LaRue's Views
This digital archives comprises Library Director Jamie LaRue's newspaper columns from January 3, 1996 - August 26, 2010.
In general, they appeared on the dates shown in various Colorado Community Newspapers.
September 11, 1997 - Rindercella
Recently, I had the pleasure of reading to Mrs. Roisun's 2nd grade class at Rock Ridge Elementary. The day before, I had happened across a very funny story called "Rindercella" on the Internet. As a lad who could not pronounce "bathtub" (I said "tathbub" well into elementary school), I found this strangely compelling.
September 10, 1997 - Oakes Mill Cooling
I have a friend back east who loved old houses. She and her husband bought a rambling old three story farmhouse in an older neighborhood. Over almost 20 years, they wallpapered, and refinished, and repainted, and rebuilt. And when she finally got it just the way she wanted it -- she sold it.
Why?
September 3, 1997 - Sybil Downing Signing
On Thursday, September 4, from 7-9 p.m., Sybil Downing will speak at the Philip S. Miller Library in Castle Rock. The event is sponsored by Hooked on Books.
It happens that I've met Ms. Downing several times. In 1994, she served as the Chairwoman of the Colorado State Board of Education. I knew she had a keen interest in libraries. What I didn't know was that she used libraries a great deal, churning research into first class historical fiction and non-fiction.
August 27, 1997 - Circle Game - Art and DPLD
It was altogether fitting that on the day the library celebrated its 30th anniversary (last Saturday), I had the opportunity to meet with Jay Mead. Jay's mother was the woman I consider the mother of our libraries -- Genevieve (Nicky) Mead. Jay and his wife Carol had brought with them one Joyce Newman.
August 20, 1997 - Staff Day
On Friday, August 22, all Douglas Public Library District Libraries will be closed. This will be our fifth annual Staff Day.
Why is it necessary to close the whole library district? Mainly because this is the only way we can get our 150 employees or so into the same room at the same time. Once a year, an "all staff" assembly helps to re-center us on the things we must have in common if we are to survive as a responsive public institution.
August 13, 1997 - The World in 1967
I have before me a book called The World in 1967, by the writers, photographers and editors of the Associated Press. The Forward to the book states, "Certainly 1967 ... made more news than any other year since World War II."
Here's a sample:
January. Jack Ruby, assassin of Lee Harvey Oswald, dies in prison. Three American astronauts (Gus Grissom, Roger Chaffee, Edward White) die trapped in a spacecraft fire, just before launch.
August 6, 1997 - Long-lived Companies
As I wrote a few weeks ago, independent booksellers are facing some big challenges, chiefly the aggressive expansion of big retail bookstores. But recently, I've talked to several people who have predicted to me that while such expansions make money now (mostly by driving up stock prices), the prospects aren't good over the long haul.
July 30, 1997 - US West Problems Resolved
I think of myself as a patient man. For the past five years, the Douglas Public Library District has quietly gone about connecting itself to the Internet, designing web pages, developing useful local information, securing access to public and private databases, and budgeting the resources to keep it all working.
July 23, 1997 - Mother/Daughter Book Clubs
My daughter Maddy and her best friend, Andee, are 9 years old. They like to read, which certainly pleases me. Mostly, they like Nancy Drew stories.
Here I confess something I would never have admitted were it not for the courageous example of Phil, Andee's dad. Yes, I have picked up the occasional Nancy Drew story myself.
July 9, 1997 - More Books Needed
By almost any measure, the Douglas Public Library District is doing a pretty good job. The use of our collection goes up every year (year to date, we're almost 10% over last year, which was our all-time high). Every year, we get more children at our story hours. We get more reference questions.
But my bosses, the seven Trustees of the Douglas Public Library District, expressed a concern to me. They wanted to see more new materials.
