Best Buy Drugs launches at HCPL

Harford County Public Library (HCPL) and Harford County Office on Aging are partnering with Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, to launch a public education campaign designed to give accurate, unbiased information comparing a variety of prescription drugs on price, effectiveness, and safety. Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs initiative is one of several health projects of Consumers Union, and offers a free website at http://www.crbestbuydrugs.org/.

HCPL has been selected as the first public library in the country, along with the Harford County Office on Aging, to partner with Consumers Union. Harford County Office on Aging staff and HCPL staff recently attended a training on the Best Buy Drugs education campaign and the new Best Buy Drugs website.

The Baltimore Sun highlighted this launch and partnership today: Harford library, nonprofit join in drug-information service .

Assistive Technology Open House

Harford County Public Library will be hosting an Assistive Technology Open House on Saturday, October 7, 2006 from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the Bel Air Branch. Individuals with disabilities, their family members, friends and advocates along with the general public are invited to attend. Sponsored by Harford County Public Library, Harford County Commission on Disabilities, Harford County Public Schools Partners for Success and Susquehanna Workforce Network. A sign language interpreter will be available.

Assistive technology includes equipment, independent living aids, devices and technology to enhance quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Examples include something as simple as a talking wristwatch, device to reach an object on a high shelf or as complex as voice recognition software. Exhibitors from local service organizations will be demonstrating or talking about disability-related devices, equipment and services. In addition, free catalogues featuring adaptive toys for children with disabilities will be available at the Open House. So far the following service organizations will be participating:

• Maryland Relay
• Volunteers for Medical Engineering (VME)
• Radio Reading Network
• Maryland State Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped
• National Federation of the Blind
• Division of Rehabilitation Services – Bel Air Office
• Harford County Disabilities Commission
• Harford County Public Schools Partners for Success
• Susquehanna Workforce Network
• Communicator (pending)
• The ARC Northern Chesapeake Region (pending)

Please share this information with family and friends - pass the word along! If anyone has any questions, need more information, or to request other disability-related accommodations, please contact Andrea Wiley, Human Resources Specialist, Harford County Public Library at 410-273-5600 voice/TTY. Thanks!

Sharing the Gift

Initially funded by a federal grant in 1975, the Sharing the Gift program has continued through the years and is now supported by the library’s budget using 50 volunteers to visit over 1,100 children each month.

"Sharing the joy and wonder of books with small children is vital to their reading readiness, " said Melissa Harrah, a Children’s Librarian at Harford County Public Library and a coordinator for the Sharing the Gift volunteer program. To become successful learners, education researchers say that from birth children need to hear stories and play with words. "This volunteer program helps preschool aged children start school wanting to read," said Ms. Harrah.

Fall Training is September 21st and 22nd, from 9:30 to 12:30 pm each day. You must attend both sessions. Please call our Volunteer Coordinator, Michele Louderback at 410-273-5600 or the Bel Air Branch (410-638-3151) to register.

Childrens' Story Times

The library is exploding with a wide variety of Childrens' Story times ... from babies to toddlers to school age children, each branch is highlighting story times. There are series story times that require registration for 4 consecutive weeks or special story times like Tales for Twos, or It's Naptime, or even Red, White, and Blue Story Time. We even have "drop-in" story times for those times you just need to get out of the house "now!" Drop by your nearest branch today and ask about our children's story times. We are making some memorable moments--come be a part of the library.

Beth Vaughan Tribute

The library community received some sad news on the morning of August 22, 2006, when the Baltimore Sun reported that a Harford County storyteller and long-time library friend had passed away the previous Friday. Beth Vaughan had for many years volunteered her talents to the Harford County Public Library as a performer, storyteller, and director of the Upper Nodd players, a troupe of children who every summer produced a program based on myth, fairytale, legend, or literary work. Upper Nodd performances were regularly offered as programs for the library’s young patrons during the Summer Reading Program, but older folks found the creative plays enjoyable as well. In between those performances, Beth offered storytelling to children and adults alike.

She served on the Harford County Commission for Women, and her strong feelings for the cause of women urged her to recreate the persona of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, in period costume, presenting an entertaining and historically accurate portrayal of Stanton in her ongoing fight for women’s suffrage and equality. One year, during March, Women’s History Month, she and a library staff person presented a performance of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony reading excerpts from their many letters to each other, written over their long years of friendship.

Harford County library staff and patrons alike will miss Beth Vaughan, her humor, her talent, her entertaining storytelling, and her Upper Nodd performances. She enriched us all through her life and her works. -- submitted by library staff