Author: krhoads

Friends’ Annual Yard Sale

Posted on by krhoads

It’s time for the annual Friends of the Library Community Yard Sale!

Do you have things to sell but no where to sell them? Are you a small business owner looking for a place to show/sell your merch (Young Living, Pampered Chef, etc)? Are you an artist or crafter? Do you make clothes or jewelry? Do you have a store on Etsy or Poshmark and need to get rid of some merchandise? Or do you just have a bunch of stuff to get rid of?

Rent a space for just $15 and sell your stuff! Space registration forms are available at the Library and must be paid in advance. If you have any questions, call the Library and leave a message for Marilyn. 717-653-1510

April Greetings from our Director

Posted on by krhoads

I have always found it fascinating how we communicate with one another using metaphors, analogies, and idioms. It feels counterintuitive, but a good analogy or metaphor can help us understand one another better. For example, if I told you I was “on a wild goose chase,” you would know that I meant I was working hard toward an ever-changing goal that I might never achieve. You would understand my frustration without my saying it was frustrating. If I said, “It’s all Greek to me,” you would appreciate that I was struggling to understand something. I recently overheard this phrase used when a member of the MSL staff was helping a patron with our eBook app, Libby.

By themselves these are analogies where I am pretty much saying to you, “this is so frustrating it is like chasing a wild goose!” or, “I am so far from understanding what you’re saying that you might as well be speaking another language.” What you might not know is that both of these quotes come to us from William Shakespeare. “Wild goose chase” is from Romeo and Juliet, and “it’s Greek to me” is from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. A surprising number of the communication shortcuts we use come to us from Shakespeare. “The world is your oyster” encourages us to take advantage of life’s opportunities, “heart of gold” refers to someone who is honest and loyal, and “green-eyed monster” means to be jealous of someone else. What I find interesting is that knowing where the quote is from isn’t needed to understand the meaning.

Without getting into the definitions of metaphors, analogies, and idioms – that can be a bit confusing – the part I find interesting is when we understand a meaning that isn’t explicitly explained by the words we use. You know I am not literally chasing wild geese, and when I say, “it’s raining cats and dogs,” you know I don’t actually mean that dogs are falling from the sky. How we go about making ourselves understood to one another can be poignant, emphatic or downright funny.

I’ll cut to the chase and spill the beans: I’ve been sitting on top of the world for a year now as the top dog at your neighborhood library. Time flies! I am still over the moon to be here, and I don’t take that for granted.

Joseph

The Milanof-Schock Mile Returns!

Posted on by krhoads

The Milanof-Schock Mile activity returns this month with a new walking route! This is a great family activity, fun for parents/grandparents with strollers, or you can meet a friend at the Library and take a walk before you check out some books. Starting April 2, adults and kids can pick up a punch card and walking route map. Each time you complete the mile we’ll punch your card…10 punches will earn adults MSL “cash” to spend on books in our lobby or bookstore and children get to pick a free book from our supply.

Milanof-Schock Library Receives Generous Donation

Posted on by krhoads

Milanof-Schock Library recently received a generous donation from the Donegal Education Association (DEA). The Donegal Education Association (DEA) was formed in 1971 to advocate for the educational needs of students and educators across the Donegal community. In the last decade, DEA has contributed over $10,000 to the Milanof-Schock Library in support of the Library’s efforts to bless the community. Following in that proud tradition, DEA Co-Presidents Don Seibert and Justin Neideigh recently made a check presentation on behalf of DEA to Milanof-Schock Executive Director Joseph McIlhenney for $1,000.

“DEA is proud to support the work of the Library because it does so much for the children, students, families, and teachers within our community,” stated Seibert. “As teachers, we could not do the important work that we do educating our kids if it wasn’t for the strong partnership that we have with our local hometown library,” he added. Neideigh noted that the relationship between the Donegal educators and Mount Joy library is vital to a strong and thriving community. “We value investing in the Library’s early literacy programs because there is a direct connection between a love of books and reading and life-long learning. Readers are leaders, and when kids get excited about reading, they get excited about learning. We are fortunate that our students and teachers can benefit from the fantastic resources and take advantage of the high-quality, free, educational programing that is available to the kids, teens, and adults of our community.”

“The Library’s partnership with the Donegal Education Association is a great example of a vibrant community coming together to support one another and work toward our common goals and values,” Director McIlhenney shared. “This library is here to serve our community and contributions like this one help ensure our library, your neighborhood library, will be able to continue to offer services and resources to the community. The Library is grateful for this donation.”

 

(Pictured Left to Right: Mr. Don Seibert, Donegal High School Social Studies Teacher, Donegal Education Association Co-President; Mr. Joseph McIlhenney, Milanof-Schock Library Executive Director; Mr. Justin Neideigh, Donegal High School Social Studies Teacher, Donegal Education Association Co-President.)

Winter Reading for All Ages!

Posted on by krhoads

Cozy Up and Read Bingo!

ADULTS: We’re taking a little break from the biweekly reading challenges to return to the winter favorite – Cozy Up and Read Bingo! Now thru February, pick up a bingo game sheet at the Library, complete 5 challenges in a row, and submit your completed sheet to the Library to earn a small prize and to be eligible for a grand prize drawing March 1. For a real challenge, complete more than one bingo sheet – you can do as many as you’d like! If you are not interested in the prizes, pickup a bingo sheet for topic ideas to inspire you to read something out-of-your-usual.

 

KIDS: Miss Jan has prepared a Winter Reading Bingo Program that will encourage kids to curl up with some good books during the chilly season. The program runs January 15 through February 19. Pick up a “Bingo” sheet at the Library. Read something that correspond to a block on the sheet, color in the block, and line up five in a row BINGO Style! Return your BOOKS BINGO sheet to the Milanof-Schock Library for a small prize. Forms must be turned in by February 19 to be in the grand prize drawings. Multiple entries are encouraged!

Giving Tree 2021

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So far this December, we have donated 106 items from the Giving Tree to DSAA in Mount Joy and Mount Joy Helping Hands. We will continue to receive community donations through December 22: hats, scarves, mittens/gloves, ear muffs, socks, slippers, undershirts/underwear, slippers…all new items, please; handmade outerwear appreciated! Bring items to the Library during regular open hours to help local families in need.

ExtraGive Success!

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Another Extraordinary Give has come and gone (did you know we were a part of the event from its beginning 9 years ago?), and once again we are touched by the support of our amazing community.

Online donations on November 19 were made by 170 donors to bring us to $17,450. When all the donations were counted for the event, including checks or in-person donations, we reached a grand total of $19,505.

Thank you to all who donated and to all who support the Library in other ways. We are very grateful.