Boro Book Bites
Friends of Linebaugh Library, January 2024
DR. RACHEL LOUISE MARTIN TO SPEAK AT 2024 AUTHOR LUNCHEON
Author Rachel Louise Martin, Ph.D., will speak at the Friends of Linebaugh Library’s annual Author Luncheon, which will take place on January 27 from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM at the Maple Room, 415 N. Maple Street, in Murfreesboro. Dr. Martin is a historian and writer who has published essays in The Atlantic and Oxford American. She is the author of Hot, Hot Chicken (2021), which explores the cultural origins of Nashville hot chicken, and A Most Tolerant Little Town (2023), which brings to life the little-known story of the first school to attempt court-mandated desegregation in Clinton, Tennessee, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954. Dr. Martin specializes in the politics of memory and seeks to tell stories that illuminate why injustice persists in modern America. She grew up in Murfreesboro and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
A Most Tolerant Little Town was selected as a New York Times Editors' Choice Book, a New York Times Nonfiction Book to Read This Summer (2023), a New Yorker Best Books of 2023, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Southern Book to Read This Summer (2023), and a BookPage Most Anticipated Book of 2023. Publishers Weekly wrote, “Martin, who collected oral histories for 18 years, strikes an expert balance between the big picture and intimate profiles of the families involved. The result is a vivid snapshot of the civil rights–era South.”
The Maple Room is in the Murfreesboro Housing Authority building at 415 N. Maple Street. The entrance is located at the north end of the building under an awning. Parking is available at the rear of the building.
Members can purchase discounted tickets for the luncheon for $15 with a paid membership or $25 without membership or for non-member guests. Purchases can be made at the circulation desk at Linebaugh Library, or a check can be mailed to Friends of Linebaugh Library, P.O. Box 2903, Murfreesboro, TN 37133-2903. Reservations must be made and paid for by January 15, 2024. Payments will not be accepted at the door.—Sandra Pineault, Chair, FOLL Literary, Arts, & Culture Committee
LINEBAUGH'S GARRETT CROWELL WILL BE GREATLY MISSED
Members of the Friends were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Linebaugh Library Circulation Manager Garrett Crowell in November 2023. Garrett was a dedicated librarian with a wonderful sense of humor, and he was always a friend of the FOLL. Most importantly, Garrett was a loving husband and father who leaves behind his wife Shea and children Bee and Max. Family, friends, Linebaugh staff, FOLL members, and community members held a celebration of life for Garrett at Linebaugh on December 29, 2023.
The remembrances below illustrate how very much Garrett will be missed. Many of them have been shortened for publication.
Garrett was a remarkable man and my friend in the truest way. Always dependable, available, and willing to help, he would really listen to me and then give encouragement with options to consider and logical advice. He gave me confidence beyond measure. I will miss his presence, his wisdom, his sense of humor. I will miss my friend.—Marilyn Morrison, FOLL Bookstore Volunteer
Garrett was invaluable in coordinating/supporting the work of the bookstore and bookmobile volunteers and staff! He is truly missed.—Linda Vile, FOLL Board Member and Chair of the FOLL Bookstore Committee
Garrett was an innovator and problem solver who looked out for his staff. In his relationships, he was thoughtful, honest, and blunt. He made this library a better place and his loss will be felt for a long time to come. Working here wasn't a job to him: it was something he loved and cared deeply about. It was his nature to ask, "Can this be done better?" If the answer was yes, the man would fight for what he thought was right. He would, as they say, rock the boat. Thank goodness he did. Sometimes the benefits people enjoy only come about because someone wanted to make a difference and wouldn't accept anything less than things being better than they were.—Dave O’Flaherty, Linebaugh Circulation Supervisor
My husband Richard and I have volunteered at Linebaugh for the past three years. Garrett was our “check-in“ person. Always helpful, always ready with a “Good Morning,” often ready with a story, always ready with sympathy or empathy for our most recent aches or pains. He acknowledged us in ways not usually done for volunteers who were there just two hours a week. He left a big hole in that office!—Joanne Pohlman, FOLL Board Member and Linebaugh Volunteer
I will always appreciate Garrett's love for the staff. He heard them and cared for their needs, and he always made sure I knew what they were voicing on specific issues, because the boss is always the last to know. I appreciated Garrett's creation and facilitation of our annual Free Comic Book days. They will never be the same, but I know staff will seek to honor him in carrying on this fantastic tradition. Finally, though there are many other things to mention, I appreciate Garrett's love for his family. I always knew when a holiday or birthday was coming, because little boxes started being delivered to him at the library.—Carol Ghattas, Former Linebaugh Branch Librarian and FOLL Member
My first meeting with Garrett was in 2019. He struck me as a cool guy with a super-sharp mind. I liked his choice in attire immediately. I am sorry that our developing friendship has been cut short. I feel sad for his family and the loss it is for them, and the library community’s voice gone silent. I am angry at being denied the contributions Garrett would have made to Linebaugh, its patrons, and a more inclusive society. Still look for him at his desk.--Bearl Beasley, FOLL Past President
Garrett was such a compassionate person and cared so deeply about so many people and issues. One that was near and dear to his heart was the bookmobile. He worked so hard to decommission our old vehicle and researched to find just the right one to replace it. Working with the bookmobile team, he worked tirelessly to get the best price and outfit it to everyone’s satisfaction. It breaks my heart that he will not be able to see the finished product, but every time I look at it I will think of him.
Garrett, you will be missed so much more than you will ever know, but we will hold on to all those precious memories that you helped to create. We will do our best to pick up the torch and hold it high for all to see and know that all the good things that you left behind will be continued. Fly high, my superhero friend.—Rita Shacklett, Director, Rutherford County Library System
PRESIDENT'S LETTER
Dear Friends:
Hello! My name is Leslie Collum, and I am the newly elected President of the Friends of Linebaugh Library (FOLL). I am looking forward to meeting those of you whom I haven’t met yet and working with your wonderful Board during the coming year. Everyone has been so friendly and encouraging. Antoinette van Zelm, chair of the FOLL Media & Marketing Committee, has asked me to share with you a childhood memory about libraries--so here it goes.
Walking to the Carnegie Library in Shawnee, Oklahoma, with my father on Saturday mornings is one of my favorite childhood memories. Even before I was old enough to read, I was allowed to choose six books (the limit in the children’s section), and my father would read them to me when we got home. Some of my favorites were the Raggedy Ann and Andy series. There was also a book about The Nutcracker ballet that I loved and checked out many times. After I learned to read and started checking out chapter books, I was drawn to a biography series that focused on important women such as Clara Barton, Juliette Gordon Low, and Jane Addams. I can still picture the bright blue covers of those books.
The Carnegie Library in Shawnee, Oklahoma, no longer exists. The building has been repurposed to house courthouse employees, and a new library was opened at a different location in Shawnee in 1989, but I have never forgotten the happy times I spent there. I have checked out books from many public and school libraries in the communities where I have lived during my lifetime, including Linebaugh Library, but the Carnegie Library of my childhood is still my favorite.
Sincerely.
Leslie Collum
President, Friends of Linebaugh Library
NEW BOOKMOBILE COMING SOON!
The Rutherford County Library System is gearing up to welcome a brand-new Bookmobile to its fleet in 2024!
When the old Bookmobile was deemed worn-out and unsafe to drive, it was taken out of service in June 2021. Staff have been using a combination of the Rutherford County Library System (RCLS) sedan, minivan, and a transit van to service the Bookmobile stops.
The Bookmobile is the mobile branch of the library system. Its purpose is to bring as many library services as possible to those unable to visit the brick-and-mortar branches. The Bookmobile visits day-care centers, pre-schools, and private learning centers; assisted- and independent-living facilities; treatment centers; and correctional institutions.
The Bookmobile runs on a weekly schedule (Monday through Friday) of appointment stops. Library staff work to tailor the services offered to the needs of each facility the Bookmobile visits.
Garrett Crowell was a key player in securing the new Bookmobile, per Rita Shacklett, RCLS Director of Libraries, and Michael Cleaves, RCLS Bookmobile Driver. Crowell was Linebaugh Library’s circulation manager who passed away suddenly in November at the age of 49.
“Garrett really spearheaded the whole project. He got the old Bookmobile decommissioned and sold for scrap, researched new vehicles, and worked with his team to create the vision for the new one,” said Shacklett. “Garrett was also instrumental in locating and securing many of the grants we needed. He navigated us through some very difficult stretches as a branch,” said Cleaves.
The funding for the Bookmobile came from several sources. “As part of the West End Foundation grant, we received $30,000 towards the new Bookmobile, along with a Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) Sharing Change grant, a TVA grant, a certificate of deposit that Linebaugh had, and funds from the Rutherford County Library Foundation,” said Shacklett.
Farber Specialty Vehicles, located in Columbus, Ohio, has informed Cleaves that the Bookmobile is ready to roll. Cleaves is currently negotiating a delivery date. “Our hope is to have it delivered in January and for it to be functional by February,” said Cleaves.
“One of the best parts about building a new Bookmobile has been the ability to tailor it to our needs,” Cleaves noted. “We’ve added an ADA-approved wheelchair lift allowing more of our patrons to board and browse. We will also be using a shelving system that will allow us to completely remove our shelving and take it inside our facilities. This will provide a much better library experience for our patrons and a much easier set-up for staff. We’ve also upgraded our technology -- adding an LCD monitor, a PA system, and a Cradlepoint router that will effectively turn our Bookmobile into a powerful rolling hotspot!”
The Bookmobile staff will be glad to get the new vehicle on the road to both serve the public and be a traveling symbol of the library’s presence in the county’s communities. “With the new Bookmobile we hope to also resume promoting our library at special events around the county,” Cleaves said. “As a mobile library it was important to have a presence at literary and civic events, participate in parades, and generally be visible promoting RCLS and encouraging people to use our library. I think the library system has sorely missed this over the last few years and this new Bookmobile will remedy that.”—Tracy Freeman, FOLL Media and Marketing Committee
In our next quarterly newsletter, look for photos of the new Bookmobile in action!
READING REFLECTION BY SONNY PERRY
I started reading at the age of 4. My sister, 2 years older than I, started school when she was 6. When she got home in the afternoon, she would show me what she had learned that day. Reading her Dick and Jane book while I followed along was my favorite lesson. At first, it was just memorization on my part, but it wasn’t long before I could recognize words on my own and no longer needed her to read the stories to me. I could read them by myself. When I started school, 2 years later, I was reading at a third-grade level.
That was the beginning of my lifelong love of reading. At school, I read everything I could get my hands on. I would have all my textbooks read cover to cover in short order. When I started the 3rd grade, there was a two-shelf rolling bookcase in our classroom filled with books, and after the lessons were finished, I would start in on reading them. The school I went to was so small they didn’t have a library but all three classrooms had a rolling cart of books! (There were only three teachers to teach grades 1 - 8, and one of them did double duty as principal).
Back then summer vacation was a full 12 weeks. We lived in the country, and the closest kids to play with were a few miles away (too far to walk or ride my bicycle--my mother wouldn’t let me anyway), so that meant a lot of time spent entertaining yourself. Luckily, there was a library at the county seat that I got to visit every two weeks (every two weeks because that was how long you had before the books were due back). You were limited to eight books, and I got the maximum every time. If eight books didn’t last for two weeks, my sister got her maximum of eight, and we would read each other's picks to fill in gaps between library trips.
My free time in the summer was spent with lots of amusing characters. I would travel all over the world and out of it. I went to Treasure Island with Jim Hawkins, whale hunting with Captain Ahab, traveled 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and went to Lilliput with Gulliver. I was stranded on an island with Robinson Crusoe and the Swiss Family Robinson, solved mysteries with Joe and Frank Hardy, Sherlock Holmes and, on occasion, Nancy Drew. I explored the jungles of Africa with Tarzan. I even went Around the World in 80 Days.
I traveled in outer space with Tom Swift and journeyed to Mars with John Carter. I was there with The First Men in the Moon and explored the future in The Time Machine. I probed inner space on A Journey to the Center of the Earth and found Pellucidar. And so many other places with so many other people--it’s too much to relate here. It was great sitting under a shade tree going to all these places with all these people for hours on end.
I’m old and retired now, and my taste in books has matured with me. But I still read on average 60 books a year. I have several bookcases at home with the books that are on my “to be read” list, and I still buy books regularly. If I quit buying books now and read the ones I have at my annual pace, I have enough to last me about 5 ½ years. But I don’t think buying books is going to stop anytime soon. I am hooked on books. Always have been and always will be.
$5-PER-BAG SALE AT THE JANUARY 20, 2024, BOOK SALE! DON'T MISS IT!
"TWO-FER" TUESDAYS AT THE BOOKSTORE FOR MEMBERS! BUY A BOOK, GET A FREE BOOK!
2023 IN REVIEW
Well, 2023 was a very interesting year for the Friends. Membership is the highest in a very long time, if not the highest ever. We continue to enjoy strong sales of donated books through our eBay store. Yet, without a doubt, the best thing that happened in 2023 was the opening of FOLL’s bookstore on the first floor of Linebaugh Library! Open three days a week and staffed by FOLL member volunteers, the store is inviting and well-supplied with hundreds of titles for purchase.
The chairs of the FOLL Bookstore and eBay committees (Linda Vile and Debbie and Sonny Perry, respectively) will give a presentation in February detailing the creation, organization, and operation of a physical bookstore and an eBay store. Kate Huddleston, Stones River Regional Library Director, invited FOLL to give this presentation in recognition of how exceptional these two programs are.
After more than a decade of service to the library and its patrons, Carol Ghattas, Branch Manager at Linebaugh, retired to pursue her passion for writing. She was a vital part of Friends with generous gifts of time and creative talents. Carol is due much credit for making our bookstore a reality.
Sadly, the Rutherford County library community suffered a major loss with the sudden passing of Garrett Crowell. A unique person, he was a strong and fearless champion of the library’s role in providing services to all regardless of station in society and personal life choices. Garrett will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.
Before closing, I would like to thank the FOLL Board and FOLL members for their support and hard work during my past two years as president. It has been an honor to serve with them and to work with the staffs of Linebaugh, MGL, and the TEC.
I wish you all a 2024 with enough activities to keep busy, challenges to keep you on your toes, and fun to give enjoyment.
Regards,
Bearl Beasley
Past President, Friends of Linebaugh Library
SIGN UP TO SUPPORT FOLL THROUGH KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS! CLICK ON THE PHOTO!
HIGHLIGHTS: FOURTH QUARTER 2023 REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES UPDATE
In the last quarter of 2023, we had in-person book sales of $3,551 and online book sales of $8,629. We also had $1,745 in income from memberships as people began to renew for 2024, and $145 from the Kroger Rewards Program. In addition, donors contributed $2,836. Thanks to everyone for your contributions!
Expenditures by FOLL to support Linebaugh, TEC, and MGL came to $9,815 in the fourth quarter, which included $5,358 for the PenPals Program with Sharon Cameron and $1,767 for staff support and holiday gifts. Funds were also provided for new book baskets for Linebaugh, a worktable for the TEC, conference support for Linebaugh staff, and the annual BookPage subscription for Linebaugh.
As always, a full accounting of all of FOLL’s income and expenses is available upon request. Thank you for your support!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Mark your calendars for these activities!
Annual Author Luncheon featuring Dr. Rachel Louise Martin, Saturday, January 27, 11AM-1PM
415 North Maple St., Murfreesboro
Nashville-based writer Dr. Rachel Louise Martin grew up in Murfreesboro and has published two books, Hot, Hot Chicken: A Nashville Story and A Most Tolerant Little Town: The Explosive Beginning of School Desegregation.
Linebaugh Winter Reading Program, Jan. 20-Mar. 9
Registration opens Jan. 21.
Reading begins Jan. 27.
Jake Leg Stompers Performance, Feb. 3, 1PM-3PM.
Saturday Book Sales, FOLL Bookstore, Jan. 20, Feb. 17, Mar. 16, 9AM-1PM
*The Jan. 20th sale will be a $5-per-bag sale!*
Bring your kids or grandkids!
Renew Your Membership!
You can renew your membership for 2024 anytime!
Established in 1981, Friends of Linebaugh Library is a 501c charitable organization that promotes the library and its activities through exhibits, special programming, and library materials beyond the regular resources of the library.