The public is invited to attend a special Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Cedar Rapids Public Library from 10 am to Noon on Saturday, May 5. The entire family is invited to take part in this community celebration. A brief program will be held at 10:00 am, followed by refreshments, activities, crafts and prizes.
More details will be announced closer to the date. Mark your calendars for this very important celebration. We look forward to seeing you there!
Fiction, nonfiction, comics, and books for young people will all be featured during the 2012 
edition of Out Loud! The Metro Library Network Author Series. The collaborative program of the Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, and Marion Public Libraries will grow to eight events this year, all free and open to the public. Seven of the eight events will be held at the Hotel at Kirkwood.
The lone exception is the Thursday, May 3 appearance by Marc Brown, creator of the beloved “Arthur” series for children. Brown’s stories about a young aardvark, his friends, and his annoying little sister have entertained children for years and are the basis for a popular PBS animated series. Brown will give two presentations for second graders in the Linn-Mar, Marion Independent, and Cedar Rapids Community school districts during the school day. At 7 p.m., he will give a third presentation that will be open to the public. All three events will be held in the Linn-Mar High School auditorium.
Prior to Brown’s visit, the series kicks off on Saturday, April 21 at 1 p.m. with Robin Hemley. The director of the University of Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program will read from “Do-Over!” which recounts his adventures upon returning to such childhood rites-of-passage as kindergarten, summer camp, and the high school prom. Hemley, a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, has two new books—one fiction, the other nonfiction—scheduled for release this spring.
On Friday, April 27 at 7 p.m., Kevin Brockmeier will read from his latest novel, The Illumination. Brockmeier is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and is currently a visiting faculty member for the program. In The Illumination, everyone’s physical pain manifests as a bright light shining from his or her body. Brockmeier’s other work includes the short story collection “Views from the Seventh Layer” and the novel “A Brief History of the Dead.”
Nicolette Hahn Niman, author of the Linn Area Reads selection “Righteous Porkchop” will be featured on Friday, May 11 at 7 p.m. Hahn Niman first became immersed in issues surrounding food production when she served as the senior attorney for Waterkeeper, an environmental group headed by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. That work is the jumping off point for “Righteous Porkchop.” In March and April, the Linn Area Reads program will host several related events.
On Friday, June 8 at 7 p.m., A. David Lewis, a comics creator and scholar, will discuss “Graven Images: Religion in Comic Books and Graphic Novels,” which he co-edited and in which an essay centered on Superman appears. Other essays in the book consider the work of comics creators such as Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and Grant Morrison. Lewis is the author of comics with religious themes including “The Lone and Level Sands,” “Mortal Coils,” and “Some New Kind of Slaughter.” He will be sending a collection of comics art that will be displayed in the weeks leading up to his event at the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha public libraries as well as the Cedar Rapids Barnes & Noble.
Wendy Delsol, who hails from Des Moines, will appear on Thursday, June 21, at 7 p.m. She is the author of the teen paranormal novels “Stork,” “Frost,” and the forthcoming “Flock.” Grounded in Norse mythology, the series follows the teenaged Katla Leblanc, whose family moves from L.A. to Minnesota where Katla discovers she has secret connections to a mysterious group of women. Delsol is also the author of “The McCloud Home for Wayward Girls.”
On Sunday, July 1 at 1 p.m., thriller writer James Rollins will read from Bloodline, the eighth entry in his bestselling Sigma Force series. Rollins is also the author of six standalone thrills and the Jake Ransom series for young adults. In Bloodline, a genetic abnormality might hold the key to immortality, but the truth is shrouded in a centuries-old conspiracy. James Rollins’ appearance is a Freedom Festival affiliate event.
Science writer Sam Kean will be the final Out Loud! author of the season on Friday, July 13 at 7 p.m. He is the author of The Disappearing Spoon And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements. This July, his second book, The Violinist’s Thumb And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code, will be released. This event is a collaboration with the Iowa City Book Festival. Kean will appear at the festival on Saturday, July 14.
All Out Loud! authors will take questions from the audience and sign books following their presentations.
More information about the Out Loud! Author Series, as well as information about the Linn Area Reads program, is available at www.metrolibrarynetwork.org.
Out Loud! The Metro Library Network Author Series is supported by the Giacoletto Foundation with media support from The Gazette and event book sales provided by Barnes & Noble Booksellers.
Out Loud! The Metro Library Network Author Series 2012 Events
Robin Hemley
Saturday, April 21, 1 p.m.
The Hotel at Kirkwood
Kevin Brockmeier
Friday, April 27, 7 p.m.
The Hotel at Kirkwood
Marc Brown
Thursday, May 3, 7 p.m.
Linn-Mar High School Auditorium
Nicolette Hahn Niman
Friday, May 11, 7 p.m.
The Hotel at Kirkwood
A. David Lewis
Friday, June 8, 7 p.m.
The Hotel at Kirkwood
Wendy Delsol
Thursday, June 21, 7 p.m.
The Hotel at Kirkwood
James Rollins
Sunday, July 1, 1 p.m.
The Hotel at Kirkwood
Sam Kean
Friday, July 13, 7 p.m.
The Hotel at Kirkwood
An acclaimed investigation into the conditions and effects of factory farms has been 
selected as the 2012 title for the community reading program known as Linn Area Reads. “Righteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms” by Nicolette Hahn Niman will be the centerpiece of this year’s programming. Linn Area Reads is a program of the Metro Library Network, which is made up of the Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha Public Libraries.
Serving as the senior attorney for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s environmental group Waterkeeper, Hahn Niman was quickly immersed in the world of factory farms. Horrified by what she found, she began a passionate fight to reform the industry. “Righteous Porkchop” is an account of the troubling practices of industrial animal operations. Hahn Niman also offers alternatives for more sustainable livestock farming and recounts her personal love story along the way.
Hahn Niman will give a presentation on Friday, May 11, at 7 p.m. at the Hotel at Kirkwood as the finale of the Linn Area Reads program. The presentation will also be part of the 2012 edition of Out Loud! The Metro Library Network Author Series. Prior to her visit, a series of events will be held to encourage community participation.
On Thursday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m., each library in the Metro Library Network will host a collaborative book discussion kick-off party. A limited number of free copies of “Righteous Porkchop” will be available at each site. Book discussions will follow on each of the next four Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids Barnes & Noble.
On Saturday, April 14 at 2 p.m. at the Marion Public Library, The Gazette will host a panel discussion entitled “Beyond Factory Farms.” On Sunday, April 22 from 1 to 5 p.m., a “Farm to Market” vendor fair will be held at Westdale Mall, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about local food production.
Seven of the Linn Area Reads organizers will be participating in an ongoing blog conversation about the book and the issues it raises. The blog can be found at http://linnareareads.blogspot.com.
Linn Area Reads is supported by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Friends of the Hiawatha Public Library, Friends of the Marion Public Library, The Gazette, the Giacoletto Foundation, the University of Iowa’s Hancher, and the Metro Library Network.
More information about the Linn Area Reads program can be found at www.metrolibrarynetwork.org. More information about Nicolette Hahn Niman and “Righteous Porkchop” can be found at www.righteousporkchop.com.
Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation receives Gale Cengage Learning 
Financial Development Award
CHICAGO– The Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation is the winner of the prestigious Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award. The award is presented annually to a library organization for exhibiting meritorious achievement in carrying out a project to secure new funding resources for a public or academic library.
Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation developed and is leading Library 3.0, a capital campaign to raise the private funds necessary to build a vibrant, new downtown library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after the existing building was destroyed by the devastating flood of 2008. The secondary goal of the campaign is to strengthen the library’s endowment by at least $1 million.
The Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation has already exceeded its goal by raising $7.1 million and fundraising continues in support of the endowment. The Library Foundation developed and implemented a program that is a model for other libraries. With help from consulting firm ME&V Fundraising Advisers, it carried out a feasibility study, established clear building project and fundraising goals, recruited strong volunteer leaders and implemented the campaign by starting with a successful leadership and major gifts phase, followed by a general gifts phase. Its strategies for public engagement (kickoff and groundbreaking celebrations, use of a website and Facebook, newspaper ads and direct mail, conversations in the Downtown Market and with community groups like Rotary and Kiwanis), are to be commended.
“The volunteers deserve all the credit for the success of this historic campaign,” says Library Foundation Executive Director Katie Geiken. “As Library 3.0 fundraising continues, our entire community is looking forward to opening day (summer of 2013).”
This project is also noteworthy for the success gained through collaborations. The new library was designed as a LEED building, attracting the Cedar Rapids Garden Club, which wished to contribute to the new library’s green roof. In addition to their direct monetary contributions, the Library Foundation and Garden Club partnered to make application to the Garden Club of America’s Founders Fund.
This strategic fundraising effort can boast of a wide range of funding sources from individuals to organizations, corporations to foundations. And the number of gifts continues to grow. While the official evaluation phase planned for the campaign will not take place until later this year, the 2012 Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award jury applauds the Cedar Rapids Public Library for its achievement to secure new funding resources for both a new building and to strengthen its endowment, exceeding its campaign goal.
Members of the 2012 Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award jury were Liz Bishoff, chair, The Bishoff Group LLC; Deborah Dancik, Willamette University; Eva Poole, Denton (Texas) Public Library; Neely Tang, Cornell University; Jane Tuten, University of South Carolina Aiken.
The Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Aware will be presented at the ALAAward Ceremony and Reception, Sunday June 24 at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif .
More information about the Gale Cengage Learning Financial Development Award, including how to submit a nomination, is available on the ALA website.
For more information on the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation Library 3.0 Campaign, visit www.crlibrarycampaign.org or call (319) 739-0411.
The Cedar Rapids Public Library has always focused on children’s literacy and preparing 
children for school. Now they are pushing that mission even further by implementing tools from the Every Child Ready to Read program developed by the Public Library Association (PLA) and the Association for Library Service to Young Children (ALSC).
Every Child Ready to Read developed in 2000 from an early literacy program designed to engage parents and caregivers and to arm them with the tools necessary to prepare their children for reading. This second edition looks at the research of what was successful in the first version and adds to it.
There are five principles to Every Child Ready to Read*:
These principles carry over from the first edition to the second edition.
Cedar Rapids Public Library staff have been educated on the tools and techniques of Every Child Ready to Read and have begun implementing these techniques into their programming. One example of this is a special literacy bookmark given out at each story time held during the week. Every child gets a bookmark each time they attend a story time with a special prize awarded for four story time attendances.
These bookmarks are tools to educate parents or caregivers on six literacy skills each child needs to be ready to read:
These bookmarks are a fun way to remind parents and caregivers of these skills and offer ways to engage their children with each.
This is just one example of a way in which the Cedar Rapids Public Library is using this resource to get every child ready for a life of reading and learning. Visit our event calendar at www.crlibrary.org for a list of all events and programs.
*Visit http://www.everychildreadytoread.org/ for more information on this initiative.
The Cedar Rapids Public Library invites you to attend a swinging songbook of Richard
Jazz in the Stacks 2011
Rodgers and Lorenz Hart with the Dennis McPartland Quintet in 781.65: Jazz in the Stacks.
This free musical performance will be held on Friday, February 10, at the Cedar Rapids Public Library West, Seuss Room. Performances are held at 7:00 pm and 8:30 pm and space is limited. Light refreshments will be provided. Tickets will be available for pick-up at the Cedar Rapids Public Library beginning Monday, January 30, on a first-come, first-serve basis with a six ticket maximum per person.
What: 781.65: Jazz in the Stacks
When: Friday, February 10, 7:00 pm AND 8:30 pm
Where: Cedar Rapids Public Library, Westdale, Seuss Room
Tickets: FREE and available beginning January 30 at the Cedar Rapids Public Library
Sponsored by the Friends of the Cedar Rapids Library
The Cedar Rapids Public Library Public Art Task Force is seeking qualifications from artists for two projects associated with the new downtown library. Opportunities exist for artists to create a sculpture for the Urban Plaza, as well as a southern exterior art installation.
Interested artists should submit their qualifications by February 29, 2012 through CAFÉ™, a free online interactive system.
To view project descriptions, budgets, and details about how to apply for these opportunities, please visit www.callforentry.org, click on “Call Listings,” scroll down to “Cedar Rapids Public Library Public Art Commissions,” and select “View More Info.” Interested artists can click on “Apply for this Call” to create a free account and submit their application.
For more information on the Public Art Task Force and the two art commissions, contact Amber Mussman at (319) 739-0404 or mussmana@crlibrary.org.
Each year, the Cedar Rapids Public Library presents the City Council and the community with an annual report. The goal of the annual report is to share information such as the annual Library operating budget, some valuable statistics, and highlight some of the successes from throughout the fiscal year. The Library presented the Annual Report to the City Council at last night’s meeting and is very excited to share it with the public online now. We hope you will enjoy the unique format and share it with your friends and family.
The Cedar Rapids Public Library board is asking for the public’s input on the selection of a permanent location for the west-side library branch.
Two public forums are being held in January to gather input from the public on the two locations under consideration. The forums are January 17 and 24 at 6:00 pm at the CRPL West.
The current west side location in Westdale Mall was constructed post-flood as a temporary main library. The library technology center is located across the hall from the library, and the mall is also home to the library’s administrative offices and the Iowa Substance Abuse Information Center (ISAIC).
The options under consideration are to remain in Westdale Mall and renovate the space to accommodate the technology center and necessary improvements, or to move to the former Target location across Williams Boulevard, across the street from the mall.
The public is welcome to send their questions or input to the Library Board by email at mussmana@crlibrary.org or to leave their comments here.
For more information on the Cedar Rapids Public Library, visit www.crlibrary.org or call (319) 398-5123.
Q. Why is the Library Board considering moving from the current Westdale location?
A. The Library Board was fortunate to find and develop the Westdale location as our temporary, central library following the 2008 flood. To date, Westdale is operated as a temporary library using FEMA disaster funding. This will end in about 18 months with the debut of a new central library. The West side demonstrates high use. The Library Board is committed to a West-side location, but wants to make certain that any West-side facility is the best value for our customers.
Q. What are the options under consideration?
A. The Library has been able to find two locations to meet our basic needs: 1) Our current location in the Westdale Mall, and 2) A subdivided, space which was part of the former Target Store across from the Westdale Mall.
Q. How does this impact the taxpayer? Are they paying for this?
A. The Library is seeking to consolidate its lease payments to be ready for the day when FEMA isn’t covering our operating expense. The Library will cover the majority of any renovation or move through private fundraising dollars and grants. As in any given year, the Library Board may allocate some of its facilities budget toward any project though those dollars would be a small portion of this project.
Q. What is the timeline for the changes?
A. The Library Board is studying this matter now with a goal of taking action this Winter. Any change following their action would be many months away.
Q. How will you plan to operate the west side branch?
A. Cedar Rapids Public Library is operated, by and large, from an appropriation to Libraries granted by City Council. Operating a West-side library has been a part of the library’s budget for years. If the budget is cut or unable to meet our demand, the Library Board would need to set priorities and make the same hard choices that all of us have to make in our own personal or family budgets.
Q. How will the changes impact me as a customer?
A. The Library’s goal is to provide the best, most cost effective library service possible whatever the location. All the plans under discussion involve improving the library with some level of renovation (restrooms and the like). We’ll work at minimizing the disruption, but there is bound to be some hassle moving toward something new.
