Kent County Public Library Newsfeed

The Picturing America collection is on display now in the Chestertown Branch of the Kent County Public Library. Please stop in to take a look and learn something new about our artistic heritage.

Picturing America, an exciting new initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities, brings masterpieces of American art into classrooms and libraries nationwide. Through this innovative program, students and citizens will gain a deeper appreciation of our country's history and character through the study and understanding of its art.

More information is available online at www.picturingamerica.neh.gov.

Posted by Karen at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For those who like the convenience of live text-based chat, you will be happy to hear that the Kent County Public Library Reference Desk is now chatting. Patrons can type messages that will appear immediately on the reference desk computer thanks to AOL Instant Messenger and Wimzi. As long as there's someone at the desk, you should get an answer quickly and be able to "chat" back and forth. To see this in action visit the "Ask Us" page. We're excited to be able to provide this form of online reference, and hope to be able to answer your many questions. While you're at it, please let us know what you think about this new addition to our reference services. Happy chatting!

Posted by Karen at 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Kent County Public Library now has a new and improved online calendar of events. This new calendar allows us to feature upcoming events on our homepage. It also allows you to find events of interest to you by displaying only the types of events you ask to see, according to branch, audience, and event type. It also makes it possible for patrons to subscribe to our calendar of events by email or RSS feed, forward events of interest to friends, and add our events to your own Google/Yahoo/Outlook/Facebook/etc. calendar. Please take a look and let us know what you think! We hope you'll like the new calendar as much as we do and take advantage of its interactive features. And, as always, if you have questions, that's what we're here for.

Posted by Karen at 02:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Kent County Public Library's Web site has recently grown to include a Parent's Page featuring reviews of children's books, tips for reading to toddlers, and a large collection of resources of interest to parents. We hope you'll find this page useful and informative.

Visit the new parents page through this link or click the "Parents" menu option in the left hand menu on any page of our website.

This is just one more way, we're trying to tailor our website to fit your information needs. Don't forget, if you want to access our website from home, the web address is www.kentcountylibrary.org.

Posted by Karen at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed Monday, October 12th for Columbus Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" section or return them in the book drop at any of our branches. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Posted by Karen at 09:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's a sneak peek at the planning that's underway for the first-ever Chestertown Book Festival. It'll kick-off Friday, November 13 with our Friends of the Library Booksale from 10-6 and an evening event at Bookplate on Cross St featuring NPR's Maureen Corrigan and former Maryland Poet Laureate Michael Collier. The main event will be Authors Day taking place all day Saturday, November 14 in stores and restaurants all over downtown Chestertown (and the library, too). Mark your calendar now! For more info see: http://chesbookfest.blogspot.com

Posted by Karen at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed Monday, September 7th for Labor Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" section or return them in the book drop at any of our branches. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Posted by Karen at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Pattycake the Clown visited the library on Tuesday, making balloon sculptures for the kids at storytime as part of our summer reading club kickoff. You can watch the video below.

We've got a lot of other fun programs coming up this summer. Check our calendar to see what not to miss!

Posted by Karen at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Can't Find the Catalog Record?

Having trouble finding something while searching our online catalog? Check out our search tips, or feel free to see a librarian or contact us by phone or email. As librarians we have magical powers when it comes to finding stuff, or maybe it's just specialized training combined with lots of experience. Either way, we'll give the search another whirl, and if we don't find it either, we can explore other options, like Interlibrary Loan, to get you that book you're looking for. So, please, don't be shy about asking for help. That's what we're here for.

Can't Find the Actual Item?

Once you've located an item in the catalog that you wish to find, take a closer look at the record. It will tell you which branches have copies available or checked out. It will tell you the call number (a Dewey decimal number if it's nonfiction or part of the author's last name if it's fiction). And, perhaps most importantly, if you click on "Details" it will tell you the location you need to search. These locations appear on the map of the Chestertown Branch, available as an image or a printable document. And, once again, don't hesitate to ask a staff member for help. It's not an inconvenience. It's our job.

Posted by Karen at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed Saturday, May 23 and Monday, May 25 for the Chestertown Tea Party and Memorial Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" section or return them in the book drop at any of our branches. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Posted by Karen at 04:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Due to our ongoing renovations of the Chestertown Branch, we have no choice but to close this branch to the public on Thursday and Friday, May 7 and 8. We apologize for any inconvenience. Online renewals are, as always an option through the My Account section of our catalog, our bookdrop remains available, and the Rock Hall and North County branches will be open as normal. Thank you for your continued support of our efforts to improve the energy efficiency and appearance of our building.

Posted by Karen at 02:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In order to prepare for the Summer Reading Club, we will be taking a break from weekly storytimes starting in May. Meanwhile, mark your calendars for the not to be missed Summer Reading Kickoff Week, June 15-19. We'll have lots of good programs going on along with opportunities to register for the Summer Reading Club.

Storytimes will resume the second week of June:
June 9th - Chestertown branch
June 11th - North County branch

Posted by Karen at 09:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As of yesterday, the Millington Book Drop has moved from in front of the town office to the parking lot of the Millington Elementary School. This move should facilitate a quicker return of library books to the shelf, by making use of the pre-existing courier route between the school and public libraries. And of course, we hope that you, our patrons will find the new location convenient.

Now you see it....

...Now you don't....

...But wait! There it is.

For more photos, see our Flickr photostream.

Posted by Karen at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Want to see for yourself how the library's renovation project is going? We have photos - quite a few of them actually. We've decided to post them on Flickr for all to view. Click to view our photostream. Not familiar with Flickr or photostreams? No worries. Flickr is a very popular online photo sharing tool, and a photostream displays the photos that have been shared. Just think, you too could have your own photostream on Flickr for free. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more library photos both related and unrelated to the renovation.

Posted by Karen at 01:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

National Library Week is an annual celebration of the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians, sponsored by the American Library Association and local libraries across the country. The theme of this year's National Library Week (April 12-18, 2009) is "Worlds Connect @ Your Library."

The Kent County Public Library would like you to celebrate with us, and we've got quite a few fun events planned for people of all ages.

We'll kick off the week on Monday with Jazz and Java in the Chestertown stacks from 4-6 PM, featuring the Washington College Jazz Combo led by Ken Schweitzer, and accompanied by free coffee and sweets.

Then on Tuesday, we have the Chestertown Branch's Official Reopening. We're inviting our community to come see our newly renovated library with an open house and refreshments all day.

Wednesday, beginning at 5:30 PM, we have local author Gail Johnston presenting "Past & Present: Growing Up in 1950s Baltimore." Ms. Johnston is author of "Make a Lot of Noise and Don't Go on the Porch" a memoir of her early childhood years. Her presentation will be followed by a book signing and reception.

On Thursday at 11 AM, check out Sabine Harvey's presentation on Vegetable Gardening at the Chestertown Branch, if you haven't already seen it at one of our other branches. Ms. Harvey hails from the Maryland Cooperative Extension.

And of course, don't forget our regularly scheduled storytimes and craft program. See our calendar for the full National Library Week schedule.

And next time you're in, please let your local library staff know how much you appreciate what we do for you. Or drop us a line at to let us know how we've made a difference in your life. With your permission, we'd love to share your story with our staff and patrons. In fact, there's a prize associated with the best library related story submitted online or in a branch.

Listen to ALA's announcement of National Library Week here, and contact us with any questions. We look forward to seeing you!

Posted by Karen at 03:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's tax time. Here's what we have to offer at the library that could make your life a little simpler.

We have copies of the following tax forms and associated instruction books ready and waiting in all three branches: IRS 1040, Schedules A & B, 1040A, 1040EZ, and Maryland State Booklets

Other tax forms can be downloaded and printed from the IRS Website, Maryland's Tax Site, or Delaware's Tax Site. If you don't have Internet access, printer access, or you need help navigating the sites to find a specific form, we would be more than happy to help you print your forms at the reference desk.

Please note, our library employees are NOT tax professionals and may not provide any tax advice, including recommending which tax forms you may need. If you do not know which forms you will need, please seek the advice of a tax professional before coming to the library to print your forms, or be prepared to do some independent research; we'd be happy to point you to some resources. To get you started, here's the IRS's explanation of when to use form 1040 vs. 1040A vs. 1040EZ.

For tax help, you may want to contact a local tax preparer or learn more about AARP's Tax Aide Program.

If you'll be doing your own taxes, you may find "J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax 2009" to be an invaluable resource. We recommend checking it out or placing a hold early, as there are only three copies currently available, one per branch.

A few other tax related titles you may find interesting include:
"Tax Deductions for Professionals"
"Working for yourself law & taxes for independent contractors, freelancers & consultants"
"Jk Lasser's New Rules For Estate And Tax Planning"
"Lower taxes in 7 easy steps"
"Stand up to the IRS"
"The FairTax book : saying goodbye to the income tax and the IRS"

Posted by Karen at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Chestertown Branch of the Kent County Public Library will be closed to the public on Monday and Tuesday, March 16-17 while the library is being painted. The Rock Hall and North County branches will be operating on their normal schedule. You can drop off returns to any of our bookdrops. To renew items, you can call us at 410-778-3636 or use the online renewal system within the My Account section of our catalog. We apologize for any inconvenience during this time of renovations and thank you for your continued patronage.

Posted by Karen at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Are you part of a local book group? Would you like to form one? The Kent County Public Library has a wide variety of titles available as book discussion kits to loan out to book groups. To learn more, see our "Services" page under book discussion kits. The list of available titles has just been updated.

Posted by Karen at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As we continue through the renovation process, here's something to look forward to: a beautiful patio on the parking lot side of the library with space for picnic tables, benches, and outdoor programs. Take a look at what's on the drawing board (click to enlarge the picture).

Posted by Karen at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Check out the pictures below. We're a little disorganized at the Chestertown Branch due to the renovations currently ongoing, but don't let that stop you from visiting. Service is continuing uninterrupted and we're here to help you find what you need.

Limited parking is available on High Street, and in our back parking lot. Just be aware you'll have to enter the parking lot through the exit only area as the entry area is blocked off by construction equipment.

Our children's collection is housed primarily in the Yellow Building in the back parking lot. There are staff from the children's department there to answer questions, help you find materials, and check your items out.

The rest of our collection is located in what used to be the children's area in the main building. Feel free to browse to your heart's content, or ask a reference librarian to help you find what you need.

The magazine, computer, and circulation areas are operating as normal. Stay tuned for updates.

Posted by Karen at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Diane Rehm show on NPR this morning raised some excellent points about the important role libraries play in their communities, particularly in difficult economic times. To listen to the broadcast online or view a transcript, click here. Like the libraries mentioned in the broadcast, Kent County Public Library offers our community books and so much more - DVDs, audiobooks, cultural events, children's programs, information services, a meeting space, and free computer and WiFi access just to name a few.

And like other libraries, our satisfied customers are our best advocates. We appreciate our patrons who have told friends, family, and the county officials who make decisions impacting our funding how much you enjoy the services we offer. We also appreciate those patrons who visit or help out with the Friends of the Library book sale. And of course, we appreciate the help of those patrons who support us through our annual funding drive. Thank you.

Posted by Karen at 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Now that light has been restored to our parking lot, the Chestertown branch of the Kent County Public Library will resume normal business hours, beginning Monday, January 12.

Our regular hours are:

Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday Closed

Posted by Karen at 04:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Our current phase of construction is demolition of the patio area near the Calvert Street entrance to the library.

While this is going on, this entrance is closed. The parking lot is still open, but patrons and staff should park away from the construction area. Please walk around the building to the left and use the High Sreet entrance to enter the library.

Please DO NOT allow children anywhere near the demolition area.

While this is going on, we will be closing the Chestertown library at 5pm until further notice. Since it is dark early now we are concerned about rubble and debris not being visible (many of our lights have been taken out with the construction).

North County and Rock Hall will keep their regular hours.

If there are any questions please call the library at 410-778-3636.

Updates will also continue to be posted on this blog.

--Andrea

Posted by Library Staff at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You may have noticed some changes at the Chestertown branch of the library! We are very excited that our roof and windows are being replaced with modern, efficient, non-leaky versions.

We do not plan on closing or reducing service hours; however, we will be moving around our collection areas as construction warrants.

For the time being the Children's Library & storytimes will be located in our Yellow Building, which is in the Calvert Street parking lot behind the library. The phone number there is 410-778-2157 if you wish to speak to Children's Services directly. Part of the Children's collection is in storage in our main meeting room, so please ask if you can't find anything!

Currently the Adult Non-Fiction, Reference, and Oversized sections have been moved into where the Children's Library used to be -- we apologize for the crowded stacks!

Our meeting facilities will be unavailable until after the New Year. Here is a list of alternative meeting places in Kent County (file is a Microsoft Word 2003 document): Download file

For your own safety we ask that you observe all construction signs in the building and the parking lot.

Any questions? Please ask a staff member, or give us a call at 410-778-3636. Updates will also be posted on this blog.

We appreciate your patience during this time!

--Andrea

Posted by Library Staff at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed Friday, August 15 for Staff Day Training. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" section or return them in the book drop at any of our branches. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Posted by Karen at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You can search for DVD titles in the catalog, but what if you want to browse a list of all the DVD titles the library owns? We've got you covered. On our New & Hot page on our Web site you'll find a link to Browse All DVDs. You asked for it, and now you've got it. Enjoy!

And, while you're at it, check out the lists of new books, audiobooks, movies and more showing up at the library every day. These lists and bestseller lists can be found on the New & Hot page as well, for your browsing enjoyment. Since the lists link directly to our catalog, you can easily place requests for the items you want, and get a call when they're ready for you to pick up at the circulation desk.

Posted by Karen at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As of Wednesday, June 4, the Kent County Public Library's online catalog has been updated, along with the software the staff uses for checking items in and out. The new catalog is at http://catalog.kentcountylibrary.org/ where you can search for books or access your account to see what items you have out or to extend your due dates.

We're excited about these changes and feel that in the long run they will be a benefit to both staff and patrons. In the short term, this will mean some minor changes to get used to, but fear not, library staff are standing by to answer your questions or help you if you run into problems. Please do not hesitate to ask. We want to make this transition as easy for you as possible.

For those more technically inclined and curious, the new system is called Evergreen and is an open source library automation system. We are proud to be the first public library in Maryland using an open source automation system. More information about Evergreen is available at http://open-ils.org/ for those interested, or your library staff would be happy to answer any questions. To learn about open source software in general, visit http://www.opensource.org/

Special thanks go to the Friends of the Library who helped to fund this project, and to the people at Equinox Software and Alpha-G Consulting who set up the new system, migrated our data, and will be providing support.

Posted by Karen at 08:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This morning the Kent County Commissioners issued a National Library Week 2008 Proclamation. Kent County Public Library staff would like to thank the County Commissioners, as well as the library stakeholders who were in attendance.

Pictured, left to right are Roy Fithian, County Commissioner; Christina showalter, Vice President of the Friends of the Library; Sandra Gent, Treasurer of the Friends of the Library; Nancy Bennington, Secretary of the Friends of the Library; Betty Spence, Library Trustee; Karen Collier, Public Services Librarian; Christina Roseberry, Acquisitions Librarian; Betty Carroll, Vice President of the Foundation for the Kent County Public Library; Maryvonne Fouss, President of the Women's Literary Club; Rebecca Taylor, President of the Board of Library Trustees; Helen Guastavino, President of the Chestertown Library, Inc.; Andrea Neiman, Technical Services Librarian; William Pickrum, County Commissioner; Vera Shade, Children's Librarian; and Roy Crow, County Commissioner.

The text of the proclamation reads:

WHEREAS, our nation's school, academic, public and special libraries make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans, today, more than ever;

WHEREAS, librarians are trained professionals, helping people of all ages and backgrounds find and interpret the information they need to live, learn and work in the 21st century;

WHEREAS, libraries are part of the American Dream - places for opportunity, education, self-help and lifelong learning;

WHEREAS, library use is up nationwide among all types of library users, continuing a decade-long trend;

WHEREAS, libraries play a vital role in supporting the quality of life in their communities;

WHEREAS, libraries can help you discover a world of knowledge, both in person and online, as well as personal service and assistance in finding what you need, when you need it;

WHEREAS, libraries are a key player in the national discourse on intellectual freedom, equity of access, and narrowing the "digital divide;"

WHEREAS, libraries, librarians, library workers and supporters across America are celebrating National Library Week with The Campaign for America's Libraries.

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Kent County Commissioners proclaim National Library Week, April 13-19, 2008. I encourage all residents to visit the library this week to take advantage of the wonderful library resources available and thank their librarians and library workers for making information accessible to all who walk through the library's doors. Many thanks are extended to the Friends of the Library, Chestertown Literary Society, Library Trustees, and the Foundation for the Kent County Public Library. Join the circle of knowledge @ your library.

Posted by Karen at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed Friday, March 21 for Good Friday. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For Immediate Release

Library Provides Information about Long-Term Care for Older Adults
Proprietary reports on nursing homes, assisted living, and other eldercare services are free to library users.

Chestertown, MD (February 8, 2008) - According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, by 2030, there will be about 71.5 million older persons in the United States, more than twice their number in 2000. By 2030, people aged 65 and up will represent 20% of the population , and over half of those people will require long-term care services at some point in their lives.

More and more people are beginning to seek information about long-term care options, either for themselves or their loved ones. It can be difficult to locate that kind of information, however, and much of the information available on the internet is unreliable.

Fortunately, Kent County Public Library has made a new resource available to the public. EBSCO Eldercare is an exclusive online resource that provides a reliable source of eldercare-related information, databases, and local/state/national resources that can be used to empower Americans to make intelligent, informed eldercare decisions. This resource is free to library card holders, who can access it from the library or right from their home computers.

Consumers are able to use a sophisticated search environment to gain access to proprietary, comprehensive reports on over 90,000 eldercare facilities and services throughout the United States, including: 17,000 reports on nursing homes, 45,000 assisted living facilities, and 23,000 home health care programs. The reports are between 3-15 pages in length, many include ratings and rankings, as well as demographic information about the facilities.

To learn more about EBSCO Eldercare, please contact the library, or visit them online at http://www.kentcountylibrary.org/search/info.php.

About Kent County Public Library

The Kent County Public Library serves the 19,500 citizens of rural Kent County, on Maryland's scenic Eastern Shore. The library has its main branch in historic Chestertown, the capitol of Kent County, and two smaller branches in the towns of Rock Hall and Galena. Its focus is on providing information, materials, and services to support the community's interests in popular cultural social trends, and self-directed learning; offering community members the opportunity to meet and interact with others in the community; and supporting the development of skills in finding, evaluating and using information effectively. Kent County Public library was recently nominated for Library Journal's Best Small Library in America Award for its ongoing improvements in services to patrons.

PDF Version of this Press Release

Posted by Karen at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

CHESTERTOWN, MD (January 28, 2008) -- Kent County Public Library in Maryland has selected Evergreen as their next-generation library automation system. Equinox Software and Alpha-G Consulting have partnered to provide migration, on-going support, and consulting services.

A library automation system serves as the technological backbone of the library, facilitating circulation and cataloging of library materials as well as letting patrons search for items online. The Evergreen system was originally created by the Georgia Public Library Service for use in its libraries and has been made available to the libraries worldwide through an open-source license.

Kent County Public Library will become the first Evergreen-powered library in Maryland. As one of the smaller library systems in the state, there is plenty of freedom to try out new ideas. Director Jerry Keiser first came across the idea of an open-source library automation system, and presented it as a challenge to his staff. They became enthusiastic supporters after experimenting with Evergreen. Their goal now is to be up and running on their new system this May.

"We've chosen Evergreen because we believe it's our best option to improve services to patrons while getting the best bang for the taxpayer's buck, and at the same time, it lays the groundwork for collaboration with other library systems in the state. It's a win-win situation," said Keiser.

(Continued)

Click Here to Read the Full Press Release

Posted by Karen at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Along with our Web site's new look comes some new information. Check out especially the new Services page (Click "Services" in the blue sidebar on the left of the main page.) This page lists, describes, and tells you how to access the numerous services we offer, some of which you may never have thought we'd have. From research databases and community information to online renewals, free WiFi, and in-library events, we have a lot to offer you. Please take a moment to find out what you may have been missing, and let your friends and neighbors know too.

Posted by Karen at 01:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Rock Hall Branch of the Kent County Public Library is undergoing some improvements. There will be new carpeting, new wooden bookshelves, and a more reader friendly and open atmosphere. Unfortunately, while these changes are taking place, the branch may be a bit disorderly. We're happy to be able to keep the branch open for you during this process, and hope you'll overlook the mess. The improvements should be worth it in the end. As always, you can request any item from any of our branches be sent to any other branch for pickup, and you can return your items at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed Monday, September 3 for Labor Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed Friday, August 17 for Staff Development Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 01:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed Wednesday, July 4 for Independence Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Friends of the Library will hold its annual meeting at the meeting room in the library on Saturday, June 2, at 1:30 P.M.

The program part of the meeting is especially aimed to appeal to our members with children or grandchildren, whom we hope you will bring to this special presentation by noted children's book author and illustrator, Patrick O'Brien, of Baltimore. Patrick has written nine non-fiction books for children. He specializes in historic and prehistoric subjects, from giant dinosaurs and ancient sharks to knights in armor and pirates on the high seas. His illustrations have appeared in "National Geographic," "Newsweek," and at the Smithsonian to name a few. He is also an accomplished painter with artworks available in a number of galleries. He will be available to sign books at the end of his presentation. His books will be for sale at the meeting or you can purchase them in advance from the Compleat Bookseller in Chestertown. His most recent book is a children's version of Mutiny on the Bounty.

A brief business meeting and refreshments will follow the presentation. Due to capacity limitations a sign-up sheet will be available at the circulation desk in the library. Make your plans early to attend what should be a fun and entertaining meeting. Check out Patrick's website: www.patrickobrienstudio.com. It's not too late to sign up!

Posted by Karen at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed Saturday, May 26 through Monday, May 28 for the Chestertown Tea Party and Memorial Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 04:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In order to keep popular materials circulating, rather than languishing on our holds shelf, our holds period is now 5 days from notification.

Posted by Karen at 06:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed on Friday, April 6 for Good Friday. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 09:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The library recently hosted a party for The Cat in the Hat's 50th birthday. Dr. Seuss's the Cat in the Hat attended a pajama storytime with the kids and read stories, danced to songs, and had cupcakes after. There were 81 attendees. Thank you to everyone who came. We hope you had a great time. Click below for some pictures to remember the event.

Continue reading "Cat in the Hat" »

Posted by Karen at 06:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Our Get Ready for Your Day in Court collection of legal books from NOLO Press is now complete. You can view, print, or download the list of NOLO Legal Books in PDF format here. Take a look at all the titles and you're sure to find something of interest to check out.

Posted by Karen at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Please Note, there has been some confusion over the Friday hours at the Rock Hall Branch. Beginning March 16, the official Friday hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The full list of official hours at the Rock Hall Branch are listed below. Hopefully this notice will alleviate any confusion.

Monday and Wednesday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday Closed

Call 410-778-3636, visit our Web site at www.kentcountylibrary.org, or ask a librarian if you have any questions about this notice or about the hours in any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Friends of the Kent County Public Library announce a spring Used Book Sale. The sale will be held at the Kent County Public Library at 408 High Street, Chestertown, MD. Proceeds help support the library.

Friday, March 30:
First Choice Books and Refreshments for members only or join at the door. 5:30-7:30 PM.

March 31-April 5:
Open to the public. 10-4 on Saturday, 12-4 on Sunday, and 3-6 on Monday through Thursday.

$5 Box O Books Sale:
Last day of the sale (Thursday). Bring your own box to fill with books. Please be "friendly" about box sizes.

Posted by Karen at 01:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kent County Public Library and its patrons are benefiting from a shorewide grant entitled "Get Ready for Your Day in Court @ Your Library." Local reference librarians are receiving extra training in available legal resources through the Maryland Legal Assistance Network, and our collection is expanding to include the entire legal self help series from NOLO Press. Following are just a few of the nearly 100 titles being added:

- Represent Yourself in Court
- Working for Yourself
- Make Your Own Living Trust
- 101 Law Forms for Personal Use
- Renters' Rights
- Your Rights in the Workplace
- Negotiate the Best Lease for Your Business
- Inventor's Notebook
- Divorce Without Court
- Nolo's Simple Will Book

In conjunction with the grant, the Kent County Public Library will be promoting the online Maryland's Peoples Law Library, a resource guide for people who choose to represent themselves, available at www.peoples-law.info .

Reference librarians also have access to an online legal referral system, with which to determine agencies that can provide legal help based on the type of help required and the individual's resources.

The grant, of $51,868.72 was awarded to the Eastern Shore Regional Library System, which includes Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties. It comes from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) through the Division of Library Development & Services (DLDS). The local match is $55,389.12 for a total of $107,257.84.

"We are happy to be able to provide this valuable legal resource for the community," said Jerry Keiser, Director of the Kent County Public Library. The new legal self-help books can be found on display at the Chestertown Branch.

"When people need information, whether legal or otherwise, we want them to think of the library," said Karen Collier, Public Services Librarian. For more information, call 410-778-3636.

Posted by Karen at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed on Monday, February 19 for President's Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tax forms and publications are now set up on tables at your local library branch. If the form you're looking for isn't there, ask at the Reference Desk and we can print a copy for you from online. Or print your own from the Federal and Maryland tax pages linked from our online tax guide. Please note, we are not tax professionals and cannot offer you any advice on which forms to use or how to fill them out. However, there are services available to help you. Information can be found at the link above.

Posted by Karen at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed on Monday, January 15 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 05:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed on Monday, December 25 for Christmas Day and on Monday, January 1 for New Year's Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 03:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will close early at 4:00 PM on Wednesday, November 22 and remain closed on Thursday, November 23 for Thanksgiving. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed on Friday, November 10th for Veterans' Day. You can still renew your items online at our catalog page under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches. We will be open as normal on Saturday, November 11th.

Posted by Karen at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All branches of the Kent County Public Library will be closed on Monday, October 9, for Columbus Day. You can still renew your items online at http://catalog.kent.lib.md.us/ under the "My Account" tab or return them in the book drop at any of our branches.

Posted by Karen at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Kent County Public Library has offered story times and programs for children for years. Now the library is branching out and offering programs for adults as well.

This fall alone, the library in Chestertown will be hosting speakers for seminars and workshops, showing Independent Films on the big screen (First Fridays at 2:30 PM), hosting a book discussion group (Last Wednesdays at 5:30 PM) and a readers' forum for discussing what you've read and would like to read (Second Tuesday Brownbag lunches at Noon), and offering a free series of courses in basic computer skills (Thursdays at 2:30 PM October 5-November 9).

For more information about these and other programs, view our flier about fall programs for adults or our event calendar.

Posted by Karen at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

What's the difference between the Subscription Options?

Subscribing through a feed reader (software or a Web site for reading feeds) is like subscribing by email in that you go to your feed reader's web page to view articles from your subscription like you would go to your email inbox to view articles sent to you. In both cases, you can have subscriptions from multiple sources like the New York Times and the Kent County Public Library collected in the same place and read them in the same way.

Here are the differences. With email you have to wade through spam and unrelated emails to find your articles. With feed readers, you control what articles come and what articles don't within the Feed Reader and you can organize them by their source. This means you will not receive spam within your feed reader and you will never continue to receive articles after you have unsubscribed, like you could (theoretically) with an email subscription. The feed reader gives you control over what comes instead of giving it to the people sending the content. Of course, no matter which option you choose, the library will honor any unsubscription request.

Feed Readers are becoming more and more popular for subscriptions because of these similarities and differences from email. Yet email still has a place that feed readers cannot fill: individual correspondence.

Just like not all Web sites offer email newsletters, not all Web sites offer news feeds for your feed reader. Look for an orange rectangle or square with RSS, XML, Atom, News Feed, etc to see if a Web site of interest offers a news feed. If you click this button or link, it will likely take you to a page with lots of text that may not make much sense to you. It's not supposed to. Ignore the text on the page and copy the Web Address of this page from the address bar into the appropriate place in your chosen feed reader. Congratulations, you have subscribed to the news feed.

Some popular feed readers include Alesti and Bloglines among others. If this option sounds interesting to you, go to their sites and read about them and if one sounds good, sign up. Then come back here for our feed's address and add it to your new feed reader.

For people not interested in using a feed reader, who want their subscriptions going to the same place as their individual correspondence, we offer the option of getting updates by email. Just enter your email address in the subscription box and follow the instructions provided. Each email you receive will have a link to unsubscribe.

Thank you for your interest in subscribing. Happy reading.

Posted by Karen at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When the newsletter first launched, we told you we were working on this. Now the option to subscribe by email is available in addition to the option to subscribe with a feed reader. To subscribe either way, follow the directions for your chosen option under "SUBSCRIBE TO GET UPDATES" in the right hand menu within the newsletter.

Posted by Karen at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We've been working lately on making searching the catalog more user-friendly. You'll note some new tabs, more options, and changes to the look of the search screens and search result displays. Hopefully you'll find the new look to the catalog easier to get around and more useful for finding what you're looking for. We'd love to hear your comments on the changes, as well as any suggestions for future changes. Also, check back here later for some "How to..." information on making the best use of the catalog.

Posted by Karen at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kent County Public Library is continually growing and changing to serve the needs of our community and we want to have a way to let you, our patrons know about these changes. Whether it's a new service, new books, new movies, upcoming events, or how to make better use of what we offer, we want to keep you informed. It's for this reason that we are introducing an electronic newsletter. Current information and older information from the newsletter archives can be viewed from our Web site. Alternatively, if you use an RSS or XML feedreader like Bloglines.com, Alesti.org, or the features built into Firefox, or some other feedreader, you can subscribe to our newsletter to read it that way. Click on "What is this?" under "Subscribe to this Blog's Feed" in the right-hand column for more information about subscribing through RSS. We're also working on setting the newsletter up so that you can have new information delivered to your email inbox. We'll post information on the Newsletter when this option is available. Meanwhile, there's always the link from our Web site. We hope you like this newsletter and take advantage of it to keep up to date on what's happening at your local public library. Feel free to comment and let us know what you think.

Posted by Karen at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)