Yesterday, we were fortunate to have author Jeannette Walls visit the Academy and stop by the library for a book signing and luncheon. Ms. Walls spoke to the community about her best-selling memoir, The Glass Castle. Many of the students clearly connected with the message Ms. Walls was sharing as a large group stopped her in the hall of the library to speak with her and share their own stories. It was an inspiring day filled with many important messages including the importance of respect for others, the power of education and reading, and while following our dreams, still remaining true to ourselves.

Computer Game Development Internship Club

Club
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

A little hooting and hollering brought me down to the electronic classroom where I discovered a group of students playing an interactive war game. This group, the Computer Game Development Internship Club, came about through a relationship with a game software company from Newburyport. This activity promotes fun, multi-player interaction, and historical knowledge. The group provides feedback to the software company.
The students are also creating material by videoing and documenting the game for a market presentation.
The faculty involved is Mr. Werner, Mr. Mandel and Mr. Brace.

Seminar on Teaching and Learning

Seminar on Teaching and Learning
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Today's luncheon Seminar on Learning and Teaching followed up on our summer faculty read - Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. Art teacher Belle Struck talked about what she did in her freshmen classes to get her students to shift between the hemispheres in their brains. As teachers walked into the Bragdon Reading Room, their eyes widened as they saw all the supplies awaiting them. We did countour profile drawings (gaze upon a person and without looking at the paper or lifting the charcoal, draw them in 30 seconds,) folded envelopes from hand painted papers donated by their freshmen creators, colored squares to be fitted into a giant quilt, and ended with more profiling. We display some of the freshmen projects in the library and relished the opportunity of trying them for ourselves. And as always, these seminars are wonderful opportunities to learn new skills or absorb new ideas with colleagues during a designated period of time (meaning NO interruptions!)

We shall not be blogging the beginning of next week. Jen and I are attending Computers in Libraries and decided not to take our laptops. As I write that it seems an odd thing to do. But, we are going to absorb ideas and contemplate their implementation without actually starting the process. There is so little time during the school day for reflection with a colleague and we are consciously taking time for it during this conference. We will be returning in time for Common Book next Thursday.

Good news!

Counting down the Moments
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Much whooping and cheering could be heard in the library this week. Seniors were congratulating each other on finally learning to what colleges they were accepted as a stressful waiting period was finally over. Villanova, Bucknell, Williams, Northeastern, Davidson, and Dennison were some of the schools that we heard mentioned, and the overall feeling was one of relief and joy. Hearty congratulations to the Class of 2008.

Poetic Inspiration

As students prepare to write poetry and short stories for the Spire this week, the library is hoping to inspire poets and those who may shy away from it, to fall in love with it! Our reading and writing poetry display offers words of encouragement to our poets: collect words, write about life, write a song, relax! As Billy Collins is quoted from the Poetry 180 site, “Let the words of the poem do the work.” Once you start exploring it and talking to others about it you may be surprised what you will learn. For example, after discussing poetry with a fellow library staff member, I found she has quite the talent for creating limericks. Below you will see she has dived into poetry, here is Mrs. T's library limerick:

I am a young woman who attends The Academy
My favorite subject by far is Anatomy
I have lots of papers
But I am more interested in fun capers
And this is why the librarian is mad at me.

Academy is not a very easy word to rhyme, as we soon found out. We would love to hear if you have any limericks to share, and here is the challenge, they must be about libraries!
Good Luck, dive into Poetry Month, relax and have fun!

April Fool!

April Fool!
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

A Little Bit of Artistic Inspiration at the Library

A class of senior spanish language students recently visited the library to research an artist of their choosing. The library pulled aside a number of art books for the students and they browsed them looking for some inspiration. Over the weekend there was a student who left behind their artistic tools, the pack of colorful pens, and a Frida Kahlo book. Once students research their artist they will create a piece of artwork based on their chosen artist. It is a wonderful way for our seniors to end their last quarter at the Academy!

"Nine Photographs"

"Nine Photographs"
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Our Rotunda Gallery for Sudent Photography features a collection called "Nine Photographs" by Rory Hamovit '09. Rory's statement on his display follows: "These pictures are what you would see if you were walking down the street or across the beach and turned your head for just a second, witnessing a girl in a bright red dress or some awkward sunbathers. You probably don't recognize at first what you're staring at, completely unaware of the people you're looking at, the movements they're making or the way they seem to fit into the setting. We sometimes fail to realize the comedy and artistic appeal in moments like these. With a camera, I've tried to find these moments, the ones that pass by unrecognized, and capture them and then let others enjoy seeing them as much as I did when I saw a boy shocked by a hippo at the zoo or kids dancing wildly at a Bat Mitzvah party."
If you can't come by and view in person, you can see the images in our Flickr photo set.

The library has new DVDs

March New DVDs
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

While we were on our March break, ten new DVDs arrived in our library. "In the Shadow of the Moon", "Robin of Sherwood", "Tin Man", "Clear and Present Danger", "The Hunt for Red October", "Patiot Games", "The Sum of All Fears", "Becoming Jane", "Into the Wild", and "Hairspray" are in our collection, ready for you to enjoy. See you in the library!

Welcome back!

A Welcome Return to.....
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Only 8 days remain in the third quarter and then the breathless rush to the end begins. Although we had a dusting of snow last night and there's a mildly disturbing forecast for this weekend, spring has arrived in Byfield. I wasn't quick enough to get the flock of robins outside my window but I did get the diminishing snow pile. Soon the fields will be filled with baseball, softball, and lacrosse players. Frisbees and cookouts in front of Phillips will be de riguer!

12th Annual Legislative Breakfast

12th Annual Legislative Breakfast
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

This morning we attended the 12th Annual Legislative Breakfast for the Northeast Massachusetts Region. It's an advocacy event with library directors, trustees, and legislators in attendance. Not only do we have a chance to speak on behalf of libraries to local state legislators, but we also get to hear about the impact of libraries on individuals. U.S. Representative Nikki Tsongas spoke about being "captured" by the library after she had checked out her very first book. We were reminded that in this space of the Pollard Memorial Library (Lowell, MA) Jack Kerouac used to spend time during his school days. Who knows what budding Kerouacs may be rambunctiously enjoying our spaces right now? I truly believe that we can't be a strong democracy without strong libraries.
In a few minutes, March break begins and we don't reconvene until the 26th. May we all have a chance to renew and relax!

Winter Scene

A Chair Where it Belongs
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

With March break right around the corner, scenes such as this, with snow everywhere, will be gone by the time students and staff return to school . We are hoping to return to well rested students and beautiful Spring days. This week the Junior class finished their major project for the school year - the American History report. We congratulate these hard working students, and wish them a wonderful vacation.

Gear up for Break with a Great Read

Recently the American Library Association announced the award winners for young adult literature. The Printz Award honors excellence in young adult literature and the Alex Awards are given to ten adult books with special appeal to teens. Enjoy our slideshow above featuring recent winners of the Printz and Alex awards as well as recent additions to the library’s collection. With March break around the corner it is the perfect time to escape into a good book! Happy Reading.

March 4 - National Grammar Day

March 4 - National Grammar Day
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Today is the day to grab your red pen and celebrate along with the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar. Do you have a personal grammatical beef? (Could it be the preservation of the serial comma?) Do you find yourself as I do when faced with a grammatical perplexity diagramming the sentence in your head? This is a day to let loose and correct what you will. Uncertain in a specific case? Check out one of the books on display in the foyer of the library.
My absolutely favorite grammatical correction came in a Zippy cartoon. You may know that he celebrates diners. October 21, 2003 he visited Pats Diner in Salisbury Square. Yes, Pats without the apostrophe. He gently chided her on it in the strip. She now has the apostrophe added and the strip framed and prominently on display. It still makes her laugh. Good grammar can do that!

Comfort is just another library service!

We've always known it. Library chairs are made for napping whether circa 1968 or 2008. Imagine this student’s surprise if he came to The Academy today and saw the chairs the current students curl up in. When this picture surfaced in the archives, we all had a déjà vu moment. How many times have we stood over a student wondering if we should give a nudge when the class period changes? This wondering librarian is Mrs. Esther B. Thurlow, Bryn Mawr, 1928. We found her in the Milestones from 1958 – 68. The picture was taken in the Frost Library.

Founders' Day (Observed)

Founders' Day (Observed)
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

The Academy celebrates its founding each March 1, the day in 1763 when Master Moody first held classes in The Little Red Schoolhouse. A little early this year, Lieutenant Governor William Dummer of the Massachusetts Bay Colony made an appearance and read from his will. He left his farm here in what was Byfield Parish along with its profits and rents for a school first named Dumm’r Charity School. Minister of the Byfield Parish Church Moses Parsons selected the first schoolmaster Samuel Moody of York, Maine on the recommendation of the Great Awakening preacher George Whitfield.

Students presented snippets of school history in The Governor’s Academy Founder’s Day Colonial Quiz for Qualifying Students Who Never Quake Answering Questions Quickly! They quickly answered questions on some of our former illustrious students including Rufus King (signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution,) Edward Preble (commander of the USS Constitution,) and Booker T. Washington, Jr. Other questions were on school history: William’s father was Jeremiah Dummer, the first American silversmith and mentor of Paul Revere who created the Academy’s seal. William Dummer freed his slaves in his will. Samuel Phillips graduated here and went on to found two academies of his own – Phillips Exeter and Phillips Andover.

A Revolutionary re-enactor's group participated and fired off salutes to William Dummer and his wife, the former Katherine Dudley. This is a wonderful celebration as it’s always good to be reminded that we are carrying through on a vision held by a remarkable man before our country was formed.

Reading happens!

Evening Happenings
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

As we approach our March break, several students have again asked for suggestions for pleasure reading for the vacation. Librarians have many tools that help us find books that will appeal to Young Adult readers. One of my favorites is a list put out annually by the Young Adult Library Services Association, a branch of the American Library Association. This list of adult books "with specific teen appeal" is published annually on the ALA web page and the 10 books selected are given the Alex Award.

International Collection

International Collection
Originally uploaded by Pesky Library

Each year as graduation approaches and students are packing up, our international students wander over with bags of books in their home languages. Some of the books are required texts and some are just for fun reading. Along side Shakespeare we have The Lord of the Rings trilogy. We also have some manga. I truly don't know much of what we do have. BUT, each fall we take our new international students upstairs to the collection where they often pounce on a book they know they'll need. Totally uncatalogued, the collection doesn't have any kind of shelf list. But, it is ever revolving and growing and a lovely gift by departing students.

MassCAT Evolves

Today we attended a session at the Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System in Danvers on the next evolution of MassCAT, a resource sharing network of libraries - school, special, academic, and small public libraries. The network lets libraries share their collections online and facilitates borrowing among the member libraries. We both send out books and DVDs to schools around the state and receive things students here want that don't sit on our shelves. MassCAT is moving beyond being simply a shared network to include circulation and other library management pieces. The council which governs MassCAT has chosen LibLime's Koha open-source software to use. The new package will incorporate many customizable features to use and will allow for our students to be more engaged with our collection - very Library 2.0! As librarians who very much believe in resource sharing and an easy flow of books to and from other libraries, we are excited to move forward in exploring this option for the Academy.

Putting the Pieces Together

We have some eager puzzle makers who have worked through all of the puzzles in our children’s area here at the library. Recently on a snowy day during lunch, this group of puzzle makers asked us for something new. Here is what they have done so far, this 300 piece puzzle poses to be a bit more challenging than the 50 piece puzzles they were able to finish during their lunch breaks. We are starting them off slowly to prepare them for the 500 and 1,000 piece puzzles waiting in the wings. Stay tuned and we’ll report on their progress as the puzzle nears completion!

Our Weeded Books are Gone!