Post by richardvasseur on Jun 4, 2022 6:56:35 GMT
Book title: Librarian on the Roof!
Biography about librarian M.G. King
Illustrated by: Stephen Gilpin
30 pages
Cost: $ 16.95 US
Copywrite 2010 by Albert and Whitman Company
Reviewed by: Allen Klingelhoets
I really appreciated this book found in children’s section in my local library. It is a true story about oldest library in state of Texas almost was forced to close. There was little activity in library. The kids thought library was for adults and did not check out material. The library did not have internet. The books grew old and dusty, and people found newer, flashier places to go. The library grew quiet.
One day the new librarian arrived RoseAleta Laurell. She had very progressive thoughts about library, the Eugene Clark Library began to change. New books and magazines arrived. She told funny stories that made the staff laugh. The library was no longer quiet.
“Everyone should love coming to the library,” said RoseAleta. “The rich, the poor, the farmers, the townsfolk. We’re here for the grownups and for children. By the way, where are the children?”
No one knew.
RoseAleta tried to find ways to get kids to come to library. The kids still thought the library was for grownups. She knew the library needed a place in library just for them. She said” We need more books-picture books, mystery books, adventure books! Comfy chairs. Colorful artwork. And computers. Lots of families here can’t afford computers.”
“Where will we get the money?” the others asked?
“I’ll write letters and ask for donations.” Said RoseAleta.
No one sent any money. The library needed to raise 20,000 dollars. Several people even suggested bake sale. It was clear $ 20,000 with bake sale.
That was when RoseAleta got idea. She packed essentials which included a tent, a bullhorn, a laptop, two cell phones, and a slingshot. She was raised in bucket of the electric company truck. Fifty feet up. She stepped out of the bucket onto the roof. She used tent to sleep in and must have had some sort of bathroom. She stayed on roof of library for seven days. She encountered all sorts of problems. She ws even told by a member of city council saying” Ms. Laurell, we pay you to be inside the library, Not on top of it. What are you doing?”
She pulled out her bullhorn and addressed the gathering crowd. “I will stay on this roof until we have raised enough money for the children’s section!”
She ate blueberry muffins and blew the crowd kisses when went into tent for nights to sleep. Many people gave donations. One donation was for $10,000 dollars. RoseAleta still would not come down until raised at least $20,000 dollars for children’s section. There was a huge storm and radio stations even warned of tornados in area. After bad storm which left her wet and cold on Sunday morning the crowd came back outside. It was than announced raised over 39,000 dollars for children’s section.
She climbed into electric truck bucket and she was lowered back down off roof.
I also loved the artwork which Stephen Gilpin brought to true story.
From introduction page
Librarian on the Roof is based on the true story of RoseAleta Laurell. This dedicated librarian took to the roof of the Doctor Eugene Clark Library in Lockhart, Texas, on October 16th, 2000, in order to raise money for the children’s section. She braved a week-long fifty- foot-high campout in cold, stormy weather to bring national attention to the difficulties librarians often have money for library improvements.
The beautiful red brick and limestone library has been the cultural center for the town of Lockhart and Caldwell County since 1899. Below its giant stained-glass window stands an inside stage which has hosted many concerts, recitals and speakers. Famous people have taken their place on this platform including President William Howard Taft and the opera singer Dorothy Surnoff, who told the audience, “If you are bored with my performance tonight, you can just reach over and grab a good book to read.”
When Ms. Laurell became the library’s director in 1989, she realized that she needed to make some changes to keep up with the community that was growing and changing. She oversaw the careful restoration and expansion of the historic building and brought in resources to meet the needs of Lockhart’s Spanish- speaking people. During a time when rural communities struggled to keep up with the digital advances, she pushed to bring computers and free Internet access into the library. She firmly believed that “for many young people, the library serves as their first exposure to books, reading, art, and technology.” She was determined to make the Doctor Eugene Clark Library a place where Lockhart’s youngest citizens could find all of these things.
The whole town pulled together to make the fund-raising campaign a great success. Elementary children collected coins, teens organized a car wash, and thousands of citizens dropped bills into coffee cans. When Ms. Laurell came down from the roof after seven days, the town of Lockhart and its supporters had raised almost 40,000 dollars, twice the original goal. The library remains a vital center of activity in Lockhart today.
Allen Klingelhoets