Backyard Birdwatching

Hello, readers! One thing in my life that brings me joy is watching birds. My birdwatching is not done out in the wild, binoculars in hand, but simply looking out my kitchen window at the birdfeeder in my backyard. There is something very special about seeing all the visiting birds, and my family and I …

Green Screen Fun

Have you ever wondered how folks get photos of themselves climbing Mount Everest in their swimsuit or hanging out with famous folks, even though you know they hardly leave the couch? With a little green screen magic, you can make your dreams virtually... reality! The green screen itself is simple. It's just a large sheet …

The Dog Ate my Homework

In my case, it was actually true once. I scotch-taped up the tattered remains of my worksheets (complete with muddy paw prints) and turned them in with this time-honored excuse - luckily, my teacher was both amused and forgiving, despite the missing sections! With school back in session, however, my daughter is already brimming with …

It’s time for school!

All across the country, kids are starting school -- either for the new school year or for the first time. Some schools are already in session, while others start in the next few weeks. Of course, this got me thinking about books related to the start of school. As usual, my thoughts first jump to …

Human Rights – From “Conception” to “Realization”

Hey y’all, this is Savannah from the Macon County Public Library.   You heard about several holidays in the last blog but for this blog, we are going to talk about human rights and Human Rights Day which was on December 10. Now, as a semi-trained history geek, my “historian” mind went all over the place …

November is Native American Heritage Month – Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Sign Dedication

Kristina Moe here at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin, writing my first blog. Yes, I’ve been here nearly 12 years without contributing, but last month I was finally convinced to write something. Here goes. Most days I love my view from the Reference Desk- when I started writing this there was a glorious …

Guest Blog: Domestic Violence Awareness Month by R.E.A.C.H. of Macon County

Maya Angelou stated “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” - Letter to My Daughter As we enter Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are confronted with the stark reality that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience some form …

Libraries On Tap

Did you know that the brewing industry is the fastest growing industry in western North Carolina?  Well, of course it is!  That’s why Fontana Regional Library system is stepping out of the stacks to bring: “Libraries on Tap: Brewing Scavenger Hunt” to Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. “Libraries on Tap” is a collaboration between Fontana …

Simple Switch, Right?…Not as Easy as “ABCs”

Making the big move from Adult Reference Services to Youth Services was not supposed to be a big deal because  I’ve been a children’s librarian for most of my career, but after working with adults for 10 years, this may take some getting used to... Instead of people asking about how to save a document …

National Parks and Recreation Month

Hi Shelf Life Readers! Happy National Parks and Recreation month! I am writing to you from the Jackson County Public Library but if you tried to find me during the summer months from 2012 to 2015, you would’ve had to look deep in the wilderness of either the Sumter or Chattahoochee National Forest, where I …