Thursday, January 23, 2020

New Books! Check Out What We've Added

This month the books we have purchased our for the kid's room. Updating our children's book area is important to us so that your children will find something they are interested in or already familiar with.

Juvenile Non-Fiction (J 000.00)

Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison 
New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Vashti Harrison shines a bold, joyous light on black men through history. An important book for readers of all ages, this beautifully illustrated and engagingly written volume brings to life true stories of black men in history. Among these biographies, readers will find aviators and artists, politicians and pop stars, athletes and activists. The exceptional men featured include artist Aaron Douglas, civil rights leader John Lewis, dancer Alvin Ailey, filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, musician Prince, photographer Gordon Parks, tennis champion Arthur Ashe, and writer James Baldwin. The legends in this book span centuries and continents, but what they have in common is that each one has blazed a trail for generations to come.

Kid's Easy (E)

Good Night, Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle, Jill McElmurry
Good Night, Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle, Jill McElmurry
Beep Beep Beep It's time for sleep. Say goodnight with Little Blue Truck and friends--a perfect bedtime read-aloud in this bestselling series A storm is brewing and Little Blue Truck and his good friend Toad are hurrying home for bed. But who can sleep with all that racket? It's not long before other friends show up seeking safety from the storm. Thunder and lightning sure can be scary, but it's easy to be brave together. When the clouds roll on and the sky is clear, it's all aboard for a bedtime ride Beep Beep Shhh. . .

How to Give Your Cat a Bath: In Five Easy Steps by Nicola Winstanley and John MartzHow to Give Your Cat a Bath: In Five Easy Steps by Nicola Winstanley and John Martz
In this hilarious and clever "how-to," a little girl and a know-it-all narrator are thwarted by a cat who refuses to take a bath. The perfect read-aloud for fans of Snappsy the Alligator and Interrupting Chicken. Step one: fill the bath Step two: put the cat in the bath Step three: put shampoo on the cat Step four: rinse the cat Step five: dry the cat Seems simple, right? One problem: the cat has no intention of doing ANY of these things Watch as the steps keep changing, the cat keeps escaping, the girl keeps eating cookies and the mess keeps escalating. Soon it's not just the cat who needs a bath--it's the whole house This spoof on an instruction manual features an increasingly bewildered human, a nonchalant cat and a know-it-all narrator. . . who really doesn't know it all. How DO you give a cat a bath?

The Serious Goose by Jimmy Kimmel
The Serious Goose by Jimmy Kimmel
Meet a very Serious Goose in late-night host Jimmy Kimmel's first fun and funny picture book There is nothing silly about this goose. You CANNOT make her laugh, so DON'T EVEN TRY Written, illustrated, and lettered by Jimmy Kimmel, this picture book challenges young readers to bring the silly out of a very Serious Goose. Inspired by Jimmy's nickname for his kids, The Serious Goose reminds us to be silly in a serious way. Put your little comedians in front of a mylar mirror and challenge them to make this no-nonsense goose smile. This delightful read-aloud is guaranteed to create gaggles of giggles time and time again Kimmel's proceeds from sales of THE SERIOUS GOOSE will be donated to Children's Hospital Los Angeles and children's hospitals around the country.

Snakes on the Job by Kathryn Dennis
Snakes on the Job by Kathryn Dennis

Full of sibilant sounds and other wordplay, Kathryn Dennis's picture book, Snakes on the Job, is a sssssweet story that's sure to be a read-aloud hit. 

Off to work the snakes will go.

They slide into trucks and roll out slow.

Hisssssssh goes the sound of the brakes. The busy snakes are back! This time, they are operating a variety of construction vehicles--bulldozers, diggers, backhoes and more--and what they are building is a surprise. It's so fun, that new friends want to join them!

Stretchy McHandsome by Judy Schachner
Stretchy McHandsome by Judy Schachner
A handsome and totally fetching street cat with a penchant for trouble stars in the new picture book by Judy Schachner, creator of the inimitable, irrepressible Skippyjon Jones Stretchy McHandsome is not only good looking with his ginger fur, but he has personality that shines as well. Leaving the safety of the McHandsome clan, he stretches himself away from home and all around town. Out and about, he is spotted by a girl with a kindred spirit, who makes him realize the one thing missing from his life is the warm lap of a loving person. How this gadabout finds his true girl makes for a story that is a little bit wild, but a whole lot wonderful.

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o
A New York Times bestseller From Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o comes a powerful, moving picture book about colorism, self-esteem, and learning that true beauty comes from within. Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything. In this stunning debut picture book, actress Lupita Nyong'o creates a whimsical and heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty.



Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind by Jessica Hische

Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind by Jessica Hische
This uplifting and positive book encourages kids to promise that tomorrow, they will be grateful, helpful, and kind. Tomorrow I'll be everything I strive to be each day And even when it's difficult I'll work to find a way. Immerse yourself in the beautifully hand-lettered words of wisdom, hope, and positivity alongside adorable illustrations of love and caring. This book is a reminder to all readers, young and old, that the smallest kind gesture can make the biggest difference in the world--we just have to remember to be kind to one another. 

Truman by Jean Reidy

Truman by Jean Reidy
After his best friend Sarah leaves for her first day of school, a tortoise named Truman goes on an adventure across the living room and learns to be brave in this thoughtful and heartwarming twist on a first experience story. Truman the tortoise lives with his Sarah, high above the taxis and the trash trucks and the number eleven bus, which travels south. He never worries about the world below...until one day, when Sarah straps on a big backpack and does something Truman has never seen before. She boards the bus Truman waits for her to return. He waits. And waits. And waits. And when he can wait no longer, he knows what he must do. Even if it seems...impossible

When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L. B. Deenihan
When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L. B. Deenihan

When Grandma gives you a lemon tree, definitely don't make a face Care for the tree, and you might be surprised at how new things, and new ideas, bloom. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." In this imaginative take on that popular saying, a child is surprised to receive a lemon tree from Grandma for her birthday. After all, she DID ask for a new gadget But when she follows the narrator's careful--and funny--instructions, she discovers that the tree might be exactly what she wanted after all. This clever story, complete with a recipe for lemonade, celebrates the pleasures of patience, hard work, nature, community. . . and putting down the electronic devices just for a while.

The Wonderful Things You Will Be Emily Winfield Martin

The Wonderful Things You Will Be Emily Winfield Martin
From brave and bold to creative and clever, Emily Winfield Martin celebrates all personalities and their potential. With a beautiful gatefold, gorgeous and moving illustrations, and a rhyming text, this is a book that parents will love reading over and over to their kids--both younger and older. It's a great gift for any occasion, but a standout for birthdays, baby showers, and graduation with its loving and inspiring message: Then I'll look at you, And you'll look at me, And I'll love you, Whoever you've grown up to be.



Updated 9/11/2020 to include permalinks to catalog.

Friday, January 17, 2020

We DID it!

We want to thank you, our community. Thank you for supporting your library. We would not be here if it were not for you and your support.


We have had a successful fundraiser for our two shelving sections. The second set has now been ordered.

The first set of shelves will be installed in February. These shelves will allow us to shift the books around some and will define our sections more, along with providing room for growth. In addition, we will move our classics section so that it is easier to access. This is so VERY exciting.

The second set of shelves that have just been recently ordered will define our reference and local history section. It will also provide a workstation for patrons to access these materials better.

We love seeing our library grow and we love seeing our patrons use our library. Thank you. We are here for you!

Friday, January 10, 2020

Statistically Speaking... 2019

The Jennie Woodworth Library serves White Bluff, TN and its surrounding areas. Our service population is approximately 3,600 people (Census.gov).


Using the Library Value Calculator on the TN.gov website we decided to add up the value of our library in 2019. The value is based on books, movies, CD-books, computer use, program attendance, and making use of the knowledge the library staff has.

The value that the Jennie Woodworth Library brought to the White Bluff, TN area in 2019 is $68,646.
  • 2,438 Books were checked out.
  • 75 CD-Books were checked out
  • 612 DVDs were checked out

The computers were checked out 964 times with the average use being about 2 hours each. (we figured 1,928 hours for the stats.) And this does not count the many patrons that come in and use the WiFi with their own devices.

Attendance to programs approximately 225.

Reference questions, book suggestions, all around help in the library is figured at 648. This is different from hours opened. We are typically open 301 days a year totaling approximately 2,100 hours.

In addition, we currently have:
  • 1,434 patrons
    • 1,055 are adults
    • 379 are juvenile
  • 8,718 materials in our inventory
    • 7,018 books
    • 1,464 DVDs
    • 156 CD-Books
    • 75 Reference Materials
    • 4 patron use computers
    • 1 search computer
Pretty good for a library that gets the majority of its materials and funding from the community. Thank YOU for supporting us. We are excited to make an impact in our community and hope to increase in 2020.