November 15th is I Love to Write Day. I do love to write. I may not be very good, but I force myself to work a little, every day. Some days are easier than others, but I try. Today, everyone should write a poem, a story, a letter, or a post card. Even a text longer than ” ‘K, U 2″. Just put a few words together.
I have an interesting read “Becoming a Writer” by Dorothea Brande, 1981. Was originally published in 1934.
This is an interesting book. For anyone who wants to be a writer, or a better writer, take a look at this book. There are a bunch of good habits to learn and bad habits to break. This book is as current today, as when it was written ninety years ago.
Today is the last day of National Young Readers Week (Nov 11-15). The best way to find out what young kids are reading would be to take them to the library. They will pick out what they like. I realize my tastes are not always the same as my grandkids, but good to see that “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, “Captain Underpants”, and “Pete the Cat” are still going strong with all my grandgirls. While there is a good selection of kids books in my library, I do want them to read “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and “Holes”. Perhaps “Treasure Island”.
Have an interesting book (probably not until high school), “Talks about Authors and Their Work” by Ella Reeve Ware, published in 1899. This book has little stories about 26 authors and their work. This book actually makes these authors more accessible, with some interesting facts. And most of the stories are about important authors. Perhaps this would be a good teacher’s book for classic poetry and prose.
November 15th is National Philanthropy Day. I am happy that in my years with retail, I volunteered, and many cases supervised, a great deal of public charity works with associates from my businesses. My eldest granddaughter, before she even started high school, had logged in perhaps 45 volunteer hours with me. This is teachable stuff, mainly by setting the example.
I have an interesting book, “American Charities” – “A Study in Philanthropy and Economics” by Amos G. Warner, published 1894.
While an old book, this author discusses ageless ideas of philanthropy. He then goes in to much detail of various charities, what they do, and how they can be helped.
My last book goes full circle with libraries (and philanthropy). This is “The American Public Library Building” subtitle “Its Planning and Design with Special Reference to its Administration and Service” by Josheph L. Wheeler and Alfred Morton Githens, 1950 edition by the American Library Association.
This is a book on “The Modern Library Building”. It breaks down the process of planning a library, from demographics, building size, locations, architects, to interior plans (levels, halls, elevators, circulation desks, bookstock locations, children’s rooms, staff area, supplementary rooms, exhibition areas, lecture rooms.) There are other chapters analysing recent libraries, and special cases. Lastly, the details of heating, air conditioning, bookstack capacities, bookshelving, library furniture, and lighting.
This was a major undertaking in how to build and use a library. There are many libraries with pictures and layouts included for examples. One author was a librarian, and the other an architect. Not only was it a wonderful book to read, it was given a grant to make by the Carnegie Corporation. That was because this book was actually about building the Enock Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, and the Carnegie Corporation wanted the information to be easily used for future libraries.
Carnegie and his Philanthropy Corporation built over 2500 libraries, mainly in America, and then in Europe. More than anyone else, he opened book reading to communities, and us common folk. Millions of people have been exposed to free public libraries because of Andrew Carnegie.
So today… take a kid to the library, write a letter to someone, and donate a buck or a few minutes to help someone. It could be as easy as not putting the shopping cart at Aldi’s back with the rest to get your quarter back. Smile, and just hand the cart to someone else.
Moments like these can be really important-just follow through with the thoughts.
Thanks for listening.
Librarytomes 