Boro Book Bites

After working at the library for 48 years and serving the last 15 of those years as director, Rita Shacklett began her much-deserved retirement in March 2024. We miss her greatly! A Murfreesboro native and graduate of MTSU and the George Peabody College for Teachers, Rita’s love for the library began when she was a child and “used the library pretty much every week.” She recently shared some of her fondest memories of working at Linebaugh over the decades since 1975:

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work under Briley Adcock and Laurel Best and learned so much from them both. I loved doing story times and puppet shows. When I first started, Helen Brown (Carol Ghattas's mother) was out on leave to take care of her mother-in-law, so I had the great fortune of stepping in and doing story times for about a year.

When our cataloger left, I was the only person trained to catalog, so I was moved to that position. I started typing catalog cards on an old black Underwood manual typewriter, moved up to an electric one, and then a memory typewriter. And, because I was the youngest person on staff (or the most daring--who knows?), I was chosen to learn how to use the first computer we received, which was an IBM. What an experience!

I also had the great fortune to help build and move Linebaugh from 110 W. College St. to 105 W. Vine St., where it is today. There are so many stories and fond memories over the years--way too many to recall here. I have loved it all and would do it all over again!

Rita shared that among her accomplishments, she was probably the proudest of getting the Technology Engagement Center (TEC) built in 2018. The TEC was Tennessee’s first standalone public library facility and one of only three in the country.

Among Rita’s plans for retirement are enjoying her four granddaughters, who live in Chattanooga and Decatur, Georgia; traveling; working on projects she has long had on her to-do list; and “reading whenever and however long I want!”

The Friends wish Rita a happy and healthy retirement!—Antoinette van Zelm, Chair, FOLL Media & Marketing Committee

Longtime patrons of the Rutherford County Library System will know Mindy Barrett to be an excellent choice to see RCLS through the transition toward a permanent director following the retirement of Rita Shacklett. Mindy is a Rutherford County native, having grown up in Smyrna. She began her bookish leanings while working during her college years at the Borders/Waldenbooks call center and then at Ingram. After earning her B.S. in Education, she began a Master’s degree and realized the courses of Library Science really spoke to her heart. While finishing her Master’s in Education and Library Science at MTSU, Mindy worked two jobs and, with her husband Todd, adopted four children! Upon graduation in 2009, she began working part-time at Linebaugh.

Mindy knows the Rutherford County Library System well, having worked in three separate branches. She began working full-time in the Youth Services Department at Smyrna in 2011. Mindy transferred back to Linebaugh in 2014, where she served as the Youth Services coordinator and then went to the Myrtle Glanton Lord (MGL) branch in 2019 as branch supervisor. Upon the retirement of Carol Ghattas in August 2023, Mindy returned to Linebaugh to become branch manager. This wide range of positions and work among several locations will serve Mindy well in her newest role.

Because I had the privilege of working with Mindy both as a supervisor and a fellow branch manager, I know her to be a woman of innovation and forward-thinking. She is always looking to see how to make things better. Mindy is also excellent in her supervisory skills and staff relations, and I know she will help bring RCLS staff together during this time of challenge and transition. As a mother and grandmother, Mindy knows the importance of serving the families in our community and will use her strengths from previous years in Youth Services to help our libraries continue to navigate the trials faced in the last year.

The load Mindy has agreed to bear is not an easy one, as she juggles the responsibilities of the director’s position along with her branch manager responsibilities at Linebaugh. With the support of the RCLS Board, her colleagues, and our Friends of Linebaugh Library, however, I am confident that Mindy will successfully guide our library system forward through this period of change and growth.

--Carol Ghattas, retired Linebaugh Branch Manager and Member of the FOLL Media & Marketing Committee

Dear Friends:

On February 29, we said goodbye to Rita Shacklett, director of the Rutherford County Library System. Rita retired after an illustrious career, working in many capacities over the last 48 years. We will miss her greatly and wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors. Mindy Barrett, branch manager of Linebaugh Library, has been appointed by the RCLS Board to serve as interim director until the hiring process to replace Rita can be completed. Mindy will do both jobs for the foreseeable future, and we know she will be great at it.

The FOLL Bookstore has entered its second year of operation on the first floor of Linebaugh. Sales during January, February, and March totaled $4,683, even though we were closed for several days in January due to inclement weather and related repairs that had to be done to our space. eBay and online sales for the same months totaled $6,397. We are grateful to the many volunteers who make all of these sales possible. If you are interested in becoming involved in one of these worthwhile projects, please contact Linda Vile at jvile7977@comcast.net to volunteer in the bookstore or Sonny Perry at sonnyperry316@gmail.com to help with eBay and online sales.

National Library Week is April 7-13. We look forward to thanking the library staff for their hard work throughout the year and celebrating their commitment to providing excellent patron services at Linebaugh, MGL, the TEC, and the Historical Research Center (HRC). The next time you visit any of these libraries, please tell the staff how much you appreciate their efforts.

We are looking forward to participating in community events, such as the Saturday Market downtown, which will start in May. Keep an eye out for our e-mail and social media announcements of the dates that we will have a table at the market.

We currently have 207 members. Thank you to everyone who has renewed for this year. If you haven’t had a chance to renew, please do so now. If you can’t find the form to send in, please let me know at follintheboro@gmail.com, and we will email you one.

Sincerely.

Leslie Collum

President, Friends of Linebaugh Library

As a youngster, I was an avid reader. I devoured books. I attended Bradley School, which was segregated, and as I remember, we did not have a lot of books. I read most of the meager supply of books at school.

After desegregation, the one thing I remember most vividly was when Mamma took me to the public library to get a library card. I had never seen so many books. There were rooms and rooms of just books. I was overwhelmed with the number of selections in the children’s reading section.

This became our Saturday morning ritual: Going to the library to get new books. There, you could travel anywhere in the world and experience all kinds of new adventures. A whole new world was opened up to me.

I am sure that there were lots of things that happened during that time, but my most special memory is that of receiving my very own library card with my name on it.

Thanks to the Friends of Linebaugh Library, the 5th Annual Harry Nelson Winter Reading Program had a good year. The snow in January delayed our kickoff celebration for a couple of weeks, but Harry's favorite band, The Jake Leg Stompers, played at Linebaugh on February 3rd. Over two hours, 134 people attended the show, which was a new record.

This is how the Winter Reading Program works: Read and review 6 books over 6 weeks. In all, 87 patrons signed up, with 71 of them contributing 6 reviews and finishing the program. All 71 will receive a $10 gift card, funded by the FOLL, from Simply Pure Sweets.

Every week of the program, we also gave away a $50 gift card from the City Cafe and a book. This year, Tiffany Fee won our Grand Prize, which was a $250 gift card from the Country Gourmet.

None of this would have been possible if not for you, the Friends. Your hard work in the bookstore and through online sales funded the prizes from local businesses that encourage participation. Thank you!—David O’Flaherty, Linebaugh Circulation Supervisor

The Friends were honored recently when contacted by the Stones River Regional Library (SRRL) to make a presentation about our eBay store. On Tuesday, February 27, FOLL Board members Debbie and Sonny Perry met with an interested group at Linebaugh to outline the steps and information needed to set up and manage the eBay store.

The Perrys provided a detailed list outlining the steps that are followed to move items from donation to sale on eBay and then from our eBay store to a purchaser:

1. Scanning Donations - Thousands of books, CDs, and DVDs are donated each year. Each donation is examined for the likelihood of it being listed on eBay. Some scanners see this as a treasure hunt, looking for items that will raise a fair amount of money. Generally, items are sought that are worth $10 or more, since purchasers are asked to pay shipping postage in addition to the item cost.

2. Research and Pricing - After setting aside the items that might be marketable, a second team of workers looks up prices for each book on other online sites that sell used CDs, DVDs, and books. These volunteers look for a range of prices for each item and then price our items to be competitive. Approximately two-thirds of the books donated are eliminated in this step because they don’t meet the minimum price guidelines.

3. Listing on eBay - Another set of three people picks up items in the warehouse after they’ve been priced. Using an eBay form, the items are listed for sale online. The workers photograph the books and upload the photos, along with a description of the item. The description includes the item’s condition, any damage to it, and if it has special characteristics, such as being a first edition or signed by the author. Recently, AI descriptions of book contents have become available as well.

4. Shipping - Once an item is sold, another set of three people gets to work. Each item is measured, weighed, packed, and shipped out using media mail within three days of being sold.

The presentation for the SRRL was very well received. The FOLL is happy to share its process for eBay sales so that other libraries can start a similar fundraising program. Since we began our eBay store in August 2020, we have been able to significantly increase our financial support for Linebaugh, MGL, and the TEC.—Joanne Pohlman, FOLL Media & Marketing Committee

2024 got off to a good start with in-person and online book sales of $11,080 for the first quarter. Our extremely successful Barnes & Noble Book Fair at the end of 2023 brought in $3,968, new regular memberships and renewals totaled $1,898, and we had donations equal to $2,005. Altogether, our first-quarter income came to $20,588.

Expenditures by the FOLL to support Linebaugh, TEC, and MGL reached $6,574 in the first quarter. We supported the Harry Nelson Winter Reading Program with $2,248 and the annual Author's Luncheon featuring Rachel Martin with $2,432. We also purchased a people counter for $549 for the TEC, so that staff there can better evaluate their attendance.

FOLL Treasurer Rebecca Calahan worked with the Media & Marketing Committee to create a graphic illustrating our 2023 support for the library system (see above). We have these available as handouts if you would like to help spread the word about our organization's efforts on behalf of the libraries.

As always, a full accounting of all of the FOLL’s income and expenses is available upon request. Thank you for your support!

Barnes & Noble Book Fair

Friends had a most successful book fair at Barnes & Noble in December 2023. With the time and effort of great volunteers and the generosity of shoppers, Friends raised $3,968 in one day for the public libraries of Murfreesboro.

The 2024 book fair is set for December 8th. Mark your calendar to volunteer (and to buy books)!

Library Display Cases

Linebaugh Library has several display cases in its entrance foyer. Staff of Linebaugh change out the displays on a monthly basis and are always looking for new contributors. Members of the Friends who are interested in learning more about displaying a collection in the cases should contact Lisa Robert at lrobert@rclstn.org to learn about the display standards and the months currently available.

Garrett Crowell Memorial Fund

Established by the FOLL, this fund supports library staff for the purpose of professional development and educational opportunities (like the recent Public Library Association meeting attended by Mindy Barrett, Kathleen Tyree, and Kristen Birckholtz). The fund is named in memory of former Linebaugh Circulation Supervisor Garrett Crowell, who died suddenly in November 2023. Garrett was a dedicated librarian with a wonderful sense of humor who always looked out for his staff. The fund has already been used to support conference attendance and professional development for several staff members. Donations can be mailed to Friends of Linebaugh Public Library, P.O. Box 2903, Murfreesboro, TN 37133.

Mark your calendars for these activities!

Saturday Book Sales, FOLL Bookstore, Apr. 20, May 18, June 15, 9AM-1PM

Your support helps us help Linebaugh, MGL, and the TEC!

Linebaugh Summer Reading Program, May-July 2024

Registration opens May 20.

Kickoff will be May 28.

Grand Finale takes place July 17.

Renew Your Membership!

Don't forget to renew your membership for 2024!