Happy Thanksgiving

Right now I'm in a stage of life where I'm trying to focus on what I'm thankful for, rather than what I don't have. And as you're reading this, I'm probably standing in line at a grocery store, thankful for stores that stay open late so I can buy what I forgot to buy last weekend, and fulfill my Thanksgiving dinner promises.

I'm thankful for my 60+ coworkers, because they are dedicated to bringing you quality library service. I'm thankful for your tax dollars, because you're willing to pool them so that we all have access to over 300,000 items in our local libraries. I'm thankful for our Friends groups and volunteers, because their purely altruistic spirit enhances our services. I'm thankful for the generosity of donors who give money above and beyond their taxes, and allow us to bring interesting programs to the library. And, I'm thankful for my GoodReads and Facebook friends, where my professional and personal life blends, because I think I finally "get it" about social networking sites.

When I was little, I loved to compile a little catalog of my entire book collection, and a list of what I wished for, so that my family would know what books to buy me for Christmas. Holiday lists have now gone electronic. The Waterloo Public Library has compiled a Wish List on Amazon. Find our list by clicking on the Wish List link on our website. I'm asking you to buy a holiday gift for the library, but when you do, consider that you are buying a gift for the entire community. We'll even put a gift tag in it, so that everyone will know that you made it possible for them to read this book.

Millions of readers loved Freakonomics, the non-fiction book that taught us that it's more deadly to have a swimming pool than a gun, and now it has a sequel. Don’t miss Super Freakonomics, "bold, funnier and more surprising than the first." I loved Freakonomics, so am looking forward to the sequel. I like to sample many different genres so I can recommend books, so I'm expanding my horizons this month to include a few "bonnet rippers,” the Amish romance genre. I'll let you know how that goes.

I hope that you are as thankful for your public library as I am. I’m thankful not only for a job that brings surprises every day, but for the opportunity to bring that service to you.